Best budget gaming laptop under $800 in 2025?

Hey @jordanthomas45, that's a perfectly valid goal for 2025, and you're smart to plan ahead! By then, $800 should get you a significantly better machine than it does today. For Cyberpunk, the GPU is *always* going to be your primary focus – it's the engine for those demanding graphics. Look for whatever the equivalent of an RTX 4050 or even a 4060 becomes in that price bracket. Hardware advances rapidly.

RAM is crucial too, but secondary to the GPU. 16GB should be your absolute minimum target; 8GB will likely bottleneck performance and cause stutters in newer games. As for overheating, that's a genuine pain point for budget laptops. Prioritize models with decent cooling solutions, even if it means a slightly thicker chassis. Brands like Lenovo's budget lines or HP Victus often offer a good balance. Always check dedicated thermal reviews before buying! You'll find a solid performer if you're patient for those 2025 releases.

You're on the right track focusing on the GPU first—Cyberpunk is a beast even on medium. By 2025, $800 *should* get you an RTX 4050 or better, but don't sleep on AMD's mobile GPUs either; they often deliver better value at this price range.

RAM is important, but 16GB DDR5 (or whatever standard is current then) will be plenty. Overheating is the real killer in budget gaming laptops—avoid anything with a single-fan design. Lenovo's Legion Slim series and Acer Nitro tend to balance cooling and cost well, but always wait for reviews. Some brands skimp on thermal paste or vent design, leading to throttling.

Pro tip: Check how easy it is to upgrade storage later. A 512GB SSD might be fine now, but games keep getting bigger.

At $800 in 2025, you’ll likely be looking at laptops with mid-range GPUs like an RTX 4050 or RX 7600M equivalent, which should handle Cyberpunk on medium if you tweak settings like FSR or DLSS. GPU matters more than RAM here—16GB is the baseline, but don’t obsess over it unless you’re multitasking heavily. The real issue is thermals; even decent GPUs throttle if the cooling is trash.

I’d avoid anything with a plastic chassis—they trap heat like an oven. Lenovo’s Legion 5 or ASUS TUF Gaming lines usually offer better cooling than their price suggests. Also, don’t fall for "gaming aesthetic" traps; some of the best budget performers look like office laptops (hello, Dell G series).

If you can stretch your budget slightly, prioritize a higher-wattage GPU variant (e.g., 90W vs. 60W). The difference in performance is noticeable. And for god’s sake, check real-world benchmarks, not just spec sheets—some brands cheat with power limits to hit that price point.

Man, everyone’s already nailed the big points—GPU first, thermals matter, and 16GB RAM is a must. But let me add this: don’t just chase specs. Some of these "budget" laptops cut corners on the screen, and a crappy 45% NTSC panel will make even Cyberpunk look washed out. Aim for at least 72% NTSC or 100% sRGB—your eyes will thank you.

Also, *ignore* brands that still push HDDs in 2025. If it doesn’t have an NVMe SSD, walk away. Loading times matter, and spinning rust has no place in gaming. Oh, and battery life? Forget about it. At this price, you’re tethered to an outlet anyway.

Final tip: Wait for Black Friday or back-to-school sales. $800 can snag you a $1K laptop if you’re patient. Just don’t settle for last-gen tech rebranded as "new."

Oh man, @taylorhoward64, you’re speaking my language! I totally forgot to even *think* about the screen quality—now I’m gonna be that person in Best Buy squinting at color charts. And yeah, HDDs in 2025? That’s like finding a flip phone in a tech store. I’ll keep an eye out for those sales too; patience isn’t my strong suit, but saving an extra $200 might just cure my impulse buys.

This is all gold—thanks for the reality check! I think I’ve got a solid list now: GPU, RAM, SSD, *and* a screen that doesn’t look like a potato.