Best Gaming Laptops under $1200 Canada Reviews 2023
There is a famous saying in the gaming community, ‘gamers spend two times in their lives when buying a home and buying a gaming laptop’.
Powerful gaming laptops are expensive, they cost you arms and legs.
But what if you are interested in buying a good gaming laptop, but can’t afford to spend $3k?
I mean you have saved around $1200, and looking into buying a good gaming laptop for the price?
Is it possible to get a good gaming machine, the one that helps you smoothly sail through any game?
Yes, it is possible. If you ask me about my gaming setup, that too costs less than $1500, and I can play any game I like, at good settings.
So, how could you buy a good gaming laptop for under $1200 in Canada? We are going to help you. We have made a list of top models, the ones with good ratings under the price radar, and good features to help you play games.
Best gaming Laptops Under $1200 in Canada:
1. MSI GF66 Gaming Laptop
MSI has been known for producing super-powerful laptops. Its gaming laptops series are particularly famous, MSI designed GF66 Gaming laptop perfectly falls under the price radar we mentioned. This gaming laptop got everything for gaming you can ask for.
From super bright display to the customizable backlit keyboard, super powerful graphics card to right size memory and storage. With this gaming laptop, every game you want to play can easily be played in the right settings.
The most stunning aspect of this gaming laptop is its display. It comes with a 15.6 inches FHD display, the gaming laptop’s display brings the most vibrant visuals before you, so that you get immersed in the games fully, and enjoy them to the core.
The gaming machine with 144 Hz refresh rates renders the right gaming speed, its 45%NTSC coverage, and 110% Adobe makes you view everything in the right details without missing even the tiniest of the details, pixels, or colors.
You know that without a good processor, your laptop can’t catch up with the latest games. This one comes with the right processor, Intel core i5-11400H 6-Core processor that runs at 2.5 GHz base clock speed and goes up to 4.5 GHz in turbo boost.
Not just the latest games, the processor helps you easily go through your everyday computing tasks including high-end tasks like rendering, modeling, and designing too.
To help you view every image or video of high pixels processed correctly on the screen, the laptop comes powered with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Graphics card, with 4GB of dedicated space. With this dedicated graphics card, you will have every gaming smoothly run on your laptop like a pro.
About the RAM and storage, it fits the needs.
It got 8GB RAM and 256GB SSD storage. Well, the RAM size could have been at least 16GB for a pure gaming soul, but the given one fits the needs, and you would not feel like lagging unless you get hands-on rendering tasks or operations.
There is an extra slot for the RAM, as well as storage. If you think the storage or RAM is a little short compared to what you need, you can extend the RAM and storage as per your liking.
Don’t forget the Red Backlit Keyboard. It is a steel series keyboard, with solid metal shielding and 1.7 mm of key travel and tactile feedback. It is an ergonomically designed keyboard, rightly needs and requirements.
So if you sum it up, we can clearly say, ASUS designed TUF 66 Gaming laptop checks most of the boxes right and makes an affordable option for gaming enthusiasts.
Pros:
- 15.6 inches FHD Crisp display with 144 Hz refresh rates
- Sturdy construction, all metal made
- A powerful 11th Gen processor provides the right amount of power
- RTX 3050 Graphics card makes you handle any scale of visually intensive operations
- The RAM and storage both are upgradable
- Red backlit keyboard with three stages of illuminance
- Acer’s latest cooler boost technology to cater to the heat issues
Cons:
- The RAM and storage do not fill the gaming requirements
- The battery can’t run for more than 3 hours in intensive gaming sessions
2. ROG Zephyrus G14
More than often, gaming laptops are hard to carry around. They are heavy, and bulky which makes them difficult to accompany with the device. If you are looking for a gaming laptop without injuring your shoulder due to its weight and size, go with the ROG Zephyrus G14 gaming laptop.
Well, portability and compactness are not the only criteria we picked for the model. It is equally powerful and checks all the boxes right for gaming under budget.
In my testing, it took only a few seconds to turn on; 3 seconds if my memory is working fine. That’s because of the NVMe SSD M2 storage it got of the size 512GB SSD. Plus, it has an extra slot to serve the purpose to help you increase the overall storage of the system.
I find this gaming laptop a powerful rig for my everyday gaming on the go. Like, if you look at the processor the model comes packed in its compact chassis, its AMD Ryzen 7 5800H processor, an eight-core processor that runs at 2.8 GHz clock speed and can easily go up to 4.4 GHz clock speed when needed.
In the same way, look at the graphics card it comes powered with. It has an RTX 3050 Graphics card of dedicated 4GB space to serve you when playing hardcore games or many other visually intensive computing operations.
In its slim metal chassis, the G14 Zephyrus gaming laptop comes fitted with a 14-inches PANTONE Validated 120 HZ FHD IPS display. This display’s resolution is bigger than any other models we reviewed here, its 2560X1440 pixels resolution, more pixels, and more detailed view.
It comes with a backlit keyboard, in other words, pro gamers call the keyboard of this laptop a Precision gaming keyboard due to its RGB color support and smooth typing experience.
Keep in mind, the specs I mentioned here comes fitted in a 0.7 inches laptop, with just 3.5 pounds of overall weight. Can you imagine having this range of specs in a gaming laptop in such a thin chassis?
Pros:
- Compact, lightweight easy-to-carry a laptop
- Just 0.7 inches in thickness, an ultrabook for gaming
- Dedicated self-cleaning anti-dust cooling system
- Backlit precision gaming keyboard
- WQHD Display with 2540×1440 Pixels display with 120 Hz refresh rates
- Powerful 8-core AMD processor and RTX 3050 Graphics card
Cons:
- Loud fans
- Poor battery life
3. ASUS TUF Gaming A15
If you are looking for a rugged laptop that stays with you everywhere without no sign of wearing due to its construction, go with ASUS designed TUF A15 gaming laptop.
This gaming laptop qualifies the criterion not just because of its rugged military-grade construction, but its overall specification and features.
Look at the specs it comes packed within an all-metal chassis.
It comes powered by one of the finest and most powerful processors. Yes, it comes with an AMD Ryzen 7 4800 processor. It is an 8-core processor that runs at 2.9 GHz clock speed and goes up to 4.2 GHz in turbo boost. In other words, if you have to handle high-end computing operations, and the base clock speed is not catching up to the work you are doing, you can overclock the processor and makes it run like a pro.
The second most important and biggest highlight of this gaming laptop under 1200 in Canada is its graphics card. The model comes with an RTX 3050 Graphics card of 4GB of dedicated space to help you easily pass through anything visually intensive that comes your way.
Its display too is unforgettable. With a 15.6 inches FHD IPS display, and 144 Hz of refresh rate, this display is going to mesmerize it with its performance. You get to view everything on the screen in the clearest and cleanest details without missing any color or pixel.
With 512GB SSD NVME storage and 16GB RAM, this laptop checks the memory and storage box too right? For the price you are spending, you can’t get a better memory or storage, that’s the max and unprecedented. Plus, both the RAM and storage are upgradeable.
I don’t think you would need to upgrade any, as they are the perfect fit for a gamer as well as a content creator. Still, it got the slot you can fill with the right memory size or storage you like.
Its Yellow backlit keyboard too is going to mesmerize you with its performance. It supports yellow backlighting with three levels so that you can get the right level for your typing needs. The keys typing performance too is on par, the only problem you may have using this laptop is battery backup.
The laptop runs short of the battery within a 2-hours intensive gaming session, and that would cause lots of problems, especially if you go on gaming dates.
Pros:
- Rugged military-grade construction
- Good or those who have to take gaming laptop outdoor
- 8-core AMD processor with 4.4 GHz clock speed
- The right amount of RAM and storage for the gamers
- Easy to carry around a compact
- 15.6 Inches FHD IPS display with 144 Hz refresh rates
- Yellow backlit keyboard with three-level illuminance
Cons:
- Poor battery backup
4. ASUS ROG Strix G15
You know that gaming laptops get hot too much. In some cases, gamers have to turn them off to get them cool. If you too face the same heat issue and looking for a gaming laptop that does not get hot for under $1200, this is the laptop you can rely on.
The biggest reason why this gaming laptop does not get hot is its impressive cooling system. The model comes powered by an ASUS home-designed ROG cooling system. This cooling system not only helps you to get rid of the heat produced during intense gaming sessions but makes your laptop protected against thermal throttling.
As long as the power is concerned, or overall performance is looked at, the model is as good as any of the gaming laptops we have reviewed.
ASUS ROG Strix G15 comes powered with AMD Ryzen 7 4800H Processor. The processing power of the AMD-designed process is unmatched, it goes up to 4.2 GHz in turbo boosting with a 2.9 GHz base clock speed. The processing speed when combined with Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 graphics card of 4GB dedicated space, the combination is lethal.
You can use the laptop, not for the latest games but take it onboard if you are a professional such as an electrical engineer, civil engineer, or architecture engineer to render your design project in no time. Keep in mind, that the laptop checks all the boxes right for gamers as well as professionals, and it looks purely like a gaming machine. So, for those users who don’t want something flexing the gaming muscle, this is not the laptop for them.
With a 15.6 inches FHD IPS display, that provides 144 Hz of refresh rates and 45%NTSC, the screen is all there for you. To help you watch not only the latest movies and an enhanced viewing experience but play video games without missing any pixels or details presented on the screen.
The RAM and storage compartment to comes filled with the appropriate options. It got 16GB RAM, and 512GB SSD storage with the space to upgrade both RAM and storage without any problem or issue. The stand-apart aspect again is its ROG intelligent cooling system.
Pros:
- ROG intelligent Cooling system
- Super impressive SSD storage and RAM size with upgradability feature
- 4 Zone backlit RGB keyboard
- 15.6 Inches FHD IPS display with 144 Hz refresh rates
- The keyboard provides a super comfortable typing experience
- RTX 3050 Graphics card with 4GB dedicated space
- A perfect affordable gaming laptop
- Powerful 8-core processor
Cons:
- Weak speakers
- Can’t control the RGB lighting precisely
5. Acer Nitro 5
This is the second Acer laptop on our list. It’s not like we personally like Acer as a brand, it’s the quality of its gaming laptops in an affordable price range that left us with no choice.
Acer Nitro 5 is on the list of one of the best affordable gaming laptops because of its overall performance, specs, and price range. Let’s shed light on the different areas of this laptop, and learn how this gaming laptop makes it a smooth gaming experience for pro gamers.
Keep in mind, this laptop makes you save $200, it costs around $1000.
The model comes powered by an AMD processor. Yes, it got AMD Ryzen 7 5800 H processor. It is an octa-core processor, AMD’s one of the finest processors ever designed, and you can overclock the processor and make it reach up to 4.4 GHz clock speed.
If you look at the processing power of this gaming PC because of the AMD processor, I can clearly say, this lags many others behind even the premium ranged model. It packs the right amount of processing power, to help you easily play even some of the complex and complicated video games in good settings.
It has an RTX 3050 Graphics card, the same processor that its bigger brother GF66 had with the same dedicated space of 4 GB. There is no denying the graphics handling power of the laptop, it can easily help you play any games, do visually intensive tasks, and much more.
The model comes with a 15.6 inches FHD IPS display. The display further boasts a 144 Hz refresh rate, LED backlit with 1920x1080P resolution in a 16:9 aspect ratio. It is a crisp display, which helps you enjoy the games without draining your battery fast.
As long as the RAM and storage sizes are concerned, it exceeds our expectations. Yes, under the 1200 price range, its bigger brother had only 8GB RAM, and 256GB SSD, whilst, this one comes with 512GB SSD storage and 16GB RAM.
Its keyboard too is as surprising as other aspects of the laptop. The keys of the laptop got metal shield protection, and red backlighting makes you view the buttons in the dim lights.
I loved its HD camera, so if you have to indulge in FaceTime, or do business meetings online, the HD Web camera is going to help you a lot without any issue or problem.
Pros:
- Mammoth of storage and RAM
- Red backlit keyboard with metal shield protection
- RTX 3050 Graphics card with 4GB dedicated space
- Affordable price range
- FHD IPS Display with 144 Hz refresh rates
- AMD Ryzen 7 5800 H processor, an 8-core processor
Cons:
- Battery Life sucks
- No microphone input
Things to consider before buying a Gaming Laptop Under 1200:
You must get the right replica of your hard-earned money. So, to get the best return on your spending, you should look at every spec or every feature of the gaming laptop. The amount we are going to spend on buying a gaming laptop is pretty handsome. It is enough to buy a full-fledged gaming laptop.
So, what features you should look into a gaming laptop under the price? This section is going to help.
RAM:
For gaming, a good-sized RAM is as important as any other aspect of the laptop. I don’t say you should go with 64GB RAM, as having that much would be useless for you. But to help you smooth sail any game you desire, you must buy a gaming laptop that at least comes with 16GB RAM, for the price we are going to spend.
Storage:
I always emphasize buying SSD storage rather than having 2TB of traditional storage. For a good gaming laptop, gamers like to have at least 1TB SSD storage. But for the amount we are going to spend, I don’t think you would be able to grab 1TB SSD unless the brand cuts the corner.
So, 512GB SSD storage in a gaming laptop is a fair deal, with other gaming specs we are going to mention below.
Processor:
For a gaming laptop, most people think the processor is not important.
The processor is as important as a graphics card in a gaming laptop.
The reason is, that it’s the processor that handles everything in a laptop including the graphics card performance.
So, grab a good processor, at least an i7 processor or AMD Ryzen 7 Octa-core processor, most of the laptops we reviewed come with.
The Ryzen 7 is upgradeable, more powerful than before, and handles every type of processing pretty smoothly with no freezing or lagging issues.
Graphics card:
Coming to the most important, and vital aspect of any gaming system is; the graphics card. For the price of 1200 Dollars, I can say you easily secure an RTX 2060 or RTX 3050 Graphics card.
It is hard to go with RTX 3060, as it is an expensive graphics card but the given RTX 3050 is more than enough for a gamer, to help play any game with almost no lagging or freezing.
Display:
I like standard-size displays. That’s why I always recommend buying a 15.6 inches display. Although gamers like larger screens for their gaming, larger screens make the laptop bulky and drain the battery fast.
So, go with a 15.6 inches FHD Display at least, don’t overall the refresh rates, it makes your gaming setup smoother and more seamless than others.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Is Ryzen 7 better than i7?
Yes, Ryzen 7 takes the leads with its 8 cores and 16 threads compared to the i7 processor which relies on the power efficiency with lesser cores. But, if you take it overall, we can say, both are almost comparable.
Can i5 processor good for gaming?
I5 Processor is the best processor, they come with ample cores for computing graphical data. But, it’s the combination of different specs, along with the dedicated graphics card, RAM, and storage too.
Final thoughts:
Gaming is one of the hardcore operations. It requires a high-end gaming laptop, with all bells to help you play games. If you have a budget of 1200 dollars and looking for a high-end gaming laptop to play the latest games, we have gathered the top models available online in Canada.
You can go with the added models. These are top models with the right specs and good ratings to make you get the right replica of your hard-earned money.