Best Apple Gamers Laptops under $600

What a Gaming laptop means: a laptop optimized to actually run modern games well,frame rate, panel quality, and thermal sustainability are weighted higher than weight or battery life. Typical use: AAA single-player titles at high settings, competitive multiplayer, streaming gameplay, long sessions plugged in at a desk. Fits enthusiast PC gamers without space for a desktop, college students with a gaming hobby, esports players, dorm gamers,anyone whose first buying question is "will it run this game?"

Also relevant for: gaming laptops · esports rigs · AAA-ready machines · high-refresh laptops

Updated: June 2026
Products evaluated: 2281
How we work: Editorial principles →

Showing: under $600 · Apple or Framework or Microsoft

Showing 1–5 of 5 Gamers laptops
  1. #1
    Champion
    Objective profile
    Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13.5"
    (i7-1265U, 16GB, 256GB)     Renewed
    Microsoft · 13.5" · 2022
    $417 – $460
    Gaming SelvaScore
    48 / 100
    Weight–
    Battery10.0 hr
    Display13.5" 2256x1504
    RAM16 GB
    Storage256 GB
    SelvaScore breakdown
    • 47
      Graphics Performance Rasterization Potency
    • 44
      Screen Refresh Refresh Rate
    • 47
      Sustained GPU Power Total Graphics Power
    • 35
      Video Memory VRAM Capacity
    • 42
      CPU Performance Multi-Thread Scalability
    • 42
      Ray Tracing Ray Tracing Architecture
    View on Amazon
    View full review →
  2. #2
    Runner-Up
    Objective profile
    Microsoft Surface Laptop 3
    (i7-1065G7, 8GB, 512GB)     Renewed
    Microsoft · 13" · 2020
    $353 – $391
    Gaming SelvaScore
    38 / 100
    Weight1.27 kg
    Battery9.0 hr
    Display13.0" 2560x1600
    RAM8 GB
    Storage512 GB
    SelvaScore breakdown
    • 40
      Graphics Performance Rasterization Potency
    • 44
      Screen Refresh Refresh Rate
    • 61
      Sustained GPU Power Total Graphics Power
    • 56
      Video Memory VRAM Capacity
    • 41
      CPU Performance Multi-Thread Scalability
    • 42
      Ray Tracing Ray Tracing Architecture
    View on Amazon
    View full review →
  3. #3
    Top Pick
    Objective profile
    Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 13.5-inch
    (i5-1035G7, 16GB, 256GB)     Renewed
    Microsoft · 13.5" · 2020
    $284 – $314
    Gaming SelvaScore
    36 / 100
    Weight1.89 kg
    Battery9.0 hr
    Display13.5" 2496x1664
    RAM16 GB
    Storage256 GB
    SelvaScore breakdown
    • 40
      Graphics Performance Rasterization Potency
    • 44
      Screen Refresh Refresh Rate
    • 34
      Sustained GPU Power Total Graphics Power
    • 35
      Video Memory VRAM Capacity
    • 40
      CPU Performance Multi-Thread Scalability
    • 42
      Ray Tracing Ray Tracing Architecture
    View on Amazon
    View full review →
  4. #4
    Objective profile
    Apple MacBook Air 13-inch
    (i5-8210Y, 8GB, 128GB)     Renewed
    Apple · 13.3" · 2018
    $284 – $314
    Gaming SelvaScore
    5 / 100
    Weight1.25 kg
    Battery10.0 hr
    Display13.3" 2560x1600
    RAM8 GB
    Storage128 GB
    SelvaScore breakdown
    • 29
      Graphics Performance Rasterization Potency
    • 44
      Screen Refresh Refresh Rate
    • 34
      Sustained GPU Power Total Graphics Power
    • 35
      Video Memory VRAM Capacity
    • 18
      CPU Performance Multi-Thread Scalability
    • 42
      Ray Tracing Ray Tracing Architecture
    View on Amazon
    View full review →
  5. #5
    Objective profile
    Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch
    (i5-1038NG7, 16GB, 512GB)     Renewed
    Apple · 13.3" · 2020
    $383 – $424
    Gaming SelvaScore
    5 / 100
    Weight1.41 kg
    Battery10.0 hr
    Display13.3" 2560x1600
    RAM16 GB
    Storage512 GB
    SelvaScore breakdown
    • 44
      Graphics Performance Rasterization Potency
    • 44
      Screen Refresh Refresh Rate
    • 47
      Sustained GPU Power Total Graphics Power
    • 35
      Video Memory VRAM Capacity
    • 26
      CPU Performance Multi-Thread Scalability
    • 42
      Ray Tracing Ray Tracing Architecture
    View on Amazon
    View full review →

Quick Comparison

#LaptopScorePrice WeightBatteryDisplayRAMStorage
1 Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13.5" (i7-1265U, 16GB, 256GB) 48 $417 – $460 – 10.0 hr 13.5" 2256x1504 16 GB 256 GB
2 Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 (i7-1065G7, 8GB, 512GB) 38 $353 – $391 1.27 kg 9.0 hr 13.0" 2560x1600 8 GB 512 GB
3 Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 13.5-inch (i5-1035G7, 16GB, 256GB) 36 $284 – $314 1.89 kg 9.0 hr 13.5" 2496x1664 16 GB 256 GB
4 Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (i5-8210Y, 8GB, 128GB) 5 $284 – $314 1.25 kg 10.0 hr 13.3" 2560x1600 8 GB 128 GB
5 Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch (i5-1038NG7, 16GB, 512GB) 5 $383 – $424 1.41 kg 10.0 hr 13.3" 2560x1600 16 GB 512 GB

How we ranked these

SelvaScore is independent. Rankings reflect our editorial judgment, not vendor relationships. No laptop manufacturer pays for placement, and affiliate revenue from retailers does not affect which laptop wins this list.

Every laptop here has been evaluated through the same lens for this use case. The same machines are evaluated differently for other use cases. What works for one use case doesn't always work for another.

Read about how we work →

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Best for Daily Drivers
Balanced lens

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