Chip Shortage Discounts?! Gaming Laptops are CHEAPER Than Ever!

Hold onto your hats, folks! Despite the persistent chip shortage that's been plaguing the tech world, we're still seeing some seriously sweet deals on gaming laptops and accessories. It's a weird paradox, I know, but hey, I'm not complaining. If you're looking to upgrade your rig, now might be the time to strike before these bargains disappear. We're seeing price drops on everything from high-end laptops to monitors, CPUs, and even those must-have gaming peripherals.

Chip Shortage Discounts?! Gaming Laptops are CHEAP...

One laptop that's caught my eye is the MSI Vector 16 HX. Now, it might not have the absolute *best* processor on the market compared to something like the ROG Strix, but it’s packing an RTX 5070 Ti laptop GPU and a solid 16GB of DDR5 RAM. That's a recipe for silky smooth, high-frame-rate 1440p gaming. The 512GB SSD is a bit on the small side, I’ll admit, but swapping that out for a bigger drive is a pretty straightforward upgrade these days.

Speaking of the ROG Strix G16, it’s definitely a contender, boasting double the RAM, a beefier CPU, and a massive 2TB M.2 SSD. But, and this is a big but, it comes with a $450 price jump. Is that extra performance worth the cost? That really depends on your budget and how much you value those extra bells and whistles. On the other end of the spectrum, the Alienware Aurora is the most budget-friendly option here, though it’s rocking an RTX 5060 Ti. It'll handle 1080p gaming, especially in titles like *Fortnite*, but you're paying for that Alienware brand cache, even with the discount.

If you've got a little more cash to splash, the HP OMEN 45L, priced at $2,284.99, is worth a look. The 32GB of DDR5 RAM is future-proof, and the motherboard is compatible with DDR5 and Intel CPUs, opening you up to upgrades down the line (just double-check that socket type before you buy anything!). And with DLSS 4.5 and all that fancy frame generation tech coming down the pipeline, that RTX 5070 Ti will give you a stellar 1440p experience. You can even push into 4K if you tweak the settings, but honestly, 1440p is where it's at for peak performance right now.

Don't forget the monitor! You can't truly experience PC gaming without a good display, with high refresh rates, G-SYNC/FreeSync, and low latency. TVs are getting better, but hitting those 170 FPS targets in something like *Fortnite* on a TV by 2026 is still a long shot, in my opinion. TCL's newest panels are offering 120–140Hz refresh rates on some of their bigger models though, making them decent options for consoles or PCs. Ultimately, it’s all about your setup and play style.

Finally, let's talk peripherals. SteelSeries consistently delivers top-notch quality, and their keyboards and mice are worth the premium. The Apex Pro TKL Wired Gen 3 keyboard, with its HyperMagnetic switches, is fantastic for both writing and gaming. As for mice, it's all about personal preference. For a cheap and cheerful wired option, the Glorious Model D (Minus) at around $29 is a solid choice. If you're going wireless, the ASUS ROG Keris II at $99.99 boasts incredible battery life and responsiveness.