Super Budget "Gaming" Laptop?

[Ceetch]

I've been a little far from the mobile computing scene for a while and I'm trying to figure out what to aim for.  I'm on a fairly tight budget and I'm trying to find a relatively nice laptop that can comfortably run some mid-range games.  At most, I might be playing World of Warcraft or The Sims 4, so I'm not looking for something that's super demanding.  I'd be happy with a system that can run WoW at medium settings and maintain at least 30fps in complex areas like raids.  The gamer in me cringes at the idea of thinking 30fps is acceptable, but for a side system for when I'm visiting family or taking a trip, it's good enough to get by.

 

The question is... what laptop can do this without costing an arm and a leg?  Ideally I want to stay well under $400, but anything I've seen under $400 is just netbooks and exceptionally low-end notebooks designed for Facebook and Netflix, maybe some homework on the side... That's not my target...

I've seen some good reviews on the LTT YouTube channel, but I feel like there's got to be a little more I can choose from than the handful of sponsor spots thrown at Linus and his team.

[Valkyrie Lenneth]

check for a decent cpu  ( prefer higher clock rates on the cores, fewer cores but higher clock rates are better for gaming )

 

and make sure its amd or nvidia gpu :v intel hd doesnt rly game that well, however for that price u wont get too mcuh performance x_x

[Ceetch]

I saw a lot of Dual Core options, but I assumed anything running Dual Core wouldn't be built for gaming... am I wrong?

[Evolution.]

get an older lenovo buisness laptop like a t420 for like $120 upgrade ram and CPU if you want and hook up an eGPU and there you go you wont get anything decent brand new for $400

[Jurrunio]

Just now, Valkyrie Lenneth said:

check for a decent cpu  ( prefer higher clock rates on the cores, fewer cores but higher clock rates are better for gaming )

 

and make sure its amd or nvidia gpu :v intel hd doesnt rly game that well, however for that price u wont get too mcuh performance x_x

High clock rates dont come in laptops, other than extremely expensive ones with HK CPUs.

 

Not all Nvidia or AMD dedicated graphics are good either. Some are simply gimmick and perform poorly.

1 minute ago, Ceetch said:

I saw a lot of Dual Core options, but I assumed anything running Dual Core wouldn't be built for gaming... am I wrong?

Depends on how low you can drop your expectation. I managed to run Bioshock Infinite with a i7-5500U (2 cores 4 threads) and 940MX (about the performance of a GTS 450)

 

I think the cheapest gaming laptop should at least have

 

CPU with HQ suffix (i5-6300HQ or 7300HQ are the cheapest)

Nvidia GPU without an M at the back (those are old cards, a lot slower than new ones). The cheapest is the MX150, which is a modified GT 1030

8GB RAM

 

The cheapest I can find is MSI's PL62-7RC at $750. I havent checked prices for laptops from other brands, but I guess that means a proper gaming laptop will start at $700.

[ErrystioT]

If you can shell out $200 more, there's this (http://www.microcenter.com/product/481303/aspire_5_a515-51g-52r1_156_laptop_computer_-_black) Acer Aspire 5 with i5-7200U (Dual-core, can handle light gaming but not heavy. Great for battery life when not gaming), 8GB DDR4 RAM, 256GB SSD, 15.6" 1080 IPS panel and Nvidia MX 150 for $600. If however you can't go beyond $400, then I'd suggest look for some used deals as getting a decent new one with a dGPU for $400 can be very challenging (almost non-existent)

[TheDankKoosh]

Imma leave this here, yadda yadda you didn't see anything. 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lenovo-ThinkPad-W540-15-6in-256GB-Intel-Core-i7-16GB-3k-Display-/172876382808?hash=item28403c4258:g:xfUAAOSwe2FZwy0v

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lenovo-ThinkPad-T440p-14-Core-i7-4600M-2-9GHz-750GB-8GB-Bluetooth-NO-OS-/172729223572?hash=item283776c994:g:pdcAAOSwZ4dZNqvC

[genexis_x]

Acer Aspire 5 with 8250U and MX150

[Ceetch]

Thanks for the suggestions.  I think I'll look into that Aspire 5 that was suggested. MX150 seems to be good enough for anything I might need.