Black Friday gaming laptop deal: Snag this RTX 3050 rig for just $684 now

acer nitro 5 black friday
(Image credit: Acer)

A lot of Black Friday gaming laptop deals focus on high-end gear that can run you $1,000 or more. The Acer Nitro 5 is a budget gaming laptop that’s more than capable of running the latest and greatest games at respectable settings. The device features an Intel Core i5 processor, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 GPU and a full HD display with a 144 Hz refresh rate. In other words: It’s a perfectly good gaming laptop at a very good price.

Right now Amazon has the Acer Nitro 5 for just $684, which is $155 off the regular price of $839. This is one of the better Black Friday deals we’ve seen on a mid-range gaming laptop —and honestly, we wouldn’t go too much cheaper, since that might saddle you with outdated components or unreliable manufacturers.

Acer Nitro 5: was $839 now $684 @ Amazon

Acer Nitro 5: was $839 now $684 @ Amazon
The Acer Nitro 5 is a solid budget gaming laptop, featuring an Intel Core i5-10300H CPU, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 GPU, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB storage and a full HD, 144 Hz screen. This PC is a perfectly good choice for gamers who want to play big-budget games at moderate settings.

For those who are new to the world of gaming laptops, the Nitro 5 has pretty decent components. An Intel Core i5-10300H CPU, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 GPU, 8 GB RAM and 256 GB storage should be all you need to play either competitive or single-player games at a good clip. This is true even for newer fare, such as Call of Duty: Vanguard or Age of Empires IV. The 1080p, 144 Hz screen is also responsive for a 15.6-inch display.

Readers should be aware that gaming laptops can get much fancier than this, particularly when it comes to storage. (As games grow in install size, 256 GB may be enough for only three or four major titles.) But those fancier laptops can easily retail for $1,500 or more. If you’re just getting involved in the wonderful world of PC gaming, a system like the Nitro 5 may make much more sense.

If the Nitro 5 isn’t to your taste, you should definitely check out the best Black Friday RTX 30 gaming laptop deals, which offer a wide variety of functionalities and prices. You can also check out or Black Friday gaming deals guide, which gives general pointers on which products to buy and avoid this week.

Marshall Honorof

Marshall Honorof is a senior editor for Tom's Guide, overseeing the site's coverage of gaming hardware and software. He comes from a science writing background, having studied paleomammalogy, biological anthropology, and the history of science and technology. After hours, you can find him practicing taekwondo or doing deep dives on classic sci-fi.