But one way you can lighten the load is to just start with a gaming laptop, which packs in everything you need to get started in PC gaming without all the extra pieces. Of course, gaming laptops can be expensive, too, but plenty of budget options also exist.

If you figured Amazon Prime Day would be a good time of year to upgrade your gaming laptop, then you guessed correctly. Surprisingly however, Amazon isn't necessarily the best retailer with the best Prime Day gaming laptop deals.

Amazon Prime Day is in full swing and runs through Friday, July 11. There are numerous markdowns available on top-tier tech, specifically gaming laptops. Most of the deals we’ve seen so far are on mid-range models, but they still pack tons of power and are worth considering, whether you’re a novice or expert gamer.