Best Budget Laptops to Play Assassin’s Creed: Shadows on Low Settings

With a new low-spec patch on the way, here are the best budget laptops with 4GB VRAM to play Assassin’s Creed: Shadows.

Best Budget Laptops to Play Assassin’s Creed Shadows on Low Settings
Image showing two low-spec laptops for AC: Shadows (Image via Amazon)

When it comes to Assassin’s Creed, there are countless fans out there just waiting to play the game. The recent title Assassin’s Creed: Shadows turned a lot of heads with its impressive visuals, including new players to begin with. That said, not everyone has the latest and greatest hardware. Some are on a budget, while others are rocking 4GB VRAM GPUs, such as the 1650 and 1650 Super. Even the new 2050 and 3050 models have 4GB of VRAM, although a 6GB model is available; however, the price delta increases dramatically. Ubisoft likely noticed this and thus released a low-spec patch, which you can read about here: Assassin’s Creed: Shadows Ultra Low Mode: What Are The Lowest System Requirements?

Then again, if you wish to get a new gaming laptop and are on a tight budget, thanks to that patch, you can play the game in low settings without any issues. Here are your options. 

Note: Pricing is accurate as of June 25, 2025, as per Amazon. Actual prices may fluctuate due to sales, promotions, or stock availability. Operating System specs can also vary across regions.

1. HP Victus 15 Series – $599.99

hp victus laptop for assassin's creed shadows
Image showing the HP Victus Series Laptop (Image via Amazon)

The Victus Series from HP represents budget-friendly gaming laptops. This one in particular has an Alderlake-powered CPU. The RAM can be upgraded to 32GB, and DDR4 memory is relatively inexpensive to begin with. For a seamless gaming experience, considering that you have the latest low-spec patch installed, upgrading the RAM to 16GB will be highly beneficial.

Specs:

  • Intel Core i5-12450H (8-core, 3.4GHz)
  • GTX 1650 4GB GDDR6
  • 8GB DDR4 RAM
  • 512GB SSD
  • 15.6″ FHD display
  • Windows 11 Home

2. MSI GF63 Thin Series – $679.00

MSI GF63 thin laptop
Image showing the MSI Thin series budget laptop (Image via Amazon)

MSI’s Thin Series offers a wide range of unique laptops. For starters, these can be pretty expensive, but on the other hand, they also provide relatively cheaper models. This one in particular is identical to the Victus 15, and spec-wise, it’s similar. Just the RAM, 16GB, which can also be upgraded later. Again, AC Shadows, Low settings, not a problem.

Specs:

  • Intel Core i5-12450H (8-core, 3.4GHz)
  • GTX 1650 4GB GDDR6
  • 16GB DDR4 RAM 
  • 512GB PCIe SSD
  • 15.6″ FHD 144Hz IPS display
  • Windows 11 Home

3. ASUS TUF Gaming A15 Gaming Laptop – $696.68

Asus TUF Gaming A15 laptop
Image showing the Asus TUF gaming laptop (Image via Amazon)

The TUF Gaming series is similar to MSI’s thin series, offering both expensive and budget-friendly laptops. This model, in particular, features DDR5 RAM and a Zen 4 chip, indicating that the CPU side is quite strong; however, the GPU side represents an entry-level model with 4GB of VRAM. As per laptop pricing in the US, this pattern, a powerful CPU and a weak GPU, has been ongoing for quite some time. Nevertheless, for the best possible experience with AC: Shadows and low settings, ensure that you upgrade the 8GB RAM to 16GB or more.

Specs:

  • 15.6″ FHD 144Hz Display
  • NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2050 4GB GDDR6
  • AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS Processor
  • 8GB DDR5 RAM
  • 512GB PCIe Gen4 NVMe SSD
  • Windows 11 Home

4. Acer Nitro 5 Gaming Laptop – $640.00

Nitro 5 budget low-spec gaming laptop
Image showing the Acer Nitro Series Laptop (Image via Amazon)

Nitro Series from Acer represents serious firepower for a tight budget. The CPU is a bit on the older side, but the GPU, an RTX 3050 4GB with GDDR6 memory, can easily tackle Assassin’s Creed: Shadows on low settings with the new 1.0.6 patch. This particular variant of the Nitro 5 runs out quickly. So, for purchasing, you need to be quick.

Specs:

  • 15.6″ FHD 144Hz IPS Display
  • Intel Core i5-10300H Processor (4 cores, up to 4.5 GHz)
  • NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 GPU (4GB GDDR6, dedicated)
  • 8GB DDR4 RAM (expandable up to 32GB)
  • 256GB NVMe SSD
  • Windows 11 Home

Verdict

All of the laptops over here represent the budget gaming segment and define the low-spec hardware category. The 4GB VRAM, in particular, is one of the reasons for this, as it is considered inadequate in 2025. Now we know how the 4GB VRAM fares against AAA titles; in short, it can’t keep up. Ubisoft likely noticed this and released a patch so that everyone, from budget gamers to high-end users, can enjoy the game. 


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