Best 15-inch Strategy & Simulation Players Laptops under $1500

What a Strategy / Simulation laptop means: a laptop tuned for CPU-bound games where late-game turn times, AI threads, and giant simulations stress the processor more than the GPU,strong multi-core CPU, plenty of RAM, fast storage. Typical use: Civilization, Crusader Kings, Total War, Cities: Skylines, Stellaris, Football Manager,long sessions where end-game turns get slow. Fits strategy game enthusiasts, history-game fans, sim players, and anyone whose top game is decided by "how long does the AI take to think on turn 300?"

Also relevant for: strategy game laptops · simulation rigs · turn-based · CPU-bound games

Updated: July 2026
Products evaluated: 2281
How we work: Editorial principles →

Showing: 15-inch · under $1500

Showing 1–10 of 535 Strategy & Simulation Players laptops
  1. #1
    Champion
    Objective profile
    Dell Precision 5560
    (i9-11950H, 64GB, 1TB)
    Dell · 15.6" · 2021
    $1,044 – $1,154
    Strategy / Simulation SelvaScore
    67 / 100
    Weight0.99 kg
    Battery7.0 hr
    Display15.6" 1920x1200
    RAM64 GB
    Storage1 TB
    SelvaScore breakdown
    • 48
      CPU Speed Single-Core Performance
    • 83
      Multi-Core Performance Multi-Thread Scalability
    • 70
      System Memory RAM Capacity
    • 70
      Display Brightness Photometric Luminance
    • 58
      Graphics Performance Rasterization Potency
    • 52
      Storage Space Storage Capacity
    • 56
      Display Sharpness Pixel Density
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  2. #2
    Runner-Up
    Objective profile
    Dell Precision 7560
    (i7-11850H, 64GB, 1TB)     Renewed
    Dell · 15.6" · 2021
    $870 – $962
    Strategy / Simulation SelvaScore
    66 / 100
    Weight2.45 kg
    Battery6.0 hr
    Display15.6" 3840x2160
    RAM64 GB
    Storage1 TB
    SelvaScore breakdown
    • 64
      CPU Speed Single-Core Performance
    • 52
      Multi-Core Performance Multi-Thread Scalability
    • 70
      System Memory RAM Capacity
    • 63
      Display Brightness Photometric Luminance
    • 32
      Graphics Performance Rasterization Potency
    • 52
      Storage Space Storage Capacity
    • 81
      Display Sharpness Pixel Density
    View on Amazon
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  3. #3
    Top Pick
    Objective profile
    Samsung Galaxy Book5 360
    (Core Ultra 7 258V, 16GB, 512GB)
    Samsung · 15.6" · 2025
    $1,229 – $1,359
    Strategy / Simulation SelvaScore
    66 / 100
    Weight1.46 kg
    Battery12.0 hr
    Display15.6" 1920x1080
    RAM16 GB
    Storage512 GB
    SelvaScore breakdown
    • 62
      CPU Speed Single-Core Performance
    • 68
      Multi-Core Performance Multi-Thread Scalability
    • 42
      System Memory RAM Capacity
    • 63
      Display Brightness Photometric Luminance
    • 56
      Graphics Performance Rasterization Potency
    • 39
      Storage Space Storage Capacity
    • 44
      Display Sharpness Pixel Density
    View on Amazon
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  4. #4
    Objective profile
    ASUS Vivobook S 15 S5506MA
    (Core Ultra 7 155H, 64GB, 8TB)
    ASUS · 15.6" · 2024
    $760 – $840
    Strategy / Simulation SelvaScore
    65 / 100
    Weight1.50 kg
    Battery10.0 hr
    Display15.6" 2880x1620
    RAM64 GB
    Storage8 TB
    SelvaScore breakdown
    • 53
      CPU Speed Single-Core Performance
    • 41
      Multi-Core Performance Multi-Thread Scalability
    • 70
      System Memory RAM Capacity
    • 63
      Display Brightness Photometric Luminance
    • 54
      Graphics Performance Rasterization Potency
    • 96
      Storage Space Storage Capacity
    • 71
      Display Sharpness Pixel Density
    View on Amazon
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  5. #5
    Objective profile
    ASUS Vivobook S 15
    (i9-13900H, 16GB, 1TB)     Renewed
    ASUS · 15.6" · 2023
    $855 – $945
    Strategy / Simulation SelvaScore
    64 / 100
    Weight1.70 kg
    Battery9.0 hr
    Display15.6" 2880x1620
    RAM16 GB
    Storage1 TB
    SelvaScore breakdown
    • 58
      CPU Speed Single-Core Performance
    • 69
      Multi-Core Performance Multi-Thread Scalability
    • 42
      System Memory RAM Capacity
    • 81
      Display Brightness Photometric Luminance
    • 49
      Graphics Performance Rasterization Potency
    • 52
      Storage Space Storage Capacity
    • 71
      Display Sharpness Pixel Density
    View on Amazon
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  6. #6
    Objective profile
    HP Victus 15
    (i5-12450H, 64GB, 2TB)
    3 configs
    HP · 15.6" · 2022
    $1,301 – $1,437
    Strategy / Simulation SelvaScore
    64 / 100
    Weight2.27 kg
    Battery4.0 hr
    Display15.6" 1920x1080
    RAM64 GB
    Storage2 TB
    SelvaScore breakdown
    • 69
      CPU Speed Single-Core Performance
    • 54
      Multi-Core Performance Multi-Thread Scalability
    • 70
      System Memory RAM Capacity
    • 41
      Display Brightness Photometric Luminance
    • 59
      Graphics Performance Rasterization Potency
    • 66
      Storage Space Storage Capacity
    • 44
      Display Sharpness Pixel Density
    View on Amazon
    View full review →
  7. #7
    Objective profile
    Lenovo LOQ 15
    (i5-12450HX, 32GB, 2TB)
    Lenovo · 15.6" · 2022
    $1,330 – $1,470
    Strategy / Simulation SelvaScore
    64 / 100
    Weight2.40 kg
    Battery5.0 hr
    Display15.6" 1920x1080
    RAM32 GB
    Storage2 TB
    SelvaScore breakdown
    • 69
      CPU Speed Single-Core Performance
    • 54
      Multi-Core Performance Multi-Thread Scalability
    • 56
      System Memory RAM Capacity
    • 54
      Display Brightness Photometric Luminance
    • 61
      Graphics Performance Rasterization Potency
    • 66
      Storage Space Storage Capacity
    • 44
      Display Sharpness Pixel Density
    View on Amazon
    View full review →
  8. #8
    Objective profile
    HP ZBook Power
    (i7-11850H, 32GB, 1TB)     Renewed
    HP · 15.6" · 2021
    $902 – $997
    Strategy / Simulation SelvaScore
    63 / 100
    Weight1.90 kg
    Battery8.0 hr
    Display15.6" 1920x1080
    RAM32 GB
    Storage1 TB
    SelvaScore breakdown
    • 64
      CPU Speed Single-Core Performance
    • 52
      Multi-Core Performance Multi-Thread Scalability
    • 56
      System Memory RAM Capacity
    • 41
      Display Brightness Photometric Luminance
    • 56
      Graphics Performance Rasterization Potency
    • 52
      Storage Space Storage Capacity
    • 44
      Display Sharpness Pixel Density
    View on Amazon
    View full review →
  9. #9
    Objective profile
    Lenovo ThinkPad P15 Gen 2
    (i7-11850H, 32GB, 1TB)     Renewed
    Lenovo · 15.6" · 2021
    $854 – $944
    Strategy / Simulation SelvaScore
    63 / 100
    Weight–
    Battery7.0 hr
    Display15.6" 1920x1080
    RAM32 GB
    Storage1 TB
    SelvaScore breakdown
    • 64
      CPU Speed Single-Core Performance
    • 52
      Multi-Core Performance Multi-Thread Scalability
    • 56
      System Memory RAM Capacity
    • 54
      Display Brightness Photometric Luminance
    • 56
      Graphics Performance Rasterization Potency
    • 52
      Storage Space Storage Capacity
    • 44
      Display Sharpness Pixel Density
    View on Amazon
    View full review →
  10. #10
    Objective profile
    ASUS TUF Dash 15
    (i7-12650H, 16GB, 512GB)
    ASUS · 15.6" · 2022
    $898 – $992
    Strategy / Simulation SelvaScore
    62 / 100
    Weight2.00 kg
    Battery6.0 hr
    Display15.6" 1920x1080
    RAM16 GB
    Storage512 GB
    SelvaScore breakdown
    • 55
      CPU Speed Single-Core Performance
    • 92
      Multi-Core Performance Multi-Thread Scalability
    • 42
      System Memory RAM Capacity
    • 54
      Display Brightness Photometric Luminance
    • 62
      Graphics Performance Rasterization Potency
    • 39
      Storage Space Storage Capacity
    • 44
      Display Sharpness Pixel Density
    View on Amazon
    View full review →

Quick Comparison

#LaptopScorePrice WeightBatteryDisplayRAMStorage
1 Dell Precision 5560 (i9-11950H, 64GB, 1TB) 67 $1,044 – $1,154 0.99 kg 7.0 hr 15.6" 1920x1200 64 GB 1 TB
2 Dell Precision 7560 (i7-11850H, 64GB, 1TB) 66 $870 – $962 2.45 kg 6.0 hr 15.6" 3840x2160 64 GB 1 TB
3 Samsung Galaxy Book5 360 (Core Ultra 7 258V, 16GB, 512GB) 66 $1,229 – $1,359 1.46 kg 12.0 hr 15.6" 1920x1080 16 GB 512 GB
4 ASUS Vivobook S 15 S5506MA (Core Ultra 7 155H, 64GB, 8TB) 65 $760 – $840 1.50 kg 10.0 hr 15.6" 2880x1620 64 GB 8 TB
5 ASUS Vivobook S 15 (i9-13900H, 16GB, 1TB) 64 $855 – $945 1.70 kg 9.0 hr 15.6" 2880x1620 16 GB 1 TB
6 HP Victus 15 (i5-12450H, 64GB, 2TB) 64 $1,301 – $1,437 2.27 kg 4.0 hr 15.6" 1920x1080 64 GB 2 TB
7 Lenovo LOQ 15 (i5-12450HX, 32GB, 2TB) 64 $1,330 – $1,470 2.40 kg 5.0 hr 15.6" 1920x1080 32 GB 2 TB
8 HP ZBook Power (i7-11850H, 32GB, 1TB) 63 $902 – $997 1.90 kg 8.0 hr 15.6" 1920x1080 32 GB 1 TB
9 Lenovo ThinkPad P15 Gen 2 (i7-11850H, 32GB, 1TB) 63 $854 – $944 – 7.0 hr 15.6" 1920x1080 32 GB 1 TB
10 ASUS TUF Dash 15 (i7-12650H, 16GB, 512GB) 62 $898 – $992 2.00 kg 6.0 hr 15.6" 1920x1080 16 GB 512 GB

How we ranked these

SelvaScore is independent. Rankings reflect our editorial judgment, not vendor relationships. No laptop manufacturer pays for placement, and affiliate revenue from retailers does not affect which laptop wins this list.

Every laptop here has been evaluated through the same lens for this use case. The same machines are evaluated differently for other use cases. What works for one use case doesn't always work for another.

Read about how we work →

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