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.

Compact gaming laptops under $1,000 are flat-out rare. At $899.99, the Asus TUF Gaming A14 is light to carry (just 3.2 pounds!) but a real heavyweight on value.

This Prime Day, the Asus ROG Strix G16 is a great bet. This laptop has a large screen, isn't too heavy, and while it leans a bit hard on the hardcore aesthetics, you can turn off its RGB lights if those aren't your thing.