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Compare Top 9 Budget Laptops
Other Budget Laptops to Consider
HP OmniBook 5 16 for $630: The HP OmniBook 5 16 shares a batch successful communal with the Lenovo IdeaPad 5i 2-in-1 16. It has close astir the aforesaid size chassis and comes with the aforesaid Intel processor. It's besides dinged by a akin fund show that isn't precise color-accurate. It's decent, but the discount connected the $550 IdeaPad 5i supra makes it the amended option. I haven't tested the Snapdragon X Plus mentation of the OmniBook 5 16, but based connected my different reviews, I person a feeling that its current selling terms of $550 is simply a crazy-good deal.
Lenovo LOQ 15.
Lenovo LOQ 15 for $779: I tested the RTX 5060 exemplary of the LOQ 15, which is an unthinkable deal. The RTX 5050 exemplary is besides a coagulated option. It's not rather arsenic inexpensive arsenic the Acer Nitro V 16, but it doesn't person the powerfulness adapter contented and has a amended design. The LOQ 15 (8/10, WIRED Recommends) isn't covered successful RGB oregon harsh edges, meaning it besides makes for a decent budget-oriented content-creation machine. That discrete graphics paper volition not lone fto you play modern games, it'll besides velocity up different GPU-dependent workflows similar video rendering oregon 3D modeling.
Acer Aspire Go 14 for $290: The Acer Aspire Go 14 (7/10, WIRED Recommends) won’t triumph immoderate benignant oregon show awards, but it holds up good arsenic an incredibly affordable Windows laptop. The 1 large happening it has going for it is fantastic artillery life. I was capable to deed upwards of 14 hours connected a charge, which could marque this a decent fund enactment for students who request thing that’ll past a full time connected campus. Just support successful caput this is a $300 laptop (occasionally little connected sale), truthful the surface quality, sound, and webcam are acold from great.
Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook for $490: Chromebooks person a estimation for being underpowered. To alteration that, Google launched Chromebook Plus successful 2023, an umbrella class for a caller people of devices from assorted manufacturers. The “Plus” stands for amended performance—faster processors, much memory, much storage, and amended video cameras. One of my favorites is Lenovo's Flex 5i Chromebook Plus (8/10, WIRED Recommends). It's among the fastest Chromebooks we've tested astatine this price, featuring an Intel Core i3-1315U CPU, 8 GB of RAM, and 128 GB of flash storage.
Acer Chromebook Plus 515 for $380: This is 1 humble measurement up from the Asus Chromebook CX15 mentioned supra successful presumption of performance, acknowledgment to the Intel Core i3-1305U spot inside. So, if you request a inexpensive Chromebook that won't dilatory down nether your dozens of Chrome tabs oregon request to link to an outer monitor, the Acer Chromebook Plus 515 volition bash the trick.
Asus Zenbook 14 for $749: Asus’ Zenbook 14 (7/10, WIRED Recommends) offers bully performance, large artillery life, and an OLED display—all for a small implicit $1,000. Now, you mightiness deliberation that sounds a small costly to beryllium considered a “cheap laptop." And it is. But Asus besides sells a cheaper, Intel-powered model called the Zenbook 14 Q415. It's selling for astir $650, if you tin judge it, arsenic it's a mates of years old. That exemplary comes with little representation but different offers the aforesaid portability, larboard selection, and comfy keyboard
What Are Important Specs successful a Cheap Laptop?
Read our How to Choose the Right Laptop guide if you privation each the details connected specs and what to look for. In short, your fund is the astir important factor, arsenic it determines what you tin expect retired of the instrumentality you're purchasing. But you should see show size, chassis thickness, CPU, memory, storage, and larboard selection. While due specs tin alteration wildly erstwhile you're considering laptops ranging from $200 to $800, determination are a fewer hard lines I don't urge crossing.
For example, don't bargain a laptop if it doesn't person a show solution of astatine slightest 1920 x 1080. In 2025, there's conscionable nary excuse for thing little than that. You should besides ne'er bargain a laptop without astatine slightest 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage. Even successful Chromebooks, these specs are becoming the caller standard. You're selling yourself abbreviated by getting thing less. Another regularisation is to debar a Windows laptop with an Intel Celeron processor—leave those for Chromebooks only.
Specs are lone fractional the battle, though. Based connected our years of testing, laptop manufacturers thin to marque compromises successful show prime and touchpad quality. You can't archer from the photos oregon listed specs online, but erstwhile you get the laptop successful your hands, you whitethorn announcement that the colors of the surface look a spot disconnected oregon that the touchpad feels choppy to use. It's astir intolerable to find laptops nether $500 that don't compromise successful these areas, but this is wherever our reviewers and testers tin help.
How Much RAM Do You Need successful a Cheap Laptop?
The elemental answer? You request astatine slightest 8 GB of RAM. These days, determination are adjacent immoderate Windows laptops astatine astir $700 oregon $800 that travel with 16 GB of RAM standard, arsenic portion of the Copilot+ PC selling push. That's a large value, and ensures you'll get the champion show retired of your laptop, particularly erstwhile moving heavier applications oregon multitasking. Either way, it's important to origin successful the terms of the RAM, due to the fact that manufacturers volition often complaint $100 oregon adjacent $200 to treble the memory.
On Chromebooks, determination are immoderate uncommon occasions wherever 4 GB of RAM is acceptable, but lone connected the precise cheapest models that are nether $200. Even fund Chromebooks similar the Asus Chromebook CX15 present commencement with 8 GB of RAM.
Are There Any Good Laptops Under $300?
Yes, but you request to beryllium careful. Don't conscionable spell bargain a random laptop connected Amazon nether $300, arsenic you'll apt extremity up with an outdated, dilatory instrumentality you'll regret purchasing. You mightiness beryllium tempted by thing like this oregon this, but spot me—there are amended options, immoderate of which you'll find successful this guide.
For starters, you shouldn't bargain a Windows laptop nether $300. That terms puts you solidly successful inexpensive Chromebook territory. While these are inactive budget-level successful presumption of quality, they're amended successful astir each mode than their Windows counterparts of a akin price. A bully illustration is the Asus Chromebook CX15.
If you privation a Windows laptop that won't springiness you instant buyer's remorse, you'll request to walk astatine slightest a fewer 100 more. Once you deed $500 oregon $600, determination are immoderate much coagulated Windows laptops available, specified arsenic the Acer Aspire Go 14, though adjacent there, you're making immoderate important compromises successful show and retention capacity. These days, Windows laptops truly commencement to get amended successful the $600-plus range.
Should You Buy a Chromebook oregon a Cheap Windows Laptop?
The eternal question. If you're looking for a laptop nether $500, I highly urge that you opt for a Chromebook. I cognize that won't beryllium a anticipation for everyone, arsenic immoderate person definite applications that necessitate a Windows laptop oregon MacBook. If you bash purpose to get a Chromebook, marque definite each your connected accessories and different devices are compatible.
Chromebooks springiness you entree to a afloat desktop Chrome browser, arsenic good arsenic Android apps. While that leaves immoderate gaps for apps that immoderate whitethorn need, you mightiness beryllium amazed by however overmuch you tin get done without the request to instal immoderate software. Most applications person web versions that are each spot arsenic useful.
While Chromebooks are astir well-known arsenic junky pupil laptops, the caller “Chromebook Plus” designation has filled successful the spread betwixt dirt-cheap Chromebooks and $800 Windows laptops. You'll find immoderate large Chromebook Plus options successful the $400 to $600 scope that person amended show and displays, portion besides looking a spot much similar a modern laptop. The Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus is simply a large illustration of this. You tin work much astir the differences betwixt Windows laptops and Chromebooks here.
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