The laptop market is flourishing due to the coronavirus pandemic. One of the biggest reasons has been the fact that a majority of office goers, as well as students, have moved to a work-from-home or study-from-home environment. This also means that some of them have no option but to invest in a new computer. If you still haven’t got your hands on a decent notebook for your everyday work, then you’ve come to the right place. We are checking out some of the best cheap laptops that you can buy on a tight budget.
We have restricted the budget within the $350-$600 range, which should be good for decent machines that can handle most of your daily tasks like making presentations, attending video calls, writing notes, or just a casual movie when you want to take a break.
Lenovo IdeaPad 3
The IdeaPad series from Lenovo is a recommended option thanks to its fairly slim design and worthy hardware. The IdeaPad 3 is available in a variety of options ranging from the Intel Pentium Gold processor with 4GB of RAM priced under $300 to a 10th-gen Intel Core i5 variant that offers 12GB of RAM and a touchscreen with a 256GB SSD for about $540. There is also an AMD Ryzen 5 3500U variant that is available for just under $500. The IdeaPad series is quite reliable but make sure that you double-check the screen resolution before buying as some of the models only offer an HD resolution display.
- The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 is an excellent budget option if you are looking for good balance of performance and a slim design.
Acer Aspire 5
Similar to the Lenovo IdeaPad 3, Acer offers the Aspire 5 in multiple SKUs ranging from the 10th-gen Intel Core i3 to the Core i7. You can choose the appropriate configuration depending on your needs and budget. Additionally, Acer is also offering a touchscreen if you are willing to pay extra. It doesn’t look as good as the offering by Lenovo, but it does offer a few extra features like a fingerprint scanner, an IPS display, and Wi-Fi 6.
- The Aspire 5 packs some really good features for its price and is available with the 10th-gen Intel Core i3, Core i5 and Core i7 processor options.
ASUS VivoBook 15
The VivoBook 15 by ASUS is a sleek notebook and features the company’s Ergo Lift design that lifts up the keyboard deck when you open the lid. You can choose between the 10th-gen Intel Core i3 and Core i5 processor options with up to 8GB of RAM and 512GB of SSD storage. It also features slim bezels with an 88% screen to body ratio, a backlit keyboard, and a fingerprint scanner for Windows Hello authentication.
- The VivoBook range from ASUS is an entry-to-mid range offering and features a premium design with option of a 10th-gen Intel Core i3 or Core i5 processor.
Acer Chromebook Spin 713
The Acer Chromebook is hands down one of the best Chromebooks on the market today. It is great for students or for someone who wants a great Chrome OS experience. It is durable thanks to its MIL-STD-810G military-grade certification as well as Gorilla Glass for the screen, making it a solid recommendation for everyday use. It also features powerful internals including the 10th-gen Intel CPU options going all the way from Core i3 to a Core i7, a 13.5-inch 2256×1504 touchscreen, a 128GB NVMe SSD, and 8GB of LPDDR4 RAM, making it one of the fastest ones out there. The Acer Spin 713 is also Project Athena certified, which means that it has a seal of approval from Intel when it comes to performance and battery life. The laptop also features a 2-in-1 design so it can be folded all the way back to be used in tablet mode. You can even prop it up on your desk for watching movies or catching up on the latest gaming titles via Google Stadia.
- The Acer Chromebook Spin 713 is one of the best Chromebooks out there featuring a sharp 2K display and powerful CPU options of up to an Intel Core i7.
HP Laptop 15
This is one of the only laptops that we could find with the latest 11th-gen Intel Tiger Lake processor. The HP Laptop 15 is available with a Core i5-1135G7 processor with the new Intel Iris Xe graphics, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD Storage, and a 15.6-inch Full HD IPS display. The notebook also comes with Wi-Fi 6, a USB Type-C port as well as a sleek and attractive-looking design.
- If you are looking for a budget notebook with the latest 11th-gen Intel Tiger Lake processor, then the HP 15 Laptop might be one of the only options out there.
Microsoft Surface Go 2
The Surface Go 2 is the smallest tablet hybrid device from Microsoft that is great for someone who needs a compact device for light workloads. It comes with its own Surface Type Cover keyboard and is powered by the Intel Pentium Gold 4425Y processor with up to 8GB of RAM and 128GB storage. If you can stretch your budget, there is a slightly more powerful option with an Intel Core m3-8100Y processer. Other notable features include a 10.5-inch full-HD display, Windows Hello face recognition, and 10-hour battery life.
- The Surface Go 2 is a tiny 2-in-1 Windows tablet hybrid that is perfect for someone who is looking compact laptop for light work.
HP Laptop 17
A 17-inch notebook on a budget, the HP Laptop 17 is a recommended option if you want a large laptop. It offers an HD+ (1600 x 900-pixels) resolution display, and the machine is powered by the 11th-gen Intel Core i3-1115G4 processor with 8GB of RAM. For storage there is a 1TB HDD, so we recommend swapping it with a SATA-based SSD for a faster experience. Other features include up to 8-hours of battery life, two USB 3.0 Type-A ports, a USB 3.0 Type-C port, HDMI, and standard 45W charging. It also runs on Windows 10 in S mode that allows apps only from the Microsoft Store. One can turn off S mode in the settings and the laptop will convert to Windows 10 Home with no charge.
- The HP Laptop 17 is one of the only options with a 17-inch display that is available on a budget, although there are some comprimises to be made.
These are some of the best cheap laptops currently on the market. Having said that, Intel’s new 11th-gen Tiger Lake processors, as well as AMD’s new Ryzen 5000 series mobile processors, are expanding to more notebooks as we speak. This means that we can expect more options in the coming weeks. If you have a wider budget, you can check out the best laptops that we recommend. Also, check out some of the best and highly recommended Chromebooks that you can buy today as they are usually better-value options on lower budgets.
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