<bi-shortcode id="summary-shortcode" data-type="summary-shortcode" class="mceNonEditable" contenteditable="false">Summary List Placement</bi-shortcode><ul class="summary-list"><li><strong>Today's best budget laptops offer more value than ever, bringing solid performance and premium designs at an affordable price.</strong></li><li><strong>Our pick for the overall best cheap laptop is the </strong><a href="https://goto.walmart.com/c/196318/565706/9383'veh=aff&sourceid=imp_000011112222333344&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.walmart.com%2Fip%2FOS-Celeron-Sleeve-CB315-3H-C2C3-32GB-Protective-Intel-Chromebook-N4000-4GB-Acer-Display-315-Chrome-HD-15-6-LPDDR4-eMMC-4GB-32GB%2F565923637" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored nofollow sponsored"><strong>Acer Chromebook 15</strong></a><strong>, with, the performance chops for general productivity work, and the 1080p screen and top-firing speakers for entertainment for just $299.99.</strong></li><li><strong>We'll be testing more models throughout 2021, including new inexpensive Chromebooks that were announced at CES 2021. </strong></li><li><strong style="color: #222222;">Read more: </strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-laptop" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>The best laptops of 2021</strong></a></li></ul><p>The smartphone may be the hub of our digital lives, but the computer still plays a key role, especially now that many of us are continuing to work and socialize from home. </p><p>It used to be that if you want a laptop with power and features, you would need to spend more than $1,000. While you still have to spend upwards of $1,000 for the best features and performance, budget laptops are more than capable of everyday tasks. Those who just want a machine for basic web browsing and word processing can find a promising laptop in the $300-$600 range. That's all thanks to improvements in processors, graphics, and other chipsets, as well as standardization in features like USB and HDMI.</p><p>Of course, this is not to say all budget laptops are greatsome are definitely better than average, while others aren't worth your hard-earned cash. There are a few important factors you need to consider before making a purchase, such as operating system preferences, size, and above all else: what you intend to use it for.</p><p>For this guide, we consider a "budget" laptop to be a notebook that costs about $600 or less, although there are some exceptions. However, if you can afford to spend more than that, you will be able to get something more powerful and arguably better than the computers on this list.</p><h2>Here are the best cheap laptops:</h2><ul class="summary-list"><li><strong>Best budget laptop overall: <a href="https://goto.walmart.com/c/196318/565706/9383'veh=aff&sourceid=imp_000011112222333344&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.walmart.com%2Fip%2FOS-Celeron-Sleeve-CB315-3H-C2C3-32GB-Protective-Intel-Chromebook-N4000-4GB-Acer-Display-315-Chrome-HD-15-6-LPDDR4-eMMC-4GB-32GB%2F565923637" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener nofollow sponsored">Acer Chromebook 15</a></strong><a href="https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1501563-REG/acer_nx_h16aa_003_aspire_5_i3_8145u_8gb.html/BI/20673/KBID/15977/DFF/d10-v21-t1-x989133/SID/biipgf_071717_best-budget-laptops" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow nofollow nofollow"></a></li><li><strong>Best budget Chromebook: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07XW266D9/ref=as_li_tl'ie=UTF8&tag=biipg_040517_best-chromebooks-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B07XW266D9&linkId=de37728c589475be3dabae6581fd8ef6" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Samsung Chromebook 4+</a></strong></li><li>Best budget gaming laptop: <a href="https://www.anrdoezrs.net/links/6415797/type/dlg/https://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/dell-laptops/new-dell-g3-15-gaming-laptop/spd/g-series-15-3500-laptop" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener nofollow nofollow nofollow sponsored">Dell G3 15</a></li><li>Best budget 2-in-1 laptop: <a href="https://goto.walmart.com/c/196318/565706/9383'veh=aff&sourceid=imp_000011112222333344&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.walmart.com%2Fip%2FLenovo-IdeaPad-Flex-5-Laptop-14-0-FHD-IPS-Touch-250-nits-Ryzen-5-4500U-AMD-Radeon-Graphics-8GB-256GB-SSD-Win-10-Home%2F898831376" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored"><strong>Lenovo IdeaPad 5 14</strong></a></li></ul><p><em>Updated on 01/19/2021 by Lisa Eadicicco: Updated language. Changed our pick food the best budget 2-in-1 laptop to the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 14. Added Microsoft Surface Laptop Go to the section on other laptops we considered. Added new laptops that we look forward to testing.</em></p><h3>The best budget laptop overall</h3><img src="https://static6.businessinsider.com/image/5e67c0a384159f485d5e2642-400-300/the-best-budget-laptop-overall.jpg" alt="" /><p><h3>The <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07GM2TCPM/ref=as_li_tl'ie=UTF8&tag=biipg_031020_best-cheap-laptops-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B07GM2TCPM&linkId=9f782a4c52da696fdfb32b078a260d1b" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener nofollow">Acer Chromebook 15</a> delivers the best balance of parts for the price that we've ever seen, making it the best cheap laptop to date.</h3><p><strong>Pros</strong>: Large 1080p display, long battery life, top-firing speakers, plenty of ports</p><p><strong>Cons</strong>: No biometric login, small local storage</p><p>If you're looking for a laptop with the best features for the least amount of cash, then we heartily recommend the <a href="https://goto.walmart.com/c/196318/565706/9383'veh=aff&sourceid=imp_000011112222333344&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.walmart.com%2Fip%2FOS-Celeron-Sleeve-CB315-3H-C2C3-32GB-Protective-Intel-Chromebook-N4000-4GB-Acer-Display-315-Chrome-HD-15-6-LPDDR4-eMMC-4GB-32GB%2F565923637" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener nofollow nofollow sponsored">Acer Chromebook 15</a>. This Chromebook contains hardware features more often found in laptops twice its price, such as a 1,920 x 1,080-pixel (1080p) screen, top-firing speakers and a USB-C port.</p><p>This makes the Chromebook 15 an excellent choice at this price for both general productivity and entertainment, especially for anyone on a budget. The included USB-C ports operate on the USB 3.1 standard, which translates to data transfer speeds of up to 5 Gigabits per second, in addition to DisplayPort support for attaching more displays and device charging.</p><p>The <a href="https://goto.walmart.com/c/196318/565706/9383'veh=aff&sourceid=imp_000011112222333344&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.walmart.com%2Fip%2FOS-Celeron-Sleeve-CB315-3H-C2C3-32GB-Protective-Intel-Chromebook-N4000-4GB-Acer-Display-315-Chrome-HD-15-6-LPDDR4-eMMC-4GB-32GB%2F565923637" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored nofollow sponsored">Acer Chromebook 15</a> also features a camera with high dynamic range, or HDR, for wider color support in video chats, and a Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) radio — the previous-generation Wi-Fi protocol that's still fast enough for most basic tasks. . In short, you're getting the benefits of laptops costing twice as much or more for a whole lot less.</p><p>This particular Acer Chromebook 15 model calls for $299.99 to start, which features a dual-core Intel Celeron processor (CPU), 4GB of RAM, a 32GB SSD, two USB-C ports, two USB 3.0 ports, a full-sized SD card reader, and a battery that's rated to last for up to 12 hours. You can't really ask for much more from a $300 laptop.</p></p><br/><br/><h3>The best budget Chromebook</h3><img src="https://static4.businessinsider.com/image/5e67d8c4e4f9fe66ca2b3043-400-300/the-best-budget-chromebook.jpg" alt="" /><p><h3><strong>The 15-inch </strong><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07XW266D9/ref=as_li_tl'ie=UTF8&tag=biipg_040517_best-chromebooks-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B07XW266D9&linkId=de37728c589475be3dabae6581fd8ef6" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored"><strong>Samsung Chromebook 4+</strong></a><strong> crams an insane amount of value into its below $300 list price, with hardware and features found in laptops twice its price and within a good-looking package.</strong></h3><p><strong>Pros:</strong> Decent display, long battery life, lots of ports</p><p><strong>Cons:</strong> Small local storage, low amount of RAM, no top-firing speakers</p><p>Anyone looking to get the absolute most value possible out of a Chromebook that might look a bit more premium than even our top pick, we suggest the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07XW266D9/ref=as_li_tl'ie=UTF8&tag=biipg_040517_best-chromebooks-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B07XW266D9&linkId=de37728c589475be3dabae6581fd8ef6" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">15-inch Samsung Chromebook 4+</a>. There's no question that this Chromebook makes for a close second to the Acer Chromebook 15 as the best budget laptop period.</p><p>Samsung's Chromebook 4+ is a sharp, slight 15-inch laptop that's wrapped in a platinum-colored plastic frame featuring a 15.6-inch, 1080p screen, with power from an Intel Celeron CPU supported by 4GB of RAM and a 32GB SSD. That's expanded upon by two USB-C ports, one USB 3.0 port, and a microSD card reader — as well as Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) and Bluetooth 4.0 — for wireless connections.</p><p>This all comes driven by a battery that can reportedly last up to 10 hours and 30 minutes per outing. Finally, we love the addition of Google Assistant for voice-based search queries and other assistive tasks. While lacking biometric security and more local storage, this laptop leaves nothing else off the table. — <em>Joe Osborne</em></p></p><br/><br/><h3>The best budget gaming laptop</h3><img src="https://static1.businessinsider.com/image/60071d7c660f6c0018349c91-400-300/the-best-budget-gaming-laptop.jpg" alt="" /><p><h3>The <a href="https://www.anrdoezrs.net/links/6415797/type/dlg/https://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/dell-laptops/new-dell-g3-15-gaming-laptop/spd/g-series-15-3500-laptop" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow nofollow sponsored">Dell G3 15</a> is an affordable gaming laptop with the latest Nvidia GeForce discrete graphics.</h3><p><strong>Pros:</strong> Compact design, specs on par with more expensive models</p><p><strong>Cons:</strong> Shallow keyboard and touchpad, dim screen</p><p>If you enjoy gaming, but don't want to shell out $1,000 for a gaming PC, the <a href="https://www.anrdoezrs.net/links/6415797/type/dlg/https://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/dell-laptops/new-dell-g3-15-gaming-laptop/spd/g-series-15-3500-laptop" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored nofollow sponsored">Dell G3 15 </a>might be a decent option for you. The laptop has multiple configurations, but the base model is just above $700, and it comes with Nvidia discrete graphics. </p><p>A few factors make the G3 15 a solid option for gamers. The base model comes with an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650GPU, a 10th-generation Intel Core i5 CPU, 8GB RAM, and a 256GB solid state drive. Those are solid specs that should be able to smoothly run most games you want to play, though you'll want something more powerful if you're trying to run more demanding tasks like VR. </p><p>You can also upgrade to a version that has 16GB of RAM, an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 GPU and 512GB of storage starting at $930.99. </p><p>At 5.2 pounds, the G3 15 is lighter and more compact than most budget gaming laptops. </p><p>In terms of ports, you have a power jack, an HDMI 2.0 port, an RJ-45 port, one USB 3.1 port, two USB 2.0 port, an SD card reader, and a headphone jack. That will allow you to plug in a TV, as well as most peripherals you might want to use. </p><p>However, for a computer of this price, you'll be missing out on some features of higher-end gaming rigs. For example, <a href="https://www.laptopmag.com/reviews/laptops/dell-g3-15" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reviewers</a> found the display to be a bit dim, and the colors to be washed out. The keyboard and touchpad are also a bit shallow, something that might be important if you'll be spending a lot of time gaming.</p></p><br/><br/><h3>The best budget 2-in-1 laptop</h3><img src="https://static2.businessinsider.com/image/600718d1e3d62500185fd249-400-300/the-best-budget-2-in-1-laptop.jpg" alt="" /><p><h3>The <a href="https://goto.walmart.com/c/196318/565706/9383'veh=aff&sourceid=imp_000011112222333344&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.walmart.com%2Fip%2FLenovo-IdeaPad-Flex-5-Laptop-14-0-FHD-IPS-Touch-250-nits-Ryzen-5-4500U-AMD-Radeon-Graphics-8GB-256GB-SSD-Win-10-Home%2F898831376" target="_blank" rel="nofollow nofollow noopener sponsored sponsored">Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5</a> offers solid specifications and a flexible design that allows it to double as a laptop and a tablet at a price that's hundreds of dollars below the $1,000 mark.</h3><p><strong>Pros:</strong> Great value, good performance, durable and attractive design</p><p><strong>Cons:</strong> Dim and lackluster display</p><p>With a convertible design, recent six-core processors from AMD, and a 14-inch 1920 x 1080 touch screen, the <a href="https://goto.walmart.com/c/196318/565706/9383'veh=aff&sourceid=imp_000011112222333344&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.walmart.com%2Fip%2FLenovo-IdeaPad-Flex-5-Laptop-14-0-FHD-IPS-Touch-250-nits-Ryzen-5-4500U-AMD-Radeon-Graphics-8GB-256GB-SSD-Win-10-Home%2F898831376" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 14</a> is a solid choice for anyone in need of a general purpose laptop. </p><p>It received high marks in reviews from <a href="https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/lenovo-ideapad-flex-5-14" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PCMag</a>, <a href="https://www.laptopmag.com/reviews/laptops/lenovo-flex-5-14-inch" target="_blank" rel="noopener">LaptopMag</a>, and <a href="https://www.digitaltrends.com/laptop-reviews/lenovo-ideapad-flex-5-14-review/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Digital Trends</a> for its solid performance, excellent value, and high build quality for a laptop of its price. Lenovo's IdeaPad Flex 5 also comes with a few extra features that are less common on notebooks in this price range, such as a fingerprint reader and webcam privacy shutter. </p><p>For $554.99, you get an AMD Ryzen 5 4500U processor, which just launched <a href="https://www.amd.com/en/products/apu/amd-ryzen-5-4500u" target="_blank" rel="noopener">about one year ago</a> so it's still fairly new, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage. While it's a great value for the price, that doesn't mean it's perfect. The biggest common complaint among reviewers is that the display is too dim and lackluster.</p></p><br/><br/><h3>Other budget laptops we considered</h3><img src="https://static1.businessinsider.com/image/5db87102dee0190c5559cc34-400-300/other-budget-laptops-we-considered.jpg" alt="" /><p><ul><li><strong><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07CTHLX8C/ref=as_li_tl'ie=UTF8&tag=biipg_061518_best-kayaks-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B07CTHLX8C&linkId=4c061ca1d861549ed3b7ff3b02dd162a" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow">Acer Predator Helios 300</a>: </strong>It's impressive to see as sophisticated a gaming rig as the Acer Predator Helios 300 clock in under $1000. At 5.1 pounds, it's more portable than a lot of gaming laptops and produces a very high refresh rate for many games, and an excellent keyboard and touchpad. It holds its own against much pricier gaming laptops in <a href="https://www.pcmag.com/review/369717/acer-predator-helios-300-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener">real-world gaming tests</a>. However, while $955 is cheap among capable gaming PCs, we felt it was too close to the $1000 mark to name the Predator Helios 300 a top budget pick.</li><li><strong><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B084QDV558/ref=as_li_tl'ie=UTF8&tag=biipg_072318_college-laptop-guide-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B0762S8PYM&linkId=0d573aa56b153d42e725f30fd6f4e526&th=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow nofollow">Asus VivoBook F510UA</a>: </strong>The Asus VivoBook is far from the cheapest laptop on this list, but if you're looking for something with the look and feel of an ultrabook, the VivoBook gives you good bang for your buck. It's thin and light, at just 3.57 pounds, and with a Core i5 processor and 8GB RAM, it performs about on par with more expensive competitors in <a href="https://www.pcmag.com/review/362386/asus-vivobook-f510ua" target="_blank" rel="noopener">benchmark tests</a>. However, it lacks some key features that our cheaper recommendations have, including a touchscreen and all-day battery life.</li><li><strong><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075FLJ87G/ref=as_li_tl'ie=UTF8&tag=biipgf_071717_best-budget-laptops-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B075FLJ87G&linkId=c1350754649b2414873005fdc9c028e1" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow nofollow">Acer Aspire E 15</a></strong>: The Acer Aspire E is a bit more expensive than some of our top picks, but it offers excellent value for its price tag. It has a ton of ports, almost 9 hours of battery life, and beats most of its competition in <a href="https://www.laptopmag.com/reviews/laptops/acer-aspire-e15-e5-576-392h" target="_blank" rel="noopener">benchmark tests</a>. But a bulky plastic design, lack of a touchscreen, and somewhat washed-out display keeps us from recommending the Aspire E as the best value for your money.</li><li><strong><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077ZLH5LC/ref=as_li_tl'ie=UTF8&tag=biipgf_071717_best-budget-laptops-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B077ZLH5LC&linkId=7de463dc81065f88d62fba99c008bb7a" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow">Lenovo Ideapad 320</a></strong>: For folks on a very tight budget, Lenovo's Ideapad 320 is one of the cheapest Windows laptops you can buy. It comes with an Intel Core i3 processor, 4GB RAM, and a 1TB hard drive — usable, but not great specs. And with an Ethernet port, HDMI, headphone jack, USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 port, it should have enough ports for most people's accessory needs. That said, if you can afford something better, we recommend going for that instead. The 1,366 x 768-pixel display is quite low-resolution, and the battery only lasted a measly 4 hours in <a href="https://www.laptopmag.com/reviews/laptops/lenovo-ideapad-320" target="_blank" rel="noopener">battery tests</a>. <em>— Monica Chin</em></li><li><strong><a href="https://microsoft-us.evyy.net/c/196318/190407/3327'u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.microsoft.com%2Fen-us%2Fp%2Fsurface-laptop-go%2F94fc0bdgq7wv%3Factivetab%3Dpivot%253aoverviewtab" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">Microsoft Surface Laptop Go</a>: </strong>Microsoft has earned a reputation for making classy-looking laptops that rival the design of Apple's devices, and that's one of the reasons Microsoft's budget-laptop stands out. The Surface Laptop Go is a less expensive version of Microsoft's main laptop that comes with some compromises, like a low-resolution screen and no keyboard backlighting. But for $549, you're still getting an Intel Core i5 processor, which should offer plenty of power for general productivity and web browsing, particularly for those who prefer Windows over Chrome OS. However, unless you really only want a computer for light web browsing and don't plan on saving much locally on the laptop itself, we'd recommend spending at least $649.99 for the mid-tier version with 8GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. While Microsoft's laptop is worth pointing out, we felt the ones highlighted in this guide provided for value overall.</li></ul></p><br/><br/><h3>Budget laptops we look forward to testing</h3><p><p><strong><a href="https://www.anrdoezrs.net/links/6415797/type/dlg/https://www.samsung.com/us/computing/chromebooks/galaxy-chromebook2/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2</a>: </strong>Samsung's original Galaxy Chromebook from last year's CES had an attention-grabbing design that's uncommon for a Chromebook, but its high price and short battery life limited its appeal. Now, Samsung has addressed those criticisms with the <a href="https://www.anrdoezrs.net/links/6415797/type/dlg/https://www.samsung.com/us/computing/chromebooks/galaxy-chromebook2/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow nofollow noopener sponsored sponsored">Galaxy Chromebook 2</a>, a revamped version of its Google-powered laptop that comes at a cheaper starting price of $549.99 compared to the previous model's $999.99 price tag. With a premium design, 13.3-inch QLED touch screen, and hopefully longer battery life, the Galaxy Chromebook 2 seems like it could be a promising option for those on a budget.</p><p><strong>Acer Chromebook Spin 14: </strong>Powered by the latest AMD's latest mobile processors and offering 10 hours of battery life according to Acer's claims, the new Acer Chromebook Spin 14 has potential to become one of our top picks for a budget laptop in 2021. It features a 14-inch 1,920 x 1,080 touchscreen and aluminum build that could make it a compelling choice as a general-purpose laptop. It's launching in March 2021 starting at $479.99.</p></p><br/><br/><h3>How to buy a budget laptop</h3><p><p>There are a variety of factors you should consider when purchasing a laptop, particularly how much you want to spend and what types of tasks you intend to use it for. Here are a few things to keep in mind as you make your decision. </p><p><strong>Operating system</strong>: There are a few major computer operating systems out there. You're probably most familiar with Windows, as it's by far the most-used operating system, but there's also Apple's macOS, which is found on the company's Mac computers (we didn't include any Macs because they didn't meet our price requirement for a budget laptop). And, the newest, there's Google's Chrome OS, which is targeted to those with basic computer needs revolves around Google's web-based apps (Chrome OS relies heavily on cloud computing, meaning that a lot of the processes happen online).</p><p><strong>Specs and features</strong>: Some computers are more powerful than others. Things like the processor and amount of memory (RAM) will dictate how quickly your computer runs, while the amount of storage indicates how many files you can keep on your computer at once. There are also other factors, like the graphics chipset being employed. The type of software you run could also dictate how well a laptop's components perform; for example, Google's Chrome browser is notorious for being a memory hog.</p><p><strong>The features have also improved</strong>. Premium components like a touchscreen and high-speed ports, like USB 3.0 and USB-C, have trickled down from high-end laptops to budget models. As you research, look for these or if the laptop is still utilizing older tech.</p><p><strong>Size:</strong> Laptops come in a range of different physical sizes, however, the smaller ones generally sit in the 10- to 11-inch range, while the larger ones can get as big as 17-inches. That's handy for watching movies, but it comes at the cost of portability.</p></p><br/><br/>
Click here to read full news..
