But while paying that sort of money will usually get you a great laptop, plenty of great portable PCs are available for significantly less than that. They’re not all Chromebooks, either. Most devices running Chrome OS are on the more affordable side, but there are lots of Windows machines available for around $500/£500 or less – that’s the rough criteria for inclusion here. However, there are no MacBooks in this list, with Apple yet to make a laptop that could be considered truly affordable. The likes of Asus, Acer, Microsoft and Lenovo are here though, so you don’t have to take a punt on a company you’ve never heard of. All of the options in this list are fine for basic tasks such as browsing the web, checking email and general office work, but some will surprise you with just how capable they are. However, if your budget does stretch further, it’s also worth considering mid-range and high-end laptops.
Best budget laptop 2023
Very cheap Lightweight Long battery life
Dim screen Annoying NumberPad
Things like a dim screen are inevitable and not everyone will like the quirky design on the lid. We also found the NumberPad in the trackpad a tad annoying but Asus has got a lot right here. The E410 has excellent battery life, a lightweight design and performance is good enough for basic day-to-day tasks. Ticking key boxes at this price makes it a great value laptop.
Stylish design Powerful components Nice keyboard Above average speakers
Underwhelming battery life Need to pay more for better display Limited ports
While the 2021 model took things to a more premium level and importantly a matching price, it’s now available for much lower prices meaning it’s still a budget option. Battery life got a little worse and only the top-spec model gets an improved screen but you’re getting a well-rounded laptop with a Core i5, 512GB SSD, solid keyboard and more for a great (reduced) price.
Excellent 3:2 display Great battery life Fast performance
Slightly spongy keyboard Fan noise at times
With Pentium or Core processors and a 360-degree hinge design, you get a versatile laptop that will suit many different use cases. There’s great battery life to keep you going when out and about. It’s a powerful combination which puts the device on the top of the pile for those who want a Premium ChromeOS laptop without it costing the Earth.
Solid performance Great keyboard Decent battery Array
Prone to overheating No backlit keys Slow charging
Performance has improved thanks to Intel 11th-gen CPUs, and it’s great to see the Core i5 available across all configurations. However, most people will need more than the 4GB of RAM and 64GB SSD on the cheapest model. The other obvious compromise is its size, but the 12.4in touchscreen display is still very impressive in real-world usage. At just 1.16kg, it’s also one of the lightest laptops you can buy. Power efficiency gains mean battery life is significantly better, although charging if slower than we’d like. It also tends to run hot, while the the impressive keyboard still doesn’t have backlighting. But if you can look beyond these trade-offs and are willing to spend a little more, the Surface Laptop Go 2 is a great option.
Versatile design All-day battery Lots of ports
Slow charging Awkward trackpad
The Flex 5 doesn’t have the best trackpad or display but offers good build quality, those iconic 360 degree hinges for various modes, solid battery life and a nice keyboard. It’s even got Wi-Fi 6. There’s also a good selection of ports and the Core i3 base model will be suitable for basic day-to-day tasks.
Premium design Impressive audio Good performance
Average battery life Stiff keys
It does a bit of everything with a fingerprint scanner, a good webcam, a touchscreen and B&O speakers making it a good choice for those that want a laptop for a wide range of tasks. Battery life is middling but performance is above average thanks to the latest 11th-gen Intel processors and other solid components. There’s also a nice selection of ports and good wireless connectivity. The main spanner in the works here is the existence of the Honor MagicBook 14 at the same price.
Impressive 15.6in display Decent performance Plenty of RAM and storage Good port selection
Underwhelming keyboard No touchscreen on most models Battery life could be better
Asus has avoided the temptation to include a basic processor, opting for an 11th-gen Core i3 instead. Performance is solid as a result, especially when combined with 8GB of RAM and a 128GB SSD. This helps power a vibrant 15.6in Full HD display, while you also get plenty of ports and a slick design. They keyboard isn’t the best, though, while battery life isn’t the best and most models don’t have a touchscreen. But for the price, the Chromebook 515 is an impressive all-rounder that’s worth considering.
Slim, light build Strong connectivity Fingerprint reader
Basic performance Stiff hinge Average trackpad
While it offers a basic style and build quality along with limited performance to match, it will be plenty good enough for anyone looking for a very cheap laptop to do simple tasks like email and word processing. Despite its low cost, the Swift 1 comes with some surprising features such as a fingerprint scanner, USB-C, HDMI and Wi-Fi 6.
Nice design Decent webcam Good keyboard and trackpad
Poor battery life Display lacks colour
You’re getting an AMD Ryzen 3 for a great price and the Liber V is very portable. Highlights include a decent keyboard and a large trackpad. It’s also got a solid selection of ports including USB-C and HDMI. While it’s speedy enough for office work, the display lacks colour for anything on the creative side and the battery life isn’t as long as rivals.
Stylish design Good performance Nice keyboard and trackpad
Poor scren Limited battery life Lo-res webcam
However, if you only need a cheap laptop to have around the house for basic tasks like checking email and web browsing, then the IdeaPad 3i is good value for money. It also looks a lot nicer than most around this price thanks to its colourful brushed aluminium case so you won’t want to hide it away. It offers good performance for the price along with a nice keyboard and trackpad. Remember, the size of the screen will have an impact on things like the weight of the laptop and how many ports it has. A thinner and lighter laptop generally means less key travel and potentially durability, too. It’s typical to find a budget laptop with an basic resolution of 1366×768 (HD) but if you can find higher you’ll be much better off – aim for 1920×1080 (Full HD) or better. While they’re relatively few and far between, a matt finish is less reflective than glossy and so easier to use in bright or sunny environment. You’ll also want to look out for the type of display and this is often an area where costs are cut so viewing angles can be poor as well as brightness and colour. Get an IPS rather than TN screen if you can. Look for either an Intel Core processor or AMD Ryzen if you can – several of the laptops in this chart do offer these. Go for Core i5/Ryzen 5 or higher if possible, but Core i3/Ryzen 3 are good basic chips if everything else is to your liking. It’s also worth considering ARM-based chips from the likes of Qualcomm, although the battery life benefit may be offset by a hit to performance. Almost all budget laptops use integrated graphics rather than a discrete GPU, but this is fine for most people. Only demanding tasks such as high-end gaming and video editing require more power. In both cases, it’s better to have as much as possible. A lot of budget laptops will come with a 500GB or 1TB hard drive but only 4GB of RAM. An SSD (solid state drive) is more common now and helps keep things speedy but don’t expect more than 8GB of RAM at these budget prices. Remember that you can also always use cloud storage if you need additional space. Even on devices with Windows pre-installed, Microsoft Office apps aren’t included by default. You’ll need to get those separately – see our buying guide for details – although there are ways to get access for free. We’ve also included some Chromebooks here, as laptops running Google’s Chrome OS are typically very affordable. The operating system is fairly basic and relies on an internet connection for a lot of tasks, but this will be perfect for some people. If that sounds good, we have a separate guide to the best Chromebooks you can buy. Also, remember that laptop makers will make many variations of the same laptop, with only small differences between them (such as the size of hard drive or amount of RAM). It’s generally safe to buy one of these alternatives if you understand what those differences will mean for you. As the resident expert on Windows, Senior Staff Writer Anyron’s main focus is PCs and laptops. Much of the rest of his time is split between smartphones, tablets and audio, with a particular focus on Android devices.
