Laptops used to be fundamentally slower and less capable than desktop computers. Nonetheless, advances in manufacturing technology have equipped laptops to perform nearly as well as desktops.
In fact, high-end laptops often perform better than low or even mid-range desktop systems. They’re the perfect choice not only for students, but also for those who’d like to bring their work with them and not be chained to a desk.
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Best Laptops Under $500
Having the luxury and freedom of a portable computer doesn’t have to be expensive. Here is our list of the best laptops under $500.
1. Acer Aspire 5
The Acer Aspire 5 has an attractive design and a gorgeous display. You can take it anywhere to do some work or enjoy high-quality streaming on the go.
The 9.5 hours of battery life this laptop offers, along with its comfortable keyboard, definitely add to its convenience. It runs on a Windows 10 system.
Price: $509.99
Battery life: 9.5 hours
Weight: 3.97 pounds
Dimensions: 14.3 x 9.9 x 0.7 inches
Screen size: 15.6 inches
Processor: 8th Generation Intel Core i5 8265u
Best for: Those who are particular with design and display quality
2. HP Chromebook x360
Boasting a flexible and versatile performance, the HP Chromebook x360 is lightweight. It has a long battery life that will allow you to bring it around wherever you want.
It runs on Chrome OS and gives you 100 GB of cloud storage for 2 years on Google Drive.
Price: $259
Battery life: 13 hours and 45 minutes
Weight: 2.76 pounds
Dimensions: 12.04 inches x 8.18 inches x 0.76 inch
Screen size: 11.6 inches
Processor: Intel(R) Celeron(R) N3350
Best for: Those who want a 2-in-1 functionality
3. Acer Swift 3
With an Intel Corei5-8250U processor, the Acer Swift 3 is powerful for its price. Its battery life can go a long way, which is great for traveling.
The inclusion of legacy ports—including two USB 3.0 ports, an SD card, and even a USB 3.1 Type-C port—is completed by a comfortable keyboard with attractive backlighting.
Price: $409.99
Battery life: 13 hours
Weight: 2.9 pounds
Dimensions: 9.6 x 14.1 x 0.7 inches
Screen size: 15.6 inches
Processor: Intel Core i5 i5-8250U
Best for: Those who are on a budget but need great functionality in a laptop
4. Asus Vivobook F705QA
The Asus Vivobook F705QA has a robust and efficient AMD Quad Core A12-9720P processor and uses Windows 10 OS. The ergonomic backlit chiclet keyboard is also convenient, together with the comprehensive connections with USB 3.1 Type-C, USB 3.0, USB 2.0, HDMI, and RJ45 LAN ports.
Price: $499.99
Battery life: 8 hours and 23 minutes
Weight: 4.6 pounds
Dimensions: 16.2 x 10.6 x 0.9 inches
Screen size: 17.3 inches
Processor: AMD Quad Core A12-9720P
Best for: Those who are particular with connectivity
5. Dell Inspiron 15 5000
The Dell Inspiron 15 5000 features a touchscreen with a full high-definition display of Intel UHD 620 Graphics.
Running on an 8th generation processor, the Dell Inspiron 15 5000 may not be such a hit on display or battery power, but it takes a lot before it heats up. Its comfortable keyboard makes it great for those who need to do a lot of typing.
Price: $399.66
Battery life: 8 hours and 23 minutes
Weight: 5.07 pounds
Dimensions: 20 x 14.5 x 5 inches
Screen size: 15.6 inches
Processor: 8th generation Intel Core i3-8130U
Best for: Those who need a heavy-duty touchscreen laptop
6. Acer Aspire E 15
With up to 13.5 hours of battery life, the Acer Aspire E 15 runs on Windows 10 OS. Its size gives a lot of space for a number pad keyboard, VGA port, and optical drive.
Don’t be daunted by the Acer Aspire E15’s size; it may measure 15 inches, but it weighs in at just 5.27 pounds.
Price: $309.99
Battery life: 13.5 Hours
Weight: 5.27 pounds
Dimensions: 15 x 10.2 x 1.2 inches
Screen size: 15.6 inches
Processor: 8th Generation Intel Core i3 8130U
Best for: Those who are on a budget but need great functionality in a laptop
7. HP Stream 11
The HP Stream 11 offers up an exceptional bang for your buck.
Its battery life ensures you’ll be able to stay away longer from your desk. You might also find the selection of ports such as USB 2.0, USB 3.0 HDMI slots, and an SD card slot a great convenience.
Price: $169.99
Battery life: 8 hours and 15 minutes
Weight: 2.8 pounds
Dimensions: 11.8 x 8.1 x 0.8 inches
Screen size: 11 inches
Processor: Intel Celeron N2840
Best for: Those who are on a budget but still want a stylish design
8. HP Chromebook x2
The HP Chromebook x2 combines effective design, vivacious performance, and an attractive display. Running on a Google Chrome OS with 4GB of RAM, you’ll rarely experience any lag.
Price: $499.99
Battery life: 9 hours and 18 minutes
Weight: 3.06 pounds
Dimensions: 11.5 x 8.3 x 0.3 inches
Screen size: 12.3 inches
Processor: Intel Core m3-7Y30
Best for: Those who want a 2-in-1 functionality
9. Acer Swift 1
With an Intel Pentium Silver N5000 Quad-Core processor, the Acer Swift 1 can definitely help you get work done. Its 64GB eMMC storage also keeps it on par with other laptops of this level.
Enjoy your favorite music and movies with its loud speakers and sharp display. You can also type away all day with its comfortably-sized keyboard.
Price: $264.96
Battery life: 17 hours
Weight: 4.67 pounds
Dimensions: 12.72 x 8.98 x 0.59 in
Screen size: 14 inches
Processor: Intel Pentium Silver N5000 Quad-Core Processor
Best for: Those who want a budget laptop for basic tasks
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10. Dell Inspiron 3580
The Dell Inspiron 3580 uses an Intel Core i5-8265U processor, though you can also choose to customize it with an i7-8565U.
If you are on a budget, you can have it in either the low-end Pentium N4000, Pentium Silver N5000, or with the slightly more advanced Core i3-7020U.
Price: $439.99
Battery life: 7 hours
Weight: 5.1 pounds
Dimensions: 10.2 x 1 x 15 inches
Screen size: 15.6 inches
Processor: Intel Pentium Gold 5405U
Best for: Those who care about customizability
11. Acer Chromebook 15
The Acer Chromebook 15 runs on Chrome OS. It comes with built-in virus protection and updates automatically.
Almost all of the Google apps come standard with the laptop. It also has built-in storage for offline access to your files, as well as an additional 100GB of Google Drive space.
Price: $281.92
Battery life: 9 hours and 7 minutes
Weight: 4.41 pounds
Dimensions: 14.9 x 10.1 x 0.8 inches
Screen size: 15.6 inches
Processor: Intel Celeron N3350
Best for: Those who need a heavy-duty laptop
12. ASUS T100
The ASUS T100 is a netbook-tablet hybrid with a newer Bay Trail Atom processor. This makes it faster, and its battery life longer.
The keyboard bottom half has its own USB 3.0 port, and the rest of the ports, including the headphone jack, are on the tablet top half.
Price: $349.85
Battery life: 11 hours
Weight: 2.4 pounds
Dimensions: 10.4 x 6.7 x 0.9 inches
Screen size: 10.1 inches
Processor: Intel Quad-Core Baytrail-T Z3740
Best for: Those who want a 2-in-1 functionality
13. Asus Chromebook
The ASUS Chromebook is tagged as the best overall. It looks quite fancy in tablet mode and has an exquisitely sharp screen. With its quick start-up and long battery life that can last you up to 10 hours, you can definitely bring your work anywhere in style.
Price: $309
Battery life: 10 hours
Weight: 2.65 pounds
Dimensions: 8.3 x 12 x 0.5 inches
Screen size: 12.5 inches
Processor: Intel Core m3
Best for: Those who want 2-in-1 functionality that is heavy-duty
14. Microsoft Surface Go
The Microsoft Surface Go might be the best for 2-in-1 functionality. With a high-resolution 10-inch PixelSense display and in an unbelievable 1.15 pounds, this device feels as light as a feather.
The Surface Go is great as a secondary device that’s easy to take around with you pretty much anywhere. It’s perfectly sufficient for basic productivity on the go.
NOTE: The keyboard and other accessories pictured are not included and must be purchased separately. The price listed is for the tablet device.
Price: $419.95
Battery life: 9 hours
Weight: 2.85 pounds
Dimensions: 9.7 x 6.9 x 0.3 inches
Screen size: 10 inches
Processor: Intel Pentium Gold
Best for: Those who want 2-in-1 functionality
15. Lenovo Ideapad 320
Ideal for college students, the Lenovo Ideapad 320 has loads of ports, so you’ll have no problem with connectivity. The device runs on an Intel Core i3-7100U processor, 4GB of RAM, and a 1TB 5,400-rpm HDD.
Price: $285
Battery life: 4 hours 30 minutes
Weight: 12.3 ounces
Dimensions: 14.9 x 10.2 x 0.9 inches
Screen size: 15.6 inches
Processor: Intel Celeron N3350
Best for: Those who are on a budget
16. Lenovo IdeaPad 330s
The Lenovo IdeaPad 330s is a speedy and solid laptop that may not come with many bells and whistles, but it does have the best visuals yet among this list.
Despite its slim frame. this laptop has a load of ports guaranteeing connectivity, not to mention the comfort it offers. Enjoy your work and also play with ease.
Price: $487.71
Battery life: 5 hours 30 minutes
Weight: 4.85 pounds
Dimensions: 14 x 9.5 x 0.8 inches
Screen size: 15.6 inches
Processor: Intel Core i5-8250U
Best for: those who are particular with display quality
Great Laptops on a Budget
To be able to bring your work anywhere and plug it in wherever you are is a great perk.
Opting for a laptop over a desktop computer doesn’t have to be expensive. As long as you know what your needs are and what the computer has to offer, you can definitely match your budget with the right specs.
Which of these laptops is a match for you? Let us know in the comments below!
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All of your recommendations are very to helpful to me to choose the best one from the market. I liked the most Lenovo and Acer brand which you suggest in this article. I am very must confused the configuration before buying my favourite one.But you solved my problems. Thanks for a great effective review.
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