There was a time when getting a laptop will cost you north of $1000, but nowadays the proliferation of various brands mean you get your laptops cheaper than ever. Many manufacturers now invent new ways to cut down the price of their products. An old saying is that you get what you pay for, but nowadays what you get for your money can be impressive.
While you will not get the most sophisticated laptops for less than $500, you may get a lot more quality than that money is worth if you buy carefully. For as little as $300, you can now get better and better laptops that can fulfil most of your tasks.
Things to watch out for in your budget laptop are; RAM, Processor speed, Storage, Weight, Battery, and Resolution, among others. This list will bring you laptops with the best of these features, for the least price, as we review the best budget laptops in 2023.
Best Cheap Laptops 2023
1. Acer Aspire E15
Like all laptops, the higher you go in price, the better the deals you get. As you approach the $500 mark, Aspire E 15 rapidly becomes your best deal.
Specs
- 6GB RAM
- 1TB storage
- 1920 x 1080 resolution
- 8:48 Battery rundown
- 5 pounds in weight
- 8th-gen Intel Core-i3 CPU
Pros
- Strong and durable
- Lots of connection ports
- Impressive battery life
- Brilliant speed
- Good value for money
Cons
- Bulky
- Not the cheapest you can go
- Bloatware
Price: View on Amazon
2. Lenovo IdeaPad 120S
For a laptop under the $300 price tag, IdeaPad 120S is a beast. It has an attractive design and a brilliant display.
The sound quality has proven to be equally good, and the keyboard design brilliant. For laptops under $300, you likely won’t do better.
Specs
- 4GB RAM
- 64GB storage
- 1366 x 768 resolution
- 7:43 battery rundown
- 2 pounds in weight
- Intel Celeron
Pros
- Stylish
- Impressive performance
- Durable
Cons
- Webcam is poor
- The screen is washed out
Price: View on Amazon
3. Acer Chromebook Spin 11
The Acer Spin 11 is designed for rugged use; from a child standing on it, being knocked off the desk, to water spilling on it.
Spin 11 will quickly fulfill all your computer needs for cheap.
Specs
- 1 GHz processor speed
- 4GB RAM
- 32GB storage
- 12:48 battery rundown
- 09 pounds in weight
- 1366 x 768 resolution
- Google Chrome OS
Pros
- Cheap
- Rugged
- Two camera’s and a snappy keyboard
Cons
- Small, low-resolution screen
- Android compatibility is spotty
- The stylus is easy to lose
Price: View on Amazon
4. Asus Chromebook C523
While the Processor may seem slow compared to high-performance laptops, the storage makes up for the 1.1GHz processor speed.
It has an impressive screen size and is even cheaper than the Spin 11.
Specs
- Google Chrome OS
- 64GB storage and 4GB RAM
- 1920 x 1080 resolution
- 7 pounds in weight
- 6:57 battery rundown
- 1GHz speed
Pros
- Cheap
- Large screen
- Sleek
- Good keypad and touchpad design
Cons
- Glare magnet
- Poor keyboard lighting and audio
- Battery life is mediocre
Price: View on Amazon
5. Acer Swift 1
At first look, it is impossible to tell that swift 1 is a budget laptop. The keyboard looks stylish, and the touchpad contrasts brilliantly with the casing.
Swift 1 has often received praise for its tasteful design, but make no mistake this laptop is not all about looking pretty.
Specs
- 4GB RAM
- 64GB storage
- 1920 x 1080 resolution
- 10:14 battery rundown
- 9 pounds in weight
- Intel Pentium Silver N5000
Pros
- Cheap and light
- Long battery life
- Large screen
- Stylish design
Cons
- Slow Processor
- Not very durable
Price: View on Amazon
6. Dell XPS 15 9570
Dell XPS 15 9570 is a revision of the older 2016 XPS model, but it is a revision that deserves acclaim.
This model now features an 8th-gen core i7 chip, and an upgraded GPU to complement what is a powerful laptop; for such a cheap model.
It has a 9.3-inch deep, 14-inch wide, and 0.45-inch tall body, that gives it a beautiful look. There are more ports than you could want in the model, and the performance is something special.
Specs
- 16GB RAM
- 66GHz processor speed
- 1920 x 1080 resolution
- 256GB storage
- 14:20 battery rundown
- Intel Core i7 CPU
- 4 pounds in weight
Pros
- Fast Processor
- Large screen
- Core i7 CPU
Cons
- The webcam is mounted low
- Only single SSD accepted
- Heavy
- Expensive
Price: View on Amazon
7. Dell Inspiron Chromebook 14 2-in-1
This model is popularly called Inspiron 7486. It offers full windows ten features, at a price just barely above $500.
Inspiron 7486 comes with a Core i3 operating system, which makes it one of the fastest models on this list.
Its 128GB storage means that it also has one of the largest storage capacities.
Specs
- Google Chrome OS
- 2GHz processor speed
- 4GB RAM
- 128Gb storage
- 1920 x 1080 resolution
- 99 pounds in weight
- 11:17 battery rundown
Pros
- Impressive performance
- Sturdy and stylish
- Backlit keyboard
Cons
- Heavy
- Hinges are stiff, and touchpad clicks loudly
- No video-out connector
- Expensive
Price: View on Amazon
8. Asus VivoBook Flip 14
Flip 14 looks expensive even though it isn’t. It comes with an eMMC flash storage, and enough juice to run all day.
If you are a fan of cloud storage, then Flip 14 is likely for you.
Specs
- Windows 10 OS
- 6GHz processor speed
- 4GB RAM
- 64GB storage
- 1920 x 1080 resolution
- 99 pounds in weight
- Core m3 processor
Pros
- Brilliant battery life
- Silent with a good audio
- Sleek looking
Cons
- No storage space
- No keyboard backlight
- Performance is not the best
Price: View on Amazon
9. Dell Chromebook 3189 Education 2-in-1
Chromebook 3189 is a laptop designed for students. From its durability to battery life and low price, any student can carry out his/her tasks with less than a $400 investment.
Specs
- 4GB RAM and 32GB storage
- 6GHz processor speed
- Celeron N3060 processor
- 1366 x 768 resolution
- 16 pounds in weight
- 11:39 battery rundown
Pros
- Rugged with a long-lasting battery
- Convertible and spill-proof
- Cheap
Cons
- Screen is low-res
- USB-C ports are missing
Price: View on Amazon
10. Acer Aspire 3
You can get cheaper laptops, but the performance will probably not be worth the price. This model barely breaks the $500 barrier.
Specs
- Windows 10 OS
- 2GHz processor speed
- 8GB RAM
- 256GB storage
- 1366 x 768 resolution
- 3 pounds
- 5:33 battery rundown
- Ryzen 5 2500U processor
Pros
- Impressive graphics
- Easy storage and RAM upgrade
- Keyboard is good
Cons
- Short battery life
- Heavy
- Dull screen
- No USB-C ports
Price: View on Amazon