10 Best Laptops Under $500 Dollars

A good laptop doesn’t have to break the bank. Laptops under $500 can bring a solid balance of both performance and value, from reliable homework machines, portable on the go work, and affordable streaming machines. These laptops can feature amazing all-day battery life, beautiful full HD displays, durable build quality, and inexpensive parts for upgrade. Just note that these laptop models can come in different configurations, so you can choose which components according to your budget and needs. Below are my top picks for the best laptops under $500 dollars.

Top 10 Best Laptops Under $500 Dollars

[amazon table=”27152″]

1. Acer Chromebook Spin 11

[amazon box=”B07C715KLH” description=” ” rating=”4.7″]

The last touchscreen-based laptop entry of this list is the Acer Chromebook Spin 11. This Chromebook comes equipped with an Intel Celeron N3350 processor, 4 GB of ram, and 32 GB of eMMC storage, which is more than enough for the average consumer. The storage is a drawback since small applications will eat it up quickly.

The display size is 11.6 inches and weighs around 2 pounds, making it the heaviest out of the touchscreen-based laptops but still very lightweight and easy to carry around. There are two cameras, front and back, for dual-use. Two USB-C and two USB 3.0 ports are included, unlike the Lenovo Chromebook and the Surface Pro 2. The drawback of this Chromebook is the average battery life lasting up to 8 hours of a single charge. The screen resolution is also lackluster with no clear bezels. Other than that, this Chromebook is perfect to get school work done with its moderate performance and portability.

Specifications

Brand: Acer
OS: Chrome
Display Resolution Maximum: 1366×768
Screen Size: 11.6 inches
CPU: Intel Celeron N3350
GPU: Intel HD Graphics 500
Memory: 4GB
Storage: 32 GB eMMC
Battery: 4870mAh
Weight: 2.8 lbs

Sample Customer Review… Really pleased with this Chromebook. I was hesitant to switch from a Windows machine to a Chrome OS machine but I’ve been pleasantly surprised at how quickly I’ve been able to adapt. The stylus works really great, and the touch screen is a convenient way to handle android apps that don’t quite work properly (side-scrolling) with a mouse/touchpad.
I thought I would be sacrificing my ability to edit videos, but was really excited when I found Powerdirector as an app in the play store. It’s a good video editor for simple editing and even does quite a few advanced edits as well. Media consumption is great. Hulu, Disney, Amazon Prime all work flawlessly (the Hulu app seems to take a little longer to load than the others). I don’t use Netflix but I’m sure it’d be great. Can’t rate this high enough. Always been a fan of Acer, and this Chromebook knocks it out of the park.
Read more reviews at Amazon.com

2. Acer Aspire 5

[amazon box=”B07RF1XD36″ description=” ” rating=”4.6″]

The Acer Aspire 5 Slim Laptop is a highly rated budget laptop that is able to perform day-to-day tasks for anyone. There are multiple versions of this laptop with better specifications as you go higher in price, but this laptop hits the sweet spot for basic everyday use.

With over 13,000 reviews and 4.5 stars on Amazon, consumers agree that this is an amazing product. The Acer Aspire 5 is equipped with an AMD Ryzen 3200 dual-core process that is combined with an AMD Radeon Vega 3 Graphics card, which provides ample power to surf the web and stream videos. For only $359.99, this laptop is a bang for your buck when it comes to performance.

If you’re looking for a laptop with an amazing battery life, then this laptop is for you. The Acer Aspire 5 Slim comes with a 4200 mAH battery, which is more than enough to get you through a full day of work. For college students, you can grind away at the library for multiple hours without having to worry about charging your laptop. The Acer Aspire 5 weighs about 4 lbs and has an aluminum finish, which makes it easy to carry on to go!

Specifications

Brand: Acer
OS: Windows 10 S
Display Resolution Maximum: 1920 x 1080
Screen Size: 15.6 inches
CPU: AMD Ryzen 3200 dual-core
GPU: AMD Radeon Vega 3
Memory: 4GB
Storage: 128 GB SSD
Battery: 4200mAh
Weight: 3.97 lbs

Sample Customer Review…This laptop is a fantastic deal for the price. The laptop uses the same body as the $500+ Acer Aspire 5 models which is to say it is a fantastic body that is light and compact and very portable. Ram can easily be upgraded and adding a 2.5″ SSD allows for additional memory over the 128GB included on the computer. The keyboard is comfortable to type on and as a bonus still includes a full Numpad even if it is a bit cramped.
The screen is a solid IPS screen and when you consider the price tag is amazing and beats a lot of the more expensive laptop screens I have seen.
Read more reviews at Amazon.com

3. HP 14

[amazon box=”B08C7P19CG” description=” ” rating=”4.6″]

The HP 14 is a solid choice for a $500 budget laptop that comes equipped with good specs. The HP 14 comes with a 10th-Gen Core i3 processor, which is used in mid-level desktops so you know you’re getting the best performance. With the addition of 8GB of ram, you can have multiple tabs and stream a movie at the same time without any stutter.

The HP14 also has 256GB of SSD storage, which is plenty enough for small files and basic applications. Not only that, but you can also install large applications such as photoshop and still have enough room to store your projects! You can take advantage of these large applications by utilizing the 1080p display, which delivers bright colors.

Specifications

Brand: HP
OS: Windows 10
Display Resolution Maximum: 1920×1080
Screen Size: 14 inches
CPU: Intel Core i3-1005G1
GPU: Intel UHD Graphics
Memory: 8GB
Storage: 256 GB SSD
Battery: 2600mAh
Weight: 3.24 lbs

Sample Customer Review… I needed an inexpensive laptop to use the remote access solution at work. My Chromebook did not have enough compute power. This laptop is a good value for the performance you get.
– 8GB RAM and 256GB SSD
– HD display
– Good battery life
The nicest feature was not a lot of ‘bloatware’ installed. I could easily remove the McAfee trial software and O365 demo. I would buy this laptop again
Read more reviews at Amazon.com

4. Samsung Chromebook 4

[amazon box=”B08DL4X5R4″ description=” ” rating=”4.5″]

The Samsung Chromebook 4 is an upgraded version of the Samsung Chromebook 3 still at an affordable cost. The new additions of the Chromebook 4 include 64 GB of storage and an increased battery life of up to 12.5 hours. All the other components of the Chromebook 4 are the same as the Chromebook 3. At an extra cost of $25, this is a good addition to have if you need a lot of storage and work every day.

Specifications

Brand: Samsung
OS: Chrome
Display Resolution Maximum: 1366×768
Screen Size: 11.6 inches
CPU: Intel Celeron N4000
GPU: Intel HD Graphics 400
Memory: 4GB
Storage: 32 GB eMMC
Battery: 5070mAh
Weight: 2.6 lbs

Sample Customer Review… We bought 2 Chromebooks for our grandsons ages 7 1/2 and 5. Their school schedules and loans Chrombooks from school, we (grandparents) decided to purchase this for them. Since they started using the chrombooks, they are learning both in the classroom (limited schedule) and at home (virtually) using them. The quality and durability of these are on point. We would definitely purchase these again!
Read more reviews at Amazon.com

5. Microsoft Surface Go 2

[amazon box=”B086QRQVD5″ description=” ” rating=”4.5″]

The Microsoft Surface Go 2 is another touchscreen-based portable laptop on this list with good performance. Most of the specifications are the same with the Lenovo Chromebook Duet, however, this comes equipped with an Intel Pentium Gold processor, which is able to handle more power of the applications. This is useful for those that just need a little bit more power to get your work done.

4GB of RAM and 64 GB of storage allows for the basic use of web browsing and small applications with no stutter. The Surface Go 2 comes with a 10.5-inch touchscreen display and weighs around 1.2 pounds, making it a little bigger than the Lenovo Chromebook Duet. This laptop has a nice thin design with a silver finish making it have a premium feel to it. The webcam is 1080p so you’re able to have clear video when in meetings.

There are no fans inside this laptop, which makes it almost silent, perfect for the library. The major drawback of this laptop is that it does not come with a keyboard. You can buy the keyboard online or in-store for roughly $30. The battery life competes with the Lenovo Chromebook Duet with up to 10 hours with a single charge. This laptop is another great choice for portability and getting work done on the go.

Specifications

Brand: Microsoft
OS: Chrome
Display Resolution Maximum: 1920×1200
Screen Size: 10.1 inches
CPU: MediaTek Helio P60T
GPU: Integrated ARM G72 MP3 Graphics
Memory: 4GB
Storage: 64 GB eMMC
Battery: 8000mAh
Weight: 1 lb

Sample Customer Review… I have not been a big Microsoft fan in the past. However, after purchasing the Surface Pro 7 I was impressed! My child’s school Chromebook was in its last days so I decided to replace it with a Surface product. Great full use tablet. Using it with an aftermarket pen & keyboard makes it very versatile as a computer/tablet. This laptop is very functional for a secondary device that I can carry around the house and do tasks such as email, chats, etc.
I am still using Windows 10 S mode which is limited. However, the mail app and news app are great. I am using the tablet with a type signature keyboard and a pen, and it’s a perfect little device that I plan to use during my commute when WFH ends. My son is also an avid gamer, and the Xbox companion app works great to stream your Xbox to the tablet and play games. I think XCloud will be a game-changer as the screen is crisp. Overall, I am very happy with the purchase, but it’s not very powerful to do tasks such as development.
Read more reviews at Amazon.com

6. Lenovo IdeaPad 3

[amazon box=”B0872K4XCJ” description=” ” rating=”4.5″]

The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 is a laptop that offers premium performance at an affordable price point. This laptop is equipped with an AMD Ryzen 3 3250U processor with Radeon Vega 3 Graphics, which allows for moderate performance and using several applications at once. This laptop comes with a 15.6-inch 1080p display which provides a sharper image than its competitors. These core features make this laptop a worthy contender amongst its competitors!

This particular model comes with 128 GB SSD storage which is enough for basic applications, small files, and decent-sized project files for those who are college students. The build quality is surprisingly better than most of its competitors. This laptop has a solid, durable chassis, which can take on accidental drops from time to time. This laptop is at an affordable price and its specifications should be enough for most people. With good performance and a competitive price, this is an excellent laptop to purchase.

Specifications

Brand: Lenovo
OS: Windows 10 Home
Display Resolution Maximum: 1366×768
Screen Size: 15.6 inches
CPU: AMD Ryzen 3
GPU: AMD Radeon Vega 3
Memory: 4GB
Storage: 128 GB SSD
Weight: 4.84 lbs

Sample Customer Review… I was really blown out of the water by this one. It’s an incredible build that was super durable even when I dropped it by accident. The battery is decent, about 8 hours if you are constantly using it. The keys are what really surprised me, it’s not your typical cheap Lenovo keyboard. The touchpad is nice, and even though it doesn’t click very well, it was perfect for me.
The camera cover was a super nice touch, and I’ll definitely be using that a lot. that’s probably one of my favorite features. As you probably know, the Ryzen 3 CPU isn’t the fastest, but I prefer it over Intel any day, so I definitely prefer it. I ran multiple apps and it still held up and was super fast. Setup was super easy and the laptop closes and opens super satisfyingly
Read more reviews at Amazon.com

7. Samsung Chromebook 3

[amazon box=”B01N5P6TJW” description=” ” rating=”4.4″]

The Samsung Chromebook 3 is a good budget laptop that gets the job done. This laptop has over 2,000 reviews with 4.5 stars on Amazon, making it another highly rated entry on this list. One of the main highlights of this laptop is how small and compact it is. The display is 11.6 inches and weighs around 2.5 pounds, which makes this laptop easy to take on the road. If you’re constantly on the go for school or work, this laptop will be easy to slip in and out of your bag, you won’t even notice it’s there!

This particular laptop runs the Chrome operating software, 4 GB of ram, and 16 GB of storage, which is more than enough for simple web browsing and other small tasks. The battery is impressive on this laptop with up to 11 hours of use on a single charge, which is more than enough for a full day of work. According to multiple reviews on Amazon, this Chromebook is very easy to use with its basic and simple layout, which is suitable for all ages to use.

Another star of this laptop is its amazing display. The Chromebook 3 offers a bright LED display, which beats most of its competitors. You can see all the colors from most viewing angles. The display delivers a warm tone that looks more detailed than other displays.

Google and partners have done great with Chromebooks and have plenty of features to accommodate. There are multiple physical keyboard shortcuts running along the top of the keyboard to quickly adjust settings. There are also several different hotkey menus which are accessed by keyboard combinations.

Specifications

Brand: Samsung
OS: Chrome
Display Resolution Maximum: 1366×768
Screen Size: 11.6 inches
CPU: Intel Celeron N3060
GPU: Intel HD Graphics 400
Memory: 4GB
Storage: 16 GB eMMC
Battery: 4300mAh
Weight: 2.54 lbs

Sample Customer Review… This thing is great! I bought the 4GB model which will hopefully last me a few years but it’s nice and snappy now. The 16GB of SSD storage is perfect as I use it for school and the biggest file I might be storing would be a picture. It integrates perfectly with my google account! This thing boots up super quick and it’s sleek and beautiful. It’s lightweight, has a long battery life, and although it’s smaller than a standard laptop, the keyboard is easy to use.
Read more reviews at Amazon.com

8. Lenovo Chromebook Duet

[amazon box=”B08G1GZ9BN” description=” ” rating=”4.3″]

The Lenovo Chromebook Duet is a unique laptop on this entry as it features a touchscreen and a detachable keyboard, which makes this product appear to be a tablet. This laptop is the smallest in the list by having a display of only 10.1 inches and just weighing about a pound. This makes the Lenovo Chromebook Duet very portable to take with you on to go.

The Chromebook comes equipped with a MediaTek Helio P60T processor, which is different from the well known Intel and AMD processors but is still able to do basic tasks. If you’re trying to open multiple tabs and stream videos, this Chromebook may stutter and have trouble keeping up. The battery life on the Lenovo Chromebook is better than most of its competitors averaging up to 10 hours with one charge. This particular model comes with 64 GB of eMMC, which is just enough for small files, but there is a 128 GB version for $30 extra.

Overall, the Lenovo Chromebook Duet is a good laptop for those that take their laptop everyone and constantly on the go. With good battery life, you should be able to get your work done and also relax by watching some videos. However, the small size may be a deal-breaker to some as there is only one USB port and the keyboard is squished, making typing difficult.

Specifications

Brand: Lenovo
OS: Chrome
Display Resolution Maximum: 1920×1200
Screen Size: 10.1 inches
CPU: MediaTek Helio P60T
GPU: Integrated ARM G72 MP3 Graphics
Memory: 4GB
Storage: 64 GB eMMC
Battery: 7000mAh
Weight: 1 lb

Sample Customer Review… Bought this for my son to do his remote learning. I’ve always had windows based systems, but this Chromebook meets all our needs. He also plays Roblox and other games on it with no problems.
It is fast, battery life is pretty good considering we are on about 8 hours a day for school and still have battery life afterward. Great screen, responsive touchpad. My son loves the convertibility of laptop to tablet. The hinge on the cover is loose, hoping it doesn’t cause any problems down the road. Overall, I’m very happy so far. You get more than what you pay for with this tablet. I must say that it is what it claims to be.
Read more reviews at Amazon.com

9. HP Pavilion HD Laptop

[amazon box=”B08SLVGHJ5″ description=” ” rating=”4.2″]

HP Pavilion is one of the best laptops under $500 dollars. If you are looking for a laptop to do simple tasks, this would be perfect for you. HP Pavilion is equipped with intel Pentium processor, 8GB memory, and 256GB hard drive. One of the down side is that this laptop is relatively heavy compared to other options. If you planning on carrying it around often, you might want to look for other options.

Specifications

Brand: HP
OS: Chrome
Display Resolution Maximum: 1366 x 768 Pixels
Screen Size: 15.6 Inches
CPU: 1.00 GHz
GPU: N/A
Memory: 8GB
Storage: 128 GB SSD
Battery: N/A
Weight: 3.93lb

Sample Customer Review…For me, buying a new laptop is a love/hate task. I love the increased speed and storage, but hate the learning curve.
With the 2021 Newest 15.6″ HP Pavilion HD Laptop it has been ALL LOVE!
With an intuitive display and Microsoft tips (easily minimized if you want to explore them later), I was fully functional in less than 30 minutes! I can’t believe how thin and light it is. And, of course, it’s speed and beautiful red cover has won me over for good.
Read more reviews at Amazon.com

10. Dell Inspiron 15

[amazon box=”B088BLZ1WK” description=” ” rating=”4.1″]

Dell Inspiron 15 is a decent laptop that has options for 4GB and 8 GB memory both under 500 dollars. It has decent processor for the price. However, it is very heavy and bulky considering it weighs 4.8 pounds. Overall, it is one of the best laptops under $500 dollars. If purchasing cheap laptop is a priority, you could never go wrong with this option.

Specifications

Brand: Dell
OS: Chrome
Display Resolution Maximum: 1366×768
Screen Size: 15.6 inches
CPU: Intel Dual-Core 4205U
GPU: Intel
Memory: 4GB or 8GB
Storage: N/A
Battery: 3-Cell 42WHr Battery
Weight: 4.8 lbs

Sample Customer Review…The 2020 Newest Dell Inspiron 15 3000 PC Laptop: 15.6″ HD Anti-Glare LED-Backlit Display has so far turned out to be an excellent purchase. It came with 12GB of memory, 256 GB of SSD and a 1TB HDD. Computer Upgrade King is the vendor and it appears that they added the SSD as an upgrade which make this laptop simply fly.
Overall, this laptop is an excellent purchase at the price it was offered. I had done significant research to find what I was looking for and feel I got the best value for my money and I do not hesitate to recommend it.
Read more reviews at Amazon.com

Conclusion

You can only get so much when it comes to finding budget laptops. For just under $500, these are the best laptops when it comes to performance, design, reliability, and affordability. Anyone can use these laptops, from kids who want to watch videos to college students working on assignments. The best thing about these laptops is that you’re able to do daily tasks at such an affordable price point. You’re not sacrificing major components as you’re still getting the best performance at a great value. No matter which laptop you choose, you’ll still have a great machine for your daily needs.

Related Articles

Featured Articles

Written by Henry Truong and Tsaiyen Hu