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A new laptop that packs all the bells and whistles will usually command a high price. But, not all of us want to drop upwards of $500 on a good, functional laptop. Lucky for you, it’s possible to get high-performing, sleek laptops well below $500 that can easily work for a day at the office, a secondary device for when you’re traveling, or a device for a student on a budget.
Since there are so many options for laptops below $500, it can be hard to weed out the decent laptops from other low-performing picks. To make it easier for you, we’ve listed our top recommendations for laptops under $500 below, plus what to look for when you purchase one.
Best laptops Under $500 Buying Guide: What to Look for
Screen: Screen size may matter to you if you plan on streaming or gaming on your new budget laptop. We’ve recommended laptops under $500 with a wide range of screen sizes, from 10-inch to 15-inch.
As for screen resolution, each laptop we recommend has at least an HD display. This means whether you’re working or streaming, your visuals will look clear and vivid. Some of these laptops even feature a touchscreen, allowing you to take notes or create on the go.
RAM: In layman’s terms, RAM is what determines how well your laptop can multitask, or how many applications you can have open at once without your budget laptop lagging or freezing. Every gadget we’ve recommended comes with 4GB of RAM. This means you can have multiple browser tabs open while you work and still be able to use other light applications like your email or any note-taking app. You may be able to casually game as well. For hardcore gamers or creators who need to use demanding apps like Adobe Photoshop, a higher RAM is recommended. That said for everyday use, 4GB is more than enough.
Operating System: Every budget laptop we recommend uses either a Windows or Chrome OS, and each operating system runs its own set of apps for productivity purposes. That said, both these operating systems can run your generic everyday use apps like Microsoft Office or Adobe apps.
Storage: These laptops under $500 have at least 64GB of storage which is enough to download all your base apps, emails and documents. While you may not be able to store tons of games or movies on your new laptop, it should easily suffice for your productivity needs.
Battery Life: You want a laptop that can last through an entire workday — meaning about eight hours of battery life on a single charge. Luckily for you, these budget laptops all deliver on that aspect, with some options even showcasing extended battery life running up to 15 hours.
Extra Features: Other features you might want to look for are the number of ports available and whether or not your laptop has a webcam for video meetings. Generally, as long as a budget laptop has a set of USB-style ports, a headphone jack and an HDMI port, you’re good to go.
As for webcams, we recommend your new laptop have at least an HD webcam for clear visuals during your meetings.
