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These days, you can buy some fantastic laptops with top-tier specs and premium features in some stunning designs that are still light and portable. For tech enthusiasts like us, those devices are what make the tech industry so fun and interesting. But all of those high-end pieces of hardware are usually pretty expensive, and if you're on a smaller budget, it can be easy to look at those laptops with envy. Don't fret, though. There are some great laptops out there with much more affordable prices, and we've rounded up some of the best, so you can get a really good experience without breaking the bank.
Let's start with some ground rules. We're setting our budget at $700, though if you want to go lower, we also have an article focused on the best laptops under $600. We're also relying on sales for many of these, and that's because in this price range it can truly be worth it to look out for a sale. Many high-end laptops that might normally cost almost $1,000 can often be found discounted to prices in this range, and they're going to give you a fantastic experience. Of course, that means they fit our price range at writing time, but you may find slightly different prices when you're reading this.
Best overall laptop: Dell Inspiron 14 2-in-1
If you're like me and you love convertibles, the Dell Inspiron 14 2-in-1 is a fantastic choice at this price. This laptop is available in both Intel and AMD variants, but the Intel version is the one we're recommending right now because it's the one that fits in our budget.
This model comes with an AMD Ryzen 5 5625U, which means you get 6 cores and 12 threads with boost speeds up to 4.3GHz. Additionally, you get 8GB of RAM and 512GB of SSD storage, which is a very good combination for a convertible at this price. There is a Ryzen 7 model with a 16GB of RAM, too, but that costs a little over $700, so you have to make sure you have the budget for it. If you do, however, we definitely recommend the upgrade.
The same can be said for the display, which is a 14-inch panel with a 16:10 aspect ratio. While it's not the only laptop with this taller format on this list, it's still quite uncommon to see it on laptops this affordable, especially convertibles. It comes in Full HD+ resolution (1920 x 1200), which is quite sharp for a screen this size. The brightness is 250 nits, so outdoor visibility isn't the best it could be, but that's going to be a trend at this price point.
And there's a notable advantage this one has over many of the laptops on this list: the webcam. The Inspiron 14 2-in-1 comes with a 1080p webcam, something that's becoming the standard for most laptops in 2022. Unfortunately, there's no Windows Hello facial recognition on this one, but you can use a fingerprint reader to log in easily and securely.
The Dell Inspiron 14 2-in-1 also has some unique elements to its design that help it stand out a bit more. For one thing, it comes in a subtle green shade, which looks more unique than most laptops in this price range. Then there's the palm rest, which is actually made of glass. Instead of having a touchpad cut out of the palm rest, it's actually cut into the palm rest. It has three-sided borders, so at the top, it blends seamlessly into the laptop. It makes for a unique look overall. As for portability, the laptop is 17.86mm thick at its thickest point and weighs 3.81 pounds, which isn't too bad for a convertible.
Coming around to the ports, the Dell Inspiron 14 2-in-1 packs a decent supply that covers all the basics. You get two USB Type-C (10Gbps) ports, one USB Type-A (5Gbps) port, HDMI, a headphone jack, and a full-size SD card reader. The USB Type-C ports also support DisplayPort if you want to connect more monitors that way.
The Dell Inspiron 14 2-in-1 is one of the best value-for-money convertibles you can get right now, with great specs, a solid display, and a Full HD webcam. For just $550 at writing time, you'll be very well served. You can check out either the AMD or Intel models, as they're both great.
Dell Inspiron 14 2-in-1
The Dell Inspiron 14 is a very capable convertible laptop with a tall screen and solid webcam. It's available with either AMD or Intel processors, so you can choose what fits your budget the best.
Best lightweight laptop: HP Pavilion Aero
It shouldn't come as much of a surprise that the HP Pavilion Aero is one of our top recommendations. It has pretty much everything you could ask for from an affordable laptop wrapped up in a design that's still somewhat premium. It launched at $750, but you can find it for much less a lot of the time. Currently, you can find a specific model for just $580, which is a fantastic deal.
So, what do you get for that price? For starters, you get an AMD Ryzen 5000 series processor, starting with a 6-core, 12-thread Ryzen 5 5625U with boost speeds up to 4.3GHz. This is already a fantastic processor for this price range, and you're going to get great performance for just about any daily task related to work, school, or just web browsing. Plus, this configuration comes with 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD, so you-re already bound to have a very good experience in day-to-day use.
But the Pavilion Aero doesn't stop there. It also comes with a 13.3-inch display that comes in a tall 16:10 aspect ratio, which is usually something you only find in premium laptops. That extra vertical space is great for productivity, and the base model already comes in Full HD+ (1920 x 1200) resolution with a brightness up to 400 nits, which is very rare for this price. To sweeten the deal, you can upgrade to a super-sharp Quad HD+ (2560 x 1600) panel for just $30. Either way, the screen goes up to 400 nits of brightness, which means it's going to be decently visible outdoors, something many laptops at this price tend to cut corners on.
A fault of the Pavilion Aero, however — and this will be a common theme on this list — is the webcam. It's a lower-quality 720p camera and it doesn't support Windows Hello facial recognition, either. You do get a fingerprint reader below the keyboard, which is still nice for added security, but not quite as convenient.
In terms of design, the Pavilion Aero 13 looks like a fairly standard clamshell, but it's actually made of magnesium, something you don't see a lot on cheaper laptops. This allows it to be very light, weighing less than 2.2 pounds, and it's also relatively thin at just over 17mm. Something else that's unique to the Pavilion Aero is that it comes in four color options. The colors are all fairly subdued, but considering so many laptops barely give you any options at all, this is still nice to see.
Finally, there are the ports. You get one USB Type-C port (3.2 Gen 2), two USB Type-A ports (3.2 Gen 1), HDMI 2.0, a headphone jack, and a microSD card reader. That's a setup that covers all the basic needs you might have, though it doesn't support Thunderbolt because it's an AMD-powered laptop. Even if it wasn't, cheap laptops often don't include Thunderbolt 4. The USB ports could be faster, but if you just want to connect a mouse or transfer files occasionally, it works well.
With all of that, there's no doubt that the HP Pavilion Aero is one of the best cheap laptops you can buy right now, and it has earned our recommendation.
HP Pavilion Aero 13
The HP Pavilion Aero is powerful and lightweight laptop with a premium-feeling design and a great display.
Best for students: Surface Laptop Go 2
Microsoft doesn't make a lot of budget-oriented devices, but the Surface Laptop Go 2 is a good example of one. This iteration is a very big upgrade from the previous model in terms of performance, and it delivers a balanced experience all around, making it great for students and more casual users.
Performance-wise, the Surface Laptop Go 2 is powered by an Intel Core i5-1135G7, a quad-core, eight-thread processor that can boost up to 4.2GHz. This isn't the newest Intel processor around, but that's part of what allows this laptop to be as cheap as it is. Plus, you get Intel Iris Xe graphics, which is a major upgrade from the original Surface Laptop Go and its very weak GPU. The Surface Laptop Go 2 also comes with up to 8GB of RAM and 256GB of SSD storage, though that configuration usually costs more than $700. Still, the mid-tier configuration costs just under $700, and it includes 8GB of RAM and 128GB of SSD storage, which is already pretty good.
The display on the Surface Laptop Go 2 is pretty unique compared to everything else on this list. It's a relatively small 12.4-inch panel, making it more suited for younger students, but it's also got a 3:2 aspect ratio, which makes it feel significantly larger. A 3:2 aspect ratio is even taller than 16:10, and all the benefits you usually get with 16:10 are even more prevalent this way, so this 12.4-inch screen can feel much bigger than that. It comes in an odd resolution, 1536 x 1024, but for a display of this size, that's plenty sharp. Plus, it supports touch, which is always nice to have.
The webcam is a potential letdown, seeing as Microsoft stuck with a 720p camera for this laptop. That's not too uncommon for laptops in this price range, though, and Microsoft says the camera has been enhanced from the previous generation (even though it's the same resolution), so it's not too bad. There's no Windows Hello facial recognition support, but the mid-range and top-tier configurations both offer a fingerprint reader built into the power button to make it easier to unlock the PC.
Surface devices have a very clean design that could almost be considered boring, yet they somehow still look iconic, and the Surface Laptop Go 2 stays true to that. There's really not much that can be said about this design, but it works well, and it gives you four colors to choose from, including Platinum, Matte Black, Sandstone, and Sage. Being a relatively small laptop, the Surface Laptop Go 2 weighs just 2.48 pounds, and it's 15.7mm thick, so it's a very portable machine.
Some may not love the port setup on the Surface Laptop Go 2, however. There's one USB Type-C port, one USB Type-A, a headphone jack, and a Surface Connect port for charging. It's a somewhat limited setup, but if you've used Surface devices, you know that's pretty typical.
It's not a perfect laptop, and in terms of performance, you can probably get some better options on this list. But the Surface Laptop Go 2's compact size and premium feel make it an option worth considering, and it's still one of the best cheap laptops out there.
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2
The Surface Laptop Go 2 is a budget-oriented laptop, but it still has great performance the clean Surface design language, and a tall 3:2 display.
Best cheap business laptop: Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen 4
Almost any laptop can be used for work, but if you're looking for a real business laptop — and from one of the most reputable business brands, no less — then the ThinkPad E14 Gen 4 is the best option in this price range. Like most business laptops, it can only fit our budget thanks to a discount, but it's still completely worthy of a recommendation.
The Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen 4 is available with either Intel or AMD processors (as tends to be the case with many ThinkPads), but only the AMD model fits our budget at writing time, so we'll focus on that. Starting at under $550 (at writing time), it includes an AMD Ryzen 3 5425U processor with four cores and eight threads, capable of boosting up to 4.1GHz. What's more, it also has 8GB of RAM and a 256GB PCIe 4 SSD, so you already have solid performance to start with. And because it's configurable and so cheap, you can actually sneak in some upgrades and still spend less than $700, including faster processors and more RAM.
Turning to the display, the ThinkPad E14 Gen 4 comes with a 14-inch IPS panel and a 16:9 aspect ratio. More expensive business laptops are switching to taller screens these days, but this is still very common in this price range. It's a Full HD panel and it reaches 250 nits of brightness, which is about what you might expect at this price point. A nice bonus you get here is the webcam, which supports Full HD video by default. There's an option for an IR camera if you upgrade the display, though this adds a bit to the cost of the laptop.
Design-wise, the ThinkPad E14 is exactly what you'd expect from a ThinkPad, so you get that classic business look that's very loved by ThinkPad fans. It's available in either silver or black models, though both still feature the iconic red accents and features like the TrackPoint on the keyboard. The laptop itself is 17.9mm thick, and it weighs 3.5 pounds, so it's not overly heavy, but it's not especially light, either. It's about what you'd expect for this price range.
One thing business laptops do very well is connectivity, and that holds true with the ThinkPad E14. You get one Thunderbolt 4 port, two USB Type-A ports, HDMI, RJ45 Ethernet, and a 3.5mm headphone jack, which means you can connect just about anything you want to this laptop without needing adapters or docking stations. Unlike more expensive ThinkPads, it doesn't have cellular connectivity, but that's just the cost of buying something this cheap.
All in all, the Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen 4 still has all the makings of a great business laptop, but with a price tag that's much more friendly to the wallet.
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen 4
The Lenovo ThinkPad E14 is a relatively affordable business laptop that keeps the most iconic elements of ThinkPads, including the red TrackPoint and the classic design. It's available in either Intel or AMD models.
Best cheap 15-inch laptop: Acer Aspire Vero
Most of the laptops we've looked at so far are 14 inches or smaller, but some of us prefer larger screens, and if you're one of those people, the Acer Aspire Vero may be the right choice for you. Plus, it's also a great option if you care about sustainability, which is the big focus of Acer's Vero laptops. We reviewed the 14-inch model of the Aspire Vero, but the 15-inch version has some extra perks.
The latest model of the Acer Aspire Vero is powered by 12th-generation Intel Core processors, with this model specifically featuring an Intel Core i5-1235U with 10 cores and 12 threads, plus boost speeds up to 4.4GHz. It also includes Intel Iris Xe graphics for some lightweight GPU workloads. This configuration also includes 8GB of RAM and a 512GB PCIe 4 SSD, which is a great combination already.
For the display, the Acer Aspire Vero comes with a 15.6-inch panel and it has a typical 16:9 aspect ratio and Full HD resolution. That's about as much as you can ask for with a laptop in this price range, and it's a good deal overall. It even has a 1080p webcam above that display, which is always great to see, especially for a laptop this affordable. Windows Hello facial recognition isn't supported, but there is a fingerprint reader you can use for that purpose.
What makes this laptop really unique is its design, and that's for a couple of reasons. For starters, it's using a lot of recycled plastics, which is part of the sustainability push Acer is going for. Most of the chassis uses 30% post-consumer recycled plastics, and for the keycaps, it's actually 50%. The touchpad is also made with ocean-bound recycled plastics. Plus, Acer doesn't use any paint to color this model, which gives it a unique grainy with speckles, which is bound to stand out from the crowd. Acer even stylized the E and R keys so they look reversed, as if to read "Re" — for "reduce, reuse, recycle" — and the laptop itself is made to last as long as possible with easy upgradeability and repairs.
Ports are the big advantage of the larger 15-inch version of the Aspire Vero compared to the smaller model. There's one USB Type-C port, three USB Type-A ports, HDMI, RJ45 Ethernet, and a headphone jack, so you have plenty of connectivity right out of the gate. The USB-C port doesn't support Thunderbolt, but that's fairly typical for laptops this cheap.
All things considered, the Acer Aspire Vero is a very good laptop, not just for saving money, but also for saving the planet (as much as possible when buying a laptop, at least). It's an easy recommendation in this price range.
Acer Aspire Vero 15-inch
The 15-inch Acer Aspire Vero comes with 12th-generation Intel Core processors and other solid specs, packed into an eco-friendly chassis using recycled plastics. It also has plenty of connectivity.
Best cheap gaming laptop: Acer Nitro 5
Not everyone uses their laptop just for work. If you want to get into some gaming, the Acer Nitro 5 may be the best laptop you can buy right now without breaking the bank. It's all thanks to a discount, which we definitely recommend taking advantage of if you can, as it makes this laptop much cheaper than usual. Even so, it's still one of the best cheap gaming laptops you can find.
With this model, you're getting an Intel Core i5-12500H processor, which is already a very strong start. This is a 45W processor with 12 cores and 16 threads, and it can boost up to 4.5GHz, so you get a lot of performance for gaming and productivity alike. On top of that, you get an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 GPU, which means you can play most modern games as long as you're willing to tweak some settings here and there. This model also comes with 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD, but you can always upgrade later if you need more space.
This is a 17-inch variant of the Acer Nitro 5, so you're getting a very large screen for gaming, which can be that much more immersive. It's a Full HD panel, and it has a refresh rate of 144Hz, so your games can run much more smoothly, which means they look and feel that much better. Of course, that uses more GPU power, so not every game can take advantage of it, especially if the title is already demanding normally. Above the display, the Acer Nitro 5 has a 720p webcam, which is good enough for the occasional video call.
The Acer Nitro 5 definitely looks like a gaming laptop, with some red accents and large fan vents making it obvious what the laptop is used for. The keyboard is also backlit with a red light, which adds to the overall aesthetic. Being a powerful gaming laptop — and a 17-inch one at that — means this is also not a very portable machine. It's up to 28.7mm thick and it weighs 6.61 pounds, so this isn't something you want to take with you everywhere.
Finally, we come to the ports, with a setup that includes one USB Type-C port, three USB Type-A ports, HDMI, RJ45 Ethernet, and a headphone jack so all your connectivity needs are covered. Similar to business laptops, gaming laptops tend to have a lot of ports, and this one is no different.
It's not a super high-end gaming rig, but the Acer Nitro 5 is great for anyone looking to get into gaming for the first time, or if you simply don't want to spend a lot on a laptop right now.
Acer Nitro 5
The 17-inch Acer Nitro 5 is an affordable gaming laptop with the latest 12th-gen Intel processors and Nvidia RTX graphics, which can handle most modern games with same tweaks. It's great for anyone getting into gaming.
Best cheap 17-inch laptop: HP Laptop 17
If you want a really big screen, 17-inch laptops are probably the ones for you, and the HP Laptop 17 is a great choice if you're on a budget but still want a great experience. Aside from the generic name, it has a lot to offer and decently powerful specs.
This specific model comes with AMD processors, specifically starting with an AMD Ryzen 5 5625U processor, which we've seen a few times on this list already. It has 6 cores and 12 threads and it can boost up to 4.3GHz, so it has plenty of performance to offer. It also comes with 8GB of RAM, and it starts with a 128GB SSD; which is one of the sacrifices you're making with this model compared to others on this list. 17-inch laptops tend to be more expensive, so corners have to be cut somewhere. There are upgrade options available, but outside of discounts, they will likely go past the $700 budget we've set.
Of course, a big part of the reason to get this laptop is that big display, and indeed, it's a 17.3-inch panel, so you have plenty of space to be immersed in whatever you're doing, or you can use multiple apps side by side. The base model unfortunately comes in 1600 x 900 resolution, and that's the first upgrade we recommend if you're buying this laptop. You'll definitely want the Full HD panel if you can afford it, as it will make the viewing experience much better.
Design isn't usually a big focus for affordable laptops like this, but the HP Laptop 17 actually has something going for it. It comes in three colors — Natural Silver, Snowflake White (which only changes the lid), and Jet Black. That last one is pretty unique because it actually has little white speckles all over the chassis, which makes this a fairly unique-looking laptop. Of course, it's still a big laptop, so it weighs 4.58lbs. It's not the most portable, but that's to be expected.
This larger size of laptop does come with some sacrifices, but the HP Laptop 17 is still a great machine, and if you want a really big screen, it's the way to go.
HP Laptop 17z
The 17-inch Acer Nitro 5 is an affordable gaming laptop with the latest 12th-gen Intel processors and Nvidia RTX graphics, which can handle most modern games with same tweaks. It's great for anyone getting into gaming.
Best tablet: Surface Go 3
If what you want is more of a tablet that can also serve as a laptop, the Surface Go 3 is probably the best option in this price range. It's a budget tablet, but it makes some careful choices to offer a premium experience in aspects that are the most important. It starts at just under $400, so you also have room for some upgrades.
The performance is one area where the Surface Go 3 makes some sacrifices, but it's still solid. The base model comes with an Intel Pentium Gold 6500Y processor with two cores and four threads, as well as boost speeds up to 3.4GHz. That's not on par with the Intel Core and AMD Ryzen processors on this list, but it should still be good enough for basic tasks like web browsing and writing up documents. You also get 4GB of RAM and 64GB of eMMC storage in the base model, but these are two areas where we recommend upgrading. The $700 budget is fairly generous, and for $550, you can go up to 8GB of RAM and a 128GB SSD, which we absolutely recommend. There's also a model with a faster processor for $630.
Where the Surface Go 3 excels, however, is with the display. Across all configurations, you get a 10.5-inch Full HD+ (1920 x 1280) display, which is very sharp and bright. It also comes in the signature 3:2 aspect ratio of the Surface family, and it's one of the very few laptops you'll find with a tall display like that. This aspect ratio is great for productivity and reading, so whether you're browsing the web or working, it's going to serve you well. Of course, it also supports touch and the Surface Pen, which is sold separately.
The Surface Go 3 also stands out from the pack thanks to its fantastic webcam. The front-facing camera on the Surface Go 3 is a 5MP sensor capable of recording 1080p video, which means it's already far ahead of any other laptop on this list. Not only that, but it actually supports Windows Hello facial recognition, making it very easy to unlock the PC just by looking at it. And there's even another camera on the back: an 8MP sensor also with 1080p video. For students with online classes, or even if you're just trying to call far-away relatives, this is great to have, and it makes the Surface Go 3 really stand out.
Being a small tablet, the Surface Go 3 is also easily the most portable device on this list. It's made of magnesium, which allows it to be just 8.3mm thin and weighing just 1.2 pounds. This is truly a device you can take anywhere, and you can even slip it into a large handbag. Of course, that's without the keyboard, which is also sold separately, but even if you add that, it's easily the most portable device on this list.
One of the more unfortunate sacrifices of the Surface Go 3 is the ports, which is somewhat typical of Surface devices. You get one USB Type-C port, one Surface Connect port for charging and docking, a headphone jack, and a microSD card reader. This port setup makes sense for a tablet, so it's hard to say it's terrible, but when you compare it to other laptops, it's not very capable. You'll likely need an adapter for display output using the USB Type-C port, and the same goes for any USB Type-A peripherals you might still have.
Despite its sacrifices, the Surface Go 3 offers a fantastic experience in key aspects like the display and webcam, while still offering good enough performance and extreme portability. It's easy to recommend, but there's a big caveat since the keyboard and Surface Pen are sold separately. If you want either of them, you need to account for that when considering the price.
Microsoft Surface Go 3
The Surface Go 3 is a very lightweight Windows tablet with a great display and cameras, making it great for everyday use on the go.
Best Chromebook: Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming Chromebook
Chromebooks are increasingly popular devices, and recently, Google and its partners launched a wave of devices focused on cloud gaming, including the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming Chromebook. While it's branded for gaming, this is actually just a great laptop overall, and since it's been frequently discounted, it's easily the best option in this price range.
First off, there's the performance, and this is one of the few Chromebooks to be packing 12th-generation Intel Core processors, specifically a Core i5-1235U with 10 cores and 12 threads, capable of boosting up to 4.4GHz. A processor like that can run ChromeOS like a dream, an paired with 8GB of RAM and a 256GB PCIe 4 SSD, you'll have an experience that doesn't leave anything to be desired as far as Chromebooks go.
A big benefit of gaming-oriented devices is a high refresh rate display, and the IdeaPad Gaming Chromebook delivers on that, but it actually goes even further. It has a 16-inch panel and it comes in a 16:10 aspect ratio, which is pretty uncommon for devices in this price range, especially Chromebooks. What's more, it's a very sharp screen, too, with Quad HD+ (2560 x 1600) resolution, so it's fantastic for productivity. Of course, it also runs at 120Hz, so everything looks that much smoother, from transitions and animations to games (if they support it).
If that isn't impressive enough already, the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming Chromebook even has a 1080p webcam above the display. By itself, that's not totally unique, but when you consider everything else this laptop already has, it's a big deal.
Finally, the design here is actually very subdued for a "gaming" laptop, with a clean dark grey chassis all around and a relatively sleek 19.95mm of thickness and 4.01 pounds of weight. The only thing that really gives away that this is a gaming laptop is the keyboard, which supports 4-zone RGB lighting for some extra flair.
The fact that it doesn't have a discrete GPU means this isn't a typical gaming laptop, but that's actually what makes it a great Chromebook. It's still a fairly portable machine with great performance and a fantastic screen for how much it costs. Don't let the name fool you, this is a great laptop for everyone.
Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming Chromebook
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming Chromebook is a slim and capable ChromeOS laptop with great performance and a fantastic display for its price range. It even has a 1080p webcam, too.
These are the best cheap laptops you can buy right now. All of these are great devices for their asking price, though each of them is more geared toward a specific kind of user. We chose the Dell Inspiron 14 2-in-1 as our best overall pick because it brings together great performance with AMD's latest Ryzen processors, a great display with a tall aspect ratio, a Full HD webcam, and the versatility of a convertible. That said, other laptops on this list are also great and have their unique features, like the Acer Aspire Vero and its sustainable design.
One thing you might notice is missing from most of these laptops is support for Thunderbolt 4, which is very common for cheap laptops. If that's a feature you consider essential, check out our roundup of the best Thunderbolt 4 laptops.
