Unlock Your Productivity with the Best Laptop Under 500 for 2023
Last Updated on December 5, 2022
Looking for the best laptop under 500? There are a lot of cheap laptops on the market today, but it is hard to pick a decent one for a low price, without sacrificing some good features. But nevertheless there are some good laptops out there. This laptop buying guide will help you find the best laptop under 500 available today that will fit your needs and your budget.
Shopping for a Budget Laptop
If money is no object, it is easy to find a good laptop. But when you have a tight budget say 500 dollars to buy a laptop, then the task becomes a little harder. Not because there is a shortage of laptops under $500, but the challenge is to find a quality laptop that does the job. For that reason our team has researched available cheap laptops, to pick the best laptop under 500. Our team focused on laptops running Windows 10, that have ample storage and RAM, with a good processor.
Keep in mind that budget laptops in this price range (between $300 and $500), is good for basic computing. It is good for web browsing, email, word processing, and productivity software. Thus it makes a best laptop for students and writers. A laptop at that price is not recommended for photo editing, video editing or gaming, but is still ideal for home, students and small business everyday tasks. If you can afford to spend a couple hundred dollars more on a laptop, then you will get a faster, more powerful laptop under 600.
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What to look for in a cheap laptop under 500
Our team did all the research and testing to help you find the best laptop under 500 dollars, that has the most value.We recommend the following features: Processor: An Intel i3 or better, or an AMD Ryzen 3 or better. RAM: 4GB or better. Display: Aim for an HD (1366×768) or a Full HD (FHD) display (1920×1080). Storage: Try to find 128GB SSD (Solid State Drive) or better. You can also do with 500GB – 1TB Hard Disk Drive. Buy from established well-known brands.
How we picked
Among the laptops that fit into the 300-500 price category, we focused on the essentials. All the laptops we researched or tested had at least 128GB of solid state storage or SSD. An SSD is much faster than an HDD drive and is less prone to breakage in case of a fall or accident. As much as feasible, we tried to stay at or above our recommendation of a minimum of 4GB of RAM memory.
At $500 you can’t get the best processor available, but we aimed for Intel i3 or an AMD Ryzen 3 as available. We tried to stick with an HD or FHD screen, with Intel graphics or an AMD Radeon graphics chip. A Keyboard have to be comfortable and responsive. Some have backlighting. In spite of the above limitations we came up with the following recommendations to help you find the best laptop under 500 dollars that also fits your needs.
BEST LAPTOP UNDER 500 YOU CAN BUY TODAY
1. 2022 ASUS VivoBook Business Laptop, 15.6″ FHD Touchscreen, Intel Core i3-1115G4 , 20GB RAM, 512GB PCIe SSD
Our overall winner
The ASUS VivoBook 15 is our top pick for the best laptop under 500 dollars. For under $500 the VivoBook packs a lot of value within it’s super slim chassis. It has a 512 GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD storage and 20 GB of RAM for faster performance than a traditional hard drive. Plus, the 11th Gen Intel Core i3-1115G4 3.0GHz Dual-Core Processor with a 6MB Intel Smart Cache and the ability to go up to 4.10GHz ensures that you can handle any task quickly and easily.
The 15.6-inch display is FHD (1920×1080) 16:9 aspect ratio, IPS level panel, LED backlit, 250nits, 45% NTSC color gamut, glossy display, touch screen with 83% screen-to-body ratio . Also, Windows 11 Home is the operating system in English and it comes with Wi-Fi 5(802.11ac) (Dual band) 1*1 + Bluetooth 4.1 connectivity options. So, if you’re looking for a great laptop under 500 dollars, the ASUS VivoBook is the best choice.
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2. 2022 Newest Acer Aspire 5 Slim Laptop, 15.6″ Full HD IPS, AMD Ryzen 3 3350U Quad-Core Processor, 12 GB DDR4 RAM, 512 GB SSD, Intel WiFi 6, Backlit KB, Fingerprint Reader, Amazon Alexa, Windows 11
Bestselling laptop under 500
The Acer Aspire 5 is another popular laptop under 500. It is close runner up to the ASUS VivoBook. This laptop comes equipped with a powerful AMD Ryzen 3 3350U quad-core processor, allowing you to easily multitask and run multiple applications at once.
With 12 GB of DDR4 RAM, you’ll be able to smoothly browse the web and access your favorite files and programs without any lag. And if storage is a concern, you’ll be happy to know that this laptop comes with a 512 GB solid state drive, providing plenty of space for all your needs.
This laptop also features Intel WiFi 6 and a backlit keyboard, making it a great option for productivity and entertainment alike. So if you’re in the market for an affordable and capable laptop, the Acer Aspire 5 should definitely be at the top of your list.
The Aspire 15 makes one of the best laptops for college students.
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3. Dell Inspiron 15 3511, 15.6 inch FHD Laptop – Intel Core i5-1135G7, 12GB DDR4 RAM, 256GB SSD, Intel Iris Xe Graphics, Windows 11
Best business laptop under 500
If you’re looking for a capable laptop that won’t break the bank, the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 is a great option. It’s equipped with an Intel Core i5-1135G7 processor, 12GB of DDR4 RAM, and a 256GB solid state drive, making it more than capable of handling everyday tasks.
With a full HD 15.6-inch display, and Intel Iris Xe graphics, it’s also great for watching movies and TV shows or browsing the web. And at under 500 dollars, it won’t break the bank. So if you’re looking for a budget-friendly laptop that can still do everything you need it to, the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 is a great option.
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4. 2022 HP 14″ FHD Laptop for Business and Student, AMD Ryzen3 3250U, 16GB RAM, 1TB HDD+128GB SSD
Best laptop for writers under 500
You’ll also want to check out the 2022 HP 14″ FHD Laptop. This powerful machine is equipped with an AMD Ryzen 3-3250U Processor, meaning it can handle whatever you throw at it – whether you’re streaming movies, surfing the web, or working on a big project.
With 16GB of RAM and a 1TB HDD+128GB SSD, you’ll have plenty of space to store all your files. And if that’s not enough, the battery life is impressive too – up to 9 hours on a single charge. So if you’re looking for a laptop that won’t let you down, the 2022 HP 14″ FHD Laptop is the perfect choice.
SPECIFICATIONS
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 3 3250U,2-core, 2.6 GHz base clock, up to 3.5 GHz max boost clock
- Graphics: AMD Radeon Vega 3 Graphics
- RAM: 16GB DDR4 SDRAM
- Screen: 14-inch diagonal HD, SVA, BrightView, micro-edge, WLED backlit (1366 x 768)
- Storage: 1TB HDD + 128GB SSD
PROS
- Vivid display
- Camera good resolution
- Comfortable keyboard
CONS
- Windows S mode (But you can easily upgrade)
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5. Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15.6″ HD Touchscreen Laptop, 11th Gen Intel Core i3-1115G4(Up to 4.1Ghz), 12GB DDR4 RAM, 512GB NVMe SSD, WiFi 5, Bluetooth, Webcam, HDMI, Win 11
Best student laptop under 500
Best laptop for students, online classes, Google Classroom, remote Learning, video conferencing, Zoom ready. The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15.6″ HD Touchscreen Laptop is another great option for budget-minded shoppers. Powered by an 11th Gen Intel Core i3 processor, it’s perfect for light tasks like browsing the web and checking email.
The 15.6″ HD touchscreen display is perfect for watching videos and viewing photos. And with 12GB of RAM, you can smoothly run multiple programs and tabs all at once. Plus, the 512GB NVMe SSD provides plenty of storage for your files and applications. So if you’re looking for a budget-friendly laptop with plenty of features, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 is a great option.
SPECIFICATIONS
- CPU: 10th Gen Intel Core i3-10110U 2.10GHz Dual-Core Processor (4MB Cache, up to 4.10GHz)
- Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics
- RAM: 12GB DDR4 RAM
- Screen: 15.6 inch (1366×768) touch
- Storage: 512GB SSD
PROS
- Thin. and light
- Great audio
- Touch screen
CONS
- Camera can be better
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Conclusion
Our best laptop under 500 winner is the ASUS VivoBook 15, which offers more value and quality at a sub 500 dollar price. This laptop closely matches our recommended specs for a decent laptop (in this price category).
It is fast, powerful, portable and affordable laptop. The machine is perfect for education, office applications and entertainment.
