Whether a college student or an office worker, one is always on the hunt for the best budget laptop. A laptop is highly convenient, and for most of us, what we define as the budget is usually about $500 or less.
Now, even though we want something in our budget, we cannot compromise on the quality of the product. People expect good graphics, good storage, and a decent performance out of their laptops; otherwise, it is really money down the drain.
Why buy something you’re not happy with and doesn’t perform well? That being said, it’s quite challenging to get a good quality laptop from a reputable brand in this range.
However, upon research, we’ve discovered some excellent options for you. Each of these products is one of the best ones on the market in this range.
Let’s take a look at them!
Best Laptops Under $500 Comparison Table
Contents
| Name | Display | Processor | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
Also Great Acer Aspire A315  View Price | Display 4 GB DDR3 SDRAM | Processor 1366 x 768 |   (3.9 / 5) |
Also Great ASUS Vivobook F510UA  View Price | Display 15.6’’ anti-glare full HD 1920 x 1080 wide view display | Processor 1366 x 768 | (3.9 / 5) |
Also Great HP 14-an012nr Notebook PC  View Price | Display 14’’ diagonal HD SVA BrightView WLED-backlit (1366 x 768) | Processor AMD Quad-core 1.8 GHz |  (3.5 / 5) |
Also Great Lenovo Signature laptop PC  View Price | Display 15.6’’ HD LED (1366 x x786) | Processor AMD Quad core 2.10 GHz |  (3.6 / 5) |
Best Choice Acer Aspire 5 slim laptop  View Price | Display 15.6” gull HD 1920 x 1080 | Processor Intel core 3.9 GHz |  (4.3 / 5) |
Also Great HP Pavilion X360  View Price | Display 15.6’’ diagonal FHD IPS BrightView micro-edge WLED-Backlit touchscreen 1920 x 1080 | Processor Intel dual-core 2.2 GHz | (4.3 / 5) |
Also Great ASUS C302CA-DHM4  View Price | Display 12.5-inch FHD touch | Processor Intel core m3 2.2 GHz |  (4 / 5) |
Also Great HP 15 laptop  View Price | Display 15.6’’ diagonal HD 1366 x 786 | Processor 2 GHz |  (4.1 / 5) |
Top 8 Best Laptops Under $500 You Must Buy 2022 Reviews
1 Acer Aspire A315
This surely is one of the most popular budget laptop models in the market and for a good reason.
Acer is a reputable brand which has built its reputation off of delivering the best quality laptops in every budget. Their laptops dominate the budget laptop category as well. The brand is regarded as the most trusted by many users, perhaps, due to its excellent service and build quality.
This particular product features a 15.6-inch HD display, which is pretty standard for the models in this price range. The display has the resolution of 1366 x 786, which is a standard as well. But one feature which stands out is the Intel Core 2.5 GHz powerful processor.
As far as the memory is concerned, with this product, you get a 6 GB DDR4memory with a 256 GB solid-state drive. This product overall has a decent performance. When it comes to games, the heavier ones seem to struggle to load, whereas light games work perfectly fine with good graphics.
On average, with normal usage, which involves web browsing, listening to music, playing videos and games, this product has a battery life of 4 hours approximately. However, we wouldn’t recommend using this product for gaming as you’ll notice it lagging, although it should work well for researching, web browsing and offline programs.
(3.9 / 5)Pros
- This product has a great processor.
- The design is practical and portable.
- The product itself is fast with enough storage.
- The keyboard is full-sized and quiet.
- It is upgradeable.
Cons
- The display isn’t impressive at all.
- The web-cam is pretty low quality.
2 ASUS Vivobook F510UA
ASUS is the brand name known by millions worldwide. The brand is known to come up with innovative and brilliant technology. This product is another one of their best-selling models. The brand promises quality and great service, and they deliver nothing less than that.
The star feature of this product is its powerful processor. Anyone in need of a fast functioning laptop but is on a budget will appreciate this one a lot. This unit has an incredibly responsive user interface. It is agreed upon by many that this is one of the fastest budget laptops.
The design is another of its strong suits. Moreover, this unit has a highly functional and practical design. Nobody wants a bulky and heavy laptop. This particular product caters to the needs of those in search of a sleek and lightweight laptop.
Even though it is lightweight, the quality and feel of this unit are not compromised. It feels very high-end in your hand, which is rare for a product in this price range.
A major let-down for this product is that it doesn’t have any ventilation space below the laptop, which causes it to heat up quickly. You are going to have to be mindful of that if you invest in it.
Furthermore, the keyboard proved to be a let-down for some people as they complained the keys weren’t the same height uniformly. The keyboard isn’t backlit.
(3.5 / 5)Pros
- The product is highly responsive and fast.
- It has an excellent design which looks great.
- The sleek and lightweight design is easy to carry.
- The design has a very premium feel.
- The sound quality is excellent.
Cons
- There is no ventilation for the laptop at the bottom.
- The keyboard isn’t the best as it isn’t backlit and has a non-uniform key construction.
3 HP 14-an012nr Notebook PC
HP is a brand name which surely dominates every best of laptop list ever to exist. For years, the company has set out to deliver some of the best laptops created. The great part about is that you can find a laptop according to your range as there are so many options to choose from. However, great quality and good service are constant with the brand.
As far as the design of this product is concerned, it is one of the most stunning laptops we’ve come across. If you’re already an HP user, you will be quite familiar with the design as it is pretty standard to HP laptops.
However, the jet-black color and the sleek body make it one of the best designs HP has come out with. Apart from the looks, you’ll notice that the lightweight construction makes it really easy to travel with or to store.
You may notice that the display it carries is slightly smaller than the standard display available in more budget laptop devices. This product has a 14-inch display, whereas the standard is 15.6 inches.
It might be a problem for some people as coming from a bigger screen size you’d notice the difference, but it isn’t something you won’t get used to. This product, even though it has a smaller display, features excellent graphics.
(3.4 / 5)Pros
- This product has a stunning design.
- The sleek and portable design makes it easy to carry.
- The built quality is very premium.
- This unit has a very responsive user interface.
- The sound system is great.
Cons
- The storage space is too limited.
- It doesn’t work with Windows 10 as the drive space is too small.
4 Lenovo Signature Laptop PC
Lenovo is another great brand when it comes to laptops. Their laptops have become increasingly popular and for a good reason. Their laptops are durable, have great software, and the brand is well trusted. Lenovo is one of the most reliable laptop brands in the market. The company service is excellent as well.
This particular product by the brand is an excellent find. Moreover, the standout feature of this product is the storage space. For many people, a common issue they have with budget laptops is not having enough storage to run it on. However, this isn’t the case with this product.
Furthermore, this unit features a great processor. The laptop works very well; however, there were some complaints by users which deemed this product of freezing occasionally. Nevertheless, overall, it does perform exceedingly well.
The battery is where the product poses a few problems. It might not be the biggest concern for people at home where there’s a power outlet at your disposal; however, for when you are on the go, it isn’t the best option. In the end, it all depends on your needs.
The design of this product is very practical. It is sleek and lightweight, which allows it to be very portable. This unit looks great and has premium construction.
(3.6 / 5)Pros
- This unit is fast and responsive.
- The lightweight and sleek construction makes it practical.
- This product comes with a warranty.
- This unit has a premium build.
- It has ample storage space.
Cons
- This product has battery life issues.
- It occasionally freezes.
5 Acer Aspire 5 Slim Laptop
Acer is truly a user-favorite brand. The reason behind this is their consistency in manufacturing quality products and providing great service. When it comes to investing in a product which you plan on using for your office or educational purposes, you would want to invest in a brand which is reliable; thus, Acer is the best choice.
This product has excellent design. It features a premium built construction and lightweight, sleek design. The design allows it to be portable and the best option for when you’re on the go. The looks are another reason why it is well-loved as this product truly is stunning.
Moreover, a possible downside of this product is the battery life. Acer claims it to have a battery life of 5 hours, which is reasonable and decent for a product of this size and range but it takes too long to charge which might be frustrating for some people. The battery doesn’t necessarily affect its normal functioning but is a problem enough to be mentioned.
Furthermore, this product has a very responsive user interface and works wonderfully well when web browsing or working offline. Everything other than the battery is a delight in this unit, including the built-in security feature to allow safe surfing.
(4.3 / 5)Pros
- This product has a great processor.
- The user interface is highly responsive and functional.
- This unit is lightweight and sleek.
- It has advanced security features built-in to ensure safe surfing.
- The audio system of this product is great.
Cons
- The battery takes slightly longer to charge.
- It’s not as fast as some of the other options available.
6 HP Pavilion X360
HP Pavilion is another one of the brand’s excellent ranges. These offer some of the best products on the market. This product is a user favorite for good reasons.
The design and display are truly stunning. This product design is lightweight and sleek, making the product portable and great for on the go.
The design, overall, along with the looks packs some stunning features, which is why everyone loves this laptop. The processor is heavy-duty and ensures a great user experience.
The audio system is truly commendable and one of the best ones you can opt for in this range for sure.
(4.1 / 5)Pros
- The performance is excellent.
- This unit looks very stylish.
- The design is sleek and lightweight.
- The audio system is good.
- The keyboard works very well.
Cons
- The battery life is not great
- The touch isn’t as great as its counterparts.
7ASUS C302CA-DHM4
Convertibles are all the rage these days. As much as one would like the idea, you can’t deny the fact that these types of laptops are pretty fragile and easy to break.
However, that is not the case with the ASUS C302CA. This laptop is one of the best convertibles on the market, not just in this price range but overall. Durability is the best suit in this product.
An amazing feature of this product is the battery life, which is 10 hours, as claimed by the brand. But you can get about 7 to 8 hours out of this unit, which is pretty decent for light gaming, web browsing and normal activities.
This product surely has its downsides too. If you want a laptop with the good stereo speakers, you should keep looking as this isn’t the one for you. The sound of this laptop is not the best quality.
Along with that, the display is pretty small as well, which might be great for a tablet. This makes sense since this is a convertible but not the best in laptop mode.
Furthermore, the build quality is truly commendable as it has a premium feel and look to it, which is rare to find in a product in this price range.
(4 / 5)Pros
- It offers an excellent resolution of 1920 x 1080.
- The build quality is good.
- The design is very lightweight and super sleek.
- The battery life is exceptionally good.
- The user interface is very responsive and comparable to much higher-end models.
Cons
- The screen is just 12.5 inches wide.
- The sound system is bad.
- It does have occasional hiccups while working.
8 HP 15 Laptop
HP, as we mentioned earlier, is a brand which has been a user favorite for many years. This product is another one of their great models. The best part about investing in this unit is that it comes from a highly reliable and well-trusted brand which has great customer service along with the fact that the product itself is amazing.
Furthermore, this unit features a 15.6-inch standard display. The display isn’t the strongest suit for this product as it isn’t completely HD; however, you can only tell so upon comparison to a completely HD model. You won’t be able to tell that on its own as even though this unit isn’t HD, the display quality isn’t horrible. It’s just mediocre.
The construction of this product is nothing less than what you can expect from a much higher-end laptop. It has a lightweight and sleek construction, which allows it to be portable, but it still hasn’t lost the premium quality built.
The battery life doesn’t last very long even though it does charge fully pretty soon. Furthermore, a standout feature of this product is the great keyboard it has. The keyboard on this unit is full-sized and is silent while operating, which is rare as a lot of keyboards make a weird clicking noise when one is typing.
(4.1 / 5)Pros
- Featured design is very stylish and sleek.
- The product is lightweight and portable.
- It performs daily-usage tasks well.
- The stereo sound is great.
- It has a good-sized silent, silent-operating keyboard.
Cons
- The battery life isn’t great.
- The display is not completely HD
Conclusion
To wrap it up, it’s fair to say that laptop prices are sky high and that isn’t convenient for everyone. Laptops are surely a necessity these days for not only office workers but students as well.
Thankfully, budget laptops are here to save the day! With them not only do you get a decently priced item, but you also get great specs and warranty, that is if you invest in the right product.
Even though all of the products we recommended are some of the best ones on the market, there is one which stands out and outshines them all!
We’re talking about the Acer Aspire 5 slim which features an excellent resolution of 1920 x 1080 and has the 2.9 Intel Core processor. This truly is a beastly product which delivers everything it promises, and one couldn’t praise it enough.
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