We’ve all been there- a period in our life when we just don’t have a lot of money to spare. If you are currently in that type of situation, or if you’re just someone who likes to save money where you can, you’ll be glad to know that there are lots of cheap laptops available.
The key is simply knowing how to find quality laptops that are affordable but will still work great for you. Fortunately, we’ve got some excellent suggestions here. Follow them, and you can find an awesome laptop well within your price range in no time at all.
If you can spare a couple hundred of dollars or sometimes less depending on where you go, this offering from Dell is a great option.
It is very small and compact, as are most of the laptops that you’ll find at these low of prices. However, many people really like the compact nature of the laptop and the fact that it’s easily portable.
In addition to the small size, you’ll enjoy 100GB of cloud storage and two gigs of RAM. That’s not a lot, but it’s still pretty good for the price.
We also like that you can choose from different colors for this laptop. Go with a glossy blue, a clean white, or a subtle gray. In addition to being able to customize the computer, you’ll enjoy the HDMI hookup, the USB port, the MicroSD slot, and the anti-glare screen.
All in all, this definitely isn’t a bad option, especially given the price.
You can usually find this option from Asus at just under five hundred. Thus, it’s certainly not the cheapest on our list, but it’s a lot cheaper than many other products currently on the market.
We like the fact that it features a convertible hinge. And, for the price and size, it also has a surprising amount of storage and memory. It even features an HD screen, which you won’t find on the above option or on most cheaper options.
Crafted from strong metal and featuring two USB ports, this chromebook is a great offering for the price. Just bear in mind that all legacy connections will require adaptors, a feature that is a little annoying at first but ultimately not a big deal.
We really like the HP Stream 11, which has some awesome features, especially for the around a couple of hundred price tag, depending on where you shop.
To start with, one big bonus is that it comes with a one-year subscription to Office 365 included. Already, that feature offers up big savings since this program can be quite costly.
Other extras include the 60 free Skype minutes you’ll enjoy each month and the free terabyte of cloud storage. All in all, you definitely get a lot of bang for your buck with this option.
Other features include plenty of ports and a built-in webcam. We do wish a backlit keyboard had been included, but, even without it, we still think this laptop is pretty great.
If you want a cheap laptop that also has a touch display, look no further than this Acer Chromebook.
It has a great battery life that enables it to run for several hours without charging. Plus, its keyboard and touchpad are attractive and easy to use.
The Chromebook even comes complete with several different ports and a stylus. We wish that this laptop wasn’t quite as heavy as it is, and the webcam could stand to be better. It also can be a little slow to boot up and to work in general, but if you can get past those things, you’ll end up with a decent product at a fair price.
Acer is known for offering compact but very affordable laptops, which is why it gets another mention on our list. We really love the Acer Aspire E, which fits perfectly into both the compact and affordable categories.
Plus, it actually has a DVD drive. A lot of the time, DVD drives are the first thing to go when it comes to making a laptop more affordable or making it smaller. However, this Acer offering actually does include a DVD drive. It also has legacy ports, performs well, and even has a surprisingly long battery life.
In fact, we have to say that it is one of our favorite selections of all.
If you’re looking for a very light, very compact computer, the Asus Transformer Mini will serve you well.
Not only is it super lightweight, both in terms of the construction and the price, but it even comes complete with some extras. These include a stylish keyboard cover, a stylus, a USB port, and a finger print reader.
Sometimes, the keyboard and touchpad didn’t work or respond as quickly as we might have liked, but this is a great computer in general and can typically be purchased for less than five hundred.
Samsung has always been considered one of the better computer brands out there, and we’d certainly say that’s true if the performance of this Samsung device is indicative of the kind of quality the brand puts out.
It comes complete with several Android apps, but, don’t worry. It only includes the ones you’ll really need, and they won’t slow down the general performance of your laptop either. You’ll also enjoy a nice stylus.
The Samsung is a little more expensive (depending on where you buy) than most of the other items on our list. But, honestly, for the quality and the great brand name, we think that little bit of extra money will be well spent.
If you want to spend less than four hundred dollars, we highly recommend this computer from Dell.
First of all, it is wonderful if you need something that has super long battery life. Typically, you will get over eleven hours of power on a full charge. That’s pretty amazing and perfect for the “on the go” type of person. It also has a spill-proof design that can really help you out if you’re the type to spill drinks on your computer.
With that said, this laptop is far from perfect. The screen is very low resolution, which can sometimes result in less than stellar picture quality. This probably isn’t a laptop you’ll want to watch your favorite movies on. Also, we really wish it had a USB-C port.
However, aside from some small imperfections, this is a fairly great little laptop, but really, we’ve come to expect nothing less from Dell.
This computer is in the four hundred dollar range via most retailers. All in all, though, we think it offers pretty good bang for your buck.
The keyboard works really well and is made in such a way that it’s actually comfortable to use, which isn’t something you typically find with laptops. It also has stellar battery life and a screen that is easy to adjust to your liking, another feature that all too many laptops leave out.
The main downside with this computer is that the audio isn’t great. We also wish that it featured a backlit keyboard and more diverse software options. Still, though it’s not a bad choice if you are looking for a basic laptop from a brand you can count on.
Lenovo is not known for making cheap laptops, which is why it probably surprises you to see another offering from the company on our list.
However, we couldn’t resist adding this laptop, which you can typically find for under three hundred via most retailers.
There is a lot to love with this computer. To start with, it’s got battery power that can last for hours and hours, perfect for those who lead busy lifestyles. It is also very well-built and can stand up to a surprising amount of wear and tear, especially given its super small size.
We also love the fact that it actually comes with a USB-C port, which a lot of laptops neglect to add.
As is the case with the last Lenovo option, we do wish the keyboard was backlit. Plus, the design can be a little awkward. We found it was too easy to accidentally hit various buttons, including the power button.
Once you get the hang of this laptop, though, it’s actually pretty easy to use and, all in all, not a bad choice for the person on a budget.
Tips for Finding Laptops at Affordable Prices
We’ve already listed several cheap laptops that you (and your budget) are sure to love. However, if the laptop you want is pricier than this or if you’re finding even these laptops to be out of your budget, don’t worry. There are tips you can follow to score even lower prices than usual on quality laptops.
Always Consider Chromebooks First
If you really want the cheapest of the cheap in terms of laptops, you will probably want to devote most of your time to scoping out Chromebooks. While there are plenty of good, affordable laptops out there, Chromebooks tend to be among the best and the most affordable.
Granted, with that said, they aren’t great at running games or anything with a lot of graphics. However, they are perfect for zooming around the internet at super high speeds, streaming, and making the most of Google Chrome and its features.
Some Chromebooks, but not all, can also handle apps, enabling you to do even more on them. However, to keep your prices as rock bottom low as possible, we advise just going for the most basic Chromebook that you can find.
Look for Laptops with a TN Display
Most people who regularly use laptops are well aware that an IPS display is the best type of display. However, getting an IPS display is going to cost you more money. So, if saving money is your goal, look for a laptop with a TN display instead. These will generally be much cheaper.
Of course, you’ll be sacrificing color quality and overall display quality. But, if you’d rather save your money than have a laptop that you can view perfectly at all angles, a TN display should suit you just fine.
Go Back a Generation or Two
There is a tendency among people to always want the “newest” and the “best” model that money can buy. This is good news for the budget conscious because, once a new version of something comes out, the price of the old one tends to drop considerably.
This phenomenon is very true when it comes to laptops. You can save a bundle of money by choosing a laptop that is one generation (or even two or three) removed from the newest model.
So, by fighting the urge to have the newest and the best at all times, you can get a great computer that still works wonderfully. Sure, it may not have the fanciest, newest technology, but it will enable you to get your work done without breaking the bank in the process.
Don’t Be Afraid to Buy a Used Laptop
There’s a lot of stigma surrounding used laptops. People often fear that they won’t work well or won’t work at all. They also worry that they’ll work but “crap out” after just a few weeks or months.
And, while that sometimes happens, it doesn’t have to. If you are careful to choose a high-quality laptop, then you can probably get away with buying it used or refurbished.
In fact, refurbished is even better since this means the seller went in, made necessary changes, got everything working like new, and then sold it at a used price.
The key is just choosing a laptop that was great to begin with. That’s the type of laptop that can stand up to being refurbished or handed down from seller to seller. Laptops that had problems from the get-go, however, are probably not going to fare well after they’ve already been used by someone else.
So, just choose with care, and you should be okay.
Look for Sales and Discounts
Everyone knows that, if you time your purchase right, you can often get a laptop for a real steal of a deal.
The key is just to look for when sales and discounts are going on. You can do this by scouring through those annoying sales fliers you usually throw out, calling different stores, and browsing through various websites online.
It can take a while to find a sale, but, if you look long enough and hard enough, you should eventually be able to score a laptop at a great price. Make sure you also take advantage of any rebate or other offers that may come with your computer since these can help you to save money too.
Time Your Purchase Right
You might not think that there’s a “right” or a “wrong” time to buy a laptop. However, that’s actually not true. Depending on when you buy your computer, you could end up paying a lot less or a lot more.
A bad time to buy, for example, is in the fall when everyone is heading off to school. At this time, laptop sales tend to surge, and sellers take advantage by jacking up the prices on their laptops.
A good time to buy, on the other hand, would be Black Friday. Rock bottom prices and deals on everything can be found on this unofficial “holiday,” making it a wonderful time to shop for a brand-new laptop.
Skip the Touch Screen Time
In addition to “shopping smart,” you can often save money just by missing out on certain features.
A big one to miss out on is the touch screen. Yes, touch screen devices have gotten more and more popular over the years. And, yes, they are very user friendly.
With that said, though, making a device touch screen will often up the price significantly. Plus, touchscreen computers are more likely to have problems that require servicing, which could cost you more later down the road as well.
To save money, your best bet is to skip the touch screen altogether. And, while it’s a nice feature to have, chances are you won’t miss it once you get used to not having one.
As you can see, laptops don’t have to cost a fortune. If you buy one from our list or just follow our tips, you should end up getting a great deal on your new (or new to you) computer. Remember, as long as it gets the job done for you, it doesn’t have to be the fanciest or the best. There’s always time for that later, when you have more money to spare.