The best laptops under $500 that are actually worth buying

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When you’re on the hunt for the best laptops under 500 bucks, there are two important words to keep in mind: “Buyer beware.”

Many popular gadgets have wildly inflated prices, but in the highly competitive laptop market, you get what you pay for. And that means it can be very dangerous to buy cheap laptops. Choose wrongly, and you’ll be stuck with a slow, outdated computer that causes more problems than it solves.

Mashable has previously tested some of the best cheap laptops overall, but if $500 is your upper limit, then you’re going to be priced out of some popular budget laptops. Even so, there are some great computers inside your budget.

Testing the Samsung Chromebook 4.
Credit: Timothy Beck Werth / Mashable

A quick guide to laptop pricingOur favorite cheap Chromebook can be yours for just $159, while our favorite gaming laptop will set you back $2,099. And in our guide to the best laptops in general, you’ll find machines for every budget. So, how much should you plan on spending?

Typically, laptops fall into one of the following categories:

Chromebooks ($150-$650): These computers have minimal storage and are designed to run web applications. They’re light, portable, and very affordable.

Budget laptops ($250-$750): Even the best cheap laptops won’t have the most impressive specs, but they should have enough RAM and storage for everyday use at school or work.

MacBooks ($750-$3,500): The cheapest MacBook worth buying (the always-popular M1 MacBook Air) will set you back $750, while a fully specced-out MacBook Pro can cost as much as $3,500.

Ultrabooks ($1,000-$3,500): These high-end laptops have enough processing power to handle tasks like photo and video editing. They typically have a sleek and modern aesthetic, too. MacBooks also fall into this category.

What are the best laptops under $500 in 2024?Below, we’ve put together a detailed guide of our best budget laptop recommendations. The right laptop will vary depending on your needs and budget, but our overall top pick is the Acer Aspire 5. We’ve also gathered computers that are great options for school, work, and personal use.

Our Pick

Who it’s for:If you’re looking for the most fully specced out laptop you can get for $500, you won’t be able to beat the newest version of the popular Acer Aspire 5. The configuration we’ve chosen has 20GB of RAM and a full terabyte of storage, which is virtually unheard of in the budget category.

That being said, if you’re looking for something a little more affordable, you can buy a less souped-up version of this computer for as little as $370 via Amazon Prime, where it’s one of the most popular budget laptops. Still, we recommend spending a little more for superior performance and longevity.

Why we picked this:This laptop was recently tested by Mashable contributor Callum Bains, who named it the best cheap laptop of the year. Bains found it to be an impressive and long-lasting computer. There are plenty of ports on the side, and the onboard webcam is particularly good.

Editor’s Note: If this laptop is priced above $500 at Amazon, look for an on-page coupon that lowers the price tag.

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Who it’s for:The Samsung Chromebook 4 isn’t going to win any beauty or performance contests, but it’s not designed to. It’s a “just the basics” Chromebook that has everything you need to get online — and that’s it. Consistently priced under $200 at both Walmart and Amazon, it’s an extremely affordable computer, perfect for watching Netflix on the go or accessing Google Docs.

Why we picked this:Mashable editor Timothy Beck Werth has been using the Samsung Chromebook 4 for two years, and he hasn’t encountered any problems in that time. He uses his Chromebook as his “party laptop.” When he’s done with work and just wants to check his email, watch Bob’s Burgers, or do some online shopping, he breaks out this Chromebook.

If you need to download software or don’t want to buy a separate hard drive for storing your files, then a Chromebook isn’t the right choice for you. But so far as budget Chromebooks go, this is a no-brainer.

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Who it’s for:If you don’t mind giving up some of the functionality of a proper laptop and are willing to sacrifice a large amount of storage space, the Asus Chromebook Plus CX34 will probably be a good match for you. Chromebooks are great at what they’re meant to do: Handling simple tasks like web browsing, streaming, and document editing with minimal fuss and impressive speed. If that’s all you need, definitely give this zippy productivity machine your consideration.

Why we picked this:While we haven’t personally gotten our hands on the Asus Chromebook Plus CX34 yet, our friends over at PCMag (owned by Mashable’s publisher, Ziff Davis) have, and they thoroughly enjoyed their time with the budget laptop.

Asus Chromebooks just keep getting better, especially with the improved specs of their “Plus” line of devices. The Asus Chromebook Plus CX34 is a great example of those recent strides, featuring speedy and responsive performance (and much more) at just $399. Even aside from processing power, the experts at PCMag also noted the laptop’s display, durability, and port selection as high points in their review.

The CX34 comes with a 14-inch, Full HD NanoEdge anti-glare display that looks as vibrant as the screens you’d find in more expensive models. Unfortunately, it doesn’t have touch capability, but that may be something you’re willing to sacrifice considering the low price of admission. The device’s build quality is impressive and even features an antimicrobial guard to help keep your computer sanitary — a bonus that we didn’t even know we wanted. You’ll also get access to Google AI features, noise cancellation, and video call enhancement tools that improve clarity and lighting.

As for the could-be-betters, PCMag reviewers said that the battery life was OK, but not as great as similarly priced budget laptops. They also didn’t love the UFS storage, which is usually reserved for smaller devices like mobile phones, calling it merely “adequate.”

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Who it’s for:Gaming Chromebooks are an interesting type of laptop to tackle because they aren’t exactly what you’d think of when you hear the words “gaming laptop.” In fact, they’re in a category of their own — gaming Chromebooks are pretty much solely used for cloud gaming, as they don’t have the specs to run performance-heavy games or software natively. The tradeoff, though, is that you can get one for a great price.

Case in point: The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming Chromebook 16. This laptop is a fantastic value at just $429 if you don’t mind using it only for cloud gaming in addition to regular web browsing, productivity tasks, and streaming.

Why we picked this:During our testing, we had no issues booting up Xbox Game Pass and hopping into games like Starfield and Sea of Thieves (they ran decently well, too). Controller setup was quick and painless via speedy Bluetooth connection. Besides its cloud gaming capabilities, the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming Chromebook 16 also made a good impression with its keyboard, which feels really nice to type on, and build quality that hardly feels budget-level. The display isn’t anything to write home about, but it’s not bad either. We appreciated the 120Hz refresh rate, but we wished the max brightness was just a little bit brighter.

Battery life is about average for a Chromebook, which is to say that it’s pretty darn good. During testing, we got about 10.5 hours out of the device before needing to recharge. The Chromebook’s bonus perks sweeten the overall package, which includes three months of YouTube Premium, a year’s worth of Google One cloud storage, and a month of access to Boosteroid.

As for cons, there aren’t many, and it’s hard to harp on them when you’re getting such a stellar value. They really come down to the audio features — at max volume, the speakers sounded a bit tinny, and lacked depth overall. The microphone isn’t a strong point, either, and didn’t sound very good on the other end of voice calls. And like we said, it’s not a full-on powerhouse gaming laptop, but as long as you know what you’re getting (a cloud gaming machine), you can’t beat that price.

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Who it’s for:If you’re looking for a budget 2-in-1 laptop that doesn’t sacrifice much in the way of specs, the Acer Chromebook Spin 514 is a great option, whether you’re need a device for school, work, or your regular web surfing and streaming. Our friends over at PCMag are big fans of the Chromebook Spin 514, citing its AMD Ryzen processor, battery life, build quality, and overall value for your money as highlights.

Why we picked this:AMD’s Ryzen line of CPUs is no joke — more often than not, they’re used to power high-end gaming rigs, so you can imagine the amount of processing power you’ll get out of it when it’s housed in a budget-level Chromebook. On top of speed and power, the Spin 514 also impresses in the battery life department, offering about 13 hours of use on a single charge. Don’t think that this Chromebook is cheaply made just because it’s inexpensive, by the way. The quality of its construction is actually really great for the price, so you won’t have to worry about accidentally snapping it in half when converting between its two modes (yes, it’s a 2-in-1, so you’re getting a laptop and a tablet for under $500).

Just note that the computer doesn’t come with a stylus, and you’re not getting the best storage format (eMMC versus the usual SSD you’d find in a Chromebook).

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Read Mashable’s full review of the HP Chromebook Plus 15.6-inch.

Who it’s for:The HP Chromebook Plus 15.6-inch is a budget laptop for those who prioritize visuals over everything else. This device’s display is detailed, bright, vibrant, and a well-made match for those who like to watch entertainment on their computer, cloud game, or even edit photos and videos. The cool, quiet performance and additional Chromebook Plus software features make this deal an even sweeter one.

Why we picked this:We’re suckers for a good display, and the HP Chromebook Plus 15.6-inch has a great one. Senior Shopping Reporter Haley Henschel reviewed the laptop for Mashable, calling the display “distractingly nice,” and referring to it as her favorite feature that the Chromebook has to offer. “The colors are intense, with good contrast and rich blacks, and an anti-reflective panel preserves that quality at most viewing angles, even in direct sunlight,” she wrote. “It also feels huge despite some moderately thick horizontal bezels. It really has no right looking as good as it does.”

The pros don’t end at the display, though. This HP Chromebook also boasts solid performance for a budget laptop, and ran cool and quietly throughout our testing period. We also love the numerous Chromebook Plus software improvements, including File Sync, offiline use, some AI-assisted settings, and Google Magic Eraser. You’ll also find support for Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Express, and LumaFusion (you’ll get a free three-month trial for both Adobe programs, as well as a one-time discount for LumaFusion when you purchase this Chromebook).

It’s not a perfect Chromebook, though, as you’d probably expect with a $500 laptop. While we liked the device’s metallic finish, we wish it was more durable — the outside scratched quite easily. The audio system is a bit muffled, and the quality of the webcam leaves a lot to be desired, but they aren’t bad enough to be dealbreakers. We’d also appreciate a longer battery life, but seven hours isn’t horrible (although it does fall under our standard eight hours for Chromebooks).

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Mashable staff or contributors have hands-on tested multiple laptops for this shopping guide. Mashable contributing editor Timothy Beck Werth tested the Samsung Chromebook 4, while Mashable contributor Callum Bains previously tested the Acer Aspire 5. Lead Shopping Reporter Dylan Haas hands-on tested Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming Chromebook 16. Senior Shopping Reporter Haley Henschel tested the HP Chromebook Plus 15.6-inch. Both the Asus Chromebook Plus CX34 and Acer Chromebook Spin 514 were tested and recommended by staff at PCMag (which is owned by Mashable’s publisher, Ziff Davis). When choosing these laptops, we considered specs such as:

Processor: The central processing unit, or CPU, is responsible for how fast your laptop can complete a given task. High-end CPUs will be able to handle multiple demanding tasks at once, whereas more budget-friendly options may be better solely for basic tasks like web browsing and document editing.

Graphics processor: The graphics processing unit, or GPU, is responsible for rendering clear and detailed visuals. It’s especially important for gaming and photo/video editing, so if that’s something you’ll be using your laptop for, pay close attention to GPU specs while you shop. (For sub-$500 laptops, we’d put less stock in this.)

RAM: A laptop’s RAM is where active application data is temporarily stored to assist the CPU. Essentially, if you have more RAM, you’ll be able to run more applications at the same time. Look for devices with a minimum of 8GB of RAM.

Storage: This is where your laptop saves long-term data like files and downloads. Keep in mind that SSD storage is faster than eMMC flash and regular hard drive storage. Laptops under $500 will usually fall within the 128GB to 256GB range.

Display: Most budget laptops aren’t going to have eye-popping OLED displays, but a few of the picks on our list were still able to produce decent brightness, resolution, and depth of color.

Battery life: Eight to ten hours is the “sweet spot,” but your mileage may vary. Generally speaking, the more battery life, the better.

Price: The most important spec of all for this roundup. Every recommendation on our list had to hit below the $500 mark (whether MSRP or on sale), or else it didn’t make the cut. Not everyone has $1,000 to chuck at a new computer.

Frequently Asked Questions

It’s no longer true that you have to spend $1,000 to $3,000 to get a decent gaming laptop. In our guide to the best gaming laptops, you can find options starting at $649. Unfortunately, if you’re looking for the best gaming laptop under $500, it’s pretty slim pickings.

We have found at least one good option, though, and it’s the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming Chromebook 16. We consider it to be solely a cloud gaming laptop, but for under $500, it’s a really solid value. (Another good option — the Acer Chromebook 516 GE — sometimes goes on sale at the under-$500 mark, and it’s one of our favorite gaming laptops.)

Dylan Haas is a Lead Shopping Reporter for Mashable, where he covers all things gaming, pets, fitness, sleep, and shopping events like Black Friday and Prime Day. Before joining the team at Mashable, Dylan received a B.A. in Communications from Pace University and contributed to publications like Paste Magazine, Bandsintown, and others following a brief stint as a marketing and management assistant in the music industry.

When he’s not writing or testing products, you can find Dylan playing lots of video games, working out, spending time with loved ones (especially his dog, Stevie), or watching reality TV. Follow him on X at @iamdylanhaas, or send him an email at [email protected].