Finest laptops beneath $500 in 2025: Finest general, finest battery life & extra
Discovering laptop computer beneath $500 if something however a simple process. A fast seek for “laptops beneath $500” into any search bar will flood you with numerous outcomes, however most choices aren’t definitely worth the worth. That’s why it is advisable store good.
Personally, I’d suggest selecting a laptop computer with a 1080p show and no less than 8GB of RAM. This ensures peppy efficiency for on a regular basis duties and a pointy display for watching YouTube. When you could must make some compromises, that’s anticipated for a laptop computer on this worth vary.
Beneath you’ll discover a meticulously curated checklist of our high picks for laptops beneath $500, each one examined by our specialists.
Why it is best to belief us: It’s in our title! PCWorld prides itself on laptop computer expertise and experience. We’ve been masking PCs since 1983, and we now assessment greater than 70 laptops yearly. All the picks under have been personally examined and vetted by our specialists, who’ve utilized not solely efficiency benchmarks however rigorous usability requirements. We’re additionally dedicated to reviewing PC laptops at each worth level that will help you discover a machine that matches your funds.
One of the best laptops beneath $500
Acer Aspire Go 15 – Finest laptop computer beneath $500 general
Professionals
- Inexpensive
- Respectable battery life
- Good show visibility
Cons
- Massive and ponderous
- Low-cost construct
- Restricted efficiency
Why we just like the Acer Aspire Go 15
For slightly below $300, the Acer Aspire Go 15 affords speedy on a regular basis efficiency, good battery life (12 hours!), and a clear-looking 1080p show. In our testing, the 53.9 watt-hour battery lasted virtually 12 hours on a single cost, which is greater than a full workday.
The 15.6-inch show has a decision of 1920×1080 and a modest brightness stage of 284 nits. In use, the reviewer was nonetheless in a position to see the display even with a light-weight beaming down onto it. Whereas the Intel Core i3-N305 CPU lags a little bit behind different laptops in its class, it’s appropriate for on a regular basis duties like listening to Spotify, watching Hulu, and so forth.
Who can buy the Acer Aspire Go 15
Anybody that’s on the lookout for a well-rounded laptop computer beneath $500. It has a pleasant keyboard that the reviewer was in a position to comfortably sort “round 110 words-per-minute” on and the trackpad is good and clean. There’s even a good array of ports out there. You’re getting one USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 with Energy Supply and DisplayPort, two USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, one HDMI, one 3.5mm audio, one Kensington lock slot, and one DC barrel jack.
Learn our full
Acer Aspire Go 15 (2024) assessment
Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus – Finest Chromebook beneath $500
Professionals
- Snappy day-to-day efficiency
- Versatile 2-in-1 design
- Good typing expertise
Cons
- Stylus not included
- Heavier than anticipated
What we like concerning the Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus
The Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus packs in loads of options for the low worth. The two-in-1 type issue lets you flip the display round and use it like a pill or you possibly can prop it up like a tent for watching films or sharing data. You too can anticipate peppy on a regular basis efficiency and blazing quick boot-up occasions.
Who can buy the Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus
In case you want the flexibility of a convertible laptop computer however wish to keep on with a extra modest funds, then the Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus is the one to choose. It stands aside from the remainder of the pack with its sturdy development, inexpensive pricing, and versatile convertible design.
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Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus assessment
HP Laptop computer 14-ep0865no – Finest battery life
Professionals
- Compact type issue
- Good on a regular basis efficiency
- Lengthy battery life
- Nice keyboard and mouse
Cons
- Display high quality is mediocre
- Noisy followers
Why we just like the HP Laptop computer 14
Though we love the HP Laptop computer 14’s compact type issue and comfy keyboard, it’s the battery life that’s the true star of the present. It lasted about 15 hours on a single cost with mild use, which is an unimaginable end result for a sub-$500 Home windows machine. This laptop computer additionally weighs simply over three kilos, so it’s mild sufficient to take with you from class to class or assembly to assembly. There’s even a 1080p webcam and, because of the Intel Core i3-1315U CPU, efficiency is zippy sufficient for shopping the net and whatnot. The subdued midnight blue colour scheme is attractive, too.
Who can buy the HP Laptop computer 14
Anybody that wants a long-lasting, sub-$500 laptop computer! The 15 hours of battery life is greater than a full work day (or college day), which suggests you don’t need to go looking for an outlet. It’s additionally light-weight and slim, so you possibly can simply stick it in a backpack or messenger bag and be in your merry method. Whereas common use efficiency is ok, it’s not the perfect machine for multimedia duties and the fan noise is a bit annoying to cope with. That stated, these are cheap compromises given the worth.
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HP Laptop computer 14 assessment
Latest laptop computer opinions
We’ve reviewed a number of new laptops just lately, although many value greater than $500.
- Asus ZenBook A14: The Asus ZenBook A14 is an unimaginable proof of idea for a way mild and long-lasting a laptop computer will be. However you shouldn’t purchase it except you’re keen to commerce efficiency for an ultralight machine that will get extra battery life than you most likely want.
- Asus Chromebook Plus CX34: The Asus Chromebook Plus CX34 is a stable improve over the 2023, that includes a quicker processor and a touchscreen show, with solely minor drawbacks that hardly influence the general efficiency.
- MSI Summit 13 AI+ Evo: The MSI Summit 13 AI+ Evo doesn’t rating excessive marks in efficiency benchmarks, however it does obtain excellent battery life.
- Acer Aspire Go 15: The Acer Aspire Go 15 (2025) is one other merely utilitarian machine, however even in that regard it’s beginning to lag behind. Restricted reminiscence and disappointing battery life hold it from being very helpful, and nothing about it goes past acceptable. There aren’t many machines that may compete with it at MSRP, however it’s value ready for a far superior various to go on sale — they at all times do.
- Acer Swift Go 14 AI: The Acer Swift Go 14 AI is a reliable Snapdragon-powered laptop computer with lengthy battery life, however it doesn’t stand out from the gang.
How we examined
The PCWorld group places each Home windows laptop computer via a collection of benchmarks that check GPU and CPU efficiency, battery life, and so forth. The thought is to push the laptop computer to its limits after which examine it towards others we’ve examined.
Chromebooks, alternatively, undergo a collection of web-based checks. It wouldn’t be truthful or attainable to run the identical sorts of checks on a Chromebook, as they’re Chrome OS-based machines. Beneath, you’ll discover a breakdown of every check and the the reason why we run them. For a a lot deeper have a look at our assessment methodology, try how PCWorld checks laptops.
Home windows laptops
- PCMark 10: PCMark 10 is how we decide how effectively the laptop computer handles lighter duties like net shopping, phrase processing, spreadsheets, and so forth.
- HandBrake: HandBrake is extra intensive than PCMark 10. It mainly measures how lengthy a laptop computer’s CPU takes to encode a beefy 30GB file.
- Cinebench: Cinebench is a short stress check of the CPU cores. It does this by rendering a 2D scene over a brief time period.
- 3DMark: 3DMark checks if 3D efficiency stays constant over time by working graphic-intensive clips.
- Video rundown check: To gauge battery life, we loop a 4K video utilizing Home windows 10’s Films & TV app till the laptop computer dies.
Chromebooks
- CrXPRT 2: The CrXPRT 2 benchmark checks a Chromebook’s battery life.
- Speedometer 2.0: This check determines a Chromebook’s net browser efficiency. It simulates this by including, finishing, and eradicating a to-do checklist.
- Basemark Internet 3.0: This benchmark gauges how effectively a Chromebook can deal with web-based purposes.
- Kraken 1.1: Kraken 1.1 is a JavaScript efficiency benchmark.
- Jetstream 2: Jetstream 2 is a mix of WebAssembly and JavaScript benchmarks. It is a approach to gauge how effectively a Chromebook runs superior workloads.
What sort of laptop computer do you have to get?
Ah, right here we’re on the billion greenback query. Do you spring for a primary Chromebook or go for a Home windows laptop computer with extra options? Effectively, it actually is dependent upon your way of life and your expectations of a sub-$500 machine. At this worth level, you’re not going to discover a highly effective workhorse. Nevertheless, there are many inexpensive laptops on the market for many who want the fundamentals.
Chromebooks, for instance, are a fantastic low-cost choice and provide phenomenal battery life. I take advantage of a Chromebook as my major work laptop computer, because it has all the things I would like for each enhancing and writing. In case you journey for work, it’s most likely a good suggestion to put money into a laptop computer that weighs lower than three kilos. In case you’re nonetheless not sure, don’t sweat it. I’ve put collectively an inventory of fast shopping for suggestions under.
- Laptop computer sort: There are lots of completely different laptop computer sorts that fall within the sub-$500 class: clamshells, 2-in-1’s, Chromebooks, and rather more. The shows on convertible laptops (aka 2-in-1’s), for instance, can swing round 360 levels. This lets you use the laptop computer like a pill. They can be propped up like a tent for viewing films or taking part in video calls. Chromebooks are available varied sizes and styles, and solely run Google’s web-focused Chrome OS. With a Chromebook, all you want is a Gmail account and, growth, you’re in.
- CPU: In relation to the sub-$500 Home windows laptops, you possibly can anticipate finding Intel Core i3 or i5 processors. An i5 processor clearly supplies a little bit extra oomph. That stated, primary workplace and net work does simply effective on a Core i3. As for AMD choices, the Ryzen 3 is sweet for primary productiveness and net shopping, whereas Ryzen 5 chips rival Intel’s Core i5 as stable all-arounders. For Chromebooks, Snapdragon and Pentium processors are extra highly effective than MediaTek chips.
- Graphics: At this worth vary, you most likely gained’t discover a laptop computer with a strong discrete graphics card. As a substitute, you’ll encounter laptops with built-in graphics, that are built-in with the CPU and use much less energy because of this. That is completely effective for on a regular basis duties, particularly in the event you’re not doing something that’s graphics-intensive—like 3D gaming.
- RAM: At all times go for 8GB of RAM. That’s loads sufficient for firing up purposes and loading net pages. Most Chromebooks are outfitted with 4GB of RAM, which is the naked minimal. You want a good quantity of reminiscence on these machines, as they’re primarily web-based. If there’s an 8GB RAM choice, I’d suggest springing for that.
- Show measurement: In case you’re a video editor or somebody who does loads of multimedia work, you’ll desire a show that’s wherever from 15- to 17-inches (however these machines normally value excess of $500). The candy spot for funds laptops is de facto wherever from 13- to 14-inches. The larger the show, the heavier your laptop computer goes to be. A 13- or 14-inch show is the perfect by way of portability and worth.
- Decision: I wouldn’t go for something lower than 1080p, as there’s nothing extra annoying than a barely fuzzy picture. 1080p produces an image that’s sharp sufficient for watching Netflix or working in Excel. At this worth vary, you gained’t actually discover many (if any) laptops with 1440p decision or greater.
- Battery life: In case you plan on taking your laptop computer wherever with you, purpose for one thing that may final 10 to 12 hours on a single cost. That’s greater than a full work day, so it ought to theoretically get you thru lengthy flights or a day of courses. Clearly, extra is at all times higher. Simply know that the larger the battery, the heavier the laptop computer.
- Worth: The value actually is dependent upon your funds. In case you’re strapped for money (been there, belief me), go for a Chromebook or an entry-level enterprise laptop computer. These laptops are a good selection for college students or younger professionals. In case you store good, you possibly can even discover 2-in-1’s within the $500 vary.
- Ports: A big selection of ports is at all times a plus, because it eliminates the necessity for an adapter. I’d suggest a laptop computer that has each USB-C and USB-A. An HDMI port is sweet, too. That is particularly helpful for hooking as much as an exterior monitor.
FAQ
What’s the distinction between a daily laptop computer and a Chromebook?
When individuals discuss common laptops they normally imply a PC or Mac. A Chromebook continues to be a laptop computer, however it differentiates itself from both of these two by utilizing a singular working system referred to as ChromeOS, which was created by Google. Consider it like this: All Chromebooks are laptops, however not all laptops are Chromebooks.
Not like different working programs equivalent to Home windows or macOS, ChromeOS are optimized to run Google apps equivalent to Google Drive, Google Docs, YouTube, and different Google providers. As a result of most Google apps are on-line, Chromebooks typically require an web connection to make use of most of their necessary options.
Lastly, Chromebooks have traditionally been designed with portability, ease of use, and affordability in thoughts fairly than high efficiency. They sometimes forego the quicker high-end {hardware} that PCs or Macs use for a extra minimalist, light-weight strategy to computing.
Can you utilize built-in graphics for gaming?
Sure, a number of the newest processors with built-in graphics can run trendy PC video games at first rate sufficient settings. For instance, we discovered that in our checks, Intel’s newest Iris Xe line of processors with built-in graphics can run a number of the newest video games at 1080p and 30fps. Sadly this isn’t the case for all built-in graphics and your mileage could range drastically with older tech.
Intel and AMD’s built-in graphics have made big leaps in recent times with regard to gaming efficiency. In case you’re on a funds or on the lookout for an ultra-thin laptop computer with built-in graphics you needn’t fear, you possibly can nonetheless sport on. We suggest testing Intel’s Core Twelfth-gen Iris Xe or AMD’s model new Ryzen 6000 RDNA 2.
What’s the distinction between a funds laptop computer and a pill?
Increasingly more the road between what’s a laptop computer and what’s a pill blurs as corporations combine the options of each into their newest units. However there are nonetheless a number of key distinctions between the 2. Laptops typically are bigger, include extra storage, have higher efficiency and productiveness options, and will or could not characteristic a contact show. Tablets alternatively are smaller and extra transportable, have longer battery life, characteristic a contact show, and are normally a bit extra inexpensive.
When selecting between a funds laptop computer and a pill it is best to first ask your self what the first use of the machine shall be. Do you want one thing for productiveness with a number of storage? Then a laptop computer—even a funds mannequin—will most likely be the best way to go. Or do you want one thing that’s small, travels effectively, and has a protracted battery life? Then you definately would possibly take into account a pill.
Do Chromebooks make good gaming laptops?
Sadly, if gaming is your primary concern, it’s possible you’ll wish to look elsewhere. Chromebooks can deal with net video games and Android video games with none points. However of their present state they merely aren’t designed to deal with high-powered 3D video games. This primarily comes all the way down to the truth that they don’t run Home windows and most Chromebooks don’t have enough graphics energy.
With that stated, cloud gaming providers enable a distant PC or console to play video games streamed from a distant server utilizing extra highly effective {hardware}. However these are early days nonetheless, and the true viability of this feature will rely upon the well being and survival of cloud gaming providers, in addition to Chromebook makers providing extra choices expressly designed with gaming in thoughts, like this Asus Chromebook Vibe CX43 Flip.
