When it comes to the best cheap laptops, we've found a selection that hits every potential use case — from basic productivity and binge watching your favorite shows to AAA gaming. Not only that but you can easily find all of these for under $800, and we're anticipating they'll become even cheaper during Black Friday!
You'll see a lot of companies put out a lot of cheap laptops that just aren't worth it, even at their lower price. That's because they'll make one too many compromises that just don't make them at anything. Well, after reviewing hundreds of laptops at Tom's Guide, we can help point you to those that hit the sweet spot between affordability and performance — all in a sleek construction.
Our top choice at the moment is the Acer Aspire Go 15 for its $300 price, over 10 hours of battery life and great ergonomics. If you're a gamer, the MSI Cyborg 15 with RTX 4050 is the way to go with impressive frame rates in top tier AAA titles. And for those who fancy a Mac, the M1 MacBook Air is still going strong to this day at just $649.
So rather than blathering on about these, let's just get into the list of the best budget laptops you can buy right now.
The quick list
In a hurry? Here's a brief overview of the laptops on this list, along with quick links that let you jump down the page directly to a review of whichever laptop catches your eye.
I recommend the Acer Aspire Go 15 the most because it's a good Windows 11 laptop that can be yours for $300. It gives you a comfy keyboard, decent performance writing and editing and 10+ hours of tested battery life. The speakers suck, however, and the webcam isn't great either.
Yes, the M1 MacBook Air is the oldest entry on our list. But not only is Apple breathing new life into this system with Apple Intelligence this fall, but there are a few more years of OS support and Walmart sells it for just $649!
The $999 MSI Cyborg 15 is the most expensive laptop on this list, but we included it because gaming laptops run more expensive than most and this is the cheapest one we recommend since it comes with a cutting-edge Nvidia RTX 4050 GPU, a 13th Gen Intel CPU and a solid 144Hz 15.6-inch display.
Samsung's Galaxy Chromebook 2 is a premium Chromebook that will get you through a day of work or school for under $500. While its aging hardware and the limitations of ChromeOS make it less capable than the Aspire 5 it's also cheaper, and the gorgeous QLED touchscreen and decent speakers make it feel premium laptop.
Lenovo's Chromebook Duet 3 delivers a great display, a decent port selection and enough power to get work done for under $500. It's one of the best Chrome tablets you can buy, and the included keyboard cover helps it double as a surprisingly effective 2-in-1 Chromebook.
Jason brings a decade of tech and gaming journalism experience to his role as a Managing Editor of Computing at Tom's Guide. Over that time, he's learned a thing or 200 about both budget and premium laptops. He has previously written for Laptop Mag, Tom's Hardware, Kotaku, Stuff and BBC Science Focus. In his spare time, you'll find Jason looking for good dogs to pet or thinking about eating pizza if he isn't already.
The best budget laptops you can buy
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The best budget laptop overall
In my time using the Acer Aspire Go 15, my mind was completely flipped on whether a cheap laptop could be good. At $299, you get a solid basic laptop that can comfortably do the basic day-to-day tasks, has surprisingly good ergonomics, great 10+ hour battery life and a utilitarian design that feels good in the hands. Just be ready for your standard cheap notebook trade-offs like slow performance, a bad webcam and a washed-out screen.
Read the full review: Acer Aspire Go 15
Who is this for?
The Acer Aspire Go 15 is our favorite budget laptop because it is a solid workhorse with enough power for all your basic productivity needs. If you need something for the classic office work alongside some binge watching, this is a solid choice.
Why is it the best overall budget laptop?
It comes down to this offering the best balance across three key elements that make a good laptop. First, the port array with USB-A, USB-C and HDMI makes it easy to plug into any setup wherever you are. Second, the keyboard is comfortable to type on for hours on end. And third, with 10 hours of battery life, there's impressive longevity here too.
What do we like?
👍 Comfortable keyboard: It's rare that you see a good keyboard in a budget laptop, but Acer has pulled out the stops here with a well-spaced board with a nice comfortable, tactile impact on each key press.
👍 A whole lotta ports: Connectivity is key to the success of this laptop. With a pair of USB-A ports, a USB-C socket, HDMI out and a headphone jack, this is a good suite of ports that you can count on to plug into a TV for binge watching and your whole range of peripherals/accessories.
👍 Strong battery life: Longevity is normally an afterthought in cheap laptops, but with over 10 hours in our battery life testing, this is sure to last you a full day of work.
What don’t we like?
👎 Weak performance: With the N-series Intel Core i3 and UFS storage, this isn't going to be able to do anything beyond your casual productivity and gaming via Nvidia's GeForce Now.
Bottom line
The Acer Aspire Go 15 is a cheap laptop that doesn't really feel that cheap in use. There are of course some cutbacks like the weak speakers and potato of a webcam. But for what you need a laptop for, Acer absolutely delivers.
The best cheap MacBook
Apple's M1 MacBook Air came out at the end of 2020... so why am I still recommending it? In fairness, you can also pick up the M2 MacBook Air for less than $1,000 too! Well, it comes down to three key things. First, for a four-year-old laptop, this is still a strong performer with its M1 power being great for most of your productivity needs, and a nice, long battery life to boot. Second, Apple is continuing to support it with a few more years of OS updates — including Apple Intelligence features coming this fall. You can find it at retailers like Walmart for as little as $649, making this one of the cheapest, best value MacBooks you can buy.
Read our full review: Apple MacBook Air (M1)
Who is this for?
The M1 MacBook Air is the cheapest way to get an Apple laptop with all its macOS goodness (including all the Apple Intelligence features. This one is for the casual user who wants the perfect companion to their iPhone and AirPods.
Why is it the best budget MacBook?
MacBooks are typically some of the most expensive laptops you can buy. But with performance and a premium construction that still stands up to this day, the $649 M1 Air is a fantastic low cost choice.
What do we like?
👍 M1 is still going strong: How is a four-year-old chip still capable of feeling zippy in terms of multitasking performance? I'm not sure what witchcraft Apple has pulled off here, but whether it's multitasking, basic productivity or even some video editing, the M1 chip in the MacBook Air continues to impress.
👍 Battery life continues to shock: There are notebooks in 2024 that are still paling in comparison to the 14 hours and 41 minutes we achieved when putting the M1 MacBook Air through our grueling battery life test.
👍 A great keyboard and trackpad: Apple knows how to do good ergonomics, and these are on full show with the slick multi-touch trackpad and great-feeling chiclet keyboard.
What don’t we like?
👎 Just two USB-C ports: Where the Acer Aspire Go 15 thrives, the MacBook Air falls. With just two USB-C ports (one of which will be used for charging), you're out of luck when it comes to plugging in more than one accessory unless you have a dongle
👎 You can feel the age: I know I'm talking up a big game on the M1 Air, and it still is pretty impressive to this day. But let me repeat — this is four years old. It's well on the way to not receiving software updates, and you can feel it slowdown in intense moments of multitasking.
Bottom line
In 2020, we called the M1 MacBook Air "shockingly good" for its combination of speed and endurance. While it's not so shocking anymore (we're on M4 Macs now to surprise us with performance and power efficiency), this is still a stellar budget buy.
The best budget gaming laptop
The MSI Cyborg 15 changed my mind about budget gaming laptops due to its solid performance and cyberpunk-inspired design. Games like Cyberpunk 2077 and Doom Eternal can run smoothly at medium graphical settings and 1080p resolution, matching or exceeding what you get on consoles. And unlike a console, you can use this device for everyday work. Though battery life isn’t great, the sub-$1,000 price and overall awesome gaming experience make up for that deficiency. Even with the new MSI Cyborg 14 currently available, the MSI Cyborg 15 is still an excellent choice if you’re budget-conscious.
Read our full review: MSI Cyborg 15
Who is this for?
As you can probably guess by the name, this is for the gamer on a budget — the MSI Cyborg 15 gives you enough power for some solid 1080p gaming here while coming in at under $1,000!
Why is it the best budget gaming laptop?
The MSI Cyborg 15 deserves this moniker for the horsepower under the hood (including that RTX 4050 giving you access to Nvidia's stellar DLSS tech), while also paying attention to the things that matter like giving you a fluid 144Hz display and a great keyboard to boot.
What do we like?
👍 The most powerful laptop on this list: Pairing 13th Gen Intel Core i7 with RTX 4050 graphics leads to some surprisingly impressive gaming performance. I know there are stronger GPUs out there for far greater prices, but for the lowest cost you can find, this can do more than you think — especially with DLSS turned on effectively doubling frame rates in a lot of your favorite AAA titles.
👍 Great keyboard: Sometimes, to invest more in the internals, you'll get the keyboard equivalent of a wet sponge on a lot of cheap gaming laptops. Not here, though, as MSI has paid attention to the tactile impact of every key press.
👍 Large and in charge design: Some people may not appreciate this aesthetic, but I kind of dig it. The Cyberpunk-inspired design gives it a cool, edge look that is both gamer in feel but also utilitarian enough to not look weird on a desk.
What don’t we like?
👎 Mid display: It's great to get a 1080p panel with 144Hz refresh rate, but you can feel the cheapness in its color and light blooming. Make sure you save up for a monitor for some better-looking gaming at home.
👎 Runs hot while gaming: It's always good practice to use a gaming laptop on a desk, as they can get hot. That goes doubly so for the MSI Cyborg 15, which can hit a peak of 112 degrees Fahrenheit
Bottom line
If you're keen to game on the go without breaking the bank, you can't go wrong with the MSI Cyborg 15. There are a lot of strengths here from its internals to the keyboard and general gaming performance, that it's easy to look past the naff webcam and surface temps.
The best budget Chromebook
Chromebooks are a bit of a cheat code to getting a good cheap laptop, and the Galaxy Chromebook 2 is my personal combo breaker. For its low starting price, you're getting a lovely premium system that's easy on the eyes — thanks to its gorgeous QLED display and that eye-catching aluminum chassis. With ChromeOS, you are a little limited in terms of capability and software compared to Windows 11, but if your workload revolves around google services, this 2-in-1 is a stellar choice.
Read the full review: Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2
Who is this for?
This premium Chromebook is perfect for students and the casual productivity crowd. Plus, if you're feeling creative/ready to kick back in the evening, that QLED screen is gorgeous.
Why is it the best budget Chromebook?
The Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2 shows you can actually get a lot for your money when it comes to Chromebooks. From the QLED touchscreen panel for all your binging enjoyment to the software capabilities of ChromeOS always improving (especially with new Gemini features), this fire red laptop is a top choice.
What do we like?
👍 Beautiful design and display: In Fiesta Red or Mercury Gray, this machined aluminum chassis is drop dead gorgeous — thin, light and utilitarian. Housed within it is a true treat for the eyes in its 1080p QLED display, which is bright, crispy sharp and colorful.
👍 Improved battery life: With the previous Galaxy Chromebook pumping a 4K AMOLED display, the battery life was a bit bad. Now with a lower resolution, Samsung's found a better balance with nearly 8 hours of battery.
👍 Solid performance: Yes, a Core i3 may sound miniscule, but we're talking about a Chromebook here. With a far less intense OS, the Galaxy Chromebook feels zippy.
What don’t we like?
👎 Inconsistent inputs: The keyboard feels a little shallow under the fingers, which can lead to some sore finger pads after typing for hours. On top of that, touchscreen inputs are sometimes not registered.
Bottom line
An affordable, yet premium-feeling laptop — the Galaxy Chromebook 2 is a great little daily driver with an impressive aluminum construction and the best-looking screen on this list. There are some cutbacks in terms of performance, speaker quality and the keyboard, but don't let those stop you from grabbing the best cheap Chromebook.
The best budget 2-in-1
To me, the Chromebook Duet 3 is the dirt cheap Surface I always wanted — stacked with a bright, crispy display, over 10 hours of battery life and a great keyboard cover for typing hours at a time with no wrist strain. There are some frustrations here, such as the lack of a headphone jack and the cameras being pure potatoes, but at $359, you could do a lot worse than this mini workhorse for all the basics.
Read our full review: Lenovo Duet 3 Chromebook
Who is this for?
If you need something super lightweight for quick note taking and casual productivity, you can't go far wrong with the Chromebook Duet 3. Ideal for students and workers on-the-go.
Why is it the best budget 2-in-1?
Windows 2-in-1s at this price usually suck, but in the Chromebook space, you can get a lot more for your money. The Lenovo Chromebook Duet 3 is a fantastic convertible with a bright display, a surprisingly good keyboard cover and over 10 hours of battery life.
What do we like?
👍 Lovely display: Packing an 11-inch 2K display with multitouch, the Lenovo Chromebook Duet 3 is rather nice on the eyes and responsive to interact with too — great for work and entertainment.
👍 Solid design: The construction with its black aluminum chassis feels impressively premium to the touch. The detachable keyboard also has a nice travel to every key, and when all folded up, it's sturdy and lightweight to carry around.
👍 Great battery life: In our battery life testing, the Duet 3 lasted 10 hours and 30 minutes — thanks to the lower intensity of that Snapdragon chip. This means that for your all-day usage, this will stick right there with you.
What don’t we like?
👎 No headphone jack: No option to be wired in here! Luckily, there is bluetooth, but the lack of a headphone jack is always going to be frustrating in any kind of laptop.
👎 Webcam = potato: Yes there are compromises, and for the Duet 3, it's the webcam that takes a big hit with grainy pictures that look like they were taken on an early 2000s camera phone.
Bottom line
For a cheap 2-in-1, the Duet 3 focuses on the things that make this recipe work — a good display, nice-feeling keyboard, and long battery life. ChromeOS continues to go from strength to strength with regular updates from Google, to the point that you'll completely forget the webcam is naff here.
Battery life testing results compared
One of the things you should think about when deciding which laptop to buy is how long it lasts on a full battery.
That's why we run every laptop we review through a series of battery tests to see how long it actually lasts on a full charge, rather than trusting manufacturer claims.
Note that these tests don't reflect real-world use patterns since we have to set every laptop to the same settings in order to do fair comparisons. Thus, while the times listed here are accurate and useful as a comparison point, your own experience with a laptop's battery life will likely vary quite a bit.
That's because when we run our battery test we set the laptop display to 150 nits of brightness (which is on the dim side) and set it to endlessly browse the web via Wi-Fi until it dies. Then we repeat the process a few times and average the results.
However, when you use your laptop you're probably adjusting brightness on the fly, doing all sorts of different tasks at the same time and generally putting the machine through more of a workout than it gets in our test. So while I stand by our testing and the battery life results we compare in the chart below, I want to be clear that your own experience will vary!
| Laptop | Battery life (tested) |
| Acer Aspire 5 | 8:05 |
| Apple M1 MacBook Air | 14:41 |
| Lenovo Duet 3 | 10:30 |
| Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2 | 07:50 |
| MSI Cyborg 15 | 05:05 |
How to choose the best laptop for you
There's some things to keep in mind when you're hunting for a good cheap laptop. You’re not going to get bleeding-edge performance or a super premium design. And you might have to make a few compromises on the display, such as how well it handles colors and how bright it gets. But that doesn’t mean you have to make do with a laptop that feels cheap; rather, you’re looking for one that's affordable. So here are a few things to keep in mind when shopping for a laptop.
- Battery Life: Will you be going long spells away from the plug outlet, or will you have charging capabilities wherever you go? There's a sliding scale on all of our choices between performance and power efficiency, and how important this is will dictate what you'll buy.
- Operating system: ChromeOS is the simplest option but limited in scope, whereas Windows has vastly more capability but can be a battery hog. macOS tries to find a sweet spot, but apps can be pricey here. Figure out your use case and you'll see how much you actually need your operating system to do.
- Are you a gamer: This one is an easy one. If gaming is your primary concern, then the MSI Cyborg 15 is the one for you. If not, then you can turn your attention to others.
- Don't settle for less than 1080p: You may see a lot of cheap laptops pack a less than full HD display. In the words of Admiral Ackbar: "It's a trap!" You'll be left with buyers' remorse when you see just how much resolution you lose by going down this road
How we tested these laptops
To find the best laptop, we run every machine through a rigorous suite of benchmarks and real-world tests to gauge how it will perform during everyday use.
- Geekbench CPU performance testing: This app stresses the chipset inside the laptop with your average range of tasks from processing video to multitasking, to see just how effective it can be as a daily driver.
- File transfer tests: Just because a CPU is fast doesn't mean it'll transfer files quickly — that's on the built-in storage. We'll transfer a 25GB file to see how fast it can move big amounts of data around the computer.
- Game benchmarking: For the gaming laptop on this list, we'll open up a range of AAA games from Cyberpunk 2077 to GTA V, to see how well it will operate.
- Display testing: We've got the equipment to test the brightness and color accuracy of a display. This is important so you can actually see the screen in bright conditions and that shows are properly colored.
- Battery life testing: To do this, we have a custom battery life test that has every laptop browse the internet over Wi-Fi at 150 nits of brightness until it runs out of juice. This is the closest we can get to a fair representation of your average daily use.
Today's best budget laptop deals
