Budget Laptops Under $500 – Best Options 2026, It’s easier than ever to find a good laptop for a great price, but all isn’t well in the sub-$500 market. I’ve been putting budget laptops through their paces for years, and telling my students, freelancers and small business customers they’re good enough, and the fact is that the $300-500 laptop has really come a long way. It’s now possible to find reliable, functional machines here. It’s just a matter of weighing up the features and specifications.
The Low-cost Laptop Market is No Longer
Just a couple of years back, purchasing a laptop for less than $500 would net you a slow computer, a lackluster display and a keyboard that would redefine typing on a cardboard box. Not anymore. The recent influx of AMD’s Ryzen 5 processors and Intel’s Core i5 12th/13th Gen processors into the low-end market, improvements in the adoption of solid-state drives (SSDs) and quality of design from manufacturers such as Acer, ASUS and Lenovo have all changed the game.
The difference in 2026 is that they can perform basic productivity tasks, basic video editing, streaming, virtual meetings and even multi-tasking without getting bogged down. They’re not gaming computers or workstations – but they don’t intend to be.
What to Look for in a PC
Before we delve into our recommendations, here’s what you should look for in this price range:
- CPU: At the very least an AMD Ryzen 5 7000 or Intel Core i5 (12th Gen or newer). Don’t consider anything with an old Celeron or Pentium in it – it’s like drag racing with a lawnmower.
- Memory (RAM): 8GB is the minimum acceptable, 16GB is ideal. If you’re looking in 2016 try to get 16GB, if you can stretch the budget a bit.
- Storage: Only consider SSDs. At the very least, 256GB; 512GB is great. HDDs are still available at this price, but will slow you down.
Best Cheap Laptops Under $500 of 2016
Acer Aspire 5 2025 Edition – Best Overall
The Aspire 5 has been my go-to budget laptop for several years and the 2025 edition is no less impressive. This model is powered by the Ryzen 5 7530U CPU, 16GB of memory and a 512GB SSD drive, which does a great job of multitasking at an affordable price. The 15.6″ Full HD IPS screen is bright and comfortable to work with indoors, and the keyboard is very comfortable to type on.
The battery lasts between 7-9 hours. Plastic materials but good quality. For students and work from home workers looking for a daily driver computer, this is still my favourite laptop in the $430-$469 price range.
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i – Best 2-in-1 Under $500
If you prefer the versatility of a touchscreen laptop/convertible, but can’t afford to pay Chromebook prices for a subpar product, the Flex 5i is for you. The Intel Core i5-1335U, 8GB RAM and 512GB SSD storage powers a convertible laptop that has modes for tablet and tent modes. The screen supports stylus input, too, which is great if you want to take notes or are an aspirational artist.
The price ranges from $449-$479. It has a solid hinge, adequate (for the price) display quality, and Windows 11 performs well. It will last about 7-8 hours of use.
HP 15 Laptop (Ryzen 5 7520U) – Best Value Pick
HP’s low-end offerings are often overlooked, but the 15-series laptop with a Ryzen 5 7520U is certainly solid. It costs $389-$419, and strikes a good balance between performance, display and durability. The 15.6-inch display isn’t the most accurate when it comes to display colours, but will do the job for most tasks.
It comes with 8GB of RAM, which is sufficient but we’d recommend going for more (16GB) if you can afford it. It’s able to keep cool reasonably well – it doesn’t throttle terribly under normal usage (something that’s a problem with some low-end laptops).
ASUS VivoBook 16 – Best for those who want a Large Screen
15-inches isn’t for everyone. ASUS VivoBook 16 is bigger (16″) with a WUXGA display than the previous: it’s clearer and larger. Running AMD Ryzen 5 7530U with 16GB RAM and 512GB SSD, it sits right around $469–$499.
It has a full keypad as well, so is great for data entry or spreadsheet applications. The speakers are above average for its price. The only thing that holds it back is that it’s a tad heavy (about 3.8 lbs) so it is more suited to being used at home and work.
Acer Chromebook Plus 515: Best ChromeOS
If you spend a lot of time in your browser, work in Google Workspace, and don’t require Windows applications then a Chromebook Plus could be an excellent choice. Acer’s Chromebook Plus 515 has an Intel Core i3-1215U, 8GB memory and 128GB of storage – and it’s a great choice for ChromeOS.
It retails at $349-$379, and packs a punch for web browsing, Skype and Google Docs. It’s capable of 10+ hours of battery life. It has lightning fast boot time. But there are caveats: no Windows apps.
Final Thoughts
Expect to pay up to $500 for some decent performance in 2016. None of these laptops will be a showstopper like a high-end laptop, but they’ll be more than adequate, and won’t cost you an arm and a leg. Put the most emphasis on RAM and an SSD, look for at least an IPS screen and make sure to get a laptop suited to your usage.
FAQs
Q: Is 8GB RAM enough in 2026?
A: Yes, if you’re using it for web browsing, word processing and streaming media. To run multiple applications or have a lot of tabs open, 16GB is preferable.
Q: Can low-priced laptops edit videos?
A: CapCut or DaVinci Resolve (1080p) editing is possible, but don’t anticipate buttery smooth 4K video editing.
Q: Should I get a Chromebook for less than $500?
A: Yes – if you don’t mind using ChromeOS and don’t need non-ChromeOS software.
Q: For how long should a laptop last?
A: As long as you look after it and it has an SSD, 4-6 years of use.
Q: Should I buy from online or offline?
A: Online is generally cheaper and there’s more information. Be sure to check all the details.
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