If you’re looking for an affordable Windows machine under $500, a blazing fast gaming beast for those intense matches, or a portable 2-in-1 for school or work, you’ve got plenty of great choices right now.
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Acer
Our top pick: Acer Aspire Lite 15, $499.99 ($300 off at Amazon)
The Aspire Lite sits in that increasingly important “just enough laptop” category. It’s not trying to be crazy powerful. It’s trying to be consistent.
This is the laptop you use for reading Reddit stories, watching Netflix, and getting lost in a Wikipedia hole. The lighter stuff. That’s what the entry-level Intel N150 processor is exactly made for. This is a good machine, especially under $500.
Lenovo
Our top pick: Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i, $612 ($287.99 off at Best Buy)
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i offers a good combination of performance and value for the day-to-day stuff. Its Intel Core i5-1335U processor and 16GB of RAM should handle multitasking and productivity apps without much trouble. You’re also getting a 15-inch 1920×1080 display and a 256GB SSD, giving you a comfortable screen size and enough storage for all of your important files. At $615.99 ($284 off at Best Buy), it’s one of the most well-rounded options out there.
HP
Our top pick: HP Omen Max 16, $1,344.99 ($1,155 off at Target)
The refurbished HP Omen 16’s got some good hardware for $1,349.99. With an AMD Ryzen 7 processor and RTX 5060 graphics, it should deliver smooth performance across a wide range of games. The 16-inch 2560×1600 display also keeps visuals looking nice and crisp, while 16GB of RAM and 1TB of SSD storage ensure fast load times and plenty of room for your library of games.
Microsoft
Our top pick: Microsoft Surface Laptop, $1,009.46 ($240.53 off at Amazon)
The Surface Laptop is pretty much the complete package as far as I’m concerned. Not only is it pretty lightweight at 2.7 pounds, but it’s also got a Snapdragon X Plus chip and 16GB of RAM. That’s plenty for hopping on video calls and streaming your favorite shows. Throw in the excellent battery life (Microsoft says it can last up to 23 hours) and a 13-inch 1920×1280 touch-enabled display, and it’s easy to see what makes this machine so appealing.
You’ll want at least 8GB, though 16GB is preferable, especially if you play games. Don’t buy laptops with under 4GB of RAM or 128GB of SSD storage—though on a Chromebook or a budget Windows machine, this configuration is acceptable. Check out our article on how much RAM does a laptop need for more in-depth info.
The one big difference between a Chromebook and a Windows laptop is the operating system. Chromebooks run ChromeOS and Windows run, well, Microsoft Windows.
Chromebooks make good everyday machines because they’re designed for browsing the web, checking e-mail, and so on. They use less resources and are generally more affordable than the Windows variety. They also don’t need antivirus protection. A Windows laptop is a lot more versatile in what it can do, and not just in terms of running local programs. You can really pump a Windows laptop up with a ton of RAM, storage, and so on.
You’ll likely find the best laptop deals during Prime Day (mid-July), Black Friday (the day after Thanksgiving), and back-to-school season (June-August). Sure, you’ll find good laptop deals throughout the year, but if you really want to save big, we’d recommend scoping out your favorite online retailers during those times.
You can find all kinds of deals across a wide range of online retailers such as Newegg, Walmart, Best Buy, Amazon, and so on. However, we’d recommend checking out deals from laptop manufacturers like Lenovo, HP, and Dell. You’ll usually find many different configurations on sale and the discounts can be pretty darn steep.
For more options, check out PCWorld’s roundup of the best laptops available right now.
