When shopping on a budget, few can rival the value offered by laptops under $500. Here you’ll find exceptional devices capable of handling all your essential tasks.
These laptops are powerful machines capable of handling basic work, web browsing, online meetings or video streaming with ease. In addition, they typically boast impressive battery life and feature top-of-the-line hardware specs.
1. Acer Chromebook 317
Acer’s Chromebook 317 stands out among svelte competitors thanks to its large display and productivity-boosting abilities. While not the most portable machine (its frame flexes slightly and its lid weighs more than expected), this solid and well-made machine feels sturdy under pressure; plastics and metals feel textured and smooth under pressure without creaking or creaking under pressure; ports all fit securely without jostling; plus support for latest Wi-Fi standards is an added plus.
This screen is truly the star of this show, boasting FullHD resolution on an enormous panel. While dimmer than average laptop (269 nits), its brightness provides enough comfort in most lighting conditions for an enjoyable user experience. Intel Celeron N4500 dual-core processor and Intel UHD integrated graphics will easily handle light productivity tasks and streaming videos, but may not be optimal choices for gaming.
Acer has ensured its Chromebook comes equipped with top-tier accessories, offering a one-year warranty and multiple Chromebook perks, including 100GB of Google One cloud storage and three months’ subscription to YouTube Premium, Canva Pro and SoundCloud Go+. Running Chrome OS means users have access to popular Google productivity apps as well as an array of entertainment and gaming options in the Google Play store – it even boasts recent updates including Android smartphone control as well as an improved Clipboard that remembers last five items for easy storage!
2. Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 5
Affiliate links on Android Authority may earn us a commission. The Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 5 Chromebook is an outstanding detachable laptop under $500 with an exceptional display and long battery life. While some may see its shortcomings, such as limited support for popular apps or slow performance when running more demanding programs, it remains an excellent choice.
Lenovo has improved upon last year’s model by increasing screen size and adding a full-sized keyboard, as well as switching away from an IPS LCD panel in favor of OLED technology that delivers deeper blacks and increased contrast for an immersive viewing experience.
Notable improvements include the processor, now a Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c Gen 2. It provides enough processing power for everyday tasks and video playback without a glitch or glitches, while battery life has seen significant gains compared to last year’s model; now lasting over an entire workday with light use.
Connectivity is excellent as well, supporting Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1 respectively. Two USB-C ports support power delivery as well as DisplayPort 1.4 connectivity to allow external monitors or peripherals to connect easily. Plus, its 30W charger powers up the slate to about 80% within an hour!
3. Acer Chromebook Plus x260
Are You an Advanced Chromebook User Looking to Do More with Your Chromebook? New models with Chromebook Plus capability provide reliability and efficiency at new heights. Powered by advanced hardware and software features, such as two times more processing power, memory, storage capacity than typical Chromebooks as well as advanced generative AI features like help me write tool that works right-click for quick writing; Google Photos Magic Editor; Gemini
All models meet MIL-STD 810H compliance and are built to withstand daily life. Their robust chassis features a spill-resistant keyboard, dual upward-firing speakers for crisp and clear video calls and entertainment, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.1 and USB 3.2 Gen1 Type C ports – keeping you connected no matter where life takes you! Plus a fast-charging battery offering up to 10 hours of worktime – ideal for portable work!
With its 14-inch Full HD IPS display, videos and photos look vivid and sharp. Antimicrobial Corning Gorilla Glass keeps odors and debris at bay, and its touch panel resists stains and scratches. File Sync allows online or offline access to Google Docs files; plus with up to 256GB responsive SSD local storage you have plenty of room for all of your files and applications.
4. Dell Inspiron 15 5000
The Dell Inspiron 15 5000 is an capable but somewhat outdated budget laptop. Featuring a decent-sized display, long battery life and a reliable Intel processor, its only real weaknesses include dimmed display and subpar keyboard quality; for those willing to spend more there may be better alternatives available.
Customize this laptop exactly how you like with one of three 8th generation Intel Whiskey Lake CPUs and various SSD and HDD options to suit your individual needs and make the system your own. Perfect for students seeking personalized options.
As an example, you could choose from either a Core i3-7100U model with a 256GB SSD and 6GB of RAM or the more powerful Core i5-7200U configuration with a 512GB SSD – both models offer an IR camera for Windows Hello authentication as an added feature.
Its 15.6-inch display is sharp enough for watching movies and television shows, yet its colors appear off. On our brightness tests, Dell averaged only 203 nits – far lower than we’ve come to expect from budget laptops.
On the plus side, this laptop features more ports than most of its ultrathin counterparts on our best laptops for students list – such as a headphone jack and full-sized USB 2.0 ports that support fast USB 3.2 Gen 1 connections (but not fast USB 3.2 Gen 2). Furthermore, some users might appreciate having access to its DVD drive.
