We share 11 tips in this article to help you find a suitable budget laptop
01
The most important question to ask yourself before buying a laptop is, “How will I use this laptop?” Based on your answer, it will be easier to decide which model is suitable for you.
02
Budget laptops can cost anywhere from $100 to $500. If you want to buy a laptop but have a limited budget, you should be realistic about what you can get.
03
Your most important consideration should be its operating system when buying a budget laptop. Windows and Chrome OS are the two most popular operating systems.
04
When choosing a laptop, you should consider its display size. A 14- or 15-inch screen is a good option for most people because it balances portability and display size.
05
Most laptops that cost less than $500 have an Intel Celeron processor, which will suffice for basic tasks. Go with an Intel Pentium or Core i3 processor for resource-intensive applications.
06
AMD’s Ryzen graphics cards, like AMD Ryzen 5 5500U, can run modern games at low detail settings. The integrated graphics card is powerful enough for some gaming.
07
If you have a tight budget, choose at least 128GB of storage. If you can afford it, 256GB of storage is preferable, but you’ll have to spend more than $500 to get that much space.
08
8 GB of RAM is in the upper range of a $500 budget. Go with 8 GB of RAM if you can afford it because 4 GB or 6 GB are less common and might not be enough for your needs.
09
Most budget laptops offer one or two USB 2.0/3.1 ports. A few newer models also offer one or two USB 3.0/3.1 ports that are USB Type C-reversible.
10
We recommend choosing a budget laptop with at least 7 hours of battery life between charges, so you will have enough power to work while away from an outlet.
11
If you want to buy a good, budget laptop, you still have plenty of options. Think, for example, of a Chromebook, used laptop, or refurbished laptop.