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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Best budget laptop deals under $500
Lenovo
Our top pick: Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i, $398.99 ($301.01 off at Amazon)
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i is a good laptop for the daily stuff. Its Intel N150 processor is more than capable of handling everyday tasks like web browsing, streaming, email, and light productivity. The 15.6-inch 1200p display is sharp enough for work and watching YouTube, and you’ve got both USB-A and USB-C for connecting your peripherals. There’s also 8GB of DDR5 RAM and a 128GB SSD onboard. At $398.99, it’s a straightforward budget laptop for anyone who doesn’t need high-end performance.
Amazon
- HP 14-inch Laptop, Intel N150 processor/14-inch HD display/4GB DDR5 RAM/128GB SSD/1TB cloud storage/Microsoft 365 included/Windows 11, $299.99 ($350.00 off at Amazon)
- Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i, Intel N150 processor/15.6-inch FHD display/8GB DDR5 RAM/128GB SSD/Microsoft Office included/Windows 11, $398.99 ($301.01 off at Amazon)
Best Buy
- Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i, Intel Core i3-N305 processor/15.6-inch 1920×1080 display/8GB RAM/128GB UFS storage, $379 ($120.99 off at Best Buy)
- HP OmniBook 3, AMD Ryzen 5 processor/16-inch 1920×1200 touchscreen display/8GB RAM/256GB SSD, $476.99 ($303 off at Best Buy)
Target
- Asus Vivobook Go, Intel N150 processor/15.6-inch FHD IPS display/4GB LPDDR5 RAM/128GB UFS storage/Peacock Blue/One Year Microsoft 365 Subscription, $299.99 ($100 off at Target)
- HP Stream 14, Intel Celeron N4120 processor/14-inch display/4GB DDR4 RAM/64GB eMMC storage/Windows 11 in S Mode/Pink, $335.95 ($164.04 off at Target)
Best mid-range laptop deals
Lenovo
Our top pick: Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i, $628 ($271.99 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 $628 ($271.99 off at Best Buy), it’s one of the most well-rounded options out there.
Amazon
- Dell Pro 15.6-inch Laptop, Intel Core 3 100U processor/15.6-inch FHD display/16GB DDR5 RAM/256GB SSD/numeric keyboard/fast charge/Windows 11 Home for Business, $699.99 ($336.99 off at Amazon)
Best Buy
- Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i, Intel Core i5-1335U processor/15.6-inch 1920×1080 display/16GB RAM/256GB SSD, $628 ($271.99 off at Best Buy)
- Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x, Snapdragon X X1-26-100 processor/15.3-inch 1920×1200 touchscreen display/16GB RAM/256GB SSD, $659 ($190.99 off at Best Buy)
- Dell 15.6-inch Touchscreen Laptop, Intel 13th Gen Core i7-1355U processor/15.6-inch 2K touchscreen display/16GB DDR5 RAM/512GB PCIe NVMe SSD, $709 ($290.99 off at Best Buy)
Adorama
- HP OmniBook X, Intel Core Ultra 7 256V processor/17.3-inch 1920×1080 touchscreen display/16GB RAM/1TB SSD, $799.99 ($549.01 off at Adorama)
Best gaming laptop deals
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.
Best Buy
- HP Victus, AMD Ryzen 7 7445HS processor/RTX 4050 graphics/15.6-inch 1920×1080 display/16GB RAM/512GB SSD, $949.99 ($525 off at Best Buy)
- Lenovo LOQ, Intel Core i7 13650HX processor/RTX 5060 graphics/15.6-inch 1920×1080 display/16GB RAM/512GB SSD, $1,369 ($480.99 off at Best Buy)
Newegg
- MSI Cyborg A15, AMD Ryzen 7 260 processor/GeForce RTX 5060 graphics/15.6-inch 1920×1080 144Hz display/16GB DDR5 RAM/1TB SSD/Windows 11 Home, $1,249.99 ($249.01 off at Newegg)
Target
- HP Omen Max 16, AMD Ryzen 7 processor/GeForce RTX 5060 graphics/16-inch 2560×1600 display/16GB RAM/1TB SSD/Windows 11/Manufacturer Refurbished, $1,344.99 ($1,155 off at Target)
- Lenovo Legion 5, AMD Ryzen 7 260 processor/RTX 5060 graphics/15.1-inch OLED WQXGA 165Hz display/16GB RAM/512GB SSD/Eclipse Black, $1,599.99 ($200 off)
Best premium laptop deals
Asus
Our top pick: Asus Vivobook S16, $1,119 ($80.99 off at Amazon)
Need a laptop that can keep up with work, streaming, creative projects, and everyday multitasking without slowing you down? Then you should check out the Asus Vivobook S16. It pairs an AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 processor with 16GB of RAM and a roomy 1TB SSD, making it well-equipped for more demanding workloads. The gorgeous 16-inch 2880×1800 OLED display also offers vibrant colors and crisp detail, so everything from Excel spreadsheets to Netflix shows should look fantastic.
Amazon
- Asus Vivobook S16, AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 processor/16-inch 2880×1800 OLED display/16GB RAM/1TB SSD, $1,119 ($80.99 off at Amazon)
- Microsoft Surface Laptop (2024), Snapdragon X Elite 12-core processor/13.8-inch touchscreen display/16GB RAM/1TB SSD storage/Windows 11 Copilot+ PC/Black, $1,349 ($750.99 off at Amazon)
- Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 3, Intel Core Ultra 5 225H processor/16-inch display/32GB DDR5 RAM/1TB SSD/backlit keyboard/fingerprint reader/long battery life/fast charging/Windows 11 Pro, $1,499 ($700.99 off at Amazon)
Best Buy
- HP OmniBook X Flip 2-in-1, Intel Core Ultra 7 256V processor/16-inch 1920×1200 touchscreen display/16GB RAM/1TB SSD, $861 ($338.99 off at Best Buy)
- Samsung Galaxy Book6, Intel Core Ultra 7 processor/16-inch IPS LED touchscreen display/16GB RAM/512GB SSD, $959 ($490.99 off at Best Buy)
- HP OmniBook X, Intel Core Ultra 7 256V processor/17.3-inch 1920×1080 touchscreen display/16GB RAM/512GB SSD, $1,085 ($414.99 off at Best Buy)
Adorama
- Dell Pro 16, Intel Core 5 120U processor/Intel Graphics/16-inch 1920×1200 display/16GB RAM/512GB SSD, $1,074.99 ($424.01 off at Adorama)
FAQ
How much RAM will I need in my laptop?
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.
What’s the difference between a Chromebook and a Windows laptop?
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.
When should I look for a laptop deal?
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.
Which retailers offer the best deals?
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.
This articles is written by : Nermeen Nabil Khear Abdelmalak
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