The best laptops under $500 that we’d actually buy

When you’re on the hunt for the best laptop under $500, there are two important words to keep in mind: “Buyer beware.”

Many popular gadgets have wildly inflated prices, but in the highly competitive laptop market, you get what you pay for. That means it can be very dangerous to buy a “cheap” laptop. Choose wrongly, and you’ll be stuck with a slow, outdated computer that causes more problems than it solves.

Mashable has previously tested some of the best cheap laptops overall, but if $500 is your upper limit, then you’re going to be priced out of some popular budget laptops. Even so, there are some great computers within your budget that we highly recommend.

Not all of the laptops we tested made our final cut.
Credit: Timothy Beck Werth / Mashable

A quick guide to laptop pricing

You can buy a cheap Chromebook for as little as $100, while our favorite gaming laptop will set you back over $2,000. And in our guide to the best laptops in general, you’ll find machines that span the budget spectrum. If you’re only interested in laptops under $500, you’ll be priced out of Ultrabooks, MacBooks, and most gaming laptops, though you still have some solid options.

Typically, laptops fall into one of the following categories:

• Chromebooks ($100-$650): These computers have minimal storage and are designed to run web applications. They’re light, portable, and very affordable. At the upper end of this price range, cloud-based gaming Chromebooks offer a smart alternative to expensive gaming laptops.

• Budget laptops ($250-$750): Even the best budget laptops won’t have the most impressive specs, but they should have enough RAM and storage for everyday use at school or work.

• MacBooks ($850-$3,500): The cheapest MacBook worth buying (the M2 MacBook Air) will set you back $850 when it’s on sale, while a fully specced-out MacBook Pro can cost as much as $3,500.

• Ultrabooks ($1,000-$3,500): These high-end laptops have enough processing power to handle tasks like photo and video editing. They typically have a sleek and modern aesthetic, too. MacBooks also fall into this category.

What are the best affordable laptops under $500 in 2024?

Below, we’ve put together a detailed guide to the best budget laptops for under $500, including Chromebooks. The right laptop will vary depending on your needs, but the Acer Aspire 5 is our overall top pick. Check out our other contenders below.