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While many of us need to have a personal computer at home, it would always be better to have a more portable option you can use both in your house or when you head out to a cafe or restaurant. Laptops have evolved tremendously over the years, and many people don’t find the need to buy an old-school desktop computer anymore. Many laptops on the market come with impressive specs, from premium CPUs and GPUs to large SSDs to multi-touch displays, but these top-of-the-line options often come with a hefty price tag. Thankfully, there are still many options on the market that come with a budget-friendly price tag. These laptops might not have the most advanced specs fit for creative professionals or heavy gamers, but they would be enough for those who plan to do basic browsing and streaming. Picking the right laptop for you could be challenging, so it would be best to think of the main tasks you will need it for and look for the specs that can support it. Picking the cheapest you can find on the market without caring about its specs isn’t the smartest idea because the last thing you want is a laptop that will stop working after only a couple of months. Here are some of the best budget laptops you can purchase in 2022.
The Dell Inspiron 14 should be your top choice, especially when you prefer a laptop running on Windows. It features a modern and premium design that makes it look more expensive than it really is. The laptop has a 14-inch FHD display with narrow borders, a wide viewing angle, and an LED backlight. You can expect a decent performance from it since it has an 11th Gen Intel® Core™ i3-1125G4 and 8GB RAM. The laptop can deliver excellent visuals thanks to its Intel UHD Graphics. The Inspiron 14 has 256GB SSD storage, which is more than enough to store your essential files. It has a spacious keyboard and a large trackpad that’s undoubtedly comfortable to use even after an extended period. Users won’t be disappointed with its connectivity option because you get one USB Type-C port, two USB Type-A ports, one HDMI 1.4 port, one universal audio jack, and one micro SD card slot. Users can take Zoom calls on this laptop since it has a 720p HD camera and dual-array microphones. It has 2W speakers, but you can’t expect it to have the best sound quality available. Unfortunately, you get what you pay for with this laptop, and people say it doesn’t have the best battery life.
Decent CPU and GPU256GB SSDWide variety of portsSleek and premium design
Not the best webcamLackluster battery life
Lenovo has been creating excellent affordable laptops over the years, and their IdeaPad 3 is ideal for those on a budget because it costs around $509. It features a 14-inch FHD display with narrow bezels, so you can maximize the content that flashes on your screen. It’s easy to log into the laptop since it has an integrated fingerprint reader. The laptop is equipped with an AMD Ryzen 5 5500U mobile processor and AMD Radeon 7 graphics, which is perfect for those who plan to use the laptop for both working and gaming. Users can trust that the laptop will have a quiet and cool operation because of its intelligent thermals and mechanical airflow enhancements. It features a Q control feature that allows you to pick between three different fan speeds. The IdeaPad 3 comes with 256GB SSD storage and 8GB DDR4 RAM, which is pretty decent for its price. You can expect the best network performance possible from the laptop since it supports Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0. Spending several hours in front of your laptop’s screen can take a toll on your eyes, but it has excellent Eye Care features that help minimize eyestrain. The IdeaPad 3 comes with a USB Type-C port, two USB Type-A ports, an HDMI port, and an SD card reader. The laptop has 1.5W speakers with Dolby Audio, but many have complained about its quality.
Superb performanceHas a fingerprint scannerHas ample ports
Display is pretty dullSpeakers' quality is disappointing
It’s not hard to see why many people don’t mind picking the Acer Aspire 5 because you get a 15.6-inch laptop for less than $400. It uses an AMD Ryzen 7 3700U mobile processor and AMD Radeon Vega 3 graphics. You can expect sharp and detailed visuals from its display since it has a Full HD resolution, IPS technology, and LED backlighting. The laptop only comes with 4GB RAM, but it’s expected given that it’s highly affordable. Users will get about 7.5 hours of battery per charge, so you might need to bring your charger around with you if you plan to work outdoors for the entire day. Thanks to the laptop’s backlit keyboard, you will get to type comfortably even at night. The laptop has a decent speaker system, and its Acer TrueHarmony feature brings you more volume and deeper bass. The Acer Aspire 5 comes with one HDMI port, two USB 2.0 ports, and one USB 3.1 Gen 1 port. The laptop is far from perfect because it doesn’t have the best build quality or graphics, but it’s totally fine for someone who needs a cheap device to do basic tasks.
Decent AMD Ryzen 7 3700U mobile processorBright 15.6-inch Full HD displayHighly affordable
4GB RAM7.5-hour battery lifeTouchpad could be better
You might’ve assumed that most laptop-tablet hybrids are expensive, but you can find options like the Microsoft Surface Go 2 that are more budget-friendly than its rivals. It has a 10.5-inch PixelSense touchscreen display with a native resolution of 1920 x 1280. The laptop uses an Intel Pentium Gold Processor 4425Y that allows it to be snappy and responsive, and you get excellent visuals thanks to its Intel HD Graphics 615 GPU. It comes with 8GB RAM and 128GB of SSD storage, and for those who want to save even more money, you can settle for a model with only 4GB RAM and 64GB storage. The Surface Go 2 has a built-in Kickstand, so you can make it stand upright wherever you go. The laptop would be amazing to use with the Surface Go Signature Type Cover and Surface Pen, but these accessories are sold separately. Since it doubles as a tablet, it has front and rear-facing cameras that allow you to capture photos and videos in Full HD. The Surface Go 2 can survive an entire work day with you because it has a 10-hour battery life. Sadly, it’s lacking in the connectivity department because you only get one USB-C port, a microSDXC card reader, and a headphone jack.
Laptop and tablet hybridDecent camerasBright and vibrant display10-hour battery life
Doesn't come with a keyboard or stylusLimited RAM and storageCould use more portsThick bezels
Lenovo also has its own 2-in-1 laptops, and the Chromebook Duet is undoubtedly among its best deals because it will cost you less than $250. It features an 8-core MediaTek Helio P60T processor with a CPU speed of 2.0GHz. Its Full HD touchscreen display measures 10.1 inches and comes with IPS technology. Users will get impressive visuals from it since it features ARM G72 MP3 800GHz graphics. The laptop’s 128GB eMMC storage might be enough for storing basic documents, programs, and files, but you might still need to invest in an external hard drive if you’re the type who plans to keep videos with massive file sizes. You shouldn’t expect much when it comes to RAM because the Chromebook Duet loses to most of its rivals because it only has 4GB RAM. The laptop has an 8MP rear camera and a 2MP front-facing camera, and while these are cool to have, you might still be better off taking photos with your smartphone. Its battery life is pretty impressive for its price because you get 10 hours of usage per charge. The Chromebook Duet only has a USB Type-C port, so you will need to use a Bluetooth connection to connect to more external devices. The laptop already comes with a detachable keyboard, so you can immediately start working once you unbox it.
2-in-1 designFull HD touchscreen10-hour battery life
Only 128GB storage4GB RAMKeyboard feels crampedNot the best camerasNeeds more ports
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