These are the 5 best laptops under $500, recommended by a tech expert
Need a new computer, but don't have a healthy budget? You may be surprised what you can snag today, for a fraction of the price of a higher-end PC or Mac.
In fact, despite rising global computer costs, you can find a handful of stellar laptops or Chromebooks for under $500 that are designed for work, school, or play. They're ideal for basic tasks, like web browsing and online shopping, reading email, accessing social media, word processing or spreadsheet creation, and some light gaming. If you're a university or college student or taking notes in high school, the prices are also digestible.
We tested a handful of laptops under $500 from Lenovo, Acer, Dell and ASUS, and chose the following five as worthy considerations.
While this sub-$500 computer isn't the least expensive in our round-up, the aptly named Lenovo Duet really is two devices in one — and thus, saving you even more money since you don't need to buy (or upgrade) your tablet, too.
When the kickstand is opened and the screen is docked into its QWERTY keyboard and trackpad, the Lenovo Duet works like any other Chromebook laptop. However, when you want to consume content rather than create it, detach the display and leave the keyboard on a desk or table.
Whether the screen is docked or not, you can use your fingertip or stylus (included). We loved the various ways you can interact with your content, including your voice, since Google Assistant is built in, as well.
And because it's only 11 inches, this versatile device is small and light enough to bring with you to and from the office, classroom, or coffee shop. In fact, it's only 510 grams and measures just 7.6mm.
Under the hood, it features a capable MediaTek Kompanio 838 processor and 8GB RAM — ideal for basic tasks and smooth multitasking — while the 128GB (eMMC) of storage should be enough to hold countless apps and media files.
Along with a battery that tops 12 hours between charges, other features include dual cameras, two USB ports, Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) and Bluetooth 5.3.These are the 5 best TVs under $500, according to a tech expert
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For under $500, there's a lot to like about the Acer Chromebook Plus, a 14-inch laptop powered by a 12th-generation Intel Core i3-1215U processor, 8GB of system memory (RAM), and 512GB of solid-state storage. It has the most out of any laptop in this round-up.
We noticed how fast it booted up and was ready for use, plus the keyboard is responsive and comfortable.
If you're not aware, Chromebook 'Plus' devices deliver an enhanced Chromebook experience, with an enhanced display (1080p Full HD), more storage capacity and the latest Google AI features baked in, featuring apps like the powerful Google Gemini generative artificial intelligence assistant, Help Me Read (helping you understand and interact with text on a webpage or document), Help Me Write, and my favourite, Magic Editor, to enhance photos.
Like other Chromebook Plus models, the Acer Chromebook Plus includes 12 months of the Google One AI Premium plan for free (usually $26.99/month), which includes access to Gemini Advanced (a more powerful AI tool), 2 terabytes of cloud storage, and other benefits.
Battery life is up to 10 hours.
A Windows PC for under $500? You bet.
We so enjoyed our hands-on time with the Dell Inspiron 3520, a 15.6-inch Full HD (1080p) laptop. If you don't need a touchscreen and prefer Windows over ChromeOS, this one is for you.
This sleek carbon black laptop delivers impressive performance for the price — the best out of the five laptops in this round-up, in fact — thanks to its Intel Core i3-1215U processor (6 Cores, 8 Threads), 8GB of RAM for quick app launching and smooth multitasking, and fast 256GB of SSD (solid-state) memory.
If this isn't enough space for all your files, there's also an SD card slot to double, triple or quadruple the amount of storage. There are also three USB-A ports, an HDMI port to connect to a monitor, and a 3.5mm headphone/microphone jack.
This Windows 11 PC supports CoPilot for quick access to your ChatGPT-like AI companion.
Computer brand ASUS has become extremely popular in Canada over the years — now the No. 1 in consumer Windows laptops, gaming laptops, consumer Chromebooks, and gaming desktops.
And for good reason: along with quality craftsmanship and aggressive pricing, the company offers several unique designs to suit varying tastes and budgets.
For those looking for a portable, affordable laptop, the ASUS CX14 is a 14-inch touchscreen Chromebook that's ideal for your 9-to-5 work or school life, as well as your 5-to-9 downtime, for when you want to stream movies, play some games, or listen to podcasts.
It's equipped with the competent Intel Celeron N4500 processor, 8GB of RAM and 128GB of eMMC storage to store apps you download from the integrated Google Play store.
Cool to the touch and only 0.78 inches thick, this ASUS laptop enjoys military-grade durability, says the company, to withstand the bumps and knocks of everyday life on the go. It's not the lightest laptop at over 3 pounds, but it does feel ruggedized, which is important to many.
The NanoEdge anti-glare touchscreen enjoys Full HD resolution, while the 42Wh battery lasts up to 12.5 hours in our testing – the best out of all laptops in this round-up.
Along the sides of this light grey laptop, you'll find one USB Type-C port, one USB-A, one HDMI port and a 3.5mm headphone/microphone jack.
At 0.73-inches thin, the aptly named Lenovo Slim 3 was the most svelte laptop out of the five we tested — slightly thinner than the ASUS CX14 Chromebook — but also powered by the latest ChromeOS, the same amount of RAM (8GB) and a 128GB solid state drive (though with a slightly inferior MediaTek Kompanio 520 processor).
Oh, and did we mention it's under $400?
The Lenovo Slim 3's 14-inch touchscreen display enjoys Full HD (1080p HD) resolution for crisp visuals, access to several integrated Google apps, and access to the popular Google Play store to customize your experience with countless apps and games.
Integrated Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) and Bluetooth 5.3 deliver fast and reliable wireless performance, while the 47Wh battery lived up to its promise of all-day battery life.
While Best Buy only has one USB port listed in its description, the Lenovo Slim 3 indeed has two USB-A ports, one high-speed USB Type-C, HDMI output, SD card reader, and headphone/microphone jack.
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