Best Budget Laptop 2019: Cheap Laptop Computers Under £500
Budget laptops can be hit and miss, but we've tested a selection of the best to help you find a cheap laptop that will serve you well. Here are the best budget Windows laptops you can buy today, plus advice on what to look for in a budget laptop.
Your buying guide for the best budget laptops in 2019
The very best laptops can cost well over a grand, sometimes two, but for some people it's not all about the best performance and the fanciest design. For many consumers the best laptop is the one that offers the best value, doing exactly what they need and nothing more.
You'll find a plethora of cheap laptops available at major outlets such as Currys, Amazon, Argos and John Lewis, as well as online retailers such as Laptops Direct. If you don't know what is a good spec for the money then you will struggle to work out which offers the best value, and also which is going to be capable of doing what you need.
These days it's fair to say pretty much all budget laptops are going to be up to homework, email, social media and web browsing. Many will be capable of video streaming, though the screen and audio quality and graphics are going to come into play here; not many are going to be up to anything more than casual games.
Typically speaking a budget laptop is one that costs under £500, but in many cases that is double what you'll be looking to spend - especially if it's a present. In our chart below we've rounded up a range of options to suit all budgets - and all of them tested, so you can buy with complete peace of mind that you won't be disappointed.
But budget laptops don't hang around for long, simply because they are so sought after and offer little profit margin for manufacturers. They can also be advertised under slightly differing model names. As well as pointing you in the direction of some great cheap laptops, in this article we also aim to educate you on what makes a good budget laptop spec, so that even if these laptops aren't available you can feel confident in knowing what you want.
If your budget will stretch a little further we also review many mid-range and high-end laptops, as well as gaming laptops and Chromebooks.
What should I look for in a cheap laptop?
Which specifications are important depends on what you want to do with your laptop. You may want lots of storage or you might need as much power for the money as possible.
Screen
Starting with the screen, you need to decide on a size. Most laptops will be 13- or 15in but you can also go smaller or larger if you want something even more portable or if it rarely needs to move.
Remember that the size of the screen will have an impact on things like the weight of the laptop and other things like the keyboard and even how many ports and connections it can have.
It's typical to find a budget laptop with an unexciting resolution of 1366x768 (HD) but if you can find higher, probably 1920x1080 (or Full HD) then you'll be much better off. Look for a matt finish which is preferable to a glossy screen that reflects like a mirror when it's bright and sunny.
Processor
The processor is the heart of the computer and has a large impact on how fast it runs. You might well find many with an Intel Celeron or similar and these are to be avoided unless you will be simply browsing the web and sending emails.
Look for either an Intel Core processor or AMD A-series if you can – and some of the laptops in this chart do offer these. When it comes to Intel, go for a Core i5 processor if you can, but an i3 is a good compromise if everything else in the laptop is to your liking and you're only doing basic tasks.
We run various benchmarks on every laptop so be sure to read the full review to see the results and what they mean for daily use.
Storage and memory
Don't confuse storage and memory. The latter - also called RAM - is for temporarily storing information when you open an app or file, while storage is the space to store files and programs.
In both cases it's better to have as much as possible. A lot of budget laptops will come with a 500GB or 1TB hard drive but only 4GB of RAM. You're unlikely to find an SSD (solid state drive) or more than 8GB of RAM at under £300 but these are things you might be able to upgrade yourself – the latter being easier to DIY if there is a spare slot.
Remember that you can also always use cloud storage if you need additional space.
Do you need a CD or DVD drive?
Modern laptops ditch the CD drive to save money and weight. So if you need one, be sure to check your chosen laptop has an optical drive, but it's highly unlikely. You can still buy external DVD drives if you really need it.
Software
These days virtually all laptops come with Windows 10. Don't assume they will have Microsoft Office, though. This is separate software, but you can download free alternatives.