The 4 Best Laptops Under $500 of 2025

The best laptop under $500 we’ve tested is the ASUS Vivobook 16 M1605 (2023). This Windows ultraportable looks assuming and doesn't really stand out from the crowd design-wise. What really puts it above other laptops in this price range is its great keyboard and touchpad, as well as its overall CPU performance. Build quality is pretty good for a device with an all-plastic chassis, and it isn't overly bulky or heavy for a 16-inch device, so it's still relatively portable. Configurable with an AMD Ryzen 5 or Ryzen 7 CPU, it can handle most general productivity tasks like text processing, web browsing, spreadsheets, and video playback. We recommend 16GB of RAM for heavy multitasking, but 16GB models may be hard to find. Thankfully, you can upgrade the memory yourself via the standard SO-DIMM slot.

Another great thing about this laptop is its 16-inch screen, as it gives you plenty of room to work with two windows side by side. Our only complaint is that it only gets to around 250 cd/m², which is on the low side, meaning you might have some visibility issues in very well-lit environments. You get Wi-Fi 6E wireless connectivity, a fingerprint sensor for quick logins, and a decent port selection with three USB-As, a USB-C, and an HDMI. Keep in mind that the USB-C doesn't support video output, so you'll have to rely on the HDMI port to connect an external display. Finally, battery life is okay at around eight hours of light use, so depending on your workload, you may have to plug it in for a short time to get through a typical school or workday.

Our best under-$500 Chromebook pick is the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i Chromebook 14 (2023). This 14-inch model is a great option for younger students and anyone needing a simple device for light productivity tasks. You can often find the Core i3 configuration (paired with an FHD touch-sensitive display, 8GB of RAM, and 128GB of storage) for $400 to $500 USD on Lenovo's website. There are cheaper models with an N100/N200 CPU and/or 4GB of RAM, but we don't recommend them unless you have an extremely light workload, as they'll get bogged down quickly when multitasking or running more intensive applications.

The Core i3 model's 1080p touch-sensitive display looks sharp and gets bright enough to combat glare in well-lit settings. If you're often on video calls, you'd be happy to know this laptop has an excellent 1080p webcam and clear-sounding microphones. Despite its relatively small 56Wh battery, a full charge gets you around 13 hours of light use or 12 hours of video playback, so you don't have to worry about bringing a charger. Unfortunately, the keyboard feels a little mushy, and the touchpad is small and sometimes unresponsive.

The Lenovo Chromebook Duet 5 (2021) is the best laptop for media consumption we've tested for under $500. It's a Chrome OS tablet with a kickstand and detachable keyboard, similar to Microsoft's popular Surface Pro line. This form factor is very versatile, as you can detach the keyboard to make the device easier to hold as a tablet or to save space, and you can snap it back on when you need to type something. It's easy to carry around thanks to its compact size, and its battery lasts around eight hours of video playback, which is plenty of time for a couple of movies or TV show episodes.

What makes this device great for multimedia is its gorgeous OLED screen. It produces vibrant colors, and the blacks look amazing, like on all OLEDs. The speakers are just okay; they get reasonably loud but sound slightly unnatural with almost no bass. If you want to use headphones, know that the laptop doesn't have a 3.5mm headphone jack, so it's best to go wireless. You don't have to buy the keyboard separately since it comes with the device. The downside is that it doesn't feel particularly comfortable to type on—it's fine for a couple of emails on the go, but better options exist for typing a long essay.

If you're looking for something compact for on-the-go use, we have yet another Lenovo device (Lenovo makes a lot of good budget laptops), the Lenovo Chromebook Duet 3 (2022). Like the Duet 5 above, this is also a Chrome OS tablet with a kickstand and a detachable type cover keyboard. However, it's an 11-inch model, so it's even more portable. The display is great; it's a sharp 10.9-inch IPS panel that gets bright enough for use in most settings. It supports pen input, though the pen is a separate purchase. 

All models come with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c Gen. 2 SoC, which is fast enough for everyday tasks like simple web browsing, emails, and video playback, but don't expect to edit 4k videos or play AAA games. It's available with 4GB or 8GB of RAM; we recommend the latter option, as you'll get a much smoother experience with fewer stutters and slowdowns. Battery life is fantastic for light use, clocking in around 14 hours. It doesn't last nearly as long for video playback, though, at around 4.5 hours. The port selection is awful; there are only two USB-C ports, one of which you need to use to charge the device.