The 4 Best Laptops Under $600 - Black Friday 2024

The best laptop for under $600 is the ASUS Vivobook 16 M1605 (2023). This 16-inch Windows ultraportable feels well-built, and it isn't overly bulky or heavy despite its size, so it's still easy to carry around. You can configure it with an AMD Ryzen 5 or Ryzen 7 CPU, which are more than adequate to handle general productivity tasks like text processing, web browsing, spreadsheets, and video playback. Most models come with 8GB of RAM, although you can find some with 16GB, so you don't have to upgrade it yourself. Its battery life is okay; it lasts a little over eight hours of light use, so depending on your workload, you may have to plug it in for a quick charge.

The overall user experience is good. It has a comfortable keyboard, a large, responsive touchpad, and a decent 720p webcam. Its 1080p display looks reasonably sharp but only gets up to 250 cd/m² of brightness, so visibility may be an issue in well-lit rooms. It also looks a tad washed out due to its narrow color gamut. 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. Unfortunately, the USB-C doesn't support video output, so you'll have to use the HDMI port to connect an external display.

Our best under-$600 Chromebook pick is the Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714 (2024), a 14-inch 2-in-1 convertible. It has a compact design that makes it easy to carry around, and its battery lasts easily through a typical school or workday, so you don't have to worry about bringing a charger. The overall user experience is surprisingly good for a Chromebook, which are typically low-end devices that often feel cheap. You get a nice FHD+ display, a comfortable keyboard, and an excellent 1440p webcam. The display gets bright enough to combat glare in well-lit settings, and since this is a 2-in-1 convertible, you can flip the screen around and use it as a tablet. There's pen input support if you want to take handwritten notes or draw, but there isn't a stylus included in the box, and there's also no pen garage to store it for transport. The port selection is decent; it has two USB-C/Thunderbolt 4s, a USB-A, an HDMI, and a headphone jack.

For under $600 USD (MSRP is $700, but it's often on sale), you can get a model sporting an Intel Core Ultra 5 115U CPU paired with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. The Core Ultra 5 is more than adequate to handle everything you can do on a Chrome OS device, like web browsing, text processing, and video playback. Unfortunately, there's no fingerprint sensor or facial recognition camera for quick logins. If you're new to Chromebooks, know that most applications that run on Windows and macOS don't work on Chrome OS, so you must ensure you can do everything through a Chrome browser or Android app.

If you prefer a 2-in-1 tablet, consider the Lenovo Chromebook Duet 5 (2021). It's an excellent choice for media consumption and web browsing, offering a compact, lightweight design and a battery life of 10 to 11 hours. You can detach the keyboard for easier use as a tablet or to save space, making it convenient in tight areas. Its OLED display is sharp, colorful, and bright enough to handle indoor glare; just know that OLEDs suffer from burn-in when displaying static elements, so vary the content. The device supports pen input and provides a storage spot for the stylus on the back cover, though you may need to purchase the stylus separately.

As expected with budget devices, there are a few drawbacks. The keyboard feels cramped, with stiff keys, and the touchpad is small and sometimes unresponsive—better suited for a dedicated mouse. The speakers deliver a poor, boxy sound with no bass. The device has only two USB-C ports, one of which is needed for charging. Additionally, it lacks biometric security, like fingerprint or facial recognition, which is typical for Chromebooks.