Purchasing a new laptop is an important investment, especially for college students. Finding the right laptop that fits both your needs and your budget can be difficult, but there are plenty of options out there for those looking for a laptop under $500. Whether youre a student looking for a computer for school work, or a person seeking a laptop just for everyday use, these are some of the best laptops to consider for under $500.
Best Laptops For College Students Under 500
| Rank | Product Name | Score |
|---|---|---|
|
1
 |
Acer Aspire E 15
|
9. 7
|
|
2
 |
Asus Chromebook Flip C302CA
|
9. 5
|
|
3
 |
Samsung Chromebook Plus
|
9. 1
|
|
4
 |
Lenovo Flex 11
|
8. 8
|
|
5
 |
Asus VivoBook E203NA-YS03
|
8. 6
|
|
6
 |
HP Chromebook 14
|
8. 2
|
|
7
 |
Acer Swift 1
|
8. 0
|
|
8
 |
HP Stream 11
|
7 .7
|
|
9
 |
Lenovo IdeaPad 330
|
7. 4
|
1. Acer Aspire E 15
I recently bought the Acer Aspire E 15 and I am really impressed with it. It has a great design, with a sleek black finish that looks really stylish. The 15.6 inch Full HD display is great for watching movies and playing games and the 8GB of RAM and 128GB SSD offers plenty of storage and speed for running multiple applications. The battery life is also really impressive and I’ve been able to get up to 8 hours of life on a single charge. The laptop also includes a range of useful features, like a back-lit keyboard, 802.11ac wireless and a USB 3.0 port. Overall, I’m very happy with the Acer Aspire E 15 and would definitely recommend it to others looking for a great mid-range laptop.
table
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Processor | 8th Generation Intel Core i5-8250U processor (Up to 3.4GHz) |
| Memory | 8GB DDR4 Memory |
| Storage | 256GB SSD |
| Display | 15.6 inch Full HD (1920 x 1080) widescreen LED-backlit IPS Display |
| Graphics | Intel UHD Graphics 620 |
| Connectivity | 802.11ac Wi-Fi featuring MU-MIMO technology & Bluetooth 4.1 |
| Ports | 2 USB 3.0, 1 USB 2.0, 1 HDMI, 1 Headphone output/Microphone input combo |
| Battery | Up to 13.5-hours battery life |
| Operating System | Windows 10 Home |
2. Asus Chromebook Flip C302CA
I recently purchased the Asus Chromebook Flip C302CA, and I’m absolutely loving it! It’s a great all-purpose laptop that I can use for both work and play. The Chromebook features a 12.5 inch full HD touchscreen display, which is great for multitasking and enjoying HD videos. It also has a long battery life of up to 10 hours, so I’m able to work without worrying about having to plug it in. Plus, the Chromebook Flip is very lightweight and has a sleek aluminum body, which makes it very easy to carry around. The laptop runs on Chrome OS, which is a great operating system and offers a wide range of useful apps and features. All in all, I’m really happy with my purchase and would highly recommend the Asus Chromebook Flip C302CA.
- 12.5″ Full-HD touchscreen display
- Intel Core m3 Processor
- 4GB RAM and 64GB eMMC storage
- Chrome OS with automatic updates
- 802.11ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2 and 2x USB-C ports
- Lightweight design (2.65 lbs)
3. Samsung Chromebook Plus
I recently bought the Samsung Chromebook Plus and I absolutely love it! It is a great device to use for work and play, as the Chromebook Plus has both a touchscreen and a stylus that makes it easy to navigate. The Chromebook Plus also has a great battery life, so it can last you through the day without needing to be recharged. The speed of the Chromebook Plus is also impressive, allowing me to quickly navigate webpages and multitask with ease. Overall, I highly recommend the Samsung Chromebook Plus for anyone looking for a reliable and lightweight device.
- 2-in-1 convertible design with 360° rotating display
- 12.2 Full HD touchscreen display
- Built-in pen to use with the touchscreen
- Intel Celeron processor
- 4GB RAM
- 32GB storage capacity
- Long-lasting battery
- Chrome OS
4. Lenovo Flex 11
The Lenovo Flex 11 is an excellent two-in-one laptop that strikes the perfect balance between portability and performance. It is packed with features that make it ideal for everyday use, while still being lightweight and easy to carry. The 11.6 inch touchscreen display is vibrant and sharp, and the Intel Celeron processor and 4GB RAM provide more than enough power for basic functions, making it great for students and professionals alike. The battery life is impressive and will easily last for 6 to 8 hours of regular use. It also has plenty of ports and slots, so you can use it with a variety of peripherals. Overall, the Lenovo Flex 11 is an excellent two-in-one laptop that comes in at the perfect price.
- 2-in-1 Design with 360° Hinge
- 11.6″ HD (1366×768) Touchscreen Display
- AMD A4-9120e Processor
- 4GB DDR4 Memory and 64GB eMMC
- Integrated AMD Radeon R3 Graphics
- 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.1
- Up to 8 Hours of Battery Life
- HD Webcam with Dual Array Microphones
- 2 x USB 3.1 Gen 1 and 1 x HDMI
- Windows 10 Home in S Mode
5. Asus VivoBook E203NA-YS03
The Asus VivoBook E203NA-YS03 is a great laptop for those who need portability and power. The 11.6 screen is perfect for travel, and the slim design makes it easy to slip into a backpack or laptop bag. The Intel Celeron processor and 4GB of RAM provide enough speed to power through everyday tasks. The 128GB SSD boot drive gives you plenty of space to store your documents and media. The battery life is also impressive, with up to 8 hours of runtime. The VivoBook E203NA-YS03 includes a variety of ports and connectivity options, including two USB 3.0 ports, one HDMI port, Ethernet, and 802.11ac WiFi. It also features a backlit keyboard, which makes it easy to work in low-light settings. All in all, this laptop is a great value for anyone looking for a lightweight and affordable laptop.
- 11.6 HD NanoEdge display with a wide viewing angle
- Intel Celeron N3350 processor with 4GB DDR3 RAM
- 32GB eMMC Storage
- Lightweight and portable design with 0.7 thin profile
- One-year subscription to Microsoft Office 365 included
- Pre-loaded with Windows 10 Home in S mode
- Ergonomic chiclet keyboard
- Works with Cortana for voice command
- 802.11ac Wi-Fi for greater speed and range
6. HP Chromebook 14
I recently bought an HP Chromebook 14 and I am very satisfied with it so far. The laptop is light and compact and it is easy to carry around. The battery life is great and it lasts for a decent amount of time. The performance of the laptop is good and it can handle general tasks such as browsing the internet, listening to music and writing documents. The keyboard is comfortable to type on and the display is sharp and clear. Overall, I would highly recommend the HP Chromebook 14 as it is a great laptop for anyone looking for a lightweight, affordable and reliable laptop.
- 14-inch HD IPS anti-glare display with a resolution of 1366 x 768
- Intel Celeron N4000 processor
- 4GB of RAM
- 32GB of eMMC storage
- Intel UHD Graphics 600
- Chrome OS operating system
- 2x USB 3.1 Type-C ports
- 2x USB 3.1 Type-A ports
- microSD card reader
- Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) and Bluetooth 4.2
- Built-in webcam with an integrated digital microphone
- Stereo speakers
- Headphone/microphone combo jack
7. Acer Swift 1
I recently purchased the Acer Swift 1 laptop, and I’m so happy I did. It’s incredibly lightweight and portable, and has a nice 15.6 inch full HD display. The battery life is great too, lasting five to six hours on a single charge. The laptop is also quite fast, with an Intel Celeron processor and 4GB of RAM. In addition, it has plenty of storage space, with a 128GB solid-state drive. The Acer Swift 1 has everything I need in a laptop, and I’d highly recommend it to anyone looking for an affordable and reliable laptop.
- 14-inch Full HD IPS display with narrow bezels
- Intel Celeron N4000 processor with 4GB RAM
- 128GB solid state drive (SSD)
- Intel UHD Graphics 600
- Up to 8 hours of battery life
- 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Gigabit Ethernet LAN
- HD webcam with dual digital microphones
8. HP Stream 11
I recently purchased the HP Stream 11 and I’m incredibly pleased with it so far. It’s a great laptop for the price. It’s lightweight and quite portable, making it a great choice for light travel or for taking to class. The performance is quite good for a budget laptop and I haven’t had any problems with lag or slowness yet. The battery life is also quite good, lasting several hours on a single charge. The display is also quite nice, offering vibrant colors and good viewing angles. The keyboard is also comfortable and easy to type on. All in all, it’s a great budget laptop and I’m very happy with it so far.
- Lightweight and compact design, weighing just 2.53 lbs.
- 11.6-inch HD display with 1366 x 768 resolution
- Intel Celeron N4000 Dual-Core processor, clocked up to 2.6GHz with 4MB cache
- 4GB DDR4 RAM, expandable up to 8GB
- 64GB eMMC storage
- 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.2 for fast and smooth wireless connectivity
- Ports: 1 HDMI, 2 USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A, 1 USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-C and a 3.5mm headphone jack
- Windows 10 S operating system
9. Lenovo IdeaPad 330
Ive had the Lenovo IdeaPad 330 for a few months now and its been a great laptop. It has a great build quality and looks good, with a nice thin profile and good port selection. The 15.6 screen is bright, with good viewing angles, and the keyboard is comfortable for typing. The performance is good for everyday tasks, and the Intel i5 processor and 8GB RAM provide plenty of power for multitasking. The battery life is great; it can get up to 8 hours on a single charge. Overall, the Lenovo IdeaPad 330 is a great choice for those who need a reliable laptop that looks good and provides good performance. Highly recommended.
- 15.6 HD display
- Powered by Intel Core i7 processor
- Plenty of storage with up to 1TB HDD
- High performance with up to 8GB DDR4 RAM
- Latest connectivity with USB Type-C and HDMI ports
- Integrated 802.11 AC wireless and Bluetooth 4.1
- Stereo speakers for quality multimedia experience
- Long-lasting battery life with up to 5 hours
- Smooth, precise control with the optional Active Pen Stylus
