The world of budget-friendly laptops has turned into a domain very much worthy of your attention in recent years. Many users are after a top-level affordable device, and in their race to offer the best product they can, manufacturers kept offering better and better cheap devices, reaching the point where the low-end domain became the one with by fat the highest value for money.
We are of course talking about laptops that cannot run any super advanced graphic design programs, but can tackle every basic function without a hitch and even run some of the tad advanced stuff like Photoshop and a portion of the modern games.
“So what’s a good price range for these devices?”, you might ask. Well, we say that anywhere between $200 and $300 is a good match. Therefore, we decided to thoroughly sift through the market in an attempt to bring you the best laptop under $300. Our quest yielded five worthy champions, all of which can be found in the section below. The reviews await!
5 Best laptops under 300 Reviews
1. Toshiba CB35-B3340
The first option on our list is a mighty Toshiba, the CB35-B33340 model. This fella packs a heck of a punch, but one of the main reasons why we singled it out and placed it as an opener is the fact that it comes as a part of the series with very low user complaints over extended periods of use.
So while a solid share of laptops works alright after a year and than starts severely malfunctioning – none of those were included in the rundown, of course – this fella can easily run at least four years without a hassle. The list of device’s notable features reads as follows:
- Processor: Intel Celeron N2840
- Memory: 4 GB of DDR3L SDRAM
- Hard drive: 16 GB SDD (Solid state Drive)
- Screen: 13 inch IPS
- Graphics: Intel HD
As one of the top laptops under 300, the device is capable of open and editing MS Office files through a free embedded Quickoffice Editor. Additionally, you can download Microsoft Office Online for free, but cannot install the standard edition of MS Office Software.
On the up side, the device is strong, powerful and delivers a great band for the buck. It looks smooth elegant, and quite similar to high-end Apple devices that cost at least 5 times more. It has a full HD screen and a battery that can ACTUALLY last 9 hours.
Another awesome thing – the device comes with an included Google Drive capable of holding a lot of data. So store only the bare necessities on the laptop’s actual hard drive and store the rest online.
Not so great stuff
On the down side, a small portion of users has been complaining about vertical lines appearing on the screen after a while. The up side of this down side is that it refers to less than 1 percent of users and that the company has received massive praises about reaching out to users and going the extra mile to fix it.
2. HP – 15.6″ Laptop
If you like your computer packed with good ole Windows operating system and still in the under $300 category, give this HP a try. It features a larger screen, so if all those modern devices bug you with their smaller screens and you want a nice 15.6-inch beast under your control, this is it.
The device also has a DVD and CD reader, as well as a pretty large hard drive. Anyhow, notable features read as follow:
- Processor: AMD A6-5200
- Graphics: R4 from AMD Radeon
- Memory: 4GB of DDR3L SDRAM
- Hard drive: 500GB
- Screen: 15.6″ WLED
- DVDRW and CD-RW
- Operating system: Windows 10
Great stuff
We love the larger screen, we love the super massive 500 GB hard drive, and the graphic card has shown itself as surprisingly efficient, even for some gaming. The exterior is standard plastic stuff, but it has a sleek and elegant black finish, and is not prone to overheating at all. Much like any item on the list , we are looking at top bang for the buck and a device you can’t really regret purchasing. It’ll last you for at least three years without maintenance in our opinion.
Not so great stuff
So the laptop is not prone to overheating, but the fan can get quite loud. The Windows 10 system is something some users are hesitant about, but in our experience it works like a charm when combined with this device. You’ll be surprised by how fast the Edge browser is! Even if not so great stuff are mentioned, we still consider it one of the best budget laptop under 300 dollars.
3. Acer CB3-131-C3SZ
Delving into the really affordable domain, the CB3-131-C3SZ from Acer is a solid laptop with a price tag below the $200 mark. We can call it one of the best cheap laptops on the market, and note that this is an area in which you should treat lightly. A lot of poor products belong in this price range, and we can confidently say that the Acer boy here is one of the champions actually worthy of purchase.
It’s a modern, sleek and elegant gizmo with all the unnecessary features removed in order to extend mobility and portability. So if you’re on the move a lot, and want a solid laptop for basic use, this is a fine choice. Notable features include following.
- Processor: Dual-core Intel Celeron N2840 with 2.16 gHz
- Operating system: Google Chrome
- Screen: 11.6-inch HD Comfy View Widescreen
- Resolution: 1366 x 768
- Aspect ration: 16:9
- Memory: 2GB DDR3L
- Internal storage: 16GB
- Graphics: Intel HD
- SD card reader
- USB 3.0 port, USB 2.0 port, HDMI port included
Great stuff
That mobility is really convenient! The 11.6-inch screen size and thin casing allow you to carry a laptop in a slightly purse, which is especially convenient for the ladies. The price is pretty much the lowest $ mark that can fetch you a decent laptop these days, and the looks are quite classy in our opinion, only bested by the Toshiba device mentioned before. Additionally, the aluminum cover is a very nice touch and a nice bump in the durability section.
Not so great stuff
Basic computer use only. You can’t expect this fella to run anything more complex than Word- and Excel-like programs, but with a screen of such small size, you hardly wanted to operate Photoshop or advanced video editors here, right?
4. ASUS VivoBook E200HA-US01-GD
Another worthy contestant comes from ASUS – the VivoBook! Once again we are looking at a Windows device, sporting elegant looks and a pretty low price tag. It’s for basic users only in our book, these are the specs:
- Screen size: 11.6-inch with ultra compact design
- Operating system: Windows 10 with 1-year Office 365
- Processor: Intel quadcore Atom
- Storage: 32GB eMMC
- Allday battery
- WiFi: 802.11ac
Great stuff
Battery life! This thing can really, really last. While most other boys offer 9 hours of standard battery life, but this guy can do 13 hours of NON-STOP VIDEO, or a full day of standard use. In the day and age where devices are charged on a nightly, if not hourly basis, this is a great feature.
Not so great stuff
Much like the previously presented Acer, this is a basic device for casual users who want portability and practicality. There’s not a whole lot of hard drive room, and there’s not a whole lot of power, but on the up side, the manufacturer made sure that the basic stuff is as smooth as it can get.
5. Dell Inspiron 14-inch Touchscreen Laptop
To conclude things with modern technology hinting what awaits us in the future, we bring you the Inspiron from Dell. This is a touchscreen laptop and a genuine treat for all you tech fans out there. First of all, we must point out that we did NOT choose this option just for the gimmicky part; it’s a genuine solid computer with all the features of a good laptop and an affordable price tag. The list of features says:
- Processor: Intel Celeron dual core 2.16 GHz
- Graphics: Intel HD
- Memory: 2GB of DDR3
- Storage: 32GB eMMC
- Screen: 14-inch Touchscreen HD with 1366 x 768 resolution
- Operating system: Windows 10 Home with included Office 365 Personal
- Battery: Four-cell lithium-ion with up to 8 hours of operating mode
- Weight: 3.9 pounds
Great stuff
We like the larger screen, and we like the touchscreen feature. It really makes it easier to operate and expands the capabilities of your average laptop. The screen resolution is fairly high, and the weight is significantly lower than expected thanks to another nifty feature – slimness. It’s a bit of a wild card, but still a worthy contestant for the title of best laptop under $300.
Not so great stuff
If you’re not into the touchscreen thing, you could get the same thing for at least $40 less. So if you want this fella, make sure you put that touchscreen to good use! Either way it fits in the category laptops under 300.
Conclusion
When all is said and combined, we are very glad to say that as long as you are after a cheap laptop, these are products you simply cannot regret purchasing. They all have strong components, sturdy built, classy looks, and pretty much no things you can complain about for the listed budget. If you’re looking for a gaming beast, these fellas of course won’t work, but if you need a highly portable laptop that can tackle the needs of vast majority of users these days, pick one of these bad boys. Almost in line with gaming laptops under 300.
With that out of the way, it now just comes down to you jotting down your personal needs and preferences in order to single out the one that suits you best. Treat yourself with a cheap high-tech device today, highly recommended! After reading this, both me and you know that good laptop under 300 is available out there. What are you waiting for?