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Best Laptops Under $500

Under $500, you’re mostly choosing between a Snapdragon Windows laptop on sale and a Chromebook. Sale timing matters more than anything else.

By PickedTech Editorial TeamLast updated Prices & specs checked Oct 2026

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Quick answer

Under $500, you’re mostly choosing between a Snapdragon Windows laptop on sale and a Chromebook. Sale timing matters more than anything else. Best overall: Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x (Snapdragon X), $449. Cheapest Windows: Acer Aspire Go 15, $299. Best Chromebook: Acer Chromebook Plus 515, $399.

Last updated Prices checked Oct 2026

Key facts at a glance

Key facts (prices checked Oct 2026)
PickProductBest forPrice
Best overallLenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x (Snapdragon X)most people$449 on sale (Tom’s Guide; list $739.99)
Cheapest WindowsAcer Aspire Go 15the lowest price$299–$409 (Tom’s Guide)
Best ChromebookAcer Chromebook Plus 515a big-screen Chromebook$399–$449.99 (Tom’s Guide)

Budget laptop prices change daily, so check the current price before you buy. With a little more to spend, see best laptops under $700.

Which should you buy? Our quick picks

$449 on sale (Tom’s Guide)
Check price (opens in a new tab)
Cheapest Windows
Acer Aspire Go 15
From about $299
Check price (opens in a new tab)
$399–$449.99
Check price (opens in a new tab)

How do they compare?

Prices (Tom’s Guide, PCWorld; Oct 2026)
LaptopPriceOSScreenBest for
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x$449 on sale ($739.99 list)Windows (Snapdragon X)15.3-inch FHD+ touchMost people
Acer Aspire Go 15$299–$409Windows (Core i3-N305)15.6-inch FHDThe lowest price
Acer Chromebook Plus 515$399–$449.99ChromeOS (Core i5-1235U)15.6-inch FHD IPSA big-screen Chromebook
ASUS Chromebook Plus CX34$479 (PCWorld; $499 when reviewed)ChromeOS14-inchA 14-inch Chromebook
Lenovo Chromebook Duet$369.99ChromeOS 2-in-111-inch 2KA tablet that’s also a laptop
ASUS Chromebook CX15Under $300ChromeOS15.6-inchUnder $300

The picks in detail

Best overall

1. Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x (Snapdragon X)

Best for: most people

Tom’s Guide’s[1] best laptop under $500. Its Snapdragon X chip gives it strong battery life, and the keyboard is good. Tom’s Guide showed it at $449, down from $739.99, and 9to5Toys[2] reported a $499.99 deal for a 16GB model in August. The display and speakers are average, and some Windows apps don’t run well on Arm.

Price (Oct 2026): $449 on sale (Tom’s Guide; list $739.99) Source

Pros

  • Battery life
  • Comfortable keyboard
  • 16GB when discounted

Cons

  • Display is so-so
  • Arm app compatibility
  • Weak speakers
Check Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x (Snapdragon X) price (opens in a new tab)
Cheapest Windows

2. Acer Aspire Go 15

Best for: the lowest price

Tom’s Guide’s[1] pick for students on a tight budget, with an Intel Core i3-N305 and a 15.6-inch 1080p screen. Tom’s Guide has listed it at $299 and $409. The 720p webcam is weak.

Price (Oct 2026): $299–$409 (Tom’s Guide) Source

Pros

  • Very low price
  • Full Windows

Cons

  • Weak 720p webcam
  • Entry-level CPU
Check Acer Aspire Go 15 price (opens in a new tab)
Best Chromebook

3. Acer Chromebook Plus 515

Best for: a big-screen Chromebook

A 15.6-inch Chromebook Plus with a Core i5-1235U and an IPS 1080p panel. Tom’s Guide[1] lists it at $399 to $449.99.

Price (Oct 2026): $399–$449.99 (Tom’s Guide) Source

Pros

  • Core i5 performance
  • Large screen

Cons

  • ChromeOS won’t run Windows apps
Check Acer Chromebook Plus 515 price (opens in a new tab)
Best for a 14-inch Chromebook

4. ASUS Chromebook Plus CX34

Best for: a 14-inch Chromebook

PCWorld’s[4] best overall Chromebook, with an Intel Core i5. PCWorld’s price tracker showed $479, down from $499 when it was reviewed. It’s a compact option for web and school work. See best laptops for college students.

Price (Oct 2026): $479 (PCWorld) Source

Pros

  • Portable 14-inch size

Cons

  • Close to the $500 limit
Check ASUS Chromebook Plus CX34 price (opens in a new tab)
Best for a tablet that’s also a laptop

5. Lenovo Chromebook Duet 3

Best for: a tablet that’s also a laptop

An 11-inch 2K 2-in-1 Chromebook with a detachable keyboard. Tom’s Guide[1] lists it at $369.99. It has no headphone jack.

Price (Oct 2026): $369.99 (Tom’s Guide) Source

Pros

  • Sharp 2K screen
  • Works as a tablet

Cons

  • No headphone jack
  • Small keyboard
Check Lenovo Chromebook Duet 3 price (opens in a new tab)
Best for under $300

6. ASUS Chromebook CX15

Best for: under $300

Tom’s Guide’s[1] pick for under $300: a basic 15.6-inch Chromebook for browsing and documents.

Price (Oct 2026): Under $300 (Tom’s Guide) Source

Pros

  • Lowest price here

Cons

  • Basic performance
Check ASUS Chromebook CX15 price (opens in a new tab)

Also considered

Just over budget, Tom’s Guide[1] lists the Dell XPS 13 (2026) at $599 at Best Buy and the MacBook Neo at $699 ($599 for students). 9to5Toys[2] reported the HP OmniBook 3 (Snapdragon X, 14-inch 2K OLED) at $399.99 as a one-day Best Buy deal on Oct 26, down from $600. PCMag[3] lists the Acer Aspire 3 at $371.

Chromebook or Windows?

Chromebooks run fast on cheap hardware if you live in a browser. Pick Windows if you need specific desktop apps. For more options, see best laptops under $1,000.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best laptop under $500?
Tom’s Guide[1] picks the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x, which it showed at $449 on sale.
How much RAM do I need under $500?
Tom’s Guide[1] recommends at least 8GB, and 16GB when you can get it.
Can I get a MacBook under $500?
Not new. The cheapest is the MacBook Neo at $699, or $599 for students.

Sources

Pricing and plan details were checked on the official pages below as of Oct 2026. Vendors change prices, credits and plan names often, and some show regional pricing at checkout, so confirm on the vendor’s site before you buy.

  1. Tom’s Guide: Best laptops under $500 (tomsguide.com)
  2. 9to5Toys: IdeaPad Slim 3x deal (Aug 2026) (9to5toys.com)
  3. PCMag: Best laptops under $1,000 (pcmag.com)
  4. PCWorld: Best Chromebooks (pcworld.com)
best of

Best Chromebooks of 2026

The Asus Chromebook Plus CX34 is the best Chromebook for most people at about $440–$450. The Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714 is PCMag’s premium pick, and Lenovo’s Chromebook Plus 2-in-1 is the best convertible.

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