This content originally appeared on Mashable for a US audience and has been adapted for the UK audience.
So you’re thinking of buying a new laptop? Take some crucial advice from us: Don’t let the biggest brands with multi-million pound marketing campaigns fool you into thinking you have to pay upwards of £1,000 to get a quality device.
You can actually get a spanking new laptop for less than half of that price. And we aren’t talking about poorly made, subpar options that run slower than your smartphone. We’re talking about budget-level laptops that are high-tech and responsive, helping you write, browse the internet, store files, and play games.
There’s a whole world of laptops that cost £600 or less, and many of them are perfect companions for students returning to school or for anyone who needs something that’s a little more capable than your regular smartphone.
What are the most important laptop features?
We need to set expectations right away: The laptops on this list will not come with the latest and greatest processors, graphics cards, or displays. You have to spend more than £700 for those things. For students or workers who just want something to get them through the day, things like ports and memory are more important.
If you want to record audio with a microphone or use a mouse, you’ll need USB ports. Photographers or videographers should emphasise microSD card readers. A HDMI port goes a long way if you like streaming on a TV. Above all else, you want as much RAM and storage as you can get. More RAM means the computer can handle more applications at once and more storage means less hard drive management.
What are the downsides of cheap laptops?
Laptops in the £600-or-below price range are not going to be good for PC gaming. You won’t always get a 4K resolution display or a refresh rate higher than 60Hz. RAM is going to max out around 8GB, which isn’t bad but also isn’t spectacular. You’re also unlikely to get more than 500GB of storage space.
In this price range, laptops are going to be best for web browsing, word processing, Zoom calls, and streaming. As long as you don’t expect more than that, you’ll be fine.
Are cheap laptops actually worth it?
You know the old saying: You get what you pay for. But thanks to the technology boom of the last few decades, a cheap laptop can actually take you pretty far and won’t break down immediately. It’s all about knowing which one to select.
Rather than just making a few purchase suggestions and sending you on your way, we’re going to equip you with some knowledge that will make you a better informed laptop shopper.
What is the best cheap laptop?
We have checked out everything on offer and lined up a selection of the best cheap laptops on offer, including impressive devices from big brands like Microsoft, Samsung, and HP. There is something for everyone in this list, so we recommend taking your time and considering all of the options.
These are the best cheap laptops for 2023.
