To be honest, there are lots of laptops that come under the budget of $500. However, not all of them are actually good and usable for everyone. A lot of prominent and well-reputed organizations have done researches and tested hundreds of cheap Windows laptops and Chromebooks to find out the best possible machine under $500.
The prices of laptops are also fluctuating time to time, therefore; we’d advice you to shop smartly before some of them go out of stock or exceed your budget.
We’ve reviewed some of the best budget laptops in this list and we are hopeful that you’d find a really cool and decent machine if you follow this article carefully. This list contains both Windows laptops and Chromebooks because Chromebook in particular, have been making huge strides in the tech industry of late.
Relying on a single formula isn’t going to work all the time because things change and so does laptops and their prices. However, we are still hopeful that this list will give you some really cool options to explore and that too, under the budget of $500. So, without wasting any time, let’s check out the best laptops under $500.
Top 5 Best laptops under $500 to buy in 2022
Lenovo Flex 5i 13
Price: $296 USD
The Lenovo Flex 5i is an amazing machine that offers excellent performance, a compact design and a very low price. Currently, this product is being sold for less than $300 on Amazon. As far as its main components are concerned, it comes with an Intel Core i3-1115G4 processor and 8 GB RAM.
It weighs around 2.97 pounds and the storage capacity is 64 GB SSD. It also has a separate model that offers 128 GB SSD. With Intel UHD graphics, this laptop is expected to last around 8 hours on a full charge.
Moreover, it packs a 1080p touchscreen that is bright and vivid. The lid can be a bit tricky but overall, this laptop is a worthy addition in the list of the top 5 best laptops to buy under $500 in 2022.
Acer Chromebook 314
Price: $249.99 USD
The next product that we have on our list is the Acer Chromebook 314. This beast of a machine is another magnificent budget option for people that are looking to buy a laptop for less than $500. As of July 2022, this laptop is being sold on Amazon for less than $255.
If we talk about its internal features then you’ve got an Intel Celeron N4000 processor with 14-inch Full HD display. You would also get a nice 4 GB LPDDR4 RAM with 64 GB eMMC storage.
Gigabit WiFi is also available in this laptop along with Intel UHD graphics. It is pertinent to mention that Chromebooks come with built-in storage for offline access to your most important files and an additional 100 GB of Google Drive space to make sure the files are backed up automatically.
Some people claim that the battery life of this Chromebook is expected to last around 12 hours. It is a fantastic option for all those looking to buy a capable machine for less than $500.
HP 2019 14″
Price: $319.99 USD
Moving on, we’ve the HP 2019 14-inch laptop that offers a lot of valuable features. As we all know, HP is a company that cannot be ignored as far as good and budget laptops are concerned.
Although, this machine is a bit expensive than the ones discussed above. Currently, it is being sold around $400 on Amazon. If we talk about its salient features then you’ve got an Intel Core i3 processor with 8 GB RAM and 128 GB SSD.
It also comes with an Ash Silver keyboard frame. The CPU model is 1.2 GHz Cortex A8 processor. A 14-inch bright and glossy display will maintain the vivid colors in your photos and videos with typical 1366×768 HD resolution. The build quality is a bit average but one also needs to use it carefully to avoid any hiccups.
It has a 7th generation Intel Core i3-7100U mobile processor with smart dual-core four-way processing performance for HD quality computing.
The HP 2019 will give you an 8 GB system memory for advanced multitasking and substantial high-bandwidth RAM. In our humble opinion, it is without a doubt, one of the finest Windows laptops to buy under $500 at the moment.
ASUS VivoBook 15.6″
Price: $395 USD
You can always expect a solid performance from the laptops of ASUS. Such is the case with ASUS VivoBook 15 F513 as well. You would receive a really cool performance with decent 1080p display and a comfortable keyboard.
You will enjoy the services of a fantastic 15.6-inch laptop with FHD touchscreen and 10th generation Intel Core i3-1005G1 CPU. It has an 8 GB RAM and 128 GB PCIe SSD. You would also get a fingerprint reader as well as Windows 10 Home edition along with a mouse pad bundle.
The processor is a smart dual-core machine that allows four-way processing performance for HD-quality computing. Moreover, you would also get a 3.40 GHz Max Turbo Frequency along with an energy efficient IPS display and LED backlight. Overall, this laptop is another valuable addition to the list of the top 5 best laptops under $500 to buy in 2022.
SAMSUNG Galaxy Chromebook 4
Price: $223.88 USD
Most people feel that Samsung is only good at product high-quality smartphones. They don’t understand the quality of this company or perhaps, they underestimate it. The Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 4 is a classic example of how good this company is at making laptops. This is the last product on this list and it also comes under the required budget of $500. You can get this machine right away on Amazon for less than $235. If we get into its main features then you’ve got an 11.6-inch display with 64 GB eMMC storage.
You would also get a 4 GB RAM and a nice HD Intel Celeron N4000 processor. One of the most brilliant qualities of this machine is its durability. It looks like the company has made this laptop for people that use their machines roughly.
There are reports of this machine having lasted over 12 hours on a single charge, however; we can neither confirm or deny this news. If it gives you around 10 hours of battery life, we feel that it is more than enough for anyone. The battery life also depends on the work pattern and network environment.
Conclusion: Our top 3 picks
Finding a suitable machine for less than $500 in 2022 is not difficult. However, the amount of choices that are available in the market will certainly make it a bit frustrating. For this reason, we’ve formed this list of the top 5 best laptops to buy in 2022.
As far as our top 3 machines are concerned, we’ve kept the Lenovo Flex 5i at the first place because of its strong multiple features such as 128 GB SSD and 8 GB RAM.
The second spot goes to HP 2019 14” as it offers a 1.2 GHz Cortex A8 processor model with glossy and bright display. This laptop also has an 8 GB RAM and 128 GB SSD. The third and last spot goes to the ASUS VivoBook 15.6” laptop that offers 8 GB RAM, 128 GB PCIe SSD and a fingerprint reader as well.
These three are our top picks out of this list. Let us know in the comments if you think we have missed any specific machines that are coming under the price-tag of $500. We shall see you soon in our next analytical piece. Until then, goodbye and good luck with whatever you choose.