The best laptop under 300 does not feature very powerful specifications. It balances its features with a budget-friendly price range for students, professionals, casual users, and beginners.
We noticed that many of the cheap laptops will feature a ChromeOS operating system instead of a Windows OS. MacOS will not be available under this low budget range.
Although they do not pack too much power, it is still possible to land a reliable laptop with decent specifications if you know what to look for. If you are not on a budget and need one you can choose a laptop under $500 or under $700; check out our last posts.
What to Expect from a Laptop Under 300 Dollars
A cheap laptop will be good for everyday tasks. However, they face some limitations that make them unable to perform complex tasks. Some of the aspects you can expect when using a budget laptop include the below.
First, they feature a lightweight build, long battery life, and a small build, which makes them portable and perfect for travelers and students. The screen size is not so big, although some have a Full HD resolution and touch screen display.
Storage space is low, especially for Chromebooks like the Lenovo Chromebook Duet 3 or Lenovo IdeaPad 3i Chromebook at 32 GB to 128 GB. Luckily, most feature an SSD-type hard drive. Overall, they are not made for heavy multitasking or complex gaming.
Top 5 Laptops Under $300
- Acer Aspire 3: Best laptop under 300 overall
- Acer Aspire Go 5: Best budget laptops
- ASUS VivoBook 14: Best laptops for students
- Lenovo IdeaPad 3i Chromebook: Cheap laptops
- Lenovo Chromebook Duet 3: Best 2-In-1 Laptop Under $300
Acer Aspire 3: Best Overall
- Screen size: 15.6″
- Resolution: 1920x1080p
- Full HD IPS Display
- Processor: AMD Ryzen 3
- GPU: AMD Radeon Graphics
- RAM: 8 GB
- Storage: 128 GB SSD expandable
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6, HDMI
- OS: Windows 11 Home in S Mode
- Battery Life: 11 hours
From our research, we found the Acer Aspire 3 is the best laptop that you can buy for this budget range. It packs powerful features and still comes at an affordable price range.
One of the main standout features is the screen. It comes with a large 15.6-inch screen with 1920 x 1080 pixels Full HD resolution. This is crisp and clear, making it ideal for streaming movies and playing basic games.
The Acer Aspire 3 is powered by an AMD Ryzen 3 Quad-Core processor and 8 GB of RAM that allows for easy multitasking. You will be able to run different tasks at the same time without any lags. Unfortunately, this laptop features a low 128 GB of SSD storage, which is not enough, especially for creatives.
Still, on the performance, the laptop comes with Windows 11 Home in S Mode already installed. The best part is that you can upgrade to Windows 11 fully anytime you want. This will allow for more functionality on your device.
If you are not on a budget, however, it is possible to upgrade with an external SSD hard drive. This is bought separately, adding to the overall price of the laptop.
The Acer Aspire 3 features a slim, lightweight body and a long 10-hour battery life that allows for easy portability. On a full charge, you will be able to use it continuously for up to a whole day without having to recharge.
For those who type for long hours, the Acer Aspire 3 features a backlit keyboard with number pads available. The keyboard is ergonomically designed for comfortable use for long hours.
Pros
- Large 15.6 inch screen with Full HD resolution
- Powerful AMD Ryzen 3
- Processor Long 11 hours battery life
- Decent 8 GB RAM
Cons
- Low 128 GB SSD storage
- Windows 11 Home in S Mode is not the best
Acer Aspire Go 5 Laptop: Best Budget Laptop under $300
- Screen Size: 15.6″
- Resolution: Full HD (1920×1080) IPS Display
- Processor: Intel Core i3
- GPU: Intel UHD Graphics
- RAM: 8 GB LPDDR5
- Storage: 128 GB HD
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6
- Features: AI-enhanced performance
- OS: Windows 11 Home in S Mode
- Battery Life: 12 Hours
The Acer Aspire Go 5 laptop has a similar screen to the Acer Aspire 3. It features a 15.6-inch screen size with 1920×1080 Full HD resolution. This screen allows you to view your work on a clear and high display whether you are working, gaming, or streaming movies.
This laptop also runs on Windows 11 Home in S Mode and is also upgradable to Windows 11 at any time. The Acer Aspire Go 5 is also a good multitasking laptop, but only when running simple programs. This is because although it has a large RAM of 8 GB, it runs on an older Intel Core i3 processor and Intel UHD Graphics.
Luckily, the laptop compensates for this with a large 8 GB RAM and Windows 11 Home in S Mode that allows for multitasking. Battery life also stands out, allowing you to use the laptop for up to 12 hours on a full charge; this is more than a full 8-hour working day.
For connectivity, you have Wi-Fi 6, which ensures lightning-fast internet speed. AI-powered performance ensures a smarter overall computing experience for the user. Unfortunately, the storage space is low at 128 GB SSD but is expandable using an external hard drive.
Pros
- Powerful Intel Core i3 processor
- Long 12 hours battery life
- 1920×1080 Full HD resolution at 15.6 inches
- Expandable storage
- Ai enhanced perfomance
- Affordable Price
Cons
- Low storage space
ASUS VivoBook 14: Best Value for Money
- Screen Size: 14″
- Resolution: Full HD (1920×1080) IPS Display
- Processor: Intel Core i3-1115G4
- GPU: Integrated Intel UHD Graphics
- RAM: 4 GB DDR4
- Storage: 128 GB PCIe SSD
- Features: Fingerprint Reader
- OS: Windows 11 Home in S Mode
- Color: Slate Grey
If you are looking for a laptop that balances performance and affordability to provide great value for money, the ASUS VivoBook 14 is the best option. It features a smaller 14-inch screen but with Full HD 1920×1080 pixels resolution.
It is easily portable thanks to a compact and lightweight design and 180° hinges, which add to the versatility and flexibility. ASUS VivoBook 14 is equipped with a large 12 GB of RAM, which can be upgraded to 16 GB if needed. However, despite a large RAM, the Intel Core i3 processor is old and relatively slow compared to other new processors.
If you are not on a budget and need the laptop for complex tasks like animation, you can choose the more expensive Intel Core i7 processor version. Luckily, an integrated Intel Iris Xe Graphics will be ideal for smooth graphic display processing and even allow you to play some simple games. You will have 512 GB of SSD storage space, which is perfect for regular tasks and basic gaming.
This laptop features modern connectivity such as Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3. You also have multiple ports, such as USB Type-C, USB-A, and HDMI, for diverse uses and connections. Security is enhanced with a fingerprint reader, while the 10-hour battery life ensures all-day productivity without frequent charging.
The key downside is that the glossy IPS display may cause reflections in bright environments, therefore limiting outdoor usage.
Generally, the Asus Vivobook S14 stands out thanks to its sleek design, powerful performance, and well-thought-out features and specs. Whether you need it for study or entertainment, this laptop is a smart investment for anyone seeking a high-performing laptop for an affordable price.
Pros
- Finger print reader security feature
- Full HD 1920×1080 resolution
- Poweful Intel Core i3 processor
Cons
- Low RAM and storage space
Lenovo IdeaPad 3i Chromebook: Best Chromebook
- Screen Size: 15.6″
- Resolution: 1366 x 768 pixels
- Processor: Intel Core i3-1115G4
- GPU: Integrated Intel UHD Graphics
- RAM: 12 GB DDR4
- Storage: 64 GB PCIe SSD
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, HDMI
- Features: Webcam
- OS: ChromeOS
- Color: Grey
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3i Laptop is perfect for those looking for a budget-friendly laptop. It has a 15.6-inch, which is touchscreen-enabled. Compared to earlier discussed laptops, the IdeaPad 3i features a lower resolution at 1366 x 768 pixels.
This is not too low, but it limits laptop usage by designers and creatives. Most creatives prefer 1920 x 1080 pixels or 1080p. This laptop compensates with impressive performance and many storage options.
For processing power, it comes with a ChromeOs processor and Intel UHD Graphics, combined with 12 GB. This combination allows decent performance but will slow down if you run heavy programs.
Although the keyboard is ergonomically designed with a responsive touchpad, it lacks backlit keys, which is a minor disadvantage. Overall, the keyboard is still comfortable for long hours of usage.
The laptop features modern connectivity options, with Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, and a number of alternative ports. These include two SuperSpeed USB Type-A, one USB 2.0 Type-A, HDMI, headphone, and microphone ports.
Lenovo IdeaPad 3i features a lightweight and versatile design, which, together with a 7 to 9-hour battery life, makes it an excellent choice for both home and outdoors.
For a low and affordable price, you will get a lot of features on the Lenovo IdeaPad 3i, plus a balance of performance, storage, and long usability. It is perfect for students, professionals, or casual users.
Pros
- Long 7 to 9-hour battery life
- keyboard is still comfortable for long hours of usage
- Lightweight and versatile design
Cons
- Low resolution and storage space
- No backlit keyboard ChromeOs
Lenovo Chromebook Duet 3: Best 2-In-1 Laptop Under $300
- Screen Size: 11 incheses
- Resolution: (2K) 2000×1200 pixels
- Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset
- RAM: 8 GB DDR4
- Storage: 128 GB SSD
- Graphics: Integrated graphics with 8 GB memory
- Connectivity: Bluetooth support and 2 USB 3.0 ports
- Battery Life: Up to 8 hours
- Camera: Rear webcam with 8 MP resolution
- Operating System: Chrome OS
- Weight: 3 pounds
If you are looking for a 2-in-1 convertible laptop to tablet, we recommend the Lenovo Chromebook Duet 3. It features a large 11-inch screen size with an impressiveive 2x 2000×1200 pixels resolution. This,, coupled with the 212 PPI screen density and 60 Hz refresh rate,, displays your work in rich and vivid colors.
The screen is sleek and comfortable to use, occupying 82% of the body of the laptop. Unfortunately it features a smaller 5:3 aspect ratio,, which might seem to be crammed, especially when you try special settings like split screens. 16:10 would have been more comfortable.
High 401 nits brightness levels on the full touch-sensitive screen ensure you can use the laptop both in high daylight and indoor light setups. Finally, the IPS screen would have been better with new technology like OLED displays instead. This is evident in the low-contrast views that can affect user experience.
The display is further enhanced by an integrated graphics GPU with 8 GB of memory. A Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset powers the device while 8 GB DDR4 RAM makes multitasking possible. For storage, the 128 GB SSD is low, but this is common for most Chromebooks.
Pros
- Powerful processor
- Affordable Price
- Good high resolution display
- Easily portable
- 2-in-1 convertable laptop to tablet
- Touch screen display with high brightness
Cons
- Low screen aspect ratio
- Gloss finish screen can cause reflectiveness
- Low storage space
- Screen not AMOLED
Features to Consider in a Budget Laptop
When choosing the best laptops for under $300, most users will need to consider affordability over specifications of their device. Although you will have Windows laptops, Chromebooks are the most common devices in this price range. MacBooks are more expensive and will not be available for the price.
For the specifications, you need to consider the processing power, OS compatibility, RAM, storage space, build quality, and other qualities. The specifications are decent but not the most powerful, since the laptops in this budget range are only used for simple tasks.
Processing Power
Choose a laptop with an Intel Core i3 or AMD Ryzen 3 processor and above, plus 4 GB and above RAM memory for multitasking. These powers will be only good for basic tasks like streaming or watching videos.
However, if you intend to perform slightly more complex tasks like basic gaming or editing, we recommend Intel Core i5 and 8 or 16 GB RAM.
For the storage space, choose SSD over HDD hard drive types. Most Chromebooks feature lower storage space compared to Windows laptops.
Display & Refresh Rate
Most screen sizes will measure either 11.6, 14, or 15.6 inches. For the best display experience, we recommend the large 15.6 size and Full HD 1920 x 1080 pixels resolution. Additionally, a dedicated GPU, or graphics processing unit, and a high refresh rate will provide a great experience. Other important considerations include battery life, keyboards and accessories, and cooling efficiency.
Top Recommendations: Acer Aspire 3
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 300 dollars good for a laptop?
If you are looking for a working laptop, then $300 will not provide specifications powerful enough for professional work. You will get many Chromebooks instead or low-power laptops with Intel Core i3, 4 or 8 GB RAM, and 256 GB storage space. These laptops will be perfect for basic tasks. A slight budget increase to get a $400 or $350 laptop will get you a laptop that can perform basic professional tasks.
What can I expect for a laptop under $300?
Most laptops in this price range forgo powerful specs to match a cheaper price. However, you can expect a 720p to 1080p resolution with a 14- to 16-inch screen size. A relatively weak processor and Windows operating system plus 4 GB RAM.
Which is better, a laptop vs. Chromebooks?
Laptops are more powerful and better than Chromebooks. They have a better Windows OS and larger storage space. It is possible to use them for professional tasks. Chromebooks are cheaper but feature a weaker ChromeOS and lower storage space. They are ideal for basic tasks like streaming or watching movies.