The best cheap laptops of 2024: Performance and reliability on a budget

Without question our favourite budget laptop of the year, the ASUS Vivobook 15 puts even high-end laptops to shame with its sheer value.

On the surface, it's visually pretty standard. Its silver colour and metal chassis are appealing. Still, they're not exceptionally clean.

Where the Vivobook 15 truly impresses, however, is its hardware – an Intel 1235U, 512GB of SSD storage, and 16GB of RAM. That's more than most budget laptops can offer, and then some. The CPU and RAM ensure it can handle a variety of tasks and the SSD storage is more than enough to last a long time.

The GPU is less amazing, but it will do the job for simple gaming. An eight-hour battery life is likewise unremarkable, but it should be sufficient for general use.

For office work, beginner photo editing and general use, the ASUS Vivobook 15 is a versatile, reliable laptop worth investing in. The screen is a spacious 15.6 inches, so you also won't need to strain to see any details.

The Lenovo IdeaPad Duet seamlessly combines the features of a Chromebook laptop and a tablet. With its adaptable design, it functions as a traditional laptop when needed. However, for a more mobile experience, you can detach the screen from the keyboard and use it as a tablet, complete with touchscreen functionality. Plus, including a pen allows for convenient note-taking on the touchscreen.

As a hybrid device, the Duet 3 is lightweight at under 1kg. This makes it an ideal companion for your commute or travel. Its compact size also allows for it to be easily stowed in a bag or drawer, keeping your desk uncluttered until needed.

In terms of performance, the collaborative efforts of the CPU, 8GB RAM, and 128GB eMMC memory ensure swift application loading and efficient file recall. Whether you're managing day-to-day tasks, studying, or taking notes during a meeting, the IdeaPad Duet delivers reliable performance.

The IdeaPad Duet 3 boasts the additional advantages of a 12-hour battery life, a vibrant 2K screen, and an excellent Chrome operating system.

Chromebook versus Laptop: Which is best?

A great cheap laptop like the Dell Inspiron 15 balances performance and value – prioritising storage, RAM and the CPU.

A great choice for students on a budget and desk-bound workers alike, the Dell Inspiron doesn't reinvent the wheel but certainly makes some nice tweaks worth checking out. The 512GB of SSD storage is impressive and its 120Hz screen will delight you with its silky smoothness. The Intel i5 processor, by contrast, is middleweight but up to the job.

Everyday computing tasks and more aren't going to be a problem for the Inspiron 15, but the same can't be said for more demanding high-end programs (for instance, creating 3D graphics or professional suites) that require a little more performance heft.

The ACER Aspire 3 boasts a 15.6-inch full HD screen, delivering vibrant and clear visuals. Under the hood it runs on an Intel Core i3 processor and boasts a generous 8GB RAM, all backed up with a commendable 256GB SSD. You may struggle to fit numerous large games on it, but we think adding external storage is an easy workaround.

The screen caters to casual gamers with a 60Hz refresh rate and an anti-glare coating. The choice of an IPS panel enhances the experience by minimising motion blur, making the ACER Aspire 3 a solid option for those who value visual clarity and comfort during use.

Naturally, it won't excel as well as a dedicated gaming computer or console, but we think this is a brilliant laptop for the price. Unlike those more powerful models, this is portable, with a nine-hour battery life that won't hold you back.

For those looking for something unique yet affordable, the ASUS CX1 may catch your eye. This is a 2-in-1 design that goes from a tablet to a laptop. That means it has an HD touchscreen that you can use whenever you want, the perfect tool for those who often need to quickly sketch something. You'll also be able to fit it in to a bag without difficulty.

Considering the size, you wouldn't expect this to pack an impressive battery life, and yet it's surprisingly solid. At 13 hours, you'll get plenty of benefit out of the portability of this design before needing to top it up again.

The CPU and GPU are what you would expect for the price, but the storage and RAM are a little disappointing. The storage could be excused since it's comparable to other tablets, but 4GB RAM feels a bit sluggish.

Chromebook versus Laptop: Which is best?

The Lenovo IdeaPad 3i is an incredible bargain as it's now priced under £450. Its ultra-slim design, full-HD screen, and highly usable well-spaced keys impart a premium feel. Underneath the sleek exterior lies robust hardware, featuring an Intel Core i5 CPU and 256GB of SSD storage, ensuring swift responsiveness in day-to-day tasks.

With an above-standard 8GB RAM, this laptop proves itself to be a reliable machine capable of handling several large programs simultaneously. Securing a device with over 8GB of RAM at this price point is a rarity, making the IdeaPad 3i a noteworthy choice for those seeking affordability without compromising performance.

The only shortcoming is the battery life. A total of five and a half hours off a full charge is very underwhelming, so be sure to keep a charger handy. We suggest using it primarily as a desk laptop, so you'll never be far from a socket.

The HP Chromebook 15b-nb0002sa is a solid 15.6-inch laptop that does precisely what it says on the tin. It runs on ChromeOS, making it a bit different from a typical Windows model, but it's easy to use and responsive. Plus, the 13-hour battery life is more than enough to survive a student all-nighter.

With specs that aren't anything to write home about (aside from a particularly good 128GB of SSD storage) performance isn't a slow crawl, but it isn't high-octane either. The GPU falls short of most gaming needs. Stick to simple tasks with basic programs, avoiding demanding gaming or video editing, and you'll be golden.

Chromebook versus Laptop: Which is best?

While it sits slightly out of the usual £500 range, we still think that this Acer Aspire 7 is an excellent affordable laptop. For starters, it has 512GB of SSD storage, which outclasses a lot of other laptops, even at more expensive price points. This makes it a great choice if you have video editing and gaming needs.

The screen is notable too, especially for its refresh rate. The picture should remain consistent and clean while watching films thanks to it being 60Hz. To add to that, the brightness level is at 250 nits, which outperforms even some TVs.

If you need a laptop for working from home this is generally a fantastic choice, but not if you have lots of online meetings as the webcam isn't the best.

This isn't the first appearance by HP in this list, and for good reason. HP remains the brand of choice for reliable laptops, and this model is lightweight and powerful. Sporting that trademark HP build quality, this slim machine has a great all-around mid-range spec that makes it ideal for running creative software.

Packing a 15.6-inch screen, 256GB SSD and 8GB of RAM, this is probably the best bang for your buck spec-wise. But there is a standout inclusion – the Intel Core i5 processor. It is a midrange CPU, but many similarly-priced machines will go for an i3 – so the i5 here makes this a solid laptop choice.

We also like the inclusion of an anti-glare screen and super-thin bezel. The full-size numeric keypad is ideal for anyone inputting figures, and a built-in HD camera will keep you connected. It's an excellent example of an HP laptop that will suit most users extremely well.

While we adore the overall build, the keyboard does have an omission that might displease some. There's no backlight, meaning you'll be left in the dark to touch type if you don't keep your surroundings well-lit. That's fine for regular day use, but if you're fond of using your laptop at night, it might be a severe weakness in this otherwise great laptop.

A truly impressive deal for its price, this ASUS Vivobook offers a 16-inch display. That's the largest screen on this list, so a great choice if you want a laptop for watching shows and movies.

Coming in at over £600, the ASUS Vivobook 16 has a terrific 16GB of RAM and 512GB of SSD storage. The CPU is a Ryzen 5-5600H, a super-solid inclusion at this price point. These are powerful specifications that will have many programs running smoothly.

There are also some decent graphic capabilities here with with the 16-inch FHD+ display combining with an AMD Radeon graphics coprocessor. Most laptops in this bracket or cheaper don't have a GPU capable of great gaming – this one does. That's exceptional hardware for less than £1,000.