Budget pick
Unlike most cheap Windows laptops, the Aspire 3 is fast, compact, and light, and it has long battery life and a 1080p display.
Recommended configuration
| Processor: | AMD Ryzen 5 7520U | Screen: | 14-inch 1920×1080 non-touch |
| Memory: | 8 GB | Weight: | 3.1 pounds |
| Storage: | 512 GB SSD | Tested battery life: | 13.5 hours |
Who these are for: If you need a Windows laptop for school and you can’t afford to spend a lot, you can find a decent one for less than $500, but you have to make some compromises. These models are best suited for grade-school or middle-school students, because most budget Windows laptops that are fast enough for school work tend to be bulky, heavy, and stuck with battery life that won’t last a full day of classes. You have to be extra-vigilant when shopping for a laptop in this price range to avoid slow or old processors, insufficient memory, sluggish storage, and terrible, low-resolution displays.
Why we like this one: The Acer Aspire 3 (A314-23P-R3QA) is the best Windows laptop you can find for the price. But we strongly recommend saving up for our top pick if you can—it’s better in nearly every way.
The Aspire 3 is fast enough to meet most people’s computing needs, and it has a backlit keyboard and reliable trackpad. Compared with typical Windows laptops in this price range, which tend to be bulky and have poor battery life, the Aspire 3 is much more portable. It’s lighter and more compact, and its battery lasted 13 hours 38 minutes in our tests—long enough to last over a full day of classes.
But the Aspire 3’s 14-inch 1920×1080 display lacks touch input, and its colors look dull and washed out. It’s still better than many low-resolution or TN displays in this price range, but not nearly as good as the Zenbook’s. The Aspire 3 also comes with a ton of bloatware; we recommend following these steps to get rid of it and make your laptop faster and more secure.
Choosing a budget laptop is tricky, because you can find hundreds of variations, their prices fluctuate constantly, and companies release and discontinue models with no warning. If our pick isn’t available, check our full guide for other available options and advice on how to shop for a budget laptop.
For additional details, you can read our full guide to budget laptops.
