Laptops are becoming an absolute necessity these days. Whether for gaming or work, everyone needs one. They are not only compact but also portable so you can carry them around with you everywhere you go. The convenience they offer is unbeatable.
They have become a very important part of our daily lives, especially now in the period of social distancing. We use it to get in touch with our family and friends. It is very important for people to work from their homes. Students are also using it for online classes.
Laptops are advancing with bounds and leaps. Just within the last decade, they have come a long way with no signs of stopping any time soon. The more advancements, the better the laptop and the higher its price.
But what if you are on a budget? Will you still be able to get a great-budget laptop? That’s what we are discussing in this article. We will not only address this issue but also present you with some fabulous options to consider. That too within a budget of $400. So without further ado, let’s dig in!
CAN YOU FIND A QUALITY LAPTOP UNDER $400?
When we say laptops under $400, the first thought that comes to mind is a question. We question ourselves that is it possible to get a good unit at such a low price? Truthfully, we are used to judging things on their price. The higher the price the better the thing. But good things do come at a lower price tag too. Although, under $400 you won’t get a 4K resolution or high end gaming. But they certainly won’t be flimsy or low quality.
The best budget laptop comes as a durable, stylish, and decent unit that will get your work done. We have listed some of the best budget laptops under $400 below. These units offer a long battery, vivid display, and fast performance. They are perfect for running basic work programs, checking email, browsing the internet, etc. You can also use them to stream music and videos when you decide to unwind
Our List For The Best Laptops Under $400
Choosing the perfect laptop is no easy feat. Especially when you are shopping for a laptop on a budget. You do have a lot of options available at a price under $400 but you have to be very careful to choose one that is suitable for your usage. Here is a list of some of the best laptops under $400 that are currently available in the market. It is accompanied by a detailed review of each model to help you figure out the right one for yourself. Read on to find out more.
1. Lenovo IdeaPad 3
This is one of the best entry-level laptops. It is a lightweight and portable unit with a plastic body. The construction is very solid and robust. It has pleasing ergonomics and a stylish appearance that is bound to attract you to it.
This laptop delivers excellent performance with a 2.1 GHz core and 8 GB RAM. A noteworthy feature here is that the system is completely customizable. This means that you can replace the existing internal components with better ones.
It has a non-backlit keyboard with intelligent thermals, plus you can calibrate performance with Q-control, with 3 modes to match your performance needs. The arrow keys and numeric keypad are also featured on its keyboard. The keys offer a firm grip and noticeable pressure points for fast typing. The touchpad is positioned below the keyboard slightly towards the left. It supports gesture input as well.
Buyers who have recently invested in this unit are quite satisfied with its performance. They say that it might not be a powerful laptop, but it is quite useful for MS Office and basic internet browsing.
If you are looking for a budget-friendly laptop that does not compromise on build and performance, then this is the one for you. It is durable and stylish with a powerful processor. With tons of storage, it really is one of the best choices.
2. Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5i
This laptop is very portable and light with an overall weight of two and a half pounds. The compact form factor is great for slipping inside a backpack, and with a solid construction, it is built to withstand rough usage.
It is equipped with an 8 GB RAM dual-core processor. Combine it with a tough hard drive and you have one of the fastest computers. It takes a total of five seconds to boot up and is perfect for multitasking. It is great at streaming videos and does so without missing a beat.
It features a 13.3 inches touch screen display that folds over. You can use it as a tablet if you want. It is bright enough to be used in any lighting condition. It boasts an amazing battery life of eleven hours making it a top consideration.
The keyboard is designed to be spill-resistant. It is given a slight curve so you can type comfortably. The Chromebook is quite big for its size making it very easy to navigate. Its smoothness and responsiveness agree with the entire impression of the unit.
People who recently purchased and used this laptop like it for its compactness. They report that it is lightweight and sturdy. The fast processing speed and long battery life have surely impressed its users.
This is a sterling unit for being lightweight, portable, and fast. The long battery life is the cherry on top. The screen is substantial and it is very bright and clear. There are many things to like here which makes it a great option for you to consider.
3. HP 2022
This is one of the sleekest and most stylish laptops. The lightweight and compact size are very suitable for frequent travelers. It has an amazing 15.6 inches display yet the unit weighs a total of three pounds. It is very easy to carry around with you.
Surprisingly, it is installed with an Intel Pentium Silver N5030 Processor Ultra-low-voltage platform. It makes it stand out from the other pocket-friendly laptops. The fast processor is further supported by 8 GB RAM which makes multitasking a breeze. It has a large 15.6 inches display that shows clear and vivid images. Topped with a simple-looking lid, this is one of the slimmest units offered by the brand. It comes in a color that will keep you hooked.
Buyers who recently used this unit are quite satisfied with its performance. They really like the fast speed that is very suitable for browsing, streaming, documentation, and light gaming. The one problem is storage but you can add external storage or an SD card.
All in all, this is a great computer from a great brand. Light, stylish, and slim it is one of the best options for people looking to buy a quality budget laptop. It has everything you can ask for. You can rely on it to take your performance to another level.
4. Acer Aspire 5 Slim
This laptop is beautifully made with a matte aluminum body. At only 0.7 inches, it is very slim. The slimness is responsible for its highly polished appearance. Because of this, it appears far more expensive than it actually is.
It is set with the fast 9th Generation Intel 3.4GHz processor. Featuring a high-end graphics card it is a multimedia specialist. You can use it for gaming and other multimedia activities without any lags.
It comes with a backlit keyboard that is solid yet comfortable to type on. The touchpad is smooth and responsive but lacks the right and left click keys.
This laptop has an amazing display. At 15.6 inches with 1080p resolution, it is vivid with accurate colors and well-defined images. It can go on for 7 to 8 hours with a moderate to high workload.
People who have recently invested in this unit have a lot to say. They like it for its excellent graphics, good sound quality, and long battery life. Gamers are particularly impressed with the performance of this budget laptop. Any gamer who wants to include a budget laptop in his gaming arsenal will surely buy it.
5. ASUS VivoBook L203MA Ultra-Thin
This is a compact, yet solid unit. It has a plastic body with a honeycomb lid. The quality and build are great. Much like the kind you find in high-end laptops. It might appear heavier, it only weighs 3.2 pounds.
It runs on an Intel Celeron processor which is great for everyday tasks. The 11 Inches screen displays clear and bright images with accurate colors. You can use it for web surfing, documentation, and emails.
The laptop features a chiclet-style keyboard that lacks a numeric keypad. The touchpad is a tall single piece that is very responsive and accurate.
This is a competent, decent, and affordable laptop with a reasonable screen size. Equipped with A USB-C port, it is a good choice for people who want extra connectivity.
6. HP X360 14a
This is a thin and lightweight laptop from HP. It is a compact model that is portable enough to carry around easily. Durable and sturdy, this is a great option for everyday tasks like internet browsing, emailing, and streaming.
It is loaded with a powerful Intel Celeron processor and 4 GB RAM. With an SSD hard drive, it is capable of achieving very high speeds. All of these combined make it a superior and reliable unit.
It has a 14 inches screen with an integrated Intel GPU. It displays a true resolution with high-definition quality. This works to your advantage by making it suitable for movies and games.
This laptop features an island-style keyboard. It lacks the numeric keys but is back-lit to facilitate typing in light or dark. The touchscreen is very smooth with an accurate response. It also comes with the right and left click keys.
Overall, this is a good laptop with lots of features. It comes at an affordable price and is perfectly capable of handling light to moderate workloads.
7. HP 14” – Touchscreen Home and Business Laptop
This is one of the best 2 in 1 budget laptops. It is compact and lightweight with reliable construction. It is portable enough to slide inside a backpack and carry around.
It is equipped with a 3.50 dual-core processor which is very fast. It also has two 4GB RAMs that give it dual-channel memory for faster operation. 128GB of SSD further improves its performance.
It has a 14 inches touchscreen display with good resolution. This makes it very energy efficient making it more portable. The touchscreen interface is very accurate and responsive AMD delivers graphics with adequate detail.
Recent buyers really love it for its functional interface. They are impressed with its Ethernet port along with other connectivity options it has. Although it lacks fingerprint scanning, it is still one of the best 2 in 1 laptops out there that is within your budget.
8. Acer 2022 15.6”
This is one of the biggest Chromebook models. It has a plastic and metal body. The slim unit is topped with a metal lid and chamfered edges that give it a trendy look. All of these give it a premium look.
It runs on the Intel Pentium N4o00 processor with 4GB RAM and 32GB SSD storage. Combined with a Chrome OS, this unit is perfect for multiple tasks like web surfing, emails, and documentation. But with the help of the Google Play Store, you can download a multitude of android apps.
The most attractive feature of this computer is its display. The full HD 15.6 inches display is very bright and sharp. The tilting hinge contributes to its decent viewing angles. You can also fold it for easy reading or pop it up for better video watching.
People who recently bought this laptop say that it is fast, convenient, and reliable. The display is its strongest feature along with the back-lit and comfortable keyboard. This laptop is great for everyday multitasking as well as streaming and social networking. If you do buy it, you will get quality and performance both within a budget.
What To Look For When Buying A Laptop Under $400?
Just like everything else, the features of a laptop determine what it is actually capable of. Better features naturally come at a higher price. So, before buying a laptop, it’s better to know what use you will put it to.
For example, you cannot use a traditional laptop for an enhanced gaming experience and a laptop used for general purposes does not need high-end video and graphics support. Here are some features to help you determine the kind of laptop you need.
Processor
A processor is the brain of the laptop. You can know about the performance of a processor by looking at its number of cores and processing power. Laptops that are equipped with low-power processors generally offer a higher battery life. The faster the processor the better the laptop.
RAM
RAM is directly responsible for determining the speed of a laptop. When you are multitasking, low RAM will slow down the functions. It is advised to get a minimum of 4 GB RAM. Ideally, you should look for a laptop that contains 8GB or bigger RAM. This ensures that your work is completed without any lags or delays.
Screen size
Although, a small screen means less weight. But when buying a laptop, we suggest that you aim for a larger display. This is important because a bigger screen usually means better graphics and higher resolution. It also enhances your gaming or video streaming experiences.
Storage
Never underestimate the storage capacity when buying a new laptop. Most of us have an ever-expanding audio and video library. Make sure you have enough room to store both your existing and new files.
Cooling capacity
Computer components have a tendency of getting hot. Especially if they are confined within a laptop case. When buying a new laptop be sure to check for hot spots and vents to make sure that the unit is well-ventilated. It is also important because you don’t want to block them accidentally as it will eventually lead to the overheating of your system.
Battery Life
Laptops are designed to be portable. They need to have a good running time between charges. No one likes to be rooted on a spot by a cord when their device is supposed to be portable. Be sure to invest in a laptop that ideally lasts you an entire day of working before needing a recharge.
Aspects To Consider Before Buying A Laptop Under $400
When you head out towards the market to buy something, you usually have a specific set of considerations to evaluate the product you want to purchase. For buying a laptop under $400, we suggest that you set up some parameters to judge different units for determining which one is more suitable for you according to your needs. Here are some aspects you might want to consider before investing in a budget laptop.
Old Customer Reviews
A great way of judging a product is to know what recent buyers are saying about it. These days people are used to posting their experiences, good or bad, to raise awareness. When you decide on a certain laptop model, be sure to check its reviews online to have a better idea of its performance.
Type
As we have already stated above, there are different variations of laptops. Each type is designed to address the needs of different users. When you head out to buy one for yourself, choose the kind of Laptop that is more in accordance with your usage.
Brand
Laptops are something you don’t change frequently. So when you decide to buy one for yourself, be sure to buy one from a reputable and respected brand. Such brands not only back up their units with extensive warranties but are also known to have good customer service to address your problems if you have any.
Resolution
No matter how hard-pressed for cash you are, screen resolution is something that you should never compromise on. Especially if you are interested in buying a budget gaming laptop. Streaming video or working on presentations and documents is also not easy when you are working on a low resolution.
Operating system
Another important consideration when buying a laptop is the operating system it runs on. The top-rated laptops have high-end operating systems installed. But in budget laptops under $400, you either get a Chrome OS or Windows 10 operating system. Chrome OS supports all Google apps and is good for browsing. But if you are going to download multiple software, you should get a Windows 10.
LAPTOPS VS DESKTOP PC
Laptops surely have a greater advantage over traditional desktop PCs. They are portable, lightweight, and very convenient. But does this amazing invention have some drawbacks? Let us delve deeper into this. Here are some advantages and disadvantages of laptops over desktop PCs.
Energy consumption
Laptops are portable and do not need a continuous power supply to function. Once fully charged, a good laptop can last a full day. Desktop PCs, on the other hand, need a constant power supply to keep them up and working.
Form factor
Laptops are quite small in size and do not take up much space. They are collapsible, so can be stowed away when not in use. Some laptops can be folded over or propped up. Desktop PCs have a large form factor and occupy more space.
Variety
Laptops are unofficially classified into a number of categories. Each of these is specially designed to address the needs of different users. You can get gaming laptops, business laptops, student laptops, etc. With desktop PCs, you don’t get much variety.
Peripherals
Although, laptops come pre-equipped with a screen, keypad, and touchpad. They can also be connected with external devices by simply plugging them in. That way, you can also use them as a desktop PC.
Upgrading
The one thing laptops lack behind desktop PCs is their capacity to upgrade. The slim designs usually come with permanently fixed components and little to no room for extra components. So when you buy a laptop, be sure to get as many great features as possible
Conclusion
When you decide to buy a laptop, you plan to invest your hard-earned money in it. They don’t come cheap. Even when you purchase a budget laptop that comes under a price tag of $400, you want to be absolutely sure that you are getting a bang for your buck. You can start by surveying the market, or you can carefully consider the products we have mentioned above.
All of these offer great features and are surely worth every penny of the price for their performance and functionality. Determine your usage and carefully consider each of the recommendations to figure out the best laptop under $400 for yourself. Purchase any of these and it will be a decision you will never regret.
Writer Graham Grieve brings two decades of technical communications experience to The Holy Tech coverage. Isaac contributes articles on laptops, tablets and PCs, alongside various software and hardware guides. Isaac is a former newspaper journalist who also worked in tech communications for some of the country’s biggest corporations. He also counsels and creates material for other technology publications and hosts a podcast.
Isaac’s in-depth reporting and knowledge of hardware and software issues helps The Holy Tech’s readers learn how to choose the right products, or solve tricky problems.