Best Laptops Under $500
Budget5 laptopsAvg. $406
Best laptops under $500 — ranked by performance-per-dollar. Perfect for students, light users, and secondary machines.
Best for: Students, light users, Chromebook seekers, and secondary machines.
Best Laptops Under $500 — Summary
Price range: up to $500. Laptops found: 5.
Brands: Acer, Dell, Lenovo.
Average price: $406.
- Acer Aspire 15: Intel Core i7-1355U, Intel Iris Xe Graphics, 16GB RAM, $449. Value score: 100/100. Overall: 68/100.
- Dell Dell 15 Laptop: Intel Core i5-1335U, Intel Iris Xe Graphics, 8GB RAM, $350. Value score: 100/100. Overall: 66/100.
- Acer Aspire 3 15: AMD Ryzen 5 5625U, AMD Radeon Vega 7 Graphics, 8GB RAM, $349. Value score: 100/100. Overall: 64/100.
- Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 (15 inch AMD): AMD Ryzen 5 8540U, AMD Radeon Graphics, 8GB RAM, $500. Value score: 100/100. Overall: 59/100.
- Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i Gen 9 (14" Intel): Intel Intel N-series N150, Intel Integrated Graphics, 8GB RAM, $380. Value score: 95/100. Overall: 57/100.
View Details
66
Intel Core i5-1335U
Intel Iris Xe Graphics
8GB · 256GB
15.6″ IPS 60Hz
Gaming38
Display52
Value100
$350
View Details
SD
64
AMD Ryzen 5 5625U
AMD Radeon Vega 7 Graphics
8GB · 256GB
15.6″ IPS 60Hz
Gaming33
Display52
Value100
$349
View Details
SD
59
AMD Ryzen 5 8540U
AMD Radeon Graphics
8GB · 512GB
15.3″ 60Hz
Gaming33
Display41
Value100
$500
View Details
SD
57
Intel Intel N-series N150
Intel Integrated Graphics
8GB · 128GB
14″ TN
Gaming30
Display39
Value95
$380
Best Laptops Under $500 — FAQ
What is the best laptop under $500 right now?
Our AI scoring ranks the Acer Aspire 15 at the top with an overall score of 68/100. Close behind: Dell Dell 15 Laptop and Acer Aspire 3 15. See the full ranked list above.
Can I get a gaming laptop under $500?
Gaming is limited at this price. You can find laptops with integrated graphics or very entry-level dedicated GPUs. For serious gaming, consider $800+ models with a discrete GPU.
What specs should I look for under $500?
At this price, prioritize: at least 8GB RAM (16GB if possible), 256GB+ SSD, and a 1080p IPS display. Intel Core i5 or AMD Ryzen 5 processors are standard.
Is it worth spending more for a laptop?
Yes — going from $700 to $1,000 often gets you significantly better display quality, faster storage, more RAM, and sometimes a discrete GPU. The jump from $500 to $700 is also meaningful.