Best cheap laptop deals in March 2021
Spring is officially here, which means not only is the frosty weather of winter behind us but also that seasonal sales are starting to kick into gear. Though the season may be young, there are already some excellent deals out there and they are only set to get better in the coming weeks.
Retailers including Amazon, Best Buy, and HP all have some fantastic laptops deal running right now. One of the strongest deals currently running comes courtesy of Best Buy. The tech retailer has a load of gaming laptops on sale for up to $250 off. Alternatively, if you’re after a MacBook, Amazon has several deals including this MacBook Pro 16″ (2020) for $200 off.
Below you’ll find our roundup of the best cheap laptop deals currently available (Alternatively, why not also check out our guide to the best Chromebook deals).
Today’s best laptop deals
Laptop deals under $299
Lenovo 14 S330 Chromebook : was $239 now $179 @ Walmart
This Lenovo Chromebook features a 14-inch HD display, a MediaTek quad-core processor, 4GB of RAM, and 32GB of EMMc storage. It’s great for in-home learning, and currently under $200 at Walmart. View Deal
Lenovo 100e Chromebook: $209 @ Adorama
This isn’t a laptop deal per se, instead we’re pointing out that Adorama has the Lenovo 100e Chromebook in stock for $209. This cheap laptop has been near-impossible to find in stock. It features an 11.6-inch 1366 x 768 LCD, 1.6GHz AMD A4 CPU, 4GB of RAM, and a 32GB eMMC. It’s perfect for kids or basic Internet work. View Deal
Lenovo Chromebook Duet: was $279 now $218 @ Amazon
The Lenovo Chromebook Duet is rarely on sale. However, Amazon currently has it on sale for just $220. It features a 10.1-inch 1920 x 1200 IPS touchscreen, MediaTek Helio P60T CPU, 4GB of RAM, and a 128GB SSD. It’ll happily run all your web apps, some games, video calls, and double-up as a very capable tablet. It’s one of the best cheap laptop deals of the week.View Deal
Dell Chromebook 11 3100: was $349 now $239 @ Dell
This durable Chromebook can take whatever your kids can dish out, including drops and spills. The specs are also solid for the price. You get a Celeron CPU, 4GB of RAM, and an 11.6-inch HD display.View Deal
Laptop deals under $599
HP 15z: was $429 now $339 @ HP
The HP 15z is a solid mid-range laptop that can be used by students or anyone looking to perform everyday tasks. It packs a 15.6-inch 1366 x 768 LCD, 2.4GHz AMD Athlon Gold 3150U CPU, 8GB of RAM, and a 128GB SSD. Recommended upgrades include a 1080p LCD (+$60) or a Ryzen 3 CPU (+$20).View Deal
Gateway 14″ Laptop: was $699 now $429 @ Walmart
Small but mighty, the 14-inch Gateway GWTN141-4RG offers a surprising amount of power given its small size. It houses a 14.1-inch 1080p IPS LCD, Core i5-1035G1 CPU, 16GB RAM, and 256GB of storage. It also has Tuned by THX Audio and built-in Cortana, to make it one of the best cheap laptop deals you’ll find.View Deal
Galaxy Chromebook 4K: was $999 now $699 @ Samsung
For a limited time, you can get the Samsung Chromebook 4K for as little as $699 with an eligible trade-in at Samsung. As for the laptop itself, the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2-in-1 is one of the few Chromebooks to pack a 13.3-inch 4K screen. It also features a Core i5-10210U CPU, 8GB of RAM, and a 256GB SSD.View Deal
Laptop deals over $600
Surface Pro 7 w/ Type Cover: was $959 now $699 @ Best Buy
The Surface Pro 7 is considered one of the best tablets on the market. With Windows 10 built-in, a great display and its high-quality type cover included, the Surface Pro 7 is a steal for anyone looking for a premium 2-in-1 laptop for an affordable price. It’s now $260 off. View Deal
HP Envy X360 15T: was $1,279 now $749 @ HP
Right now, as part of HP’s flash sale, you can pick up the HP Envy X360 15T for more than $500 off. This laptop offers a 15.6-inch touch screen, Intel Iris Plus Graphics, 10th Gen Intel Core i7 CPU, and a 256GB SSD. Customization option includes 16GB RAM (+$90) and a 512GB SSD (+$100). View Deal
Lenovo Legion Y540 15: was $1,299 now $1,089 @ Walmart
This powerful yet sleek gaming laptop is perfect for those seeking a powerful rig without resorting to extreme specs. The laptop packs a punch with its 15.6 inch Full HD Anti-Glare display with a beautiful refresh rate of 144 Hz, a 9th Generation Intel Core i7 processor, 16GB RAM, and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 card with 6GB of graphics memory. Just keep in mind that its 512GB SSD may leave some hardcore gamers wanting a bit more. View Deal
MSI GS66 Stealth 10SE Laptop: was $1,699 now $1,401 @ Amazon
This powerful MSI gaming laptop is a great choice for those looking to game without resorting to pricier and more powerful configurations. The machine features a 15.6-inch full HD display, a 10th Gen Intel Core i7 processor, 16GB of RAM, 1TB SSD, and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070. It’s $298 off at Amazon, which is certainly worth shouting about. View Deal
Gigabyte Aero 15 OLED: was $1,899 now $1,469 @ Amazon
The beastly Aero 15 OLED is currently a massive $600 off. The config on sale houses a 15.6-inch 4K AMOLED display, Core i7-9750H CPU, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, and an Nvidia GTX 1660Ti GPU.View Deal
Lenovo Yoga C940 Laptop: was $1,299 now $909 @ Best Buy
This Lenovo Yoga C940 laptop is $325 off in this Best Buy clearance sale and has plenty going for it. It’s a 2-in-1 laptop and tablet hybrid with a 15-inch touchscreen and is powered by an Intel Core i7 coupled with Intel Iris Plus Graphics, and a 512GB SSD.
View Deal
HP Envy 17t: was $1,399 now $1,199 @ HP
The Envy 17t is a stylish gaming laptop with a minimalist design that looks less like a gaming rig and more like a premium laptop. It’s one of the best laptop deals in HP’s ongoing sale. It includes a 17.3-inch 1080p display, 11th Gen Intel Core i7, 16GB of RAM, 512GB SSD, and an Nvidia GeForce MX450 GPU. View Deal
Razer Blade Stealth 13: was $1,699 now $1,599 @ Razer
The cheapest Razer laptop in the sale is the Razer Blade Stealth 13, which is on sale for $1,599. It features a 13.3-inch 1080p LCD, Core i7-1065G7 CPU, 16GB of RAM, 512GB SSD, and a GTX 1650 GPU. View Deal
Laptop deals — Apple
MacBook Air 256GB (early 2020): was $1,099 now $986 @ Amazon
While this isn’t the latest model of the MacBook Air, if you’re looking to pick up a Mac for a sub-$1,000 price this you can’t go wrong with this saving. It might not be top of the range but it still has a beautiful 13.3-inch Retina display, 256GB SSD, and a 10th Gen Intel Core i5 GPU. Not bad for just shy of $1,000. View Deal
MacBook Pro M1 256GB (2020) : was $1,299 now $1,199 @ Amazon
This MacBook Pro makes use of Apple’s new M1 chipset, it’s a great pick if you’re on the hunt for a powerful MacBook. It also offers up to 20 hours of battery life which is the longest ever in a Mac, plus a super speedy 256GB SSD. View Deal
MacBook Pro 13.3″ (2020): was $1,799 now $1,649 @ Best Buy
This MacBook Pro packs a 2GHz Core i5 CPU, 16GB of RAM, 1TB SSD, and four Thunderbolt 3 ports. It’s now $150 off and one of the cheapest laptop deals you’ll find for this configuration. View Deal
MacBook Pro 16″ (2020): was $2,399 now $2,199 @ Amazon
The 16-inch MacBook Pro is $200 off at Amazon right now. This model comes with a Core i7 processor, 16GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD and AMD Radeon Pro 5300M graphics. It’s a solid deal but it did hit $1,999 briefly last summer, so could well go lower in the coming months. View Deal
MacBook Pro 16″ (late 2019): was $2,799, now $2,499 @ B&H Photo
If you want to step up from the model above, this MacBook Pro has an 8-core 9th-generation 2.3-GHz Intel Core i7 6-core processor, a 1TB SSD, and 16GB of RAM. Graphics-wise, it has an AMD Radeon Pro 5500M GPU (w/4GB of GDDR6 memory). This model also comes with a Touch Bar and Touch ID, and a Retina Display with True Tone technology. View Deal
Laptop deals — sitewide sales
MS Store laptop deals: up to $500 off @ MS Store
The MS Store is taking up to $500 off a wide range of laptops including budget machines, gaming rigs, and mainstream laptops. After discount, prices start at just $399 for the new Surface Go 2, which is the perfect cheap laptop for kids learning from home. View Deal
HP laptop deals: up to $400 off laptops
HP is running a 72-hour flash sale at the minute, with select laptops being reduced by up to $400. For instance, you can get the HP Envy 17T for $799. It features a 17.3-inch FHD display, 11th GEN Intel 15 CPU, 8GB of RAM, and 1TB HDD with an additional 128GB SSD as well. View Deal
Best Buy laptop deals: up to $250 off gaming laptops @ Best Buy
Tech retailer Best Buy is offering up to $2500 off a range of laptops built specifically for gaming. The discounts include $200 off this ASUS M15 model which comes with an Intel Core i7, 1TB SSD, and an Nvidia RTX 2070 GPU. View Deal
Cheap Laptop Retailers
Best cheap laptops of 2021
1. Acer Aspire 5
The best overall laptop under $500 you can buy
CPU: Intel Core i3-8145U | GPU: Intel UHD 620 | RAM: 4GB | Storage: 128GB SSD | Display: 15.6-inch, 1920 x 1080 | Size: 14.3 x 9.9 x 0.7 inches | Weight: 3.76 pounds
Strong performance
Long battery life
Bright, 1080p display
Affordable
Middling graphics
Questionable build quality
The Acer Aspire 5 is one of the best laptops under $500. It features a bright, 1080p display, strong 8th Gen Core i3 processing performance, and offers 9 hours of battery life. The affordably priced Aspire 5 is much thinner than its sibling, the Aspire E 15. The Aspire 5 is the best sub-$500 laptop currently available.
See Laptop Mag’s review of the Acer Aspire 5
2. Acer Aspire E 15
The laptop with the most ports
CPU: Intel Core i3-8130U | GPU: Intel UHD 620 | RAM: 6GB | Storage: 1TB 5,400-rpm HDD | Display: 15.6-inch, 1920 x 1080 | Size: 15 x 10.2 x 1.2 inches | Weight: 5 pounds
Strong performance
Lots of ports
Good battery life
Very affordable
Bulky design
Filled with bloatware
Normally priced under $400, the Acer Aspire E 15 features an 8th Gen Core i3 processor, an ample number of ports and a minimalist, yet premium design. It has a DVD writer, USB Type-C port, 9 hour battery and springy, well-spaced, comfortable keys. Simply put, it’s as premium as an affordable laptop can get.
See our full review of the Acer Aspire E 15
(Image credit: Future)
3. HP Stream 11
The cheapest Windows laptop you can buy
CPU: Intel Celeron N4000 | GPU: Intel UHD 600 | RAM: 4GB | Storage: 32GB eMMC | Display: 11-inch, 1366 x 768 | Size: 11.8 x 8.1 x 0.7 inches | Weight: 2.5 pounds
Long battery life
Better performance than competitors
Insanely cheap
Washed out low-res display
Awful webcam
Don’t let its cute, candy-hued exterior fool you. The $200 HP Stream 11 delivers long battery life, great audio, and strong performance for the price. HP cuts some corners by using a dim display and the laptop’s bottom gets uncomfortably warm, but the lightweight Stream 11 is one of the best sub-$200 Windows laptops on the market. It’s also a solid choice for kids.
4. HP Chromebook x2
CPU: Intel Core m3-7Y30 | GPU: Intel HD 615 | RAM: 4GB | Storage: 32GB eMMC | Display: 12.3-inch, 2400 x 1600 | Size: 11.5 x 8.3 x 0.3 inches | Weight: 3.1 pounds
Bright, high-res display
All-day battery life
Comfortable typing experience
Solid sound
A bit heavier than other convertibles
Thick bezels
Core m3 CPU isn’t the fastest
The HP Chromebook x2 packs features that most cheap laptops don’t like a color rich 2400 x 1600 display and solid stereo speakers. What’s more, the Chromebook x2’s keyboard is comfortable to use and its battery lasts up to 9 hours between charges. For creatives, It includes HP’s Active Pen, making it one of the best value Chromebooks you can buy.
See Laptop Mag’s full review of the HP Chromebook x2.
5. Acer Swift 1
The best lightweight laptop
CPU: Intel Pentium Silver N5000 | GPU: Intel UHD 605 | RAM: 4GB | Storage: 64GB eMMC | Display: 14-inch, 1920 x 1080 | Size: 12.7 x 9.0 x 0.6 inches | Weight: 2.9 pounds
Lightweight aluminum chassis
Long battery life
Wide range of ports
Decent webcam
Excellent value
Dim, dull display
A few build-quality quirks
If you’re looking for a sleek and lightweight portable laptop under $500, the Acer Swift 1 is a solid choice. This 14-inch 1080p laptop has an all aluminum exterior, ample ports, and 10 hours of battery life for under $400. Its Intel Pentium Silver N5000 and 4GB of RAM hardware is enough for multitasking. Overall, the Acer Swift 1 is a solid choice for a lightweight sub-$500 laptop.
See Laptop Mag’s review of the Acer Swift 1.
Best cheap laptop deals retailers
Round up of today’s best deals