Top 10 Best Laptops Under $300 of 2021
Nowadays, you don’t need to break the bank to buy a functional laptop for your work because even budget laptops these days are good enough for everyday tasks. In fact, by spending less than $300, you can get a pretty decent laptop for yourself that can handle all your day to day tasks and even light gaming! So which are the best laptops under 300 dollars? Are budget laptops under $300 really capable enough to handle intensive tasks like gaming? Let’s find out.
So, in the mix of awful Chromebooks and Windows Notebooks, there are some pretty well-specced laptops available in the $300 price range, which will allow you to efficiently multitask and have a smooth experience while surfing the web, editing a word document, or attending meetings online. If we talk about gaming or any other intensive task in general, then yes, you can play less demanding games at scaled-down settings on some of these budget laptops and even edit the photos and videos using the pre-installed editing apps on Windows and Chrome OS, but don’t expect it to run the new titles or handle intricate editing jobs.
If you like playing mobile games, then Chromebook (with touchscreen display) might be a better option for you since it supports all the games available on the Android play store, including COD and PUBG Mobile!
If you want more power, then have a look at laptops under $400. By spending a little bit extra, you can get a laptop with a mainstream Intel i3 or AMD Ryzen 3 processor, fast SSD storage, a decent amount of RAM, and a full HD display. If you are looking for a budget laptop for gaming, then we recommend you to check out our picks of gaming laptops under $500, which come with powerful graphics. Also, check out our round-up of best laptop deals this week to score the best laptop deal under $300.
Best Laptops Under 300 Dollars – Top Picks
1. Lenovo IdeaPad 1
As we all know, Lenovo is one of the most trusted laptop brands when it comes to buying a reliable laptop in a limited budget. Lenovo Ideapad 1 is also of the same kind. It is a lightweight, robust, and durable notebook, and it is ideal for students and business people because of its small 14-inch size and reasonably high-performance hardware.
The laptop is finished in Ice Blue color and has a plane lid with subtle Lenovo branding on the side, which adds a professional vibe to the laptop. Its 14 inches of HD LED display isn’t the best when it comes to resolution, but it is good enough for typical day-to-day office work. From its thickness, it seems like it is a bulky laptop, but it weighs just 3.0 pounds, so traveling with this laptop wouldn’t be a problem. The connectivity is a breeze on this laptop as it has two USB 3.1 ports and an HDMI port, and it also comes has an SD card slot.
For fulfilling all performance needs, this laptop has an Intel Pentium Silver quad-core processor with a clock frequency of up to 3.1GHz, which is coupled with 4GB of RAM. It generates enough power to multitask and run all the everyday productivity apps and software without any lags. However, you get only 128GB of storage, which is less but its SSD so it’s a lot faster than HDD found in most of the laptops in the segment. Overall, the Ideapad 1 is a pretty decent machine, and it can handle light photo editing and even gaming up to an extent. As far as its low storage is concerned, you can extend it with the memory card.
| Hardware Specifications of Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14-Inch Premium Business Laptop | |
| Processor | Intel Pentium Silver N5030 Quad-Core Processor (Turbo up to 3.1GHz) |
| RAM | 4GB DDR4 2400MHz RAM (Upgradable up to 8GB) |
| Storage | 128GB NVMe SSD |
| Graphics | Intel UHD Graphics 605 |
| Display | 14-Inch HD anti-glare Display, 1366 x 768 pixels Resolution |
| Operating System | Windows 10 Home in S mode |
| Battery Life | Up to 8 hours |
| Weight | 3.0 lbs |
Lenovo IdeaPad 1 laptop is the best mixture of work and play, and therefore it is the most recommended laptop in $300 price range for businesspeople and students.
$310.00 | Buy at Amazon
2. Asus VivoBook 15 L510MA-DB02
Asus VivoBook 15″ is a recently launched laptop with premium looking chassis and best in class performance. It is finished in a star black color, and its textured lid gives this laptop a stylish look and also provides good grip. It is a 15 inch laptop with bright and colorful 15.6 inch display, perfect to consume content online and watch Netflix. It also has integrated HD webcam for Zoom calls, and its clear sounding speakers add more life to your favorite music and movies. It has a keyboard with decently spaced keys for comfortable typing experience and it also has numpad. Its touchpad is also big and supports multi-finger gestures providing convenience to use Windows 10 on this laptop.
It comes with all required ports and slots including USB Type-C, USB 3.0, HDMI, and memory card slot. Moreover, the laptop weighs just 3 pounds making it best for daily commuters.
It is powered by an Intel Celeron N4020 processor with integrated Intel UHD graphics which makes this laptop powerful enough to play games likes Asphalt 9 and for other everyday tasks. It has 4GB of RAM which helps in running Windows 10 fluidly fast, and it has 64GB of eMMC storage to store your essential files.
| Hardware Specifications of Asus VivoBook 15 Laptop | |
| Processor | Intel Celeron N4020 1.1GHz Processor (Turbo up to 2.8 GHz) |
| RAM | 4GB DDR4 RAM |
| Storage | 64GB eMMC |
| Graphics | Intel UHD 600 Graphics |
| Display | 15.6-Inch Full HD LED Display, 1920 x 1080 Pixels Resolution |
| Operating System | Windows 10 Home in S Mode |
| Battery Life | Up to 6 hours |
| Weight | 3.0 lbs |
Asus VivoBook 15 is one of the best built and performing laptop in this price range. It has one of the best displays you’ll find in this price range. Although, it comes with very less storage onboard, it has an micro SD card slot to expand its memory. So, if you are looking for the laptop which is stylish, durable and better performing, then this is the best option under your $300 budget.
$256.99 | Buy at NewEgg
For those who are looking for versatility in their new laptops and don’t mind spending a little bit extra, the ASUS VivoBook Flip 14 is also an excellent option which comes with a 14-inch full HD touchscreen display. It is a convertible laptop with equally capable specs as the VivoBook 15, and it weighs slightly less at 3.3 pounds, so very portable, and it can last up to 9 hours on a single charge. | Check Price on Amazon
3. Lenovo Chromebook Duet
Looking for a 2-in-1 laptop under $300? Then Lenovo Chromebook Duet might put an end to your laptop search. It is a 10-inch tablet with a full HD touchscreen IPS display and it comes bundled with a detachable keyboard. Its keyboard and trackpad are surprisingly good for such a small device and that what makes it worth considering if you are into 2-in-1 laptops.
Its a very slim tablet. Not as thin as the new iPad Air, but noticeably slimmer than the other laptops mentioned here. The tablet is finished in an Ice Blue color which looks vibrant while its gray color keyboard balances the professional styling of this 2-in-1 laptop. As mentioned earlier, it sports a great keyboard for a device with such small form-factor. It’s a full chiclet keyboard with reasonably spacious palm rest area and its trackpad is also big enough, which gives the pleasant experience to use this 2-in-1 as a standard laptop.
Inside, it has an Octa-Core MediaTek processor with 4GB RAM and 128GB storage. It delivers very smooth experience of using the Chrome OS on the device and its integrated graphics also makes it capable enough to run games available on the Play Store.
However, being a tablet it misses out on all the standard ports and slots. It comes with just a single USB-C port, which also happens to be its charging port. But, it does come with all the fastest wireless connectivity options including the dual-band Wi-Fi with MU-MIMO and Bluetooth.
| Hardware Specifications of Lenovo Chromebook Duet – Budget 2-in-1 Notebook | |
| Processor | MediaTek Helio P60T Octa-Core Processor |
| RAM | 4GB LPDDR4X RAM |
| Storage | 128GB eMMC |
| Graphics | ARM G72 MP3 |
| Display | 10.1-Inch Full HD IPS Multi-Touch display with 1920×1200 Resolution |
| Operating System | Chrome OS |
| Battery Life | Up to 10 hours |
| Weight | 2.0 lbs |
Lenovo Chromebook Duet with the support of Android apps and long-lasting battery is perfect for avid travelers. Moreover, its full HD display also supports Pen input, making it perfect for drawing or students who like to take digital notes. So, if you were planning to buy the convertible laptop under your 300 dollars budget, then this is the one you should go with.
$249.99 from Amazon
4. Acer Chromebook Spin 311 Convertible Laptop
Acer Chromebook Spin 311 is another convertible laptop in sub-$300 price range for the people on a budget. It is built from a high-quality plastic which looks premium, and it is perfect for the people to work on-the-go.
It has a sturdy hinge which holds this convertible laptop in whichever position you want with confidence. You can easily convert this laptop into a tablet, or you can keep it in a standing position on your desk which is an ideal position for watching movies or showing presentation to the group of people.
It has 11 inches of touchscreen display with the resolution of 1366 by 768. Its touchscreen is responsive but it isn’t much bright, and even color looks vanished sometimes; still, it is okay to get everyday work done. Its keyboard is ergonomically designed for such small sized laptop, and its touchpad is also responsive. The design of this laptop makes hard to believe that this laptop costs less than 300 dollars and it also packs a reasonably powerful hardware inside.
This laptop is powered by an Intel Celeron processor coupled with 4GB RAM, and 64GB of eMMC for storing all your data. The Chromebook Spin 311 isn’t made for gaming obviously, however, it can handle games like Asphalt 9 or other touch based games available on Android Play Store. Overall, it’s a sort of a budget all-rounder laptop, and can work great for students to take notes in class or businesspeople for doing all the office-oriented work.
| Hardware Specifications of Acer Chromebook Spin 311 Convertible Laptop | |
| Processor | Intel Celeron N4000 Dual-Core Processor (Turbo up to 2.6 GHz) |
| RAM | 4GB LPDDR4 RAM |
| Storage | 64GB eMMC |
| Graphics | Intel UHD Graphics 600 |
| Display | 11-Inch HD LED-lit Touchscreen display with 1366×768 Resolution |
| Operating System | Chrome OS |
| Battery Life | Up to 10 hours |
| Weight | 2.6 lbs |
The Acer Chromebook Spin 311 is one of our most recommended budget convertible laptops in $300 price range right now. Its powerful hardware specifications and an impressive multi-touch display make it a favorable choice for a wide array of users.
$279.99 | Buy at Amazon
5. Dell Inspiron 3000 15.6″ Laptop
Dell Inspiron 3000 is the best budget all-purpose laptop for people who are seeking for the best combination of work and play within 300 dollars. It is a well-built laptop like all other Dell laptops and the material used to build this laptop is also heat resistant, so this laptop stays cool during long computing sessions and gaming.
It has 15.6 inches of LED-backlit display with 1366 by 768 resolution and features a built-in webcam and microphone for seamless video calling experience. It does have all required ports and slots for easily connecting it to other peripheral devices, and an optical drive is also present to read or burn CDs & DVDs. You can use this laptop for doing all types of tasks because it has got powerful and battery efficient Intel Pentium processor accompanied by 4GB of RAM and integrated Intel UHD graphics which together outputs enough power to play games like Counter-Strike, Minecraft and other similar old yet popular games.
It also has one extra RAM slot to increase this laptop’s RAM up to 8GB and squeeze some more performance out of it. It has stereo speakers with MaxxAudio technology of Dell which acts as an icing on this budget gaming laptop. It comes with Windows 10 pre-installed and 1 year of accidental warranty cover from Dell.
| Hardware Specifications of Dell Inspiron 3000 15″ Budget Performance Laptop | |
| Processor | Intel Pentium Silver N5030 1.1GHz Processor (Turbo up to 3.1 GHz) |
| RAM | 4 GB DDR4 2400 MHz RAM (Expandable up to 8 GB) |
| Storage | 128GB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD |
| Graphics | Intel UHD Graphics 600 |
| Display | 15.6-Inch HD Anti-Glare LED display with 1366 x 768 Resolution |
| Operating System | Windows 10 Home in S mode |
| Battery Life | 6.5 hours |
| Weight | 3.9 lbs |
Dell Inspiron 3000 15 laptop is the best budget performance laptop under 300 dollars which lives up to the expectations of mediocre cum hardcore users, but its about 4 pounds of weight and large dimensions might discourage some of you from buying it.
$323.39 | Buy from Dell
6. HP 14z-dk100 Laptop Our Top Pick
HP 14z is the stylish looking laptop with decent performing hardware inside. It has powerful AMD Athlon 3000 dual-core processor with integrated Radeon graphics which makes it one of the best laptops for gaming under $300. Of-course that doesn’t mean you’ll be able to run the newest games on this machine, but it can run some old less demanding titles without any problems.
The exterior of this laptop is finished in a silver color which looks good, and its minimalistic design gives it a professional look. It has a 14-inch display with HD resolution and good viewing angles, and it also has loud and clear sounding speakers to take your entertainment game at new levels. All standard ports are lined up on both sides of the laptop ensuring more comfortable access to each of them.
For efficiently doing all types of works on this laptop, it comes with 8GB of RAM, and to store all your required files, games and software it has 256GB of fast solid state drive storage. Overall, this laptop is a great performer, and it can handle everyday work and light gaming easily.
| Hardware Specifications of HP 14 inch Laptop | |
| Processor | AMD Athlon Silver 3150U 2.4 GHz Dual-Core Processor (Turbo up to 3.3 GHz) |
| RAM | 8GB DDR4 RAM |
| Storage | 256GB SSD |
| Graphics | AMD Radeon Integrated Graphics |
| Display | 14-Inch HD WLED-backlit display with 1366 x 768 Resolution |
| Operating System | Windows 10 Home S 64-bit OS |
| Battery Life | Up to 6 hours |
| Weight | 3.2 lbs |
This HP 14z is one of our most recommended laptop under $300 for students because it has a decent battery life and 3 pounds of weight. Even this laptop is great choice for gamers on budget, because of its powerful hardware. Although it’s priced a bit higher than $300, we think it’s absolutely worth spending extra for the added performance.
$329.99 | Buy Now at HP
Acer Aspire 5 – The Best Laptop Under $300
The recently launched Acer Aspire 5 is our another favorite laptop in this price range which is also powered by the AMD processor. It has 4GB of RAM and 128GB of speedy SSD for storage which although provides less space, it is great in terms of performance. Moreover, it has 15.6-inch full HD IPS display and it comes with a backlit keyboard which are hard to find features in the laptop at this price point. | Check Price on Amazon
7. Acer Aspire 1
Acer Aspire 1 is another lightweight and compact notebook which is perfect for basic requirements like surfing the web, email, word processing, etc. The laptop weighs under 5 pounds and has an exquisite looking design. Although its chassis is made up of full plastic, it is durable and resistant towards the daily wears and tears.
The display on this laptop is one of the best you can get in 300 dollars price range laptops (actually $200 price-range). It has 15.6-inch full HD display which is the sharpest display you can get for the price. On the hardware front, this laptop sports a basic set of specifications, but it is perfect for routine uses. It has a dual-core Intel Celeron processor inside paired with the 4GB of RAM.
The laptop comes with Windows 10 pre-installed, and it’s hardware handles the basic multitasking with multiple Windows apps and software easily. For storage, this laptop provides just 64GB of eMMC storage which is very low and might be deal breaking for some users, but considering the price of this laptop, its specs are justifiable.
| Hardware Specifications of Acer Aspire 1 – Affordable Notebook Under $300 | |
| Processor | Intel Celeron N4020 Dual Core Processor (Up to 2.8GHz) |
| RAM | 4GB DDR4 SDRAM |
| Storage | 64GB eMMC Storage |
| Graphics | Intel UHD Graphics 600 |
| Display | 15.6-Inch Full HD LED-backlit display with 1920 x 1080 Resolution |
| Operating System | Windows 10 Home in S mode |
| Battery Life | Up to 7 hours |
| Weight | 4.1 lbs |
Overall, Acer Aspire 1 is one of the best affordable notebook under $300 with a lightweight chassis and the hardware that is perfect for everyday tasks.
$309.00 | Buy from Amazon
You may like to read – Acer Aspire 1 Review – The Best Inexpensive Notebook?
8. Acer Chromebook 314
Acer Chromebook 314 is one of the most powerful and beautifully designed Chromebooks under $300 price range. It has a plastic outer body, but it looks like an aluminum chassis, and it feels premium in hands. It has 14-inch full high definition display which produces a really good gamut of colors and also has great viewing angles because it’s an IPS panel.
It comes with Google’s Chrome OS, and this chromebook hardly takes 5 seconds to boot, which is half the booting time of any Windows laptop. It has USB 3.0 and Type-C ports located on either side of the chromebook, and it also has fast wifi (802.11ac) with MU-MIMO support for faster and uninterrupted internet access.
This Chromebook is powered by Intel Celeron dual-core processor with integrated UHD graphics, and 4GB of RAM which produces enough power to easily multitask with 10-12 tabs of chrome on this laptop. It provides 64GB of internal storage and 100GB of Google Drive storage for storing all your required files offline and online respectively.
| Hardware Specifications of Acer Chromebook 314 | |
| Processor | Intel Celeron N4000 Dual-Core Processor (Turbo up to 2.6 GHz) |
| RAM | 4GB LPDDR4 RAM |
| Storage | 64GB eMMC (100 GB of Google Drive Storage) |
| Graphics | Intel UHD Graphics 600 |
| Display | 14-inch Full HD IPS LED Display with 1920 x 1080 Resolution |
| Operating System | Chrome OS |
| Battery Life | 12 hours |
| Weight | 3.3 lbs |
Acer Chromebook 314 provides blazingly fast access to all your work from anywhere. It is light in weight and has a battery backup of 12 hours which makes this laptop perfect for online business owners and students. It is also our favorite and most recommended budget chromebook to buy in 2021.
$279.99 | Buy Now From Amazon
The Acer Chromebook 514 is also excellent option with similar performing hardware, but in a svelte looking all-metal chassis. It costs a little bit more than $300, but for the price you get a better built laptop and also a backlit keyboard. | Check Price on Amazon
9. Lenovo IdeaPad 3 Laptop
Lenovo Ideapad 3 is one of the best laptop you can buy in your budget of $300. It is not only a good looking laptop but it also comes with a powerful set of hardware specifications. It is powered by an Intel Core i3 processor and 4GB of RAM. Together, it outputs enough power to play some older games and run demanding software on this laptop.
It is finished in a gray color, which makes this laptop look bold and its textured lid provides nice grip to easily hold this laptop even with one hand. Its 15.6 inches of display is perfect for performing day to day tasks and watching movies is also enjoyable on this laptop due to its loud stereo speakers.
It has a well-laid out keyboard with a dedicated numpad. It provides all required ports like USB 3.0, HDMI, and also a full size memory card slot. Moreover, the laptop comes with a speedy 128GB of solid state drive to store all your data.
| Hardware Specifications of Lenovo IdeaPad S145 | |
| Processor | Intel Core i3-1005G1 Dual-Core 1.2 GHz Processor (Turbo up to 3.4 GHz) |
| RAM | 4GB DDR4 2666 MHz RAM |
| Storage | 128GB SSD |
| Graphics | Intel UHD Graphics |
| Display | 15.6 Inch HD LED Anti-Glare display |
| Operating System | Windows 10 in S mode |
| Battery Life | Up to 6 hours |
| Weight | 4.0 lbs |
Due to Lenovo IdeaPad S145 premium looking design, powerful hardware for day to day work, less weight and battery life of up to 6 hours, it is among the greatest contenders in budget laptops under $300 category.
$319.99 | Buy Now from Walmart
10. Lenovo 100e Chromebook 2nd Gen Water Resistant
Lenovo 100e is one of the most practical Chromebooks available in the market right now. You can use this Chromebook without worrying in the kitchen or while having your coffee at office because it comes with a fully sealed water-resistant body, and its keyboard is also spill resistant. It is priced at just $250 so by buying this Chromebook you can save a lot from your $300 budget for your other expenses.
Lenovo 100e Chromebook being a budget 11 inch chromebook, doesn’t compromise on performance in any way. It is powered by MediaTek processor and comes with 4GB of RAM. For storage, this chromebook offers just 32GB of flash storage, but it has memory card slot to expand the memory. These hardware specifications make everyday tasks on the Chrome OS buttery smooth.
Apart from excellent performance, this is also a pretty good looking chromebook. It comes in dual-tone gray and black color finish which looks stylish and even professional at the same time.
| Hardware Specifications of Lenovo 100e Chromebook (2nd Gen) | |
| Processor | MediaTek 8173C Quad Core 2.1 GHz Processor |
| RAM | 4GB LPDDR3 RAM |
| Storage | 32GB eMMC (Comes with SD Card slot) |
| Graphics | Imagination GX6250 |
| Display | 11.6 Inch HD Anti-Glare 1366×768 Display |
| Operating System | Chrome OS |
| Battery Life | 10 hours |
| Weight | 2.7 lbs |
On an overall note, Lenovo 100e Chromebook is the best budget laptop under $300 for anyone who wants a rugged computer for everyday productivity works.
$226.00 | Buy at Amazon
For those who need similar rugged form-factor in a more versatile chassis, the ASUS Chromebook Flip is another excellent option. It comes with same reinforced chassis and spill proof keyboard but in a convertible form-factor so you can use it in different modes like tent or tablet. | Check Price on Amazon
These are our most recommended laptops to buy at your budget of $300 right now. All these laptops are the newest models of well-renowned brands with all the latest hardware and features. Moreover, we have also make sure that all of them have good reviews and ratings from the people who have already purchased them, so you don’t just see what we love here, it’s loved by many others as well.
Keep checking this page for the updated list of laptops, and we hope that this budget laptop buying guide helps you to buy the best laptop under 300 dollars for yourself.
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