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10 Best Budget Laptops 2025 in the United States

#1

Winner

9.8 score

HP 14 Laptop, Intel Celeron N4020, 4 GB RAM, 64 GB Storage, 14-inch Micro-edge HD Display, Windows 11 Home, Thin & Portable, 4K Graphics, One Year of Microsoft 365 (14-dq0040nr, Snowflake White)

The HP 14 Laptop is a solid choice for those in need of a budget-friendly device, especially students or anyone who requires a portable computer for everyday tasks. It features an Intel Celeron N4020 processor paired with 4 GB of RAM, which makes it suitable for basic activities like web browsing, word processing, and streaming videos. The 14-inch micro-edge HD display offers a decent viewing experience, although the 1366 x 768 resolution may not meet everyone's expectations for sharpness.

Rating
9.8
Chosen by1,257
Processor (CPU)
RAM
Storage

Most important from
3953 reviews

Processor (CPU)
Works well for genealogy and everyday tasks despite being a bit slow.
RAM
Great for basic tasks like web browsing and productivity software, but limited by 4GB of RAM for multitasking.
Storage
64GB storage may be insufficient for users with larger files or numerous applications.
Display
Small touchpad and dim screen can be challenging to use, especially outdoors.
Battery Life
Impressive battery life, lasting up to 6.5 hours on a single charge.
#2
9.6 score

Acer Aspire 3 A315-24P-R7VH Slim Laptop | 15.6" Full HD | AMD Ryzen 3 7320U Quad-Core | AMD Radeon Graphics | 8GB LPDDR5 | 128GB NVMe SSD | Wi-Fi 6 | Windows 11 Home

The Acer Aspire 3 A315-24P-R7VH is a solid choice for anyone seeking a budget laptop that balances performance and portability. Powered by the AMD Ryzen 3 7320U processor and equipped with 8GB of LPDDR5 RAM, this laptop is well-suited for everyday tasks such as browsing, document editing, and light multimedia use. The 15.6" Full HD IPS display ensures vibrant colors and crisp images, making it a treat for watching videos or working on presentations.

Rating
9.6
Processor (CPU)
Display
Battery Life

Most important from
4266 reviews

Processor (CPU)
Surprisingly fast performance for a budget laptop, handling everyday tasks with ease.
Display
Screen brightness and quality are impressive, offering vibrant colors and crisp images.
Battery Life
Battery life is reliable, lasting through a day of classes without needing a recharge.
Build Quality and Portability
The sleek and lightweight design makes it convenient to carry around.
#3
9.5 score

Dell Inspiron Touchscreen Laptop, 15.6" Business & Student Laptop Computer, Windows 11 Pro Laptop 32GB RAM 1TB SSD, Intel i5-1155G7 Processor, Full HD IPS Display, Numeric Keypad, HDMI, Carbon Black

The Dell Inspiron Touchscreen Laptop offers a solid balance of performance and features for budget-conscious users such as students and professionals. It is powered by an Intel Quad-Core i5-1155G7 processor, which provides sufficient performance for everyday tasks and light multitasking. The 32GB RAM is an excellent feature, ensuring smooth operation even with multiple applications open. Storage-wise, the 1TB SSD is generous, offering quick access to your files and ample space for software and documents. The 15.6-inch Full HD IPS display delivers clear and vibrant visuals, and the touchscreen functionality adds versatility for different usage scenarios.

Rating
9.5
Display
Battery Life
Build Quality and Portability

Most important from
684 reviews

Display
The product has exceeded expectations. It was easy to setup and works very well. Battery life is excellent and picture quality great.
Battery Life
Fairly easy to set up, speed is awesome, very lightweight, battery life is pretty good.
Build Quality and Portability
Fairly easy to set up, speed is awesome, very lightweight, battery life is pretty good.

Top 10 Best Budget Laptops 2025 in the United States

HP 15.6" Business Laptop, Free Microsoft Office 2024 Lifetime License, Copilot AI Chat, HD Touchscreen Display, Intel 6-Core i3-1215U 4.4 GHz, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD, Long Battery Life, Windows 11 Pro

Processor (CPU): 12th Gen Intel Core i3, 6 cores
RAM (Memory): 16 GB DDR4
Storage (HDD or SSD): 1 TB SSD
Display: 15.6", 1366x768, HD touchscreen
Battery Life: 5-6 hours
Build Quality & Portability: 3.75 lbs, 0.71 inches thick
Ports and Connectivity: USB-C (data), USB-A, HDMI, SD, Wi-Fi

Lenovo V-Series V15 Business Laptop, 15.6" FHD Display, AMD Ryzen 7 7730U, 40GB RAM, 1TB SSD, Numeric Keypad, HDMI, RJ45, Webcam, Wi-Fi, Windows 11 Pro, Black

Processor (CPU): AMD Ryzen 7 7730U, 4.5 GHz, 8 cores
RAM: 40 GB DDR4, 3200 MHz
Storage: 1 TB PCIe NVMe SSD
Display: 15.6 inches, 1920 x 1080 pixels
Build Quality and Portability: 3.64 pounds, slim, dependable build
Connectivity: USB-C, USB 3.2, HDMI, Ethernet, Wi-Fi 6
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Buying Guide for the Best Budget Laptops

Choosing the right budget laptop can be a bit overwhelming, but breaking your decision down into key parts will help you find a great fit for your needs. Start by thinking about what you plan to use the laptop for—study, work, web browsing, streaming, or light gaming. Then, pay attention to the most important features and figure out which moments matter most for what you’re planning to do. Always balance your expectations; a budget laptop might not do everything at top speed, but you can absolutely find something reliable with the right mix of features.
Processor (CPU)The processor, or CPU, is like the brain of your laptop—it handles all the tasks and makes everything run. For casual tasks like browsing or watching videos, a basic processor will do the job, but if you want to run more programs at once or need extra speed for heavier applications, a more powerful one is better. Entry-level laptops usually have CPUs that are marketed for efficiency rather than raw speed, but you can generally tell how fast it is by looking at the number and type of cores. For just schoolwork or browsing, a basic dual-core processor is enough; for a bit more speed and multitasking, aim for a quad-core processor. If you often work with images or need to multitask with lots of tabs and tools, go for the best CPU you can find within the budget range.
RAM (Memory)RAM gives your laptop space to keep things running smoothly in the background. The more RAM you have, the more applications and browser tabs your laptop can handle at once without slowing down. Budget laptops generally come with between 4GB and 8GB of RAM. 4GB is suitable for light usage such as emails, streaming, and editing documents. If you want to do more, like light photo editing, use lots of tabs, or keep multiple programs running, 8GB is a better choice. Think about how much multitasking you do when making your choice.
Storage (HDD or SSD)Storage refers to how much data—like pictures, videos, and applications—your laptop can keep. There are two main kinds: HDD (hard drives) and SSD (solid-state drives). SSDs are much faster, helping your laptop start and load programs quickly, even if they often offer less space than traditional HDDs in budget models. If you want quick start-up times and don’t plan to store tons of big files, go for an SSD (even 128GB can be enough for basic users). If you store a lot of videos, photos, or games, you might need a larger drive, even if it’s an older HDD. Choose based on whether speed or storage size is more important to you.
DisplayThe display is what you’ll look at all day, so it’s worth paying attention to. On budget laptops, screen size usually ranges from 11 to 15 inches. A smaller display means a lighter, more portable machine but less space for multitasking or watching movies. Larger screens are better for watching content or working with documents side-by-side, but they’ll be heavier. Screen quality (resolution and brightness) matters too—Higher resolution means sharper images; for basic needs, HD (1366x768) is fine, but Full HD (1920x1080) offers better clarity for productivity and streaming. Pick a screen size and resolution that fits how often you’ll carry your laptop and the kind of tasks you do most.
Battery LifeBattery life tells you how long your laptop can run without needing to be plugged in. This matters a lot if you’ll use your laptop away from home or a charging spot, like in school or cafes. On budget laptops, battery life can range from a few hours up to a full day. If mobility is important and you’ll be on the go often, look for laptops that advertise 6 hours or more of battery life. If your laptop’s mostly going to stay on a desk, this is less of a worry.
Build Quality & PortabilityBuild quality affects how well the laptop stands up to everyday use and travel. Budget models often use simple plastic designs, but some have reinforced seams or water-resistant features. If portability (carrying your laptop around a lot) is key, pay attention to weight (lighter is better) and thickness. If your laptop will mostly stay in one spot, you might care less about this and more about a solid, comfortable keyboard or larger touchpad.
Ports and ConnectivityThe kinds and number of ports matter if you need to plug in extra things like USB drives, headphones, or external displays. Most budget laptops have a few USB ports and headphone jacks, but not always extras like HDMI or SD card slots. Consider what devices you use most—if you often connect to a TV or projector, for example, make sure your laptop has the required port.

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