Top pick
This model has good specs and a touchscreen. But it’s heavy, and its display, keyboard, trackpad, and battery life are merely passable.
Recommended configuration
| Processor: | AMD Ryzen 5 7520U | Screen: | 15-inch 1920×1080 touch |
| Memory: | 16 GB | Weight: | 3.92 pounds |
| Storage: | 1 TB SSD | Tested battery life: | 9.5 hours |
Who these are for: If you need a Windows laptop for school and can’t afford to spend a lot, you have to make some compromises. These models are best suited for grade-school or middle-school students, because most budget Windows laptops that are fast enough for schoolwork tend to be bulky and heavy, and their batteries can’t last through a full day of classes. You have to be extra-vigilant when shopping for a laptop in this price range to avoid slow or old processors, insufficient memory, sluggish storage, and terrible, low-resolution displays.
Why we like this one: The Acer Aspire 3 15 (A315-24PT-R288) is the best Windows laptop you can find for the price. But we strongly recommend saving up for our top pick or even the MacBook Neo if you can — both options are better in nearly every way.
We expect the Aspire 3 15 to be fast enough for most people’s computing needs for years to come, because it has twice as much memory as most cheap Windows laptops. And its 15.6-inch 1920×1080 display supports touch input and has a matte coating to prevent reflections, which is a boon because this display doesn’t get very bright. The IPS screen avoids the unsightly tints and viewing-angle issues that plague laptops in this price range, but it does have a bluish cast.
The Aspire 3 15’s battery lasted 9.5 hours in our web-browsing battery tests, just enough for it to squeak through a day of classes but not much more. We wish it charged via USB-C, but many laptops in this price range still rely on harder-to-replace barrel-style chargers.
But the Aspire 3 15 is bulky and heavy at nearly 4 pounds. Its keyboard lacks a backlight and feels mushy, and the trackpad had poor palm rejection in our testing. Our top picks are much more portable, and have superior keyboards and trackpads. And the Aspire 3 15 comes with a ton of bloatware; we recommend following these steps to get rid of it and make your laptop faster and more secure.
Choosing a budget laptop is tricky, because you can find hundreds of variations, their prices fluctuate constantly, and companies release and discontinue models with no warning. If our pick isn’t available, check our full guide for other available options and advice on how to shop for a budget laptop.
For additional details, you can read our full guide to budget laptops.
