Best laptop under $300 in 2024 – our top picks
If you are looking for the best laptop under $300, then we have you covered right here.
Now, with a $300 budget, you can get a good laptop that can carry out everyday tasks like browsing, emailing, typing, and other tasks that do not require intense computing power.
If you browse laptops in this price range, you will see that most of them come with entry-level processors that can handle basic tasks. Plus, you also get integrated graphics, which help with media consumption, very basic photo editing, and light gaming. If you can stretch your budget a little, then you can check out the best laptop under $500 – this will expand your scope and also get you a bit more computing power.
With that being said, there are many laptops out there that can be suitable for you. So, to help narrow down your search, we have rounded up what we think are some of the best laptops under $300.
Products at a Glance
How we picked
For this guide, we have looked at several laptops available on the market, compared them, and chose the ones we thought were the best. The laptops have been selected based on specs like processor, RAM, portability, and other important aspects. Further, we are regularly looking for new products to add to our guide and keep them updated – so check back again for new updates.
Product Reviews
- Intel Celeron N4120 processor
- 8GB RAM
- Lightweight and portable
- eMMC storage, not SSD
If you want the best laptop under $300 for your daily work, then we think that this HP model is a solid choice.
The laptop has a 14-inch display with HD resolution, which should produce high-quality pictures on a small screen. Plus, the screen has thin bezels, so you get more viewing space.
On the inside, the laptop houses an Intel Celeron N4120 processor that has 4 cores and 4 threads, so it should be able to handle everyday tasks easily. Plus, you get Intel UHD Graphics 600, which should deliver decent graphics performance.
The model we have selected comes with 8GB RAM and 64GB eMMC storage, which should be sufficient for most users. You can also expand the storage with a 128GB SD card, which should give you some flexibility in terms of storage options.
Coming to the connectivity options, the laptop has a bunch of ports, which include USB 3.1 Type-C ports, USB 3.1 Type-A ports, HDMI, and other ports – so you should not have issues with connectivity.
As far as portability is concerned, the laptop weighs only 3.2 pounds, very much like some of the best lightweight laptops, so you should be able to carry it around quite easily.
- 14-inch FHD display
- Lightweight and portable
- 7.5-hour battery life
- Mediocre processor
If you’re a student or someone who needs a portable laptop, then we think that the Lenovo IdeaPad 3i is a solid option.
The new version released in 2023 runs on an Intel Core i3-1115G4, which is powerful enough to execute your daily tasks. Plus, for media consumption and entertainment, the laptop has built-in Intel UHD graphics, which should give you good graphics performance.
On the outside, the laptop has a 14-inch display with FHD resolution, so you can expect it to deliver good-quality graphics. Plus, the screen has thin bezels on two sides, which means you get more screen space.
Coming to portability, the laptop weighs only 4.6 pounds, which should make it portable for most users. To add to that, you get about 7.5 hours of battery life, which should be sufficient for most people.
- 17.3-inch FHD display
- 17-hour battery life
- Lightweight and portable
- Only 4GB RAM
If you want a Chromebook under $300, then we’d recommend checking out this one from Asus, and we think it deserves to be one of the best Chromebooks under $300.
The Chromebook runs on an Intel Celeron N4500 processor, which is an entry-level CPU designed to handle everyday tasks like emailing and browsing. Plus, for media consumption, you get integrated Intel UHD Graphics, which promises to tweak the quality of your graphics when you use the internet, play casual games, or give basic re-touches to your photos.
Coming to the display, this Chromebook has a 17.3-inch screen with FHD resolution, which should give you clear visuals. Plus, you get a thin-bezel screen, which should give you more room for viewing.
If you’re planning to carry this laptop around, then you’d be pleased to know that this device weighs only 5.3 pounds, which, considering the 17-inch screen, is quite lightweight. To add to that, the laptop promises a 17-hour battery life, which should be more than enough for most users to get a day’s worth of use.
- 2-in-1 convertible laptop
- 12.2-inch Touchscreen
- Lightweight and portable
- Not FHD
If you’re looking for a hybrid 2-in-1 laptop, then we think you should check out this Chromebook from Samsung.
The Chromebook comes with an Intel Celeron processor with 1.5GHz speed, so you can expect this device to handle most of your daily tasks like browsing and emailing. Plus, for graphics, Intel HD Graphics 615 is integrated into it, so you should be able to get good graphics performance.
On the outside, this Chromebook has a 12.2-inch screen with a 1600 x 600 pixels resolution, which should deliver good-quality visuals. As this is a 2-in-1 Chromebook, it can flip 360 degrees, so you can fold it and use it as a tab. Plus, the display is touchscreen, and it comes with a pen, so you should be able to draw, write, and sketch easily.
As this is a Chromebook, you can expect it to be quite lightweight and portable. At just over 3 pounds, you can carry this device around without feeling the bulk.
- 15.6-inch FHD display
- Windows 11
- 60Hz refresh rate
- Not for gaming
If you are looking for a budget-friendly laptop under $300 that runs the latest Windows version, then you should check out this Acer Aspire Slim model.
To start with, the laptop comes with Windows 11 Home, which is the latest version of the operating system. If you want a budget laptop to upgrade your existing setup, then this should be a suitable option.
As far as performance is concerned, the Acer laptop comes equipped with an Intel Celeron N4500 processor, which is sufficient to get your day-to-day work done. However, if you are looking to run games or resource-intensive tasks, then you might want to consider other options.
The variant we have selected comes with 8GB RAM, which is sufficient to aid smooth performance. Plus, you also get a 128GB SSD, which, along with 64GB eMMC, should deliver faster loading and reduce boot-up times.
Coming to the display, the laptop sports a standard 15.6-inch IPS display with full HD resolution, which should deliver enough screen space for work and also deliver good picture quality. Further, you also get a 60Hz refresh rate, which should keep performance smooth.
How to pick the best laptop under $300
Here are some pointers to make your search easier –
CPU
If you look at laptops within this budget, then you’ll see that most laptops come with entry-level processors, like the Intel Celeron series. These CPUs are good enough to carry out your everyday tasks like browsing, typing, emailing, and more. And for media consumption, the entry-level CPUs often have integrated Intel UHD graphics or AMD Radeon graphics – depending on the chipset you go for.
RAM
Most entry-level and basic laptops come with 8GB RAM, which is necessary for the laptop to multitask. With more RAM, the laptop cuts down on loading times and gives you overall faster performance. Along with this, you should go for at least 128GB SSD so you have enough storage for multimedia files. Some laptops also come with an SD card slot, so you can expand the storage with some of the best micro SD cards.
Weight
Most laptops under $300 are entry-level devices which are usually lightweight. Most laptops have a weight of around 3 to 4 pounds, which is quite portable.
Our Verdict
Overall, we’d say that the HP 14-inch laptop is a solid pick, if you’re looking for a budget solution for your everyday tasks. This laptop comes with an Intel Celeron N4120 processor that can run most of your emailing, browsing, and typing tasks smoothly. Plus, for media consumption, you get integrated Intel UHD Graphics 600, which should deliver decent graphics performance. The laptop sports a 14-inch HD display, which should deliver good quality visuals. And much like the name suggests, this laptop is quite lightweight and weighs only 3.2 pounds, making it fit for carrying around.