Laptops are essential everyday tools. They allow you to study, work, and play from anywhere. With industry giants offering prices in the hundreds, even thousands, of euros, finding an affordable laptop that combines practicality and performance isn't easy. To help you make the right choice, here is our selection of the best laptops under 500 euros.
Our selection of the best laptops under €500
Buying a laptop is a significant budget. It's now possible to find entry-level computers for less than 500 euros without sacrificing quality. However, some concessions are necessary. For example, forget about super-powerful models for playing the latest video games in 4K.
Laptops under 500 euros are primarily for office and multimedia use. They're ideal for students and remote workers. In this article, we've gathered the best value for money so you can find the best budget laptop to buy.
Acer Aspire 3 A315-24P
Amazon499€
Rakuten573.12€
Cdiscount586.01€
This laptop is effective if you're looking for an inexpensive model for work, entertainment, or even study. It features an AMD Ryzen 5 7520U processor and 16GB of RAM. It's a quad-core processor with a frequency that can go up to 4.3GHz.
The computer has a 512 GB SSD, which is decent for its price segment. The 15.6-inch screen offers Full HD resolution and thin bezels. As for battery life, you can use this laptop for 11 hours without recharging. It is therefore perfectly suited for mobile use. As for connectivity, it is comprehensive, with two USB 3.2 Type-A ports, a USB Type-C port, an HDMI 2.1 port, and a headset port.
The configuration is generally very balanced for a laptop under €500. It comes with Windows 11 installed by default.
| The + | The - |
|---|---|
| Good design | 720p webcam |
| Decent processor performance | |
| Good connectivity |
Acer Aspire Go 15 AG15-31P-342L
Amazon399€
This laptop is effective if you're looking for an inexpensive model for work, entertainment, or even study. It features an Intel Core i3-N305 processor and 8 GB of RAM. It's an 8-core processor with a frequency that can reach up to 3.8 GHz.
The computer has a 512 GB SSD, which is decent for its price segment. The 15.6-inch screen offers Full HD resolution and thin bezels. As for battery life, you can use this laptop for 8.5 hours without recharging. It's therefore perfectly suited for mobile use. As for the connectivity, it is complete since you will find 2 USB 3.2 Type-A ports, a USB Type-C port, an HDMI 2.1 port and a headset port.
The configuration is generally very balanced for a laptop under €500. It comes with Windows 11 installed by default.
| The + | The - |
|---|---|
| Good design | 720p webcam |
| Decent processor performance | |
| Good connectivity |
Asus Chromebook Plus CX3402
Amazon439€
We continue our selection with a model that, as its name suggests, is a Chromebook. Chromebooks are known for being high-performance without requiring a powerful configuration thanks to a very lightweight and perfectly optimized operating system. But for some time now, manufacturers have been offering models called Chromebook Plus. These are laptops that use Chrome OS but also have a configuration worthy of a classic laptop.
Here, in this case, we find the Intel Core i3-1215U processor associated with 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage. It also has a 14-inch screen with Full HD definition and thin NanoEdge edges. If you want to use the Asus Chromebook Plus CX3402 for remote work, it's perfectly possible thanks to its 1080p webcam.
You can also use Google Gemini AI on a daily basis to help you write or create visuals with ease. It's also a laptop that you can take with you on trips with its 10-hour battery life. Finally, from a connectivity point of view, you benefit from Wifi 6 and Bluetooth 5.3 which offer stable and fast connections.
| The + | The - |
|---|---|
| Good autonomy | Perfectible screen |
| Successful design | |
| Full HD Webcam |
HP Chromebook Plus 14a
Amazon386.13€
We continue our selection of the best laptops under €500 with another Chromebook from HP. This is the Chromebook Plus 14a. If you're looking for a simple, inexpensive, and efficient model, this one might interest you.
As with the previous model, this is a Chromebook Plus, which features an Intel Core i3-N305 processor with 8 cores, 8 threads, and a maximum frequency of 3.8 GHz. It's accompanied by 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage.
This laptop is a suitable model for everyday tasks. If you're looking for a PC for surfing the web, watching movies and series on Netflix, or even for office work or studying, the HP Chromebook Plus 14a provides more than adequate performance.
| The + | The - |
|---|---|
| Light price | Only 256 GB of storage |
| Performance for a Chromebook | Connectivity too limited |
Lenovo Ideapad 1
Amazon499.99€
The Lenovo Ideapad 1 features a 15.6-inch Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels) anti-glare display. With its processorIntel Core i3-1215U clocked at 4.4 GHz(turbo), its 8 GB of RAM and its 256 GB SSD storage space, it is a smooth laptop that is powerful enough for everyday tasks.
The IdeaPad 1 stands out for its portability. It weighs only 1.63 kg and has thin bezels that allow for a larger screen. Thanks to RapidCharge technology, you get two hours of battery life in just 15 minutes of charging.
In terms of connectivity, this model is well-equipped, with an SD card reader, an HDMI port, two USB-A ports (one of which is 3.2 Gen 1), a USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 port (multifunction), and a headphone/microphone combo connector.
| The + | The - |
|---|---|
| Perfectible screen | |
| Good performance for office and entertainment | |
| Good battery life |
Chromebook Lenovo IdeaPad Duet
Baker249.99€
Rakuten249.99€
Pixmania FR315.99€
We continue our selection with a very different model that will interest users looking for mobility and versatility. Indeed, the Lenovo IdeaPad Duet is a 2-in-1 Chromebook that can be used as both a laptop and a tablet by simply detaching the plug-and-play keyboard.
It features an 11-inch touchscreen with a resolution of 1920 x 1200 pixels, a MediaTek Kompanio 838 processor, 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of storage. This configuration may seem light but it is sufficient for office work and leisure.
This allows you to use several applications simultaneously without slowing down. Its compact size and long battery life of up to 8 hours of use make it easy to use on the go.
| The + | The - |
|---|---|
| Good battery life | Very limited connectivity |
| Detachable touchscreen | |
| Compact Dimensions |
What is the price of a good laptop and how to choose it?
Laptops are now available at all prices, from 300 euros for entry-level models to several thousand euros for the most powerful ones. Not all models are equal, and price isn't always a good indicator of a computer's quality.
When choosing a laptop, you need to consider:
- Processor power and type: in the under-€500 segment, the best models most often have an Intel Core i3 or Ryzen 5 processor. You'll also find PCs with slightly lower-end CPUs (Celeron, Snapdragon, etc.).
- RAM: the bare minimum these days is 8GB, even on entry-level laptops. But for more comfort, aim for 16GB.
- Device weight: if you're looking for a lightweight, easily portable model. There are many models that weigh less than 2 kg.
- The screen: for a laptop under €500, we generally end up with fairly simple screens that use IPS technology. It is especially in terms of screen size that you will have different choices.
- Storage capacity: a 512 GB SSD is ideal, but there are several models with 256 GB in this segment.
- Connectivity: aim for the ports that will be useful to you. Failing that, it is possible to add a USB hub.
- Battery life: laptops offer very variable battery life. No matter the number of hours, the problem will not arise if you are often close to an electrical outlet. For those on the go, aim for at least 10 hours of battery life.
Most models under 500 euros offer undeniable advantages for office use or multimedia. To buy a gaming laptop, a slightly larger budget is generally necessary, or you can turn to a Cloud Gaming solution.
Is a Chromebook a good alternative?
Chromebooks are laptops running Chrome OS that have the advantage of generally being less expensive than their Windows equivalents. A Chromebook allows you to do a wide variety of tasks, such as surfing the internet with Chrome, Google's web browser, streaming videos, or playing games.
While Windows and macOS programs don't work on these computers, you can install many Android apps from the Google Play Store and take advantage of web apps like Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint, or image editing tools like Photoshop or Lightroom.
Ultimately, if you're looking for a cheap laptop with enough power for simply studying or working, Chromebooks can be excellent alternatives.
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