With technology rapidly advancing, we are seeing new innovations in laptops every day. But to make a purchase decision, you need to ask yourself what you can compromise on as a user.
Not all laptops are perfect in every aspect. Some may be powerful in one area but lack functionality in others. For instance, some may not have ports, stylus support, or a backlit keyboard but offer an amazing display.
You can determine which features you are looking for and what you can compromise on. Once you have done that, go over our list of the best budget laptops in 2022:
Best Budget Laptops in 2022
1. Lenovo Chromebook Duet
If you are looking for a cheap laptop that gets the job done, the Lenovo Chromebook Duet should be on top of your list. Priced at around $260, the Lenovo Chromebook Duet is a 10-inch Chrome OS tablet crafted in aluminum alloy. It comes with a keyboard cover and a kickstand which looks classy. You can use it as both a PC and a tablet.
- This ultraportable 2-in-1 Chromebook includes a fast and stable plug-and-play detachable keyboard enabled with 5-point pogo pin and magnet design
- Take it with you everywhere. Thin and lightweight the Chromebook Duet offers up to 10 hours of battery life (2)
- The unique dual-tone design with aluminum alloy on the tablet is a standout design with sophisticated fabric texture on the stand cover you'll be stylish productive and practical
- Fast secure and easy to use: This touchscreen Chromebook boots up quickly with just your Google login to give you access to all of your cloud-based documents email and more
- With the 10 1" FHD (1920 x 1200) IPS display and stunning colorful details you won't sacrifice for great visuals; The 10-point multi-touch touchscreen is also USI pen compatible (pen sold separately)
However, you won’t be able to multitask with this laptop and keep dozens of tabs open.
It makes up for this with its great battery life as it offers up to 11 hours of continued usage. If you can live with a small-sized screen of 10 inches, the Lenovo Chromebook Duet is a steal at this price tag.
2. HP Envy X360 13
HP Envy X360 13, priced at $699, is the best budget laptop you can get with all the high-quality features.
- Intel Evo platform powered by 11th Generation Intel Core i7-1165G7 1.3 GHz turbo up to 4.7 GHz
- 13.3-inch diagonal, FHD (1920 x 1080), multitouch-enabled, IPS, edge-to-edge glass, microedge, BrightView, Corning Gorilla Glass NBT, HP Sure View integrated privacy screen
- 8 GB DDR4 SDRAM (onboard); 512 GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD
- Intel Iris Xe Graphics; Audio by Bang & Olufsen with dual speakers; Full-size, backlit, pale gold keyboard with Fingerprint Reader
- Windows 10 Home, Battery Up to 11 hours and 45 minutes (mixed usage), Wi-Fi 6 AX201, Bluethooth 5, Thunderbolt support
This sturdy machine looks very premium for its price and offers great functionality. It comes with an excellent keyboard, a colorful screen, a powerful AMD Ryzen processor, and impressive battery life.
You can even game on this machine! However, it can only manage light gaming. Moreover, the 16:9 screen does not offer the best aspect ratio you can expect. Plus, you won’t find any HDMI and Thunderbolt ports in the body. But this isn’t a deal-breaker for someone who doesn’t use these ports.
3. ASUS Chromebook Detachable CM3
The ASUS Chromebook Detachable CM3 is a better version of the Lenovo Chromebook Duet. It is a 10.5-inch Chrome OS tablet with a kickstand, a detachable screen, and a fabric cover.
- ASUS Chromebook Enterprise bundled with the Chrome Enterprise upgrade provides a simple and secure way to manage your Chrome OS devices and deployment with ease.
- Powered by ARM MediaTek 8183 Processor 2.0 GHz (1M Cache, up to 2.0 GHz, 8 cores)
- 64GB eMMC storage and 4GB LPDDR4X RAM
- 10.5 inch touchscreen 1920x1200 16:10 Display with garaged USI stylus, detachable keyboard and stand cover included
- 1x Audio jack, 1x USB 2.0 Type C
However, the CM3’s kickstand can be folded to be used horizontally and vertically, something that is not possible in a Chromebook Duet. Moreover, it features a built-in USI stylus and pretty spread-out keys that allow ample travel.
The battery life is also really impressive at 13 hours. The only difference between the two Chromebooks is that of the power.
The CM3 features a MediaTek processor, which can be slower than the Chromebook Duet. But it’s still a pretty good buy, costing less than $400.
4. HP Pavilion Aero 13
Priced at around $669, the HP Pavilion Aero 13 is sleek and lightweight for people looking for a premium-looking budget laptop.
- LESS TO HOLD, MORE TO SEE – Stay portable with this laptop’s streamlined, remarkably lightweight design, while the powerful AMD processor and graphics keep you productive and entertained all day.
- WUXGA IPS DISPLAY – Become totally immersed in the superb color, flicker-free images, and wide-viewing angles of this 13.3-inch WUXGA (1920 x 1200) IPS display (1); maximize your viewing experience while scrolling less thanks to the display’s 16:10 aspect ratio and micro-edge design (2).
- AMD PROCESSOR AND GRAPHICS – Enjoy supreme performance and infinite possibilities, whether you’re gaming, creating, or streaming, with the power of the AMD Ryzen 5 5600U Mobile Processor (3) and AMD Radeon graphics (4).
- MEMORY AND STORAGE – Work with several windows/tabs open without slow-down, thanks to your PC laptop’s 8 GB of RAM. Plus, with 512 GB of SSD storage, your device features up to 15 times faster performance than a traditional hard drive—ideal for saving all your important data and running all your applications.
- ALL-DAY BATTERY LIFE – Keep up the work or play from morning till evening with up to 10 hours and 30 minutes of battery life (6) and go from 0 to 50% charge in approximately 30 minutes with HP Fast Charge (7).
This powerful machine comes with an 8-core Ryzen processor that offers incredibly fast processing speed. It weighs only 2.1 pounds and features a 16:10 bright screen and a powerful battery that gives 11 hours of battery life.
However, HP had to compromise on some things to get these benefits. For instance, the audio quality is not that impressive. But you can always plug in good headphones to listen to your favorite tunes.
Conclusion
The best budget laptops in 2022 can be incredibly fast and have all the premium laptops’ features. It all depends on what features you prefer and what you can compromise on. Good luck!
Last update on 2024-05-18 / We may get a commission on clicks or purchases from this page. / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
