Budget laptops can be an excellent investment if you’re looking for a computer to use for work or school without spending too much. Affordable laptops are often easier to maintain, use less energy, and have longer battery life than their more expensive counterparts.
These laptops are also great for students, as they’re generally lighter and go for cheaper than full-sized laptops – making them easy to bring with you on the go. They can be enough to get your work done or make sure you can play some games when you don’t feel like lugging around a heavy computer, too.
Choosing between these cheap laptops under $100 is usually determined by what you’ll be using them for. If you need something basic, that’ll let you surf the web and type up papers, then an affordable laptop will probably suit your needs just fine. However, here are some buying tips before buying your next budget laptop.
-
Storage: How much storage do you need?
The first thing to think about when looking for a laptop is how much storage you’ll need. Many laptops come with small hard drives, which makes it difficult to store large files – such as saving your entire music library. If you plan on keeping lots of large files, then we would recommend opting for either an external hard drive or getting one that already has a larger hard drive and adding another down the line.
-
Operating System: Do you need Windows?
Almost all budget laptops run some version of Windows 10, but there are others options available too. These include Chrome OS and Linux-based systems like Ubuntu. Today we’re going to focus only on Windows laptops. If you decide to get a Windows laptop, then be sure to look at the minimum requirements for Windows 10. This will give you an idea of what kind of processor and amount of memory you’ll need in order to run it well. It’s also important to remember that Microsoft offers different versions of Windows 10 that support different types of processors – so make sure you know which one your system needs before buying.
-
Processor: Is a dual-core CPU enough?
When looking for a cheap laptop, it’s best not to try and skimp too much on components like storage and memory. However, when it comes to the processor, we recommend going with something mid-range or even having an entry-level CPU. The key is knowing what kind of performance you’ll need to complete the tasks you plan on doing. That’s why it’s important not to look at just clock speed when trying to find a good cheap laptop. For example, you may think that an Intel Pentium dual-core processor with a 2GHz clock speed will be fine for basic computing needs like surfing the web and typing documents – but this may not be entirely true. This is because your applications and other programs also need enough power in order to run properly.
For instance, web browsing requires far less horsepower than playing video games or editing photos, so if all you do is surf, then an entry-level CPU should suit you fine. However, if what you plan on using your laptop for requires high levels of processing, then we recommend looking at something like Core i3 or Core i5 instead.
Today’s laptops offer a lot of different options when it comes to Intel and AMD processors, so we recommend taking a look at our buying guide for cheap laptop CPUs. This will give you an idea of the best brands and models for each type of processor.
-
Memory: What kind do I need?
When looking for a cheap laptop, it’s best not to try and save money by spending as little as possible on memory – as this can lead to problems down the line. For instance, many low-cost machines come with 2GB of RAM, which is often barely enough to use web browsers and other basic programs without performance issues cropping up. So if you plan on using your laptop for anything more than just browsing the web and typing documents, we would recommend going with something that has at least 4GB of memory.
-
Graphics: Do I need a dedicated graphics card?
For many people, including gamers, finding a cheap laptop is about finding one that can run games. That’s why most budget laptops come packing dedicated graphics instead of relying solely on an integrated Intel Hd or UHD chip. But not all games require high-end GPUs – it really depends on what type of game you like to play and what settings they run on (e.g., low vs. ultra). If all you’re looking to do is play some basic 2D titles, then you’ll probably be fine with something like a UHD 620. However, if you plan on playing high-end games or even VR titles at max settings, then we recommend going with a dedicated graphics card instead. And while it’s true that some models offer both integrated graphics and a discrete one for better performance, this is usually reserved for higher-end machines – which makes sense considering they can run more power-hungry games.
In fact, there are different GPUs available from AMD and Nvidia, so make sure to check out our buying guide here. This will give you an idea of what each GPU is capable of based on the model number. While spending thousands on a gaming machine isn’t necessary for most people, finding a cheap laptop that can handle whatever you throw at it is important if you want to play games like Fortnite, GTA 5, or anything else on the highest graphics settings.
Final Words
By doing some research before you shop, it becomes much easier to find a cheap laptop that can meet your needs. For example, by knowing not to look at the best CPU or GPU on paper, you’ll be less likely to get something that’s more powerful than what you need – which will save you money in the long run. However, while saving money is always nice, don’t sacrifice quality for this. Instead, go with manufacturers like Acer, Asus, and HP, who have a solid track record when it comes to building laptops that won’t fail after only a few months of use.
