These days, you can buy some fantastic laptops with top-tier specs and premium features in some stunning designs that are still light and portable. But all of those high-end pieces of hardware are usually pretty expensive, and if you're on a smaller budget, it can be easy to look at those laptops with envy. Don't fret, though. There are some great laptops out there with much more affordable prices, and we've rounded up some of the best, so you can get a really good experience without breaking the bank.

Let's start with some ground rules. We're setting our budget at around $700, though if you want to go lower, we also have an article focused on the best laptops under $600. We're also relying on sales for many of these because in this price range, it can truly be worth it to look out for a sale. Many laptops that might normally cost almost $1,000 can often be found discounted to prices in this range. The biggest highlight right now is the Lenovo Yoga 6, powered by AMD Ryzen processors and featuring a strong overall design.

Our favorite cheap laptops in 2023

The Lenovo Yoga 6 is a fantastic convertible aimed at the more mainstream market. Previous models have typically been more expensive than our target budget, but the 2023 model is a bit cheaper, starting at precisely $700. We reviewed a previous generation the Lenovo Yoga 6 and found it to be a great choice for the price, and the new one is even better.

The only major change with this year's model is performance, which has been upgraded from AMD's Zen 2-based Ryzen 5000U series to the Ryzen 7030U series. The base model includes a Ryzen 5 7530U with 6 cores and 12 threads, and it should be noticeably snappier than its predecessor. It also comes with 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD for storage.

Otherwise, the laptop is similar to the previous model, but that's not a bad thing. The 13.3-inch display is excellent for something this affordable, featuring a tall 16:10 aspect ratio and sharp Full HD (1920x1200) resolution. On top of that, this is a convertible, so you get the added versatility of using the laptop as a tablet when you need to, and the screen naturally supports touch and pen input (sold separately). There's also a 1080p webcam with Windows Hello facial recognition, which is very rare at this price.

The laptop also includes a solid supply of ports to connect all your peripherals without needing adapters, with ports including two USB-C ports, USB Type-A, and HDMI. The design as a whole feels quite nice, using a mix of plastic and aluminum, with an optional fabric-covered lid that helps it stand out even more. The laptop has nice curved edges all around that make it easy to hold, too.

The aging processors inside the previous model were its only major drawback, so the 2023 Lenovo Yoga 6 is an absolutely fantastic machine for the price.

The Surface Laptop Go 2 is another fantastic choice for users looking for something compact and easy to carry without spending too much. It doesn't have the versatility of the Lenovo Yoga 6, but the 12.4-inch display is just the right size to make this laptop really easy to carry, and because it has a taller 3:2 aspect ratio, it still gives you some space for the apps you need to run. It does have a lower resolution than we'd like, but for a younger student, this is still a great laptop to work on.

Helping with that is the Intel Core i5-1135G7 processor, which we found in our Surface Laptop Go 2 review gives you very solid performance for all kinds of tasks. It's true that the processor is starting to age a bit now that 13th-generation models are starting to become available, but you'll still be able to work on this laptop with no problems, and this is a huge upgrade over the first Surface Laptop Go. It doesn't have a ton of ports, but it does have a compact and premium design, and you still get the basics like USB-C and USB Type-A. Another highlight is the great keyboard, which isn't something you'll always get in a laptop at this price.

The relatively small screen makes this a fantastic laptop for portability, and the combination of plastic and aluminum results in a laptop that weighs under 2.48 pounds. The laptop also comes in four colors to choose from, so you can get something that matches your style better.

If portability is your main focus, the Surface Laptop Go 2 is a great choice if you don't want to spend a lot of money.

If you're looking for a laptop for professional users, Dell is one of the go-to brands, and the latest version of the Vostro 14 is still a great choice if you're on a tighter budget.

Despite being cheap, the Dell Vostro 14 still comes with 13th-generation Intel Core processors, with a 12-core Core i5-1335U in the base model. It also includes 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD, both of which can be upgraded later. A big benefit of this being a business laptop is that it includes a Windows 11 Pro license, which would cost you $100 otherwise.

The 14-inch display comes in the traditional 16:9 aspect ratio and it has Full HD resolution, which is all you really need for day-to-day work tasks. The 250-nit brightness won't blow you away, but it's typical of this price range, too. What's great about it, especially at this price, is that it includes a 1080p webcam, too.

Design-wise, the Dell Vostro 14 doesn't really stand out, but it's sleek and subdued and that's probably best if you're using it in the workplace. It weighs in at 3.17 pounds and it's 18.48mm thick at its thickest point, so it's decently portable, and it also gives you a good supply of ports. It includes one USB Type-C port, two Type-A ports, HDMI, RJ45 Ethernet, a headphone jack, and an SD card reader.

All things considered, the Dell Vostro 14 is a very solid laptop for the price, especially if you value the Pro license of Windows 11.

As much as smaller laptops can be nice, the 15-inch form factor is still extremely popular for a reason. If you want something in this format, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 is for you.

There are both Intel and AMD versions of this laptop, but as far as value goes, the AMD model appears to be better, with an AMD Ryzen 5 7530U processor available for $700. The laptop also includes 8GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD, which gives you plenty of storage space for something this cheap. However, you can't upgrade the RAM.

That big 15.6-inch display is one of the key selling points here, and it comes in the traditional 16:9 aspect ratio and Full HD resolution. This isn't overly impressive, but it makes sense for this price, and it's a fine sacrifice. What's less fine is the 720p webcam, though this isn't the only laptop in this price range to make that kind of sacrifice.

In terms of design, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 is a somewhat large laptop, but the 3.52 pounds of weight actually allows it to be somewhat portable. It's also under 18mm thick, and it comes in grey or blue colorways. As for ports, you get one USB Type-C and two Type-A ports, along with HDMI, a headphone jack, and a full-size SD card reader. The laptop still uses a proprietary charger, though.

If you're looking for a 15-inch laptop that doesn't break the bank, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 is one of the best options you can get.

Gaming can be a pretty expensive hobby, but if you're looking to save some money, Lenovo has consistently had some affordable laptops to choose from. Right now, your best is the Lenovo LOQ 15, specifically the AMD model. It usually starts at $950, but it's frequently discounted to around $700.

Inside the base model of this laptop is an AMD Ryzen 5 7640HS, a powerful 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the newest Zen 4 architecture. That's paired with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop 6GB, an entry-level but very capable GPU for gaming at this price point. You also get 8GB of RAM and a 512GB, but both components can be upgraded later.

Turning to the display, we're looking at a 15.6-inch panel with Full HD resolution and a 144Hz refresh rate, which is great for gaming, and a great match for the specs inside the laptop. he panel promises up to 350 nits of brightness, too, which is pretty good for an affordable laptop. Plus, you even get a 1080p webcam, a rarity in budget gaming laptops. However, there's no Windows Hello support.

All of this comes packed in a fairly heavy package, at 5.29 pounds, and it's also pretty thick, reaching 25.2mm at its thickest point. Still, that gets you a lot of performance and plenty of ports, including one USB Type-C and three Type-A ports, HDMI, Ethernet, and a headphone jack.

Whether you're just getting into gaming or you have a tight budget, the Lenovo LOQ 15 is a great machine at a reasonable price. Be sure to take advantage of sales, since they're fairly frequent.

We've already addressed fans of larger screens with the 15-inch Acer Aspire Vero, but some of us may want something even bigger. The HP Laptop 17 is a great choice if you're looking for a laptop with an extra-large screen since it has a 17.3-inch display. There's a downside to that in that it only comes in 1600 x 900 resolution by default, so you'll definitely want to upgrade to the Full HD (1920 x 1080) panel to have a better experience and make the best of all that space.

This is one of the very first laptops to be available with AMD Ryzen 7030 series processors, so you're getting the latest specs when it comes to performance, and it should do great in day-to-day use. The base model has 6 cores and 12 threads, and it can boost up to 4.5GHz, which is already great. On top of that, you get 8GB of dual-channel RAM, which is great to see at this price. You do only get 128GB of storage in the base model, however, so you may need some external storage at some point.

The large display makes for a somewhat heavy laptop, starting at 4.58 pounds, but it's still manageable considering how big it is. It does come in two color options, those being black and silver, so you get some choice regarding how the laptop looks. You get a decent supply of ports, with USB Type-C, two Type-A ports, HDMI, and a headphone jack, though this supply isn't as generous as some other models on this list.

Making a bigger laptop naturally costs more money, so to fit under our $700 budget, some sacrifices had to be made, but this is still a great machine if your focus is getting a large screen for a low price.

If you're looking to spend as little as possible, and you just want a device for casual web browsing and keeping up with family, the Surface Go 3 is a fantastic choice. Powered by an Intel Pentium processor, it won't give you amazing performance for anything beyond writing up some documents and browsing the web, but with 8GB of RAM and a 128GB SSD, it does offer a solid experience otherwise.

Where it really shines is the overall usability. It has a 10.5-inch display that comes in a 3:2 aspect ratio, giving you that much more space for content, and the Full HD+ resolution is actually really good for a screen of this size. It's a great screen for browsing the web, watching online videos, or making video calls. On that note, the 5MP webcam is also one of the best you'll find in this price range, and there's even an 8MP camera on the back if you want to take a quick picture or just show off something in front of you. This makes for a perfect device for keeping up with faraway family and friends on video calls.

The fact that this tablet weighs just 1.2 pounds also makes this a great choice if you want something you can easily take anywhere, and with a great display and webcam, it's really great for anyone just looking for something they can use for their basic day-to-day needs. It does have a limited port selection, with a single USB Type-C port and a headphone jack, though the Surface Connect port can also be used with a docking station.

If you want to use it like a proper laptop, you'll need to spend extra on the keyboard, but even without it, this is a great budget device. Be sure to read our Surface Go 3 review if you'd like to learn more about it.

Chromebooks are increasingly popular devices, and it's thanks in great part to companies like Acer. The company has been making some of the best Chromebooks on the market, and the latest iteration of the Chromebook Spin 714 continues that trend.

Compared to the previous model, the biggest change here is that it now comes with 13th-gen Intel processors, specifically a Core i5-1335Um with 10 cores and 12 threads. It's very fast for ChromeOS, and paired with 8GB of RAM and a 256GB of SSD storage, it's a fantastic experience.

Not much has changed with the display, but the 14-inch panel still has a 16:10 aspect ratio and Full HD+ resolution, so it looks very good and feels spacious. Plus, it's a touchscreen so you can use it more intuitively for browsing the web. There's also a 1080p webcam rounding things out, though no form of biometric authentication is available.

As for the design, Acer has opted for nearly-black chassis with gold accents for this iteration, giving it a premium, yet subdued look. At 3.02 pounds, the laptop is also very portable and it's also just 18mm thin. The port selection isn't mind-blowing, but it's solid, with two Thunderbolt 4 ports, USB Type-A, HDMI, and a headphone jack.

Best cheap laptops: The bottom line

If you're looking for a cheap laptop right now, our top recommendation definitely has to go to the Lenovo Yoga 6. It ticks all the right boxes, with a versatile 2-in-1 form factor, solid performance, and a tall 16:10 display that makes productivity that much better. There's even a 1080p webcam with Windows Hello support so your video calls look that much better, and you can sign in to your PC more conveniently. Plus, with a very solid port selection and a nice overall design, there really isn't much we can complain about here. It does have older processors, but they're still going to hold up just fine for most users.

Those looking for a cheaper option for more casual use will find a great alternative in the Surface Go 3. It lacks some performance, but it offers a great experience in every other way, with a great screen, one of the best webcams around, and a super portable design. It is worth noting that the Surface Go 4 is rumored to be right around the corner, though, so you may want to hold off.

One thing you might notice is missing from most of these laptops is support for Thunderbolt 4, which is very common for cheap laptops. If that's a feature you consider essential, check out our roundup of the best Thunderbolt 4 laptops.