Best Laptops Under $500
Top laptops under $500 ranked by transparent trust scores.
8 products ranked
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Top Pick
9.4
Excellent
Acer Aspire Go 15
Ranked #1 based on expert reviews, user sentiment, and value analysis.
#1
9.4
Excellent
Consensus
Compare
Ranked #1 based on expert reviews, user sentiment, and value analysis.
Pros
- AMD Ryzen 5 at rock-bottom price
- AMD Ryzen 5 at rock-bottom price
- 512GB SSD storage
Cons
- Mediocre display brightness and color
- Mediocre display brightness and color
- All-plastic build feels cheap
Don't buy this if…
- The display is adequate for office work but has washed-out colors and narrow viewing angles; not suitable for photo editing or media consumption.
- The display is adequate for office work but has washed-out colors and narrow viewing angles; not suitable for photo editing or media consumption.
#2
9.2
Excellent
Consensus
Compare
Ranked #2 based on expert reviews, user sentiment, and value analysis.
Pros
- Lenovo build quality at entry price
- Lenovo build quality at entry price
- Comfortable keyboard for typing
Cons
- 256GB storage fills up fast
- 256GB storage fills up fast
- No backlit keyboard
Don't buy this if…
- The 256GB SSD will fill quickly with apps, documents, and Windows updates; budget for a USB external drive or cloud storage.
- The 256GB SSD will fill quickly with apps, documents, and Windows updates; budget for a USB external drive or cloud storage.
#3
9.0
Excellent
Consensus
Compare
Ranked #3 based on expert reviews, user sentiment, and value analysis.
Pros
- HP brand reliability and support
- HP brand reliability and support
- HP Fast Charge gets 50% in 45 min
Cons
- Integrated graphics only
- Integrated graphics only
- Webcam quality is basic 720p
Don't buy this if…
- The 720p webcam produces grainy video in low light; consider an external webcam if you regularly participate in video calls.
- The 720p webcam produces grainy video in low light; consider an external webcam if you regularly participate in video calls.
#4
8.7
Excellent
Consensus
Compare
Ranked #4 based on expert reviews, user sentiment, and value analysis.
Pros
- NanoEdge display with thin bezels
- NanoEdge display with thin bezels
- ErgoLift hinge for comfortable typing
Cons
- Plastic chassis feels flimsy
- Plastic chassis feels flimsy
- Battery life around 6-7 hours
Don't buy this if…
- Battery life is on the shorter side at 6-7 hours; keep the charger handy for full-day use away from outlets.
- Battery life is on the shorter side at 6-7 hours; keep the charger handy for full-day use away from outlets.
#5
8.5
Excellent
Consensus
Compare
Ranked #5 based on expert reviews, user sentiment, and value analysis.
Pros
- Intel Core i5 at budget price
- Intel Core i5 at budget price
- Carbon-fiber reinforced palm rest
Cons
- Only 256GB SSD on base model
- Only 256GB SSD on base model
- DDR4 RAM, not DDR5
Don't buy this if…
- The base model has only 256GB of storage; Windows, apps, and updates consume roughly 60-80GB, leaving limited space for personal files.
- The base model has only 256GB of storage; Windows, apps, and updates consume roughly 60-80GB, leaving limited space for personal files.
#6
8.3
Good
Consensus
Compare
Ranked #6 based on expert reviews, user sentiment, and value analysis.
Pros
- 16:10 display for more vertical space
- 16:10 display for more vertical space
- Lightweight 3.1-pound design
Cons
- Smaller 14-inch screen
- Smaller 14-inch screen
- No dedicated GPU
Don't buy this if…
- The 14-inch screen may feel small for users accustomed to 15.6-inch laptops; consider your screen size preference before choosing portability.
- The 14-inch screen may feel small for users accustomed to 15.6-inch laptops; consider your screen size preference before choosing portability.
#7
8.1
Good
Consensus
Compare
Ranked #7 based on expert reviews, user sentiment, and value analysis.
Pros
- Ultra-affordable entry price
- Ultra-affordable entry price
- All-day battery life
Cons
- 64GB eMMC is very limited
- 64GB eMMC is very limited
- 4GB RAM limits multitasking severely
Don't buy this if…
- With 64GB eMMC and 4GB RAM, this laptop handles only basic web browsing; Windows updates alone may consume most of the storage.
- With 64GB eMMC and 4GB RAM, this laptop handles only basic web browsing; Windows updates alone may consume most of the storage.
#8
7.9
Good
Consensus
Compare
Ranked #8 based on expert reviews, user sentiment, and value analysis.
Pros
- 360-degree hinge for tablet mode
- 360-degree hinge for tablet mode
- Touchscreen included
Cons
- Stylus sold separately
- Stylus sold separately
- Heavier than clamshell alternatives
Don't buy this if…
- The digital pen is not included; budget an additional $30-50 for a USI stylus if you plan to take handwritten notes or draw.
- The digital pen is not included; budget an additional $30-50 for a USI stylus if you plan to take handwritten notes or draw.
Quick Comparison
How We Rank
Composite trust score from expert reviews, user sentiment, complaint analysis, and value assessment.
Trust Score
Weighted composite of all factor scores
Expert Score
Aggregated expert review ratings
User Sentiment
Community votes and review analysis
Value Score
Price-to-performance ratio
Freshness
Recency of reviews and data
Change Log
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