Laptops have been around for decades, but until recently there was only really one option for budget buyers: Chromebooks. Devices running Chrome OS dominated the cheap laptop market for several years following their inception in 2011, but that’s begun to change.
These days, there are plenty of great Windows laptops available for around £500 or lower, the rough criteria for inclusion here. Apple is still yet to make a cheap MacBook, and there’s no sign of that changing anytime soon.
Plenty of unknown brands try to make their name in the budget laptop space, but there are lots of established companies too. The likes of Asus, Acer, Microsoft and Lenovo are all included in this list.
If you’re concerned about performance, there’s usually no need. For basic tasks such as browsing the web, checking email and office work then a budget laptop will be up to the job. Most are fine for streaming video, too, albeit on lower-quality displays and with typically poor sound. Some even have enough power for photo editing without slowing down and casual games.
We’ve rounded up a range
