Expert pick: Reliable Travel Companion
Ryzen 5 CPU, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD & Wi-Fi 6 help you stay productive while on the move.
Lenovo 15.6" IdeaPad Slim 3 Notebook (Arctic Gray)
- 2.8 GHz AMD Ryzen 5 7520U Quad-Core
- 8GB LPDDR5 | 256GB M.2 NVMe SSD
- 15.6" Full HD 1920 x 1080 IPS Display
- Integrated AMD Radeon 610M Graphics
Effective Communications
Keep up with emails and video chats with an Intel Core i3-N305 CPU, 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD, and Wi-Fi 6 support.
Enhanced Education
Stay on top of assignments with an Intel N100 CPU, 8GB RAM, 64GB SSD, Wi-Fi 6E & 12hr battery.
Acer 15.6" Aspire 5 15 Laptop
- 13th Gen Intel Core i5-1335U Processor
- 8GB LPDDR5 | 512GB M.2 SSD
- 15.6" 1920 x 1080 IPS Display
- Integrated Intel Iris Xe Graphics
HP 11.6" Fortis x360 G3 J Multi-Touch Chromebook
- 1.1 GHz Intel Celeron N4500 Dual-Core
- 8GB LPDDR4x RAM | 64GB eMMC SSD
- 11.6" 1366 x 768 BrightView Touchscreen
- Integrated Intel UHD Graphics
ASUS 14" 64GB Multi-Touch 2-in-1 Chromebook Flip CX1
- 1.1 GHz Intel Celeron N4500 Dual-Core
- 8GB LPDDR4X | 64GB eMMC Storage
- 14" 1920 x 1080 Touchscreen
- Integrated Intel UHD Graphics
HP 14" 14a-nf0010nr Chromebook
- 0.8 GHz Intel N100 4-Core
- 4GB of LPDDR5 RAM | 64GB eMMC Storage
- 14" 1366 x 768 Display
- Integrated Intel UHD Graphics
HP 14" Chromebook Plus
- Intel Core i3-N305 8-Core
- 8GB LPDDR5 | 128GB UFS Storage
- 14" FHD 1920 x 1080 IPS Display
- Integrated Intel UHD Graphics
Lenovo 11.6" 500e Gen 4s Multi-Touch 2-in-1 Chromebook
- Intel N100 Quad-Core
- 8GB RAM | 64GB eMMC Storage
- 11.6" 1366 x 768 60 Hz IPS Touchscreen
- Integrated Intel UHD Graphics
HP 11.6" Fortis G10 Chromebook (Wi-Fi Only)
- 0.8 GHz Intel Celeron N100 4-Core
- 8GB LPDDR5 RAM | 64GB eMMC SSD
- 11.6" 1366 x 768 Anti-Glare Display
- Integrated Intel UHD Graphics
Acer 14" 128GB Chromebook 314 (Silver)
- 1.1 GHz Intel N4500 Dual-Core
- 4GB LPDDR4x RAM | 128GB eMMC SSD
- 14" 1366 x 768 IPS Display
- Integrated Intel UHD Graphics
Lenovo 12.2" 500e Yoga Gen 4 64GB Multi-Touch 2-in-1 Chromebook (Wi-Fi Only)
- Intel N100 Quad-Core Processor
- 8GB LPDDR5 RAM | 64GB eMMC SSD
- 12.2" 1920 x 1200 IPS Touchscreen
- Integrated Intel UHD Graphics
ASUS 14" CX3402CBA Chromebook Plus
- 1.2 GHz Intel Core i3 6-Core
- 8GB LPDDR5 | 256GB UFS Storage
- 14" 1920 x 1080 Display
- Integrated Intel UHD Graphics
Acer 15.6" Aspire 5 15 Laptop Kit with Microsoft 365 Personal 1-User, 1-Year License
- Intel Core i5-1335U 10-Core (13th Gen)
- 8GB LPDDR5 | 512GB M.2 SSD
- 15.6" 1920 x 1080 IPS Display
- Integrated Intel Iris Xe Graphics
Lenovo 14" 2-in-1 Chromebook Plus
- Intel Core 7 250U 10-Core
- 16GB LPDDR5 | 512GB M.2 SSD
- 14" 1920 x 1200 IPS 60 Hz Touchscreen
- Integrated Intel Graphics
Lenovo 14" ThinkBook 14 G8 IAL Multi-Touch Laptop
- Intel Core Ultra 7 255H 16-Core
- 16GB DDR5 | 512GB M.2 NVMe SSD
- 14" 1920 x 1200 IPS 60 Hz Touchscreen
- Integrated Intel Arc Graphics
Lenovo 11.6" 100e Chromebook Gen 4 Laptop
- MediaTek Kompanio 520 8-Core
- 4GB LPDDR4X | 32GB eMMC Storage
- 11.6" 1366 x 768 60Hz TN Display
- Integrated ARM Mali-G52 2EE MC2 GPU
Lenovo 11.6" 64GB 100e Chromebook Gen 4 Multi-Touch Laptop (Graphite Gray)
- 0.8 GHz Intel N100 Quad-Core
- 8GB LPDDR5 RAM | 64GB eMMC SSD
- 11.6" 1366 x 768 IPS Touchscreen
- Integrated Intel UHD Graphics
HP 11.6" Fortis G1m Multi-Touch Chromebook (MediaTek Kompanio MT8186, 4GB, 32GB, Chrome OS)
Lenovo 11.6" 500e Gen 4s Multi-Touch 2-in-1 Chromebook
- Intel N100 Quad-Core
- 4GB RAM | 64GB eMMC Storage
- 11.6" 1366 x 768 60 Hz IPS Touchscreen
- Integrated Intel UHD Graphics
Lenovo 10.95" Chromebook Duet EDU G2 Tablet
- MediaTek Kompanio 838 8-Core CPU
- 8GB LLPDDR4x | 64GB eMMC Storage
- 10.95" 1920 x 1200 IPS Touchscreen
- Integrated Arm Mali-G57 MC3 GPU
Acer 14" Aspire 3 A314-36P-35UU Laptop Kit with Microsoft 365 Personal 1-User, 1-Year License
- 1.8 GHz Intel Core i3-N305 8-Core
- 8GB LPDDR5 | 128GB M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD
- 14" FHD 1920 x 1080 60 Hz IPS Display
- Integrated Intel UHD Graphics
HP 14" Fortis G1i Chromebook (Intel N150, 16GB, 32GB, Chrome OS)
HP 11.6" Fortis G1i Chromebook (Intel N150, 8GB, 64GB, Chrome OS)
Dell 11.6" 3120 64GB Chromebook
- 3.40 GHz Intel N100 Quad-Core
- 4GB LPDDR5x RAM | 64GB eMMC SSD
- 11.6" 1366 x 768 LCD
- Integrated Intel UHD Graphics
Lenovo 14" 2-in-1 Chromebook Plus
- Intel Core 5 220U 10-Core
- 16GB LPDDR5 | 256GB M.2 SSD
- 14" 1920 x 1200 IPS 60 Hz Touchscreen
- Integrated Intel Graphics
Lenovo 14" 2-in-1 Chromebook Plus
- Intel Core 5 120U 10-Core
- 8GB LPDDR5 | 128GB UFS Storage
- 14" 1920 x 1200 IPS 60 Hz Touchscreen
- Integrated Intel Graphics
Lenovo 14" ThinkBook 14 G8 IAL Laptop
- Intel Core Ultra 5 225U 12-Core
- 16GB DDR5 | 512GB M.2 NVMe SSD
- 14" 1920 x 1200 IPS 60 Hz Display
- Integrated Intel Graphics
Learning About Basic Laptops
The best basic laptop is one that's fast enough for everyday computing tasks such as web browsing and word processing. Such laptops are ideal for students and offices that don't run graphics-intensive software. Basic notebooks can also serve as secondary computers and complement heavier and more powerful mobile workstations.
What Are Basic Laptops?
A basic laptop is a budget notebook with a low-end but capable processor, and just enough memory to smoothly run its operating system. Such laptop computers fall into manufacturers' entry-level and mid-range lineups. Models with screen sizes between 10 and 12 inches are suitable for kids and grade-school students. College students and professionals should opt for 13 to 15-inch units. These have larger screens, which make multitasking with productivity apps easier.
Types of Basic Laptops
These come in clamshell and 2-in-1 styles. Clamshell is the traditional laptop form factor. Its screen opens up to a maximum angle between 90 and 180 degrees. Consider a 2-in-1 laptop if you're looking for a mobile computer that doubles as a tablet. These notebook laptops are available in convertible and detachable styles. A convertible laptop has a 360-degree hinge and a screen that folds down flat against its keyboard when transforming into a tablet. A detachable model has a display that separates from its keyboard.
What Operating System Do Basic Laptops Have?
Most laptops in this category are Windows PCs. Windows is the most popular desktop operating system, and has a vast library of productivity and entertainment apps. However, a growing number of basic laptops for sale come with Chrome OS. Also referred to as Chromebooks, these computers run a lightweight, cloud-based operating system that doesn't require powerful hardware. Chrome OS handles essential features such as antivirus protection, and it updates automatically in the background. This advantage makes Chromebooks a low-maintenance laptop, which is ideal for schools, small businesses and fun.
Features to Consider When Shopping for Budget Laptops
Key hardware features to consider include screen size and resolution, as well as CPU and RAM. Most laptops in this category have HD screens with high resolutions. Displays with higher resolutions are sharper and more suitable for watching movies. The type of display panel used is also important. IPS screens are brighter and display more vivid colors than TN panels. To minimize screen glare, look for a small laptop with a matte display rather than a glossy one.
Processor options for budget machines range from basic Intel Atom and Celeron CPUs to chips in the Core series. For quick performance, opt for a Core series CPU if choosing an Intel laptop, or a Ryzen chip when considering a device with an AMD processor. Generally, more RAM translates to faster performance.
Consider design, operating system, and hardware specs when shopping for the best basic laptop. Browse the wide selection of basic laptops B&H Photo and Video to find the right model for you.