Best Budget Laptops of 2016
"Cheap" is no longer a dirty word when it comes to laptops. These days, manufacturers are inventing new ways to outsell each other, including aggressive price cutting. Now we're seeing full-size and ultraportable notebooks that run powerful-enough processors to take around the house or at work or school, as well as full-featured chromebooks and hybrid systems that give you both laptop and tablet functionality in one device.
Components and Features
The budget laptops of today make fewer compromises compared with budget laptops in the past. Intel's Atom and Celeron processors have evolved to the point that they can support most of your Web browsing and basic productivity needs without being overly slow. The newest integrated GPUs can hold their own in browser-based Flash games and even some online games like World of Warcraft, but the higher demands of AAA titles demand a discrete GPU, which you won't find in this price range.
Memory or RAM is relatively inexpensive now, so you'll find that most budget laptops will come with 4GB of DDR3 memory, and you shouldn't settle for anything less. In terms of batteries, an ideal budget laptop has one with at least six cells or more. The battery life for a cheap laptop is at least three or four hours.
When it comes to storage, many inexpensive systems offer up to 500GB of hard drive space. Others, particularly chromebooks and Windows-based chromebook competitors like the Lenovo IdeaPad 100S, will only have a small allotment of local storage, usually in the form of Flash storage. These laptops will only be equipped with 16GB or 32GB, but compensate for it with generous offers of free cloud storage. But, as with anything cloud-based, you'll need to be online to access it.
In terms of features, budget laptops will at least come with USB 2.0 ports, and possibly USB 3.0. It should also have an SD slot and at least 802.11n connectivity. Finding a budget laptop with an HDMI port is a plus. The one feature you shouldn't always expect in this category is a touch-screen display. This may be a concern, considering Windows 10 is a touch-optimized interface, but the touchpad should be able to support touch gestures, and there are keyboard shortcuts to access Windows 10's menus.
Chromebooks
Chromebooks used to be glorified netbooks running the Chrome OS. While these Chrome-OS-based laptops are still Web-centric, they now have a relatively full feature set. If you spend most of your working hours in the cloud, a chromebook will offer you just as much functionality as a regular laptop, and longer battery life. It will also likely cost you a lot less than other types of notebooks, as chromebook prices typically run between $200 and $300. Just be sure you have easy, constant Wi-Fi access, as there is scant storage on these systems.
Hybrid Systems 
In recent years, a new category of laptop/tablet hybrid has emerged. These convertible-hybrid laptop designs let you flip between a laptop and tablet setup. Some sport a folding design that flips the keyboard out of the way, while others allow you to dock a detachable tablet PC with an accessory keyboard for laptop-like functionality. You should consider a hybrid system if you want laptop functionality with the convenience of a tablet.
If you're on a strict budget, don't lose heart. There are laptops under $500 that will offer you enough performance to tackle your day-to-day tasks without a stutter. Check out 10 of the best below. For more budget picks, take a look at our roundup of the best laptops for college students. For more general factors to consider when choosing a laptop, check out our overall top picks, as well as our favorites for work and play.
FEATURED IN THIS ROUNDUP
Asus Chromebook Flip (C100PA-DB02)

$299.00
$215.99 at Amazon The Asus Chromebook Flip (C100PA-DB02) blends the best elements from other designs into a single Chrome-based laptop with a slick, convertible form factor, fast performance, all-day battery life, and an affordable price. Read the full review ››
Acer Chromebook R 11 (CB5-132T-C1LK)

$329.99
$276.00 at Amazon With solid build quality, a versatile convertible design, an IPS touch screen, full-size media ports, and strong performance, the Acer Chromebook R 11 still manages a very affordable price. Read the full review ››
Dell Inspiron 17 5000 Series Non-Touch

$449.99
$449.99 at Dell The Dell Inspiron 17 5000 is a nice-looking desktop-replacement laptop that offers good productivity performance and decent battery life for a very affordable price. Read the full review ››
Lenovo IdeaPad 100S-11 (80R2003XUS)

$179.99
$174.00 at Amazon The Lenovo IdeaPad 100S-11 is a well-built ultraportable laptop that features a lightweight design, competent performance, and more than 11 hours of battery life, at a very low price. Read the full review ››
CTL Chromebook J2

$199.00
$169.00 at Amazon The $200 CTL Chromebook J2 is a very good laptop for classrooms, and if the performance offered by this Rockchip-based model is any indication, it's the first of an affordable yet capable breed. Read the full review ››
Dell Chromebook 11 Non-Touch

$269.00
$269.00 at Dell The Dell Chromebook 11 is an affordable 11-inch Chrome OS laptop that offers excellent battery life, good overall performance, and a durable construction. Read the full review ››
Lenovo ThinkPad 11e Chromebook

$341.05
$239.00 at Amazon The Lenovo ThinkPad 11e Chromebook is a Celeron-powered, Chrome-based laptop built to endure the rigors of the classroom. Read the full review ››
Asus Transformer Book Flip TP200SA

$349.00
$299.00 at Amazon The Asus Transformer Book Flip TP200SA is a versatile convertible-hybrid laptop with a sturdy design and solid port options. Read the full review ››
Lenovo 100S Chromebook

$179.00
$139.00 at Quill.com The Lenovo 100S Chromebook offers a sleek design along with solid performance and battery life in our tests at a price that's low, even for a Chrome-OS-based laptop. Read the full review ››
Toshiba Satellite C55DT-C5245

$478.00
$475.99 at Amazon The Toshiba Satellite C55DT-C5245 is a traditionally designed desktop-replacement laptop with class-leading performance and a large touch screen for less than $500. Read the full review ››