Unlike a few years ago, laptops are now an essential tool for college or college students, even though you currently do a lot of that work from home!
Young kids also need web access for research, so we’ve rounded up our favorite Mac and PC options for schoolwork as well as college or university. For college and university students, we have selected more expensive choices, as more horsepower is likely to be needed.
However, we haven’t been to town on these in terms of top-notch performance and, so check out our best guide to laptops if you’re doing something like a design degree or music tech where you might need more. punch, especially in terms of graphics.
For our varsity and college selections, we prioritized portability, appearance, and overall performance, while for our school selection we focused on affordability and robustness.
Best Laptops For College Students Under $500
Table of Contents
Between September and October, it is the big re-entry for students. A privileged moment to afford new equipment and thus increase your chances of success. We see it more and more on the benches of universities, the laptop is today one of the essentials of the student. It is an essential and versatile object that allows you to take notes, organize your lessons, but also to exchange more easily with other students and with teachers. The advantage is that it is an all-in-one object, essential to stay organized and do your research on a daily basis. Where you once had to carry several kilos of books and books, the student laptop under 500 dollars, fits in a small pouch and weighs an average of 2 to 3 kilos.
The choice of a student laptop computer deserves attention since it is the latter that will contribute to the success of your studies. Several possibilities are available to you, from the entry-level model a little heavier and a little slower to the high-end model, ultra-light and ultra-fast. As a student, your criteria of choice are a little different from those of other consumers: price, practicality, lightness, autonomy … Here is a selection of the best computers for students, specially chosen for their practicality and their functions compatible with student activities.
14+ Best Laptops For College Students Under 500 Dollars | Comparison Table 2021
Image | Title | Brand | Buy |
---|---|---|---|
DELL INSPIRON I3567-5664BLK-PUS 15.6″ TOUCH-SCREEN LAPTOP (INTEL CORE I5-7200U, 8GB RAM, 2TB HDD, BLACK) | Dell | Check Price | |
Newest HP Slim 14" HD Premium Business Laptop | AMD Ryzen 3 3200U Dual-Core up to 3.5GHz | 4GB RAM | 128GB SSD | AMD Radeon Vega 3 Graphics | USB-C | HDMI | GbE LAN | WiFi | Windows 10 | Gold | HP | Check Price | |
Lenovo Ideapad 310 15.6" Laptop, Black (Intel Core i5-7200U, 8GB, 1TB HDD, Intel HD Graphics 620, Windows 10) 80TV00BGUS | Lenovo | Check Price | |
ASUS Chromebook Flip C302CA-DH54 12.5-inch Touchscreen Convertible Chromebook Intel Core m5, 4GB RAM, 64GB Flash Storage Chrome OS (Renewed) | ASUS | Check Price | |
Dell Inspiron HD 15.6" LED-Backlit Display Laptop | Intel Pentium N5000 Quad Core | 4GB DDR4 RAM | 500GB HDD | Webcam | Card Reader | HDMI | USB 3.0 | Windows 10 | MaxxAudio | Dell | Check Price | |
Acer Aspire E 15 E5-575-33BM 15.6-Inch Full HD Notebook (Intel Core i3-7100U Processor 7th Generation , 4GB DDR4, 1TB 5400RPM Hard Drive, Intel HD Graphics 620, Windows 10 Home), Obsidian Black | Acer | Check Price | |
Acer Aspire 5 A515-46-R14K Slim Laptop | 15.6" Full HD IPS | AMD Ryzen 3 3350U Quad-Core Mobile Processor | 4GB DDR4 | 128GB NVMe SSD | WiFi 6 | Backlit KB | Amazon Alexa | Windows 10 Home (S Mode) | Acer | Check Price | |
HP Stream 11 Pro G3 Notebook PC with 11.6in Screen, Intel Celeron N3060, 4GB RAM, 64GB SSD (Renewed) | HP | Check Price | |
Lenovo Chromebook Duet 2-in-1 10.1 WUXGA (1920 x 1200) Display, MediaTek Helio P60T, 4GB LPDDR4X RAM, 64GB SSD, Integrated ARM G72 MP3 Graphics, Chrome OS, ZA6F0031US, Ice Blue+Iron Grey (Renewed) | Lenovo | Check Price | |
HP 2-in-1 12.3" Touch-Screen Chromebook Intel Core M - 4GB Memory - 32GB eMMC Flash Memory (X2 12-F014D) White - New | HP | Check Price | |
Acer Swift 1, 14" Full HD Notebook, Intel Pentium Silver N5000, 4GB, 64GB HDD, SF114-32-P2PK | Acer | Check Price | |
HP Chromebook 15 - 15.6" Full HD Touchscreen Intel Core i3-8130U Intel UHD Graphics 620 4GB SDRAM 128GB eMMC Audio by B&O Ceramic White/Cloud Blue Backlit Keyboard 15-de0517wm (Renewed) | HP | Check Price | |
Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5 13" Laptop, FHD (1920 x 1080) Touch Display, Intel Core i3-10110U Processor, 4GB DDR4 Onboard RAM, 64GB eMMC, Intel Integrated Graphics, Chrome OS, 82B80006UX, Graphite Grey | Lenovo | Check Price | |
Samsung Chromebook 4 + Chrome OS 15.6" Full HD Intel Celeron Processor N4000 6GB RAM 64GB eMMC Gigabit wi-FI-XE350XBA-K03US,Silver | SAMSUNG | Check Price |
Prices and images pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
14+ Best Laptops For College Students Under 500 USD | Products Overview 2021
- 15.6 1366 x 768 HD touch screen for hands-on control
- 7th Gen Intel Core i3-7100U (3M Cache, 2.40 GHz) duo-core mobile processor
- 6GB DDR4 Ram, 1TB Hard Drive
- Intel HD Graphics 620
- Weighs 5.07 lbs. and measures 0.9 thin
- 10th Generation Intel Core i5-1035G1 Quad-Core Processor (1.0GHz up to 3.6GHz, 6MB Cache), 8GB DDR4 Memory, 256GB SSD
- 14 Diagonal HD SVA BrightView micro-edge WLED-backlit (1366 x 768), Intel UHD Graphics
- 802_11_AC, Bluetooth 5.0, Card Reader, HD Audio with Stereo Speakers, Webcam
- 1 x USB 3.1 Type-C, 2 x USB 3.1 Type-A, 1 x HDMI 1.4b, 1 x Headphone/microphone Combo Jack
- Full-size Island-style Keyboard, Windows 10 Home 64-bit, 41WHr 3-cell lithium_ion, 3.24lb, Silver
- ● Processor: Intel Core i3-7100U Processor(3M Cache, 2.40 GHz )
- ● Operating System: Windows 10 Home 64 - English
- ● Display Type: 15.6 HD (1366x768) Multitouch, LED backlight w/720p Camera - ● Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 620
- ● Memory: 6GB DDR4 SODIMM Memory
- ● Hard Drive: 1TB, 5400RPM Serial ATA 2.5 Hard Drive
- The flexible 360 Degree hinge and 12.5 full-HD touchscreen lets you use the C302 in tablet or laptop mode
- Intel Core Processor with 64GB storage and 4GB RAM for fast and efficient performance with a bright backlit illuminated keyboard
- Extremely lightweight at 2.65 pounds with the protection of a sleek aluminum metal body. Starts up in Seconds and lasts all day, thanks to a Long battery life rated up to 10 hours*
- Unlock the power of Chromebooks with access to your favorite Chrome web store apps like Google docs and it is Google play store/Android app ready
- Intel Pentium N5000 Quad Core | 4GB DDR4 RAM | 500GB HDD
- 15.6 HD (1366 x 768) Energy-efficient Non-Touchscreen LED Backlight Display, Intel HD Graphics 620
- 10/100Mbps Ethernet, 802_11_BGN, Bluetooth 4.0, Card Reader, Stereo Speakers with Waves MaxxAudio, Webcam
- 2 x USB 3.0 Type-A, 1 x USB 2.0, 1 x HDMI, 1 x Headphone Out/Microphone in Combo Jack, 1 x RJ-45
- Full-size Island-style Keyboard with Numeric Keypad, Windows 10 Home 64-bit, 45WHr 4-cell lithium_ion, 5.07lb, Black
- 7th Generation Intel Core i3-7100U Processor (2.4GHz, 3MB L3 cache)
- 15.6 Full HD Widescreen ComfyView LED-backlit Display supporting Acer ColorBlast technology
- 4GB DDR4 Memory, 1TB 5400RPM HDD
- Windows 10 Home
- Up to 12-hours Battery Life
- Full HD Notebook, Obsidian Black
- AMD Ryzen 3 3350U Mobile Processor with AMD Radeon Vega 6 Mobile Graphics
- 15.6 Full HD (1920 x 1080) Widescreen LED-backlit IPS Display
- 4GB DDR4 Onboard Memory and 128GB NVMe SSD
- 2.4GHz Wireless Mouse with USB Dongle
- This product is tested and Google certified as Works With Chromebook, also compatible with Windows and Mac systems
- Free wireless mouse
- This ultraportable 2-in-1 Chromebook includes a fast and stable plug-and-play detachable keyboard enabled with 5-point pogo pin and magnet design
- Take it with you everywhere! Thin and lightweight the Chromebook Duet offers up to 10 hours of battery life (2)
- The unique dual-tone design with aluminum alloy on the tablet is a standout design With sophisticated fabric texture on the stand cover youll be stylish productive and practical
- Fast secure and easy to use This touchscreen Chromebook boots up quickly with just your Google login to give you access to all of your cloud-based documents email and more
- With the 10 1 FHD (1920 x 1200) IPS display and stunning colorful details you wont sacrifice for great visuals! The 10-point multitouch touchscreen is also USI pen compatible (pen sold separately)
- Google Chrome OS; 7th Gen Intel® Core M-7Y30 processor; 12.3 display; 4GB memory; 32GB eMMC Flash Memory; Bluetooth; touch screen; DVD/CD drive not included
- Intel Core M - 4GB Memory - 32GB eMMC Flash Memory (X2 12-F014D)
- White - Brand New
- Touch Screen is Great
11. Acer Swift 1, 14″ Perfect Laptop For Student Under 500 USD
- Brand New in box. The product ships with all relevant accessories
- Full HD Notebook, Intel Pentium Silver N5000, 4GB, 64GB HDD, SF114-32-P2PK
- Great laptop for everyday use
- Offers good quality specs
- Light, thin, good battery life
- USB, HDMI, Bluetooth 5
- Renewed products work and look like new. These pre-owned products have been inspected and tested by Amazon-qualified suppliers. Box and accessories may be generic. All Renewed products come with the 90-day Amazon Renewed Guarantee.
- Intel Core i3-8130U (2.2 GHz base frequency, up to 3.4 GHz with Intel Turbo Boost Technology, 4 MB cache, 2 cores)
- 4 GB DDR4-2133 SDRAM (onboard); 128 GB eMMC
- 15.6 diagonal FHD IPS micro-edge WLED-backlit touch screen (1920 x 1080)
- 2 USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-C (5 Gb/s signaling rate, Power Delivery 3.0, HP Sleep and Charge); 1 USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A (HP Sleep and Charge)
- Work from home, school, or anywhere with the outstanding combination of performance, connectivity, and entertainment enabled by 10th generation InteI Core processors. The Lenovo Flex 5 offers intelligent performance features that adapt to you for a personalized, intuitive, and responsive experience
- This 2-in-1 laptop combines a keyboard and touchscreen to make it easy to interact with everything on your display. You can also use the Lenovo digital pen (sold separately) to quickly write, click or drag files right on the screen
- The 13-inch FHD display in this slim, light 360° convertible Chromebook offers beautiful visuals, while narrow bezels minimize distractions. Two user-facing stereo speakers keep you immersed in the experience
- Use your Google account to easily access files, videos, music, and documents stored on the cloud from anywhere. With up to 10 hours of battery life, youll stay productive
- Connect with the built-in webcam, 2 USB Type-C ports, a USB Type-A port, and an audio jack. It also has the latest Intel Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0 a fast, reliable connection
- Large and immersive 15.6” display in a compact frame
- Compact design - military-grade durability - Slim, under 3 pounds, and with military-grade durability, 1 its made to handle Bumps and drops. Plus, it comes with a full-sized keyboard and trackpad.
- Ultra-fast connectivity with Gigabit Wi-Fi -with a Lightning fast Gigabit Wi-Fi connection, stream or download massive files rapidly.
- Advanced security with multiple layers of built-in virus protection
- 10.5 hours of battery life - delivers up to 12 hours) of battery on a full charge that quickly recharges on a USB-C charger.
- Google Assistant enabled - use your voice to make a request and Google Assistant will get it done— whether you want to update your calendar or reply to a message, make a note or check the news.
- System Ram Type: Ddr4 Sdram
- Modem Description: Cable
- More space for what matters. Get Google One with 200GB of cloud storage for 12 months when you purchase a new Samsung Chromebook. Enjoy plenty of space for all your files, photos, and more.
Buyer’s Guide to the Best Laptops for Students Under 500 USD
If you are a student of graphics, design, video editing, engineering … you will undoubtedly be working with complex software, so you will need a high-end and relatively powerful computer.
However, if you are studying economics or law, for example, you will spend a lot more time on programs like Microsoft Excel or Word, so it is not essential for you to have a first-rate machine.
Since needs vary widely and depend on your situation, we’ve included a wide variety of models, including Chromebooks.
They might not technically be computers, however, we have included a few tablets as well as with a keyboard and/or stylus they might be better for you.
Display
Most laptops have a 13-inch screen, which is the sweet spot between size and portability. However, there is no shortage of screen sizes on the market, you are sure to find what you are looking for.
Keep in mind that the cheaper products are usually equipped with a lower-quality screen, lacking in sharpness and clarity.
Some PCs (not Macs yet) also have touch screens, but do you really use them?
Components
If a model costs close to 500 USD, then you will benefit from a better processor (Core i5 for example), more RAM, and storage space. It could even be equipped with a dedicated graphics card. This type of computer is recommended for performing complex tasks.
Less expensive models can carry a lower power Intel Pentium chip, as well as their memory and storage space. So first make sure that they meet your expectations.
Keyboard and touchpad
Not all keyboards and touchpads are created equal. MacBooks are best-in-class, but this privilege comes at a price; the type of keyboard is your preference. Whether you want a built-in numeric keypad or not.
If it is missing, you will have a more compact computer, which can be advantageous for its transport.
Battery life
Everyone wants a very self-contained battery, after all, no technology is really useful if it goes dead in the middle of note-taking.
Note that an expensive model does not mean that its battery is enduring, on the contrary, it will be more inclined to draw on its powerful internal components. And, a lower-end model may have a smaller battery to keep manufacturing costs down.
Ports and external drives
Maybe it doesn’t seem important to you now but think carefully about which ports you will need. Many modern models come with few ports and are often equipped with USB-C ports.
To connect a USB key or an HDMI cable, you will probably need to get an adapter (or a dongle ).
Inexpensive laptops are bulkier and usually have more space for larger ports (eg USB-A). Which can be a real godsend.
Remember that computers stop integrating CD / DVD drives, so an external drive will be essential.
Operating system
Finally, you need to be sure which operating system you want to use. Your main choices are Windows 10 and macOS, however, chances are you already know which one you prefer.
If not, then check if the software you need to use is compatible.
Otherwise, there are other alternatives such as ChromeOS, it is extremely easy to use. However, it does require an internet connection to fully function.
The tablets we’ve included are intuitive too, but again, first make sure that they’ll be able to run your favorite software.
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