Budget remains the greatest limitation for most people when they are trying to purchase a laptop. However, for a $300 budget there is still a plethora of options available in the market. But the large option can further make it difficult for anyone to make up their mind. That is why we compiled a list of the best laptops under 300 dollars to make your search easier.
Inasmuch as these laptops can perform basic tasks, they are usually limited in what they can do. This is the first factor you need to bear in mind. Some of the features you need to lookout for when making your choice is the browsing speed, RAM, storage speed, portability, and ability to handle some of the common non-demanding applications. Don’t get overwhelmed by all of that because we will explain it all to you.
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Review of the best laptops under $300 of 2020
At 300 dollar budget, you shouldn’t be too picky because these laptops would usually have a few limitations. We reviewed hundreds of products and here are the products that made our top list.
Best Laptops below $300 List
- Asus VivoBook L203MA – Best overall
- Lenovo Chromebook C330 – Best 2 in 1 laptop
- Lenovo Ideapad 330 – Fastest laptop under 300
- Dell Inspiron 3000 – Best laptop under 300 for sound
- HP Flyer – Best renewed under 300
- Acer Aspire 1 – Best for eye protection
- Acer Chromebook 15 – Best budget laptop under 300
- Asus Chromebook 15 – Best for NanoEdge display
- Samsung Chromebook – Best for battery life
- HP Chromebook – Best for full HD display
Asus VivoBook L203MA – Best overall
When it comes to the best budget laptops under 300, there are only a few products that can stand up to Asus VivoBook L203MA. It runs on the Intel Celeron N4000 processor with a processor speed of up to 2.6 GHz. You will also be getting a HD display on its 11.6 inch screen.
In addition to the aforementioned features, you will also get a 64GB flash storage and 4GB LPDDR4 RAM. Weighing only 2.2 lbs. with a thickness of 0.7 inch thickness, this laptop is slim and light enough to make a travel companion.
Other perks that you will get when you purchase this laptop include a HD Webcam, USB Type-C and USB Type-A as well as a HDMI port. It comes with the Wi-Fi 5 (802. 11AC) which is three times faster than the predecessor. Interestingly, after the purchase you will still have a few bucks left for other accessories.
Pros
- Budget-friendly
- Extremely light and easy to carry
- Tru2Life technology for sharpness and contrast optimization
- ASUS Splendid display technology for more accurate colors
Cons
- Low storage space which is not expandable
- The screen is smaller than most competing brands
Lenovo Chromebook C330 – Best 2 in 1 laptop
If you have a limited budget but need a tablet and a laptop, Lenovo Chromebook C330 will be your best bet. This 2 in 1 laptop comes with a lot of features that will excite anyone with a limited budget particularly its 360 degrees convertibility. It runs on MediaTek_MT8127 processor with a speed of 2.1GHz which takes only seconds to boot up.
The combination of 2.64 lbs. weight and less than 1 inch size makes this 2 in 1 laptop easy to carry around. Although it doesn’t offer HD display, it makes for this by having Bluetooth 4.1 which can connect up to 2 devices at the same time. You can also connect with the USB-C and USB 3.0 ports.
In addition to all the other features, this best touchscreen laptop under 300 runs on Chrome OS which comes with built-in virus protection. Like most brands under 300, you will get 4GB LPDDR3 RAM and 64GB flash memory for storing your favorite files.
Pros
- Bluetooth 4.1 for connecting up to 2 devices at a time
- Serves as a laptop and tablet
- Lightweight and easy to carry around
- Boots up in seconds
- Comes with built-in anti-virus
- Up to 10 hours battery life
Cons
- Low storage memory which is not expandable
- Screen resolution is not HD
Lenovo Ideapad 330 – Fastest laptop under 300
For less than $10 dollar extra, you can get the improved features of the Lenovo Ideapad 330. This include the higher 8GB DDR4 RAM and 256GB SSD. This means improved speed and storage space for all your favorite songs and movies. You can further expand the memory, thanks to the media card reader that comes with this laptop.
Talking of speed, it runs on the 7th Generation AMD A9-9425 processor and dual core with a speed of up to 3.7GHz. It also comes with the AMD Radeon R5 graphics which supports two independent display. In terms of connection, Lenovo Ideapad is a handful. It comes with the fast Inter wireless 802.11 ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth v4.1 which allows up to two connections at the same time.
Although this budget laptop under 300 is less than 1 inch in size, it weighs 4.85 lbs. which can make it to feel like a load to carry around. However, this is understandable when you look at the extra features you will get.
Pros
- Storage space and RAM is higher than competitors
- Processor speed is up to 3.7GHz
- Runs on 7th Generation AMD A9
- Supports two independent display
Cons
- Slightly expensive
- Large weight can make it feel like a load
Dell Inspiron 3000 – Best laptop under 300 for sound
If sound drives your choice for a laptop, you will love the Dell Inspiron 3000 2 in 1 convertible laptop. It comes with stereo speakers which combine with MaxxAudio to deliver superior sound quality. For personalized entertainment, it also has headphone/microphone combo jack.
In addition to the higher sound quality, it runs on the 7th Generation AMD A6-9220e with a processor speed of up to 2.9GHz. It has a lower storage space of just 32GB. However, its 4GB DDR4 SDRAM is at par with other products in this category. This laptop makes up for its low memory by offering you Bluetooth 4.0 and HDMI port.
That is not all, you will also get the AMD Radeon R4 Graphics. You can also use Dell Inspiron 3000 like a laptop or a tablet. Another down side of this product that you have to deal with is its large weight of 3.22 lbs. If you don’t mind the low points, you have one of the best laptops under 300.
Pros
- Stereo speakers and MaxxAudio for superior sound
- Processor speed of up to 2.9GHz
- Functions like a laptop and tablet
- Comes with Bluetooth 4.0 and HDMI ports
Cons
- Storage memory is extremely low
- Doesn’t offer full HD display
- Slightly bulky and can feel like a load
HP Flyer – Best renewed under 300
Sometimes, the best way to get all the good stuff at a lower price is to buy a renewed laptop. This HP Flyer comes with HD 15.6 inch touchscreen and runs on Intel Pentium Gold processor with a speed of 2.30GHz. You will also be getting more USB ports as well as a HDMI port for connecting multiple devices.
Apart from the aforementioned features, you will also get a larger storage space of 500GB as well as 4GB DDR4 SDRAM. It also comes with the Inter HD Graphics for improve visual quality. An average battery life of up to 6 hours means the HP Flyer is suitable for outdoor use.
Unfortunately, when you buy this laptop, you will have to take the good with the bad including the large 5.5 pounds weight which can feel like a load in your backpack. However, it is backed by the Amazon Renewed Guarantee which means that you can return it for a refund or replacement if you find any fault.
Pros
- Larger storage space
- Backed by Amazon Renewed Guaranty
- More USB ports to connect more devices
- Up to 6 hours battery life
Cons
- Large weight can limit how you carry it around
- Doesn’t offer full HD display
Acer Aspire 1 – Best for eye protection
Those that spend long hours in front of the computer screen need to protect their eyes from damage. The Acer Aspire 1 comes with BlueLightShield technology that filter the eye-straining blue light. This means you can work for longer hours without straining your eyes. You will also be getting a Full HD on a 14 inch widescreen display.
Like most of the other budget laptop under 300, you will get 4GB RAM and 64GB storage space. It runs on the Intel Celeron with a speed of about 1.1GHz. Although this is far below what some competitors are offering, Acer Aspire 1 makes up for this flaw with an average battery life of up to 6.5 hours.
Another feature of this budget laptop that will interest anyone is the Precision Touchpad which is more responsive than the traditional touchpads. It comes with Windows 10 Home and all its cool apps. However, the 3.64 lbs. weight can make you to think twice when you want to carry it around.
Pros
- BlueLightShield technology that filter the eye-straining blue light
- Offer Full HD on 14 inch display
- Up to 6.5 hours of battery life
- Comes with Precision
Cons
- Large weight can limit how you carry it
- Processor speed is extremely low
- Storage memory is low
Acer Chromebook 15 – Best budget laptop under 300
Looking for the best budget laptop under 300 with a large screen? Acer Chromebook will easily tick your boxes. Its 15.6 inch screen offers 1366 x 768 HD resolution. When you purchase this laptop, you will also get Bluetooth connectivity as well as Wi-Fi 802.11ac which is three times faster than the predecessor.
Another area that this laptop shines is that it runs on Chrome OS which comes with built-in virus protection. However, there are a few flaws you have to deal with including the extremely low memory space. Also, it runs on Intel Celeron with a speed of 1.6GHz. It also feels like a huge load at 4.41 pounds.
If you can look above these flaws, you will also get 4GB SDRAM and the Intel HD Graphics 400 which ensures smooth performance and superior color quality. However, if you are really tight on budget, this laptop will gives chance to cut back on your already slim budget.
Pros
- Highly budget-friendly
- Large screen display
- Runs on Chrome OS with built-in anti-virus
- Comes with the faster Wi-Fi 802.11ac
Cons
- Extremely low storage space
- Large weight can affect how you carry it around
- Processor speed is low unless boosted
Asus Chromebook 15 – Best for NanoEdge display
The HD NanoEdge display of the Asus Chromebook 15 makes it the perfect choice for entertainment. The bezel is ultra-narrow with anti-glare coating making viewing from a wider angle possible. It runs on the Intel Dual-Core Celeron processor with a speed of up to 2.4GHz which makes multitasking a breeze.
In terms of memory, you will get 4GB RAM and 32GB eMMC storage. This may be smaller than some of the competitors but Asus tries to make up for this with a long battery life of up to 10 hours. This makes it suitable for outdoor use. You will also get USB Type-C and Type-A ports.
Another important feature of this laptop that stands it out from the competitors is the durable 180 degrees hinge which makes it possible to lay it flat on the ground. It also has powerful dual high-quality stereo speakers for impeccable sound clarity. Like other laptops with Chrome OS, it has built-in virus protection. However, it is slightly heavy at 3.1 lbs.
Pros
- NanoEdge anti-glare display
- Up to 10 hours of battery life
- Durable 180 degrees hinges
- Built-in anti-virus
Cons
- Low memory space which is not expandable
- Slightly heavy which can limit outdoor use
Samsung Chromebook – Best for battery life
For a laptop to qualify for outdoor use, it needs a huge battery life. Samsung Chromebook is offering 12.5 hours of battery life. However, its 3.6 pounds weight can still make it feel like a load to carry around. Like all other laptops that with Chrome OS, it comes with a built-in virus protection. It runs on Intel Celeron processor with a speed of up to 2.1GHz.
Besides the appreciable speed the Samsung Chromebook, users will also get 6GB RAM which is far larger than that of any other laptop in this category. You will also get 64GB of storage space to keep your favorite files. This ultra-thin laptop has Wi-Fi 801.11ac which is faster than the predecessors.
Obviously, this laptop was built to withstand harsh environmental impacts like temperature shocks, transit drops, humidity, and pressure. Interestingly, it has Google Assistant which means you can reach certain features using your voice.
Pros
- Up to 12.5 hours of battery life
- Built-in anti-virus that updates automatically
- Comes with 6GB RAM which is larger than most competitors
- Google Assistant makes voice control possible
Cons
- Slightly heavy which can limit outdoor use
- Doesn’t offer full HD display
HP Chromebook – Best for full HD display
There are lots of features that makes HP Chromebook the perfect entertainment PC. Immerse yourself in dual speakers and audio by B&O play. It also has flexible hinges that allows you to lay the laptop straight on the ground. It runs on the AMD Dual Core with a speed of up to 2.5GHz. It is one of the few budget laptops that offer Full HD antiglare IPS WLED-backlit display.
In terms of storage, the HP Chromebook might give you a mixed feeling. Like other brands on this list, it offers 4GB RAM which is not upgradable. You will also get only 32GB of storage space. However, it tries to make up for this by offering up to 8.5 hours of battery life. Also, you will get a Bluetooth 4.2 which can connect up to 2 devices at the same time.
Coming with Chrome OS means you will also get built-in virus protection. However, the 3 pounds weight can make it a bit difficult to move it around.
Pros
- Dual speakers and audio by B&O play
- Full HD antiglare IPS display
- Up to 8.5 hours of battery life
- Comes with built-in anti-virus
Cons
- Storage space is relatively low
- Slightly heavy which can make it difficult to move around
Buying Guide for the Best Laptops Under 300
Faced with myriads of features to choose from, you may begin to wonder what is really important. However, at 300 dollars, you focus should be on finding the balance between work and entertainment. For this reason, you need a good processor and at least 4GB RAM. Below are our recommendations
Processor
When it comes to the best laptops under 300, you will have to choose between Intel and AMD. If you are going for Intel, make sure it is the Dual Core Celeron. On the other hand, if you make AMD your choice, stick with the 7th generation A6 or A9 processors. Also, make sure that the processor speed is up to 2.0GHz. Anything less than these means you may face lags and freezing during multitasking.
RAM Size
The first thing you will notice about our best laptops under 300 is that all have a RAM size of at least 4GB. Ideally, this should be your benchmark when you are ready to make your purchase.
Storage Space
The major challenge with the majority of the top laptops under 300$ is their low storage space. The best most of them can offer is 64GB. However, if you are keen on getting a larger storage space, consider investing in a renewed laptop. However, make sure they have some form of warranty backing.
Display Resolution
The bitter truth is that if you focus on getting a $300 laptop with Full HD display you may miss out on other good stuff. While there are a few laptops that can offer you Full HD display, even a HD is fair enough.
Weight
Our best bet is that those looking for a laptops under 300 are either students or business people who would like to carry it around. In this case, you will need something less than 3 pounds so that it doesn’t increase the bulkiness of your backpack.
Price
This will ultimately decide the laptop that you will buy. However, one thing we must tell you here is that with a few dollars extra, you can overcome most of the limitations that the best laptops under 300 dollars face including storage space. If it’s not urgent, consider taking some time to save more.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best Chromebook under $300
There are a lot of Chromebooks that fall under this price range. However, the Samsung Chromebook stands out for having 6GB RAM with a battery life of up to 12.5 hours.
What is the best laptops under $200
The Acer Chromebook is one of your best bet when you are looking for the best laptops under $200. However, there is a high chance that you may find some of the laptops on this list within that price if you go for renewed products. However, we always recommend that you ensure renewed products are backed by warranty before buying them.
What are the most important features to consider when buying a laptop under 300
The type and speed of the process or as well as the RAM size are the most important feature to consider when buying a budget laptop under 300. Check our Buying Guide for more details
How long will the battery of laptops under 300 last?
Expect anything from 6 to 12 hours. These laptops usually don’t have energy intensive hardware features which makes their batteries to last longer.
Why do Chromebooks have small storage space?
Chromebooks are designed for the user to store majority of their files in the cloud. This is why their storage memory is usually very low.
Which is better between Chrome OS and Windows
You will usually find more apps that runs on Windows than on Chrome OS. They both have their pros and cons. Ultimately, it boils down to which one you prefer the most.
Conclusion
The best laptops under 300 usually have lower-end processors and limited data storage capacity. Because of their limited features, they are usually lightweight. This particularly makes them ideal for students as well as business people who travel a lot. The size of the display can vary from 11 to 15.6 inches. However, you should note that the size of the screen does not translate to better resolution. We took our time to slim down your choice to make the buying process less chaotic. Unfortunately, that is the farthest we can go. The final decision is still up to you.
Last update on 2020-09-30 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API