From slow processors to blurry displays, there are myriads of problems that often accompany budget laptops. Your first frustration with a wrong choice will likely start with incessant freezing when you try to multitask. Some of the products may fail to run your favorite task because of RAM and processor limitations. Also, some of the laptops within this range are bulky and distasteful.
There are thousands of products under $600 which will further make your search difficult to find the best laptops under 600.
Thanks to improving technology, some manufacturers are now offering better specs at lower prices. The designs are getting slimmer, lighter, and more attractive. We searched through a pile of laptops in this price category and here is our verdict.
Review of the Best Laptops Under 600
For this list, we tried as much as possible to keep the price under 600. However, you will find a few instances where the price slightly overshoots this benchmark. Whenever you find this, bear in mind that we couldn’t find a better option below the $600 benchmark for the quality we highlighted for that particular product. Our focus was more on emphasizing products that will offer the best experience. Enough said, have a look at our list below.
Acer Aspire 5 Slim – Best overall
When it comes to budget laptops, Acer Aspire 5 Slim is simply unbeatable in all ramifications. In fact, it manages to beat all the limitations that usually come with budget laptops. For example, it runs on the 10th generation Intel Core i5 quad-core processor with a speed of up to 4.2 GHz. Imagine pairing this with 8GB RAM. You can bet that you will never witness any form of large irrespective of what you are doing.
A lot of people have been drooling about the stunning IPS Full HD display including the fact that Acer has managed to keep the bezels thinner—unlike some of its predecessors. The display is further enhanced by the Acer Color Intelligence. When working with Acer Aspire 5 Slim, the Acer BlueLight Shield protects your eyes from strain which makes it easier for you to work for longer hours without developing teary eyes. The Wi-Fi 6 which is based on the 802.11ax standard is another talking point.
Acer TrueHarmony is the game-changer in the audio experience. It throws in deeper bass and more volume, thanks to the innovative speaker design. The keyboards have a backlight for working in environments with poor lighting. You probably want to take this laptop on an outdoor experience because of its 9.5 hours of battery life but 5.74 pounds weight may be an obstacle. For those who don’t mind, a fingerprint reader and 256GB SSD storage should be a consolation.
Pros
- Acer Color Intelligence visual enhancement
- Immersive audio with Acer TrueHarmony
- Acer BlueLight Shield protects the eyes
- Good processor and speed
- Biometric protection
Cons
- Large weight may limit use flexibility
- Graphics card is integrated
Microsoft Surface Laptop – Best touchscreen laptop
This 13.5” laptop has all you would desire from a touchscreen laptop—and more. The first thing that caught how interest was how thin this laptop was. Also, it weighs just 2.76 pounds which is lightweight. These features make it easier to carry the machine around. Microsoft Surface Laptop runs on Intel Core i5 dual-core processor with a speed of up to 3.1 GHz. This works with an 8GB RAM to deliver a seamless multitasking experience.
The PixelSense Display which delivers true-to-life color is another talking point. We are talking about more than just Full HD display on an ultra-thin bezel. Microsoft Surface Laptop has a battery life of up to 14.5 hours. We are talking about a battery that will literarily last a whole day on a single charge. The graphics card in this case is the Intel HD Graphics 620. Not really the best in the series but should suffice. You will get 128GB SSD storage space too.
The cool thing about owning a Surface Laptop is that you have a range of accessories to work with including Surface Arc Mouse, Surface Dock, Surface Dial, and Surface Pen. This laptop has only one port which is a great limitation but you can overcome that limitation with a Surface Dock. It is also slightly above the $600 benchmark. However, if you are looking for the best touchscreen laptop, you can’t help but check it out.
Pros
- Thin and lightweight
- PixelSense Display with true-to-life color
- Compatible with a range of accessories
- Up to 14.5 hours of battery life
Cons
- Comes with a single port
- Slightly expensive
HP 17BY105 – Best 17 inch laptop under 600
Most 17” laptops look bulky and distasteful. However, HP was able to work their magic around this one to keep it fairly thin and classy. It is powered by the 8th generation Intel Core i5 quad-core processor with a speed of up to 3.9 GHz. This pairs with 8GB RAM for fluid multitasking experience. The storage space is a 256GB SSD which should boost your load speed and make other software run faster. Also, since there are no moving parts, you should experience a quieter working experience.
A rare feature that still exists here is DVD writer. Most new laptops have ditched this but you never know when you will need one. The keyboard is full size with numeric keypad. It has up to 4 ports including 2x USB 3.1 gen 1 ports for faster data transfer. Inasmuch as you will be getting a bigger display, there are a few flaws with this laptop which you may need to bear in mind.
The first is the fact that you will get a HD SVA BrightView WLED-backlit display, not Full HD. This laptop weighs 5.20 pounds which might feel like a large weight if you intend moving around with it. You probably won’t get beyond 5 hours of battery life which is another thing that should get you worried. However, if you are keen for a wider display, you will definitely be comforted by what HP is offering.
Pros
- Larger display
- Good processor and RAM combo
- DVD writer
- Full numeric keypad
Cons
- Keyboard lacks backlight
- Display is not HD
- Large weight can limit flexible use
Lenovo Flex 14 – Best 2 in 1 laptop under 600
Flexibility is the key factor why people go for a 2-in-1 laptop. However, the best in this series should go beyond that. Lenovo Flex 14 fits into this picture. The flexible 360 degrees hinge allows you to use this laptop in 4 different modes for optimized work or play. It runs on the 8th generation Intel Core i5 with a speed of up to 2.4 GHz. Also included is 8GB RAM which should be enough for seamless multitasking experience.
In terms of display, this 14” laptop offer Full HD touchscreen display. You can write, draw, or sketch directly on the screen with a digital pen which is sold separately. With Lenovo Flex 14, you will get up to 8 hours of battery life. However, it makes use of fast charge technology which gives you up to 80% battery life in just 1 hour. If you can ignore the 3.52 pounds weight, it can easily fit into your outdoor lifestyle.
You will get a USB Type-C port—and all the cool stuff that comes with it. Lenovo Flex 14 comes with a TrueBlock Privacy Shutter that physically close the webcam when not in use. This should make you feel safer. It comes with the Intel UHD Graphics 615 graphics card which is great. On the downside, we feel that if you are paying more than 600 dollars, you deserve more than 128GB SSD storage. Well, this offer is still hard to beat.
Pros
- Flexible 360 degrees hinge
- Touchscreen is compatible with digital pen
- Fast-charge technology
- TrueBlock Privacy Shutter
- USB Type-C port
Cons
- Slightly expensive
- Slightly heavy
Microsoft Surface Go – Best ultrabook under $600
When you are looking for the best ultrabook under $600, Microsoft Surface Go will easily steal your admiration for several reasons. Although the screen is only 10” it still offers a PixelSense display with true-to-life color. You can touch or write directly on the screen using the Surface Pen. A combination of lightweight (1.15 pounds) and long battery life (up to 9 hours) means you can carry it wherever you go with ease.
Microsoft Surface Go is powered by Intel Pentium Gold which works with 8GB RAM to deliver a seamless multitasking experience. One cool thing with Microsoft devices is that they are usually compatible with a large range of accessories. All of these can be purchased separately. In this case you have Surface Mobile Mouse, Surface Pen, and Surface Go Signature Type Cover. Also, it works with Windows 10 Home in S Mode which has been streamlined for improved security and superior performance.
Microsoft also offer up to 1TB cloud storage in OneDrive. It includes a USB Type-Cport which offer fast charging and faster file transfer. Also, you will get 128GB SSD storage which improves your performance. The 8MP front camera is another feature that should excite you. Unless you fancy bigger screen, there is virtually nothing to hate about this ultrabook. One major flaw we found is that it makes use of 802.11abg Wi-Fi standard which is practically outdated.
Pros
- Extremely lightweight
- PixelSense display with true-to-life color
- Compatible with a wide range of accessories
- USB Type-C port with fast charging technology
- 8MP front camera
Cons
- Wi-Fi architecture is old
- Processor speed is questionable
Asus VivoBook S15 – Best laptop for student
In terms of 4 Way NanoEdge bezel Full HD display with a higher screen to body ratio, Asus has no competitor. Asus VivoBook S15 is no different in this regard. It is powered by the 8th generation Intel Core i5 with a speed of up to 3.9 GHz. This works well with 8GB RAM to give you a swift multitasking experience. You will also get 256GB SSD storage space which is about twice what you will get among the best laptops under 600.
One feature that Asus has perfected is the ErgoLift keyboard which automatically tilts the keyboard at a certain angle to improve your typing experience. Further increasing your typing experience is the ergonomic backlit Chiclet keyboard. The lighting condition of your environment will never stop your work anymore. The inclusion of a fingerprint sensor adds a biometric layer of protection to this laptop. It comes with all your favorite ports including reversible USB Type-C.
Asus VivoBook S15 revs up your audio experience with a deeper bass, thanks to Asus SonicMaster. The graphics card is the Intel UHD Graphics 620 which is one of the best in the series. This laptop weighs 3.97 pounds which is slightly heavy and a potential source of discomfort. USA and Canada customers will also enjoy 1 year Accidental Damage Protection (ADP). Somehow, we wish this gesture was available to everyone without the boundary limitation.
Pros
- Good processor and speed
- ErgoLift ergonomic backlit keyboard
- Reversible USB Type-C
- Fast charge technology (60% in 49 minutes)
- Asus SonicMaster with deeper bass
Cons
- ADP is only available in USA and Canada
- Slightly heavy
Lenovo IdeaPad 3 – Best budget
Lenovo IdeaPad 3 allows you to further cut back on your budget. This will come handy if you have some accessories in mind. The singular unique feature of this laptop that makes it stand out is the fact that you can run it in two different modes allowing you to customize your experience. It runs on the powerful AMD Ryzen 5 with a speed of 2.1 GHz. This pairs with 8GB RAM to deliver swift multitasking experience.
This laptop will draw you in with an immersive audio experience, thanks to the dual speakers with Dolby Audio. In terms of display, this 14” screen offer Full HD display with slightly narrower bezels. Further enhancing the visual experience is the inclusion of AMD Radeon Vega 8 Graphics card. Other features that would catch your attention include 2×2 Wi-Fi 5 and a physical shutter that covers the webcam when not in use.
Lenovo IdeaPad 3 come with 256GB SSD storage which is slightly higher than what you will find among the laptops in the under $600 category. This laptop is only slightly heavy at 3.30 pounds. Unfortunately, this laptop doesn’t offer USB Type-C port which is becoming the future of charging and data transfer. Nonetheless, you will be getting more for less price.
Pros
- Highly affordable
- Working in two different modes
- Dual speakers with Dolby Audio
- AMD Radeon Vega 8 Graphics card
Cons
- USB Type-C port is absent
- Slightly heavy
Dell Inspiron 7000 – Best gaming laptop
Processor, graphics card, and storage are three features that need to be optimized for a gaming laptop. Dell Inspiron 7000 does its best in all ramifications at a slender price. It runs on AMD Quad Core Ryzen 5 with up to 3.6 GHz speed. Data suggests that this processor outperforms the 7th generation Intel Core i7. This pairs with 8GB for smooth gaming and multitasking experience.
This 13.3” convertible laptop comes with Full HD LED-backlit IPS touchscreen display. It was equipped with AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 to handle the heavy graphics demand of games. These two features work together to give you a crisp clear display that gives you an edge over your enemies. Dell Inspiron 7000 offers 256GB SSD storage with slightly faster load time. An immersive audio caps up your gaming experience, thanks to the stereo speakers with MaxxAudio Pro.
Other features that will catch your interest include USB 3.0 with PowerShare and USB Type-C. It is not all rosy with this laptop. One of the setbacks you will likely encounter is the 3.80 pounds weight which is a potential source of discomfort. Also, it has a limited number of ports which can be a big problem if you have a large number of accessories you want to connect to your laptop. Nevertheless, this is by far the best gaming laptop under 600.
Pros
- Good processor and speed
- AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 graphics card
- Stereo speakers with MaxxAudio Pro
- USB 3.0 with PowerShare
Cons
- Limited number of ports
- Slightly heavy
HP Chromebook – Best Chromebook
Choosing the right Chromebook can be confusing because there are so many of them—and most of them are within the $600 budget. However, we choose HP Chromebook for several reasons. The first is that it runs on the 8th generation Intel Core i3 with a speed of up to 3.4 GHz. This is accompanied by a 4GB RAM to give you a reasonable level of multitasking experience. Nevertheless, we would advise that you don’t push your luck or you may end up disappointed.
In terms of display, this 15.6” laptop delivers diagonal Full HD IPS micro-edge WLED backlit display. It is also touchscreen making its usage more flexible. To further enhance your viewing experience, this laptop comes with Intel UHD Graphics 620 graphics card. This should be enough to power your graphics design software. You will also get 128GB eMMC internal storage. Since it runs on Chrome OS, you will have access to all your favorite apps on Google Play Store and cloud storage.
A rare feature that comes with HP Chromebook which may be hard to find in other products is a full-size island-style cloud blue backlit keyboard with numeric keypad. It comes with USB-C power adaptor which is actually the future of computer. However, at 5.64 pounds, this is one of the heaviest Chromebooks that you will likely encounter. If you don’t mind the weight, you have one of the best Chromebooks to work with.
Pros
- Good processor and speed
- Highly affordable
- Compatible with apps on Play Store
- Full backlit keyboard with numeric keypad
Cons
- RAM could be better
- Large weight is a potential source of discomfort
Dell Inspiron 5570 – Best core i7 laptop
The best way to get higher specs at a lower price is usually to invest in refurbished products. If you really desire to have a laptop that runs on Core i7, refurbished may be the only way to go. This Dell Inspiron caught our attention and it is not just about the processor. It runs on the 8th generation Intel Core i7 with a speed of 1.8 GHz. This pairs with 12GB RAM to offer the ultimate multitasking experience. You can bet that you will never experience any form of lag.
This laptop boast of 1TB HDD storage space. That is more than enough to hold all your multimedia files and games. With Dell Inspiron 5570, you are certain of up to 8 hours of battery life. This means a lot if you move around a lot and love to work on the go. This 15.6” laptop offer Full HD LED display with exciting color tone. It is one of the few laptops that still come with SuperMulti-DVD burner.
The graphics card is Intel HD 620 Graphics—one of the best in the series. It may interest you to know that this laptop accepts touchscreen input. Also, the 720p HD webcam stands out. At 5.2 pounds, this laptop can easily begin to feel like a load. We always advice that you buy refurbished products only from trusted retailers—and make sure your purchase is backed by 90-day Amazon Renewed Guarantee.
Pros
- Runs on Intel Core i7
- Large RAM and storage space
- Graphics card is Intel HD 620 Graphics
- SuperMulti-DVD burner
Cons
- Processor speed is questionable
- Large weight may limit flexibility of use
- SSD storage is faster than HDD
Buying Guide for the Best Laptop Under 600
Perhaps, none of the laptops on our least caught your interest and you want to do your own research. We have created a buying guide to make it easier for you to weed out the noise from the cool stuff. We highlighted the most important features and how they would affect your experience. Have a look.
Processor
If you have a $600 budget, you can easily get a Core i5 or its AMD equivalent. However, if for any reason you want to cut back on your budget, we would strongly recommend that you settle for nothing less than Core i3. Also, if you push your budget a little higher, we are most certain that you can nail a Core i7. The processor is the most important feature of your laptop. The most part of your experience will depend on this.
Graphics Card
The best graphics card for gaming or graphics design is NVIDIA. However, it is unlikely that you will get a laptop with this feature with a $600 budget. The only way that may be possible is when you decide to go for a refurbished laptop. For a 600 dollar gaming laptop, we would suggest AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 graphics card. It slightly outperforms Intel HD Graphics 620.
RAM
The minimum RAM you should go for in this price range should be 8GB. If you settle for anything lower, you will likely have to deal with lags and freezes every now and then—especially if you multitask a lot. For Chromebooks, you may be forced to settle for 4GB RAM. However, this should be the only exception.
Storage
The best laptops under 600 will likely not offer more than 256GB SSD storage. In majority of the cases, you will only get 128GB. This is the sad reality you have to deal with. However, you can always expand your storage using memory cards or external storage. This should offer a huge relief.
Battery Life
When you have a low budget, you need to keep your expectations low—including battery life. In this price range, we recommend at least 5 hours of battery life. However, some laptops on our list offer over 10 hours. If you move around a lot with your laptop, this is a key feature you should never ignore.
Portability
This has to do with the size and weight. Thankfully, most manufacturers are implementing a minimalistic design to cut down the bulk of the laptop. However, a lot still need to be done when it comes to weight. If you are always on the go, we recommend a laptop of less than 3 pounds. On the other hand, if your laptop is going to sit on one corner of the room, you can gladly strike out this property off your list.
Price
Ideally, this shouldn’t be coming in. However, we thought it important to mention something here. Like you may have noticed already, a few of the laptops overshoot the $600 target—but that is because we couldn’t find a good replacement below the price. Depending on your primary reason for purchase, it may be a good idea to keep your budget flexible.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the best laptop under 600 dollars?
Arguably the best laptop under 600 dollars is the Acer Aspire 5 Slim. It has most of the features you will normally get with midrange budget laptop while still keeping the price low.
- What is the best gaming laptop under 600?
A lot of laptop on our list can be used for gaming. However, Dell Inspiron 7000 stands out because of the graphics card and processor.
- What is the best laptop for the cheapest price?
Lenovo IdeaPad 3 will allow you to cut back considerably on your budget without compromising performance and experience. It is one of the cheapest laptops that still guarantees a reasonably solid performance.
- What is the best $500 laptop?
If you are looking for the best $500 laptop, your best bet is to go for a Chromebook. However, they usually have limited space and will not work with your regular Windows software.
- What is a good reasonably priced laptop?
We took our time to assemble a list of good reasonably priced laptop. Any of the laptops on this list should be able to meet your day-to-day needs.
Conclusion
If you decide to make your own research, always try to find the balance between price and performance. This can be a little tricky—even for a professional but we believe that our buying guide will give you an edge. Gamers may find it more difficult to make a choice within this budget range because it is difficult to get a laptop with a dedicated graphics card. However, AMD Ryzen seem to be a better option to Intel UHD Graphics. As much as you can, keep your budget flexible and you will definitely be glad you did. If you have any questions, we would love to hear it.