The best laptop under $400 has a fast hard drive, a powerful processor, and a screen with crisp colors.
To help you find these top-rated budget laptops, I created this list, and after much research, I narrowed it down to nine laptops that are worth buying.
A laptop in the $400 price range usually has something you need to compromise on. I’ll show you each laptop’s advantages and disadvantages so you can make the best possible decision.
Without further ado, here are the best laptops under $400:
| Best Overall Laptop | Best Budget Chromebook | Most Portable Option | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laptop |
Acer 5 Slim
|
Lenovo C330
|
Microsoft Surface Go 3
|
| Storage | 128GB SSD | 32GB eMMC | 64GB eMMC |
| RAM | 4GB | 4GB | 4GB |
| CPU | Intel Core i3-8145U | Intel Celeron N4000 | Intel Core i3-10100Y |
| Review | Read review | Read review | Read review |
| Price (Amazon) | Check Price | Check Price | Check Price |
Note: The laptops on this list are usually not suited for gaming. If you’re looking for a gaming laptop make sure to read about the best gaming laptops under $500.
Best Laptops under $400 Reviewed
#1 Best Laptop under $400: Acer Aspire 5 Slim
The Acer 5 Slim is a Windows 10-based laptop with powerful enough hardware to run both games and everyday applications with ease.
This laptop has a premium look with a silver-grey exterior. It’s mostly made of plastic with a thin sheet of aluminum on top. With a weight of 3.97 lbs (1.8 kg), it’s quite light for being a 15-inch laptop.
The keyboard has 1.2mm key travel and comfortable, clicky keys. It has a great typing experience The only issue with the keyboard is the cramped arrow keys.
The laptop has a Full HD 15.6-inch screen with a thin bezel design for improved screen-to-body ratio. With a brightness of 150 nits, it’s a dim display, but the matte finish helps when using it in direct sunlight.
The processor is the Intel Core i3-1115G4, one of the better processors you can get for under $400. When we compared the benchmarks of the Intel Core i3-1115G4 CPU against the Celeron N0400 found in the runner-up, we found that the i3 processor has a 124% higher effective speed. The 4GB RAM and the 128GB SSD help the laptop boot up and load applications faster. 4GB RAM is alright for the price, and it’s easy to upgrade it down the line.
Thanks to the integrated Intel UHD G4 graphics, it’s one of the best gaming laptops under $400. Even if it has an integrated graphics card, it can run most non-demanding games on low to medium settings.
Expect around 7 hours of battery life, but if you run demanding programs such as games, expect a lower total battery life.
Summary: The Acer Aspire 5 Slim has a beautiful display, a powerful processor, and a fast SSD. It’s hard to beat the performance you get for the price and that’s why the Acer Aspire 5 Slim is the best laptop under $400.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Lightweight | Not the brightest screen |
| Excellent display | Cramped arrow keys |
| Powerful AMD Ryzen CPU | Only 4GB RAM |
#2 Best Budget Chromebook Under $400: Lenovo Chromebook C340 2-in-1
The Lenovo Chromebook C340 is a worthy contender as the best budget laptop for under $400. It’s a fast laptop at an affordable price.
This 2-in-1 convertible laptop weighs 2.65 pounds (1.2 kg), which is slightly heavier than what you should expect for an 11-inch laptop. You’ll find a media card reader that can read microSD cards on the laptop’s left side. This laptop has two USB-C ports and two USB-A ports. An advantage of the USB-C ports is that you can charge the laptops through them with most mobile chargers.
The screen is a small 11.6-inch display with HD resolution. The colors are accurate, but it’s not very bright. Around the screen, you’ll find large bezels that eat up the screen estate. As a touchscreen, it works well and is responsive to movement and gestures.
Compared to some of the other top-rated budget laptops under $400 with Intel i3 Processors, the Intel Celeron N4000 Processor lags behind. It has 4GB RAM, so the laptop will handle everyday tasks but will have a hard time running anything demanding. 32GB of storage is on the lower end, especially if you want to save lots of files.
Lenovo claims a 10-hour battery life, and that seems accurate. When PCMag tested the battery, it lasted over 14 hours.
Summary: The Lenovo 14 2-in-1 has the right components to get you up and running without lag. It has excellent battery life and decent hardware, but nothing makes the laptop stand out.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Good port selection | Processor weaker than the competition |
| SDCard reader | Low contrast display |
| Long battery life | Can’t charge with USB-C |
#3 Most Portable Laptop: Microsoft Surface Go 3
If you want a laptop that’s easy to bring with you and can handle everyday use without lag, have a look at the Microsoft Surface Go.
The Microsoft Surface Go 3 has a size of just 10.5 inches and weighs 1.18 pounds (0,54 kg). This means it’s super easy to bring with you, no matter if it’s to the nearest cafe or across the globe.
If you want to use the laptop with a stylus pen or an attachable keyboard, you’re going to need to buy them separately. A Stylus pen is great for taking notes but not necessary. For the best laptop experience, I would recommend getting a good attachable keyboard.
This small laptop comes with a 3.5mm headphone jack, a USB-C port, and a Surface Connect port used for charging and docking. It also has a microSD card slot.
It’s a Windows laptop with 4GB RAM and a 64GB eMMC memory. It has fast performance on everyday tasks such as word processing, browsing the web, and watching videos. If you want to do anything demanding such as video editing or gaming, then you better look for a more powerful laptop.
The touch screen works great and responds quickly and accurately. It has a resolution of 1920 x 1280 and covers the full sRGB gamut. It also has a respectable brightness of 408 nits.
Another advantage of this laptop is that the battery lasts a long time. You can use it the whole day without issues.
Summary: If you’re looking for the best 2-in-1 laptop for around $400, then my recommendation is the Microsoft Surface Go 3. It’s fast, durable, and light, but the keyboard is sold separately.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Very light | Need to buy the keyboard separately |
| Vivid screen | No USB-A port |
| Long battery life | Not suitable for demanding applications |
#4 Fast and Light: HP 14
Another good option in the 400 dollar price range is the HP 14.
This is a thin and light 14-inch laptop with a weight of 3.3 pounds (1,5 kg). The silver and grey case is made of plastic and is sturdy. The laptop has good connectivity, but there’s no CD/DVD drive.
The operating system is Windows 10 in S mode. S mode will provide longer battery life and better performance, but if you want to get out to use apps not found on the Windows store, you can easily get out after following one of the many available guides online.
Typing on the HP 14 is a pleasant experience, but the keyboard has no backlighting, so it’s not suitable for working in dim lights. The touchpad is a multi-touch pad with physical buttons.
The 14-inch glossy HD screen has small bezels for maximum screen estate and a modern look. It has a resolution of 1366 x 768, and its glossy reflective coating helps prevent glare. This is not an IPS display, so the viewing angles are poor. Even if you look at the screen from a straight angle, the image doesn’t look super-sharp due to the low contrast ratio.
One of the significant advantages of the HP 14 laptop is the 128GB SSD. It’s fast, and the 128GB storage is excellent, considering many laptops in the $400 price range have less than 64GB of storage.
Another good thing about this laptop is the battery. It has a 41Wh battery that will last almost the whole day.
Summary: The HP 14 is a great laptop for less than 400 dollars. It has a fast SSD, a light and sturdy case, and offers great value for the price.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Fast 128GB SSD | No CD/DVD drive |
| Light and thin | Poor viewing angles |
| Good value | Keyboard is not backlit |
#5 Longest Battery Life: Lenovo Ideapad Flex 5
If you’re for a reliable laptop that will last the whole day, definitely consider the Lenovo Ideapad Flex 5. This 14-inch 2-in-1 laptop has an extraordinary battery life that will last up to 12 hours when doing everyday tasks.
Thanks to the 360-degree hinge, you can use it as a standard laptop and a Windows 10 tablet. It’s also nice that Lenovo has included a privacy shutter over the 720p webcam. As a result, you can quickly close the webcam view, and since it’s placed on the top of the laptop instead of near the keyboard, you can avoid awkward viewing angles up your nose. Another great thing about the Lenovo Flex is its loud and clear speakers.
The screen has a 1080p resolution, and it’s alright for web browsing and writing document, but the colors are a bit dull, which is especially noticeable when watching movies. It’s also not bright enough for outdoor use, but the maximum brightness of 258 cd/m² is acceptable as long as you stay out of direct sunlight.
The hardware inside the Lenovo Flex 5 is about what to expect in the price range. A 128GB SSD will provide additional storage compared to some of its competitors, with only 64 or even 32GB hard drives. However, even with 128GB, it’s still not very much memory, especially if you want to save large files or install many programs.
Since the Flex 5 has a touch screen, it’s a great option for taking notes but be aware that the Lenovo Pen is not included and has to be bought separately.
Summary: The Lenovo Flex 5 is a great option for anyone looking for a laptop that will last the whole day. The loud speakers and the privacy shutter are good reasons to get it, but be aware that you might need to update some drivers to get the best performance.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| The battery will last the whole day | Screen is dim and has dull colors |
| Webcam with privacy shutter | Might have to update some drivers to get optimal performace |
| Good speakers |
#6 Best Budget Business Laptop: Dell Latitude E7270
The Dell Latitude E7270 is a great cheap laptop for business that runs the Windows 10 Pro operating system.
It’s a sturdy laptop with a weight of around 3 pounds (~1,36 kg). The case is made of plastic and has a pleasant feel, but it’s prone to fingerprints.
The Dell Latitude notebook has a webcam and microphone, but it lacks an optical drive and has no USB Type-C port. Another small issue with this laptop is that the touchpad is inaccurate at the edges.
This cheap laptop has a 12.5-inch HD matte display with good viewing angles, and with a 330 nits brightness, it’s suitable for outside work as long as you keep the screen away from direct sunlight. Color coverage is below average; the display covers only 58% of the sRGB Color spectrum.
The 6th Gen Intel Core i5 processor is starting to get a bit old now, but it still provides some solid performance. If you compare the included 6th Gen Intel Core i5 vs. a more modern 10th Gen Intel Core i3, you’ll see they have around similar performance.
With 8GB RAM and a fast SSD, it will boot up fast and load apps without lag. It’s great for working on word documents and everyday tasks such as reading emails or watching Youtube clips. It’s not a suitable laptop for gaming with the poor integrated Intel HD 520 graphics card. The battery life is decent and can handle around 6 hours on a full charge.
It’s sold as a renewed laptop. This means even if it’s not brand new, it has been verified that it still works like new and has no major dents. A generous 90-day return guarantee backs it if anything is wrong, and many have praised the good customer service if something went wrong.
Summary: The Dell Latitude e7270 is an affordable business laptop with few flaws. The display could have been a bit more vivid, but other than that, it’s a solid choice.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Durable | Display with dull colors |
| Fast Intel Core Processor | The exterior is prone to fingerprints |
| Fast SSD | No optical drive |
#7 Most Reliable: 2021 Lenovo Ideapad 3
New for the list is the Lenovo Ideapad 3. This model has a great full HD screen and a fast SSD.
With a weight of just 3.3 pounds, it’s easy to bring with you when you’re on the move. The case is made of plastic but it’s still a fairly sturdy budget notebook. An advantage of the Lenovo Ideapad 3 is the included SD card reader, something you won’t see in all of the best budget laptops. It comes with a 0.3MP webcam. The camera quality is poor but at least you don’t have to buy a webcam to join online meetings.
The keyboard is quite simple due to the limitation of it being a light laptop with a 14-inch screen. It has no numpad and the up and down keys are too small but the rest of the keyboard offers a great typing experience.
The Lenovo Ideapad 3 has Windows 10 S as its operating system. Windows 10 S was created to improve performance and usability. One issue with Windows 10 S is that you can only use applications on the Microsoft Store, so you can’t, for instance, use Google Chrome. Luckily, it’s easy to get out of Windows 10 S to regular Windows 10 with a few clicks.
The Full HD display is decent and good enough for everyday usage. It’s not suitable for anything that requires accurate colors. The colors look washed out, and it’s especially noticeable in dark movie scenes. If you need a more accurate screen you can plug in a secondary monitor to the laptop’s HDMI port.
With 8GB RAM, a fast SSD, and an Intel Pentium processor, it’s fast enough for most everyday tasks. With the 128GB SSD, you get plenty of storage to save files. Having 8GB RAM makes multitasking on a laptop much more manageable. If you ever want to upgrade it, it’s straightforward to upgrade the SSD and the RAM.
Summary: The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 is a good budget laptop choice, thanks to the 8GB RAM and reliable performance. The display is the laptop’s weakest point so you might want to connect it to a more vivid screen for watching movies.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Easy to setup and use | Screen with washed out colors |
| Full HD screen resolution | Small arrow keys |
| Included SD card reader | Poor webcam quality |
#8 The Budget Choice: Dell Inspiron 3583
The Dell Inspiron 3583 is a cheap notebook that is easy to use. It has a nice keyboard and decent performance.
The design of the laptop is quite basic. The muted black exterior is made of plastic. It has a webcam and a built-in microphone, but there’s no CD/DVD player.
The keyboard has good key placement, and each click has clear feedback. An advantage of the keyboard is that it’s spill-resistant. However, it’s not backlit.
Under the keyboard, you’ll have 4GB RAM and an Intel Celeron N4020 processor. These specs mean it will work well for web browsing, writing documents, or watching movies. It can even play non-demanding games such as Roblox. It will, however, lag if you do any serious multitasking.
The biggest drawback of the hardware is the laptop’s battery. The 41W battery can only handle 3-4 hours of everyday work on a full charge. So make sure you’re near a power outlet if you will use it for a longer period.
It has a 15.6-inch display with a 1366 x 768 resolution. The HD screen covers 72% of the sRGB color gamut, so the colors are alright for the price but will look washed out compared to higher-end displays. The brightness is just 210 nits, so it’s not suitable to use outside or in direct sunlight.
Summary: The Dell 3583 is an affordable laptop that is perfect for anyone who just wants a laptop that’s easy to use for non-demanding programs. It has a smaller battery and is not as good as some of the other laptops on the list. That’s why it’s #6 on the list of the best laptops under 400 dollars.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Cheap | Short battery life |
| Light | Dim display |
| Easy to use | Poor speakers |
#9 The All-around Option: Acer Aspire 1
The Acer Aspire 1 is a sturdy 15.6-inch laptop with a weight of 4.2 pounds (1,9kg). It looks stylish with the sleek design and the nice brushed texture on the lid and on the deck. The hinge is sturdy, but it has some flex on the deck.
This laptop has all the ports you’ll need, with both USB 3.1 and USB 2.0 ports, an ethernet port if you want to use a cable for the internet, and an HDMI port if you’re going to connect an external monitor,
The keyboard has good feedback, and the keys are well laid out with reasonable spacing between each key. It’s a bit stiff for long typing sessions, but overall it’s a good and comfortable keyboard.
The display is one of the better screens on the list, but it has one big flaw. It’s a full HD 15-inch screen with good brightness and good details. The matte finish prevents glare, and you can use it outside. The big weakness of the screen is the poor viewing angles. If you look at it from the wrong angles, the colors look washed out and dull.
If you’re going to use the laptop for non-demanding things such as web surfing, writing word documents, or sending emails, then you’re going to be happy with this laptop’s performance. It’s fast, and the 64GB of storage is usually more than enough. If you need a laptop for anything demanding, such as media editing, gaming, or heavy multitasking, you’ll notice the 4GB RAM and the Intel Celeron N4020 CPU is simply too weak.
The battery life is alright, but it’s not as long as some of the competition. Expect around 6 hours of battery life and a bit less if you do anything demanding.
Summary: If you need something that just works for everyday use, then one of the best options is the Acer Aspire 1. It’s not suitable for anything demanding, but it’s a great laptop if you have the right expectations.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Fast for everyday usage | Too weak for demanding programs |
| Stylish design | Screen looks washed out from the wrong angle |
| Well laid-out keyboard | Speakers lack bass |
#10 Cheapest Laptop: HP Stream 14
The HP Stream was released in June 2019 and has since been one of the best laptops under 400 bucks.
This 14-inch laptop has a sturdy plastic case with a royal blue color. The design doesn’t have any extra bells and whistles, but you can feel it’s reliable and won’t let you down. Typing on the HP stream is comfortable thanks to the good feedback and 1.3mm key travel. Unfortunately, it’s not a backlit keyboard, so it will be difficult to type when it’s dark. If you have any USB devices you want to connect, you can connect them to the USB 2.0 port or one of the two USB 3.1 ports.
The operating system is Windows 10 in S mode. S mode will give you the laptop some performance improvements, but if you want to run programs not available on the Windows store, it’s easy to get out of it.
The 14-inch HD display has good viewing angles and clear images, but with a brightness of just 190 nits, it’s too dim to be used in sunlight.
The AMD Dual-Core processor is one of the weaker processors on the list. If you compare it to the latest generation Intel Core i3 processor, you’ll see that the Intel Core i3 has around 83% better effective speed. The laptop, however, has 4GB RAM and a fast 64GB eMMC hard drive. This laptop can handle non-demanding things, but if you want to do anything demanding such as media editing, you’ll notice the slow processor.
HP claims this laptop has 10 hours of battery life, and after some tests, it seems they are correct on that promise. Another advantage of the HP stream is that if you get it now, you’ll also get one year of Office 365 personal for free.
Summary: The HP stream has a reliable design and fast everyday performance. However, since the processor is the slowest on the list, it’s not suitable for anything demanding.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Comfortable keyboard | Slower processor than Intel Core i3 CPUs |
| Long battery life that will last the whole day | Dim Display |
| Comes with one year of MS Office 365 | The keyboard is not backlit |
What to Look For in a Laptop Under $400
To help you find the right laptop, I created the guide with the best notebooks under $400. Here are some guidelines I based the picks on. Follow these tips, and you are sure to get a quality budget laptop:
Storage
In the best laptops for less than $400, you’ll usually find an SSD or eMMC memory. Both are faster than a traditional hard drive (HDD). An SSD is the preferred option since it has faster read and write speed. The SSD also has the advantage that you can upgrade it at a later point. In contrast, eMMC memory is often soldered onto the laptop, so you won’t be able to upgrade it.
In this price range, you usually won’t be able to save much data. Some budget notebooks will have a tiny 16GB memory card that will fill up quickly.
Aim for at least 64GB of storage
If you want an affordable laptop under $400 and still save lots of data, your best option is to buy an external hard drive or save your files in the cloud. An external hard drive is a one-time purchase that you plug into the laptop’s USB port. Cloud storage usually has a monthly or annual fee. Two good services that allow you to save data on the cloud are Google Drive and Dropbox.
RAM
Having more RAM will make your laptop better at multitasking.
Laptops for less than $400 generally have 4GB RAM. This is good enough in most cases, but if you want to run ram-intensive applications such as editing software or running many apps at the same time, it’s on the lower end.
Display
Choosing the right size for your laptop screen can be a bit challenging. In the 400 dollar price range, you can find everything from small 10-inch notebooks up to bulky 17-inch laptops. If you want a portable laptop, it can be worth choosing a smaller screen, while a larger screen is preferred for media viewing and gaming.
Another important aspect of the display is the resolution. A higher resolution will make the images on the screen look better. It will also often increase productivity since you can have more stuff open on the same display.
Aim to get a display with at least a display resolution of 1366 x 768 (HD)
If you plan to use your laptop in sunlight, make sure the screen is bright enough. A screen’s brightness is measured in nits. If you want to use it outside in direct sunlight, aim for at least 400 nits brightness.
Graphics card
The graphics card (GPU) is often not something you need to think about in a laptop under $400. Almost any GPU will work fine for non-demanding laptop use. It’s not until you start doing something demanding for the laptop, such as gaming, that the graphics card starts to matter.
Both AMD and Intel have their own Integrated graphics cards. Sometimes there are significant performance differences between two integrated graphics cards. If you, for example, compare the Intel HD graphics 400 in the Dell Inspiron laptop against the Intel UHD 620 in the Asus Vivobook, you’ll notice that the UHD 620 has considerably better performance.
Don’t expect to run any modern games on most laptops under $400. If you’re a gamer on a budget, check out the best gaming laptop under $500 and if you want to play the latest games, check out these gaming notebooks.
Battery
Budget notebooks have the advantage of often a more long-lasting battery life compared to more expensive options such as gaming laptops. Expect a battery life that will almost the whole day.
Keyboard
Some of the best laptops under 400 dollars feature a backlit keyboard. Backlit keyboards are great if you’re working in dim conditions, for example, during the night. However, it’s often worth saving on the keyboard and getting a product with more storage capacity or a better processing unit.
Processor
You’ll usually find either an Intel or AMD processor in laptops under $400. Both brands have good options.
The most common Intel Core Processor in this price range is the Intel Core i3 processor. You can find a few budget laptops with an Intel Core i5 CPU. Most of the time, an Intel Core i5 CPU has better performance than an Intel Core i3 CPU, but it will depend on the CPU generation. The later the Intel Core generation, the better performance.
The latest Intel Core generation at the moment is the 11th generation of Intel processors.
Aim for an 8th generation Intel processor or later
The most common AMD processor in this price range is the AMD Ryzen 3. The AMD Ryzen 3 is an excellent option for AMD Ryzen budget laptops. It has similar performance to a 10th generation Intel Core i3 processor.
Conclusion
The best laptops under $400 usually have fast SSD or eMMC memory, 4GB or more RAM, and a good HD display.
If you want the best overall laptop under $400, my recommendation would be the Acer Slim 5. It’s a fast and lightweight budget laptop with powerful enough hardware to handle light gaming.
For those of you on a tight budget, go for the Dell Inspiron Chromebook. It’s easy to use and will handle everyday tasks without lag. If portability is your main concern, then my recommendation would be the Microsoft Surface Go.
Hopefully, this has helped you in choosing the best laptop under $400.