In these modern times, our lives have become much easier because of the help of various advanced technological devices such as our phones, desktop PCs, and laptops. These very smart computers allow us to deal with all kinds of tasks in a much simpler way. Whether it is calculating complicated math problems, writing down the needed groceries, writing a book, or writing down notes during a high school or college class.
I think a lot of students would agree that their college or high school lives are much easier because the usage of phones or laptops is allowed. Of course, computers can be a distraction sometimes, but they can also be very useful. Instead of having to write down every single word the professor says in a notebook, everything can be typed on the keyboard of a laptop. By using the keyboard, students can save up on a lot of time and can even protect the health of the wrist. Too much writing with a pen or pencil can lead to wrist problems.
However, students are not exactly the ones that have a huge budget ready for a laptop. They work on a small budget which means this investment needs to be for a high-quality device that will last long enough.
Fortunately, these devices have become much cheaper while providing much better performance in this last couple of years thanks to AMD and their higher core count processors. This pushed the entire CPU market to develop much faster with higher core count processors for a cheaper price. In other words, laptops finally have that level of computing power that is comparable to desktop PCs.
So, with these new processors, I decided to write this article and tell you about the best laptops for students that can be found on the $500.
Acer Aspire 5
Acer has not been very popular in these last couple of years because of their unimpressive build quality, but things started to take a turn when they started to implement Ryzen 3000 and 4000 series mobile processors. These inexpensive little processors that output very little heat is powerful than some high-end desktop CPUs from two or three years ago.
This is one of the reasons why I believe that the Acer Aspire 5 is the perfect option for many students or anyone that needs a small form factor, inexpensive, but quite powerful device. Although, keep in mind that the cheapest AMD variant is around $520 which means it does not fall under the $500 price point for this last, but it is just $20 for a lot more performance and you may even find discounts on websites such as Newegg or Amazon.
But, if you are unable to find a discount, there is one alternative from Intel that costs $430 and comes with an i3-8145U and an integrated GPU. This CPU is not exactly powerful, but it will satisfy the most basic needs such as browsing and typing.
I also have to mention the feel of the keyboard is actually quite nice considering the price for this model. If you have concerns about this brand’s setup, features, and functionality, you can check the Acer Aspire User Manuals and download them for free!
HP 15
For those that are looking for something even more inexpensive, but at the cost of power is the HP 15. The chip is variant which is $380 comes with an i3 – 1005G1. This processor is from the latest series of Intel, but it is only two cores and two threads which boost up to 3.4 GHz. In simpler terms, it is slow, but it is cheap and will provide enough power to deal with basic Windows tasks.
Honestly, the best thing about the HP 15 is the fact that it is under $400, it has 128 GB SSD and even comes with Windows 10 installed. The 8 GB of RAM is also a nice addition. You will not have RAM deficiency anytime soon, especially if you only use Chrome, Firefox, Excel, Word, and other similar programs.
The only disadvantage I see with this device is the fact that it is not full HD, it is 720P which can be quite noticeable on a 15.6-inch display. But, again, considering the price, it is a great offer, especially for those that are on a tight budget.
Although, if your wallet truly does not allow you to purchase any kind of laptop and if you are in a rush for your essay, I would just recommend hiring professional writing services such as essayrx to write the essay for you. At least, as a temporary solution, if the deadline is nearby.
Lenovo Chromebook Duet
This one is a very small package. It is starting price is somewhere around $290, its display is only 10 inches and it comes with an Helio P60T processor. All of this does not sound very impressive, but for those that really needed just for typing or browsing, this is the perfect option. It may be a small 10-inch display, but it is a touchscreen, it is full HD, it is an IPS panel and a very high brightness level of 400 minutes. The display of the HP 15 is blown out of the water of the display of the Lenovo.
Microsoft Surface Go 2
Another very affordable option that is just under $400 is the Microsoft Surface Go 2. It is another option for those that want a smaller form factor because it has a display of 10.5 inches but at full HD. The Intel Pentium processor is not exactly a display of power, but I think it will do the job for the next couple of years, especially for a student.
It has a great camera, it is pretty light and it looks pretty good. Although, the keyboard is not exactly the best on this list. And, if you plan on storing bigger files, I would recommend getting an external HDD or SSD.
These four different laptops I mentioned are the perfect choice for every student. All of them are under $500, some even of a lot less than $500 while providing acceptable performance, quality, and even display quality.
