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Looking for a capable laptop under $500 in 2025? Today’s budget laptops offer surprisingly strong performance for work, study, and light gaming. In this guide we tested and compared dozens of models and picked the top five that give the best balance of speed, battery life, and build quality without breaking the bank.

Below you’ll find a quick comparison, short hands-on reviews, a buyer’s guide explaining the specs that matter, and FAQs to help you make the right choice.

Laptop	Key Specs	Best For	Amazon Link
Acer Aspire 5	Intel i3 / 8GB RAM / 256GB SSD / 15.6\ FHD”	Best overall value	https://amzn.to/3VsVNqI
HP 14	AMD Ryzen 3 / 8GB RAM / 256GB SSD / 14\”,Best for students”	Best overall value	https://amzn.to/41s6Fsw
ASUS VivoBook 15	Intel i5 / 8GB RAM / 512GB SSD / 15.6\”,Best Display”	Touch Display	https://amzn.to/4p0Cpin
Lenovo IdeaPad 3	Intel i3 / 8GB RAM / 256GB SSD / 14\”,Best Battery”	IdeaPad	https://amzn.to/4g2zNMI
Dell Inspiron 15	Intel i3 / 8GB RAM / 256GB SSD / 15.6\”,Best Build Quality”	The Best Touchscreen Loptop	https://amzn.to/4mGQeAW

Product Reviews

Acer Aspire 5 — Best Overall

• Summary: Reliable everyday laptop with solid chassis, full-sized keyboard, good 15.6″ FHD screen.
• Pros: Good display, comfortable keyboard, upgradeable RAM/SSD
• Cons: Average speakers

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Check Price on Amazon.com

FAQs

• Can I game on a $500 laptop? (Yes, light games only)
• Is 8GB RAM enough? (Yes, upgradeable better)
• SSD vs HDD? (SSD is faster)