Key takeaways
- Cheapest pick worth buying: Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 15.6-inch Laptop ($449 – $649).
- Back-to-school and big sale events bring the deepest laptop discounts.
- 16 GB of memory is the sensible minimum for a laptop you will keep for years.
In this article
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Cheap laptops can be a smart buy or a false economy. We picked the lowest-priced models in the US that still earn a buy or consider verdict from us.
Prices are typical ranges, not live prices. The button on each pick opens the current price.
Budget picks at a glance
| Product | Verdict | Score | Typical price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 15.6-inch Laptop | Buy | 7.8/10 | $449 – $649 |
| ASUS Zenbook 14 OLED | Buy | 8.4/10 | $800 – $1,100 |
| Apple 2025 MacBook Air 13-inch Laptop with M4 chip | Buy | 9.2/10 | $899 – $999 |
| Microsoft Surface Laptop 7th Edition 13.8-inch (Snapdragon X Elite) | Consider | 7.9/10 | $999 – $1,399 |
| Apple 2025 MacBook Pro 14-inch Laptop with M5 chip | Buy | 9.0/10 | $1,499 – $1,699 |
Budget picks in detail
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 15.6-inch Laptop
Budget buyers · Verdict: Buy · Score: 7.8/10 · Typical price: $449 – $649
Why we like it: Full HD screen and full-size keyboard for little money.
Pros: Low price · Full-size keyboard with number pad · Plenty of ports, including HDMI · Easy to find configurations with 16GB
Cons: Screen is dim outdoors · Plastic build
Buy it if you need a reliable, roomy Windows laptop for schoolwork, email and streaming on a tight budget.
Skip it if you care about a bright screen or want something that feels premium in the hand.
ASUS Zenbook 14 OLED
Verdict: Buy · Score: 8.4/10 · Typical price: $800 – $1,100
A safe choice: ASUS Zenbook 14 OLED earns a buy verdict with a score of 8.4/10, at a typical price of $800 – $1,100.
Apple 2025 MacBook Air 13-inch Laptop with M4 chip
Most people · Verdict: Buy · Score: 9.2/10 · Typical price: $899 – $999
Why we like it: Fanless M4 speed with all-day battery.
Pros: Silent fanless design · Up to 18 hours of rated battery life · 16GB of memory standard · Drives two external displays with the lid open
Cons: Only two USB-C ports · Storage upgrades are pricey at checkout
Buy it if you want a thin, silent laptop that lasts a full day on a charge and stays fast for years.
Skip it if you need Windows-only software or play a lot of PC games.
Microsoft Surface Laptop 7th Edition 13.8-inch (Snapdragon X Elite)
Windows fans who want long battery life · Verdict: Consider · Score: 7.9/10 · Typical price: $999 – $1,399
Why we like it: Snapdragon chip with excellent battery life.
Pros: Sharp 120Hz touchscreen · Long battery life for Windows · Excellent keyboard and haptic touchpad · Copilot+ PC AI features
Cons: Some apps and games still struggle on Windows on Arm · Pricier than similar Intel and AMD laptops
Buy it if you want a premium Windows laptop with a great touchscreen and battery life that rivals a MacBook.
Skip it if you rely on older Windows apps, niche drivers or anti-cheat games that don't run well on Arm.
Apple 2025 MacBook Pro 14-inch Laptop with M5 chip
Creators and power users · Verdict: Buy · Score: 9.0/10 · Typical price: $1,499 – $1,699
Why we like it: Mini-LED XDR screen and active cooling.
Pros: Bright Liquid Retina XDR display · Fan keeps performance steady under load · HDMI, SD card slot and MagSafe built in · Excellent speakers
Cons: Heavier than the Air · Base storage fills fast for video work
Buy it if you edit video or photos, compile code or run long workloads that would make a fanless laptop slow down.
Skip it if you mostly browse, write and stream; the MacBook Air does that for hundreds less.
How to save money
Back-to-school and big sale events bring the deepest laptop discounts.
The deepest discounts usually arrive during the big summer sales in July, the October sales events and Black Friday through Cyber Monday in late November.
Where not to cut corners
16 GB of memory is the sensible minimum for a laptop you will keep for years.
Common mistake: Buying a gaming laptop for school or office work; they are heavy and have short battery life.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the best cheap laptops in the US?
The cheapest model we would still buy is Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 15.6-inch Laptop, typically $449 – $649.
Are cheap laptops worth it?
Back-to-school and big sale events bring the deepest laptop discounts. Do not compromise on the basics, though. 16 GB of memory is the sensible minimum for a laptop you will keep for years.
When are laptops cheapest in the US?
The deepest discounts usually arrive during the big summer sales in July, the October sales events and Black Friday through Cyber Monday in late November.