Best Laptops For College Students Under $500 [UPDATED 2021]

It was not long ago, with weak battery life and underpowered processors, that the best laptops for college students under $500 were thought to be cheaply made. This couldn’t, however, be far from reality in 2021.

Whether it’s about work, studying or leisure, in almost every way, these laptops are handy. Just because your budget is under $500, it doesn’t mean that you have to compromise on the performance aspect because within the price range there are a number of fully loaded laptops

We have come to recognize that people buy laptops that exceed their daily requirements, particularly over the past 3 years. You pay for those characteristics that you don’t need. Our editors have prepared a list of more than enough powerful laptops for you to play high-definition videos, edit office documents while not missing a beat.

Best laptops for college students under $500

From the sleek Acer Aspire E 15 (E5-576-392H) to the Dell Inspiron 3580 that can double as a pill, here are the Best Laptops For College Students Under 500.

If you are searching for the best laptops below $500, the latest Acer Aspire E 15 (E5-576-392H) is surely a winner. In its rugged shell, it comes with a power packed 8th gen Core i3 processor, premium design and some impressive add-on features. Speaking of its battery backup, it runs on a single charge for over 9 hours. It has 6 GB of RAM and a hard drive of 1 TB with a screen size of 15.6 inches. The new model has retained its predecessor’s DVD writer and USB type C port, and with its springy and well spaced keys, the keyboard is still very easy to type on. There was also an HD webcam on the laptop, which definitely serves as an icing on the cake.

• Performance
• Number of ports
• Battery backup
• Value for money

Cons 

• Weight
•  Bloatware

laptops for college students under 500

2. Dell Inspiron 3580 for College Students

The new Dell Inspiron 3580 is an under $500 power packed laptop with all the latest hardware and software inside it. The laptop is finished in black, which gives it a stylish and professional look. It is powered by an Intel Core i5 Whiskey Lake 8th Gen processor along with 8 GB of RAM and 1 TB HDD. In addition, to allow you to connect all the peripheral devices, it includes all the necessary ports. The battery backup is also a bit of a problem, since it only lasts 5 hours.

Pros

• Stylish Black finish
• Strong performance
• Number of ports

Cons

• Battery life
• No Keyboard backlit

laptops for college students under 500

3. ASUS Chromebook Flip C302CA 12.5 inch 

The latest 12.5 inch ASUS Chromebook Flip C302CA can be said to be the best 2-in-1 laptop on this list, and its lightweight design allows you to bring it anywhere. It runs on a single charge for around 10 hours, so students can simply use it for their convenience without thinking much about the backup of the battery. It includes a fast and smooth Intel Core 2.2 Ghz processor, 4 GB RAM, 64 GB storage (extendable to 256 GB), an impressive 12.5 touch screen, backlit keyboard, solid design and shared Intel HD graphics 515, talking about its other specifications. It also contains a high-resolution webcam of 720p, and weighs just about 2.6 pounds.

Pros

• 2-in-1 laptop
• Long battery life
• Lightweight
• Capable of running Android apps

Cons 

• Lacks USB Type A ports
• Android app capability still in beta

laptops for college students under 500

 4. Lenovo Ideapad 310

If you’re looking for a great storage solution for an Ideapad, this one is the best deal for you. Though Lenovo Ideapad comes in various configurations, the best one to go for under $500 is this one. It comes with an option of 8 GB RAM and 1 TB HDD storage powered by the Intel Core i5-7200U Processor at 2.5 GHz. The 15.6 inch HD LED screen is very nice and uses Lenovo’s new TN technology. This includes all the necessary USB ports and includes a built-in HD microphone webcam. This laptop’s battery life is one of its drawbacks, and it only operates on a single charge for about 4 hours.

Pros

• Great performance
•  Best storage
• Built in HD webcam with Microphone

 Cons 

• Poor battery backup
• Weight

laptops for college students under $500

5.  HP 17 Premium laptop

Being a student, if you are searching for a laptop with a wide screen under the price cap of $500, this is definitely the one not to be missed. With 1600-900 resolutions, the monitor is very wide at 17.3 inches. It is powered by an Intel Core i3-6006U 2.0 GHz processor and comes with a 1 TB HDD with 8 GB DDR4 RAM. The laptop runs on Windows 10 Home with Intel HD graphics 520 and includes an HD webcam. It weights about 4 pounds and, on a single charge, the battery operates for about 4 hours.

 Pros

• Big and attractive LED screen
• High on performance
• Big storage

Cons 

• Battery backup
• Slower 5400 RPM drive
• Absence of 1Gbps port

laptops for college students under $500

 6. DELL Inspiron I3567 5664BLK PUS 15.6

The latest DELL Inspiron I3567 5664BLK PUS 15.6 is definitely an ideal option if your quest is all about grabbing a multitasking laptop below $500. It comes with all the high-end features, so you can quickly accomplish all of your tasks related to studies. It is powered by a 2.5 GHz Intel Core i5-7200U processor, 8 GB of RAM, 2 TB of HDD storage, 620 Intel HD graphics and an impressive 15.6-inch large touch screen display with a resolution of 1366 to 768. There are other features including Stereo speaker, MaxxAudio, backlit keyboard, built in HD webcam with microphone and a built-in media reader which will certainly catch your attention on the first go.

Pros 

• Great performance
• Big storage
•  High resolution screen

 Cons 

• Lacks In-Plane Switching panel(IPS)
• Doesn’t support latest 802.11AC Wi-Fi Networking

laptops for college students under $500

7.  DELL I3567-3636BLK-PUS Inspiron Touch screen

Ok, here’s another Dell masterpiece that has entered our list of the best laptops below $500 for college students. Some high-end configurations come with the laptop that further facilitate its great and smooth performance. It comes with an 8GB DDR4 SDRAM & 1TB HDD and is powered by the latest 7th Gen Intel Core i3-7100U dual-core processor at 2.4 GHz. The laptop features a 1366 x 768-resolution 15.6-inch LED-LCD touch screen along with Intel HD Graphics 620 and a high-resolution webcam. The backup of the battery lasts about 10 hours, which makes it a great deal for all students looking for a perfect laptop on a budget.

Pros 

• High on performance
• Big storage
• LED touch screen
• Battery backup

Cons 

• No backlit keyboard
• Screen is not HD quality

laptops for college students under $500