In 2024, finding the best laptop for 400 and under can be a daunting task, especially with so many options on the market. Whether you need a laptop for browsing, productivity, or light gaming, it’s essential to choose a model that meets your requirements without breaking the bank. In this article, we’ve curated the top 10 laptops available on Amazon that won’t exceed your budget while ensuring you get the best performance possible.
| # | Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
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Acer Aspire 3 A315-24P-R7VH Slim Laptop | 15.6" Full HD IPS Display | AMD Ryzen 3 7320U Quad-Core... | $299.99 | Buy on Amazon | |
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hp Newest 15.6" Anti-Glare HD Laptop, Intel Quad-core Processor, 16GB RAM, 128GB SSD+ 128GB JVQ USB... | $359.00 | Buy on Amazon | |
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HP 15 Laptop, AMD Ryzen 3-5300U Processor, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB SSD Storage, 15.6-inch HD Micro-Edge... | $318.96 | Buy on Amazon | |
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NIAKUN 16 Inch Laptop Computer, Gaming Laptop, 16GB RAM 512GB SSD, N95 Processor, FHD 1920 * 1200,... | $329.99 | Buy on Amazon | |
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Lenovo IdeaPad 1 Laptop, 15.6” FHD Display, AMD Ryzen 5 5500U, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD, Windows 11... | $379.00 | Buy on Amazon | |
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Lenovo IdeaPad 1 Student Laptop, Intel Dual Core Processor, 12GB RAM, 512GB SSD + 128GB eMMC, 15.6"... | $339.00 | Buy on Amazon | |
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hp Newest Essential 15 Laptop, 16GB RAM, 640GB(128GB SSD+512GB USB), 15.6" Anti-Glare Display, Intel... | $287.76 | Buy on Amazon | |
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Lenovo V15 Laptop, 15.6" FHD Display, AMD Ryzen 5 5500U Hexa-core Processor (Beat Intel i7-1065G7),... | $519.00 | Buy on Amazon | |
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HP 2023 Newest 14 Laptop for Productivity and Entertainment,14" FHD Display, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD, AMD... | $379.00 | Buy on Amazon | |
| 10 |
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HP 14" HD Laptop | Back to School Limited Edition with 1 Year Microsoft 365 | Intel Quad-Core... | $350.10 | Buy on Amazon |
Contents
Buying Guide for the Best Laptop for $400 and Under
Before diving into the product reviews, it’s vital to consider a few key factors when shopping for a laptop under $400:
1. Performance
Determine what you’ll primarily use the laptop for. For basic tasks like browsing and word processing, an Intel Core i3 or AMD Ryzen 3 should suffice. For more intensive tasks, look for an i5 or Ryzen 5, if available in your budget.
2. RAM and Storage
At minimum, go for 8GB of RAM, which is almost standard in most models today. Storage-wise, SSDs (Solid State Drives) are much faster than traditional HDDs, although they might be slightly pricier. Aim for at least 128GB SSD for better performance.
3. Display and Build Quality
A full HD display (1920×1080) is essential for a clearer and more enjoyable viewing experience. Check the laptop’s build quality as well; well-built laptops can last longer and offer better portability.
4. Battery Life
Look for laptops with a minimum of 6-8 hours of battery life. This is crucial if you plan to use the laptop on the go or in places where power outlets are scarce.
5. Brand and Support
Brands that offer good customer support, warranty, and maintenance options should be prioritized. Brands like Acer, HP, and Lenovo are recognized for supporting their products effectively.
Top 10 Laptops Under $400 Available on Amazon
1. Acer Aspire 5 A515-46-R14K
The Acer Aspire 5 is a robust option featuring AMD Ryzen 3, 8GB RAM, and a 128GB SSD. With its 15.6″ full HD display, it offers great visuals and reliability for any tasks. The laptop also features backlit keys that enhance usability in low-light conditions. It’s lightweight and portable, making it a perfect companion for students and professionals. Battery life is set at around 8 hours, ensuring you can work without constant charging.
- Powerful Productivity: AMD Ryzen 3 3350U delivers desktop-class performance and amazing battery life in a slim notebook. With Precision Boost, get up to 3.5GHz for your high-demand applications
- Maximized Visuals: See even more on the stunning 15.6" Full HD display with 82.58% screen-to-body, 16:9 aspect ratio and narrow bezels
- Backlit Keyboard and Fingerprint Reader: Biometric fingerprint reader and Windows Hello sign-in options help keep your Acer PC secure
- Internal Specifications: 4GB DDR4 on-board memory (1 slot available); 128GB NVMe solid-state drive storage (1 hard drive bay available) to store your files and media
- Acer's Purified.Voice technology, features enhanced digital signal processing to cancel out background noise, improve speech accuracy and far-field pickup, which not only makes calls clearer, but makes talking to Alexa easier than before.
2. HP 14-inch Laptop (2021 Model)
HP continues to deliver quality laptops within budget ranges. This model has an Intel Core i3 processor, 8GB RAM, and a 256GB SSD. The 14-inch display is adequate for portability while still providing good visuals. The battery life of around 7-8 hours makes it perfect for on-the-go usage. HP’s customer service is often praised, adding value to your purchase.
- Stay connected to what matters most with long-lasting battery life and a thin and portable, micro-edge bezel design. Built to keep you productive and entertained from anywhere, the HP 14" diagonal laptop features reliable performance and an expansive display - letting you stream, surf and speed through tasks.
- See more of your screen on the 6.5 mm micro-edge bezel display. A thin and light design makes it easy to take this PC anywhere.
- Tackle your busiest days with the performance of an AMD Athlon processor. Save more of what you love with abundant storage for all your photos, videos and documents.
- Long-lasting battery life and HP Fast Charge technology lets you work, watch, and stay connected all day. Integrated precision touchpad with multi-touch support speeds up navigation and productivity.
- Microfiber Included
3. Lenovo IdeaPad 3
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 features AMD Ryzen 5, 8GB of RAM, and a 256GB SSD. The 15.6″ display is brilliant, supporting full HD resolution, and the laptop has a solid build quality. Ideal for home use and light gaming, its battery life is competitive in its class, boasting up to 7 hours. The IdeaPad also comes with ample ports for connectivity.
- 【Memory & Storage】Memory is 12GB high-bandwidth RAM to smoothly run multiple applications and browser tabs all at once. Hard Drive is 512GB PCIe NVMe M.2 Solid State Drive which allows to fast bootup and data transfer
- 【Processor】 Intel Core i3-1115G4 3.00 GHz 2 Cores Processor (6MB Cache, up to 4.10 GHz), Intel UHD Graphics
- 【Screen】15.6" HD TouchScreen (1366 x 768) Display
- 【Ports】2 x SuperSpeed USB Type-A 3.2, 1 x SuperSpeed USB Type-A, 1 x HDMI, 1 x Headphone/Microphone Combo, 1 x SD Card Reader, Wireless-AC (Wi-Fi 5) and Bluetooth Combo
- 【Operating System】Windows 11 Home, 64 bit
4. ASUS VivoBook 15
The ASUS VivoBook 15 is a stylish laptop equipped with AMD Ryzen 3, 8GB RAM, and a 128GB SSD. The full HD display provides vibrant color reproduction for media consumption. With a battery life lasting about 6 hours, it’s versatile for students and casual users. Its lightweight design makes it easy for commuting.
- 15.6” NANOEDGE DISPLAY — Super slim bezel design with a smooth 60Hz refresh rate, vibrant 45% NTSC color gamut and 250-nit sustained brightness
- AMD Ryzen 5 7520U PROCESSOR — Designed for thin laptops, this processor gives you fast performance for browsing and light gaming with longer battery life with integrated AMD Radeon Graphics
- 8GB MEMORY + 512GB STORAGE — Faster memory that smoothly runs multiple applications at once with supersized storage for files, documents and more
- WI-FI 5 AND BLUETOOTH 5.1 — Seamlessly and quickly connect your devices
- SOUND BY SONICMASTER — Crisp, multi-dimensional sound with built-in speakers and an array microphone
5. Dell Inspiron 15 3000
Dell’s Inspiron 15 3000 series strikes an excellent balance between performance and affordability. It features an Intel Core i3 processor, 8GB RAM, and a 128GB SSD. The 15.6” display is also powered by Dell’s impressive display technology, ensuring bright and vivid images. Overall battery performance hovers around 7 hours, making this device reliable for lengthy tasks.
![Dell Inspiron 15 3000 3520 Business Laptop Computer[Windows 11 Pro], 15.6'' FHD Touchscreen, 11th Gen Intel Quad-Core i5-1135G7, 16GB RAM, 1TB PCIe SSD, Numeric Keypad, Wi-Fi, Webcam, HDMI, Black](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51O3nNfyJPL.jpg)
- 【15.6" Full HD Touchscreen】The 1920 x 1080 resolution boasts impressive color and clarity. IPS technology for wide viewing angles. Energy-efficient LED backlight. Designed with tiny rubber feet and bumpers on the hinge that keep it from skidding and provide additional stability.
- 【11th Gen Intel Core i5-1135G7 Processor】Ultra-low-voltage platform. Quad-core, eight-way processing provides maximum high-efficiency power to go. Your always-ready experience starts as soon as you open your device. Turn on, boot-up, and log-in quickly.
- 【16GB DDR4 RAM + 1TB PCIe SSD】16GB RAM can smoothly run your games and photo- and video-editing applications, as well as multiple programs and browser tabs all at once. A 1TB NVMe PCIe solid slate drive that leaves the power at your fingertips with the fastest data transfers currently available.
- 【Easy-to-use Technology】Long-lasting battery and express charge capability, to keep going for longer. Comes with Express Charge capabilities that minimize the time you spend tethered to an outlet and will recharge your battery 80% in 60 minutes. Built-in media reader for simple photo transfer.
- 【Windows 11 Professional】Experience the most secure Windows ever built with fast boot times, increased responsiveness, and added protection against phishing and malware. Plus, you can switch out of S mode.
6. Gateway Ultra Slim Laptop
The Gateway Ultra Slim Laptop boasts a sleek design and excellent value for money. It comes with an Intel Celeron processor, 4GB RAM, and 64GB eMMC storage, making it ideal for light tasks. It has a 15.6” HD display that’s good enough for standard use. However, it’s limited in power, so it’s more suitable for browsing and document editing. The battery life stretches up to 10 hours, making it ideal for students who need to use it throughout the day without frequent charging.
- 【14.1" FHD IPS Display】Take advantage of the 14.1" FHD (1920 x 1080) display with a brightness level of 300 nits and revel in the breathtaking clarity, color, and details. Designed sleek and slim, the GATEWAY Ultra Slim Laptop is stylish and crafted for creators in any setting! this laptop will power your day!
- 【 Intel Core i5-1135G7 Processor】Ultra-low-voltage platform. 4-core, 8-way processing provides maximum high-efficiency power to go. Experience a perfect balance of performance and efficiency with a powerful processor, delivering smooth multitasking, reliable performance, and impressive power savings, making it an excellent choice for everyday computing tasks.
- 【16GB DDR4 RAM】Elevate your projects with a high-speed RAM, ensuring faster data processing, seamless multitasking, and improved responsiveness that keeps you in the flow.【512GB SSD】Delivers blazing boot-up speed and enhanced storage capabilities. Effortlessly access your extensive digital library with ease.
- 【Intel Iris Xe Graphics】Enhance your business capabilities with a graphics solution that ensures smooth visuals and efficient processing, empowering you to achieve professional success with amplified productivity.【Fingerprint Reader】Enhance laptop security with seamless fingerprint authentication, ensuring convenient access while protecting your data and personal information. 【720p HD Webcam】Provides high quality video calls, virtual meetings and online interactions.
- 【Windows 10 included】 13.1" x 8.75" x 0.75", 4.0 lbs. Ports: USB 3.1 x 1, USB 3.0 x 1, USB Type-C x 1, 1x Headset Port, 1x HDMI, Built-in Stereo Speakers x 2. Micro SD Slot (Up to 512 GB) x 1, Tuned by THX Audio, Built-in Fingerprint Scanner (Windows Hello).Wireless-AC + Bluetooth, Blue. Bonus 32GB Hotface USB Card.
7. HP Chromebook 14
This HP Chromebook is powered by an Intel Celeron processor with 4GB RAM and a modest 32GB eMMC storage. With a comfortable 14” display, this model is perfect for web browsing, document editing, and media consumption. Chrome OS provides a lightweight experience, and battery life can last around 10-12 hours. This is great for users who live in a web-centric world.
- FOR HOME, WORK, & SCHOOL – With an Intel processor, 14-inch display, custom-tuned stereo speakers, and long battery life, this Chromebook laptop lets you knock out any assignment or binge-watch your favorite shows..Voltage:5.0 volts
- HD DISPLAY, PORTABLE DESIGN – See every bit of detail on this micro-edge, anti-glare, 14-inch HD (1366 x 768) display (1); easily take this thin and lightweight laptop PC from room to room, on trips, or in a backpack.
- ALL-DAY PERFORMANCE – Reliably tackle all your assignments at once with the quad-core, Intel Celeron N4120—the perfect processor for performance, power consumption, and value (2).
- 4K READY – Smoothly stream 4K content and play your favorite next-gen games with Intel UHD Graphics 600 (3) (4).
- MEMORY AND STORAGE – Enjoy a boost to your system’s performance with 4 GB of RAM while saving more of your favorite memories with 64 GB of reliable flash-based eMMC storage (5).
8. Lenovo Chromebook Duet
The Lenovo Chromebook Duet is a 2-in-1 laptop with an innovative design. It comes with a MediaTek Helio P60T processor, 4GB RAM, and 64GB storage. The detachable keyboard makes it versatile for use as both a laptop and a tablet. With its 10.1” touchscreen, it’s perfect for media consumption and productivity tasks on the go. Battery life is impressive at about 10 hours, and portability is virtually unmatched.
- This ultraportable 2-in-1 Chromebook includes a fast and stable plug-and-play detachable keyboard enabled with 5-point pogo pin and magnet design
- Take it with you everywhere. Thin and lightweight the Chromebook Duet offers up to 10 hours of battery life (2)
- The unique dual-tone design with aluminum alloy on the tablet is a standout design with sophisticated fabric texture on the stand cover you'll be stylish productive and practical
- Fast secure and easy to use: This touchscreen Chromebook boots up quickly with just your Google login to give you access to all of your cloud-based documents email and more
- With the 10 1" FHD (1920 x 1200) IPS display and stunning colorful details you won't sacrifice for great visuals; The 10-point multi-touch touchscreen is also USI pen compatible (pen sold separately)
9. Acer Chromebook 15
The Acer Chromebook 15 features an Intel Celeron processor, 4GB RAM, and 64GB eMMC storage. With a large 15.6” display, it’s one of the best Chromebooks available in this price range. The Chromebook is designed to run the Chrome OS smoothly and efficiently. With battery life reaching 12 hours, it’s perfect for users who prioritize longevity and portability.
- 15" HD IPS ComfyView Screen(1366x768), Intel UHD Graphics
- Intel Celeron N Processor Up to 2.70GHz, 4GB LPDDR4, 64GB eMMC
- 2x USB Type-A, 2x USB Type-C, 1x Headphone/microphone
- 6th Gen WiFi and Bluetooth, Integrated Webcam
- Chrome OS, AC Charger Included, Dove Gray Color
10. Acer Swift 3
Though just touching the $400 mark, the Acer Swift 3 is worth mentioning for its lightweight and aluminum build. With a Ryzen 5 processor, 8GB RAM, and 256GB SSD, it provides excellent multitasking capabilities and performance in a stylish package. The 14” full HD display is stunning, and it offers around 8 hours of battery life for all-day usage.
- Get high performance, responsiveness and long battery life with the Intel Core i7-1165G7 Processor - up to 4.7GHz, 4 cores, 8 threads, 12MB Intel Smart Cache
- 14" Full HD (1920 x 1080) IPS Widescreen LED-backlit 100% sRGB Display | Intel Iris Xe Graphics
- 8GB Onboard LPDDR4X Memory and 256GB NVMe SSD
- 1 - USB Type-C Port USB 3.2 Gen 2 (up to 10 Gbps) DisplayPort over USB Type-C, Thunderbolt 4 & USB Charging | 1 - USB 3.2 Gen 1 port (featuring power-off charging) | 1 - USB 2.0 port | 1 - HDMI port
- Intel Wireless Wi-Fi 6 | Acer Bio-Protection Fingerprint Solution | Up to 16 Hours Battery Life
Conclusion
In 2024, shopping for the best laptop for 400 and under is much more feasible thanks to the variety of excellent options available on Amazon. Each laptop on our list offers unique features tailored to cater to different needs, from casual web browsing to serious educational tasks or light gaming. As always, ensure you consider performance, RAM and storage, display quality, battery life, and brand reputation to make an informed choice. Happy shopping!
Last update on 2024-09-20 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API | votechriscarrillo.com is a participant in the Amazon Associate program and will earn from qualifying purchases.