The best laptops under 800 dollars
Cheap laptops under 800 dollars have plenty to offer for all kinds of user needs. In this price range, what will be impossible just a couple of years ago, you can find premium build quality laptops, gaming laptops, well built all-around laptops for general use, or even touchscreen and 2-in-1 laptops. For the limited budget, you should be able to find a laptop that will suit your needs.
If you need a smaller portable ultrabook there is an excellent, premium laptop Asus ZenBook 13, with a military-grade durability certificate. If you want a bit bigger screen then you can choose from several options. Acer Swift 3 has an excellent value for the price and 14″ screen, and there is Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5, the best 2-in-1 laptop.
There is also a group of cheap laptops that are best characterized as general-purpose laptops with a 15.6 “screen. I have listed Asus VivoBook 15, Acer Aspire 5, and HP 15 i5 touch. They all have a similar configuration, while HP has a touch screen.
Who would say that on the list of the best budget laptops under 800 dollars, most represented would be gaming laptops? Of course, you cannot expect to play the latest AAA gaming titles in high settings, and if you are looking for that, then check my list of the best gaming laptops under 1000 dollars or the best gaming laptops in 2021. You can find exceptional gaming laptops for under $800. It is incredible to say, but one of the best gaming laptop under $800, Acer Nitro 5, costs only 600 dollars.
Something for everybody
As you can see, you don’t have to break the bank to get a good cheap laptop or ultrabook for under 800 dollars. But, if you are looking for even better picks check my list of the best laptops under 1000 dollars. Here is the list I have created:
| Image | Name | Processor | Screen | Memory | Rating | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acer Swift 3 | Ryzen 7 | 14″ | 8GB | SEE ON AMAZON | |
| Asus ZenBook 13 | i5 | 13.3″ | 8GB | SEE ON AMAZON | |
| Lenovo Flex 5 | Ryzen 5 | 14″ | 16GB | SEE ON AMAZON | |
| Asus Vivobook 15 | Ryzen 7 | 15.6″ | 8GB | SEE ON AMAZON | |
| Acer Aspire 5 | Ryzen 7 | 15.6″ | 8GB | SEE ON AMAZON | |
| HP 15 i5 | i5 | 15.6″ | 16GB | SEE ON AMAZON | |
| Asus Tuf | Ryzen 5 | 15.6″ | 8GB | SEE ON AMAZON | |
| MSI GF63 | i5 | 15.6″ | 8GB | SEE ON AMAZON | |
| Acer Nitro 5 | i5 | 15.6″ | 8GB | SEE ON AMAZON | |
| Dell G3 | i5 | 15.6″ | 8GB | SEE ON AMAZON |
| Acer Swift 3 | SEE ON AMAZON |
| Asus ZenBook 13 | SEE ON AMAZON |
| Lenovo Flex 5 | SEE ON AMAZON |
| Asus Vivobook 15 | SEE ON AMAZON |
| Acer Aspire 5 | SEE ON AMAZON |
| HP 15 i5 | SEE ON AMAZON |
| Asus TUF | SEE ON AMAZON |
| MSI GF63 | SEE ON AMAZON |
| Acer Nitro 5 | SEE ON AMAZON |
| Dell G3 | SEE ON AMAZON |
The quick summarize of the best cheap laptops
To quickly summarize, because this is a long and comprehensive list with a detailed review of each laptop, here are my best picks of every budget laptop type. The best small and portable laptop under $800 is Asus ZenBook 13, the best 2-in-1 cheap laptop is Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5, the best overall and general-use laptop with a 15.6″ screen is Acer Aspire 5, and the best buy gaming laptop under $800 is the Acer Nitro 5, with an excellent price of only $600, while Asus TUF is the best budget gaming laptop. If you want to connect your new laptop to a TV check our list of the best gaming TVs.
Acer Swift 3 review
Excellent value for the money, especially for students
Acer Swift 3 specifications:
- Ryzen 7 4700U octa-core
- 8GB RAM
- 512GB SSD
- Radeon graphics with 512MB
- 14″ 1920 x 1080 screen
- Windows 10 Home
- Battery: up to 8 hours
Excellent performances
Very good processor
Light and portable
Keyboard backlit
Aluminum chassis
Fingerprint reader
Dim display
Memory can’t be upgraded
With Swift 3, Acer was for sure targeting students. The most important aspects of a good student cheap laptop are battery life and portability. Acer Swift 3 is not the greatest laptop in that segment but it is pretty fine.
The strongest component of the Acer Swift 3 is its processor. It has a powerful AMD Ryzen 7 4700U processor with eight cores and sixteen threads. That is a great mobile processor, proven to be stronger than its competitor i7 and cheaper.
Acer Swit 3 has 8GB of RAM. Unfortunately, the RAM cannot be upgraded, so you get what you have paid for. It comes with 512GB of SSD storage, which is great for this price range. For graphics, there is a Radeon with 512MB of RAM. It is not enough to play the latest AAA gaming titles in high settings, but it is good to have it.
Battery life and portability
Battery life has a respectable up to eight hours of life. But, for a smaller laptop, you would expect a bit more. Probably the powerful Ryzen 7 processor is draining the battery, but still, up to eight hours of battery life should be enough for a productive day.
The laptop weighs 2.65 pounds (around 1.2kg). With a 14″ screen it is small enough to easily put it in your bag and carry with you all the time. Here is important to mention that the build quality is excellent with aluminum and magnesium chassis. Although, there are thinner and lighter cheap laptops like the pricier Acer Swift 5, for this price it is fairly thin and light.
Unfortunately, the screen is a bit dim and not the colorful one. In testing, the screen reproduced 65 percent of the sRGB spectrum and hits 218 nits of brightness. Using the laptop outside can be a bit tricky.
Overall, Acer Swift 3 is an excellent laptop for its price. It has a strong processor and great performance, solid battery life of eight hours, and a very good keyboard with the backlit. The chassis is of very good quality and built of aluminum, it is fairly light and portable with the only downside in the dim display.
Asus ZenBook 13 review
Premium quality build and highly portable laptop under 800 dollars
Asus ZenBook 13 UX325JA-AB51 specifications:
- 10th gen i5-1035G1 processor
- 8GB RAM
- 256GB SSD
- 13.3″ Full HD display
- Windows 10 Home
- Battery: up to 20 hours
Exceptional battery life
Very good performances
Thin and light
Thunderbolt 3
Comfortable keyboard
No headphones jack
Weak speakers
Asus ZenBook 13 is already mentioned in the article about the best laptops under 1000 dollars, in the variant with i7 processor and 16GB of dual-channel memory. But, this version with an i5 processor and 8GB of single-channel memory needs to be in the list of the best cheap laptops under 800 dollars.
This laptop comes with 10th generation Intel i5-1035G1 with four cores and eight threads. It is not the most powerful processor, but a very good one for this price range. Also, it comes with 8GB of single-channel memory and 256GB of SSD storage. I would recommend going for 16GB dual-channel memory and at least 512GB of SSD storage, but then we will pass the 800 dollars price mark, and will be out of the scope for this article.
Build quality and battery life
Asus ZenBook 13 is a premium build quality laptop. It is build of aluminum and has a military-grade certification. That means that it can withstand large temperature shifts and shocks to a certain extent. Taking into consideration that ZenBook 13 is lightweight with 2.62 pounds (1.18 kg), small with a 13.3″ screen and long battery life, it makes it a perfect portable laptop.
Battery life has a stellar 22 hours, that will be more than enough for almost two productive days. It has excellent port combinations with Thunderbolt 3. The only downside is that there is no headphones jack. Speaking about the sound, the speakers are not the best in the class.
The 13.3″ display is full HD, and it averages 370 nits in the brightness test. So, it is bright enough for outside use. The webcam is compliant with the Windows Hello face recognition.
The keyboard is very comfortable and with backlight. There is also a Numpad in the touchpad, activated with a single press, which can be very useful.
Asus ZenBook 13 is a beautiful and very powerful laptop. It is highly portable with the excellent built quality and long battery life. The only downside is that it has no headphones jack. Instead, it uses USB-C as a headphones jack.
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5
The best 2-in-1 laptop under $800
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 specifications:
- AMD Ryzen 5 4500U Processor
- Integrated Radeon Vega 6 graphics
- 16GB RAM dual-channel
- 256GB SSD
- 114″ Full HD touchscreen display
- Windows 10 Home
- Battery: up to 16 hours
Great value for the money
Excellent performances
Touchscreen display
Digital pen included
Great battery life
Very good port selection
Dim display
A bit heavy
In a lot of aspects, Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 2-in1 laptop is providing an incredible value for its price. First of all, what are 2-in-1 laptops? Those are laptops that are easily converted into tablets. Lenovo pioneered this concept of 360 degrees hinging and it works flawlessly.
It is very unusual to see such a strong configuration in this price range. More pricey laptops, some of them with double the price, have less computing power than Lenovo Flex 5.
Powerful configuration
In this variant that costs only $600, Lenovo Flex 5 has a powerful AMD Ryzen 5 4500U processor with six cores and six threads. Although multi-threading is not possible on this chip’s cores, it is still comparable in computing power to more expensive i7 processors from Intel.
This chipset has integrated AMD Radeon Vega graphics. So, if you like to play games you will be able to play it, of course, not in higher settings.
In addition, this version has 16GB of dual-channel memory, which is much faster than single-channel. It also has 256GB of SSD storage. I would recommend taking 512GB of storage if you can. It is important to mention that Lenovo has a stronger variant with Ryzen 7 processor and 512GB of SSD storage, and it still costs around 800 dollars.
Lenovo Flex 5 has a 14″ full HD touch screen display. Unfortunately, the display is a bit dim. In testing, it has produced around 250 nits of brightness. So, there will be some difficulties in using it during bright days outside.
Nice 360 degrees hinge design
For this concept of 360 degrees hinging, it is crucial to have a quality built chassis. Lenovo succeeded in this task with Flex 5. Chassis is robust and built of plastic. There is the second downside if I can call it that way. Lenovo Flex 4 is a bit robust and heavy for a 14″ laptop. It weighs 3.3 pounds (around 1.5 kg), and it is thick 0.82 inches (~2.1 cm). But I’m sure users will pay more than less double the price for a similar configuration and get a bit heavier laptop.
Battery life is excellent. In tests, it shows that it can last for around 16 hours. You would think that a strong Ryzen 5 processor will drain the battery, but because of the not so bright screen, the battery can last this long.
Overall, Lenovo IdeaPad 5 is the best 2-in-1 laptop for under 800 dollars. This version cost even less, it is only $600. You will get extra value for the money. It has exceptional computing power, touchscreen display, and long battery life. Downsides are the dim display and that it is a bit heavy for a 14″ screen laptop.
Asus VivoBook 15 review
Great 15.6″ screen laptop under 800 dollars
Asus VivoBook S513IA-DB74 specifications:
- AMD Ryzen 7 4700U Processor
- Integrated Radeon Vega 7
- 8GB RAM single-channel
- 1TB SSD
- 15. 6″ Full HD display
- Windows 10 Home
- Battery: up to 6 hours
Strong Ryzen 7 processor
Excellent value for the money
Nice design, slim
Good ports selection
Fingerprint reader
1TB of SSD storage
Dim display
There are three cheap Asus laptops on this list of the best laptops under $800. I may say that Asus VivoBook 15 is some sort of the best overall laptop of all of them. Asus ZenBook 13 is an incredible 13.3″ laptop with a military-grade durability certificate. While Asus TUF FX505DT-AH51 is an excellent budget gaming laptop.
This version of VivoBook 15 has a powerful Ryzen 7 4700U processor with eight cores and sixteen threads. It is a very strong processor, comparable with much expansive Intel’s i9 processor. Unfortunately, it only has 8GB of single-channel RAM, which can only be upgradable to 12GB.
Asus VivoBook 15 has integrated Radeon Vega 7 graphics. It is not enough to play the latest AAA gaming titles in highs settings, but it is good enough graphics for occasional playing.
Strong and powerful configuration
An excellent feature is that this version has an incredible 1TB of SSD storage. The 15.6″ is full HD display with 1920×1080 resolution. It is a bit dim display, so there can be some difficulties when using it outside in the bright light.
The ports selection is very good. There is no Thunderbolt 3, but this is not expected in this price range anyway. Fingerprint reader and backlit keyboard are highly recommended features. Battery life is some sort of average. It will last for five to six hours. It is probably because of the strong Ryzen 7 processor, which is a big battery consumer. The laptop weighs around 3.97 pounds, which is around 1.8 kg. I wouldn’t say it is a highly portable laptop due to weight and battery life, but it is very stylish and slim.
Asus VivoBook 15 is a well all-around built laptop. Its strongest feature is excellent computing power, lots of storage, and stylish and slim design. Some of the downsides are dim display and average battery life. I will strongly recommend this laptop as a good overall laptop under 800 dollars.
Acer Aspire 5 review
The best general-use laptop under $800
Acer Aspire 5 A515-44-R2SA specifications:
- AMD Ryzen 7 4700U
- Radeon Vega 7 graphics
- 8GB RAM single-channel
- 512GB SSD
- 15. 6″ IPS full HD display
- Windows 10 Home
- Battery: up to 10 hours
Compact and practical design
Ryzen 7 processor
Good performances
Keyboard backlit
Good battery life
Not great color accuracy
Acer Aspire 5 is very similar to the previous laptop on this list, Asus VivoBook 15. It is also a general-use laptop with very similar configuration and performances.
Similar to VivoBook 15, it also has a very powerful Ryzen 7 4700U octa-core mobile processor with sixteen threads. That is a great processor responsible for peak performances. Acer Aspire 5 also has 8GB of single-channel memory, and, if you can, I would recommend going with 16GB of dual-channel RAM.
This version has 512GB of SSD storage, which should be sufficient for most users. AMD Radeon Vega 7 is responsible for graphics. You will be able to play games, but not the latest AAA titles in high settings. If you are looking for a good and affordable gaming laptop check my list of the best cheap gaming laptops. The chassis is completely built of plastic, which is not surprising considering this price range.
Elegant and practical design
Design is simple but elegant and practical. The keyboard is very comfortable with Numpad and white backlit. The display doesn’t have problems with brightness but has minor issues with color accuracy.
Acer Aspire 5 has a very good ports combination. It doesn’t have Thunderbolt 3, but that is also not expected in this price range. Unlike Asus VivoBook 15 this laptop doesn’t have a fingerprint reader.
The laptop weighs around 5.64 pounds, which is around 2.5 kg. So, it is not the lightest 15.6″ laptop out there, and it is significantly heavier than VivoBook 15. But on the other hand, it has a longer battery life which can last up to 10 hours.
In conclusion, Acer Aspire 5 is an excellent general-use laptop under $800. It is very similar to Asus VivoBook 15 with the same strong Ryzen 7 processor and excellent computing performances. But it has a better display and longer battery life. It is a bit heavier, but it is my pick as the best general-use laptop under 800 dollars on the list.
HP 15 i5 review
Very good 15.6″ touchscreen laptop for under 800 dollars
HP 15 i5 specifications:
- 10th Gen Intel Core i5-1035G1
- Integrated Intel graphics
- 16GB RAM dual-channel
- 512GB SSD
- 15. 6″ touchscreen 1366 x 768
- Windows 10 Home
- Battery: up to 7-8 hours
Touchscreen display
16GB dual-channel RAM
Plenty of storage
Not full HD display
Similar to the previous two laptops Asus VivoBook 15 and Acer Aspire 5, HP 15 i5 is considered as a budget general-use laptop. Also, like them, it has very good performances, but it has an additional feature – a touchscreen display.
HP 15 i5 is powered by a strong 10th Gen Intel Core i5-1035G1 processor with four cores and eight threads. In addition, it has 16GB of dual-channel memory, which is very commendable. Integrated Intel graphics chip will not let you play the latest AAA gaming titles in high settings, but you will be able to play some older titles.
Good components configuration
512GB of SSD storage should be sufficient for most users. A combination of ports is standard with a couple of USB-A and one USB-C port. The keyboard, unfortunately, doesn’t have a backlit. The laptop weighs around 4.5 pounds (2 kg), in addition to 5-7 battery life, we can consider it as fairly portable.
Now the bad thing – the display. Although it is a touchscreen display, it is not a full HD. The resolution is only 1366 x 768, so you should consider that if you want a full HD display.
Comparing it to the previous two cheap laptops, who are battling for a similar market share, Asus VivoBook 15 and Acer Aspire 15, this laptop is not polished as them. It has an inferior processor, doesn’t have a keyboard backlit, but it has more RAM. If you want a touchscreen display and you don’t mind it is not a full HD, then this laptop is a good option for you.
After covering several general-use laptops, some touchscreen laptops, and one 2-in-1 laptop under 800 dollars, it is time to check cheap and budget gaming laptops under $800. In this section, I will pay more attention to components configuration, screen speed, and thermal and noise management. I will cover the following cheap laptops: ASUS TUF FX505DT-AH51, MSI GF63 9SCX-005, Acer Nitro 5 AN515-54-5812, and Dell G3 G3579-5965BLK-PUS.
Asus TUF review
The best budget gaming laptop under $800
ASUS TUF FX505DT-AH51 specifications:
- AMD Ryzen 5 R5-3550H
- GeForce GTX 1650 Graphics 4GB
- 8GB RAM single-channel
- 256GB SSD
- 15. 6″ 120Hz display
- Windows 10 Home
- Battery: up to 4-5 hours
Very good gaming performances
Fast 120Hz display
Excellent thermal management
Not so loud fans
RGB keyboard
Dim display
Colors are not accurate
Asus TUF is the company’s entry level gaming laptop. This model, FX505DT-AH51, has a very interesting gaming configuration and a fast 120Hz refresh rate display.
Asus TUF comes with Ryzen 5 R5-3550H processor with four cores and eight threads. It is a solid, budget mobile processor. The laptops also have single-channel RAM and 256GB of SSD storage. As usual, I would recommend taking at least 16GB dual-channel RAM. But then the price wouldn’t be under $800. In addition to memory, 256GB of storage probably wouldn’t be enough. Modern games like Fortnite and Call of Duty: Warzone single takes around 100GB of storage.
As a gaming laptop, Asus TUF has a dedicated graphics card. This one has NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 with 4GB of RAM. That graphics card is usually found in almost all budget and cheap gaming laptops. The overall configuration is some sort of standard for a budget gaming laptop, and it will be sufficient for playing AAA titles in moderate settings. But it is noticeable that Asus TUF has problems with frame rates on lower resolutions.
Not so great display
The biggest problem for Asus TUF is the display. It has issues with color accuracy and brightness. On tests, it produces only around 270 nits of brightness on average. That will not be sufficient for outdoor usage on bright days. But it is fair to mention it is a fast display with a 120Hz refresh rate.
Chassis is made of plastic. It is nothing unexpected for cheap, entry-level cheap gaming laptops, but it has a lovely gaming design. The keyboard is fairly comfortable with RGB lightning. WASD keys are noticeably bigger which is welcomed. The combination of ports is standard, but it is a bit odd that all ports are located on the left side.
Excellent thermal management
For me, the biggest plus is excellent thermal management. The keyboard never gets heated over 40 degrees celsius, while the WASD keys are never get heated at all. Fans are silent during the normal workload but may get loud during gaming sessions.
Battery life is not the greatest, but again it is not unexpected for a gaming laptop, and especially a budget gaming laptop. It will last up to four to five hours of normal usage. The laptop weighs 4.85 pounds (2.2kg), which is not much and could be considered fairly portable.
In conclusion, ASUS TUF FX505DT-AH51 is a very good entry-level, budget gaming laptop with a mediocre display. It has solid components configuration and gaming performances. It is important to mention that it can be easily and fully upgraded.
MSI GF63 review
Very good budget gaming laptop
MSI GF63 9SCX-005 specifications:
- 9th Gen Intel Core i5-9300H
- NVIDIA GeForce GTX1650 4GB
- 8GB RAM single-channel
- 256GB SSD
- 15. 6″ 60Hz display
- Windows 10 Home
- Battery: up to 4-5 hours
Very good gaming performances
Solid thermal management
Very good build quality
Lightweight and portable
Dim and slow display
Loud fans
MSI GF63 is a very similar cheap, budget gaming laptop to previously reviewed ASUS TUF. The components configuration and gaming performance are very similar. This means that MSI GF63 is also a very good budget gaming laptop.
This laptop has a 9th generation Intel Core i5-9300H processor with four cores and eight threads. In addition, it has 8GB single-channel memory and 256GB of SSD storage. I will say the same as for ASUS TUF, it is recommended to upgrade it to dual-channel 16GB RAM. It also has GeForce GTX 1650 with 4GB of VRAM.
The bad on this laptop, similar to ASUS TUF, is the display. But, unlike the previous, it is slower with a 60HZ refresh rate. It is also a bit dim. It averages only around 260 nits of brightness which is not sufficient for outdoor use.
Very good build quality
MSI GF63 has a very good build quality. The top of the case is built of aluminum and the keyboard is comfortable with a red backlight. The laptop is not heavy, it weighs only 4.1 lbs (1.8 kg). Battery life is also average, and it will last around four to five hours. But, it is important to mention that the performances do not drop when it is unplugged.
Thermal management is also very good. The laptop will never get heated over 40-45 degrees celsius. But, the fans should be quieter, especially in idle mode.
Overall, MSI GF63 is a solid budget gaming laptop, with good gaming performances. But, unfortunately, it has what seems a common downside in this price range – a mediocre display.
Acer Nitro 5 review
Excellent gaming laptop for under $600
Acer Nitro 5 AN515-54-5812 specifications:
- 9th Gen Intel Core i5-9300H
- NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 4GB
- 8GB RAM single-channel
- 256GB SSD
- 15. 6″ 60Hz display
- Windows 10 Home
- Battery: up to 4-5 hours
Excellent gaming performances
Great value for the price
Very good keyboard
Dim and 60Hz display
Heating problems
Acer Nitro 5 AN515-54-5812 is an entry-level for Nitro 5 cheap gaming laptops. Incredibly, this laptop can be found for under $600. Even with its flaws, it is an excellent deal.
The configuration is almost similar to previous ones. It has a very fast 9th generation Intel i5-9300H processor with four cores and eight threads and 8GB of single-channel memory. Again, I would strongly recommend taking one additional slot of the same tact memory and making it a much faster dual-channel. Acer Nitro 5, as previously reviewed cheap laptops, has 256GB of SSD storage. I would also recommend upgrading it since this is a gaming laptop, and most AAA titles have nearly or over 100GB.
Excellent gaming performances for the price
So, this is an excellent configuration with great gaming performances. The downside is the slow 60Hz display. The display is also dim, and on tests, it gets only 250 nits of brightness, which is not enough for outdoor usage. Another problem is the heating. Same as for a bit pricier Acer Nitro 5 with GeForce RTX 2060, which is for me the best gaming laptop under 1000 dollars, there are problems with heating and loud cooling fans. But, it is important to mention that WASD keys never get overheated.
The keyboard is an excellent feature of this budget gaming laptop. It is very comfortable, and it has red backlighting. The design is a recognizable gamer but with a plastic case, which is not unexpectable in this price range. It weighs around 5 pounds (2.5 kg), which is reasonable for a 15.6″ laptop. The battery life is also average for a budget gaming laptop, and it is around four to five hours.
Overall, Acer Nitro 5 is a great deal for only $600. It is an excellent budget gaming laptop, whit a similar configuration, and even better performances from its competitors for a much cheaper price. The only downside is a mediocre display and occasional problem with the heating.
Dell G3 review
Solid budget gaming laptop
Dell G3 G3579-5965BLK-PUS specifications:
- 8th Gen Intel i5-8300H
- NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 4GB
- 8GB RAM single-channel
- 256GB SSD
- 15. 6″ 60Hz display
- Windows 10 Home
- Battery: up to 4-5 hours
Good build quality
Solid performances
Poor display
I have decided to put Dell G3 on the list because of the similar price range, and to emphasize how good deals are previously reviewed cheap laptops, especially Acer Nitro 5, which is almost 200 dollars cheaper.
Dell G3 is a bit older budget gaming laptop. It has an 8th generation Intel i5-8300H, 8GB single-channel memory, and 256GB of SSD storage. For graphics, there is NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 with 4GB VRAM. This is not at all a bad configuration, especially for a budget gaming laptop, but comparing to the previous cheap laptops on the list, it is significantly inferior.
The laptop has a good build quality, and the keyboard is comfortable with backlight. It weighs around 5.9 pounds. and it is a bit heavier than its competitors. It has a common issue for budget, cheap gaming laptops and that is a mediocre screen. Dell G3 has an even more inferior screen regarding the brightness with only 200 nits. Battery life is average at around four to five hours.
Overall, Dell G3 is not a bad budget gaming laptop, but I would recommend picking more superior cheap laptops for the same price, or an excellent Acer Nitro 5 cheap gaming laptop for only $600.
How to choose the best cheap laptop under 800 dollars?
When choosing the best laptop, it doesn’t matter if it is a budget or premium laptop, you have to know your needs. In other words, you have to know for what purpose you need the laptop. Then it will be much easier to select the best budget laptop for you. I have divided it into three categories, that in my opinion, most users will fit in. Those categories are portable laptops, general-use laptops, and gaming laptops.
How to choose the best portable cheap laptop?
For portable laptops, you need to pay attention to a couple of things. You will need a smaller, durable laptop with long battery life. It is presumed that you will often use the laptop outside, so you will need a bright screen. In this category, you will not be looking for a dedicated graphics card. It is very difficult to find a solid laptop with a dedicated graphics card in this price range, and especially if you are looking for a durable, thin portable ultrabook.
So the most important things to look at in this category are computing power, build quality, weight, and battery life. I considered three laptops here: Acer Swift 3, Asus ZenBook 13, and Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5. All three of them are very good cheap laptops.
Acer Swift 3
Acer Swift 3 has the best components configuration, and it has the most powerful computing power. Ryzen 7 is currently the best budget mobile processor. It is comparable to the Intel i9 processor. This laptop is thin and light with reasonable battery life, and it is a good all-around pick. I would say that the main issue with Acer Swift 3 is with the dim display and average battery life. But if you want to make a compromise to get exceptional computing power, then this is your best choice for a budget portable laptop.
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5
Lenovo Flex 5 is a 14″ screen 2-in-1 budget laptop. This laptop can serve you as a classic laptop and as a tablet. The touchscreen will be very useful in business meetings. This one doesn’t have such a strong configuration as the Acer Swift 3, but it is still good for the money. Battery life is around fourteen to sixteen hours, but it is a bit heavier. The problem is also with the dim display, but if you need a solid portable 2-in-1 laptop with a good touchscreen, then Lenovo Flex is an excellent choice.
Asus ZenBook 13
Asus ZenBook 13 is my best choice for the budget portable laptop under 800 dollars. This version has an excellent 10th generation i5 processor, beautiful and thin design, and a military-grade durable certificate. For $750 you will get a premium ultrabook, with an excellent and bright screen and up to 20 hours of battery life.
How to choose the best cheap general-use laptop?
Well, for a general-use laptop you will need a bit of everything. You’ll need good components configuration and strong computing power, big and good screen, good build quality, and long battery life. You need to understand that in this price range you will need to make some compromise, but that doesn’t mean that you will not get a powerful machine. I have selected three laptops here: Asus VivoBook 15, Acer Aspire 5, and HP 15 i5.
VivoBook 15 and Aspire 5
Asus VivoBook 15 and Acer Aspire 5 are very similar cheap laptops. Both have a strong Ryzen 7 processor with integrated Radeon graphics, and 8GB of single-channel RAM. They are not gaming laptops, but you should be able to play some older titles in medium settings. Both of them have very nice design and good build quality. But, my choice is Acer Aspire 5, because it has a bit better display and longer battery life.
HP 15 i5 is another good general-use laptop but with a touchscreen. Although it doesn’t have a strong component’s configuration like the previous two cheap laptops, and if you don’t mind that screen is not full HD, and you need a 15.6″ touchscreen laptop with solid performances, then the HP i5 is a good choice for you.
What is the best cheap gaming laptop under 800 dollars?
There are some surprisingly good budget gaming laptops under $800. Thankfully for the release of a new NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 3000 series graphics card, older GTX 1650 graphics cards have never been cheaper. I have selected three budget gaming laptops under $800 as the best: Asus TUF, MSI GF63, and Acer Nitro 5. When looking for a good gaming laptop you need to take a look at several things. As usual, the CPU is the most important. But, speaking about the gaming laptop, you also need to pay attention to the dedicated graphics card, the refresh rate of the screen and the thermal management, and the noise of the cooling fans.
All of the above cheap gaming laptops have the same GTX 1650 graphics card with 4GB of VRAM. Other components are also very similar. MSI GF63 and Acer Nitro 5 have a 9th generation i5 processor, while Acer TUF has Ryzen 5 processor. Also, all of them have single-channel 8GB of RAM and 256GB of SSD.
Also, all of the above laptops have similar issues with the dim display, and none of them will satisfy the screen brightness necessary to work outside. But, only the Asus TUF has a 120Hz display refresh rate, and it has the best thermal management. I would say that Asus TUF is the best cheap gaming laptop under 800 dollars, but the Acer Nitro 5 is an irresistible choice with a very low price of $600 and great value for money.
If you are looking for a budget TV to connect your laptop to, check out my list of the best budget 4K gaming TVs.
What is the best cheap laptop under 800 dollars?
It is very difficult to say which laptop is the best for under $800, that depends on your need. If you need a smaller, portable laptop then look no further than Asus ZenBook 13. ZenBook 13 is a premium laptop with the excellent build quality, a powerful processor, and superior battery life.
Asus TUF is the best affordable gaming laptop under 800 dollars, but on the other hand Acer Nitro 5 is also a great pick with the incredible price of only $600. If you want the general-use laptop with 15.6″ screen then my pick is Acer Aspire 5. I even consider it as the best overall laptop under 800$. It has an excellent processor with good internal graphics card, good display and solid battery life.
