Best Basic Laptops – Buying Guide
We live in an era which is propelled by technology and gadgets clearly have become more of a necessity than a luxury. A laptop is a must-have in most households and many companies are milking in on this growing need to launch new products on the market. The specifications and features of laptops are being enhanced and newer improved versions are being introduced in the market. However, if you are one of those who does not require a high-end laptop and is looking for a basic laptop then read on to get an idea of what it would bring along.
Speed is the keyword in most cases and it is natural for a person to expect his/ her laptop to be quick in loading and running. Hence it is important to check for the RAM capacity. A lesser RAM capacity can make your applications run slowly and often while trying to load or work on high-end software the laptop may hang. But don’t worry! The best of basic laptops are equipped with 2 GB to 4GB RAMthat allows a good enough speed and you always have the option to upgrade it as per your requirement.
A laptop is a blessing for people on the go and one of the most important features of this device is its portability. Therefore while selecting a laptop, ensure that you consider the size and the weight of the system. Ideally, a basic laptop should not weigh more than 3 pounds.
The processor is an integral part of the laptop as the entire performance of the laptop is based on it. The processor also influences the battery consumption and hence you must go for a good processor which may be anything between 1.4 GHz to 1.7 GHz speed. It allows the user to multi-task as well as conserve the battery life.
These laptops also come with good networking and connectivity options. Nowadays, almost all laptops have an inbuilt Wi-Fi connectivity option along with Bluetooth connectivity and a lot more. So check for the availability of these features before you opt for a basic laptop.
The battery life of the laptop is another factor to consider. Try to opt for a system which has a longer battery life so that your laptop does not conk out at the eleventh hour. Often manufacturers boast of more than 8 hours of battery life but this is rare and ideally, a laptop which lasts for anything between six to eight hours is perfect.
Another vital aspect to consider is the warranty. Ensure that you opt for manufacturer’s warranty rather than the buyer’s warranty. A manufacturing warranty is often for a year with an extension available for an additional charge. Be sure to read more about it before you invest in a laptop.
Although there are many other criteria to check before you spend on buying the best basic laptop but the above-mentioned information is sure to help you in making the right choice.
Find the top basic laptops at Amazon
Top 5 best basic laptops are given below:
# 1
Acer Aspire E 15 Laptop, 15.6" Full HD,...
Positive / Critical Customer Reviews:
Key Features
| Processor: | Intel Core i5-8250U 8th Gen processor |
| RAM: | 8 GB |
| Hard Drive: | 256 GB SSD |
| Graphics: | NVIDIA GeForce MX150 2 GB |
| Screen: | 15.6 inches Full HD |
| Battery: | Up to 15-hours of battery life |
| Weight: | 5.27 pounds |
| Operating System: | Windows 10 Home |
Video -$599 Laptop - Acer Aspire E15 - QUAD CORE! - Review
# 2
Lenovo Chromebook C330 2-in-1...
Positive / Critical Customer Reviews:
Key Features
| Processor: | MediaTek MT8173C Processor |
| RAM: | 4 GB |
| Hard Drive: | 64 GB eMMC |
| Graphics: | Intel HD graphics |
| Screen: | 11.6 inches HD |
| Battery: | up to 10 hours of battery life |
| Weight: | 2.64 pounds |
| Operating System: | Chrome OS |
Video -Lenovo Chromebook C330 11.6" 2-in-1 Review
# 3
ASUS VivoBook F510UA 15.6” Full HD...
Positive / Critical Customer Reviews:
Key Features
| Processor: | Intel Core i5 8th Generation 8250U 1.6GHz |
| RAM: | 8 GB DDR4 |
| Hard Drive: | 1 TB |
| Graphics: | Intel UHD Graphics 620 |
| Screen: | 15.6 inches Full HD |
| Battery: | 5 hours |
| Weight: | 3.7 pounds |
| Operating System: | Windows 10 Home |
Video -ASUS Vivobook F510UA Review 2018! - Still A Worthy Budget Contender?
# 4
No products found.
# 5
2018 Dell Inspiron 15 5000 Flagship...
Positive / Critical Customer Reviews:
Video -Best Back to School Laptop Under 500 in 2018?! (Dell Inspiron 5000 Series)
Best Basic Laptops – Conclusion
The best basic laptop is the one which integrates all the qualities of a good laptop, along with being economical as well. A basic laptop is needed by each and everyone in this new age of technology. Life has become fast-paced and swift results are required at every turn of life.
The best basic laptop must consist of the following specifications:
• Latest Generation Processor.
Asus comes with the latest Generation Intel Dual Core Celeron Processor; Dell Inspiron comes with the same processor and so does HP Stream. HP Chromebooks, as well as the Samsung Chromebooks, come with the same processor. The Intel Dual Core Processors may come in the Intel i3, i5 or i7 generations, and these are considered the best in the market.
• The storage and memory of the best basic laptop:
It should be top notch, Asus comes with 4GB DDR3 memory and internal storage of 500GB and 5400rpm, Dell Inspiron comes with 500 GB internal storage as well. HP provides a RAM of 2GB and the internal storage of just 32 GB.
• The battery life of the best basic laptop
It should be long enough. Top basic laptops come with the battery life of 9 hours, which is the standard battery life of most of the laptops.
• The screen quality
It should be HD and the screen size should be somewhere between 11.6 to 15.6 inches. Most of the laptops are fitted with the Intel HD Graphics card, or the NVIDIA Graphics card which makes video viewing a great experience.
The laptops need to be bought after much consideration and comparison amongst different brands and models since they are a great investment and come in handy at all times.
The category of best basic laptops forms a major chunk of the major revenue. It is because everyone needs a laptop for basic tasks like checking emails, taking notes, surfing, database management, and similar tasks. But does a basic laptop is actually that basic these days? Apparently not! Take a look at the Asus F555LA-AB31 laptop powered by an Intel Core i3 processor, 4GB RAM, and 500GB HDD storage. The ‘Minimal’ attribute doesn’t suit this laptop as it has some great exclusive ‘Asus only’ features like IceCool technology to keep overheating at bay, SonicMaster Audio, Super-smart gesture pad and 1-year accidental coverage by Asus.
The Acer Aspire ES15 in this category is a tad bit ahead of the Asus, with a 1TB HDD and Stereo Speakers. Both have Intel HD Graphics 520 which is fair enough to handle basic gaming, making these two, pretty good performers. On the other hand, we do have literally basic laptops, which can be marked by their low inbuilt storage. However, the Acer CB3-531 dares to feature a 15.6” screen in its basic category which is quite a surprise in this segment. 16GB SSD reduces boot time to almost none and also makes up for faster file access. The Intel Celeron Dual-Core working in-sync with a 2GB RAM may not be enough, but then it’s a basic laptop and it comes with an optimized ChromeOS. Another ChromeOS bearing laptop on the list is the Lenovo Ideapad which also features a dual-core Intel Celeron N3060. Only the 4GB RAM makes it a better option than the Acer CB3. The HP also stepped in with its 14” laptop with an AMD Quad-core CPU clocked in at 1.8GHz with a 4GB RAM. And its 32GB eMMC Flash Storage is just what characterizes a basic budget laptop.
Some other basic laptops are given below:
2017 Lenovo Thinkpad Yoga 11.6 Inch laptop
2017 Lenovo Thinkpad Yoga is one of the best basic, budget laptops in the market and also the pole position winner on our list of ‘best basic laptops’.
Without doubt, it is a very basic with a pretty simple outlook and nothing flashy; though its 360-degree convertibility sets it apart in the category. A weight of 5 lbs and 0.9 inches of thickness makes it quite easy to carry. Chrome OS comes pre-installed with it.
11.6” HD IPS, 10 points Multi-touch display with an average display quality has been fitted here. But due to the IPS panel, frame rates are much better. On the inside, Intel Celeron N3150 with 1.6 GHz processor speed (up to 2.08 GHz) and 2MB cache is good for light usage. A 4GB LPDDR3 RAMdoes step up the performance a little. Integrated graphics is the only option you get here. You would definitely need external storage because the default 16 GB eMMC Flash Storage is way too low. The machine easily churns out a battery life of 6 hours.
Other features included are Bluetooth 4.0, HD Webcam, HDMI port, 802.11 a/c WiFi, 4 in 1 Media card reader and more.
Last update on 2023-05-09 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API