Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Computing
  3. Deals

These laptops are on sale for less than $500 today — from $149

Add as a preferred source on Google

If you’re looking to buy a laptop but you’re on a tight budget, we’ve got a whole bunch of great laptop deals enabling you to buy a great portable setup for under $500. Some of these laptops cost from just $149, which makes them ideal for school or college budgets where money is tight. Whatever your plan for these laptops, big brands like Dell, Asus, and Lenovo mean you’ll get great value for money here. Let’s take a look at what’s on offer right now.

Gateway 11.6-inch Notebook — $149, was $199

Gateway laptop on a white background.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

With $50 off, this Gateway 11.6-inch Notebook is a bargain if you’re at school and money isn’t great. With an Intel Celeron processor, 4GB of memory and 64GB of storage, it’s just what you need for a portable setup. It runs Windows 10 S so you can use your favorite apps plus it includes one year of Microsoft 365 Personal so it’s ideal for using products via the cloud, saving you on storage requirements. It’s even available in a variety of different colors.

Lenovo IdeaPad 3 Chromebook — $178, was $220

Lenovo IdeaPad 3 on a white background.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

The best Chromebooks are super convenient and that’s exactly what the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 offers. It uses an Intel Celeron processor, 4GB of memory, plus 64GB of storage so it has all the basics covered. Stylish, slim, and lightweight, it’s ideal for taking between classes before returning to your dorm with a narrow bezel HD display, meaning it’s perfect for streaming all your favorite content. Up to 10 hours battery life means it will last all day without a problem, too.

Dell Inspiron 15 3000 — $300, was $350

Dell Inspiron on a white background.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

From one of the best laptop brands out there, the Dell Inspiron 15 3000 is a great choice if you can spend a little more. It has an Intel Celeron processor, 4GB of memory, plus 128GB of SSD storage. Alongside that is a great-sized 15.6-inch HD display with narrow borders, a full numeric keypad, plus a spacious touchpad so you have plenty of room to work. Stylish and well designed, you can’t beat the reliability that comes from a Dell laptop.

Asus VivoBook 15 — $400, was $450

Asus Vivobook on a white background.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Offering much of what you’d expect from the best laptops under $500, the Asus VivoBook 15 offers an Intel i3 processor, 4GB of memory, plus 128GB of SSD storage. It’s the design of the laptop that makes it so appealing though. An Ultrabook, it’s super compact with neat design features such as an ErgoLift hinge design that tilts the keyboard up for more comfortable typing and a sleek overall design that means it looks great while remaining very lightweight to take from place to place.

More laptop deals

We have plenty of other great laptop deals rounded up for you as well as a focus on the pick of the best Dell laptop deals, too. If your heart is set on a Chromebook, check out all the best Chromebook deals to snag a bargain.

Jennifer Allen
Jennifer Allen is a technology writer with over 15 years of experience in the field. During that time, she's spent the past…
AI companies expect a catastrophic AI incident and are reportedly preparing for the aftermath
A major AI cyberattack could disrupt essential services, damage public trust, and spark a political fight over regulations.
openai-anthropic-logo-on-screen

Leaders at OpenAI, Anthropic, and other AI companies are reportedly preparing for a potential AI disaster that could turn the public against artificial intelligence. According to an Axios report, industry leaders are privately running through possible scenarios for what happens after a catastrophic AI incident.

What kind of AI disaster are companies preparing for?

Read more
Elon Musk’s SpaceX just made a big move to become a mobile carrier heavyweight in the US
SpaceX moves closer to becoming a major US mobile carrier with $8 billion deal
spacex

Elon Musk’s SpaceX is moving past satellite internet, and it’s making a big move into the US wireless market. The company has agreed to buy cellular spectrum licences from investment firm Grain Management in a deal reportedly worth about $8 billion, its biggest move yet to compete with established mobile carriers such as AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile, according to a WSJ report.

The deal is for spectrum in the 800MHz band, which is for mobile services delivered via terrestrial infrastructure such as cell towers, not satellites. If the acquisition is approved, SpaceX could combine those airwaves with its growing Starlink satellite network to create a more comprehensive wireless service.

Read more
A clinical study with Google’s special chatbot shows a strong future for AI in healthcare
Google’s medical AI could give doctors a useful second set of eyes
Google Articulate Medical Intelligence Explorer chatbot

AI is a useful tool for handling many tasks in private as well as professional settings, but medical advice, especially diagnosis, is one area where I generally draw the line. General-purpose chatbots tend to sound confident and convincing while giving medical advice, even when they are wrong, as studies have previously found.

That being said, Google's new research points to a much more convincing use for AI in healthcare. Its Articulate Medical Intelligence Explorer chatbot, or AMIE for short, could help prepare both sides before the appointment even begins.

Read more