Choosing the best laptops for writers on a budget can sometimes be difficult because there are many factors you should consider. Some of the most important factors include the battery life, GB RAM, GB SSD, backlit keyboard, and the price. If we consider the number of available units on the market, you will soon realize that making this decision is difficult indeed.
But you don’t have to worry, by the time you are done reading this complete guide, you will understand what it takes to make the best decision.
Contents
Comparison Table
Before we start thoroughly reviewing the best laptops for writers on a budget, we will show you comparison tables showcasing some of the most significant differences and similarities. Be aware that this guide will not feature more expensive models such as Apple MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, Dell Inspiron, HP Pavilion, Asus Zenbook, Acer Chromebook, or the Surface Pro. Instead, this guide will only focus on budget laptops, especially because the prices of computers have skyrocketed recently.
In addition, we will show you a couple of comparison tables. Each table will contain many important criteria that provide a closer insight into the main differences, so let us begin with the first comparison table showing some basic information and specifications.
| Laptop model | Acer Aspire 5 Slim Laptop, 15.6 inches Full HD IPS Display, AMD Ryzen 3 3200U, Vega 3 Graphics, 4GB DDR4, 128GB , SSD, Backlit Keyboard, Windows 10 in S Mode, A515-43-R19L, Silver
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2021 HP 14 inch HD Laptop Newest for Business and Student, AMD Athlon Silver 3050U (Beat i5-7200U), 8GB DDR4 RAM, 256GB, SSD, 802.11ac, WiFi, Bluetooth, HDMI, and Windows 10 w/HESVAP 3in1 Accessories
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Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14″ Laptop, 14.0″ FHD 1920 x 1080 Display, AMD Ryzen 5 3500U Processor, 8GB DDR4 RAM, 256GB, SSD, AMD Radeon Vega 8 Graphics, Narrow Bezel, Windows 10, 81W0003QUS, Abyss Blue
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ASUS VivoBook 15 Thin and Light Laptop, 15.6” FHD Display, Intel i3-1005G1 CPU plus Microsoft 365 Personal 12 Month, Auto-renewing Subscription
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| Computer memory size | 4 GB | 4 GB | 8 GB | 8 GB |
| CPU model manufacturer | AMD | AMD | AMD | Intel |
| CPU speed | 3.5 GHz | 2.30 GHz | 2.1 GHz | 3.4 GHz |
| Maximum display resolution | 1920 x 1080 pixels | 1366 x 768 pixels | 1920 x 1080 pixels | 1920 x 1080 pixels |
| Screen size | 15.6 inches | 14 inches | 14 inches | 15.6 inches |
| Display technology | LED | LED | LED | LED |
| Hard disk size | 128 GB | 256 GB | 256 GB | 128 GB |
| Item dimensions | 14.31 x 9.74 x 0.71 inches | 12.80 x 8.90 x 0.80 inches | 12.88 x 9.49 x 0.78 inches | 13.5 x 9.49 x 0.75 inches |
| Item weight | 3.97 lbs | 3.24 lbs | 3.30 lbs | 3.5 lbs |
| Operating system | Windows 10 S | Windows 10 | Windows 10 | Windows 10 |
| Processor count | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| RAM type | DDR4 SDRAM | DDR4 SDRAM | DDR4 SDRAM | DDR4 SDRAM |
| Wireless communication standard | 802.11 ac | 802.11 ac | 802.11 ac | 802.11 ac |
As you can see, all the important specifications are shown in this list. However, we would like to show you one more comparison table. This table contains other essential criteria for choosing the best budget buy in the market. Keep reading to learn more.
| Key criteria | Average battery life | Average price |
| Acer Aspire 5 Slim Laptop, 15.6 inches Full HD IPS Display, AMD Ryzen 3 3200U, Vega 3 Graphics, 4GB DDR4, 128GB SSD, Backlit Keyboard, Windows 10 in S Mode, A515-43-R19L, Silver | 7.5 hours | $400 |
| 2021 HP 14 inch HD Laptop Newest for Business and Student, AMD Athlon Silver 3050U (Beat i5-7200U), 8GB DDR4 RAM, 256GB SSD, 802.11ac, WiFi, Bluetooth, HDMI, and Windows 10 w/HESVAP 3in1 Accessories | 10 hours | $440 |
| Lenovo 3 IdeaPad 14″ Laptop, 14.0″ FHD 1920 x 1080 Display, AMD Ryzen 5 3500U Processor, 8GB DDR4 RAM, 256GB SSD, AMD Radeon Vega 8 Graphics, Narrow Bezel, Windows 10, 81W0003QUS, Abyss Blue | 11 hours | $560 |
| ASUS VivoBook 15 Thin and Light Laptop, 15.6” FHD Display, Intel i3-1005G1 CPU plus Microsoft 365 Personal 12 Month, Auto-renewing Subscription | 8 hours | $440 |
This list captures two of the most important criteria when purchasing a laptop, the price and battery life. These are the first two things every customer wants to know, and there is a specific reason why. Namely, since we are reviewing budget buys, this list features laptops within a similar price range. In addition, there is not a big difference in the average battery life either.
The Best Laptops for Writers on a Budget
How can we make sens of these differences and conclude which is the best laptop? Keep reading the following sections of this guide where we review each laptop individually by looking at the numbers, specifications, and value for money. Finally, we will provide a rating to understand whether that great laptop is worth purchasing or not. Let us begin with the first unit from the list.
– Acer Aspire 5 Slim Laptop
The first laptop we will review is the Acer 5 Aspire Slim. This unit offers numerous advantages that many others cannot match. However, before we begin thoroughly discussing some of the key specifications, we will look at the pros and cons. The pros and cons are the best and most honest way to cover the basic information, so keep reading the following bullet lists to learn more.
Pros:
- It is extremely portable and light for its size
- It looks perfect and pristine
- The mic is high quality
- It has adequate color and brightness settings
- There is a wide selection of ports
As you can see, there is a lot to say about this amazing laptop. However, whenever properly reviewing gadgets, we must say a couple of things about the drawbacks. Learn more about them in the following list.
- You cannot run high-end games properly
- There is no backlit keyboard
- The internet connection may be slow
- Certain defective hardware issues usually appear
- It is not compatible with Ubuntu
The number of pros is equal to the number of cons, so one might say that the cons override the pros. Nevertheless, it is best to look at the facts and numbers to see whether things are bad indeed. To begin with this review, we will rate and review all laptops based on four criteria, and the four criteria are the operating system, processor, memory (RAM), and storage capacity. One thing is for sure — this laptop does not lack any of these.
First, this laptop has the Windows 10 S operating system, but you can upgrade it to the latest versions, so there are no issues with that, meaning a score of 9. The more important factor is the processor. This laptop runs on the AMD Ryzen 3 3200U Dual Core Processor (Up to 3.5GHz), and the AMD Ryzen 3 3200U Dual Core is probably one of the best budgets buys you can find currently. In addition, you will get a smooth gaming experience, but it might be difficult to run high-end games, so we rate a 9.5 score.
Moreover, this laptop features 4 GB DDR4 memory, which is enough for all tasks, including streaming, writing, programming, and editing. You can upgrade the system for higher memory capacity, but this means you have to spend some extra cash, thus, the final score is 9. Finally, the storage capacity is boosted by the 128GB PCIe NVMe SSD. This external memory offers enough capacity for all your files and documents, enough for a score of 8.9, so as you can see, this laptop has all the important criteria.
If you are looking for a reliable laptop that is enough to satisfy your current needs, the Acer Aspire 5 Slim is the one for you. Although this laptop may not be suitable for high-end games, you will experience decent performance. You have to pay attention to the battery life, however. In addition, this unit can be yours for around $400, and it just might be the best laptop for writers, so our final rating is a 9.2 out of 10.
Overview: The Acer 5 Aspire Slim laptop looks incredibly slim and pristine. It is the perfect choice for customers who want to experience amazing performance out of a great-looking laptop.
– HP 14 inch HD Laptop Newest for Business and Student
The second laptop we will review in this article is the HP 14-inch HD Laptop Newest for Business and Student. This laptop is slightly cheaper than the previous one, but there are justified reasons why. As always, we will begin our review with two lists. First, let us cover the important pros.
Pros:
- This laptop is smaller in size but not tablet-size
- It is extremely lightweight
- The screen is crystal clear
- It is the perfect solution for a portable writing laptop
On the flip side, there are several things you should consider before purchasing this laptop, so in this section of the article, we will list some of the biggest cons. Read the following list carefully to learn more.
Cons:
- You are unable to install other apps other than Microsoft when you first install Windows
- It can start freezing after excessive use
- The design has certain flaws
- There are certain weak spots on the body that might break
As you can see, this laptop has some cons that many writers would not prefer. For example, the biggest issue writers might face with the HP 14 inch HD Laptop is the fact that it can start to freeze after excessive use. It can understandably get annoying over time, especially if you are working on a project with a tight deadline. However, what about the other benefits and key criteria?
As previously mentioned, this laptop comes with Windows 10 operating system, but this Windows version creates issues with the HP HD laptop because you cannot install other apps except Microsoft. So if this is something that does not bother you, you are good to go, but our final score is 8. Moreover, it comes with AMD Athlon Mobile Processor with Radeon Graphics. The exact model is AMD Athlon Silver 3050U (2.3 GHz, up to 3.2 GHz), which is more than enough for a laptop this size, for a rating of 9.
Talking about size, the biggest advantage this laptop offers is its portability, and you will hardly notice you are carrying it with you, especially on a trip. In addition, this laptop comes with 8GB DDR4 SDRAM, which is significantly more than the previous laptop, enough to rate a 9.1 score. This laptop comes with a 256GB Solid State Drive (SSD), and though this might feel like it is not enough, you should consider the faster start-up times, data access, and no noise, which is why we rate a score of 8.9. You are guaranteed to have enough space for your files.
To conclude, if you are looking for a compact laptop you can take anywhere with you, this is the one for you. Having a compact laptop is important for writers because they take the job everywhere with them. Consequently, our final rating is 8.9 out of 10, and we rate this laptop lower than the previous due to the occasional freezes, especially after heavy use. So if you need a compact laptop on a budget, this model is one to consider.
Overview: The HP 14-inch HD laptop is the smallest laptop featured in this article, so if you prefer a laptop that weighs almost nothing and is extremely portable, this is the best choice.
– Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14″ Laptop
Another laptop we have tested thoroughly is the Lenovo 3 IdeaPad 14″ Laptop, and we will share all the things we have learned. We have managed to see the good and the bad during our testing period, and we will share this information in the following bullet list. But first, we will look at all the pros.
Pros:
- It offers amazing performance time after time
- It comes with a single USB-C port
- It has a strong construction and sturdy chassis
- The keyboard and touchpad are incredibly comfortable for your hands
- The integrated fingerprint scanner makes common tasks a lot easier
- Customers can upgrade the RAM at their risk
If we were to judge from the pros listed, this laptop looks very promising. In addition, you witnessed some of the key criteria and specifications in the two tables at the beginning. But does this mean this laptop is just perfect? Take a look at the following list to find the answer.
Cons:
- The speakers do not produce the clearest of sounds
- The display looks dull and pale
- The display has no backlighting, and it is not bright
This list answers the question we have asked previously. No, there is no perfect laptop on the market, and there will always be certain drawbacks, so as you can see, the biggest con this laptop has is the display. It is not bright enough, and it simply looks dull. However, this does not take away from all the other benefits of this laptop, like the fact that the battery life is the best of all featured laptops in this article, and the OS gets a rating of 9.7
In addition, the processor is quite powerful for a laptop of this size and price. The AMD Ryzen 5 3500U Mobile Processors with Radeon Graphics deliver stunning performance for everyday tasks, especially writing and editing, for a final rating of 9.5. Furthermore, since the size of this laptop is 14 inches, it is one of the many compact units on the market. So if you travel often and are a freelancer, this laptop is something you have to consider.
Moreover, this laptop has 8 GB DDR4 SDRAM memory, and as we have previously mentioned, this is more than enough for everyday tasks, thus, we will provide a rating of 9.7. Although you can upgrade the RAM, you will do this at your risk. Finally, a 256 GB Flash Memory Solid State Drive is enough to store your files and data, enough for a rating of 9. Once you combine all these specifications, you will repeatedly get stunning performance; there is nothing that will ruin this experience, especially if you are a writer.
If you are looking for a powerful budget portable computer with little to no cons, the Lenovo 3 IdeaPad 14″ Laptop is the perfect solution for you. It is compact, lightweight, has a fingerprint scanner, has more than enough memory, and is extremely comfortable for your hands. Although the price is slightly higher than the other models in this article, it will be worth it. Thus, our final rating is a stunning 9.7 out of 10 ratings, which could mean that your search for the ultimate laptop is over.
Overview: The Lenovo 3 IdeaPad 14″ laptop has an incredibly comfortable keyboard and keypad. It is the ultimate choice for customers who prefer a laptop that is smooth to the touch.
– ASUS VivoBook 15 Thin and Light Laptop
Finally, in this article, we will review the ASUS 15 VivoBook thin and light laptop, and it might just be the perfect solution for you. This laptop is on the cheaper side because you can buy one for less than $440, unlike the previously reviewed unit. However, does this mean this laptop is also the least appealing one in this article? The following review provides the answer, so first, let us learn more about the pros.
Pros:
- This laptop is lightweight and slim
- It has a decent display panel
- The performance is amazing
- There are numerous port options
- It has a decent battery life
Despite being cheaper than the previous one, this laptop does not fall a lot behind the others. As this list shows, the performance and appearance are worth the money. However, now, we will learn something more about the cons. Learn more about them in the following section of this article.
Cons:
- The display panel lacks depth and color
- The Caps Lock does not have an indicator
- The quality of the audio output could be better
- It does not have Thunderbolt 3
- There is a single US configuration
One of the first things any writer would notice from this list is the first and second bullet points. The display panel, including the depth and color factors, can be highly important for writers who work at night, especially in dark rooms. Moreover, the Caps Lock button is one of the most commonly used, so an indicator is an absolute must for any writer. However, if these cons do not bother you, we should tell you something about the other key criteria, and as always, we will begin with the operating system.
This laptop can operate with Windows 10 or Mac OS, so this laptop looks more promising than the others even from the start, with a rating of 9.7. In addition, the Latest 10th Gen Intel Core i3-1005G1 CPU (4M Cache, up to 3.4 GHz) will provide smooth gaming, streaming, editing, and writing, of course. You will not face any delays, freezes, or bugs while working, but you can also play some mid-range games, which is enough for an 8.7 rating. However, you need decent RAM and storage for your games, files, and documents, and luckily, this laptop has it all.
Namely, the 8GB DDR4 RAM sounds amazing, especially if we consider the laptop’s price, so we will rate it with a score of 9. On the flip side, the 128GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD does not look appealing compared to the previously reviewed models, but if you are a writer and need decent storage capacity, 128 GB of SSD is more than enough, thus, our rating is an 8.9 score. We are sure all your documents will fit, but you can upgrade them if you need more. Finally, this laptop features a whopping 88 percent screen-to-body ratio, which is the highest of all; you will not see an annoying thick bezel on the side.
If you are looking for a budget-friendly laptop that looks amazing, performs great, and has numerous port options, the ASUS 15 VivoBook is the perfect laptop for you. This fact is especially true for writers because they do not need tons of storage capacity, yet they require great performance. In addition, you can always upgrade the storage if 128 GB is not enough. Thus, our final rating is a 9.2 out of 10, making it a great value-for-money unit currently on the market.
Overview: The ASUS 15 VivoBook laptop has an incredible battery that is able to withstand hours of tough work. It is the ideal choice for customers who are on the go and who need a laptop whenever they go.
Buying Guide: How To Choose the Best Laptop?
Buying a new computer or laptop is not always easy, and everyone wants to make the best choice, especially if their budget is tight. We have thoroughly reviewed and rated four picks for the best laptops for writers on a budget. Despite us reviewing them based on the four key criteria, there is much to say about each laptop. Therefore, we will teach some of the basic things you should know in the following sections.
– Choosing the Operating System
The first step when purchasing a laptop must be choosing the operating system. Although this step is fairly easy for many, some are still not sure what to do. There are three common operating systems you can find, as shown in the following list:
- Windows
- Mac OS
- Linux
Each operating system has its pros and cons, but you will not make a mistake by choosing any of these. We recommend getting the latest version no matter which operating system it is. So after you are done with the operating system, it is time to move on to the next step.
– Choosing the Storage Capacity
Determining the system is easier than choosing the storage capacity. Now, you need to be more careful because more storage capacity means a faster laptop and more space for your documents. There are three different types of storage capacity, as shown in the following list:
- HDD – (Hard Disk Drive) offers huge storage capacity at a reasonable price
- SSD – (Solid State Drive) provides smooth booting and stunning multitasking performance
- SSHD – (Solid State Hybrid Drive) offers maximum capacity at an affordable price
HDDs are the least favorable choice of all. Although they offer huge storage, you will likely experience lags, freezes, and slower boot-up, so we recommend you buy an SSD. What could the next step be?
– Choosing the Processor
The second to last step in our buyers’ guide is choosing the most optimal processor. Processors come in all shapes and sizes, and we would recommend specifying the budget first, as it would be much easier to find what you are looking for. Again, there are three basic types of processors you can find, as shown here:
- Dual Core – integrates two processors in a single package, and it is ideal for multitasking
- Quad Core – integrates two dual core processors in a single processor, and it has double the efficiency and speed
- AMD – it has plenty of security features, performance is decent at a reasonable price range, and it has a robust battery life
After you have chosen your processor type, it is time to finish things up. Finally, we will show you some of the best features you should look for in your ideal laptop. Keep reading for more.
– Features To Look For in Your Laptop
Now that you know more about the initial steps in choosing your laptop, it is time to pay attention to the details. Always check these features before making your purchase because they are something you should not miss out on. Take a look at the following bullet list for more:
- USB ports – USB Type C port offers the best speed and functionality
- Display – OLED screen displays images better than real life
- Touchscreen – makes the interface easier to navigate
- Wi-Fi – purchase the latest Wi-Fi 6 version, which is faster than 802.11ac Wi-Fi
- Graphics – find a laptop that has an Nvidia Graphics chip
Your laptop does not need to have all the features from this list. However, we recommend ticking at least a couple of checkboxes for an improved writing experience. This section wraps everything important you are supposed to know about budget laptops. Now, let us summarize the most important points from this article.
Final Overview
Searching for the best laptop can be a tedious and exhausting process, especially if you do not know what to look for. However, this guide has made things easier for you because we have thoroughly reviewed some of the best budget laptops money can buy. Although each laptop has numerous advantages, we would recommend getting the Lenovo 3 IdeaPad 14″ Laptop because it offers everything a writer would ever need for a reasonable price.
On the flip side, if you are not willing to spend some extra cash, any of the other three laptops featured in this guide will work as they offer great performance, incredible storage capacities, and are extremely portable. In addition, you now know a lot more about choosing the most optimal laptop after reading our buyers’ guide, so head to the nearest gadget store and purchase your next unit today!