Best Laptop Under 300 – Top 10 Picks For Everyday Use

Flooded is the right word to use when it comes to the laptop market. From cheap budget devices to premium over-the-top laptops, there’s plenty of fish in the sea. And we think it’s a blessing in disguise.

There is a high chance that you can get exactly the kind of laptop you need, whether you have a $300 budget or a $3000 budget. 

But finding laptops under 300 takes some doing. It requires brand recognition, hardware know-how, and a few trade secrets to get the best laptop under $300. And in this article, we bring the best laptops under $300 from the most reputable brands.

Our list has some impressive machines ranging from cheap school laptops to daily drivers and a couple of gaming laptops under 300. So, instead of hunting through the internet, casually scroll through our page and find the best laptop under 300.

10 Best Laptops Under 300 Bucks!

10. ASUS Laptop L210MA-DB01

Great 11-inch Windows Laptop Under 300

Features Highlights

• Fan-less design
• MyASUS compatible
• 180-degree hinges
• Virtual Numpad over the touchpad
• HDMI and Type-C portsSonicMaster Sound

Review

Good things come in small packages.

This miniature workhorse packs quite the hardware. The Intel Celeron N4020 processor pairs well with Windows 10 and generates decent speeds for multitasking, web surfing, and number crunching.

But it will struggle under too much workload because of the 4GB RAM. This is a laptop for 300 dollars after all. The GPU is impressive given the budget. Intel’s UHD 600 Graphics is great for entry-level casual gaming.

Just pop in a 256GB microSD card, and this is one of the best gaming laptops under 300. With the HDMI port, you can connect it to any display and bypass the 11.6-inch HD display.

An F preceding the HD would have been better, but it’s still bright and vivid enough for binge-watching your favorite Netflix series.

If you prefer an FHD display over compactness, check out the 14-inch option. The hardware and performance are the same but the screen is bigger and better.

Tech Specs

• CPU: Intel Celeron N4020
• GPU: Intel UHD Graphics 600
• RAM: 4GB DDR4
• Storage: 64GB eMMC
  Battery Life: 12 Hours

Price: Around $240 On Amazon | $248 On Walmart | $198 On BestBuy

9. Lenovo Chromebook Flex 3

Powerful and Portable Chromebook – ‘39% OFF!’

Features Highlights

• 11.6-inch IPS display
• 2.1GHz quick processor
• 2-in-1 convertible design
• Runs the lightest Chrome OS
• 720p HD webcam
• Built-in virus and bloatware protection

Review

The Chromebook Flex 3 is the best laptop under 300 in Amazon’s 2-in-1 Laptop Computers category, and for good reasons. It’s a $300 laptop that has a 2.1GHz CPU, 4GB RAM, and a great mobile gaming PowerVR GPU.

The MediaTek processor and the DDR3 RAM might seem lowly, but they make light work of Chrome OS. Whether you’re going through emails, working on Google Docs, or surfing the internet, the Chromebook works silently and effortlessly.

As for the storage, it has 64GB eMMC space with room for an increase- an SD slot that supports up to 256GB SD cards.

Another feature that we love is the 360-degree hinges. It’s usable as a notebook and a tablet and can be used in tent and stand mode for easy viewing. It weighs 2.6 pounds, so carrying it around and using it in tablet mode is easy. 

It does have shortcomings too. The most notable one is the display screen with 1366 x 768 resolution. To put it simply, you won’t get to enjoy FHD and 60fps videos. The 11-inch display struggles with 780p videos too.

Tech Specs

• CPU: MediaTek MT8173C
• GPU: PowerVR GX6250
• RAM: 4GB DDR3
• Storage: 64GB eMMC
  Battery Life: 10 Hours

Price: Around $200 On Amazon | $249 On Walmart | $216 On Newegg

8. ASUS L510

Cheap Gaming Laptop Under $300

Features Highlights

• 15.6-inch FHD display
• NanoEdge display
• Palm Rejection Technology
• Fanless design
• MyASUS App
• Fingerprint reader

Review

We were surprised to see the price of this laptop under 300 once we saw the specs it packs. The 15.6-inch FHD display with an 84% screen-to-body ratio is very impressive for a $300 laptop, and that’s just the start. It also has a full-size keyboard, a fingerprint reader, and a lay-flat hinge design.

The real deal-maker is the hardware inside. The Intel Celeron N4020 processor is paired with 4GB DDR4 RAM and 128GB eMMC storage. The 2.8GHz processor and DDR4 RAM generate decent power and speed to handle multitasking with ease.

Intel’s UHD 600 GPU is our favorite piece of hardware here, though. Paired with the CPU, RAM, and storage it has, the L510 is one of the best gaming laptops under 300. Don’t expect it to perform like a $1000 gaming laptop, but it can help you kill some time with light mobile gaming like Call Of Duty, PUBG, or Free Fire.

Tech Specs

• CPU: Intel Celeron N4020
• GPU: Intel UHD Graphics 600
• RAM: 4GB DDR4
• Storage: 128GB eMMC
  Battery Life: 8 Hours

Price: Around $275 On Amazon | $240 On Walmart | $240 On BestBuy

7. HP Chromebook 14a-na0023nr

Great $300 Laptop for On-The-Go Users

Features Highlights

• Anti-Glare MicroEdge display
• HP Fast Charge
• Bang & Olufsen audio
• HP dual-speakers
• HP Wide Vision webcam
• Wi-Fi 5.0 and Bluetooth 5.0

Review

This HP Chromebook has to be one of the best cheap school laptops of 2021. But the only thing cheap is the price tag. In terms of performance and looks, this $300 laptop punches above its weight.

The narrow 3-side bezels, glossy finish, and speakers besides the keyboard make for a clean and elegant look. The island-style keyboard and wide touchpad look as beautiful as they are comfortable to use.

And, it’s just as powerful inside as it is beautiful on the outside. The 1.1GHz Intel Celeron CPU and 4GB DDR4 RAM are enough to handle day-to-day computing and entertainment needs. You can also play some low-end games with decent graphics, thanks to the Intel UHD graphics chip.

It also has one of the most impressive battery life on any laptop under 300. It lasts almost 14 hours with one single charge, and it takes 1.5 hours to get a full charge with the HP Fast Charge feature.

In short, for a $300 laptop, this has some ludicrous features. But, it does lack a very basic thing- storage.

The 32GB eMMC does limit your storage space. That’s very little storage, and to make matters worse, there is no SD card slot for expansion.

Tech Specs

• CPU: Intel Celeron N4020
• GPU: Intel UHD Graphics 600
• RAM: 4GB DDR4
• Storage: 32GB eMMC
  Battery Life: 13 Hours

Price: Around $260 On Amazon | $405 On Walmart | $387 On Newegg

6. ASUS Chromebook CX1

Cheapest Kid’s Laptop for Under 300

Features Highlights

• 11.6-inch NanoEdge display
• Dual-Core Intel Celeron processor
• Google Play store
• USB Type-C port for power and display
• microSD slot
• Wi-Fi 5.0 & Bluetooth 4.0

Review

If you are in the market for a kid’s laptop, we strongly recommend the ASUS CX1 Chromebook. And quite frankly, that’s an accurate recommendation seeing the hardware it packs.

It’s got a Celeron N3350 processor with 4GB RAM and 32GB eMMC storage. And it’s going to stay pretty much the same. The RAM is soldered in and the CPU, as everyone knows, is near-impossible to change on any laptop. The storage is the only upgradeable hardware, that too in form of a microSD card.

So, you see the hardware is just enough to provide adequate entertainment and working prowess for kids.

Features like MIL-STD 810H certificates and spill-proof keyboard tell us that ASUS intentions were similar too- making an entry-level laptop for kids that is more durable than powerful. A touchscreen would’ve been a nice addition too. But, you really can’t complain when you can get it for 170 bucks.

You do have an option of a 14-inch FHD display too, with double storage but the same CPU, GPU, and RAM.

Tech Specs

• CPU: Intel Celeron N3350
• GPU: Intel HD Graphics 500
• RAM: 4GB DDR4
• Storage: 32GB eMMC
  Battery Life: 12 Hours

Price: Around $215 On Amazon | $257 On Walmart | $180 On Newegg

5. HP Stream 11

HP’s Best Laptop under 300 with Windows 11

Features Highlights

• 11.6-inch WLED display
• HDMI, Type-C, and Type-A ports
• Wi-Fi 5
• HP Fast Charge
• Buttonless touchpad

Review

Very few 300 dollar laptops will have Windows 11 compatibility, but this one does. Although it comes with Windows 10 S mode, you can update it to Windows 11 straight out of the box. Moreover, buy it from Amazon and you get 1-year free subscription to Microsoft Office 365 + a 32GB microSD card.

Considering you want a laptop for under 300, you are getting a decent device. HP put in a dual-core Intel Celeron processor and 4GB DDR4 RAM– nothing exceptional, but it gets the job done. The same goes for the storage space.

The display and speakers are a pleasant surprise though. Even though it’s only a 768p screen, the UHD 600 Graphics still manages to create crisp pictures. And the dual speakers are just loud enough to fill a room but not too loud to sound shouty.

Full marks for style, comfort, and portability, but there’s nothing exciting about this laptop. You want an 11-inch Windows laptop under 300, it’s a good option. Its price and Windows 11 compatibility are the only highlights for us.

Tech Specs

• CPU: Intel Celeron N4020
• GPU: Intel UHD Graphics 600
• RAM: 4GB DDR4
• Storage: 64GB eMMC
  Battery Life: 8 Hours

Price: Around $260 On Amazon | $263 On Walmart | $200 On BestBuy

4. Samsung Chromebook 4+

Best FHD Display Laptop for Under 300

Features Highlights

• 15.6-inch FHD LED display
• Anti-Glare screen
• USB-C for charging and display
• 720p HD webcam
• microSD card slot

Review

One of the biggest problems that we found with laptops under 300 was the disappointing display screens. Even on this list, the majority of laptops have 768p HD displays that are hardly bearable on bigger than an 11-inch laptop. So, there’s no way we were leaving out the best laptop under 300 with an FHD screen.

The 15.6-inch FHD LED display makes for some crisp visuals, especially compared to the others. Another impressive feat is the Anti-Glare screen. We moan a lot about not being able to use 300 dollar laptops under the sun, but this is the exception.

However, the FHD display comes at a cost. For some reason, Samsung has put in a tiny 16GB eMMC flash storage. It is so disappointing to see such a good machine lack such important hardware. Samsung did put in a microSD card slot, but still, 16GB is just poor.

Everything else is above average as well. The 2.4GHz Celeron N4000 processor, 4GB DDR4 RAM, and Intel UHD 600 GPU combine well to fulfill all sorts of computing needs. And all this is very well backed by a 5070mAh battery that just about lasts 11 hours with a single charge.

So, all you have to do is buy an SD card and you are good to go!

Tech Specs

• CPU: Intel Celeron N4000
• GPU: Intel UHD Graphics 600 
• RAM: 4GB DDR4
• Storage: 16GB eMMC
  Battery Life: 11 Hours

Price: Around $280 On Amazon | $250 On Walmart | $300 On BestBuy

3. Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14

Best Laptop under 300 with SSD Storage

Features Highlights

• Fanless design
• Quick DDR4 RAM and PCIe SSD storage
• PCIe SSD storage with 1 expansion slot
• 2 Type-A USB 3.2 ports
• microSD card reader, HDMI port
• Dolby Audio

Review

Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14 right now is Lenovo’s cheapest IdeaPad, but it still is an impressive laptop for under 300 dollars. 

Its CPU, RAM, and GPU are what you would expect from a $300 laptop, but the inclusion of an SSD is what impressed us the most. The Intel Celeron N4020 and 4GB RAM are common for this price bracket, but PCIe SSD is a nice change of pace. Storage is only 64GB, but it is expandable with one extra M.2 slot.

So, we confidently say that you don’t have to worry about performance at all. It will handle web-browsing, number crunching, Netflix streaming, and Minecraft raidings equally well.

It does have a cheap feel to it, though, mainly because of the 768p display. It’s bright enough for indoor usage, but you’ll be squinting while using it under the sun.

All-in-all, it’s an impressive and cheap daily driver that’s certainly worth the money. We would suggest this over a $300 Chromebook because of its SSD storage and Windows 11 compatibility.

Tech Specs

• CPU: Intel Celeron N4020
• GPU: Intel UHD Graphics 600
• RAM: 4GB DDR4
• Storage: 64GB PCIe SSD
  Battery Life: 8 Hours

Price: Around $260 On Amazon | $300 On Walmart | $264 On Newegg

2. Acer Aspire 1

Best Laptop Under 300 with a Full-Size Keyboard

Features Highlights

• Intel SpeedStep Technology
• 15.6-inch FHD display
• RJ45 Ethernet port
• Full-size keyboard
• Clickable touchpad
• Narrow 3-way bezels

Review

Acer has a reputation for making impressive budget devices, more so under the Aspire series. If you can conjure up to $600, Acer’s Aspire 5 is the best budget laptop right now! If not, this Aspire 1 model is the next best thing from Acer.

The best thing about this $300 laptop is the processor’s advanced tech. Even though it has the same old N4020 processor as every other laptop under 300 on this list, the added Intel SpeedStep Technology takes the performance to the next level. Thankfully, it only increases the performance, not the price.

We also like the fact that this is a full-sized laptop with a 15.6-inch display, and full-sized keyboard, and a wide, comfortable touchpad. You might disagree, but features like these enhance the overall feel of the laptop and make the working experience a lot more comfortable.

And when you are getting a 15-inch display laptop that weighs only 4 pounds and is less than 1-inch thick, why suffer from an 11-inch laptop. It’s just an opinion, everyone has their priorities.

Tech Specs

• CPU: Intel Celeron N4020
• GPU: Intel UHD Graphics 600
• RAM: 4GB DDR4
• Storage: 64GB eMMC
  Battery Life: 10 Hours

Price: Around $265 On Amazon | $295 On Walmart | $275 On Newegg

1. HP 14z-fq000

Best $300 Laptop – Our Top Pick

Features Highlights

• 8GB DDR4 SO-DIMM RAM
• AMD CPU and AMD Radeon Graphics
• HD IPS display
• 720p HD webcam
• SD card reader slot

Review

We close our list with an 8GB RAM laptop under 300. To be completely honest, it’s very difficult to get an 8GB RAM laptop under $300 and thanks to Black Friday laptop deals, HP has this laptop available for $300. Everywhere else, it’s over $300, but the specs justify the asking price.

It’s got 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD, and IPS display, all powered by an AMD 3020e chip. That AMD chip is the reason for this laptop’s higher price. But, it does bring better performance than the class average Intel Celeron N4020. In comparison, it’s 9% faster than the Celeron N4020. And that’s why we think this is the best 300 dollar laptop you can get right now.

But, you will have to compromise on the display. It has a 14-inch display with a 1366 x 768 resolution. The thin side bezels increase the viewing area, but the fact remains that it’s a dull display.

It does have a hint of gaming prowess though. It won’t make the ‘best gaming laptops under 300’ list, but it’s got enough power for some light games.

Tech Specs

• CPU: AMD 3020e
• GPU: AMD Radeon Graphics
• RAM: 8GB DDR4
• Storage: 128GB SSD
  Battery Life: 7 Hours

Price: Around $380 On Amazon | $300 On HP | $360 On Walmart

Buyer’s Guide – What Should A Laptop Under $300 Offer? 

For a laptop under 300, your expectations might be low but don’t end up buying a cheap laptop. $300 is still a lot of money, and there are plenty of quality 300 dollar laptops out there, case in point, our 10 suggestions.

However, for any reason, if you don’t find the right laptop here, you should know some important tips before you start looking elsewhere. So, keep these few tips in mind, and spend your hard-earned money wisely.

CPU

CPU is an integral part of any laptop, no matter how cheap or premium-priced it is. So, straight away check out the CPU chip. There’s a high chance that you’ll have to suffice with an Intel Celeron processor or an AMD Ryzen 3 chip. Don’t expect an i3 or i5 laptop for under 300 dollars, unless you are willing to go for a renewed product.

Storage & RAM

This is where brands cut the costs with their $300 laptops and you will feel the cost cuts no matter what.

It’s highly unlikely to find an 8GB RAM laptop under 300. Most have 4GB or 6GB, with 6GB models mostly custom-made ones. All-in-all 4GB is what you’ll commonly find and as long as it’s DDR4, it’s good enough for decent computing and multitasking.

Storage, on the other hand, offers more freedom of choice. You can get anywhere between 32GB to 128GB storage space on the best laptop under 300. You just need to decide between eMMC, SSD, or HDD storage type. SSD is the fastest, eMMC should be Plan B, and avoid HDD entirely if possible.

Battery Life

The best laptops under 300 have above average battery timings. The lowest we found was 7 hours. So, if you come across a $300 laptop that can’t last that long, know that there are better options out there.

There are other choices available as well in terms of display quality and screen sizes. You can get HD as well as FHD laptops under 300, ranging from 11.6-inch to 15.6-inch. That’s all a matter of preference, but these 3 basics mentioned above are a necessity.

Conclusion

We would like to conclude this article by addressing a prominent absentee in our list. Maybe you noticed already, but there are no Dell laptops on here. That’s because we couldn’t find any Dell laptops under 300, on any major online platform.

There are plenty of renewed Dell laptops, but we aren’t too sure about those. We did find this Cyber Monday deal on Dell Inspiron 15 3000.