Best Cheap Laptops Under 300: A laptop under $300 for January 2023? A real laptop? Is that really possible and if so would it be useful or is it just a cheap flimsy toy? This category contains a lot of Chromebooks and some laptops that are at their most basic level. The Chromebook and the tablet have really taken over for the netbook and have pretty much eliminated the netbook well at least as a name for a product. The laptops at this level are fully featured with standard-sized screens, have low amounts of memory, and have lower-powered processors, They can do all that is required of a laptop but do have limitations.

Best Budget Laptops Under 300 Dollars

Chromebooks are essentially netbooks that are based on the Chrome OS which is really based on the Chrome browser. The OS does manage the hardware but the way you use the computer is more akin to using a browser than using a traditional OS like Windows. It is basically used to connect to the internet and then once there it uses Google servers and software to create documents, browse the net, buy stuff, and play games.

Read More: Best Gaming Laptops Under 500

You cannot install programs like iTunes or Microsoft Office but you use Google services to create documents and download music. If you can accept those limitations then you will find them useful but if you want a computer that you can install programs, want to use iTunes, or need to install Microsoft Office, or install games you will not be able to do it.

Cheap Laptops Under 300

The laptops in this category will let you do all that and feature 14” and 15” screens that are larger than most Chromebooks. Most of them run Windows 8 and some have touchscreens. In order to come in laptops under 300 they will have the least powerful processor that they can have but will have 2 GB of memory. The hard drive will be the smallest available. You can add memory at a later date to make them more useful. They are just like any Windows computer and you can install what you want to it and enjoy it.

Laptops Under $300 2023

10. ASUS 1015E-DS01-PK 10.1-Inch Laptop (Pink)

This little powerhouse has Windows 8 installed. The ASUS 1015E-DS01-PK 10.1-Inch Laptop (Pink) has Ubuntu installed and is cheaper than the DS01 due to the cost of the Windows 8 license. The laptop comes in black plastic and has a good 11.6” screen with a 1368 x 768 resolution. It has the Intel Celeron 847 dual-core processor that is featured in many of these bargain laptops. There are 2GB of RAM for web browsing and your programs. It does not have a CD drive like all the other Chromebooks. The battery life on the unit is between 7 – 8 hours so a lot can be done before the unit has to be charged.

It has a 320 GB hard drive that will allow you to store a lot of music and videos and also features 32 GB of Asus cloud storage free for three years. For additional storage, it does feature an SD/MMC card reader that will allow the transfer of files between your other toys. Weighing in at 2.6 lbs it does feature a full keyboard that will allow for full productivity in a light package.

It is fully WiFi capable. The 1015E has 2 USB 2.0 and 1 USB 3.0 connector which allow fast transfer of files due to being 10x faster than 2.0. It has VGA and HDMI outs for video and an ethernet port so that you can enjoy the higher speed of a cabled connection to the internet.

9. HP Chromebook 14-c050 (Sparkling Black)

The HP Chromebook 14-c050 (Sparkling Black) brings the Google Chrome OS to a full-sized laptop from HP. You can easily get to the internet and Google cloud with this laptop. The OS is constantly updated and becomes more useful daily. The first Chromebook with a 14″ screen and 1366 x 768 resolution, gives you a full-sized experience while still remaining easily mobile.

The Intel Celeron 847 processor and 4 GB of RAM can provide enough horsepower for normal web browsing, music, video, and light games. The battery life is good at 4.25 hours. The weight is still just 4 pounds despite the larger screen.

It has a full-sized keyboard and is easy to type with and the touchpad is responsive with loud clicking sounds for left and right-clicking. There is a 16 GB SSD hard drive that holds the Chrome OS and you get 100 GB of storage free for 2 years for all your music, videos, and pictures. It has a webcam for face-to-face communication. It has good stereo speakers, an HDMI port, a combo microphone/headphone jack, 3 USB 2.0 ports, an SD card reader for more storage, WiFi, and Bluetooth. It does not have a CD/DVD drive which is common in Chromebooks.

8. ASUS VivoBook X200CA-DB01T 11.6-Inch Touchscreen Laptop (Black)

The ASUS VivoBook X200CA-DB01T 11.6-Inch Touchscreen Laptop (Black) is the first Windows 8 touchscreen available under $300 and packs a lot into a small package. It features the Intel Celeron 1007U dual-core processor which is one of the most powerful in its class. The spacious 320 GB hard drive will give you plenty of storage and also features 3 GB of Asus cloud storage free for three years. The X200CA-DB01T comes with 2 GB DDR 3 RAM which should be enough for browsing and watching videos.

There is also a full-size keyboard that will work well for most except those with the largest fingers. It gives you the best of both worlds, typing, and touch, on an 11.6” screen with 1368 x 768 resolution which is in line with all the other laptops in this price range. It does not have a CD drive like all the laptops in this price range. The battery life on the unit is around 5 hours which covers most plane rides.

For additional storage, it does feature an SD/MMC card reader that will allow the transfer of files between your electronics. Weighing in at 2.6 lbs it will be a light add-on to your life. It is fully WiFi capable. The X200CA-DB01T has one USB 3.0 connector which allows fast transfer of files due to being 10x faster than its 2 USB 2.0 connectors. It has VGA and HDMI outs for video and an ethernet port so that you can enjoy the higher speed of a cabled connection to the internet. All in all, it is a very capable unit in a small package.

7. Acer C710-2834 11.6-Inch Chromebook (Iron Gray)

The Iron Gray plastic of the Acer C710-2834 11.6-Inch Chromebook (Iron Gray) doesn’t provide the eye candy that the Samsung and HP Chromebooks but does provide a solid base for a sturdy system. They do a boot in seconds, are always updated, you can access your own personal 100 GB home in the cloud, access thousands of Google Chrome Store apps, and are safe from viruses and malware.

They do have less battery life (3 – 4 hours) mostly due to their more capable Intel® Celeron® Processor 1007U (1.5GHz, 2MB L3 cache). It does also need a fan to cool that processor and that makes the system louder than the competing Chromebooks. The Acer C710-2834 11.6-Inch Chromebook (Iron Gray) has a 16 GB SSD hard drive and uses 2 GB DDR 3 RAM for web pages, videos, and pictures.

The hardware is easily accessed and the system can be upgraded much easier than Samsung or HP’s. Hard drives can be changed and the memory can be upgraded. It comes with the same 11.6” screen at 1368 x 768 resolution but instead of it having a matte finish to lower glare it comes with a reflective finish that gives it a brighter picture but there will always be a battle with glare.

It also has a full-sized keyboard so there will not be cramped mistake prone typing. There are 3 USB connectors, one VGA out and an HDMI out for video, an SD card reader, ethernet, and wireless, with a webcam and a microphone, and an earphone jack.

6. Acer C710-2847 11.6-Inch Chromebook 

The Acer C710-2834 11.6-Inch Chromebook (Iron Gray) is like all the other members of the C710 class with a utilitarian Iron Gray plastic shell that is sturdy and functional. It boots in seconds quickly updates and has access to 100 GB of the Google cloud. The Intel Celeron processor 847 and 2 GB DDR 3 allow for brisk viewing of web pages, videos, and pictures. It does use the Google OS.

There is a fan to cool the Intel processor and it makes it noisier than the HP and Samsung Chromebooks. It has a 16 GB SSD hard drive and uses 2 GB DDR 3 RAM for web pages, videos, and pictures. The hardware is easily accessed and the system can be upgraded much easier than Samsung or HP’s. Hard drives can be changed and the memory can be upgraded.

It comes with the same 11.6” screen at 1368 x 768 resolution but instead of it having a matte finish to lower glare it comes with a reflective finish that gives it a brighter picture but there will always be a battle with glare. It also has a full-sized keyboard so there will not be cramped mistake prone typing. There are 3 USB connectors, one VGA out and an HDMI out for video, an SD card reader, ethernet, and wireless, with a webcam and a microphone, and an earphone jack.

5. Acer C720 Chromebook (11.6-Inch, Haswell micro-architecture, 4GB)

The Acer C720 Chromebook (11.6-Inch, Haswell micro-architecture, 4GB) is the most current of the Acer line of Chromebooks. It features the energy-saving Intel Haswell Celeron 2955U processor extends the battery life to over 8 hours and is the fastest processor among the Chromebooks under $300. It also features 4 GB of DDR 3 RAM. It will surely allow you to browse the web, stream movies, and play light games. The 11.6” screen has an anti-glare 1366 x 768 screen that is good for the web, video, and documents. There is also an HD webcam with an internal digital microphone that will give clear audio and video chats.

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The C720 features a 16 SSD HD and also has 100 GB of cloud space from Google which is free for the first two years. The ports feature and 3.5mm audio jack, one 2.0 USB port, one USB 3.0 port for fast data transfer, an HDMI port, and a multimedia card reader slot that supports 64 GB of mobile personal storage. Other features are Bluetooth, dual standard stereo speakers for audio, and Acer InviLink Nplify 802.11a/b/g/n wireless LAN for internet connection. The processor and the 4 GB of memory will probably be the standard for Chromebooks for 2014.

4. HP Chromebook 11 (White/Blue)

It’s hard not to be struck by the sleek attractiveness of the HP Chromebook 11 (White/Blue) when you first open it with the great keyboard and the white plastic reinforced with a magnesium shell. Within seconds it is booted into the Chrome OS and is ready to go. It has great sound from under the keyboard but it can be muffled by using the keyboard as you listen. The processor is usually used in phones so it can be charged from a USB mini adapter instead of a special laptop adapter.

It is either white with splashes of colors or jet black. The screen has a size of 11.6” with a resolution of 1368 x 768 which is bright and has good viewing angles and is probably the best of the low-end Chromebooks. It is not matted and you will have to contend with glare.

It has an Exynos 5250 processor that is mostly used in telephones and tablets but does provide enough power for average browsing and video. It has 2 GB of DDR 3 which is now the average load for a Chromebook. It does feature 2 USB 2.0 connectors, a mic/headphone jack, and the mini USB/import connector. As usual, there is the 100 GB of Google cloud storage, the 12 GoGo in air wireless, a 60-day free trial with Google Play Music All Access, and $9.99 per month after that.

The laptop is good for web viewing and can handle video but it is limited by the processor and the amount of memory that it contains and as time goes by it will be slightly underpowered compared to some of the current Chromebooks and newer ones to come like the Acer C720

3. ASUS 1015E-DS03 10.1-Inch Laptop ( Black )

The ASUS 1015E-DS03 10.1-Inch Laptop ( Black ) comes with Ubuntu and the 1015E-DS01 comes with Windows 8. The Windows 8 license makes the 1015E-DS01 more expensive than the 1015E-DS03 but both still come in under $300. Ubuntu may take a little time to learn but it is a fully featured operating system that is lightweight and fast. The laptop comes in black plastic and has a good 11.6” screen with a 1368 x 768 resolution.

It has the Intel Celeron 847 dual-core processor that is featured in many of these bargain laptops. There are 2GB of RAM for web browsing and your programs. It does not have a CD drive like the other Chromebooks. The battery life on the unit is between 7 – 8 hours so a lot can be done before the unit has to be charged.

It has a 320 GB hard drive that will allow you to store a lot of music and videos and also features 32 GB of Asus cloud storage free for three years. For additional storage, it does feature an SD/MMC card reader that will allow the transfer of files between your other toys. Weighing in at 2.6 lbs it does feature a full keyboard that will allow for full productivity in a light package. It is fully WiFi capable. The 1015E has 2 USB 2.0 and 1 USB 3.0 connector which allow fast transfer of files due to being 10x faster than 2.0. It has VGA and HDMI outs for video and an ethernet port so that you can enjoy the higher speed of a cabled connection to the internet.

2. Acer C710-2833 11.6-Inch Chromebook – Iron Gray (16GB SSD)

The Acer C710-2833 11.6-Inch Chromebook – Iron Gray (16GB SSD) is like all the other members of the C710 class with an Iron Gray plastic shell that is sturdy and functional. It boots in seconds are quickly updated, is protected from viruses and malware, and has access to 100 GB of the Google cloud. The Intel Celeron processor 847 and 2 GB DDR 3 allow you to view web pages, videos, and pictures easily. It does use Google Chrome OS. It is louder than the other Chromebooks due to the fan required by its Intel Celeron 847 dual-core processor to minimize heat. It has a 16 GB SSD hard drive and uses 2 GB DDR 3 RAM for web pages, videos, and pictures.

The hardware is easily accessed and the system can be upgraded much easier than Samsung or HP’s. Hard drives can be changed and the memory can be upgraded. It comes with the same 11.6” screen at 1368 x 768 resolution but instead of it having a matte finish to lower glare it comes with a reflective finish that gives it a brighter picture but there will always be a battle with glare. It also has a full-sized keyboard so typing will be easy for most people. There are 3 USB 2.0 connectors, one VGA and one HDMI out for video, an SD card reader, ethernet and wireless, a webcam, and a microphone and earphone jack.

1. Samsung Chromebook (Wi-Fi, 11.6-Inch)

The Samsung Chromebook (Wi-Fi, 11.6-Inch) is the top-of-the-line Chromebook out right now. It boots in seconds is always updated, lasts well over 6 hours on battery, can access your own personal 100 GB space in the cloud, has thousands of apps, and they are safe from viruses and malware. If you have used the Chrome browser then you are ready to use the Samsung Chromebook. The processor is a Samsung Exynos 5250 Dual Core Processor that is also used in phones and tablets.

It has a matted 11.6” screen at a good resolution of 1368 x 768 with good viewing angles. It has 16 GB of storage but again you can access up to 100 GB online. It has 2 GB of DDR3 memory good for active internet browsing and watching videos. The keyboard is full-sized and adapted to fully using the Google ecosystem of apps and storage.

Everything you create can be safely left in the cloud for access not just on this Chromebook but any other internet-ready device that you own. It weighs just 2.4 pounds and is small. It is easy to carry and bring along in your life ready to work in seconds and everything can be stored in the cloud so you can access it anywhere and collaborate freely with others. This is the Chromebook that all other Chromebooks are measured against.

Conclusion

The above list is the Budget list of Best laptops under 300 dollars added after checking all reviews and Feedback, so you will go for it without any problems.