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11 Best Laptops Under $200 Reviews in 2023 | Top Budget Options

11 Top Picks

1 Reviewer

50 Hours of Research

25 Options Considered

Finding the best laptop under $200 is really difficult in the age of consumer tech and portability, especially when everything is stored on the cloud’, people have neither the time nor the energy to walk around with a big bulky laptop. The case is more or less the same for individuals who have a PC at home but simply find it convenient to travel with a smaller system. There is also the case that students who prefer a smaller PC do their school work with convenience and fit in their dorm. However you look at it; small, quality laptops are becoming more and more desirable.

11 Top Laptops Under 200 Dollars

[Best Overall]

This laptop has an Intel Celeron N4020 Processor with high processing speed, 4GB LPDDR4 memory, 128GB SSD storage, and a powerful battery that lasts more than five hours.

5.0/5

  • A slim, lightweight design
  • Rich input ports
  • Powerful battery

[Best for the Money]

This Samsung Chromebook is a slim, sleek PC with a trendy design. The laptop has a relatively big 15.6 inches screen, that I find ideal for gaming, work, and multitasking operations.

4.9/5

  • High screen resolution
  • High-speed processor
  • Ideal for multitasking and playing games

[Best For Business]

A 14 inches screen offers enough space for multitasking and gaming needs. It has a powerful Intel Celeron N4000 2-Core for fast processing speed, enhancing the performance.

4.8/5

  • Large screen
  • Fast processing speed for enhanced responsiveness
  • Supports the renewed Chrome Operating System

I’ve tested the laptop and found it to be fully functional. It's in perfect working condition. Other than my personal inspection, other experts have also inspected for quality and performance. 

4.7/5

  • High processing speed
  • A backlit keyboard enhances the laptop's appearance
  • High memory capacity to eliminate lag

This is a high-performing budget laptop I have ever come across in the current market. The first feature that impressed me was the Windows 11 support.

4.6/5

  • Large space for multitasking and my gaming needs
  • Powerful battery for longer life
  • Rich input connectivity lets me connect it to multiple devices.

This laptop has been inspected by professionals for quality, thus guaranteeing top performance in various application fields and a powerful CPU with high processing speed for enhanced performance.

4.5/5

  • Thin and lightweight design
  • Excellent viewing angles
  • The touchscreen interface is easy to use

The power of the Asus Chromebook for less than 200$ laptop (32GB Flash Storage, 4 GB DDR3 RAM ) is truly amazing. It promises 10 hours of battery life and comes equipped with a Gigabit Dual-Band 802.11AC ultra-fast Wi-Fi.

4.4/5

  • Easy viewing
  • Fast and snappy performance
  • A spill resistant keyboard

The manufacturers say the Samsung Chromebook 2 is designed with built-in security features to protect your laptop from viruses and malware and also automatically installs updates for Chrome OS and web apps.

4.3/5

  • 11 hours battery  life
  • Good for streaming
  • Easy to use

It has a design that is similar to the C200, except that it is thinner, more lightweight (2 pounds) and encased in a smooth navy blue matte plastic that makes it look good to the Chromebook.

4.2/5

  • Perfect keyboard size
  • Long lasting battery life
  • Perfect for students

It comes preloaded with Windows 10 which comes preloaded with Office 365 and a personal subscription for OneDrive for one year.

4.1/5

  • Nice design
  • It comes equipped with a 32 GB Solid State Drive
  • Perfect for school

The manufacturer boasts that the 8.5 hours of battery life helps the user to“power through both work and play” and customers have agreed. 

4.1/5

  • Ability to run Ubuntu
  • 8 hours long battery life
  • Good for both work and play

Which laptops under $200 retain the quality necessary for smooth operation? Thankfully, several brands offer that same quality portable laptop at a cheaper rate. So what is the best laptop under 200 dollars in 2023?

Best Cheap Laptops Under $200

CHUWI HeroBook Air 11.6" Windows 10 Laptop is a much more affordable laptop with several entry-level features to enhance performance. It has an Intel Celeron Processor with high processing speed, 4GB LPDDR4 memory, 128GB SSD storage, and more than five hours of battery life. It was the ideal option as I wanted a laptop on a budget.

Features

CHUWI HeroBook Air 11.6” Windows 10 Laptop has the following features:

  • An 11.6 inches screen provides enough space allowing me to perform various applications.

  • Supports Windows 10 Operating System with several features to enhance my performance.

  • A slim design that is lightweight for portability.

  • A powerful Intel Celeron Processor N4020 processor with a frequency of 1.10GHz up to 2.80 GHz (2 Cores and 4M Cache) for top-speed processing.

  • A webcam that allows me to record a live video, hold video conference meetings, etc.

  • A brightness peak of 220 nits.

  • An aspect ratio of 16:10 for an extended view.

  • The screen resolution of 1366 x 768 gives me a quality image display.

  • An Intel UHD Graphics 600 GPU for quality graphics rendering.

  • A 4 GB LPDDR4 RAM and 128 GB solid-state disk for lag-free operation and saving my files.

  • A Micro SD card slot where I can insert a 128 GB card.

  • A sturdy battery of 36.48Wh for long-life usage, making it ideal for traveling, students, and online remote learning.

  • Supports Bluetooth 4.2 and Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n connectivity technologies.

  • One USB 3.0, one USB 2.0, and one HDMI 1.4b input port allow me to connect it to multiple devices.

  • Measures 10.9 x 7.5 x 0.7 inches and has an average weight of 1.98 lbs.

Pros

  • A slim, lightweight laptop for portability thus I can carry it easily
  • Rich input ports that allow me to connect it to multiple devices.
  • Powerful battery to last longer without recharge
  • Powerful processor for improved processing speed

Cons

  • The laptop's screen limited me from some applications like gaming and multitasking needs.

The 2022 Acer 15.6" FHD IPS Touchscreen Chromebook is a slim, sleek PC with a trendy design. The 15.6-inch laptop is ideal for gaming, work, and mofre demanding tasks. It also features a Dual-Core N Intel Celeron Processor, with a frequency of up to 2.50GHz for top-speed processing. Its 4 GB memory and 32 GB SSD storage ensure lag-free gaming and storage of my files.

Features

2022 Acer 15.6" FHD IPS Touchscreen Chromebook has the following features.

  • A 15.6 inches screen, provides enough space for daily computing tasks and my gaming needs.
  • Has ultra-fast Wi-Fi for internet browsing
  • The Dual-Core N Intel Celeron Processor with a 2.50GHz speed ensures efficient and top-speed processing improving my productivity.
  • A 4 GB DDR4 RAM and 32 GB SSD storage for storing my files.
  • A Full HD PC with a screen resolution of ‎1920 x 1080 Pixels for quality image display
  • Measures ‎15.47 x 11.38 x 3.43 inches and has an average weight of 4.91 lbs

Pros

  • High screen resolution for a vibrant image display
  • Slim and lightweight laptop for portability thus I can carry it effortlessly
  • High-speed processor for efficient processing enhancing my productivity.
  • Ideal for multitasking and playing games

Cons

  • The low storage capacity discouraged me

[Best For Business]

4.8/5

The HP Chromebook is a refurbished PC with fully functional features.  It is in perfect working condition because I inspected it and found no trace of cosmetic damage. Other professionals have also inspected and tested it for functionality and quality. 

The laptop is, therefore, safe to use. I was given an assurance on the return policy whereby I could return the laptop if I purchased it and realized it wasn't working properly. In this case, I could replace it with another one or get a refund. However, it should be within 90 days of my purchase for the return policy warrant to be valid. 

Features

HP Chromebook has the following features.

  • A 14 inches screen, offering enough space for multitasking and my gaming needs
  • It has a powerful Intel Celeron Processor N4000 2-Core for fast processing power, enhancing my performance.
  • The Chromebook has 4 GB DDR4 SDRAM RAM and 64 GB eMMC storage to store my files and documents
  • A Full HD PC with a screen resolution of ‎1920 x 1080 Pixels for quality image display
  • Compatible with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity technologies
  • A webcam that allows me to record a live video, hold video conference meetings, etc
  • It supports USB 3.1 input port for external device connection and device charging
  • Uses ‎Intel UHD Graphics 600 Graphics coprocessor for improved quality graphic rendering
  • Supports the renewed Chrome Operating System with the latest and up-to-date features for improved performance
  • Measures ‎9.0 x 13.0 x 1.0 inches and has an average weight of 4.0 lbs
  • A processing speed of 2.6 GHz

Pros

  • Has a larger screen space allowing me to multitask
  • High screen resolution for better quality images
  • Renewed Chrome OS for the latest and quality features that improve my performance
  • Fast processing speed for enhanced responsiveness

Cons

  • The limited input ports limit me from connecting it to multiple devices.

Dell Latitude 12 7000 7280 Notebook is a refurbished Windows 10 laptop. However, I’ve tested this i5 laptop and found it to be fully functional. Besides, it is in perfect working condition. Other than my personal inspection, other experts have also inspected for quality and performance. I found this 12.5-inch laptop a beast performer in not only gaming but also other application fields. It also features renewed Windows 10 Pro that has several improved features for enhanced performance.

Features

Dell Latitude 12 7000 7280 Notebook has the following features.

  • A 12.5 inches screen offers me enough room for writing, editing photos/videos, and working

  • Powerful Intel Core i5-6300U processor with high processing speed enhancing my productivity.

  • An 8 GB DDR4 RAM that ensures a lag-free operation and 256 GB SSD storage to store my files

  • A screen resolution of 1366 x 768 for quality image display

  • A backlit keyboard that makes the laptop more appealing

  • Supports the renewed Windows 10 Pro Operating System with high-end updated features

  • A processing speed of2.4GHz and can extend to 3.0 GHz ensuring I process commands faster

  • An anti-glare LCD screen that prevents my eyes from straining

  • A webcam that allows me to record a live video, hold video conference meetings, etc

  • Supports Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity technologies

  • Measures 8.19 x 12 x 0.67 inches and has an average weight of 2.61 lbs

  • Supports two USB 3.0, one USB Type-C, one HDMI, and one RJ-45 Ethernet Port 

Pros

  • High processing speed for improved performance and responsiveness
  • A backlit keyboard enhances the laptop's appearance, this feature caught my attention
  • High memory capacity to eliminate lag, ensuring smooth operations
  • The renewed Windows 10 Pro has updated features to enhance the laptop's performance

Cons

  • The laptop's screen is non-touch

Windows 11 Laptop 14-inch Ultra-Thin Laptop is a high-performing budget laptop I have ever come across in the current market. The first feature that impressed me was the Windows 11 support. It also has a powerful Intel Celeron Apollo Lake N3350 Processor that ensures a high processing speed. This thin laptop has 4 GB memory and 64 GB eMMC storage. It is ideal laptop for students, work, and the office.

Features

I noted the following outstanding features in Windows 11 Laptop 14-inch Ultra-Thin Laptop:

  • A 14 inches screen gives me enough space for a number of applications.

  • A power supply wattage of 65 Watts, ensuring I achieve high performance.

  • A 12V voltage and 2A amperage.

  • Supports Windows 11, which has high-end improved features, enhancing the laptop's performance.

  • A powerful Intel Celeron Apollo Lake N3350 CPU with a high processing power for my enhanced performance.

  • A 4 GB DDR3 RAM for a lag-free operation and 64 GB eMMC storage to store my files

  • It features a thin, lightweight design that makes it portable

  • One USB 3.0, one USB 2.0, and one Mini HDMI input port for multiple device connectivity

  • Supports Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity technologies

  • A has a robust Intel HD Graphics 500MHZ GPU for quality graphics rendering

  • A powerful battery (8000mAh Capacity) that can last up to 8 hours for my convenience

  • Thin bezels, increase the screen-to-body ratio of the laptop to 88%

  • Measures ‎17.3 x 10.0 x 2.3 inches and has an average weight of 2.53 lbs

Pros

  • Large space for multitasking and my gaming needs
  • Powerful battery for longer life
  • Rich input connectivity lets me connect it to multiple devices.

Cons

  • The laptop's low contrast ratio discouraged me.

Newest Gateway Touchscreen 11.6 HD 2-in-1 Convertible Laptop is a refurbished Windows 10 S laptop. Nevertheless, this laptop is fully functional and in perfect working condition. I noticed no trace of scratch or material wear. 

Moreover, this touchscreen laptop has been inspected by professionals for quality, thus guaranteeing top performance in various application fields and a powerful CPU with high processing speed for enhanced performance.

Features

The Newest Gateway Touchscreen 11.6 HD 2-in-1 Convertible Laptop has the following features.

  • An 11.6 inches screen

  • An Intel Celeron N4020 processor with a frequency of 1.1 GHz to 2.8 GHz for boosting speed. This feature boosted my productivity.

  • A 4 GB DDR4 RAM for a lag-free operation and 64 GB eMMc SSD storage to store my files

  • A Micro SD slot that lets me insert 512 GB of storage

  • A webcam that lets me host video conferencing and online zoom classes

  • Supports the renewed Windows 10 S Operating System with high-end and improved features for better performance. I can upgrade the OS to Windows 11 for free

  • The laptop is ultra-thin with a lightweight design to enhance portability

  • It features an LCD IPS display with accurate color reproduction and excellent viewing angles

  • A high 1366 x 768 screen resolution for quality image display

  • A touchscreen interface that presents me with an easy way to navigate the laptop

  • Compatible with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity technologies

  • One mini HDMI port, one USB 2.0, and one USB 3.0 output port for multiple device connectivity.

  • Measures ‎17.76 x 11.3 x 3.5 inches and has an average weight of 3.89 lbs

Pros

  • I liked the thin and lightweight design that makes it portable.
  • Has accurate color reproduction and excellent viewing angles
  • I find the touchscreen interface is easy to use
  • Rich output ports for multiple device connectivity

Cons

  • Its limited space limited me on the number of files and documents I saved.
 ASUS Chromebook-Laptop- 11.6"

The power of the Asus Chromebook for less than 200$ laptop (32GB Flash Storage, 4 GB DDR3 RAM ) is truly amazing . This budget friendly laptop promises 10 hours of battery life and comes equipped with a Gigabit Dual-Band 802.11AC ultra-fast Wi-Fi.

Unlike the HP Stream however, the Asus Chromebook cannot install Microsoft Office Software. Instead, it allows you to open and edit office files using the embedded QuickOffice or even Google Docs. It also comes equipped with a 11.6″ HD (1366x768) Anti-Glare Display, a HD Webcam; 2 USB 3.0, HDMI, SD Card Reader and Bluetooth 4.0.

For just under $200, the Asus Chromebook offers exactly what you would expect in a model of its size: a reasonably sized screen, a good backlit keyboard and trackpad as well as a sturdy build. Depending on the intensity of the work you are doing, it also lives up to its promise of 10 hours of battery life and in some cases, offering even 16 hours.

 Samsung Chromebook 3

The Samsung Chromebook 2 is the cheapest laptop under 200 dollars in 2023. At approximately 2 pounds, this best laptop under 200 comes with the Google Chrome Operating System Pre installed, an 11.6-inch LED HD display and an Intel processor.

This Samsung Chromebook also includes USB 2.0 and 3.0 ports, an HDMI port, a microSD card slot, and a headset port with 2 GB of system memory and 16 GB of storage. It also comes equipped with AirDroid Premium, Wunderlist Pro, and Little Bridge Software.

The manufacturers say the Chromebook 2 is designed with built-in security features to protect your laptop from viruses and malware and also automatically installs updates for Chrome OS and web apps.

Every customer's interest always revolves around the size of the laptop itself as well as the quality of the screen. Although easy to use and similar to the size of other Chromebooks, the Samsung Chromebook 2 has been likened to a tablet, offering average screen quality.

 ASUS C201PA-DS02

This mini laptops under 200$ is powered by rock chip 3288-c 1.8 GHz Quad-Core processor, which makes its performance incredible. It has a design that is similar to the C200, except that it is thinner, more lightweight laptop (2 pounds) and encased in a smooth navy blue matte plastic that makes it look good to the Chromebook. You may have noted that the RAM is upgraded to 4 GB, which makes it a little bit pricier than the one with 2GB RAM.

For the price, Asus laptops under 200 are superbly well-built devices. About its battery life, it lasts for an incredible 13 hours. The track is responsive as we all expect from all Chrome Operating system Devices. The display is a 1366×768 HD panel, which is more reflective than the matte coated screens you will get from devices of its price range.

4.1/5

HP Stream 11-r010nr 11.6-Inch Notebook

The HP Stream 11 has earned its place on the list of the best laptops under $200, quality laptops. It comes preloaded with Windows 10 which comes preloaded with Office 365 and a personal subscription for OneDrive for one year.

Although it has no optical drive, it does come equipped with a 32 GB Solid State Drive and an 11.6 inch 1366×768 pixel LED-lit Screen. The HP Stream 11 also features 2 GB SDRAM and an Intel Celeron N3050 1.6 GHz Processor.

The processor speed of the HP Stream 11, although leaving something to be desired, is quite good for a $200 laptop especially considering that the gaming laptops that have a better processor cost under $600. The speed of the processor also depends on the programs that have been downloaded onto the system. In many cases, It’s for the best to uninstall some of the original programs to benefit from the maximum speed of the computer.

The change in speed will increase the overall performance significantly.

4.0/5

 Acer Chromebook

The Asus Chromebook includes the inability to install the standard MicroSoft Office Software. However, along with its Intel Celeron 2.16 GHz Processor and 2 GB DDR3L SDRAM, it does allow the user to open and edit office files using the QuickOffice editor or through Google Docs.

The manufacturer boasts that the 8.5 hours of battery life helps the user to“power through both work and play” and customers have agreed. They report that it has lasted the full day in some circumstances, including hours of classes, streaming and binge-watching movies on Netflix, and web browsing capabilities.

A nice advantage of this quality mini laptop under $100 is that it can run other operating systems such as Ubuntu alongside the Chrome OS using a simple key command to switch between them. The ability to run Ubuntu also comes with the opportunity to access LibreOffice and all the other free applications Linux offers.

Is Windows 10 Better Than Chrome OS For Budget Laptops?

With laptops under $200, you're going to either have to get a Chromebook or a Windows 10 laptop. Both operating systems are optimized for performance with lower-end hardware, but with Windows 10 S, you can run programs that Chrome can't like Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

 That said, Google has its own substitutes for that with Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides, and converting the files between the two formats is easy. Chrome OS being more locked down also makes it a better option for kids and school usage since it's less prone to viruses or being exposed to unknown downloads.

How to Choose the Best Cheap, Quality Laptop For You

Whenever you decide that it is time to invest in a great laptop, the best thing you can do is consider your needs and then determine what would be the best solution to your problem. This includes comparing the level of work that is needed to be done with the offerings of each operating system.

In the case of the cheapest, quality laptops, you need to first decide on the operating system that best fits you. The next step is to determine the perfect size for the work that needs to be done. If you are absolutely certain you want to get a small laptop, make sure you consider that there are different variations. For instance, the HP Stream has two choices; 11.3 inches and 11.6 inches. And of course, one of (if not arguably THE) most important things to consider is a budget for you laptop. Determine how much money you are willing to spend and what aspects of a regular laptop you are willing to forfeit to meet that budget.

Is an Under $200 Laptop a Good Fit to Your Lifestyle?


Thanks to low-cost components (that still manage to be high-quality) and
manufacturers who prioritize cost-effectiveness, the marketplace now offers
several laptops that cost under $200 or thereabouts. But how far will such
products benefit you?

Well, they are likely to adapt to your lifestyle if you come
under one of these user groups:

  • Students: Do you use your laptop primarily for note-taking and homework
    assignments? These laptops can be excellent choices, saving you
    precious dollars that can go toward numerous other college expenses.
    (Note: This won’t work if you are majoring in arts, software development,
    or any other course that demands you to perform CPU-intensive
    operations on your computer.)
  • Professionals: Unless you are a creative professional, a techie, or
    someone who must run complicated software regularly, these basic
    laptops are good enough for regular needs like checking e-mail, browsing
    the internet, and taking voice or video calls.
  • Travelers: Since these laptops focus the most on portability and ease of
    use, they will be perfect travel companions. You can carry them on
    vacations, using them to stay connected, entertained, and backed up.

Final Word on Best Laptops Under $200

Finding the best laptop under $200 is not that hard. While none of the laptops mentioned above can offer much competition to more expensive, quality systems like Apple and their Macbook, they each have a feature that makes them a viable option for an on the go laptop. While the selection of laptops shown above may be on the list of the laptops under 200, they also offer the perfect balance between portability, performance and usability. All in all, they are the best budget laptops under $200 in 2023.

FAQs

1. What is difference between laptop and Chromebook?

Unlike a regular laptop, a Chromebook relies more on cloud storage for files rather than local storage. It's also worth noting that many times storage and memory are soldered on and can't be upgraded after the fact so you might want to plan ahead.

2. How much should I pay for a basic laptop?

If you want a cheap new laptop for basic productivity tasks and occasional or lighter use and aren't overly concerned about performance, weight or excellent battery life, you can find sub-$500 budget laptops.

3. What lasts longer Chromebook or laptop?

Windows laptops and Chromebooks often have similar hardware, so neither has a major advantage in reliability. Most laptops will last several years without issue, at the least, and some survive a decade or more. Chromebooks tend to ship with less powerful hardware, which might make them feel obsolete more quickly.

4. Does a Chromebook do everything a laptop does?

Chromebooks aren't for everyone, but they probably are for you. Android apps that can be found on Google Play Store make a remarkable difference in what a Chromebook can do and, for most people they mean a Chromebook can do everything you currently do on your laptop running Windows.

About Dusan Stanar

I'm the founder of VSS Monitoring. I have been both writing and working in technology in a number of roles for dozens of years and wanted to bring my experience online to make it publicly available. Visit https://www.vssmonitoring.com/about-us/ to read more about myself and the rest of the team.