There is an opinion that only insolvent people can afford to buy cheap things. This also applies to buying a laptop, because any cheap product is often not very high quality and does not last as long as we would like. However, this does not mean that in order to buy a good laptop, you need to buy equipment for hundreds of thousands. Due to the large number of models, choose a cheap laptop in the price range up to 350 $ becomes a rather daunting task. Therefore, the best laptops before 350 $, which makes sense to purchase for this money. So, let's take a look at the TOP mid-range devices suitable for most everyday tasks.
- Best Laptops Ranked Before 350 $
- 1. DELL Inspiron 3595
- 2. ASUS Laptop 15 X509UJ-EJ048
- 3.HP 15-db1144ur
- 4. Acer Aspire 3 (A315-42G-R0UP)
- 5.HP 15-db0437ur
- 6. Acer TravelMate P2 TMP259-M-33JK
- 7. Lenovo IdeaPad L340-15API
- 8. ASUS VivoBook 15 X540UA-DM597
- 9. DELL INSPIRON 3585 (AMD Ryzen 3 2300U 2000 MHz / 15.6 ″ / 1366 × 768 / 4GB / 1000GB HDD / DVD no / AMD Radeon Vega 6 / Wi-Fi / Bluetooth / Linux)
- 10. Lenovo Ideapad 330 17 Intel
- 11. Acer ASPIRE ES1-732
Best Laptops Ranked Before 350 $
In the question of which laptop to choose the best option in terms of quality-price ratio are models in the price range 280–350 $... This includes a large number of middle-class devices from most well-known computer manufacturers.
1. DELL Inspiron 3595
The rating is opened by an inexpensive but good laptop made by DELL. The Inspiron 3595 can be recommended for schoolchildren and students who mainly work with text, simple tables and digital copies of educational materials. The laptop is equipped with a simple AMD A9 processor with integrated Radeon R5 graphics. A high-quality DELL laptop received 1 TB storage (hard drive with a rotation speed of 5400 rpm) and 4 GB of RAM. Matrix Inspiron 3595 is simple - TN with a resolution of 1366 × 768 pixels. For its money, the laptop also offers Windows 10 Home, which will appeal to users who do not want to bother installing the OS on their own.
Advantages:
- low cost;
- high-quality assembly;
- pre-installed OS;
- roomy disk.
Disadvantages:
- not for difficult tasks;
- mediocre screen.
2. ASUS Laptop 15 X509UJ-EJ048
The combination of price and quality makes the ASUS Laptop 15 one of the best options to buy. The laptop is offered in several modifications, among which the youngest one - X509UJ-EJ048, got into our TOP. It uses an energy efficient Intel Pentium 4417U processor, equipped with 2 cores with a frequency of 2.3 GHz. RAM is only 4 GB (maximum supported 12 GB).
The manufacturer chose discrete graphics - GeForce MX230 from NVIDIA. Of course, it is not suitable for games, but the comfort from using a laptop increases significantly. This also applies to the fast M.2 drive with a capacity of 256 gigabytes. It is possible to read memory cards, but note that only micro SD flash drives are supported.
Advantages:
- memory expands easily;
- compact power supply;
- the convenience of the keyboard;
- the possibility of an upgrade;
- light weight;
- narrow bezels around the screen.
Disadvantages:
- not the best quality of plastic;
- autonomy is not impressive.
3.HP 15-db1144ur
One of the best laptops within 350 $ offered by HP. Modification 15-db1144ur is equipped with a modern Ryzen 3200U processor. Buyers note that it is quite productive, but, at the same time, relatively cold. This made it possible to equip the device with a quiet (even under high load) cooling system.
Alas, you can expand the standard storage by 256 GB either by replacing the SSD with another drive, or with the help of the manufacturer's service center specialists.
The interface set of a laptop from HP can be called minimal sufficient: on the right side there is a full-fledged card reader, a Kensington lock, and USB 2.0; on the left side there is also a pair of USB ports, but already of the 3.1 standard, a combined 3.5 mm jack, a jack for charging and LAN. Of course, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth modules are in place.
Advantages:
- high quality SVA display;
- effective cooling;
- AMD hardware platform;
- energy efficiency;
- quiet work;
- fast SSD M.2;
- stylish white colors.
Disadvantages:
- the complexity of the upgrade;
- non-removable battery.
4.Acer Aspire 3 (A315-42G-R0UP)
The budget-friendly Aspire 3 laptop for schoolchildren is a great choice on a budget. The notebook received an energy efficient Athlon 300U processor equipped with 2 cores with a base and maximum frequency of 2.4 and 3.3 GHz, respectively. AMD equipped the stone with Vega 3 3-core graphics, but in this instance the manufacturer used a Radeon 540X with 8 compute units. Yes, the improvement is not very impressive. However, at low settings and at HD resolution, it will even allow some new items (like Doom Eternal, Control or Borderlands 3) to run. A 128 GB solid-state drive is enough for the user for basic tasks. But 4 GB of RAM may not be enough.
Advantages:
- preinstalled Linux;
- two slots for RAM;
- solid assembly;
- high-quality storage;
- very nice value.
Disadvantages:
- on the screen had to save.
5.HP 15-db0437ur
There are more and more notebooks on the market that are completely built on the hardware platform from AMD. Among them I would like to mention the 15-db0437ur model produced by the American company HP. A 2-core "stone" A4 9125 with Radeon R3 graphics is installed here. They are complemented by high-quality M.2 storage of 128 gigabytes.
Unlike other representatives of the rating, the HP 15-db0437ur laptop is equipped with an 8 gigabyte of RAM out of the box, so there is no need to expand it.
The best budget laptop comes with a 41Wh battery. According to the manufacturer, this is enough for 10 hours of battery life (at low load and average display brightness). The laptop can please with the island keyboard, which is habitually good for the HP brand, with a dedicated numeric block and a good touchpad.
Advantages:
- weight only 1.77 kg;
- high-quality speakers;
- good matrix;
- autonomous work;
- the amount of RAM;
- the possibility of an upgrade.
Disadvantages:
- difficult to understand.
6. Acer TravelMate P2 TMP259-M-33JK
Another cool laptop with an SSD drive from the Acer range. The reviewed model is made of plastic, but thanks to the aluminum coating, the laptop looks more expensive than the declared price and feels more pleasant in work. The cover of the Acer TravelMate P2 has a double-sided decorative "grinding".
The stylish laptop received a SATA solid-state drive. However, the board also has an M.2 slot for faster storage.
One of the most interesting laptops according to reviews is not based on the most recent, but still relevant Intel Core i3-6006U processor. The graphics are built-in (HD 520) and are enough for office-level tasks. The TravelMate P2 case has 3 USB ports at once, one of which is Type-C, as well as two video outputs (VGA and HDMI).
Advantages:
- backlit keyboard;
- fingerprint scanner;
- quick work;
- full-fledged card reader;
- AC Wi-Fi;
- ease of access to internal components;
- space for M.2 storage;
- aluminum coating.
Disadvantages:
- bending panels;
- screen of average quality.
7. Lenovo IdeaPad L340-15API
Lenovo offers a wide range of lightweight notebooks. But among them there was not one who would offer the capabilities of the IdeaPad L340-15API for a similar price. Cool 2-core Ryzen 3 3200U processor with a frequency of 2.6 GHz, L2 and L3 caches of 1 and 4 MB, copes well with the average user activity. Just 4 GB of RAM soldered on the board may not be enough. But expanding it to 16 GB allows a single slot that is easy to get to. For relatively modest money, the IdeaPad L340 offers three USB ports (one of which is Type-C), which comply with the 3.1 standard. Another trump card of the laptop is the FW TPM 2.0 trust platform module.
Advantages:
- reasoned cost;
- excellent equipment;
- you can expand the memory;
- loud speakers;
- combination of price and opportunity;
- ease of disassembly;
- high quality Full HD screen;
- good and not noisy cooling.
Disadvantages:
- only two standard USB.
8. ASUS VivoBook 15 X540UA-DM597
The next step is a very solid laptop with a price of slightly more 350 $... One of its main advantages is hybrid storage: the system and basic programs can be installed on a 128 GB solid-state drive, and documents, films and other data that do not require instant access to be stored on a hard drive (1 TB).
Unfortunately, of the three USB-A ports, only one complies with the 3.0 standard. It can also be disappointing that the laptop only supports microSD memory cards.
The processor from the Skylake-U line does an excellent job of office tasks. In terms of heating, the device is within comfortable limits, and the noise level is not too high. But because of this, the manufacturer failed to make the laptop thin (almost 28 mm thick).
Advantages:
- good performance;
- effective cooling;
- good hardware layout;
- good Full HD display;
- high-quality speakers;
- ergonomics of the keyboard.
Disadvantages:
- rather large thickness;
- two USB 2.0 ports.
9. DELL INSPIRON 3585 (AMD Ryzen 3 2300U 2000 MHz / 15.6 ″ / 1366 × 768 / 4GB / 1000GB HDD / DVD no / AMD Radeon Vega 6 / Wi-Fi / Bluetooth / Linux)
Cool laptop for a little less 350 $ offered by DELL. The storage of the Inspiron 3585 is represented by a 1 TB hard drive. Additionally, you can install an M.2 solid state drive. The RAM is also expanding (a couple of slots; up to 16 GB of memory). Out of the box, the user gets only 4 gigabytes.
The screen here is TN, so the viewing angles are not impressive. The resolution is also far from the current solutions (only 1366 by 768 pixels). But for its cost, it is hardly reasonable to classify such features as disadvantages. In reviews, the laptop is praised for its choice of the Ryzen 2300U processor and good cooling. But no serious drawbacks were found.
Advantages:
- upgrade possibilities;
- high-quality assembly;
- well-developed cooling system;
- hardware platform;
- attractive price;
- good autonomy.
10. Lenovo Ideapad 330 17 Intel
This laptop model from the famous Chinese manufacturer of electronic equipment Lenovo is very high quality. The laptop does not differ in special delights in design, as well as heaped up internal filling. However, it cannot be said that this model is not worth not paying attention to.
The company, on its website, reports that when developing this laptop, a high-quality and logical design simplification was taken as a basis. Thus, it was possible to create a versatile and easy-to-use laptop. At the same time, simplicity does not imply a deterioration in its capabilities, but maximum ergonomics.
A decent level of performance is provided by the Intel Pentium 4415U processor with a frequency of 2.3 GHz and 4 GB of RAM. The built-in 500 GB HDD will allow you not to think about which files to save on the device and which not. Beautiful graphics can be viewed on a large 17.3 ″ display with a resolution of 1600 × 900 pixels using the integrated HD Graphics 610. That is why this is a very popular laptop model for those who are not ready to spend too much money.
Advantages:
- optimal performance level;
- strict design;
- versatility and simplicity;
- excellent autonomy;
- great attention to the ergonomics of the device.
Disadvantages:
- the body collects prints strongly;
- weight 2.8 kg;
- only two USB ports.
11. Acer ASPIRE ES1-732
At the bottom of the rating is a laptop that is perfect for various simple tasks, as well as for office work. It is equipped with an efficient cooling system that prevents the internal components from overheating. This can significantly increase the life of the laptop.
The Acer ASPIRE ES1-732 uses proven technology to ensure high reliability and adequate performance. This laptop costs just over 350 $, will be an excellent choice for both work and home entertainment, such as surfing the Internet, watching movies or photos.
Intel Pentium N4200 processor clocked at 1.1 GHz to 2.5 GHz paired with 4 GB of RAM provides a decent level of performance. The large 17-inch screen with 1600 × 900 resolution allows you to enjoy your movies. The integrated Intel HD Graphics 505 allows you to play some games, albeit at low settings. The 500 gigabyte hard drive provides ample storage space for a variety of information.
The main advantages of a laptop are:
- high reliability;
- good performance;
- good value for money;
- large and high-contrast screen;
- ease of maintenance;
- excellent autonomy.
To determine which laptop to buy, you need to carefully review the ranking of the best laptops before 350 $ and familiarize yourself with their characteristics. After that, you need to think about the purpose for which the device is being purchased. Based on these data, it is worth making a choice. For example, relatively heavy 17 "laptops are not very suitable for carrying around at all times, and light and mobile devices with a diagonal of 11-13" are not the best choice for watching movies or other entertainment.