If you’re currently reading this article, it can only mean one thing!
You’re not ready to break the bank to buy a laptop worth 350 bucks or above.
We’re with you on this one. And we understand. It could be difficult sometimes to save up that much, especially if you have a ton of bills to cater for every month.
Still, you don’t want to compromise on quality—because you’re looking for something affordable.
But there’s good news for you!
You can get a quality laptop under 350 bucks without sacrificing quality.
In this article, we’ll be discussing extensively on the best laptops under $350. We’ll also share a few buying tips with you—which will eventually help your buying process.
Let’s move in!
Contents
Quick Summary
Our elaborate research involved us checking out for laptops under $350 in the market. Our quest wasn’t all a “bed of roses” because of the price. Most times, cost and quality meet at the same point. Thus, we had to dig deep and found three laptops under 350 that made a lot of sense and met all our requirements.
- You will love this Acer Aspire 5 15.6” Laptop with Windows 10 if you’re a student with a lean budget that can’t survive with the curbs of Chrome OS platform on Chrome books.
- The HP 2019 14” 14-CF0014DX Laptop is the ideal option if your job has a lot to do with traveling because of its compact size.
- If you’re a chic and stylish lady that does a lot of writing and traveling around the world, you’ll like the Samsung Chromebook 3.
Who Should Get This?
There’s nothing as beautiful as getting a good deal for a quality laptop that gives you a big grin. You’ll get those chills every time you press the laptop’s power button.
Yeah right! Price shouldn’t be a determining factor for you to get the best laptop under $350.
If you’re a high school or college student that still gets weekly up-keeps from your old folks, then it’s okay for you to get something affordable and yet, durable.
For journalists, freelance writers, or authors that travel in and out of their cities, getting a laptop like the HP 2019 14” 14-CF0014DX Laptop will be a super option for them.
Why?
Since you won’t be needing your laptop for heavy-duty projects, like video editing, gaming, or sound production, there won’t be any need to spend so much.
So, if you’re looking for high-end editing or gaming laptops with affordable prices, then this post isn’t the right one for you.
Best Laptops Under 350: Our Picks for 2022
Here’re our top three selections.
1. Acer Aspire 5 15.6” Laptop with Windows 10
This 8th generation Intel Core i5 is the perfect combination of budget and performance. Plus, it comes with fantastic battery life.
The Manufacturer equipped the laptop with amazing features like a Vega 3 graphics, Ryzen 3 chip, 4GB RAM and 128GB hard disk storage—which allows you to run some high-end apps with speed and stores a ton of information.
There’s more;
Acer built it to have a backlit keyboard, which is desirable if you want to work in your dorm room at night without putting the lights on. The screen quality is superb; it delivers a crisp picture and text. Thus, you don’t have to strain your eyes at night while working.
Its 15” is the perfect size for students that want to do a project; not just play computer games. If you’re not a fan of the budget Chromebooks in the market, but want to stay in the “budget price bracket” as a student, then the Acer Aspire will come in handy.
What We Like:
- It has a fantastic battery life for its price
- It has a 1080p display
- The laptop’s weight is light
- The keyboard comes with a backlight feature
What We Don’t Like:
- The version of Windows limits users to apps found in Microsoft Store
- Slow graphics system
2. HP 2019 14” 14-CF0014DX Laptop
The 7th generation Intel Core i3-7100U laptop is one of the laptops HP released recently. Thus, a ton of users expected a lot from it—and it delivered.
If you like it simple and compact, then it means you’d like the HP 2019 14” 14-CF0014DX Laptop. It comes with a 14-inch screen that gives you enough space to watch a movie while you’re not working—especially if you’re out of town—in far east Asia.
That’s not all:
HP created it in a handy size. With that, one will think they had tourists or travelers in mind.
Like the Acer, it has a 128GB hard drive and and 8GB RAM to support its processor and improve the speed. The laptop is not grungy but perfect for optimal users.
What We Like:
- It has a lightweight
- The screen is big enough considering its price
- It has decent performance and fast booting
- It has a decent battery life
What We Don’t Like:
- The USB ports are not reliable
3. Samsung Chromebook 3
This laptop doubles as the ideal laptop for school and entertainment. Its 11.6-inch size gives it a cute look and feel, which makes it an excellent option for users who like to take it around and still look chic.
There’s more:
The manufacturer boasts of it having 10 hours of battery life, which is the longest on this list. It also comes with a quality screen—great for students that have to do assignments almost every day without straining their eyes.
The only snag is its small hard disk space of 32GB—merged with the Google Chrome OS.
What We Like:
- It’s super light
- Compact and easy to carry around
- The long battery life of 10 hours
- Quality high res Screen
What We Don’t Like:
- Low disk storage
- Limited to only Google Chrome OS
Best Laptops Under 350 Dollars: What to Consider in 2022
Finding the best laptops under 350 bucks could be a real big headache. We know that quite alright! The ton of laptops in the market makes it even harder for you to make the right choice.
Therefore, we’re here to help your decision making easier. Here are a few things to check out before you take the next move.
Screen Quality
Do you devote lots of hours in front of your laptop, as a writer or student doing a school project? Then you should consider going for a laptop that has a comfortable screen for your eyes.
Considering a laptop with a touchscreen is another thing to look out for because touchscreens can make some tasks easier these days.
The only snag is that the touchscreens come with a glossy feel, which could be undesirable sometimes because of its reflections. If you don’t need that, you can stick to a laptop with a regular screen.
Size
Considering our budget of under $350, you shouldn’t expect to see tons of 15 – 17” laptops. What you’ll mostly see are laptop sizes ranging from 11” – 13.”
If you’re lucky, you may probably find a handful that is within 14 – 15” in size. For instance, the HP 2019 14” 14-CF0014DX Laptop has a screen size of 14” and 15” is the screen size of this Acer Aspire 5 15.6” Laptop with Windows 10.
You don’t necessarily need a laptop with a large screen if you’re not gaming, editing, or doing other heavy tasks. An 11” or 13” laptop can still serve you well and give you value for your money.
Processor
When selecting a laptop under $350, you’ve to be cautious to get laptops that have an Intel Pentium processor at least. Buying a laptop less than the required Pentium processor may not serve you well, even though you won’t be handling heavy tasks.
The reason is simple;
Processors with low configurations will make your laptop annoyingly slow, especially these days that we have all the necessary applications like MS Word, and Excel supporting the Pentium processor as a minimum requirement.
Battery Life
If you’re going to be traveling most times, you’ll need a laptop with decent battery life. Therefore, it’s wise to check the battery life of a laptop before going ahead to purchase.
5 Amazing Things You Should Do If You Want Your Laptop to Last Long
1. Avoid heated environments; instead, keep it in a cool, dry place always.
2. Turn it off more times than you hibernate or put it to sleep.
3. Continually update your antivirus when necessary.
4. Run a defrag on your system every once in a while, to avoid “disk-full” error.
5. Get the right bag to store it when you’re not using it, especially in motion.
Closing Words
Now, you can save some bucks without compromising quality. All you need to do is to follow the buying guide—to make your buying decision easier. Then, go through the three laptops listed here in this article, and make your unique choice.
What are your thoughts concerning the laptops listed here? Have you seen any that falls into your budget? Are there favorites you didn’t see in this article? You can make suggestions or comment below.
