3 of the best cheap laptops – and 3 to steer clear of

But few people have $2,000 to spare on a quality laptop right now.

On top of that, universal support for Windows 10 is ending on Tuesday 14 October.

You can get a 1-year extension for free to remain supported until October 2026. Nonetheless, many people will take the opportunity to trade their old Windows 10 computer for a new toy.

Luckily, we have tested a few sharply priced laptops that can do a satisfactory job.

First, here are a few examples of duds that aren’t worth the money you’d save.

3 cheap laptops to avoid

Asus Vivobook Go 15 (E510)

Price: $733
Score: 61

With an Intel Pentium processor and 8GB of RAM, this Asus looks good on paper for its price. But somehow it doesn’t all come together, and the dismal 4½ hours of battery life makes it near useless as a portable computer.

We’ve also tested the Vivobook Go 14 (E410). While this smaller model tests marginally worse, it also costs $300 less at $430, so we think the Go 15 is a poorer deal overall.

Lenovo Chromebook 11IJL9

Price: $449
Score: 61

Fair play – nobody expects much from a $450 computer. But this Chromebook combines two key undesirables – the lowest processing score in our test and a very small tablet-sized screen – for a rather unflattering package. We think you can find a better Chromebook.

Dell Inspiron 15 3000 (3530)

Price: $1,499
Score: 65

This large Dell notebook isn’t even that cheap, but it demonstrates the gulf in quality between your average $1,500 and $2,000 laptops. For $500 more, you can take your pick of several models with better processing speeds, nicer screens and far superior battery lives.