Cyclists Will Love These 7 Cheap Yet Powerful Laptops
If you’re a regular bike commuter, you know that the right laptop can feel as integral to the ride as any other cycling accessory. The model’s size, weight, battery life, and durability are important characteristics to consider before selecting a commute companion. Even if cycling gear consumes much of your budget, leaving little left over for tech, these top cheap laptops can still serve your professional, academic, or personal computing needs.
Check out quick reviews below of our top five inexpensive laptops, or scroll deeper for more helpful buying info and full reviews of those models plus other high-ranking options.
How to Choose a Cheap Commuter Laptop
With today’s technology, an inexpensive laptop doesn’t necessarily mean cheap materials or poor performance. Fortunately for commuters, many of these affordable models are also slim and lightweight, especially tablet-laptop convertibles and Chromebooks that support Google’s ChromeOS. Other new Windows come in sleek package sizes ranging from 10 to 15 inches and styles as thin as Macbooks, at a fraction of the price.
If you do plan to ride with your laptop, a smaller option is the way to go. Slate Olson, president of Chrome Industries and a daily bike commuter, recommends an 11 to 13 inch, lightweight laptop. “Some people, photographers mostly, need a 15-inch laptop, but I wouldn’t recommend commuting daily with something that big. For most of us an 11- to 13-inch ought to do the trick,” Olson said. “Cyclists, we like to minimize the weight, so keep it light.”
You can still commute with a 15-inch laptop, if needed for work or personal streaming. Just look for a larger laptop bag or a pannier to keep the weight off your back if you plan to take your device with you daily or on long routes.
How We Rated Them
We researched 10 expert sources, 45 online reviews from trusted publications, and 2,600 consumer reviews to select the top cheap laptops of 2019. To determine our Total Expert Score, we calculate the ratings from expert review sites such as Tech Radar, CNET, Laptop Mag, and Digital Trends and convert them to a 100-point scale to make it easier for you to weigh the best options. Our Consumer Score represents the percentage of customers who rated the product at least 4 out of 5 stars on retail sites like Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy.
Best for Commuters
Acer Swift 1
Total Expert Score: 78/100 | Consumer Score: 91% give it 4 stars or higher
A lightweight laptop with plenty of ports and battery power to rival more expensive ultraportables.
Screen: 13.3 inch | Weight: 2.87 lb | Battery: 10 hours
The Acer Swift looks like a standard ultraportable with a 13.3 inch, full HD screen, USB-C port, full HDMI port, and SD card slot, but it really comes at a fraction of the cost. Tech Advisor named this Acer their #1 budget laptop of the year, claiming that it’s “perhaps the most expensive-looking and feeling Windows 10 laptop you can get for [less than] $350.”
Users like that this laptop is fast, portable, and has many ports for its cheap price. “You get a lot for the money; just don’t expect a MacBook,” recommended one student on Walmart.
Best Value
Acer Aspire E15
Total Expert Score: 81/100 | Consumer Score: 68% give it 4 stars or higher
The best budget 15-inch laptop with plenty of ports and drives.
Screen: 15.5 inch | Weight: 4.9 lb. | Battery: 6 hours
What the Acer Aspire lacks in new Thunderbolt ports, it makes up for with USB-C 3.1, 3.0, 2.0 ports as well as an HDMI port, audio jack, and SD card reader. Lifewire selected the Aspire E15 as the best overall Acer laptop, writing, “With powerful performance and a long-lasting battery, this model offers some of the best specs on the market, at a reasonable price.”
It’s not the lightest or thinnest, so maybe not the best to carry while bike commuting, unless you’re up for the challenge. However, it does have a 15-inch HD screen suitable for streaming Spring Classics. An Amazon buyer attested, “This is the best laptop for light or a decent amount of gaming. It runs pretty quick for its price and most likely the best outcome for the money spent.”
Best Chromebook
Asus Chromebook Flip
Total Expert Score: 87/100 | Consumer Score: 78% give it 4 stars or higher
A compact, sleek Chromebook for those who need internet access on-the-go.
Screen: 12.5 inch | Weight: 2.7 lb. | Battery: 10 hours
This Asus is an inexpensive and portable 2-in-1 laptop to help you stay connected even if you’re constantly hopping back on the bike. As a Chromebook that supports Google’s ChromeOS, it is essentially a web browser. But you don’t need to be too concerned about these limitations, since you can still access programs through Chrome’s web store and tap into Android apps.
Tech Radar claimed that it’s equally comfortable to use in its tablet and laptop forms, and Laptop Mag highlighted “its speedy performance, impressive keyboard, and sleek convertible design.” Though most users loved using it as a tablet and laptop, one Amazon buyer did question whether it’s light enough to use as a tablet all the time. In the end, he concluded, “it absolutely is a single device that you could travel with and have no second thoughts.”
Best 2-in-1
Microsoft Surface Go
Total Expert Score: 77/100 | Consumer Score: 85% give it 4 stars or higher
The cheapest and smallest Surface—it’s more like a tablet than laptop.
Screen: 10 inch | Weight: 1.15 lb | Battery: 9 hours
Living up to its name, this Microsoft Surface is designed to go, whether you’re a student riding to class, professional commuting to the office, or just a frequent traveler. CNET described it as “the perfect size for casual coffee-shop computing.” Designed more like a tablet, the Surface Go offers additional accessories like a keyboard cover to turn it into a more traditional laptop. Though the 10-inch screen is small, the pixel density is high, and the touch screen responsive.
Users enjoy using the Surface Go for light work, then detaching the keyboard for casual web browsing, listening to music, or streaming shows and movies. “It’s perfect for media consumption and light productivity when I’m on the go,” said one Amazon reviewer.
Best Flip
Asus VivoBook Flip 14
Total Expert Score: 70/100 | Consumer Score: 70% give it 4 stars or higher
A 2-in-1 laptop that flips on 360-degree hinges for versatile functionality.
Screen: 14 inch | Weight: 3.5 lb | Battery: 8 hours
Wirecutter named this Asus the second best budget laptop, right after the Chromebook Flip. They wrote, “Sleek for a cheap Windows laptop, the VivoBook Flip 14 has a great screen, comfortable keyboard, and smooth trackpad, though it lacks a variety of ports.” However, it does include a USB-C 3.1, micro USB 2.0 and HDMI, as well as an SD card slot.
Despite its excellent battery, audio, and design, you won’t be able to run several programs with tons of internet tabs open all at once on this notebook. “I would most definitely recommend this computer to students and anyone who needs a lightweight computer on the go or something easy for personal use,” wrote one Amazon buyer. “Maybe not for someone who needs their computer to do tons of heavy lifting, as it is not meant for that.”
More High-Ranking Options to Consider:
Lenovo IdeaPad 320
Total Expert Score: 70/100 | Consumer Score: 67% give it 4 stars or higher
A 15-inch everyday laptop with best modern design for its price point.
Screen: 15.6 inch | Weight: 4.85 lb | Battery: 6 hours
For a budget model, the Lenovo IdeaPad has a surprisingly attractive, slim design and decent performance. Particularly for students who simply need general internet use and a large screen for movie streaming, it may be the best budget option.
Tech Advisor wrote that this model “proves cheap laptops don’t have to be undesirable,” thanks to its modern look, portability, and connectivity, including HDMI, SD card slot, and USB-C, 2.0, and 3.0 ports. A Walmart buyer said that it’s a “great laptop, for the money, for everyday personal use.”
Dell Inspiron 15 7000
Total Expert Score: 71/100 | Consumer Score: 68% give it 4 stars or higher
An affordable gaming laptop with solid graphics and performance.
Screen: 15.6 inch | Weight: 4.41 lb | Battery: 7 hours
The Dell Inspiron is a budget laptop suitable for everyday use as well as gaming. Though its 15-inch size and 4-pound weight make it less portable, its performance is more powerful and its sleek design more sturdy than other budget notebooks. It comes in red and matte black colors, and features three USB 3.1 ports, a Thunderbolt 3, HDMI, SD card reader, and ethernet and headphone jack.
Laptop Mag wrote, “It has plenty of power to play most of your favorite games (on medium settings) and can multitask with the best of them.” Amazon buyers confirmed its abilities that extend beyond gaming into personal and professional use. “If you are in need of a gaming laptop at a budget price without it looking too shouty when you take it to class or work, this fits the bill nicely,” said one.
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