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“Can I get a light and reasonably fast laptop for under $700” is a question that regularly comes my way. And my answer to the question is “Yes, but with some tradeoffs”. Laptops under $700 will do anything you ask them to do quickly and will handle your daily tasks in a fast and efficient manner.
You’ll also get decent gaming and video editing capacity from these machines. And when you consider that you are spending less than $700, you will quickly discover that these laptops will provide excellent value for your money.
Choosing a laptop is not exactly an easy affair. You first have to navigate through the numerous brands available on the market, then consider various factors to choose a laptop that will meet your needs. I’ve researched and tested a lot of laptops to bring you the very best laptops under $700 available on the market. Also, I took a conscious effort to make a diverse selection of laptops to make sure there will always be a laptop for you on this list.
Below, you’ll find my honest thoughts on the laptops, their pros and cons as well as a buying guide to help choose a laptop that best meets your needs.
The 7 Best Laptops Under 700 Dollars for 2024
Acer Swift 3 14” Laptop
2020 Newest Acer Swift 3 14” FHD Thin & Light Laptop, AMD Ryzen 5 4500U(up to 4.0GHz), 8GB RAM, 512GB PCIe SSD, Backlit KB, Fingerprint Reader w/Ghost Manta Accessories
Acer is a well-known laptop manufacturer with a long line of laptops to their name. The Acer Swift 3 is one of the best budget laptops to come from Acer. A look at this laptop and the sleek and lightweight design quickly catches the eye. But the swift 3 is more than the appearance. Thanks to the AMD Ryzen 5 4500U processor, this laptop can take on your daily tasks with ease so you can expect your everyday work to go fast and smooth.
The 14-in display boasts a 1,920 x 1,080p resolution which provides you with impressive color and clarity. I also like that the Swift 3 can multitask easily thanks to the impressive RAM bandwidth of 8GB. You also get enough storage space to save your files as this laptop boasts a storage capacity of 512GB (SSD). There is also the AMD Radeon integrated graphics that will put a smile on the faces of gaming and video editing enthusiasts.
Battery life is solid as you get over 8 hours of backup power after fully charging the system. The minimal form factor is another massive advantage as you can easily carry this laptop around. And the fingerprint scanner provides additional security while making it easy for you to log in to your system.
Quick Specifications
- Screen size: 14 inches
- Laptop size: 12.7 x 8.6 x 0.63 in / 32.5 x 22.6 x 1.6 cm
- Weight: 2.65 lbs / 1202 g
- Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 4500U processor
- RAM: 8GB (DDR4)
- Graphics card: AMD Radeon integrated graphics
- Hard disk: 512GB SSD
- Operating System: Windows 10
- Battery life: up to 8 hours
Pros
- Sleek and lightweight design.
- Impressive resolution and color clarity.
- Fast processor.
- High RAM bandwidth.
- Backlit keyboard.
- Large storage space.
- Solid battery life.
Cons
- No major shortcomings.
Acer Nitro 5 15.6″ Laptop
Acer Nitro 5 Gaming Laptop, 9th Gen Intel Core i5-9300H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650, 15.6" Full HD IPS Display, 8GB DDR4, 256GB NVMe SSD, Wi-Fi 6, Backlit Keyboard, Alexa Built-in, AN515-54-5812
2 used from $539.99
Another Acer laptop on this list so the brand must be doing something right, right? The Acer Nitro 5 is probably the best gaming laptop you’ll get under $700. Of course, this laptop will handle your daily tasks with ease but if you want a budget gaming laptop, you should take a look at the Nitro 5.
The NVIDIA GeForce 1050Ti (with 4GB of its’ memory) is the big deal about the Nitro 5. It’s a powerful graphics card that makes this laptop capable of doing a bit more than decent gaming. There is also the fast and efficient 2 GHz intel core i5-8300H processor and the 8GB RAM makes multitasking easy. Also, the RAM bandwidth will prevent any lags when playing games.
While the 256GB SSD storage capacity may be a letdown to some people, compromises have to be made at this price range. Beyond that, the 15.6-in full HD IPS display with 1920 x 1080p resolution will put a smile on your face. Battery life is decent and around 5-6 hours depending on the usage.
Quick Specifications
- Screen size: 15.6 inches
- Laptop size: 14 x 10 x 0.9 in / 35 x 25 x 2 cm
- Weight: 5.07 lbs / 2299 g
- Processor: Intel Core i5-8300H
- RAM: 8GB (DDR4)
- Graphics card: NVIDIA GeForce 1050Ti
- Hard disk: 256GB SSD
- Operating System: Windows 10
- Battery life: up to 6 hours
Pros
- Powerful looking design that makes this laptop a beast, which it is.
- Powerful and dedicated graphics card for gaming.
- Fast and powerful processor.
- Impressive resolution.
- Widescreen size.
- High RAM bandwidth.
- Tough and durable.
Cons
- A bit heavy.
- 256GB SSD may be a letdown to some people.
HP Pavilion 15.6″ Laptop
Newest HP Pavilion 15.6" FHD IPS Premium Gaming Laptop, AMD 2nd Gen Quad-Core Ryzen 5 3550H, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 3GB GDDR5, Backlit Keyboard, Windows 10
HP Pavilion comes in different models and this particular model is designed for gamers. It’s another laptop under $700 that can provide an impressive gaming experience. The AMD 2nd Generation Ryzen 5 3550H Processor is fast and the 15.6″ full HD (1920 x 1080) display is wide for gaming while also providing impressive color clarity.
The 8GB DDR4 RAM makes multitasking easy and eliminates lag during gaming. Combine this with the fast 256GB SSD and you have a beast on your hands. And there is also the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 with 3GB GDDR5 memory.
I may be emphasizing the gaming features of this laptop but that doesn’t mean it can handle day-to-day tasks. The high bandwidth RAM and fast processor means this laptop can handle whatever you throw its way. But the gaming features mean you will get a better gaming experience from this laptop. And the backlit keyboard is a nice touch as it makes it easy to use this laptop in the dark.
Quick Specifications
- Screen size: 15.6 inches
- Laptop size: 14 x 10 x 0.9 in / 35 x 25 x 2 cm
- Weight: 4.96 lbs / 2249 g
- Processor: AMD 2nd Generation Ryzen 5 3550H
- RAM: 8GB (DDR4)
- Graphics card: NVIDIA GeForce 1050Ti
- Hard disk: 256GB SSD
- Operating System: Windows 10
- Battery life: up to 6 hours
Pros
- Powerful gaming laptop.
- High bandwidth RAM.
- Fast processor.
- Dedicated graphics card.
- Good battery life.
- Backlit keyboard.
Cons
- Battery life could be slightly better but tradeoffs have to be made at this price range.
Google Pixelbook Go Chromebook Laptop
![Google Pixelbook Go - Lightweight Chromebook Laptop - Up to 12 Hours Battery Life[1] - Touch Screen Chromebook - Just Black](https://i0.wp.com/m.media-amazon.com/images/I/31DJln+KBhL._SL500_.jpg?resize=350%2C350&ssl=1)
Google Pixelbook Go - Lightweight Chromebook Laptop - Up to 12 Hours Battery Life[1] - Touch Screen Chromebook - Just Black
2 used from $374.96
Google’s new Pixelbook Go is one of the best Chromebook laptops you can get for under $700. Weighing a mere 2 lbs and having a thickness of 13mm, Google designed this laptop for life on the go. You can easily transport this laptop from one place to another. The design of the Pixelbook Go makes it easy to grip and hold while moving between meetings or workspaces.
One of the things about this laptop that’s going to leave your mouth hanging is the incredible battery life which is about 12 hours. This means this laptop can take you through your day without having to charge it.
I have no doubt the Pixelbook Go has one of the best keyboards to be ever incorporated in a laptop. The keyboard sports well-spaced keys that are comfortable to use and the backlit feature means you can comfortably use this laptop in dark. or dim conditions.
The speakers of this laptop are also loud and have good bass. The major con of this laptop is that it doesn’t have a fingerprint sensor or face/iris scanner. This kind of sucks a little when you consider that many Chromebooks at this price range have this feature. But Google insists that the Android unlock feature, which this laptop has, is very secure although this leaves out non-android users.
Quick Specifications
- Screen size: 13.3 inches
- Laptop size: 12.2 x 8.1 x 0.5 in / 31 x 20 x 1.2 cm
- Weight: 2.33 lbs / 1056g
- Processor: An 8th Gen Intel® Core™ Processor
- RAM: 8GB (DDR4)
- Hard disk: 64GB
- Operating System: Chrome Os
- Battery life: up to 12 hours
Pros
- Incredibly portable and lightweight.
- Excellent design.
- Stunning battery life. 12 hours battery life is no joke!
- Rare 1080p webcam
- Super comfortable keyboard.
- Backlit keyboard.
- Quality speakers.
Cons
- No fingerprint sensor.
Asus VivoBook 15.6″ LaptopOur Top Pick
2020 Newest ASUS VivoBook 15.6" FHD Thin Light Business Student Laptop, AMD Ryzen 5 3500U(Beat i7-7500U) 12GB RAM 1TB HDD + 256GB SSD, Radeon Vega 8, Fingerprint, HDMI, USB-C, Win10, w/GM Accessories
This Asus Vivobook has an elegant and eye-catching design. But this laptop is definitely more than just aesthetics. What you’ll get is an upgraded laptop with a superb performance that can handle anything you throw at it. You’ll find the AMD Ryzen 5 3500U processor to be very fast and powerful.
You are going to be blown away by the 12GB DDR4 RAM capacity which allows you to multitask to your heart’s content. You also have enormous space to save your files thanks to the 1TB HDD + 256GB SSD storage. And the AMD Radeon Vega 8 Graphics can handle more intensive tasks like video editing and gaming.
This system has a 15-inch full HD display with a resolution of 1920x1080p which produces bright and colorful images. I like that the keyboard is very comfortable to use and this allows you to work on this laptop for extended periods. And the fingerprint sensor provides additional security while also allowing you to log in to the system at ease.
Quick Specifications
- Screen size: 15 inches
- Laptop size: 14 x 9.1 x 0.8 in / 35 x 25 x 2 cm
- Weight: 3.51 lbs / 1592 g
- Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 350
- RAM: 12GB (DDR4)
- Graphics card: AMD Radeon Vega 8
- Hard disk: 1TB HDD + 256GB SSD
- Operating System: Windows 10
- Battery life: up to 10 hours
Pros
- Elegant and eye-catching design.
- Fast and powerful process.
- Stunning RAM bandwidth.
- Stunning storage capacity!
- High-resolution display.
- Fingerprint sensor.
- Comfortable keyboard.
Cons
- No major shortcomings.
Acer TravelMate P2 14″ Laptop
Acer TravelMate P2 Business Laptop, 14" FHD IPS, Intel Core i5-8250U, 8GB DDR4, 256GB SSD, 10 Hrs Battery, Win 10 Pro, TPM 2.0, Mil-Spec, Fingerprint Reader, TMP214-51-55FM
The name of this laptop already reveals that it’s going to be travel-friendly. Which is true as the Acer Travelmate combines incredible portability, high-processing power, and military-grade durability to produce a powerful all-purpose laptop that can be used by anyone.
Thanks to the 8th Generation Intel Core i5-8250U processor (Up to 3.4GHz), you can easily accomplish larger tasks and take on more workload with the Acer Travelmate. There is also the impact-resistant chassis that confers military-grade durability on this laptop allowing it to easily withstand daily wear and tear.
The 8GB DDR4 RAM makes multitasking easy and the 256GB SSD is enough for most users. You are going to be impressed by the 14-in display which has a high resolution (1920 x 1080) as well as IPS display tech. The fingerprint sensor means you can log in to this laptop quickly and securely. The comfortable keyboard makes working on this laptop comfortable and the backlit feature is a nice touch as you’ll be able to use this laptop in dark or dim environments.
I’m also impressed with the battery life which stands at a stunning 10 hours which can comfortably take you throughout your day without charging.
Quick Specifications
- Screen size: 14 inches
- Laptop size: 13.7 x 9.8 x 0.8 in / 35 x 25 x 2 cm
- Weight: 3.68 lbs / 1669 g
- Processor: 8th Generation Intel Core i5-8250U processor
- RAM: 8GB (DDR4)
- Graphics card: Intel UHD Graphics
- Hard disk: 256GB SSD
- Operating System: Windows 10
- Battery life: up to 10 hours
Pros
- Travel-friendly. It’s called the Travelmate after all.
- High-resolution display.
- High RAM bandwidth.
- Acer Bio-protection fingerprint solution.
- Comfortable and backlit keyboard.
- Incredible battery capacity.
- Military-grade durability.
Cons
- No major shortcomings.
Lenovo Ideapad 3 14″ Laptop
Lenovo Ideapad 3 14 14" FHD Laptop Computer_ AMD Ryzen 5 3500U Quad-Core Up to 3.7GHz (Beats I7-7500U)_ 12GB DDR4 RAM, 512GB PCIe SSD_ Online Class Ready_ Blue_ Windows 10_ BROAGE 64GB Flash Drive
This laptop has been upgraded from the base features to provide a machine that satisfies the needs of everyone – freelancers, students, businessmen, video editors, gamers, and so on. The AMD Ryzen 5 3500U processor is very fast and can handle your daily tasks.
One of the most mouth-watering features of this laptop is the 512GB SSD storage capacity which is downright amazing. Combine this with the 12GB RAM bandwidth and you have a laptop of fantasies. These upgrades mean that this laptop is a truly powerful all-purpose laptop.
Gamers and video editors will be happy to know that there’s an. AMD Radeon Vega 8 graphics card in this laptop. There is also the touchscreen function which makes using this laptop easier and the battery life is excellent.
I must also mention that this laptop is portable and lightweight making it easy to transport or carry about.
Quick Specifications
- Screen size: 15 inches
- Laptop size: 13 x 10 x 0.7 in / 33 x 25 x 1.7 cm
- Weight: 3.3 lbs / 1580 g
- Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 3500U
- RAM: 12GB (DDR4)
- Graphics card: AMD Radeon Vega 8
- Hard disk: 512GB SSD
- Operating System: Windows 10
- Battery life: up to 10 hours
Pros
- Portable and lightweight.
- Fast processor.
- Stunning storage capacity.
- Stunning RAM capacity.
- Dedicated graphics card.
- Excellent battery life.
Cons
- N/A.
Best Laptops Under $700 – The Guide
There are a lot of things to put into consideration when buying a laptop in order to choose one that will meet your needs. A laptop that is right for me may not be ideal for you. As a result, I’ll be talking about the factors you need to consider when buying a laptop for under $700.
What Can You Expect From a $700 Laptop?
$700 is not too small or too much so you are going to get a mid-range laptop with this budget. While you aren’t going to get premium laptops at this price range, you can get powerful and fast laptops albeit with a couple of compromises/tradeoffs.
When it comes to size, laptops under $700 are very portable and lightweight. Of course, some models are more portable than others but overall, transporting or carrying these laptops isn’t going to be a problem.
Talking about storage space, 256GB is standard at this price range. But there are upgraded models that offer more storage space – up to 1TB HDD and 256GB SSD or 512GB SSD. So you can either upgrade the laptops yourselves or buy already upgraded models. I personally like the upgraded models and they can provide you with a laptop of fantasies i.e a laptop with specs you may otherwise be unable to get at this price range.
CPU is impressive at this stage and you can expect to get up to Intel core i5 if the laptop comes with an Intel processor. There are also models that come with AMD Ryzen processors which are also fast and powerful.
The display of laptops under $700 obviously won’t be as sharp as that of the more expensive models but they have full 1080p HD which provides images with incredible clarity.
You can expect to get a comfortable and backlit keyboard at this price range. Touchscreen and fingerprint sensors are also common at this price range. Battery life will depend on the model/brand you are buying but there are laptops with stunning battery life at this price range.
How To Choose Your Laptop
Processor
Processors are the brains of systems and handle all your tasks. The better the processor of your laptop, the faster and efficient your laptop will be able to handle tasks. While Intel processors are widely used in laptops, AMD Ryzen processors are also gaining a lot of popularity.
The Intel Core i5 processor you get at this price range will offer incredible performance. You can also expect the same from the AMD Ryzen processors.
RAM
The RAM of your system is responsible for multitasking. Laptops under $700 usually come with a high RAM bandwidth and can easily multitask – run multiple apps simultaneously without slowing down. RAM also plays an important part in gaming as a high RAM bandwidth allows games to run without any lag.
Don’t go for laptops that have a RAM bandwidth below 8GB. The more bandwidth, the better. But unless you are into serious gaming/video editing, you won’t need a RAM bandwidth that exceeds 12GB.
Size
Chances are that you will be carrying your laptop about. From your home to office, on vacation, and so on. So it’s important to go for laptops that are portable and travel-friendly. Several lightweight laptops fall under the $700 price range so finding a portable laptop isn’t going to be a problem.
11 to 12-inches laptops usually weigh between 2.5 to 3.5 pounds while 13 to 15 inches are usually under 4 pounds or a bit above 4 pounds. Any of these options are portable and can be easily carried about.
Graphics Card
Graphics cards are pieces of hardware that may be inbuilt or separately installed in your laptop and their function is to produce the image on a computer screen. People that should be concerned with graphics cards are gamers and video editors as having a powerful graphics card will be extremely beneficial to them.
There are laptops on this list that have some impressive graphics cards and you should take a look at them if you are a gaming or video editing enthusiast.
Screen Quality
Laptops in this price range usually have full 1080p HD resolution which produces images of high-quality. The laptops on my list are specially chosen for their impressive quality, among other features. Touchscreen feature is also common at this price range although this may add more glossiness to the screen. But you can easily find a way around this with the anti-glare feature.
Battery Life
You do not want a laptop you’ll need to charge every few hours. This makes it important to go get a laptop with good battery life. Depending on the model, you can easily get 8 – 12 hours battery life at this price range.
Keyboard
A well-spaced keyboard is essential for comfortable typing on a laptop. And you should make sure to always go for laptops with this type of keyboard. Also, check if the laptop has a backlit keyboard which will be a handy feature in dark or dim situations.
Storage Capacity
Your laptop should be able to save all your files, right? The standard storage capacity at this price range is 256GB SSD which is good but not great. You can upgrade your system and get more storage space at an extra cost. You can also decide to go for already upgraded laptops that may have a storage capacity of up to 512GB SSD.
Final Thoughts
Choosing a laptop requires putting several factors into consideration to make sure the laptop you finally decide to buy will be able to carry out whatever you throw at it. Having a list of the best laptops under $700 will make your quest of choosing a laptop easier if your budget is within this range. If your budget is lower and less than $600, there are also laptops for you.
Use the buying guide to choose a laptop that suits your needs and if you are still unsure about which one to go for, contact me through the comment section and I’ll be happy to help!
