According to WIRED, computers have put people on the moon, yet decently cheap laptops long felt like a hopeless case. More recently, many budget laptops have become quite good — budget Windows laptops now offer strong battery life, Chromebooks are more modern, and even a MacBook has become affordable enough to earn the "cheap" designation. In a guide updated August 2026, WIRED reviewer Luke Larsen, who says he has tested hundreds of laptops, names seven budget models actually worth buying.
The 7 Best Budget Laptops at a Glance
WIRED's update added the Dell XPS 13, HP OmniBook 3, and MSI Cyborg A15, and confirmed accuracy and current pricing across the list. The seven picks span Windows, macOS, and Chrome OS:
| Model | OS | Screen | Resolution | CPU | RAM | Storage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HP OmniBook 5 | Windows | 14 inches | 1920 x 1200 @ 60 Hz (OLED) | Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus | 16 GB | 256/512 GB |
| Apple MacBook Neo | macOS | 13 inches | 2408 x 1506 @ 60 Hz (IPS) | Apple A18 Pro | 8 GB | 256/512 GB |
| Dell XPS 13 | Windows | 13.4 inches | 2560 x 1600 @ 120 Hz (IPS) | Intel Core 5 320 | 8/16 GB | 512 GB |
| HP OmniBook 3 | Windows | 16 inches | 1920 x 1200 @ 60 Hz (IPS) | Qualcomm Snapdragon X | 16 GB | 512 GB |
| MSI Cyborg A15 | Windows | 15.6 inches | 1920 x 1200 @ 144 Hz | Intel Core Ultra 5 210H / RTX 5060 | 16 GB | 512 GB |
| Asus Chromebook CX15 | Chrome OS | 15.6 inches | 1920 x 1080 @ 60 Hz (IPS) | Intel N50 | 4/8 GB | 128 GB |
| Framework Laptop 12 | Windows/Linux | 12.2 inches | 1920 x 1200 @ 60 Hz (IPS) | Intel Core i3-1315U | N/A | N/A |
Beyond the Top 7: Other Budget Laptops Worth Considering
WIRED says it left many laptops off the list due to price or quality, but singled out three additional tested models for particular use cases.
Lenovo LOQ 15 — $1,400 (used to sell for $900): This gaming laptop comes with an RTX 5060 and, according to WIRED, a solid IPS panel with a fast refresh rate and great image quality. WIRED calls it the best value in gaming laptops right now.
Acer Chromebook Plus 516 — $479: Chromebooks are at their best under $500, WIRED reports, and this model thrives as "a cheap laptop that doesn't feel cheap." Its primary advantage is a touchpad with a smooth surface for swiping and dragging. WIRED notes that poor touchpad quality can make simple tasks like drag-and-drop or text selection frustrating, so a good touchpad makes a huge difference.
Acer Nitro V 16 — $900: WIRED rates this gaming laptop 7/10 and labels it "WIRED Recommends," but warns of a big compromise: its 135-watt power adapter. During GPU-heavy games WIRED tested, such as Cyberpunk 2077 and Black Myth: Wukong, the adapter couldn't keep the laptop fully powered — even plugged in, the battery drained under load.
WIRED reports that poor touchpad quality can make simple things like drag-and-drop or text selection frustrating, an area where budget laptops often compromise.
Testing Note
WIRED states it never recommends products it hasn't tested itself, and the reviewer has tried hundreds of laptops over the years, leaving many off this list due to price or quality. According to WIRED, if your budget for a computer is tight, the publication's recommendations are a good starting point for picking an affordable machine.
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