Best Laptops Under $300 [43 Models Compared]

Best Laptops Under $300

Laptops in the under-$300 price range, mostly Chromebooks with a few small Windows laptops: compare memory and storage first, because they decide how well a cheap laptop lasts.

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What $300 buys in a laptop

Under $300 is where most people shop for a kid’s first laptop, a school device or a spare machine for the couch. It’s a budget that works, as long as you buy for what it does well: the web, video, email and documents.

Most laptops on this page are Chromebooks, and that’s no accident. ChromeOS is light enough to run smoothly on the low-power Intel Celeron, Intel N-series and MediaTek chips that fit this price, and it doesn’t need much storage because your files live in Google Drive. Many are rugged 11.6-inch education models or 14-inch everyday laptops, and a lot of them have touchscreens or fold into a tablet.

The Windows laptops here, such as small 14-inch models and renewed business laptops, are the ones to read carefully. Windows 11 with 4 GB of memory and 64 GB of storage struggles, so look for 8 GB and at least 128 GB if you go this way. A renewed ThinkPad or Latitude often gives you a sturdier build than a new laptop at the same budget, at the cost of an older processor.

For a Chromebook, check how long it will receive automatic updates; an older model can be close to the end of its support. Prices change often and the ranges here are approximate, so check the price with the seller before you buy.

If you can stretch a little, laptops under $500 add more 8 GB and Windows options. For a dedicated school pick, see laptops for high school.

Frequently asked questions

Can you get a decent laptop for under $300?

Yes, for browsing, email, streaming, Google Docs and schoolwork. At this budget most of the good options are Chromebooks, because ChromeOS runs well on the low-power chips and small storage that fit the price. For Windows programs or heavy multitasking, plan to spend more.

Is a Chromebook or a Windows laptop better under $300?

For most people, the Chromebook. Windows 11 needs more memory and storage than this budget usually allows, so a Windows laptop with 4 GB of memory and 64 GB of storage feels slow and fills up fast. Choose Windows only if you need a specific Windows program.

How much memory and storage should a laptop under $300 have?

4 GB of memory is the norm here and is fine on a Chromebook. For Windows, look for 8 GB. Storage of 64 GB is enough on a Chromebook, which keeps files in the cloud; a Windows laptop wants 128 GB or more, because Windows and its updates take a big share of a small drive.

Are renewed laptops worth it at this price?

They can be. A renewed business laptop can have a better keyboard and screen than a new budget model, but it's usually several years old. Check the processor generation, and for a Chromebook, how long it will keep getting updates.