The Best Budget Office Notebooks
Office notebooks, cheap bargains and computers for everyday tasks: They require decent input devices, ergonomic displays and connectivity that should allow the user to easily connect to the home or workplace environment, but it does not have to be very generous. Also compare the following Top 10 lists for your purchase decision.
The following table shows an overview of the Top 10 budget office laptops (under 800 USD/Euros) reviewed by Notebookcheck in the previous 12 months. If ratings are equal, the latest review is listed first. The table can be sorted by clicking its headers and filtered by entering text in the text field above it (e.g. "matte").
- The Best Premium Business Notebooks (particularly premium office notebooks)
- The Best Portable Workstations (powerful laptops for professionals)
- The Best Ultra-Portable Notebooks (compact and portable notebooks)
- The Best Windows Convertibles (notebooks that can be converted into a tablet)
The Best Budget Office Laptops
Pos. | Date | Rating | Image | Modell/Testbericht | Weight | Height | Size | Resolution | Screen | Best Price |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 08/2020 | 86 % | ![]() | Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20T7S00W00 AMD Ryzen 5 4500U AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 4000/5000) 16 GB Memory, 512 GB SSD | 1.6 kg | 17.9 mm | 14.00" | 1920x1080 | matte | |
2 | 12/2020 Neu! | 86 % | ![]() | Honor MagicBook 14, Ryzen 5 4500U AMD Ryzen 5 4500U AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 4000/5000) 8 GB Memory, 512 GB SSD | 1.4 kg | 15.9 mm | 14.00" | 1920x1080 | matte | |
3 | 06/2020 | 85 % | ![]() | Acer Swift 3 SF314-42-R27B AMD Ryzen 3 4300U AMD Radeon RX Vega 5 8 GB Memory, 256 GB SSD | 1.2 kg | 16.55 mm | 14.00" | 1920x1080 | matte | |
4 | 03/2020 | 83 % | ![]() | Acer Chromebook 715 CB715-1WT-527F Intel Core i5-8350U Intel UHD Graphics 620 8 GB Memory, 64 GB eMMC | 2 kg | 17.9 mm | 15.60" | 1920x1080 | glossy | |
5 | 03/2020 | 82 % | ![]() | Lenovo ThinkBook 14-IML-20RV006TGE Intel Core i5-10210U Intel UHD Graphics 620 8 GB Memory, 256 GB NVMe | 1.6 kg | 17.9 mm | 14.00" | 1920x1080 | matte | |
6 | 12/2020 Neu! | 81 % | ![]() | Dell Latitude 3510 NK2MC Intel Core i3-10110U Intel UHD Graphics 620 8 GB Memory, 256 GB SSD | 1.9 kg | 18 mm | 15.60" | 1920x1080 | matte | |
7 | 10/2020 | 81 % | ![]() | Dynabook Satellite Pro C50-E-105 Intel Core i5-8250U Intel UHD Graphics 620 8 GB Memory, 256 GB SSD | 1.8 kg | 19.7 mm | 15.60" | 1920x1080 | matte | |
8 | 07/2020 | 79 % | ![]() | Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14IIL05 Intel Core i3-1005G1 Intel UHD Graphics G1 (Ice Lake 32 EU) 8 GB Memory, 256 GB SSD | 1.6 kg | 19.9 mm | 14.00" | 1920x1080 | matte | |
9 | 11/2020 | 79 % | ![]() | HP 17-ca1149ng AMD Ryzen 5 3500U AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000) 16 GB Memory, 512 GB SSD | 2.5 kg | 24.5 mm | 17.30" | 1920x1080 | matte | |
10 | 02/2020 | 79 % | ![]() | HP 15s-fq1556ng Intel Core i5-1035G1 Intel UHD Graphics G1 (Ice Lake 32 EU) 16 GB Memory, 512 GB SSD | 1.7 kg | 18 mm | 15.60" | 1920x1080 | matte |
The table above contains an overview over the best budget office notebooks for less than 800 Euros reviewed by Notebookcheck over the course of the past 12 months as well as still relevant and available older products. In cases of identical score the more recent device is listed first. All prices in above table and price comparisons are updated daily and can thus differ.
Editors' Comments
There are many acceptable and good office devices for under 800 Euros (~$896). The best models stem from Lenovo, HP, Fujitsu, and Acer and they cost between 450 and 800 Euros (~$504 and ~$896). All cheap models have some disadvantages, for example, poor input devices or a more flexible case. IPS panels have become increasingly common in the Budget Office Top 10.
1st – Lenovo ThinkPad E14
The affordable Lenovo ThinkPad E14 (see review here) is equipped with an AMD-based APU offering a higher 3D performance than Intel’s integrated graphics card. An M.2 SSD ensures a fast smoothly running system without introducing any lag with a secondary M.2 slot available as well. Unfortunately, installing or replacing the SSD requires removal of the entire bottom panel due to the complete lack of maintenance openings in the compact 14-inch case.
Other benefits include good input devices and a quiet mode of operation. Unfortunately, the included display was abysmal. While it was matte, which can be beneficial to some users, and offered decent viewing angles thanks to its IPS panel its brightness and contrast ratio were simply too low.
Lenovo’s ThinkPad E14 is a good office notebook for home use. However, looking at all available hardware options can be hugely beneficial.
We also liked the ThinkPad E14’s upgradability as well as its decent speakers. At its current price of around $800 it is a great office notebook for everyday office tasks. Thanks to its fast AMD Ryzen 4000 CPU with powerful integrated GPU it is even capable of gaming.
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2nd - Honor MagicBook 14
Honor’s MagicBook 14 (see review here) is an affordable Office notebook with plenty of oomph. Its AMD Ryzen 5 4500U offers 6 cores and 12 threads, and performed very well even under load. In addition, AMD’s Renoir APU comes with an AMD Radeon RX Vega 6, a fast integrated GPU that leaves Intel’s offerings in the dust. Most customers will be particularly excited about the device’s price. All in all, the notebook left a solid impression and scored accordingly. Nevertheless, we found a few things we did not particularly like, such as for example the display’s low color-space coverage as well as an overall relatively poor maintainability.
The Honor MagicBook 14 offers an excellent price-performance ratio.
In return, the Honor MagicBook 14 scored in regard to stamina and lasted a very good 14.5 hours in our Wi-Fi test. Despite its low price the case turned out to be very good, and overall system performance was excellent thanks to AMD power and a fast NVMe SSD.
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3rd – Acer Swift 3 SF314
The Acer Swift 3 SF314 (see review here) is Acer’s latest Office laptop based on AMD’s Renoir APU offering four CPU cores for an impressive performance in our test. Despite its low price the case is made of high-quality materials. A sleek and slim modern metal case offers plentiful connectivity, including a USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port.
Thanks to AMD’s Renoir APU the Acer Swift 3 SF314 is much more than a dull office notebook.
The display was certainly one of its weaknesses. While the fact that it was matte played in its favor its overall brightness was too low, as was its color space coverage.
Its main benefits include excellent battery life (12 hours in our Wi-Fi test) and low noise emissions. Thanks to AMD’s integrated Vega GPU the Acer Swift 3 SF314 was even capable of running some games smoothly.
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4th – Acer Chromebook 715
Acer’s Chromebook 715 (see review here) is a huge step in the right direction and significantly better than all other currently available Chromebooks. At around $800 you get a good-looking office notebook housed inside a sleek aluminum case powered by a more than powerful enough Core i5-8350U CPU. Unfortunately, the two most prominent limitations are the operating system and the small SSD. If, however, you are looking for a device to browse the web and create text documents every now and then look no further. The Acer Chromebook 715 is a reliable companion. The backlit keyboard is certainly one of its strengths, and battery life is very long.
The Acer Chromebook 715 is a good-looking office notebook with long battery life.
Downsides include the mediocre webcam and the high price for a Chromebook. In addition, ChromeOS comes with its own set of shortcomings and limitations when compared to macOS or Windows that you will have to consider as well.
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5th – Lenovo ThinkBook 14
Lenovo’s ThinkBook 14 (see review here) is a solid workhorse for everyday office life. At around $700 you get a well-made high-quality device. Its robust and firm base includes a plentitude of ports that leave very little to be desired.
Lenovo’s ThinkBook 14 offers decent performance and long battery life at a comparatively low price.
Our review unit, equipped with an Intel Core i5-10210U, performed very well in our benchmarks. Its 8 GB of RAM should suffice for most users, and so should the 256 GB SSD. Fear not if you need more, as both can be upgraded retroactively.
Our biggest gripe was with the display, which failed to meet its advertised specs by a long shot.
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6th - Dell Latitude 3510
The Dell Latitude 3510 (see review here) is an affordable entry-level business notebook. Nevertheless, it managed to score a good 81 %, thereby securing a spot in our top 10. Its benefits include its great battery life, courtesy of an energy-efficient yet powerful enough for everyday office work SoC, as well as its low overall heat emissions. In addition, the device remains pleasantly quiet during use.
Consumers will most likely be turned away by its price-performance ratio.
On the flip side it suffers from a dim low-contrast display as well as a slow card reader. Its warranty is also limited to just one year, and its price-performance ratio is relatively poor due to Dell’s choice of SoC: a Core i3-10110U.
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7th – Dynabook Satellite Pro C50
The Dynabook Satellite Pro C50 (see review here) is an affordable office notebook. Our review unit was equipped with Intel’s Core i5-8250U (Kaby Lake-U). When compared to its competitors it offered a decent single-core performance. Its multi-core performance is not the best considering that Kaby Lake has been superseded by various successors in the meantime. Nevertheless, performance is more than adequate for everyday office and internet applications.
The Dynabook Satellite Pro C50 is a solid office notebook that is not going to cost you an arm and a leg.
Its largest weakness was the IPS display that was simply significantly too dim. In addition, the internal hardware is simply not up-to-date any more in 2020. If you can live with these limitations and are looking for an office notebook for home use the Pro C50 will deliver just that, and top it off with decent battery life.
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8th - Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14
The IdeaPad 3 14IIL05 (see review here) scored 79 % and secured a place in our top 10. It offers a matte display, a fast SSD, and decent Wi-Fi speeds. In addition, the 14-inch device remained very quiet and cool.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14IIL05 is a simple office notebook with limited mobility due to its small battery.
Despite the matte panel the display was simply too bright, which turned out to be our main gripe with this device. In addition, there were other downsides to this model that were, however, not as grim as the display.
The Intel Core i3-1005G1 is a member of Intel’s Ice Lake family and offers enough performance for office and internet applications.
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9th – HP 17-ca1149ng
The HP 17-fa1149ng (see review here) combines a very low price with decent hardware. It is based on AMD’s Ryzen 5 3500U SoC with integrated Vega GPU. Compared to Intel’s integrated GPUs the Vega offers a much higher performance and is even capable of gaming. Furthermore, the notebook came with 16 GB of RAM, a 512 GB large SSD, and a FHD IPS display. The case was not particularly sturdy, but its surface temperatures were fairly low in return.
The HP 17s is a decent office notebook. However, it requires quite a few compromises.
If you keep your expectations in check the HP 17 can be a good companion that is even capable of running simple 3D games. However, there are quite a few weaknesses that we detected during our review. If you don’t mind the HP 17-ca1149ng can be a decent and quiet notebook for home use.
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10th – HP 15s-fg1556ng
HP’s 15s-fg1556ng (see review here) offers a modern Intel Ice Lake SoC, 16 GB of RAM, a 512 GB SSD, and a FHD IPS display at a low price. The case is robust albeit visually not particularly modern. On the plus side it features a USB-C port.
HP’s 15s is an affordable device that requires quite a few compromises from its users.
If your office notebook expectations are low the HP 15s-fg1556ng does exactly what it set out to do but nothing more. A battery life of around 6 hours should suffice most users. Given the lack of various business features the device is clearly made with home users in mind.
Most weaknesses only become apparent upon closer inspection. Take for example the suboptimal fan management settings that require manual adjustment in order to optimize CPU utilization. Which, in turn, increases noise emissions.
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Awards in this category
Test Results
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20T7S00W00 | Honor MagicBook 14, Ryzen 5 4500U | Acer Swift 3 SF314-42-R27B | Acer Chromebook 715 CB715-1WT-527F | Lenovo ThinkBook 14-IML-20RV006TGE | Dell Latitude 3510 NK2MC | Dynabook Satellite Pro C50-E-105 | Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14IIL05 | HP 17-ca1149ng | HP 15s-fq1556ng | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Response Times | ||||||||||
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% * | 46.4 (23.2, 23.2) | 44 (23.6, 20.4) | 42 (20, 22) | 28.8 (12, 16.8) | 40.8 (21.2, 19.6) | 38 (19, 19) | 43 (23, 20) | 39 (21, 18) | 40 (22, 18) | 51 (25, 26) |
Response Time Black / White * | 27.2 (16.8, 12.4) | 28.8 (16.4, 12.4) | 28 (16, 12) | 30.8 (18, 12.8) | 28 (15.6, 12.4) | 28 (17, 11) | 33 (18, 15) | 24 (14, 10) | 26 (16, 10) | 32 (18, 14) |
PWM Frequency | 25000 (40) | 25000 (60) | 250 | 1000 (90) | 250 (40) | |||||
Screen | ||||||||||
Brightness middle | 281 | 271 | 256 | 243.9 | 256 | 262 | 269 | 292 | 327 | 254 |
Brightness | 264 | 252 | 237 | 248 | 232 | 236 | 250 | 260 | 287 | 234 |
Brightness Distribution | 87 | 84 | 81 | 74 | 86 | 86 | 80 | 80 | 80 | 86 |
Black Level * | 0.25 | 0.18 | 0.17 | 0.25 | 0.96 | 0.31 | 0.265 | 0.36 | 0.25 | 0.18 |
Contrast | 1124 | 1506 | 1506 | 976 | 267 | 845 | 1015 | 811 | 1308 | 1411 |
Colorchecker DeltaE2000 * | 5.8 | 5.6 | 5.43 | 4.83 | 6.5 | 4.92 | 4.61 | 6.92 | 4.03 | 5.58 |
Colorchecker DeltaE2000 max. * | 22.3 | 18.9 | 19.73 | 18.29 | 21.5 | 15.83 | 7.28 | 19.36 | 7.35 | 9.83 |
Colorchecker DeltaE2000 calibrated * | 4.9 | 3.8 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 4.34 | 5.13 | 4.53 | |||
Greyscale DeltaE2000 * | 3.2 | 4.1 | 3.29 | 3.9 | 5.7 | 3.47 | 2.89 | 3.94 | 4.84 | 5.02 |
Gamma | 2.15 102% | 2.03 108% | 2.52 87% | 2.428 91% | 1.9 116% | 2.4 92% | 2.21 100% | 2.83 78% | 2.39 92% | 2.83 78% |
CCT | 6452 101% | 7253 90% | 6840 95% | 6286 103% | 6282 103% | 6680 97% | 6355 102% | 6737 96% | 6850 95% | 6570 99% |
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998) | 36.2 | 43 | 36 | 40.9 | 39 | 35 | 36 | 56 | 36 | |
Color Space (Percent of sRGB) | 56.9 | 67.7 | 57 | 63.7 | 61 | 55 | 56 | 87 | 56 | |
Noise | ||||||||||
off / environment * | 29.1 | 29.9 | 30.3 | 28.4 | 29.2 | 25 | 25.2 | 30.7 | 30.3 | |
Idle Minimum * | 29.1 | 29.9 | 30.3 | 28.4 | 29.2 | 25 | 25.2 | 30.7 | 30.8 | 30.3 |
Idle Average * | 29.1 | 29.9 | 30.3 | 28.4 | 29.2 | 25 | 25.2 | 30.7 | 30.8 | 30.3 |
Idle Maximum * | 29.1 | 30.3 | 30.3 | 28.4 | 29.6 | 27.8 | 31 | 30.7 | 30.8 | 30.3 |
Load Average * | 31.7 | 30.9 | 32.6 | 30.2 | 30.2 | 35.1 | 38.2 | 31.6 | 37.7 | 34 |
Load Maximum * | 32.7 | 32.5 | 35.6 | 44 | 31.8 | 34.8 | 37.2 | 33.6 | 37.7 | 41.3 |
Witcher 3 ultra * | 31.5 | |||||||||
Heat | ||||||||||
Maximum Upper Side * | 47.1 | 39.9 | 36.2 | 38.8 | 41.2 | 39 | 42.1 | 39.4 | 34.2 | 35.2 |
Maximum Bottom * | 48.1 | 44.7 | 39.7 | 39 | 45.9 | 40.6 | 41.2 | 39.7 | 33 | 37.2 |
Idle Upper Side * | 25.3 | 24.9 | 26.8 | 23 | 23.8 | 26 | 29 | 28.2 | 24.5 | 26.1 |
Idle Bottom * | 25.8 | 25.7 | 28.2 | 24.2 | 23.8 | 27.8 | 28.2 | 30.3 | 24.5 | 26 |
Battery Runtime | ||||||||||
Reader / Idle | 1727 | 872 | 657 | 785 | ||||||
H.264 | 545 | 522 | 385 | |||||||
WiFi v1.3 | 498 | 865 | 724 | 719 | 515 | 465 | 582 | 359 | 294 | 357 |
Load | 55 | 110 | 79 | 67 | 104 | |||||
Power Consumption | ||||||||||
Idle Minimum * | 4.6 | 4.2 | 3.7 | 1.3 | 2.94 | 3.6 | 2.7 | 3.2 | 6 | 3.3 |
Idle Average * | 7.6 | 6.5 | 5.6 | 6.6 | 5.2 | 6.6 | 5.4 | 6.2 | 12.5 | 6.4 |
Idle Maximum * | 9.7 | 7.9 | 7.8 | 6.9 | 5.96 | 9.7 | 5.9 | 7.2 | 12.9 | 6.8 |
Load Average * | 39.1 | 31.2 | 26.4 | 9 | 28.2 | 38 | 35 | 30 | 41 | 29 |
Load Maximum * | 50.3 | 37 | 31.4 | 42.4 | 62.2 | 45 | 38.5 | 50 | 46 | 46 |
Witcher 3 ultra * | 32 |
* ... smaller is better