The Best Notebooks For Less Than 500 Euros

So affordable and already a high-quality convertible! The Microsoft Surface Go already starts for less than 500 Euros, but this version is shipped without physical keyboard. You can either use a Bluetooth keyboard or the optional Type Cover, which will increase the price noticeably. The storage is also limited on the base model at just 64 GB, and Microsoft charges a hefty premium for the 128 GB option. You can at least use the microSD reader to store more data.

The quality of the magnesium case is excellent, the Surface lasts long on battery, and you get a bright as well as high-contrast screen. The performance is not that bad, either. You notice that the Surface Go is no real notebook when you look at the ports, because one USB-C port will have to suffice.

For less than 500 Euros the Jumper EZBook X3 Air comes in a surprisingly premium and high-quality metal case, a relatively low weight, and narrow display bezels.

The Medion Akoya E14307 is a Chromebook competitor running Windows 10 S, which can be easily upgraded to a traditional Windows 10 Home variant and therefore a full-fledged operating system. The Akoya is also equipped with a user-replaceable SSD, which means the included 128 GB storage device can be quickly and easily replaced.

The Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 is a 11.6-inch convertible that can be purchased for around 300 Euros. It is silent and offers good battery life – an intriguing combination for not a lot of money. Unfortunately, the notebook’s performance is fairly poor, and it will take quite long to finish various tasks.

The storage device is based on eMMC technology and this quite slow overall. Thus, this cheap SKU is not necessarily worth purchasing. For around 100 Euros more you get twice the storage based on modern SSD technology as well as a faster processor. Most users will benefit from this upgrade.

The Chuwi LarkBook looks great on the outside but leaves a lot to be desired on the inside. The device can be imported for around $500 if risky bets and experiments are your thing. Previous Chuwi devices often suffered from keyboard and hinge problems, and its performance is too low for its price range.

The second generation of the TravelMate Spin is once again a convertible, which is originally designed for the education sector, but it might also be interesting for private users. It is very affordable for a convertible with touchscreen and pen support, there is no fan, and you get a pretty good display. The latter convinces with good color accuracy and the high resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. The case still leaves a very robust impression.

It is unfortunate that Acer once again uses a glossy display surface, and the low system performance is a drawback even for this price range. Overall, the TravelMate Spin B1 still performs well and interested users should give it a look, since the battery runtime is long.

Asus equips the M509DA with a Ryzen APU with quite a lot of performance for this price range. it has no problems with office and web-based applications. The notebook does not get very warm and the fan is either silent or at least not very loud.

You do have to live with the dim and low-contrast display, the below average battery runtime, and the missing Ethernet port. The slow Wi-Fi transfer rates are another drawback.

A 512 GB SSD, however, is a serious argument in this price segment and you also get a two-year warranty.

What is often the first corner cut on inexpensive laptops? That’s right, the display. The Lenovo V15 is another prime example. Low contrast ratio, low brightness, and to add insult to injury the panel is based on TN technology with massive color deviations and loss of brightness when looked at from the sides. Battery life is rather poor and makes it very hard to recommend the Lenovo V15 to anyone.

The Lenovo IdeaPad S145 is a 15-inch laptop for simple office workloads. The price is pretty appealing and the AMD Athlon CPU provides more performance than usual in this price class. You can even add another drive if you want, it does not get very warm and always stays quiet.

The display is no highlight, but rather dark and with a low contrast ratio. it is still okay for the price range though. The short battery runtime is another drawback, and you do not get a keyboard illumination. Still, if your budget is limited and you want to maximize the performance, the  notebook is still worth a look.