Notebookcheck's Top 10 Budget Office/Business Laptops

E-series ThinkPads define the entry-level business model without making too many compromises. We reviewed a ThinkPad E470 (review) with Kaby Lake i5 and GeForce 940MX (DDR3). The base model with Core i3, HD 620, SSD (256 GB), and FHD IPS panel is currently available for 570 Euros (~$638; without OS), which is really competitive for HP and Dell when you consider the features.

High-quality, good hardware and well-made: the Lenovo ThinkPad E470 is a price-performance hit with all-round qualities.

It is not just the high-resolution IPS display with wide viewing angles and high contrast that we like. The chassis quality is decent – although not as sturdy or sophisticated as ThinkPads from the T-series. One important aspect is the excellent keyboard. It is the same model we can find in the L460, but it is not entirely identical to the more expensive T-series ThinkPads. A runtime of 5:26 hours is okay, we like the Wi-Fi performance, and there is an additional TrackPoint. 

We must also consider the downsides of this model: the heavy case with few upgrade options and limited modern ports. We would have appreciated having at least one M.2 slot or a USB Type-C port.

Drawbacks? The port variety and the maintainability are not great. Still: The E470 gets the Best Value Award in January 2017 for the excellent price-performance ratio.

Lenovo's ThinkPad E570 is the successor to the ThinkPad E560, which was in this place of this ranking previously. The 15-inch system is available with the Nvidia GeForce GTX 950M, which provides more decent gaming performance than you would expect from an office laptop. The entry-level SKUs start from 679 Euros (~$760) with conventional hard drives. The Intel Core i5-7200U is the default processor for this platform, and Lenovo does not offer too many models. You will have to switch to the more expensive L-series if you want more. 

It could be interesting mainly for students and private users who want a laptop with good input devices.

As with the previous iterations, we like the quiet operation, the best input devices in this price range and the good maintenance options and the performance of the E570, which can also handle multimedia tasks. But not everything is perfect: Lenovo makes some mistakes in terms of stability and quality of the chassis. The port layout is also bad and the docking port OneLink has been eliminated (has been combined with the power supply on the E560).

Finally, we have to criticize the casing: In particular, the display housing does not convince in either build or stability.

The HP ProBook 450 G4 is less expensive and is better built in general, but you will have to live with a worse TN panel in return.

The bulky Fujitsu LifeBook A557 (here in test) has a no-frills design and does not look really nice or elegant, but it does have some great features for a very interesting price. 

The Fujitsu LifeBook A557 also left a positive impression with its low power consumption that in turn assures a long battery life.

A runtime of almost 9 hours in the Wi-Fi test is another positive aspect for the 15-inch system, just like the functional design, the good keyboard, and the IPS display with wide viewing angles. Fujitsu can definitely keep up with the competitors Lenovo L460 and E570 in this respect. The keyboard of the Fujitsu is not quite as good, but you get a 256 GB SSD with the same great IPS panel for almost 600 Euros (~$672), and the Intel Core i5-7200U as well as 8 GB of RAM are standard. Lenovo still equips the more affordable SKUs with 4 GB. The test model also shows good Wi-Fi and SD-reader performance, which can easily keep up with high-end business machines. 

The Fujitsu LifeBook A557 offers a decent performance for small budgets. Those who do not place too much importance on the design will be happy with the Fujitsu LifeBook A557.

The Fujitsu LifeBook A557 is a worthy contender for the L & E ThinkPads. The chassis is dated and bulky, but it is more stable than the ThinkPad E570. USB Type-C and docking port are not available here either, which is also the case for an illuminated keyboard. However, this is also the case for the E570/L460 (Radeon SKU) and ProBook 450 G4. The keyboard is therefore the only real advantage of the ThinkPads (E & L-series), but they are more expensive. You cannot get a Lenovo laptop with an SSD for less than 600 Euros (~$672). This device is worth the Best Value Award in April 2017.

The Dell Latitude 5580 (see review) is a classic, bulky all-round device for the desk. The 15-inch laptop focuses on its core competences. These include input devices with strong feedback including trackpad, a very solid chassis, low system noise and waste heat, and many interfaces. The Thunderbolt 3 port is new, but it is only optionally available in the more expensive configuration. With it, the Dell Latitude 5580 would even be quite future-proof. The Wi-Fi battery life of 11:30 hours staggering.

Its long battery life, easy maintenance, very wide range of options, Linux certification, and comfortable keyboard all make for an attractive and very versatile business notebook for most types of office work.

In terms of performance, the laptop rather comes with basic components: Core i5, 4 GB of RAM, and slow, conventional hard drive. The hardware will do its job, but high performance is something different.

While entry-level configurations like ours can start in the $700 USD range, valuable business features like Smart Card, Thunderbolt 3, WWAN, NFC, and fingerprint reader will bump starting prices to well over $1000 USD.

We think that the variant with Full HD panel and 8 GB of RAM is more attractive. It also costs just under 800 Euros.

Furthermore, we recommend avoiding the horrid HD display and to instead invest in FHD

The ProBook 450 G4 (here in review) is equipped with a matte panel, good input devices, a sturdy chassis, and it does not reveal any serious drawbacks. Potential buyers get a real docking port for 579 to 1100 Euros (~$648 to ~$1232) – which is only included in the ProBook 6xx-series or the ThinkPads L460/E460 – but not the E570 and L460 Radeon SKU. You can maintain the system (RAM, HDD, Wi-Fi, empty M.2 slot). The combination of Intel Core i5-7500U (Kaby Lake) and the GeForce 930MX GPU ensures smooth handling. 

The casing is decent and has hardly any weaknesses, the metal wrist rest feels good, and the device offers a very solid selection of interfaces which even include USB Type-C.

Besides the keyboard, the ProBook 450 G4 also offers a Precision touchpad with decent feedback, many ports and long battery runtimes of up to 8:33 h in the Wi-Fi test, so it can keep up with the stamina of the LifeBook A557. However, the display is still a problem: The TN panel has limited viewing angles, pale colors and low results for the luminance. The IPS screens in the ThinkPad E570, L460, and LifeBook A557 are superior.

Too bad: The manufacturer ruins an actually rounded package with a screen that is simply inappropriate for the price.

We were surprised by the sixth-placed device: As you might know, the 14-inch Acer TravelMate P249-M-5452 (see review) belongs to the entry-level TravelMates (P2 series). You can see from a first glance that the chassis is made from an aluminum plastic combination. It appears solid enough for everyday tasks. Acer has put a lot of effort into the hardware. It includes a fast SSD as well as a matte Full HD display. Unfortunately, the latter is not an IPS-type and is relatively dark. However, the TravelMate P249-M can convince us with a Core i5-6200U, a maintenance hatch, a keyboard light, an almost silent system noise, a good keyboard, and long battery runtimes. If you require a better TFT, you have to buy the TravelMate P6 series, which comes with IPS panels.

The battery life and input devices are also good. The manufacturer rounds off the package with a three-year warranty. We can only criticize the screen as Acer has chosen a TN panel, which offers a decent contrast but poor viewing angles and brightness.

We had a high-end model with FHD display and a 256 GB SSD and the low-cost model P249-M-3895 (Core i3, HD resolution) under review. The entry-level model for 550 Euros (~$616) also comes with a dark, low-contrast display with narrow viewing angles. The Lifebook A557 in the 3rd place offers a significantly better display for slightly more money.

With the Lenovo V510-15IKB (see review), the manufacturer has a relatively cheap work device on offer, which fails in an important aspect, despite its many advantages otherwise: Poor battery runtimes of only 3:45 hours are no longer up-to-date.

The battery runtimes are the biggest weakness of the computer.

If this is not important to you, you will get a fast, SSD-based system with current Kaby Lake SoC. The 15-inch laptop remains always quiet, hardly gets warmer and, after all, features a Full HD display with IPS technology. The latter is matte, but it features a relatively low brightness. For a price of 570 Euros (~$638), buyers will get a better device in the Fujitsu LifeBook A557 (see review), notwithstanding the better input devices of the Lenovo.

Dell's Vostro 15-5568 (see review) should cater to the lower office mid-range. Thanks to its Kaby Lake processor and a fast SSD, there is no need to worry about performance. Further pros are decent maintenance and a realistic battery life of about 6 hours in our real-world Wi-Fi test.

We liked the good performance, the quiet operation and the nice chassis, which does not reveal the low entry-level price. The Vostro 15 does not have to hide behind more expensive systems in terms of stability either.

The 15-inch laptop is not an excellent office device in all aspects. A weak TN display and mediocre input devices are something which we do not want to find in a device of about 700 Euros (~$784). In view of this, the Core i3 variant for 470 Euros (~$526) appears to be more adequate. In our opinion, the ThinkPad L and ThinkPad E series are the better alternatives. They feature IPS displays and a dedicated docking port (L series).

We would primarily like to see a better keyboard as well as an IPS display, at least as an option.

The ProBook 655 G2 (AMD) (here in review) is the similarly constructed sibling of the ProBook 650 G2 (Intel). Except for the chipset, the 15-inch devices are identical. The Intel version is not listed in the Budget Office list because of its price, which is upwards of 800 Euros (~$896). The 655 G2 – just like the 650 G2 – has numerous advantages, but it also has significant drawbacks: The input devices are suited for prolific writers, but there is no background illumination. It has a docking port for HP docking solutions. The well-built and sturdy chassis hardly gets warm and is very quiet.

AMD's Pro A8-8600B is unfortunately not the fastest chip and is much slower than the Intel Core i5. Then there is the short runtime of just 3:40 hours – insufficient for an office notebook. The biggest drawback, however, is the TN panel with limited viewing angles, in the case of the test model even with the outdated HD resolution. This problem affects both the 655 G2 and the 650 G2 (Intel), because the FHD TN screens are not better either. In view of this, you might want to consider the ThinkPad L and ThinkPad E series mentioned above.

The E5-series is Acer's entry into the mainstream segment. The 15-inch system Aspire E5-774-54HJ (here in review) is equipped with a brand-new Kaby Lake processor. This means that the Aspire E5 is always quiet and does not really get warm. Our test model was not equipped with an SSD, but it can be added in the M.2 slot. As with the HP, the Full HD resolution is only available as a TN screen, but it has a pretty good contrast.

Unfortunately, the device has a TN screen with limited viewing angles. However, it is one of the better panels and manages better viewing angles compared to similar models in the entry-level segment.

The Aspire E5-774G is shipped with the dedicated GeForce 940MX, which is equipped with GDDR5 video memory. This is not only rare, but also results in 20 to 30% higher frame rates compared to the DDR3 version. Hence, the Aspire E5-774 is suitable for those who deal with office work and require acceptable gaming qualities. However, an IPS display would be almost too much to ask for.

The ES-series represents Acer's entry-level notebook lineup. The Aspire ES1-332-P91H (here in review) still manages to secure a spot in our Top 10 list, because it offers some details for a low price of 450 Euros (~$504). This starts with the good runtime of 6 hours, followed by the large storage capacity and the two-year warranty. Another positive aspect is the maintenance hatch; other cheap laptops sometimes just waive this. The Pentium N4200 is from Intel's new Apollo Lake architecture. It cannot compete with Core i, but it manages a decent amount of performance for simple applications. The system is quiet and cool in practice.

Acer's Aspire ES1-332 is an affordable, mobile typewriter and browsing machine, which should also be popular with students.