{"id":99383,"date":"2018-07-13T04:35:29","date_gmt":"2018-07-13T02:35:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sftarticles.wpenginepowered.com\/en\/?p=99383"},"modified":"2025-07-01T23:17:40","modified_gmt":"2025-07-02T06:17:40","slug":"5-of-the-best-laptops-for-under-400","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/5-of-the-best-laptops-for-under-400\/","title":{"rendered":"5 of the best laptops for around $400"},"content":{"rendered":"

Budget laptops are easy to find, but you’ll have to make sacrifices. <\/span><\/p>\n

Depending on your needs, you might want a larger screen, more RAM, a bigger hard drive, or faster processor. If you prioritize a couple of these and accept a reduction in (or loss of) other features, you\u2019ll find a laptop that does what you want at a price that doesn\u2019t break the bank. <\/span><\/p>\n

We’ve listed five of our favorite budget laptops below. Note these are <\/span>proper<\/span><\/i> laptops, not Chromebooks. A Chromebook outsources most of its processing power to the cloud through Google’s browser, so you need to be online to get the most out of it. I<\/span>f you\u2019re really tight for cash, they\u2019re a reasonable alternative and cost much less (usually under $250). <\/span><\/p>\n

For everyone else, here\u2019s our rundown of the best laptops for under $400…<\/span><\/p>\n

1. <\/span>Lenovo IdeaPad<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

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The Lenovo IdeaPad is a great all-rounder. From its 15.6\u201d HD screen to its full-size keyboard, the hardware is perfect for business and study. The AMD quad-core A6 processor ramps up to 2.4 GHz \u2013 enough for most tasks \u2013 and the 500GB HDD will store hundreds of photos and movies. <\/span><\/p>\n

The standout feature is the 8GB RAM<\/strong>, which ensures you don\u2019t experience slow-down when using several applications at once, or during RAM-heavy tasks like photo and video editing.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\r\n $398<\/a>\r\n\r\n
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\r\n Flagship Lenovo 15.6 HD Widescreen LED Business Laptop, AMD Quad-Core A6-7310 up to 2.4GHz, 8GB RAM, 500GB HDD, AMD Radeon R4 Graphics, DVD Burner, HDMI, Bluetooth, 802.11ac, Webcam, USB 3.0, Win 10<\/a>\r\n

\r\n From: Amazon<\/strong>\r\n <\/p>\r\n <\/div>\r\n

\r\n Learn More<\/a>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n

2. <\/span>HP 15-BS091MS<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

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Not the most inspiring name, but it certainly makes up for it in features. The HP 15 uses an Intel i3 processor clocking 2.4 GHz, has 6GB RAM, and <\/span>a 15.6\u201d HD LED touchscreen. The standout feature? <\/span>Its massive 1TB HDD<\/b>. <\/span><\/p>\n

If you want to store all your photos and movies, as well as download the latest software without worrying about filling up the HDD, this laptop is for you. The Intel processor is also a bonus \u2013 while it clocks the same as the IdeaPad, Intel CPUs are generally considered of better quality, so should run faster.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\r\n $424<\/a>\r\n\r\n
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\r\n HP Notebook 15.6 Inch Touchscreen Premium Laptop PC (2017 Version), 7th Gen Intel Core i3-7100U 2.4GHz Processor, 8GB DDR4 RAM, 1TB HDD, SuperMulti DVD Burner, Bluetooth, Windows 10<\/a>\r\n

\r\n From: Amazon<\/strong>\r\n <\/p>\r\n <\/div>\r\n

\r\n Learn More<\/a>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n

3. <\/span>Acer E15<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

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The E15 also has a 7th generation Intel i3 processor clocking at 2.4 GHz, but only 4GB RAM. This will make it a bit slow during intensive tasks, but it does make up for it in storage with a 1TB HDD (and you can always add more RAM later). <\/span><\/p>\n

While the screen also measures 15.6\u201d, it enjoys a full HD display of 1920×1080 \u2013 perfect for movies and media editing \u2013 but no touchscreen. The E15\u2019s standout feature is its <\/span>12-hour battery life<\/b>, the longest of any laptop on this list.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\r\n $437<\/a>\r\n\r\n
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\r\n Acer Aspire E 15 E5-575-33BM 15.6-Inch FHD Notebook (Intel Core i3-7100U 7th Generation, 4GB DDR4, 1TB 5400RPM HD, Intel HD Graphics 620, Windows 10 Home)<\/a>\r\n

\r\n From: Amazon<\/strong>\r\n <\/p>\r\n <\/div>\r\n

\r\n Learn More<\/a>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n

4. <\/span>HP ProBook x360<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

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If you\u2019re looking for something to use on the move, the ProBook is worth a look. Its processor is relatively underpowered, but for emails, watching videos, and browsing it\u2019s more than capable. The 11.6\u201d HD touchscreen is small enough for large handbags and small backpacks, and the 360-degree hinges mean you can use it like a tablet. Bear in mind there\u2019s no DVD\/CD drive, though. <\/span><\/p>\n

The 128GB SSD might not hold as much as the others, but SSDs are faster and less prone to failure. There\u2019s no standout feature as such, instead, it\u2019s the perfect blend of size and features , touchscreen, and SSD that make this a great portable machine.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\r\n $367<\/a>\r\n\r\n
\r\n \r\n \r\n <\/a>\r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n
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\r\n 2018 HP ProBook x360 11-G1 EE 11.6 HD Touchscreen Convertible Laptop Computer, Intel Dual-Core N3350 up to 2.4GHz, 4GB DDR3 RAM, 128GB SSD, HDMI, WiFi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 4.2, Windows 10 Professional<\/a>\r\n

\r\n From: Amazon<\/strong>\r\n <\/p>\r\n <\/div>\r\n

\r\n Learn More<\/a>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n

5. <\/span>HP 17-AK010NR<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"The HP 17 might not use an Intel processor, but its AMD A9 chip clocks up to 3.6 GHz. That\u2019s easily enough for the toughest computing tasks, but its 4GB RAM does let it down a bit. Thankfully, it\u2019s expandable. There\u2019s a CD\/DVD drive, and a decent battery life of 6 hours for video playback. The standout feature here is the <\/span>17.3\u201d LED screen<\/b>. <\/span><\/p>\n

At 1600×900 its not full HD, but unless you\u2019re a pixel-peeper, you probably won\u2019t notice. It\u2019s higher than 720p, so still a great choice for HD movies, and that extra screen space is perfect for working on two documents at once. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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\r\n $454<\/a>\r\n\r\n
\r\n \r\n \r\n <\/a>\r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n
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\r\n HP 17-inch Laptop, AMD A9-9420, 4GB RAM, 500GB hard drive, Windows 10<\/a>\r\n

\r\n From: Amazon<\/strong>\r\n <\/p>\r\n <\/div>\r\n

\r\n Learn More<\/a>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n
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4 of the best laptops under $700<\/p>\r\n Got a little more to spend?<\/a>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/a>\r\n <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n

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5 of the best laptops for around $1,000<\/p>\r\n See our upgrade picks<\/a>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/a>\r\n <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n

You don\u2019t have to spend thousands to get a decent laptop. There\u2019s plenty of choice out there for almost any budget, but to avoid disappointment, ensure you know what\u2019s most important to you before clicking that order button.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Budget laptops are easy to find, but you’ll have to make sacrifices. Depending on your needs, you might want a larger screen, more RAM, a bigger hard drive, or faster processor. If you prioritize a couple of these and accept a reduction in (or loss of) other features, you\u2019ll find a laptop that does what … Continue reading “5 of the best laptops for around $400”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9103,"featured_media":103865,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","wpcf-pageviews":1},"categories":[2518,2441],"tags":[1032,1034,1036,1033,1080],"usertag":[781],"vertical":[],"content-category":[],"class_list":["post-99383","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-guides","category-how-to","tag-gadgets","tag-money","tag-productivity","tag-shopping","tag-windows","usertag-purchaser"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/99383","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9103"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=99383"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/99383\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":327689,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/99383\/revisions\/327689"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/103865"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=99383"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=99383"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=99383"},{"taxonomy":"usertag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/usertag?post=99383"},{"taxonomy":"vertical","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/vertical?post=99383"},{"taxonomy":"content-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/content-category?post=99383"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}