Adrian Kingsley-Hughes
for Hardware 2.0
| December 2, 2021
| Topic: Laptops
HP 14
OS: Windows 10S
Jump to details
View now at Amazon
Dell Chromebook 3100 Education
OS: ChromeOS
Jump to details
View now at Dell
Lenovo IdeaPad 1 (14-inch, AMD)
OS: Windows 10S
Jump to details
View now at Amazon
Samsung Chromebook 4+ 15.6-inch
OS: ChromeOS
Jump to details
View now at Samsung
Lenovo Chromebook C340-11
OS: ChromeOS
Jump to details
View now at Walmart
You might have seen prices slowly going up, and most of this is due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the pressures it has put on supply chains. Not only did we see disruption to manufacturing, but the shift to working and learning from home meant that hardware was flying off shelves as fast as it could be made.
Also: Best budget gaming laptops: Top rigs under $1,000
But, if you look around, there are still some good laptop deals to be had out there. You can score a very nice, very capable Windows 10 or ChromeOS laptop for under $350. This segment isn’t as big as it was a year ago, so choices are a little more limited. But pick the right hardware, and you’ll get value for money.
HP 14
OS: Windows 10S
Tech specs:
14-inch HD displayAMD 3020e processor4GB RAM64GB eMMC storage
This is very much an entry level system, complete with a 14-inch HD display, 4GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, and an AMD 3020e processor with built-in graphics. But you do get a solid 10-hour battery, a fast charge feature that can take the battery from 0 to 50% in 45 minutes, a decent keyboard, and a nice selection of ports.
And for all those Zoom sessions you’re doing, there’s a very capable 720p webcam.
This is a great workhorse for work and school.
View now at Amazon
Dell Chromebook 3100 Education
OS: ChromeOS
Tech specs:
11.6-inch HD 1366 x 768 displayIntel Celeron N4020 processor4GB RAM16GB eMMC storage
This is a Chromebook designed to last. It’s been rigorously tested to the MIL-STD standards, and it can “survive 5,000 free fall micro-drops and 30-inch drops onto steel, while rubberized edges minimize impacts from drops and bumps”. It also features a spill- and tamper-resistant keyboard that withstands up to 12 ounces of liquid.
View now at Dell
Lenovo IdeaPad 1 (14-inch, AMD)
OS: Windows 10S
Tech specs:
AMD A6-9220E processorIntegrated AMD Radeon R4 graphics
11.6-inch display4GB RAM64GB eMMC
This is a lightweight laptop with a decent processor and good battery life wrapped up in a robust package.
You also get Dolby Audio, so the sound is quite spectacular for such a budget notebook. Overall, it’s a very portable laptop that comes with a decent array of ports, and it has enough power and battery life for day-to-day tasks in the home, school, or office.
View now at Amazon
Samsung Chromebook 4+ 15.6-inch
OS: ChromeOS
Tech specs:
15.6-inch FHD 1920 x 1080 anti-glare displayIntel Celeron N4000 processor6GB RAM32GB eMMC storage
Short of buying a Chromebook from Google, Samsung’s offerings are the next best thing. And the Chromebook 4+ brings a lot of hardware to the table at a competitive price. You get a big 15.6-inch FHD display, 64GB of storage, and 10 hours of battery life in a thin-and-light package.
If you are a digital packrat then you can bump the storage up to 128GB for an extra $80
View now at Samsung
Lenovo Chromebook C340-11
OS: ChromeOS
Tech specs:
Chrome OSIntel Celeron N4000 processor11.6-inch touch display4GB RAM64GB eMMC
A Chromebook, but with the Lenovo touch. It has a 10-hour battery life, a 360-degree hinge that allows it to switch from a laptop to a tablet, and the convenience of Chrome OS. While coming in at under $300, this device still feels like a premium device.
View now at Walmart
Buying considerations
Since the price here is fixed — $350 or under — that removes a massive variable and narrows down the field dramatically. But that doesn’t mean you don’t have any choices to make.
|
Hardware
|
Reviews
|
Security
|
Mobility
|
PCs