The $600 budget is an imaginary median between budget and expensive laptops. This is the price range where budget laptops start getting really good, and a few rare best of the best laptops under $600 can even match their performance to expensive premium notebooks!
So, you will find some excellent value offering laptops under $600 but also a lot of awful ones in the mix that you should avoid buying at all costs. After all, you’re still shopping for a “budget laptop”.
Top 3 Laptops Under $600:
If you are looking for the best laptop under $600, we have some excellent options listed below. From powerful 15-inch notebooks and thin and light ultrabooks offering crisp 1080p displays and comfortable backlit keyboards to 2-in-1s and even 17-inch behemoths our list has options for almost every type of user and every requirement be it for business use, working from home, or for a college student who wants to do some light gaming after finishing off their assignments.
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Asus VivoBook 15 M515: Laptops Under $600 With SSD
Best PickProcessor: | AMD Ryzen 7 5700U (8-Cores, 1.8 – 4.3GHz) |
RAM: | 8GB DDR4 3200MHz (Upgradable) |
Storage: | 512GB Solid State Drive (Upgradable) |
Graphics: | AMD Radeon Integrated |
Display: | 15.6-Inch Full HD IPS Panel (Matte) |
Operating System: | Windows 10 Home |
Battery Life: | Up to 9 Hours |
Weight: | 3.97 lbs |

This Asus VivoBook 15 wins against every other laptop in the $600 price range by offering the most powerful specs without compromising on any essential features. It is packed to the brim with powerful hardware that includes an 8-core AMD Ryzen 7 5700U processor combined with 8GB RAM and 512GB SSD storage, which is perfect for running heavy software like AutoCAD, Photoshop, and more.
The laptop sports a metal design that makes it look and feel premium and, at the same time, a lot more stable for typing and using the touchpad. It also has a backlit keyboard with deep 1.4mm key travel, so it’s also great for working in dim environments. To connect your peripherals, it offers one USB-C Gen 3.2 port, a USB 2.0 and USB 3.2 Type-A ports, an HDMI port, and an audio combo jack.
Overall, the Asus VivoBook 15 M515 is one of the most powerful laptops you can lay your hands on in this price range. It is a very capable notebook, and it can handle resource-intensive software and heavy multitasking without any fuss. Plus, it offers all the bells and whistles like thin screen bezels to add more to the premium feel and fingerprint scanner for quick and secured logins, and up to 9 hours of battery life.
Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14: Laptops Under $500
Staff PickProcessor: | AMD Ryzen 5 5500U Hexa Core 2.1GHz APU (Turbo up to 4.0GHz) |
RAM: | 8GB DDR4 3200MHz – 4GB Sodded + 4GB SODIMM (Upgradable) |
Storage: | 256GB NVMe SSD (Upgradable) |
Graphics: | AMD Radeon Integrated |
Display: | 14-Inch FHD IPS Matte Screen |
Operating System: | Windows 11 Home 64-bit |
Battery Life: | Up to 8 Hours |
Weight: | 4.4 lbs |

So, it packs an AMD Ryzen 5 5500U—an excellent low-power consuming 7nm CPU, along with 8GB RAM and 256GB SSD storage. Most laptops at this price are cheap out with a slow hard drive, but the SSD storage on the IdeaPad 3 14 makes all the difference. With fast boot times and instant app launches, this will feel way more powerful for its price; only one drawback though – battery life can be impacted if you’re constantly running resource-intensive programs or streaming HD content.
Not everyone can afford an expensive laptop, but you don’t need to buy one if there are other options at cheaper prices. Cheap laptops often have the power that most people will ever need, so it doesn’t really matter what kind of money you’re spending.
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go: Laptops Under $600 Consumer Reports
Budget PickProcessor: | Intel Core i5-1035G1 Quad-Core (Up to 3.6GHz) |
RAM: | 8GB LPDDR4 Memory (Not upgradeable) |
Storage: | 128GB SSD |
Graphics: | Intel UHD Integrated |
Display: | 12.4-Inch 3:2 Multi-touch with 1536 x 1024 Resolution |
Operating System: | Windows 10 Home in S Mode |
Battery Life: | Up to 10 hours |
Weight: | 2.45 lbs |

The Surface Laptop Go isn’t for everyone – but if you’re looking for something that is both affordable and beautifully designed, this may be exactly what you’ve been waiting for. It does an admirable job at giving most people everything they need without breaking the bank.
A cheaper alternative for students is the Surface Go 3 with its 10.5-inch touchscreen display that utilizes touch and digital pen technology. While an even cheaper option than the Surface Laptop Go (though it will be slower), there are some benefits to be gained from this laptop too, such as having a more compact design when folded up or being able to utilize Microsoft Office 365 without paying any monthly fee.
The Surface Laptop Go might not perform at the same level as other computers, but its sleek look is hard to pass up. It runs on Windows 10S and comes in three enticing colors which can be easily mixed and matched with its smooth surface. The Surface Laptop Go has a fingerprint reader for seamless login, helping keep all your information secure – never forget another password again!
Dell Inspiron 15 5510: 17-inch Laptop Under $600
Processor: | Intel Core i5-11300H Quad-Core Processor (2.6 – 4.4GHz) |
RAM: | 8GB DDR4 3200MHz – 2x4GB (Upgradable) |
Storage: | 256GB PCIe NVMe M.2 Solid State Drive (Upgradable) |
Graphics: | Powerful Intel Iris Xe Integrated |
Display: | 15.6-Inch Full HD Anti-Glare WVA Screen with Narrow bezels |
Operating System: | Windows 11 Home |
Battery Life: | Up to 7 Hours |
Weight: | 3.6 lbs |

The Dell Inspiron 15 5510 is easily one of the most powerful 15.6-inch laptops you can get without shelling a bomb. The Intel Core i5-11320H is a cut above the usual low-powered Intel processors you get for this price and comes under high-performance Intel’s H35 series processors, meant for performance notebooks.
Accordingly, this Dell Inspiron 15 laptop can easily handle some of the most resource-intensive apps and software for office use. The integrated Iris Xe GPU is also fit for running a few casual games, but more importantly, it’s the laptop’s display that differentiates it from the rest. The WVA panel with an anti-glare coating is perfect for outdoor use, and the large screen with fully scaled-down bezels makes it ideal for watching movies and shows.
There’s a bundled USB-C Thunderbolt 4 port for plugging in a 4K display or high-speed storage, along with two USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports, 1 HDMI 1.4 port, and an SD card slot. You also get Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.1, and 2x2W stereo speakers. All this, and yet the laptop weighs just 3.6 pounds.
Acer Aspire 5: Gaming Laptops Under 600
Processor: | AMD Ryzen 5 5500U (6-cores, 2.1 – 4.1GHz) |
RAM: | 8GB DDR4 (Upgradable) |
Storage: | 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD (Upgradable) |
Graphics: | Integrated AMD Radeon |
Display: | 15.6-Inch Full HD LED-backlit IPS Display |
Operating System: | Windows 11 Home |
Battery Life: | Up to 9 hours |
Weight: | 3.88 lbs |

The Acer Aspire 5 also has a model with Intel Core i5-1135G7, but we recommend the one with the Ryzen processor because it’s a lot better. Yes, you do miss out on the fingerprint sensor on the AMD variant, but the Ryzen 5 5500U is capable of defeating even the 11th Gen Intel Core i7-1165G7. That’s how much better the performance is. And as most users look for reliable and stable performance, the AMD edition of the Acer Aspire 5 is an easy recommendation to make.
The laptop features three USB-3.0 ports and one USB-2.0 port, an ethernet port, HDMI out, and a USB-C port. You even get a backlit keyboard and a decently bright and sharp display. It’s also quite light at 3.88 pounds. Acer promises 11 hours of battery life on this one. But, in real life, you would get around 8-9 hours, which is still plenty.
The Acer Aspire 5 also has a model with Intel Core i5-1135G7, but we recommend the one with the Ryzen processor because it’s a lot better. Yes, you do miss out on the fingerprint sensor on the AMD variant, but the Ryzen 5 5500U is capable of defeating even the 11th Gen Intel Core i7-1165G7.
Asus ZenBook 14: Laptops for Programming Under $600
Processor: | AMD Ryzen 5 5500U (6-cores 12 threads, 2.1 – 4.0GHz) |
RAM: | 8GB LPDDR4x 4266MHz (Not-upgradable) |
Storage: | 256GB PCIe SSD (Upgradable) |
Graphics: | Dedicated Nvidia GeForce MX450 2GB DDR5 |
Display: | 14-Inch Widescreen Full HD LED-backlit 100% sRGB Matte Screen (250-nits) |
Operating System: | Windows 11 Home 64-bit |
Battery Life: | Up to 8 Hours |
Weight: | 2.8 lbs |

If you’re one of those people who want to enjoy more games or need a professional computer for photo editing, then the ASUS ZenBook 14 Laptop might just be what you’re looking for. With a battery life of up to 12 hours and beautiful color accuracy, this laptop will give you everything you need without breaking the bank!
Running the show is the AMD Ryzen 5 5500U six-core processor that pairs well with Nvidia’s entry-level MX450 GPU. With a full metal body and discreet graphics card, this laptop offers more for less than most laptops under $600 with inferior processing power and lack of an external GPU. Though its battery life leaves something to be desired – lasting around 6 hours after moderate use – it compensates for its shortcoming with an incredibly accurate panel measuring 14 inches across that displays 100% sRGB gamut colors.
There are two versions of the laptop, one with 8GB RAM and 256GB SSD Storage and another with 16GB RAM and 512GB Storage. However, they are both priced at over $1000 so it might be best to wait for the newest models like the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 or Lenovo Legion 5. If you really need to stick within the $600 budget, there is still an option available.
Asus VivoBook Flip 14: Laptop for Programming
Processor: | AMD Ryzen 5 5500U Hexa-Core (Up to 4.1GHz) |
RAM: | 8GB DDR4 (4GB Soldered + 4GB Swappable) |
Storage: | 256GB PCIe SSD (Upgradable) |
Graphics: | AMD Radeon Integrated GPU |
Display: | 14-Inch Full HD Touchscreen Display with Wide 178° Viewing Angle |
Operating System: | Windows 10 Home (Compatible with Windows 11) |
Battery Life: | Up to 8 Hours |
Weight: | 3.3 lbs |

Usually, when you are shopping for a 2-in-1/convertible laptop under $600, you’ve to make a few compromises. However, the Asus VivoBook Flip 14 breaks that stereotype and packs the most punch you can get in a laptop at this price range, that too, without compromising on any essential features!
It’s one of the most versatile thin and light laptops you can buy for under $600 with a 360-degree hinge that is easy and ergonomic to use. You can keep the display at any angle you want to watch content, doodle with the optional stylus, or give a presentation to a group of people without the keyboard coming in the way. Speaking of the display, it features a 14-inch display with full HD resolution and touches support. It is not the brightest or the most color-accurate panel, but it’s good enough for casual work and media consumption.
Asus promises 8 hours of battery life, and the Ryzen 5 5500U, as mentioned earlier, gives strong competition to even more expensive Intel-powered laptops when it comes to multi-core performance. It could even run a few casual games and resource-intensive apps like Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom with ease.
HP Pavilion Aero 13: Laptop Under $600 Reddit
Processor: | Intel Celeron N4020 Dual-Core Processor (Turbo up to 2.8GHz) |
RAM: | 4GB DDR4 |
Storage: | 64GB eMMC |
Graphics: | Intel UHD Graphics 600 |
Display: | 11.6-Inch HD WLED-backlit Anti-Glare Screen (1366 x 768 pixels resolution) |
Operating System: | Windows 11 Home (S mode) |
Battery Life: | 9 hours |
Weight: | 2.3 lbs |

The HP Pavilion Aero 13 is one of the best ultrabooks you can buy for under $600 for business use, especially if you are a frequent flyer. The lightweight chassis and the compact 13-inch display make this perfect for on-the-go computing. With the powerful and highly efficient 5000 series AMD Ryzen 5 CPU, the Pavilion Aero 13 offers excellent performance, while the integrated Radeon graphics makes it possible even to complete a few levels of a casual game when you’re bored.
The laptop weighs just 2.2 pounds and features a backlit keyboard, and is perfect for office use. You even get a USB-C port with a display port 1.4 support to plug in a second display or high-speed storage, a microSD card reader, and legacy ports like two USB-A and HDMI ports!
Its 13-inch full HD+ display is very bright, and its tall 16:10 aspect ratio helps to accommodate more content vertically, resulting in less scrolling and more productivity. The laptop takes good care of user privacy and is offered with a premium all-metal lightweight design, fit for traveling business executives.
Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 15: Laptop Under $600 Amazon
Processor: | AMD Ryzen 5 5600H 6-Core CPU (Turbo up to 4.2 GHz) |
RAM: | 8GB DDR4 3200 MHz (Upgradable) |
Storage: | 256GB PCIe M.2 SSD (Upgradable) |
Graphics: | Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 GPU with 4GB DDR6 VRAM |
Display: | 15.6-Inch Full HD IPS 120 Hz Display |
Operating System: | Windows 11 Home |
Battery Life: | Up to 8 Hours |
Weight: | 4.8 lbs |

The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 15 is among the very few gaming laptops available in this price range that’s actually worth purchasing if you want to play the latest games. It offers respectable specs for gaming for the price, and it has a fast 120Hz refresh rate full HD 15-inch display, which truly maximizes the experience of gaming on this laptop. It is slightly above $600 at the time I am writing, but I’ve seen its price drop below $600 many times during random sales. But, I believe it’s well worth it, even at its current rate.
It does not have fancy RGBs, and you shouldn’t even expect it to have at this price, but it does have a backlit keyboard which is very comfortable to type, and it lights up in the standard white light just like a normal work-oriented laptop. The design of the laptop is also quite muted and non-gaming laptops, so you can even purchase this gaming laptop as your work laptop to use in the office and play games on it in the evening when you are home.
If we talk about the performance, it’s good enough for casual gamers. The AMD Ryzen 5 5600H paired with Nvidia GTX 1650 GPU will run most modern games smoothly at default settings, but with very demanding titles, you’ll have to scale down a few settings to achieve smooth gameplay. If you don’t mind that, then you’ll be more than happy with the gaming performance of this laptop, and as mentioned earlier, its high refresh rate display does the job of icing on the cake.
HP 17-cn0025nr: Touchscreen Laptop Under $600
Processor: | Intel Core i5-1135G7 Quad-Core 2.4GHz Processor (Turbo up to 4.2GHz) |
RAM: | 8GB DDR4 3200MHz (Upgradable) |
Storage: | 256GB SSD (Upgradable) |
Graphics: | Intel Iris Xe Integrated |
Display: | 17.3-Inch HD+ BrightView Screen with 1600 x 900 Resolution |
Operating System: | Windows 10 Home 64-bit |
Battery Life: | Up to 5 Hours |
Weight: | 4.5 lbs |

While most users are satisfied with a 15.6-inch laptop, we won’t judge you for wanting something even larger. But any competent 17-inch laptop usually falls under the gaming category with exorbitant price tags. But not this one. The HP 17t offers just what you’re looking for—a large 17.3-inch display. But the resolution is only HD with 1600 pixels to boot, which is not quite adequate for content consumption but should do well to quench your thirst for large-screen productivity.
The variant around $600 features the Intel Core i5-1135G7, that’s part of Intel’s offering for thin and light laptops and is generally good for everyday use. Just don’t expect to run resource-intensive software or do heavy multitasking, as the 8GB DDR4 RAM tends to fill up quite fast with around 6-7 Chrome tabs open. There’s a cheaper variant with a 1TB HDD, but we’d recommend going for the one with 256GB Solid State Drive, which is exponentially faster than the one with HDD storage.
The HP 17t offers just what you’re looking for—a large 17.3-inch display. But the resolution is only HD with 1600 pixels to boot, which is not quite adequate for content consumption but should do well to quench your thirst for large-screen productivity.
Conclusion
The best laptops under $600 won’t be the best looking, nor will they pack the latest features and gimmicks, but when you’re spending $600, you shouldn’t be taking one thing for granted, that is a good performance. All the compromises manufacturers make while making an affordable laptop are done to keep the experience of using Windows, running apps, playing light games, and using office tools as smooth as possible. And the laptops we suggested in this list all fit that bill perfectly.