TOP 8+ Best Laptops under 700$ To Buy in 2021

If you’re a college student or want to upgrade from your decade-old laptop, $700 is a great price to look for a compact yet powerful laptop.

Sure, you won’t get fancy features like quick charging, pixel-dense display, or a fast refresh screen. However, you get a power-packed laptop that will perform regular tasks with great ease.

Thus, we’ve listed the 8 best laptops under $700 that offer a smooth experience during web browsing, streaming 4K movies, image/video editing, PowerPoint presentation, and programming.

The laptops mentioned below aren’t ideal for serious gaming; however, you can play casual and online games. Moreover, if you want the best gaming laptop under $700, then I have a surprise pick for you on this list.

Top 5 Best Laptops under 700$ in 2021

Image	Products	Speciality	Price
	Dell Inspiron 15	Best Overall	Check Price
	Acer Swift 3	Best 14 inch	Check Price
	Asus Vivobook 15	Best Asus Laptop	Check Price
	Acer Aspire 5	Best Value For Money	Check Price
	Lenovo Yoga C740	Best 2-in-1	Check Price

8 Best Laptops Under 700$ in 2021

1.Dell Inspiron 15 5502 – Best Overall

If you’re looking for the best-designed laptop under $700, you won’t go wrong with the Dell Inspiron 15 5502.

With its beautiful silver design, this laptop instantly stands out from a crowded list of laptops available under $700.

It is a full-size laptop that features the latest 11th generation Intel Core-i5 1135G7 processor. This processor offers a base clock of 2.4GHz and can reach up to 4.2GHz Max Turbo Frequency. Whereas, to squeeze in maximum battery, the processor can consume as little as 12W of power.

Additionally, you get an 8GB DDR4 RAM module. This RAM module offers an operating frequency of 3200MHz, which provides faster performance during everyday tasks.

On the design front, the Dell Inspiron 15 5502 looks extraordinarily sleek and is undoubtedly the best-looking laptop on our list. The addition of Silver color gives it a unique look and feels premium too. 

The design cues are borrowed from Dell’s premium XPS lineup. That’s why you get extremely slim bezels on all 4-sides. This laptop features a step-up display. When you open the display, it lifts the base and provides an optimum incline angle. This incline angle provides a lifted typing experience and, in turn, improves airflow under the laptop.

On the storage front, you get 512GB M.2 NVMe SSD. The provided SSD offers adequate storage and is blazing fast while performing simple and complex operations.

Talking about graphics, you get Intel’s Iris Xe integrated graphics with shared memory. The Intel Iris Xe graphics is ideal for web browsing, image/video editing, programming, MS Office Suite, and casual gaming. For an added premium, you can also club this laptop with a dedicated Nvidia MX330 graphics card.

You also get the latest wireless connectivity option like WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1. Moreover, the feature-packed Dell Inspiron 15 5502 weighs just 3.78 pounds

Bottom Line

“If you want the experience of a premium laptop without emptying your pocket, then the Dell Inspiron 15 5502 is the best pick. It’s the best-looking laptop in the budget segment and offers an excellent combination of features and specifications.”

2. Acer Swift 3 – Best 14 inch Laptop

Want a laptop that you can carry every day without having to compromise on performance? Then, the Acer Swift 3 SF314-42-R9YN is an ideal pick for you.

This laptop features AMD’s latest Ryzen 7 4700U processor. This processor offers head-to-head performance with Intel Core-i5 1135G7 processor, used in the laptop mentioned above.

The AMD Ryzen 7 4700U is an 8-core processor with a base clock of 2.0GHz and offers a boost clock up to 4.1GHz for maximum performance.

This processor offers comparable performance with its Intel counterpart. However, with the integrated Radeon graphics, the Ryzen 7 4700U provides better gaming performance than Intel Iris Xe integrated graphics.

Coupled with this powerful processor is an 8GB LPDDR4, which offers excellent power management, and a massive 512GB NVMe SSD storage option.

You also get the latest wireless connectivity options like WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0. Alongside, the Acer Swift 3 SF314-42-R9YN also comes with a fingerprint scanner and Alexa built-in for accessible voice commands.

Design-wise, there’s nothing fancy in this laptop. It retains the similar design of other laptops from the Acer’s Swift series and is equipped with a compact 14-inch Full HD screen with an IPS display. This screen has narrow bezels on all 3 sides, while the laptop measures 12.73-inch in width, 8.62-inch in depth, and 0.63-inch in thickness.

With its compact size, the Acer Swift 3 SF314-42-R9YN has lost a considerable amount of weight. It weighs a surprisingly 2.65 pounds, which is light enough to carry all-day and squeeze a power-packed performance.

Owing to its smaller screen size and a power-efficient processor, the Acer Swift 3 SF314-42-R9YN manages to deliver up to 11.5 hours of battery life with moderate usage.

Considering its compact size, Acer has managed to offer various wired connectivity options with this laptop. It includes 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port, 1x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A port, 1x USB 2.0 port, 1x HDMI port, and combo audio port.

Bottom Line

“The Acer Swift 3 SF314-42-R9YN is a lightweight and power-packed laptop that is offered in a compact casing. You get all the latest features with great design at an affordable price point.”

3. Asus Vivobook 15– Best Asus Laptop

Asus Vivobook series started the whole game of cramming powerful internals in a budget and lightweight laptop. For this reason, many other brands started offering value-for-money laptops with the latest hardware.

The Asus Vivobook 15 F512JA-AS54 is the cheapest laptop in our list of best laptops under $700. However, the brand hasn’t skimmed on features and specifications.

For starters, you get Intel’s 10th generation Core i5-1035G1 processor, which is coupled with Intel UHD graphics. This processor offers an outstanding balance between performance and battery life. Thus, you can do most of your tedious work without ever worrying about the laptop’s battery life.

Like the Dell Inspiron 15 5502, the Asus Vivobook 15 F512JA-AS54 has a sleek design that gives it a premium feel compared to its competition.

While this laptop is entirely built out of sturdy plastic, the matte gray gives it a metal finish look from a distance. This color is carried from the top of the laptop and continues towards the keyboard area.

Once you open the lid, you’ll notice the narrow bezels on all 4 sides. Asus states that this laptop offers an 88% screen-to-body ratio, which in turn exhibits an immersive experience while watching movies and playing casual games.

It also features the Ergolift feature that raises the laptop by few millimeters. The Ergolift feature offers 2° of inclination angle for improved typing experience and optimal heat dissipation under the laptop.

Along with the 15-inch Full HD display, this laptop comes with a full-size backlit keyboard and a moderate-sized touchpad. The touchpad’s top-right corner features a small fingerprint scanner and slightly eats into the touchpad’s usable surface area.

The full-size backlit keyboard is ideal for night usage; however, the smaller keys with rounded-edges don’t offer a pleasant experience during long typing sessions.

The Asus Vivobook 15 F512JA-AS54 weighs only 3.75 pounds. It offers necessary specifications like 8GB DDR4 RAM, 512GB NVMe SSD, comprehensive wired and wired connectivity options with Windows 10 Home OS.

Bottom Line

“The Asus Vivobook 15 F512JA-AS54 costs just over $600. It is the right pick if you want a pocket-friendly laptop without any compromise and many features that are offered in premium laptops.”

4. Acer Aspire 5 – Best Value-For-Money

Acer Aspire 5 A515-55G-57H8 is another full-size compact laptop available under an approachable price tag of $700.

To be honest, compared to other laptops on our list, there’s nothing fancy in the Acer Aspire 5 A515-55G-57H8 like fast charging, narrow bezels, or compact size. However, it is a nicely configured laptop and a great value-for-money option.

On the inside, you get specifications like Intel’s 10th generation Core i5-1035G1 processor, 8GB DDR4, 512GB NVMe SSD, and Windows 10 Home OS preinstalled.

The money saved by Acer for keeping this simple is invested into a dedicated graphics card. The Acer Aspire 5 A515-55G-57H8 features a moderately powerful Nvidia Geforce MX350 graphics card with 2GB GDDR5 graphics memory.

Hence, you can casually play your favorite games smoothly, albeit in 720p resolution and low to medium settings.

The Nvidia Geforce MX350 is an entry-level graphics card from Nvidia meant for budget laptops. It is primarily helpful for accelerating web browsers, image editors, video editing software, 3D simulations, AR/VR programming, and so on.

However, you can also use this graphics card for playing several latest like games Hitman 3, Red Dead Redemption 2, Resident Evil 3, Forza Horizon 4, Mafia: Definitive Edition, GTA V, Assassins Creed: Origins, etc., at Low to Medium settings and at 720p or 1080p resolution with smooth output of over 30fps.

You can play these games on the beautiful 15.6-inch Full HD screen with an IPS display. The screen offers max brightness of 250 nits; however, you get vibrant color output compared to similar screens in laptops from other brands.

On the connectivity front, you get options like 2x USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A port, 1x USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-C port, 1x USB 2.0 port, and 1x HDMI port with HDCP support and a combo audio jack. At the same time, you are also offered Bluetooth 5.0 wireless connectivity and WiFi 6.

The Acer Aspire 5 A515-55G-57H8 gets a full-size backlit keyboard, compact-sized touchpad, and up to 8 hours of battery life.

Bottom Line

“If you want a feature-packed laptop without having to spend the extra bucks. Then the Acer Aspire 5 A515-55G-57H8 is a good pick for you. It features a dedicated graphics card and manages to keep its weight just under 4 pounds.”

5. Lenovo Yoga C740 – Best 2-in-1

Lenovo Yoga C740 falls in Lenovo’s premium Yoga series lineup. The Yoga series mainly consists of 2-in-1 laptops that are lightweight and compact in size.

The Lenovo Yoga C740 is no exception to the lineup. It consists of a 360° rotatable 14-inch Full HD touchscreen and weighs just over 3 pounds.

Additionally, the screen is enclosed with narrow bezels on all four sides. The entire laptop is packed within an aluminum chassis.

While most other laptops in this range offer a 250-nit brightness screen, the Lenovo Yoga C740 is equipped with a 300-nits bright screen. Thus, you get improved daytime visibility compared to other laptops in a similar price range.

Owing to its compact size, this laptop features a backlit TKL keyboard. With the absence of numeric keys, the keyboard is well laid out, and typing on it is a breeze. The touchpad is of moderate size and placed in the center. Moreover, the fingerprint scanner is located under the bottom-right corner of the keyboard. 

On either side of the keyboard, you get upward-firing stereo speakers that offer better sound output than speakers on other laptops. However, with a speaker setup like this, the speakers get entirely blocked if you’re using the laptop in tablet mode or display mode.

Connectivity-wise, the laptop features 2x USB 3.1 Type-C ports, 1x USB 3.1 Type-A port, and a combo audio port. However, it misses out on an HDMI port, whereas the USB-C port doesn’t offer support for Thunderbolt 3, and one of the USB-C ports is meant for charging the laptop.

On the inside, the Lenovo Yoga C740 features Intel’s 10th generation Core-i5 10210U processor, 8GB DDR4 RAM and 512GB SSD drive. Wireless connectivity options include WiFi 5 and Bluetooth 5.0

Bottom Line

“If you want the real experience of a premium laptop under $700, then you should surely take a chance on the Lenovo Yoga C740. Under $700, you get aluminum chassis, a large keyboard, and a premium 2-in-1 laptop experience.”

6. Lenovo Ideapad L340 15 – Best Gaming Laptop

If you’re low on budget and looking for a gaming laptop under $700, then the best pick for you is the Lenovo Ideapad L340 15.

However, at this price, you get 2 generations older Intel Core i5-9300H CPU and is clubbed with an Nvidia GTX 1650 graphics card with a dedicated 4GB GDDR5 video memory.

On the performance front, the Intel i5-9300H is only 10-15% slower than the ongoing Intel i5-10300H processor. However, the laptop is equipped with a powerful graphics card that makes sure you can play modern games without any issues.

With a combination of this processor and graphics card, you can get: 

• 50+ FPS in Far Cry 5 at 1080p resolution and Ultra preset
• 47 FPS in Shadow of the Tomb Raider at 1080p resolution and ‘Highest’ preset
• 70 FPS in Forza Horizon 4 at 1080p resolution and High preset
• 70+ FPS in Dirt Rally 2.0 at 1080p resolution and High preset
• 60+ FPS in Apex Legends at 1080p resolution and Max settings
• 50+ FPS in GTA V at 1080p resolution and Very High settings

Thus, you can see that most modern games are easily playable on the Lenovo Ideapad L340 15 with smoother frame rates.

Alongside a powerful CPU and GPU, you get 8GB DDR4 RAM and a 256GB SSD drive. You can also upgrade the RAM to 16GB and change the modest 256GB SSD with a bigger drive.

With its greyish black design, the laptop looks exceptionally stunning. In comparison, the blue-colored full-size backlit keyboard gives it a unique feel compared to other gaming laptops from HP, Asus, and Acer.

The laptop’s top and keyboard area feature a brushed metal design. Whereas the elongated hinge keeps the laptop’s screen sturdy and doesn’t shake while using.

Bottom Line

“The Lenovo Ideapad L340 15 is the right pick if you’re looking for the best gaming laptop under $700. This laptop offers a great mix between style and performance. The older Intel i5-9300H processor might feel like a downgrade. However, if gaming is your main concern, then this laptop won’t disappoint you.”

7. Google Pixelbook Go – Premium Chromebook

The Google Pixelbook Go is the most premium Chromebook laptop available in the market right now.

Most Chromebooks sit at a cheaper price point with low-end hardware. Hence, unlike other Windows laptops, Chromebooks seem like a good option for kids.

However, since most of our work is on the cloud these days, the Google Pixelbook Go is a viable option if you want a lightweight laptop that can go wherever you go without straining your back. 

It is the most premium Chromebook offering from none other than the OS creator itself. On the design front, the Pixelbook Go features a premium design that you’ll fall in love with instantly. It has a very slim chassis and weighs slightly over 2 pounds. Thus carrying this laptop around won’t be an issue for you.

The TKL keyboard is backlit and offers nice spacing all around. The keys are placed comfortably and hence typing for extended hours won’t be an issue on this Chromebook. Compared to the laptop’s dimension, the center-placed touchpad has good proportions and provides fabulous comfort while using it.

On the hardware front, it features an Intel Core M3 processor, which in reality isn’t a powerful CPU. However, when clubbed with a lightweight operating system like Chrome OS, the hardware works like a breeze.

Surprisingly, the Pixelbook Go features an 8GB LPDDR4 RAM and only 64GB of storage option. While the storage seems very low; however, the Chrome OS is web-based, and mostly you’ll be using cloud storage services like Google Drive to use this laptop at its best potential.

The Google Pixelbook Go offers a battery life of over 12 hours and provides 2 hours of juice by charging for just 20 minutes. Additionally, it also features a 1080p webcam which is ideal enough for taking professional video calls.

Bottom Line

“The Google Pixelbook Go is a unique proposition as the best laptop under $700. It is not meant for everyone. However, suppose you’re tired of carrying your bulky laptop around and use Google services regularly. In that case, you’ll appreciate the compact size of Google Pixelbook Go and the performance on offer.”

8. Lenovo Ideapad 3 – 12 GB RAM Option

While most laptops under $700 are offered with 8GB RAM. In contrast, the Lenovo Ideapad 3 is offered with 12GB 2666MHz RAM modules.

In today’s world, having a good RAM size is essential because even the Google Chrome browser uses over 4GB RAM during a casual web browsing session.

Hence, if you factor in using multiple software while completing your assignments or doing office work, the RAM gets used up pretty quickly. Thus, if you’re spending close to $700 for a laptop, then it’s crucial to get one with the best RAM capacity possible.

In a multi-tasking scenario, having an optimal RAM size ensures that you can get your work done efficiently. Consequently, the Lenovo Ideapad 3, with its 12GB RAM, makes sure your laptop doesn’t get slow, nor you’re micromanaging the tasks to get your work done.

The 12GB RAM is coupled with Intel’s 10th generation Core i5-1035G1 processor. It is a quad-core processor with a base clock of 1GHz and Turbo Boost up to 3.6GHz. This quad-core processor with 8 threads ensures smooth multitasking and low power consumption since the load is distributed among multiple cores.

To cover your storage options, the Lenovo Ideapad 3 is clubbed with 512GB NVMe SSD storage. If you’re a student, then the SSD drive offers plenty of storage with faster performance.

Design-wise, the laptop features a practical design found in most other Lenovo Ideapad laptops. It has a brushed metal finish on the top and the keyboard area. It also features an elongated and single-screen hinge, whereas the laptop’s gray color makes it stand out.

Additionally, it features 2x USB 3.1 Type-A port, 1x USB 2.0 port, 1x HDMI port, and a combo audio port. The laptop weighs 4.07 pounds and is equipped with a 2-cell lithium-ion battery that offers over 4 hours of juice.

Bottom Line

“The Lenovo Ideapad 3 is a modest laptop that features all the necessary specifications you’d expect from the best laptop under $700. However, it misses out on two important features like a backlit keyboard and a Full HD screen.”

Things to Consider While Buying Laptops under $700

1. Processor

While $700 is a budget price range for buying a laptop. However, with the increased competition, you can get a powerful and energy-efficient processor at this price range. The most common processor found in laptops under $700 is the Intel Core i5-1035G1. 

It is a quad-core processor with 8 threads that provides Turbo boost up to 3.6GHz. When not under load, this processor consumes as little as 12W of power, thus improving battery life.

Another popular processor in this price range is AMD’s Ryzen 7 4700U. It is an 8-core CPU that offers an excellent balance between power and performance. Both processors from Intel and AMD offer comparable performance. In contrast, the AMD processor offers better graphical performance due to its integrated Radeon graphics.

2. RAM

At $700, laptop manufacturers are not left with enough room to include RAM module(s) with higher capacity or faster-operating speeds. Thus, you’re mostly going to find 8GB DDR4 RAM in most laptops. 

If you plan on upgrading your laptop later with additional RAM, make sure your laptop has an option for an extra RAM slot or user-replaceable RAM. Most compact laptops with a 14-inch screen and less opt not to include an extra RAM slot or solder RAM onto the motherboard itself.

3. Display

At a budget price, several laptop manufacturers fit their laptops with a cheaper or low-resolution screen. Perhaps, many laptops at this price point come with a TN display or HD resolution display. Hence, make sure the laptop you pick has a Full HD screen and preferably with an IPS display. The laptops mentioned above are chosen carefully and offer the best viewing experience under $700.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I go with a 14-inch or 15-inch laptop?

If you regularly travel with your laptop, I suggest a 14-inch laptop or a 15-inch laptop is more than enough for daily use and occasional traveling.

14-inch laptops have a compact size and are generally 1-1.5 pound lighter than its 15-inch counterpart. Having said that, many 14-inch laptops are not upgrade-friendly. Thus, you might find your 14-inch laptop missing an extra RAM slot, HDD port, or the RAM soldered onto the motherboard itself.

On the other hand, a 15-inch laptop offers better screen real estate and has ample space to add extra RAM and SSD/HDD.

What connectivity options can I expect from a $700 laptop?

Even in the budget segment, many laptops are offered with the latest USB 3.1 or 3.2 ports in its Gen 1 or Gen 2 avatar. These laptops generally feature 2x USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A ports and 1x USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-C port, HDMI port, and USB 2.0 port for compatibility with older USB hardware.

Wireless connectivity options include WiFi 5 or WiFi 6 along with Bluetooth 5.0 or 5.1 technology.

Are the laptop mentioned above suitable for gaming?

You can play many casual and online games. However, suppose you want to play games like Cyberpunk 2077, GTA V, Far Cry 5, and Forza Horizon 4. In that case, the laptops mentioned above are not gaming-friendly.

However, the Lenovo Ideapad L340 15 mentioned above is a true gaming laptop. It can run most of these games with 50+ FPS at 1080p resolution and Max settings.

Conclusion

To be honest, there’s a wide range of laptops under $700 from different brands. Most laptops come with the exact specifications and feature set.

Hence, my motive behind this list is to find the different laptop variations under $700. For this reason, I’ve listed laptops like the Google Pixelbook Go and Lenovo Ideapad L340 15.

If you’re still confused about which laptop to pick under $700. My suggestion would be to go with our #1 or #2, depending on your preferred screen size. Both laptops are a value-for-money proposition and put forward the best features in a $700 laptop. Whereas, if gaming is your main concern, then the Lenovo Ideapad L340 15 is a no-brainer.