Laptops are by far considered the most convenient devices to work, play and edit with. To buy the best, you need to get a laptop that comforts you along with your needs. For instance, you are purchasing a laptop with vast storage or a fast processor. In addition to that, you want to make sure to have a Full HD 1080p resolution display. The higher the pixel rate, the more the expanded screen and sharp image quality.
In this article, we have mentioned some of the most budget-friendly laptops under 400 dollars. Setting your budget right can still go a long way for you when you narrow down your choices from our glorious list as well. These laptops arrive with decent specifications and good performance. Given the restricted budget, you have to compromise on some aspects. If you want a gaming laptop, you can check out our coverage of Best Cheap Gaming Laptops under $500. Without any further ado, let’s start our list of best laptops under $400!
Recommended: Best Laptops under $300
Recommended Specifications under $400
| Processor | 11th Gen i5 (casual tasks) AMD 5000 Ryzen 3 (for gaming) |
| RAM | 8GB DDR4 |
| Storage | 256GB SSD |
| Display | 15.6-inch Full HD |
| Operating System | Windows 10 |
| Battery | Up to 6 hours |
Top 10 Best Laptops under 400 dollars in 2025
Here, we have compiled a list of the 10 best laptops under $400 to buy in 2025:
1ASUS Vivobook 15 (Overall Best Laptop under $400)
Asus Vivobook 15 is one of the most affordable laptops from Asus, a great choice for students and systematic travelers with a desirable budget. It is available in different unique colors with the new and improved Screen pad 2.0. The slate grey color adds a premium, professional look. It sports a 15.6-inch full HD display, which isn’t bright enough to be used in direct sunlight. But it’s a decent panel overall for work and multimedia with the right viewing angles.
- Display: 15.6-inch Full HD IPS Panel
- Processor: Intel i3-1115G4
- GPU: Integrated Intel UHD G1
- RAM: 8GB DDR4
- Storage: 128GB NVMe SSD
It is ergonomically designed with its ErgoLift Hinge design to provide a comfortable typing experience while tilting the keyboard a bit upside. Not only that, but its touchpad is also huge and offers excellent precision. It is equipped with all daily required ports and slots for connectivity. The 8GB of RAM, along with the Intel Core i3 11th Gen processor, aims to deliver the best performance for all of your tasks. This is a powerful dual-core chip, which generates a 3.0GHz base clock speed, going up to 4.10GHz. Moreover, it is managed by the small yet speedy 128GB of SSD.
This laptop’s screen-to-body ratio is about 88%, packed with a 0.8 thin profile, and weighs 3.75 pounds. One of the best parts about this is the fingerprint sensor, which not only allows you to log in with a single touch but secures your data as well. This laptop can charge 60% of its battery in just 49 minutes through its fast charging technology. Overall, it delivers a decent value to what you are paying for this computing machine.
2Acer Aspire 5 A515-56-36UT (Runner Up)
Acer Aspire 5 A515-56-36UT is the best for both professional use & college students. The laptop is powered by the Intel Core i3-1115G4 for flawless multitasking. The chipset arrives with a dual-core CPU having 4 threads and a base clock speed varying between 1.7GHz to 3.0GHz; meanwhile, it can go as high as 4.10GHz by utilizing the Turbo Boost technology. For graphics, there is an integrated Intel Iris Xe GPU to take care of graphics performance. The storage capacity adopts 128GB GB SSD coupled with 4GB DDR4 RAM.
- Display: 15.6-inch Full HD IPS Panel
- Processor: Intel Core i3-1115G4
- GPU: Intel Iris Xe Graphics G4
- RAM: 4GB DDR4
- Storage: 128GB NVMe SSD
Unlike other plastic laptops, it is made of a robust metal unibody design for sturdy build quality. With the powerful SSD drive, you can transfer files from it instantly without waiting hours for it. You can use this laptop outdoors easily, and its 15.6-inch Full HD 1920 x 1080p screen is coupled with an IPS LED panel, which provides sufficient brightness. The collective display quality is pretty impressive but not exceptional like high-end laptops.
The company claims to provide a decent battery life of 5-6 hours with 65W fast charging support. All the essential connectivity ports are available on this device. It arrives with Windows 10 in S Mode activated out of the box. Some people might feel restricted because it is not the full version of Windows OS. There are some restrictions applied in the name of security, but the reality is you may be prevented from taking some actions. Overall, it is a decent option under the $400 price range.
3Lenovo IdeaPad 3 (Best Value for Money)
This Lenovo IdeaPad 3 has some powerful features that undertake the design. It is available in the classy color Abyss Blue. The AMD Ryzen 3 3250U processor makes it an excellent choice for the casual workload. It can perform multitasking with 4GB RAM and a 128GB solid-state drive for storage. The AMD Radeon Vega 8 graphics card is good enough to play popular games at low to medium graphics settings.
- Display: 15.6-inch HD IPS Panel
- Processor: AMD Ryzen 3 3250U
- GPU: AMD Radeon Vega 3
- RAM: 4GB DDR4
- Storage: 128GB NVMe SSD
Moreover, it has an Anti-glare protector 15.6-inch HD panel but is still not bright enough to direct sunlight. Besides, the display offers good viewing angles and clear & crystal picture quality. The device accumulates multiple slots for USB and mousepads, alongside the capability of connecting to Wi-Fi and Bluetooth devices within seconds with up to 8 ports (USB, Charging, 4 in 1 SD Card slot, HDMI, Headset, and more). The lightweight of 4 pounds, solid battery life, and fast charging availability push it more accessible.
Furthermore, it can handle photo editing and video editing simultaneously and moderate gaming due to its Radeon Vega 3 graphics. The Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity are instant, and it also comes with all of the standard ports, making it a useful and affordable choice. At the front, there is an HD Webcam for video conferencing and streaming with decent quality. Altogether, it has all the necessary features you can expect in a full-fledged basic Windows computer.
4Dell Inspiron 3000 (Best from Dell under $400)
To start with, this is a notebook with touch screen accessibility. It has a 15.6-inch HD display with a vast capacity. The laptop has around 4GB RAM, which should be sufficient for the purpose it is designed for. It can handle demanding tasks, with multiple tasks running simultaneously at the fastest speed. The core specifications offered by this laptop are sub-par with a reasonably powerful processor, a high-resolution display, and all the necessary connectivity options.
- Display: 15.6-inch Full HD IPS Panel
- Processor: Intel Core i3-1115G4
- GPU: Intel UHD Graphics
- RAM: 4GB DDR4
- Storage: 128GB NVMe SSD
The latest Windows 10 involvement makes it more speculating. The screen resolution of 1920 x 1080p pixels gives a cinematic visual to the user, and the best part is the slimmer bezels, enhancing the HD quality even further. Are you looking for a laptop to take classes or attend meetings in these circumstances? The laptop runs on the 11th Generation Intel Core i3-1115G4 CPU with integrated UHD graphics.
It has a webcam and a suitable microphone for a better experience. Moreover, it has an SSD drive of 128 GB. The high speed of the SSD allows you to perform flawless data rendering and boot-ups, and the hard drive makes storage of every document or file instantly. Lastly, it has an extremely resourceful non-backlit keyboard with a touchpad that is responsive enough for the best possible performance.
5Microsoft Surface Go 3 (Best Detachable Laptop under $400)
Microsoft laptops are known for their performance and design, and this Surface Go 3 is no different. However, this is not a full-fledged laptop but fulfills all the demands we expect from a laptop. Running on the latest Windows 11 laptop, it brings all the latest features proposed by the Windows operating system. Speaking of the specs, it comes with a tablet-like form factor but with laptop power inside. On the front, it features a 10.5-inch display that offers 1920 x 1080 resolution, and it is an IPS LCD touchscreen. It supports input through the surface pen or any other digital pen available on the market. Besides that, this display can produce excellent colors and brightness.
- Display: 10.5-inch 1920 x 1080p Touch
- Processor: Intel Pentium Gold 6500Y
- Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 615
- RAM: 4GB LPDDR3
- Storage: 64GB eMMC
The laptop is powered by the Intel Pentium Gold 6500Y processor. It is a dual-core chipset specially designed for this machine. This chipset has been developed using the 14nm process, based on the Amber Lake architecture. Using the basic dual-core processor, it can generate up to 3.40GHz top speed, while the base clock speed is 1.10GHz. Meanwhile, this laptop gets the Intel UHD Graphics 615 integrated GPU to handle graphics-related problems. Moreover, you will get 8GB DDR4 RAM and a 128GB SSD drive pre-installed. There are multiple cameras installed; a 5MP front-facing camera and another 8MP rear-mounted camera.
These cameras offer HD resolution, making this tablet a perfect choice for online classes, video conferencing, and working from home. Speaking about its design, you will see a kickstand at the back to use as a laptop stand. You can use this laptop without any keyboard, but you should get the Signature Type Cover keyboard for a better experience. Apart from that, it comes with one USB C and a headphone jack. In contrast, it supports dual-band Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0. Microsoft Surface Go 3 is a highly lightweight laptop, and it is one of the best options available for under $400.
6Acer Aspire 5 A515-46-R14K (Backlit Keyboard)
This is another variant of the Acer Aspire 5 we have mentioned above. But the good thing about this laptop is that it comes with some additional features, such as a powerful processor, Backlit Keyboard, etc. These added features help to make your work more productive. You can also do some basic level of gaming because the laptop features AMD 3000 series AMD Ryzen 3 3350U chipset. The provided processor brings a quad-core CPU with a base clock speed of 2.1GHz and goes up to 3.5GHz while running the demanding tasks. On top of it, there is an integrated AMD Radeon RX Vega 6, which comes in very handy in managing heavy tasks, such as gaming, video editing, photo editing, and so on.
- Display: 15.6-inch Full HD 1920 x1080p
- Processor: AMD Ryzen 3 3350U
- GPU: AMD Radeon RX Vega 6
- RAM: 4GB DDR4
- Storage: 128GB NVMe SSD
Moreover, It provides you with additional support in processing through its 4GB SDRAM, which has a speed of 2666MHz. Do you have tasks that require extensive data to be handled? This laptop’s RAM can do that flawlessly with minimal hiccups in between. The storage capacity is packed with an SSD of 128 GB. The front side is surrounded by a 15.6-inch Full HD display at 1920 x 1080p resolution. You rarely see Full HD laptops in the price range, but thankfully, this laptop has the desirable resolution. On top of it, An HD webcam works best within it, making it eligible for video conferencing and working from home.
This is best for students & business employees with great portability, that is almost on the move every time. A backlit keyboard is embedded to use in a dark environment, making it one of the cheapest laptops having this feature. Besides, its exterior is durable, and it is slim while weighing only less than 4 pounds. Lastly, this laptop includes an impressive acoustic output as well. It is worth noting that sometimes the laptop costs more than $400 and other times is available for under $400. So, prices fluctuate a lot from time to time. The best time to pick this laptop is the flash sales when you can get it at a very reasonable price.
7HP 14 HD SVA (Best from HP under $400)
This is an Anti-Glare Micro-Edge screen laptop that weighs around 1.92 kg, making it portable and a travel buddy for everyone. The 14-inch HD display with an anti-glare micro-edge screen that prevents light and sunlight reflection on the screen makes it convenient to use outdoors. The display resolution is standard 1366 x 768p with decent visuals; however, the Full HD offering is there for some laptops at this price range.
- Display: 14-inch HD IPS Panel
- Processor: AMD Athlon 3050U
- GPU: AMD Radeon Graphics
- RAM: 4GB DDR4
- Storage: 128GB NVMe SSD
Moreover, its battery life is decent enough as it lasts more than 6 hours in everyday use. So sit back tight and watch your favorite show or movie for as long as you wish to. The dual speakers on this laptop will get you jamming through all your party songs. It runs with the latest software Windows 10, making it an affordable Windows machine. Therefore, you are eligible to access all the latest features offered by the latest Windows operating system. In terms of the memory department, the laptop features a huge capacity of 8GB RAM and a 1TB HDD.
Apart from that, the laptop is backed by the AMD Athlon 3050U chipset with a turbo clocking speed of 3.20 GHz, enhancing the speed. It has a dual-core processor with an AMD Radeon graphics card, amplifying your gaming experience. Its ports include 3.1 USB, Type C, HDMI, and wireless SD media card reader port. Considering the configurations, it seems to be a decent laptop at a very affordable price tag. But there are some shortcomings such as moderate processor and cheap plastic build. But, overall, this is a good pick.
8Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5 (Best Chromebook under $400)
In the current market scenario, Chromebooks are becoming more and more popular with the progress of the internet era. Even though these devices run on minimalistic ChromeOS, that is why a Chromebook laptop takes limited resources for smooth functioning. It is a very lightweight operating system that requires minimal resources. Subsequently, it arrives with limited functionality, mainly focused on web browsing. Under the price of $400, we have picked the Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5, which is an undisputed winner given the solid hardware.
- Display: 13.3-inch 1920 x 1080p Touchscreen
- Processor: Intel Core i3-10110U
- GPU: Intel UHD Graphics 620
- RAM: 4GB DDR4
- Storage: 64GB eMMC
Speaking of the configuration, the laptop is driven by the 10th generation Core i3-10110U processor. The provided chipset is more than enough to handle the Chrome OS smoothly with a base clock speed of 2.10GHz. It is a dual-core processor, which can be overclocked up to 4.10GHz by using the Intel Turbo Boost technology. Alongside, there is an integrated UHD 620 graphics to handle the graphics performance. Altogether, this combination produces flawless performance with great power efficiency. Regarding the battery, the company claims to deliver up to 10 hours of battery to enhance your productivity.
Undoubtedly, this is an impressive battery life, which you can get on a single charge. Under the hood, it carries 4GB DDR4 RAM coupled with 64GB eMMC. This is enough space given the limited functionality of Chrome OS. On the front portion, there is a 13.3-inch Full HD touchscreen display at 1920 x 1080p resolution. The display quality is amazing, along with great viewing angles. All the necessary ports are included, along with a highly portable 360-degree convertible design. Overall, this is the best Chromebook available for under $400.
9Dell Inspiron 3000 (Popular Dell Laptop)
Dell Inspiron 3000 is a worth picking device from the world’s leading laptop manufacturer Dell. The laptop brings some good configurations that make it accessible, costing under $400. For entertainment purposes, the tent mode can be easily enjoyed as well. Starting from the front, the laptop borrows a standard 15.6-inch HD display at 1366 x 768p resolution. The display quality is sufficient enough to get the output of this computing machine.
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To control the processing power, the laptop is powered by the Intel Celeron N4020 chipset, which arrives with a dual-core CPU and equal threads. This is just an average processor with a base clock speed 1.6GHz and a maximum speed of up to 2.8GHz. Apart from that, the provided chipset has an integrated Intel UHD Graphics 600 with shared memory. If you need a laptop for a basic workload, this fits very well at a lower price. But heavy tasks might show you some sluggishness leaving limited options given the very conservative budget.
Moreover, the 8GB RAM is quite a handful for working on big projects, and the 4-5 hours sustainability of the battery helps to work for a long. The acoustically-empowered speakers are decent audio output when watching videos or jamming to songs. The storage department includes 128GB of SSD storage. Both RAM & storage provide the proper space that we can expect from an entry-level laptop. In terms of build quality, it is made of plastic material with a bulky design, which is quite normal for this category of laptops. Overall, this laptop delivers decent value with extensive brand value costing just under 400 dollars.
10HP 14 HD (Best Touchscreen Laptop under $400)
This is the latest laptop device HP launched for around 400 dollars. It is an AMD product type with the latest windows installed in it, Windows 10. It has touch screen accessibility doing work efficiently, and the lightweight of 3.2 lbs makes it easy to carry. As we discussed, the laptop is powered by the AMD Ryzen 3 3200U with a base clock speed of 2.6GHz, which goes up to 3.5GHz. After all, this is a dual-core processor built on a 14nm processing node with sufficient capabilities to handle the primary workload.
- Display: 14-inch HD IPS Panel
- Processor: AMD Ryzen 3 3200U
- GPU: AMD Radeon Vega 3
- RAM: 8GB DDR4
- Storage: 128GB NVMe SSD
At the front, the laptop is surrounded by a 14-inch HD IPS display at 1366 x 768p resolution. So, this is another laptop with HD resolution positioning in the average resolution category. Anyway, this is decent enough to see the computing output on the front screen with inaccurate colors and dim brightness. Nothing surprising, this is expected in this price range. Regarding the memory, the laptop offers 8GB DDR4 RAM coupled with 128GB of SSD storage, which is sufficient to store important documents and other related stuff. This machine features stylish fonts on its keys as well as a speaker vent just above the keyboard.
For connectivity, the laptop contains multiple slots and ports, one for a USB Type-C port and an SD card slot, while the right side features the power jack, an RJ45 Ethernet port, HDMI 1.4 port, two USB 3.1 ports, and a headphone jack. As we mentioned, The display does not have such bright colors, which is a downside for this laptop. Furthermore, on research carried out for GeekBench 4.1 performance test, the HP 14 Laptop scored 6,901, which is unusual for an average-priced device to achieve.
Buying Guide – How to choose the best laptop under $400 in 2025?
Here are some important things you should notice while buying a laptop under $400:
Processor
The CPU or Processor is one of the most important things you should look for whenever you buy a laptop. It doesn’t matter what your budget is. To be specific, for the $400 price, you should expect at least an i3 processor. We recommend buying if you are getting the latest 10th generation i3 processor for casual work. But if your purpose is to edit videos or gaming, you can look forward to AMD Ryzen 3, one of the best gaming chipsets available for under $400. Apart from that, you don’t have many options available in this price range.
Display
The display is another important component you should look for. You can get a decent 15-inch laptop with Full HD resolution. Display size is a preference choice. Some people like the small panel, while others are used to a traditional 15.6-inch screen. It is recommended to opt for Full HD resolution under the budget of $400. We have listed most of the laptops with Full HD displays. You should batter to ignore if you are getting anything lesser than that.
RAM & Storage
Random Access Memory (RAM) plays an important role in handling multitasking, and storage is necessary to store data. The most common RAM size is 8GB under $400. It is preferred to find the DDR4 memory type over DDR3 because the latest DDR4 RAM is faster and optimized to manage tasks more efficiently.
As far as storage is concerned, you should go for faster SSD storage over an older HDD. In the price range of $400, the minimum required storage is at least 256GB SSD. If you want to store more data, you can choose an external HDD. But HDD storage is crucial to get a smooth experience.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What can we expect from a laptop costing 400 dollars?
A $400 laptop is sufficient to perform day-to-day tasks, including professional and casual ones. There are decent laptops available in this price range, offering good specifications and sturdy build quality.
Can I play games on a $400 laptop?
There shouldn’t be any issue while playing casual games on a $400 laptop. But if you are thinking of playing high-end games, that is not gonna work. Bigger games are graphics-intensive and require dedicated graphics, which is not available in this price range.
Is this budget enough for professional work?
Professional work falls into different categories. If you are talking about casual work such as video calls, PowerPoint, Notepad, and ExcelSheept, any of the laptops available under $400 is sufficient. But if you go for the more advanced work like Adobe Premiere Pro, AutoCAD, Photoshop, or any other task regarding video editing, it requires a more powerful GPU. Hence, you need to extend your budget.
Bottom Line
Concluding, if one is getting a laptop for gaming, they must opt for Acer Aspire 5 under this budget segment. As per the need for traveling, Lenovo IdeaPad 3 and Asus Vivobook 15 are best. For business purposes, all of the above are preferred. If you can slightly stretch your budget, you can get high-end specifications with HP 15-DY1010NR. For further guidance, there are some things you need to ponder while buying a laptop in our laptop buying guide section.
In the end, it all comes down to some of the few choices, and you find yourself being confused amidst it. That is the time when you resort to our buying guide because it will help you make that final decision. After all, you should invest in something that you love. We wish you the very best of luck on your laptop shopping journey!
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