Find laptops that meet your needs under $500

It might have comparable specs that look more like a tablet than a laptop, but there's a lot of quality in this elegant looking machine. It's a colorful looking laptop that comes with a streamlined appearance, helped by the fact that there are no speakers or vents visible at all. There are also a limited amount of ports, but that only adds to the sleekness of the design. It's certainly a sturdy laptop, and its durability makes it ideal for students and parents alike. The keyboard is one of the best you'll find on a Chromebook, although the touchpad can be a little too responsive for easy use. The screen is the standout feature on this laptop, and for this price you'll be surprised by the quality of the display. It might not be touchscreen but it is glossy, so the colors really stand out. A great all-rounder that is ideal for a starter Chromebook, the elegance of the design makes this a good starting point for budget laptops.

After a laptop with incredible speed and durability? You can't go wrong with the DELL Chromebook 3120 11.6, that's for sure. Built with a powerful CPU (Intel Celeron N2840) and 4GB of RAM, this DELL Chromebook is a workhorse that is sure to impress. Combine its weighty and impressive features with its rugged charm, and you're onto a winner. The DELL Chromebook 3120 11.6 is sturdy and although looks like a typical laptop, offers the impressive feature of being waterproof - not many laptops can offer this - making it an ideal choice for those who may be accident prone. Complete with a remarkable 11.6 inch screen that's also HD, feel free to indulge in Netflix and enjoy your favorite shows and films in perfect clarity, and with its long battery life, you can continue to watch without worrying about being far away from a plug socket. Therefore, if you are seeking a laptop that is for work and pleasure, the DELL Chromebook 3120 11.6 benefits from no internal fans (making it incredibly quiet), beautiful and vivid visuals, and a design that exudes practicality and durability.

This is a very good looking laptop for this price. It has a lightweight design and is incredibly simple to set up. You can get started using this laptop incredibly quickly, and the fact that it looks a lot more expensive than it is goes a long way to countering some of the cons. It works hard, and the loading time is incredible. The keyboard is fantastic too, although that is somewhat negated by the fact that the sound from the speakers is not great. You will have to look after this machine as it is prone to scratches, especially on the back. Where this really shines as a budget laptop is in the battery life. It will last a long time when straight out of the box, and that battery will not decay much either. That means that you can expect around 10-hours of battery life between charges, making this ideal for those prioritizing portability.