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Are you in the market for a new laptop?
Then, we’ve got great news for you: The first is that there are a plethora of options available for you on the market.
The second is that you don’t have to pay north to get a quality daily driver for essential use –you won’t even have to spend more than $1000!
These days, even when you’re on a tight budget, you no longer have to make many compromises, especially in terms of quality, when shopping for a new laptop.
Further, this article introduces you to the best but affordable laptops today that you can use for everyday activity (most can even handle tedious tasks and plays).
Best Laptops for Basic Use at a Glance
| Rank | Brand | Operating System | CPU Manufacturer | More Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Acer Aspire 5 | Windows 10 Home | AMD | Check Price |
| 2 | Lenovo Flex 5 | Windows 10 | AMD | Check Price |
| 3 | Apple MacBook Air 2020 | Mac OS | Apple | Check Price |
| 4 | Lenovo IdeaPad 3 | Windows 10 | AMD | Check Price |
| 5 | ASUS ViVoBook F510UA | Windows 10 Home | Intel | Check Price |
| 6 | HP 15-dy1036nr | Windows 10 Home | Intel | Check Price |
| 7 | Acer Swift 3 | Windows 10 Home | AMD | Check Price |
| 8 | Acer Nitro 5 | Windows 10 Home | Intel | Check Price |
| 9 | HP 2019 | Windows 10 | Intel | Check Price |
| 10 | HP 2020 | Windows 10 Home | Intel | Check Price |
1. Acer Aspire 5
Boasting over 27k customers and 4.6 ratings on Amazon, Acer Aspire 5 is a no-brainer. It is undeniably the best laptop for everyday use on this list.
You’ll get an AMD Ryzen 5 4000-Series with a capacity of 8GB/256GB Ram. It encompasses a hexacore mobile processor with Radeon graphics. You can bring this laptop anywhere, considering its 4.19 lbs. weight.
This is one of the most empowered laptops on this list, thanks to its advanced capabilities and finely-tuned design. You’ll get plenty of screens with its narrow-bezel 15.6 inches full HD IPS display.
Considering this laptop for generic use is welcome. In fact, it lasts up to ten hours and gives you exceptional performance for work and play. Acer Aspire 5 also comes with “purified voice” technology and two built-in microphones for more transparent communication.
Meanwhile, Acer Aspire 5 could also be your next best laptop for work. Its backlit keyboard lets you work comfortably and conveniently.
The best part? It costs less than $600 –the ultimate perk of this laptop.
2. Lenovo Flex 5
Budget laptops aren’t supposed to look good nor be durable, but the Lenovo Flex 5 lives onto it despite the price.
Getting this laptop for generic or everyday use gives you enough space for personal or professional interests. It’s powered by an AMD Ryzen 4500U processor and 16GB DDR4 memory for a smoother experience.
You’ll appreciate its generous 256GB SSD storage, which is excellent if you’re using it for work applications. Like Acer Aspire 5, Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 lets you work up to ten hours of uninterrupted laptop use.
Designed to keep your ideas flowing, this IdeaPad can be used as a “tent” or “laptop” mode, as it can be rotated from 0 to 360 degrees in a flash. It also comes with an active pen that can handle multiple, demanding apps you choose to open.
Further, it’s the best laptop out there if you’re considering personal or workspace with a budget in mind.
3. Apple MacBook Air 2020
Of course, Apple indeed made it to the list for its Apple MacBook Air 2020 that’s available in three colors: gold, silver, and space gray.
MacBook Air is Apple’s thinnest and lightest notebook model through the Apple M1 chip. Nevertheless, its sleek design doesn’t fall short when it comes to giving you outstanding performance.
It’s supercharged by an M1 chip, which means you’ll get up to 3.5x faster CPU speed and up to 5x faster GPU speeds. Sounds good, right? But the fun doesn’t end here.
You’ll love how you can use this laptop not only for general use but also for activities that require an intensive workaround –thanks to the 8-core CPU on the M1 chip.
What’s more, Apple boasts up to 18 hours of battery life, which is greater than the top two on this list. It also holds 256GB upgradeable to 512GB.
Considering its Apple-manufactured, it comes with a price but decent enough that made it to this list of the best laptops in 2021.
4. Lenovo IdeaPad 3
Fourth on this list is the Lenovo IdeaPad 3, which definitely gives you the power to take on challenges with its AMD Ryzen 3500U processor and Radeon graphics.
What you’ll appreciate the most about this laptop is its narrow bezel on both sides, giving you a cleaner and larger design for a more comfortable viewing experience.
An additional security feature is its physical shutter for your webcam (for your peace of mind).
It comes with connectivity technology, including Bluetooth 4.1, three USB ports, and an HDMI.
Overall, you’ll get more work done, more applications running at once, and incredible bandwidth with the Lenovo IdeaPad 3.
5. ASUS VivoBook
If you’re looking for a workhorse that you can ride on for complex and heavy processing tasks, the ASUS VivoBook is the answer.
ASUS VivoBook runs with a powerful Intel Core i5 7200U processor, giving you exceptional performance with zero to minimal lags. The ultra-smooth visuals (with no hiccups) bring you excellent graphics and optimized visuals for any content.
This laptop can be used for everyday use since it’s good for the eyes. It displays four modes for your convenience: Normal, Vivid, Eye-Care, and Manual.
Like Apple MacBook Air, ASUS VivoBook highlights its thin and light attributes, weighing only 3.7 lbs. and 0.8 slim profile.
Ports included are USB 3.1 Type-C, USB 3.0, USB 2.0, and an HDMI. Indeed the best laptop for daily use or entertainment.
6. HP 15-dy1036nr
What happens when you stick a capable Intel Core i5 10th generation laptop processor to a slim and sleek laptop with a large 15.6-inch diagonal display, as well as a couple of bells and whistles that you wouldn’t expect from machines at the higher-end price point?
You get a reasonably capable desktop replacement, or, in this case, the HP 15-dy1036nr. You’ll love its lightweight features and watertight security attributes that provide you with more reliable performance for everyday use.
What’s more, it boasts an environmental-friendly laptop, as it’s ENERGY STAR-certified and EPEAT Silver-registered. It has a long battery life of up to hours and a touchpad that is precise enough for your hand and finger actions.
Besides, you don’t need to regularly check your laptop’s health since HP 15-dy1036nr does it for you. It keeps your confidential files protected against unauthorized access and bootup issues.
7. Acer Swift 3
Equipped with the latest AMD Ryzen 7 processor and Radeon graphics, the latest Acer business laptop, the Swift 3, continues the tradition from its predecessor is the complete package.
With a serviceable CPU and GPU combo, as well as a Full HD widescreen IPS LED-backlit display panel, you’ll never have to worry about blurry content on your screen.
It has a sleek aluminum design, which proudly presents itself as your next on-the-go and best laptop for essential use. You’ll also get hours of continued productivity (up to 11.5 hours battery life) with its elegant and eye-popping screen display.
You can bring this laptop to life by enabling Amazon Alexa. You can set your reminders, schedules, alarms, and notes with ease and convenience.
After all, its fingerprint reader lets you access your Windows Hello safer and quicker. You don’t need to verify your identity with a password.
8. Acer Nitro 5
Another Acer-manufactured machine on the list of the best laptops in 2021 is the Nitro 5, featuring Intel Core i5 10th generation that indeed gives you a powerful performance whether you’re working, playing, or chilling.
It’s powered by NVIDIA Turing GPU architecture that tosses awesome mobility, great cooling, and excellent audio capabilities while you’re using it.
Acer Nitro 5 highlights its NitroSense Key feature, which provides you a tactile feel and a travel distance of 1.6mm in the WASD arrow keys added with a red-backlit attribute.
You’ll also be impressed with its extensive connectivity, giving you a high-speed HDMI 2.0, USB 3.2 Gen 1, USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, and USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type C.
9. HP 2019
The HP 2019 boasts a bevy of configurations that you can choose from, and each one is a steal at a price point lower than $500 (yes, you read it right).
It brings a 14-inch display, allowing you to see the vivid colors of your pictures and videos. It embeds an Intel Core i3 7th generation but doesn’t fall behind in its processing performance.
HP 2019 delivers in terms of advanced multitasking with its 8GB system memory and a generous 128GB SSD.
Further, you’ll also never have to worry about working in the dim since the HP 2019 is the best laptop for its white backlit.
10. HP 2020
Finally, the HP 2020 made it to this list, promising a stylish yet powerful laptop that you can use for general activity or gaming.
A 15.6-inch screen and powered by an Intel Core i5 10th-generation processor plus a 512GB SSD, it’s safe to say that the HP 2020 will undeniably let you do both basic and advanced tasks – and plenty more should you require it to.
Power isn’t the only thing that makes the HP 2020 worth every bit of its high-range price tag, however.
From its lightweight chassis to its exceptional battery life, as well as a vast slew of added features like Turbo Boost technology, this is among the best laptops that are capable of punching well above its price range.
Basic and Affordable Doesn’t Have to Mean Flimsy and Slow
These days, we’re blessed with multiple manufacturers at each other’s throats, looking to one-up each other every opportunity they can get, so people will buy what they are offering.
This tight competition has led to better quality at much lower price points than ever before.
Basically, what we’re trying to say is, there’s no better time to buy a laptop than it is today.
So, what are you waiting for?
The top ton laptops we recommended for basic use are varied enough to give you plenty of options to choose from, allowing you to walk away with the computer you need that’s bought at the price point you can afford.
