It's available with an Intel Pentium Gold or Core i3 processor, both of which are fast enough for general productivity tasks like web browsing and text formatting, although you'll have to keep an eye on the number of apps you run simultaneously as you can only get 4GB of memory. It's also a 2-in-1 convertible with a 360-degree hinge, meaning you can flip the screen around and use it as a tablet. We recommend the Lenovo Chromebook C340 15 (2020), a 15.6-inch model with a reasonably bright 1080p display, a comfortable keyboard, and a small but responsive touchpad. Chrome OS is a lighter operating system, so it usually feels smoother and more responsive than Windows on similar hardware, meaning you can generally get better performance at lower price points. If you can perform all your tasks through a Chrome browser or Android apps, it might be better to get a Chromebook instead of a Windows device.

It has a fingerprint sensor built into the power button, meaning you can log into Windows quickly. It has a decent port selection that includes two USB-As, a full-size HDMI, and a USB-C port, although you can't use the latter for video output or charge the laptop. Its AMD Ryzen CPU is more than powerful enough to handle general productivity tasks like web browsing, video playback, text formatting, and spreadsheets.

The keyboard is reasonably spacious and includes a Numpad on the right side, though it feels a bit tiring to type on for extended periods as the keys require a fair amount of force to actuate. Its 15.6-inch screen gives you plenty of space for multitasking, gets bright enough for use in most settings, and is flicker-free, which helps reduce eye strain on long school or workdays. It's a portable Windows laptop with good build quality and a battery that lasts over nine hours of light use. The best laptop under $500 we've tested is the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15 (2021).

Laptop computer rating review