Looking for an affordable, lightweight, 14-inch laptop for under $500? In this article, we will look at the 14 best 14-inch laptops currently available on Amazon for under $500.
Whether you’re a college student looking for a computer to do school work on or you want to get a laptop for your teenager, this article will help you find one.
10 Things to Consider When Buying a Laptop
Before we get into specific laptops, here are some things you should generally look for when purchasing a new laptop.
- Resolution – The more pixels your screen has, the more detail can be displayed on it. While a 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution would be ideal, it can be hard to find that on a 14-inch laptop. Other possible resolutions include 1600 x 900 and 1366 x 768.
- GPU – Most 14-inch laptops have an Intel graphics processor unit, which will suffice for your work or school needs. The better your GPU is, the better graphics you will have. For gaming, you should look for an NVIDIA GeForce graphics card.
- touchscreen – Many 14-inch laptops now have touchscreen displays. Some even fold over into tablets. However, they cost a bit more.
- Touchpad – Since you probably won’t be carrying around a mouse with your laptop, it is important that your laptop’s touchpad is of good quality and is responsive.
- Keyboard – Again, you probably won’t be attaching an external keyboard to your laptop, so make sure it has a quality built-in keyboard.
- Ports – You might need to connect USB devices to your laptop, so make sure it has enough ports of the right kind.
- CPU – A good processor unit will ensure that your laptop runs smoothly without glitches.
- RAM – A laptop with only 2GB or 4GB RAM will not be as smooth as a laptop that has 8GB RAM. If you need to multitask a lot, look for more RAM.
- Battery life – A laptop is meant to be portable. Look for a laptop with a quality battery that lasts long without charging.
- Storage – How much internal hard-drive storage do you need? Take storage into account when choosing a laptop. Some laptops will come with better solid-state storage (SSD) instead of the traditional hard-drive storage (HDD).
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Laptops Vs Chromebooks – Which One Is Better?
Some of the laptops featured on this list are Chromebooks. How are they different than standard 14-inch laptops (also known as notebooks), and are they better?
Chromebooks are Linux-based computers that center around the Chrome browser. They also come with pre-installed shortcuts on your homepage bar, which take you directly to sites such as Youtube and Gmail.
You cannot download Windows software on a Chromebook device. However, you can download Chrome extensions and Chrome apps from the Chrome Web Store.
In addition, most newer Chromebooks now support Google Play (click here for a full list). This means that you can download most Android apps, including other browsers.
Although you can’t download Windows software, many people will find that they can get most of their needs met with a Chromebook. For example, you can download Chrome apps and Android apps such as notepads, video players, writing and editing software, and even MetaTrader 4.
You can also use Google Docs for your writing needs. This comes with an offline option so that you can continue your work even when you are not connected to the internet.
Chromebooks also come with internal storage for your pictures and documents.
Many applications are now cloud-based anyway. Take Office 365, for example.
The downside of using a Chromebook is that if you need to use specific Windows software, you will be out of luck. In addition, if you have been used to using Windows your entire life, you might need to be a little innovative when switching to a Chromebook and Chrome/Android apps.
Chromebooks are also not ideal for those who do most of their work offline, as it is a web-based operating system.
The pros of using a Chromebook is that they often:
- Are cheaper than Windows computers
- Start up and shut down very quickly
- Have a longer battery life than Windows machines
- Don’t get viruses
- Are very lightweight
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New vs Refurbished – Which Should You Buy?
If you are looking for cheap laptops for under $500, you might come across some refurbished products.
Refurbished products are products that cannot be sold as new for whatever reason.
It may have been pre-used and you are buying it second-hand. Alternatively, it may have never been used but was simply returned to the manufacturer, either because it was defective or because the customer didn’t want it.
The difference between pre-owned and refurbished is that refurbished products have undergone tests and have been restored by professionals so that they are work almost as new. Any defects will have been repaired and defective parts will have been replaced.
If you are going to buy a refurbished product, get it from a source you can trust.
Many manufacturers, such as Acer, refurbish their own products. Amazon has an Amazon Renewed program that only certain refurbishers can qualify for.
You can get a really good deal on a cheap refurbished laptop.
The product may have never been used and might simply have been returned because the customer ordered a different laptop and got the wrong one delivered. However, you can never really know what the story behind your refurbished laptop is.
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The 14 Best 14-Inch Laptops for Under $500
Let’s have a look at the best 14-inch budget laptops.
1. HP Probook 6470B 14-Inch Notebook Computer
This black Amazon Renewed HP notebook is lightweight and runs on Windows 10 Pro (64-bit). It has a simple, rugged design and weighs around four and a half pounds.
It runs on an Intel Core i5-3320M 2.6GHz processor and has 8GB RAM – more than any other laptop on our list so far.
Its top resolution is 1366 x 768 with a LED HD anti-glare display.
The laptop’s total storage space is 180GB SSD (solid-state drive).
There is a more expensive version being sold on Amazon as well. The second version has 1TB of HDD (hard-drive storage).
While there is more storage on the second version, it might not be as fast. Both versions are sold as Amazon Renewed.
Check current prices and availability on Amazon
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2. Lenovo S330 14 Chromebook
This laptop provides you with great performance. It runs on a MediaTek MTK8173C processor, has 4GB RAM, and has 64GB SSD storage.
It has great graphics – the screen resolution is 1920 x 1080. It also has USB, USB-C, and SD ports.
This Chromebook does not support Google Play.
Check current price and availability on Amazon
3. HP Flagship Black Business Chromebook 14
This HP 14 Chromebook runs on an Intel Celeron Dual-Core N3350 processor. It has 4GB RAM and 32GB of SSD storage.
It has an anti-glare WLED-backlit display with a resolution of 1366 x 768. It is a bit heavier than most 14-inch Chromebooks, with a weight of 4.45 pounds.
It features a simple black design.
Check current price and availability on Amazon
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4. Dell Latitude E6440 14-Inch Laptop
This Dell Latitude runs on an Intel Core i5-4300M processor with a 2.6Ghz refresh rate. It has 8GB RAM and 256GB SSD storage.
It weighs just over four and a half pounds and runs on Intel HD Graphics 4400.
This laptop has a DVD drive – which can be useful if you still use DVDs and CDs, but which can be a nuisance if you don’t as it adds some bulkiness to the laptop.
There are four USB 3.0 ports, a global headset jack, and VGA, HDMI, and RJ-45 ports.
It is being sold on Amazon as an Amazon Renewed product.
It has a black and silver shell. While this laptop may not have the sleekest design, it will help you get your basic jobs done.
Check current price and availability on Amazon
5. HP Stream 14-Inch Full HD Laptop
The HP Stream runs on an Intel Celeron N3060 processor. It has a full HD WLED-backlit display with Intel HD graphics that deliver darker colors and more vivid graphics (maximum resolution is 1920 x 1080).
It has 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. The OS is Windows 10 Home 64-bit.
Its battery life is solid – it can last for up to 10 hours and 45 minutes, though in reality, it will probably last less than that.
It has two 3.1 USB ports, one 2.0 USB port, one HDMI port, and one headphone/microphone jack.
It’s a pretty lightweight laptop, weighing only 3.15 pounds.
The HP Stream is currently being sold new on Amazon. In addition, when buying it on Amazon, you will get one year of Office 365 Personal for free.
This will give you access to programs such as Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Powerpoint, OneNote, and 1TB of OneDrive storage.
This white laptop has a thin, sleek design – it is only 0.7 inches wide. It has a full-size keyboard and the HP logo on its back.
This is a solid laptop that not only offers solid performance for work or school but also looks cool.
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6. HP Premium Flagship Performance Laptop
This 14-inch HP laptop has a 1366 x 768 resolution and runs on an Intel Pentium N5000 processor, which delivers faster performance and better battery life. It uses an Intel UHD Graphics 605 card.
It has 4GB RAM and 64GB SSD storage. It runs on Windows 10.
It has a sleek black and silver design. The outer shell is silver, while the inner shell is black.
When you purchase this laptop on Amazon, you will get a free one-year subscription to Office 365 Personal.
It’s very light and thin – it weighs only 2.65 pounds and is 0.7 inches wide.
Check current price and availability on Amazon
7. ASUS VivoBook 2-1 Touchscreen Notebook
This is a two-in-one touchscreen notebook – it folds over to become a tablet. It has a full HD 1920 x 1080 LCD screen and runs on an Intel Pentium Silver Quad-Core N5000 processor with a Turbo Boost Speed of up to 2.70 GHz.
It has 4GB RAM and 64GB SSD storage. Other useful features include an SD card reader and a fingerprint reader.
This laptop weighs only 2.87 pounds and is a great choice if you prefer a touchscreen and/or two-in-one laptops.
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8. Lenovo Flex 6 2-1 Laptop
This is a sleek, beautiful touchscreen laptop that folds over into a tablet. It runs on the 8th Gen Intel Core i3-8130U processor – not as powerful as some other laptops on this list but still solid.
It has 8GB RAM and 128GB SSD storage. It runs on Windows 10 and weighs 3.68 pounds.
It has a backlit keyboard and an excellent audio system, webcam, and graphics card – it uses an integrated Intel UHD Graphics 620 card and has a 1920 x 1080 resolution.
The Lenovo Flex 6 is also ENERGY STAR certified.
Check current price and availability on Amazon
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9. Acer Chromebook 14 Black Premium Flagship Business Chromebook
This lightweight Chromebook is the cheapest option on our list. It is being sold on Amazon as Amazon Renewed.
Amazon Renewed products are products that were either pre-used or returned to the manufacturer and can not be sold as new any longer. These products are inspected by approved professionals to ensure that they are working as new.
To qualify for Amazon Renewed, the product must be thoroughly tested, repaired, and cleaned. There must be no visible cosmetic imperfections when viewed from 12 inches away, and the battery must retain 80 percent of its original power.
It runs on an Intel Celeron N3160 Quad-Core Processor. It has 4GB RAM and 32GB SSD storage.
The average battery life is seven hours. This laptop weighs only 3.42 pounds.
This Acer Chromebook has a 14-inch anti-glare HD screen.
Check current price and availability on Amazon
10. Acer Chromebook 14 White
This Acer Chromebook 14 is very similar to the first laptop on our list, but it belongs to a slightly different sub-series.
It has a screen resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels maximum. It has 4GB RAM and 32GB of storage space.
It has an HD Graphics 400 GPU and runs on an Intel Celeron N3160 Quad-core processor with a 1.60 GHz refresh rate.
Of course, it operates Chrome OS. It has two USB ports, a microphone, a webcam, and an HDMI port.
It has a great battery, with an average battery life of 12 hours (which will decrease with heavy usage).
This Chromebook does not support Google Play. However, you can download Chrome apps and Chrome extensions.
This is an Amazon Renewed product. It’s a good choice if you are looking for a basic laptop to do things such as reading and writing emails, browsing the internet, streaming Youtube or Netflix, or writing articles on Google Docs.
Check current price and availability on Amazon
Wrapping It Up
Fourteen-inch laptops are a perfect size – they’re not as small as 11-inch laptops, but they aren’t bulky like 15-inch or 17-inch laptops.
Regardless of your needs, you can find a laptop on this list that works for you.
