Best laptop deals: Top picks from budget to extreme

Finding the right laptop is hard work. Do you go with a conventional clamshell or a lightweight convertible? What about storage and battery life? If you’re out of spoons, don’t worry. The team at PCWorld did the hard part for you. We scoured the web for the best laptop deals money can buy. Whether you’re on the prowl for a blisteringly fast gaming machine or a portable 2-in-1, we’ve got a plethora of laptop options to chose from.

As of this writing, we’re seeing steep discounts on Chromebooks and everyday Acer Aspire laptops. To help you make more informed choices, we’ve gone ahead and included a shopping advice section at the end of this article. If you’re looking for something different, be sure to check out our roundup of the best laptops.

The best laptop deals in 2022

Gateway Ultra Slim Notebook

From: Walmart

Was: $329

Now: $249 ($80 off)

The Gateway Ultra Slim Notebook is a fantastic laptop for everyday use. It features an AMD Ryzen 7 3700U CPU, Radeon RX Vega 10 graphics, 8GB of RAM, and 512GB of SSD storage. In other words, it’s fast enough for day-to-day tasks like web browsing and checking e-mail. The 15.6-inch IPS display has a resolution of 1920×1080, which is fine for watching Netflix and whatnot. It also has a fingerprint scanner for additional security and a precision touchpad. Plus, the teal color scheme is drop dead gorgeous. This is a phenomenal value. Don’t miss out.

See the Gateway Ultra Slim Notebook at Walmart

HP 15 ef2723od

From: Office Depot

Was: $509.99

Now: $254.99 ($255 off)

The HP 15 is a solid laptop for day-to-day tasks or basic productivity. It has an AMD Ryzen 3 5300U CPU, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of SSD storage. That’s fast enough for web browsing, word processing, and so on. The roomy 15.6-inch display is has 1920×1080 resolution—a welcome find in a laptop this cheap. According to HP, this machine can last over eight hours on a single charge. Depending on brightness level and how you’re using the laptop, you may be able to squeeze another hour or two out of it. This is a fabulous deal, especially if you need a simple everyday laptop. Don’t miss out.

See the HP 15 ef2723od at Office Depot

Lenovo Legion 5

From: eBay

Was: $899.99

Now: $589.99 ($310 off)

The Lenovo Legion 5 is an excellent laptop for the gamer on a budget, and you almost never see gaming laptops going this cheap. It has an AMD Ryzen 5 4600H CPU, an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 Ti GPU, 8GB of DDR4 RAM, and 512GB of SSD storage. The display has a resolution of 1920×1080 and a maximum refresh rate of 120Hz. Given the entry-level GPU, you may want to scale the graphics back to medium or high on newer titles. That said, this laptop shouldn’t have any trouble running older games. For ports, it has one HDMI, one USB Type-C, one DisplayPort, and one headphone/microphone combo. This laptop will likely sell out fast, as it’s a killer deal.

See the Lenovo Legion 5 at eBay

HP Chromebook 14 x360

From: HP

Was: $659.99

Now: $449.99 ($210 off)

The HP Chromebook 14 x360 is a fantastic convertible laptop for day-to-day use. It’s rocking an Intel Core i3-1125G4 CPU, Intel UHD graphics, 8GB of RAM, and 128GB of PCIe NVMe SSD storage. That’s enough “oomph” for web browsing, checking e-mail, watching Netflix, and all other everyday tasks. The 14-inch display has a resolution of 1920×1080 and is multitouch-enabled. Additional features include a full-sized backlit keyboard and a fingerprint reader. It’s also a 2-in-1 laptop, which means the screen can swing all the way around. You can prop it up like a tent or rotate the display 360-degrees and use it like a tablet.

See the HP Chromebook 14 x360 at HP

Samsung Chromebook Plus

From: Amazon

Was: $500

Now: $289.99 ($210.01 off)

The Samsung Chromebook Plus is a good option for someone who needs a lightweight convertible. It has an Intel Celeron processor, 4GB of memory, and 32GB of eMMC storage. It’s a little light on storage and memory, but this shouldn’t be a problem if you store most of your stuff in the cloud. The 11-inch touchscreen display has a resolution of 1900×1200, and the Chromebook has two USB-C ports. It’s powerful enough for everyday browser tasks like checking e-mail, writing papers, listening to music, and so on. The 2-in-1 also weighs a little under three pounds, making it a capable travel companion. Plus, it comes with a stylus for doodling or note taking.

See the Samsung Chromebook Plus at Amazon

Acer Aspire A5 (Intel)

From: Amazon

Was: $389.99

Now: $324.15 ($65.85 off)

We already have a similar model from the same series available in this roundup, but this one is a little cheaper and swaps a Ryzen 3 APU for an Intel Core i3 processor. This version of the Acer Aspire A5 still has a 15.6-inch 1080p display, 4GB of RAM, and 128GB of onboard NVMe storage. It’s also rocking Windows 11 Home in S Mode. You can do a one-way switch to regular Windows 11 Home if you prefer, but you may not want to given the CPU.

The big difference is the processor. This model has the Intel “Tiger Lake” Core i3-1115G4, which has two cores, four threads, and a boost to 4.1GHz. That’s good enough for casual uses like web browsing, video streaming, and so on. It would likely struggle as a productivity laptop, but for someone with light computing requirements, it offers a nice size screen at a solid price.

See the Acer Aspire A5-515-56-36UT at Amazon

Acer Aspire 5 A515

From: Amazon

Was: $399.99

Now: $369.99 ($30 off)

If you’re looking for a solid everyday laptop, you’ve come to the right place. The Acer Aspire 5 has a 15.6-inch 1080p display, 4GB of RAM, and 128GB of onboard SSD storage. The processor is a Ryzen 3 3350U, which has four cores, four threads, and a maximum boost to 3.5GHz. It’s packed with modern features like Wi-Fi 6, a backlit keyboard, and a fingerprint reader for biometric logins. Acer starts this laptop off with Windows 11 in S mode, but there’s no reason not to do a one-way upgrade to full Windows 11. This is being sold by a third-party retailer, but Amazon is handling shipping, which means it falls under the company’s return policy.

See the Acer Aspire 5 A515 at Amazon

Acer Swift X

From: Amazon

Was: $1,069.99

Now: $781.48 ($288.45 off)

The Acer Swift X is a fantastic laptop for content creation. It’s rocking a Ryzen 7 5800U CPU. an Nvidia RTX 3050 Ti GPU, 16GB of DDR4 RAM, and 512GB of SSD storage. That’s more than enough power for streaming, editing, lightweight gaming, and so on. The 14-inch display has a 1920×1080 resolution and a 60Hz refresh rate. It’s also pretty light and portable for a laptop with a dedicated graphics card. The Swift X tips the scales at just a little over three pounds. All in all, this is a phenomenal value laptop. You best nab it now before it’s gone forever.

See the Acer Swift X at Amazon

Acer Nitro 5

From: Walmart

Was: $999.99

Now: $798 ($201.99 off)

The Acer Nitro 5 is a phenomenal pick for budget-conscious gamers. It comes equipped with an AMD Ryzen 5 5600H CPU, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 GPU, 8GB of DDR4 RAM, and 512GB of NVMe SSD storage. Laptops with an RTX 3060 inside aren’t available this cheap very often. You should be able to play most games on high graphics, though you may need to dial things back in ray-traced games. The 15.6-inch 1080p IPS display also has a refresh rate of 144Hz, so you can expect smooth and responsive visuals.

This is a fantastic deal, especially if you’re looking to save some moolah. Don’t miss out.

See the Acer Nitro 5 at Walmart

Asus TUF Gaming

From: Walmart

Was: $899

Now: $749 ($150 off)

The Asus TUF Gaming laptop is powerful, durable, and $150 off. It comes armed with an AMD Ryzen 7 4800H CPU, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 Ti GPU, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of SSD storage. It’ll chew through most games on high graphics, but you’ll want to dial it down on newer titles. The 15.6-inch IPS display has a1920x1080 resolution and a 144Hz refresh rate, which is fine for gaming or streaming video. The keyboard has RGB backlighting and the dual fans are self cleaning. This is a great deal, especially if you’re looking to save some money.

See the Asus TUF Gaming laptop at Walmart

Asus ROG Zephyrus

From: Best Buy

Was: $1,399.99

Now: $899.99 ($500 off)

The Asus ROG Zephyrus is a bit like a unicorn in the wild. It’s powerful and portable, which is a rare combination for a gaming laptop. It weighs about three and a half pounds, making it a capable traveling companion. For context, most gaming rigs tip the scales at five or six pounds. Under the hood, you’ll find an AMD Ryzen 7 5000 Series CPU, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 GPU, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of SSD storage. You should be able to play most games on ultra graphics, but you may need to dial things back just a wee bit on more strenuous modern games. The moonlight white color scheme is also eye-catching and a welcome departure from the usual gamer aesthetic.

See the Asus ROG Zephyrus at Best Buy

Lenovo 5 Pro

From: eBay

Was: $1,969.99

Now: $1,399.99 ($570 off)

The Lenovo 5 Pro delivers some serious graphics power at a competitive price. This gaming machine has an AMD Ryzen 7 6800H CPU, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 Ti GPU, 16GB of RAM, and 1TB of SSD storage. The processor has eight cores and a maximum turbo speed of 4.70 GHz. In other words, it should be powerful enough to run most AAA titles on high or ultra graphics. The 16-inch display has a resolution of 2560×1600 and a refresh rate of 165Hz. You can expect buttery smooth visuals as well as a vibrant picture. For connectivity options, you’re getting one HDMI, three USB 3.2 Gen 1, three USB 3.2 Gen 2, and one 2.3m headphone/microphone combo jack.

This is a hot ticket item, so we don’t expect it to last very long.

See the Lenovo 5 Pro at eBay

Acer Predator Helios 300

From: Best Buy

Was: $1,499.99

Now: $999.99 ($500 off)

The Acer Predator Helios 300 is powerful, chic, and $500 off. It has an Intel Core i7-12700H CPU, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 GPU, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of SSD storage. That’s plenty fast for hitting the hallowed 60fps barrier with no visual compromises in most games. However, when it comes to AAA titles, you may want to dial back the graphics a bit if you want to run your game even faster to push this laptop’s fast screen to its limits. The spacious 15.6-inch display has a 1920×1080 resolution and a 165Hz refresh rate. Acer claims it has a brightness level of up to 300 nits. The Predator Helios 300 is a solid gaming laptop going for a very compelling price, but you better jump on it sooner rather than later.

See the Acer Predator Helios 300 at Best Buy

HP Victus 15

From: Amazon

Was: $979.99

Now: $740.70 ($239.29 off)

If you’re in the market for a reasonably priced gaming laptop, then you’ve come to the right place. The HP Victus 15 is affordable and has decent specs. It features an Intel Core i5 12500H CPU, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 GPU, 8GB of RAM, and 512GB of SSD storage. It should run most older games on high or very high, but you’ll want to scale back the graphics on AAA titles. The 15.6-inch display is a good size and the 1920×1080 resolution is fine for most games. This is a good deal, but it’s not going to last very long.

See the HP Victus 15 at Amazon

Lenovo Legion 5 Pro

From: eBay

Was: $1,969.99

Now: $1,399.99 ($570 off)

The Lenovo Legion 5 Pro is a blisteringly fast gaming laptop. It has a AMD Ryzen 7 6800H CPU, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 Ti GPU, 16GB of RAM, and 1TB of PCIe NVMe SSD storage. That means you should be able to run most competitive games on high or ultra graphics. The 2560×1600 display measures 16-inches and has a refresh rate of 165Hz. In other words, you can expect a sharp and vibrant picture. For connectivity options, it has one HDMI, three USB 3.2 Gen 1, three USB 3.2 Gen 2, and a headphone/microphone combo. This is a super hot deal and it’s selling out fast (20 sold in the last 24 hours as of this writing), so you better grab it now before it’s too late.

See the Lenovo Legion 5 Pro at eBay

Asus ROG Flow X13 2-in-1

From: Amazon

Was: $1,359.99

Now: $1,275.07 ($84.93 off)

Rarely do we see 2-in-1 gaming machines, but that’s exactly what the Asus ROG Flow X13 is. This unique machine has a 360-degree hinge, which means you can rotate the screen all the way around. The device weighs a little under three pounds, which makes it a capable traveling companion. Despite the smaller size, it still manages to pack a punch. It has an AMD Ryzen 9 5900HS CPU, an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 GPU, 16GB of RAM, and 1TB of PCIe SSD storage. That’s plenty peppy for playing most games on low to medium graphics, but Asus also sells an external RTX 3080 GPU that can connect to the laptop if you need even more firepower when your stationary. The display measures 13.4-inches and has a resolution of 1920×1080. It’s not the biggest or most vibrant screen, but it’s perfectly fine for most games. This is a fantastic deal, especially if you’re looking for a gaming laptop you can travel with.

See the Asus ROG Flow X13 2-in-1 at Amazon

Laptop deal buying tips

If you’ve shopped online before for laptop deals you’re probably aware that there’s a vast range of laptop configurations available.

A good place to start is with the processor. Buy laptops with Intel 10-series Core chips or higher, such as the Core i5-10510U, or the Core i7-11800H (for even more details see our Intel 10th-gen mobile CPU buying guide); or go with an AMD Ryzen processor (but not an AMD Athlon or A-series chip). Avoid laptops with Pentium or Celeron processors unless it’s a Chromebook (running Chrome OS). You’re going to need to pay attention with gaming laptops, too, as some GPUs, like the RTX 3050 Ti, don’t offer much boost over their RTX 2xxx-series cousins, and Nvidia has dropped the Max-Q designation on certain low-power options. Our laptop CPU and GPU cheat sheet can help you shop smart.

Display resolution is a gotcha. If you see a laptop labeled as “HD” resolution that means 1366-by-768 and often isn’t worth your time for a laptop under 13 inches unless the deal is absolutely standout. What you want is “Full HD” or “FHD,” which means 1080p.

Don’t buy laptops with under 4GB of RAM or 128GB of SSD storage—though on a Chromebook, this configuration is acceptable. We have more explanation in our laptops versus Chromebooks buying guide, as well as in our primer on how to buy a budget laptop without getting screwed. Also watch out for eMMC storage, which is something we don’t recommend for a Windows laptop but works fine for a Chromebook.

Reviews can be helpful. Even if you can’t find a review of a specific configuration, try related models. They’ll often give you a good idea of the build quality and performance. Also buy from brands you trust. Amazon’s daily laptop deals right now are full of brands we’ve never tested or talked to (Broage, Teclast, DaySky, Jumper) and it’s just a good idea to be wary.

Most older laptops will run Windows 10, and that’s fine—there’s no rush to upgrade. Windows 10 in S Mode, though annoying, can be switched out of easily if you find it on a budget laptop. If you want to buy a Windows 10 PC with the intent of upgrading it to Windows 11, we recommend you start here with a list of older laptops that are Windows 11-eligible.

Updated on November 9 with new pricing and to remove expired deals.