To avoid any controversy, I don't have a problem with budget laptops just because they're cheap, or because they don't have the best specs on the market. I'm a believer in using the right tool for the job -- but also in money well-spent, regardless of how wealthy you are. There's no sense dropping $2,000 on a laptop if you won't be handling anything more complex than web browsing and emails. For that, an iPad or Android tablet is probably enough.
6 They lack meaningful graphics power
No need for the latest and greatest, though
Every modern laptop has some form of GPU (graphics processor) integrated into its CPU (main/central processor). It's a necessity, since Windows and macOS would run terribly without one. Budget laptops are, unfortunately, frequently limited to this integrated hardware when it comes to graphics rendering.
AMD and Intel's integrated GPUs aren't designed for much more than web browsing, video, and light gaming.
Why is that an issue? Simply put, most integrated GPUs aren't designed for much more than web browsing, video, and light gaming. You might be able to play a game like Fortnite, but only by scaling down detail severely. You can all but forget about playing flagship 3D games like Baldur's Gate 3 or the latest Call of Duty, which assume that you have a dedicated GPU available. As for work tasks, integrated graphics might be fine for Word or Excel, but photo or video editing could be a nightmare.
I should note that Apple's latest MacBooks tend to have decent integrated graphics, and that better budget PCs should have some form of dedicated chip. But even then, you may be disappointed by what they're capable of.
5 Build quality can be suspect
You may not be saving any money in the end
In a lot of hobbies and professions, there's a common saying: buy once, cry once. That doesn't square perfectly with laptops, since you'll inevitably need to upgrade at some point as technology advances, but the spirit of the philosophy remains. That is, it's better to spend a little extra on one long-lasting computer than even more money prematurely fixing or replacing something cheap.
Harder to spot is the possibility of a company cutting corners in areas like hinges, display panels, and internal frameworks.
That's especially true when it comes to build quality. Budget laptops tend to use more and/or flimsier plastic, which may be fine if they never travel far, or you're especially careful. That could lead to tragedy, however, if you accidentally drop your machine on the floor, or it gets crushed in a bag or suitcase. As a rule, the more metal a laptop uses, the more durable it's likely to be.
Harder to spot is the possibility of a company cutting corners in areas like hinges, display panels, and internal frameworks. I don't want to dismiss all budget laptops as having these risks, but it's vital to check reviews first -- they can alert you to potential lemons. You may also learn about potential electronics and software glitches.
4 Low memory and storage can hamper you
Check for these minimums
You can get away with comparatively little RAM and storage if you don't care much about gaming, or intense work functions like video editing. What does that mean in practical terms? As RAM goes, you should insist on a laptop with at least 16GB. 32GB is actually beyond budget territory, but you'll instantly regret 8GB. Consider this -- my work laptop uses about 22GB of RAM running Chrome, Spotify, GIMP, and a few minor apps. With 8GB, Chrome alone would probably bring my PC to a crawl unless I limited it to one or two tabs. 16GB is essential for real-world multitasking.
On a 128GB computer, Windows alone might eat up half of your available space -- leaving almost no room for apps, never mind media and documents.
When it comes to storage, shop for something with at least 256GB. That's because Windows 11 requires 64GB to install, and even macOS can occupy a hefty footprint. On a 128GB computer, Windows alone might eat up half of your available space -- leaving almost no room for apps, never mind media and documents. You can potentially get around this by connecting an external drive, or relying heavily on cloud/web services. For various reasons though, including speed, it's best not to put apps on a removable product. Plan on a machine with 512GB or more if you actually do care about games and want some room to breathe.
Speaking of speed, the cheapest laptops sometimes use a form of storage called eMMC. It's an outdated technology that's dramatically slower than the SSDs most laptops are equipped with. It's so bad that you should only consider an eMMC machine if there's no other option, given how low SSD prices have become.
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2 Subtle design problems can affect your experience
Pay attention to ports and CPUs
On top of graphics performance and build quality, budget systems can be compromised in other ways. It's common to get decent battery life, for example, but that's sometimes enabled by using a hyper-efficient CPU, which naturally sips a lot less energy than something built for horsepower. Some apps may run pathetically slow if they launch at all. Research the minimum specs for the apps you want to use, then try to exceed them if it's at all affordable.
Some other problems to watch out for might include cramped keyboards, unresponsive trackpads, and low-quality displays.
There's more. Some computers may not have enough ports for your needs, forcing you to buy a hub or dock. Even if they do, those ports may fall below industry standards. Mainly of course I'm thinking of USB -- some models may still have USB 3.0 or even 2.0 connections, despite the global transition to USB-C ports with USB 3.1 or higher. Ideally a computer will have at least one USB 4/Thunderbolt option, since that's enormously handy for attaching docks and external monitors.
Some other problems to watch out for might include cramped keyboards, unresponsive trackpads, and low-quality displays. It's hard to go too far wrong with displays in 2025, but you should insist on one with at least 1080p (FHD) resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate, and enough brightness to be readable in most lighting conditions short of the midday sun. Don't worry about 4K or HDR (high dynamic range) -- while those are standard on TVs, they're completely unnecessary on a laptop. My expensive work machine looks ultra-sharp running at 2560x1600.