Top 5 Budget Laptops for Work and School in 2026

There’s no such thing as one size fits all when it comes to computers, and finding one at a lower price these days can make the search even more difficult. RELATED: Best laptop deals in Australia Buying a cheap laptop comes with sacrifices and fewer bells and whistles, but our resident tech expert Alex Kidman says this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. “Budget laptops can be a little slower, or have slightly lower-grade screens or sound, but your needs can determine whether those features matter or not. The trick is to pick which compromises mean the most or the least to you. You can also generally expect a budget laptop to last a little less time than a premium-priced model, with most being built out of simple plastic,” he explained. Apple isn’t exactly known for selling low priced items, but its latest MacBook Air has been a total winner for fans wanting to stay in the ecosystem without splurging on the classic Pro models. Impressed users are calling it a “great upgrade” from previous generations, with many loving the “fast” performance and ultra slim and lightweight design. Plus, it’s currently on sale for $332 off! Or for a true budget buy, you can score the Acer Aspire Lite for just $549 (down from $849). Shoppers agree it’s “great value” and an especially “perfect” option for those on the hunt for an easy to use model that’s simple enough for the “non-computer savvy”. Need a new computer to smash your university assignments? Or maybe you’re looking for a simple computer to browse the internet, enjoy some light gaming and stay on top of emails and the family’s Facebook posts. We’ve rounded up several budget to mid-range models to suit a variety of needs. NEED TO KNOW • Cheaper laptops tend to be slower, dimmer and less powerful compared to pricier models, making them ideal for basic use such as emailing, schoolwork (primary to early high school), online browsing and light gaming. • If you want to stay exclusive with Apple’s ecosystem, the Apple MacBook Air range is the brand’s affordable alternative and generally a decent mid-range buy. • Our expert recommends carrying the computer in a laptop friendly bag since budget models tend to not be as robust as the premium options and will a more gentle touch. • Popular brands like HP and Lenovo offer fantastic sales via their official website, so don’t forget to check these when you’re researching. OUR TOP PICKS EDITOR’S PICK: BEST AFFORDABLE LAPTOPS HP OmniBook 3 Next Gen AI, $1299 (down from $1499) at HP What You Need To Know For a non ‘true’ budget PC experience without the premium price tag, this HP OmniBook is a solid everyday school or work laptop that will suit many users. Happy reviewers say it’s offers “very good value” with fast performance, nice screen size and a comfortable keyboard. “(It’s) a great smallish laptop, but very fast and powerful,” praised one customer. Keep in mind HP runs great laptop deals year-round, so it’s definitely worth keeping an eye on if you’re thinking about getting an upgrade. SHOP HERE Lenovo ThinkBook 14 Gen 7 (AMD), $1012.34 (down from $1169) What You Need To Know For most people, a budget to mid-range option is going to be more practical — especially if you want something that can handle more than emailing and basic online browsing. The Lenovo ThinkBook 14 Gen 7 is still on the lower end, but it will give you a bit more flexibility than some cheaper models. “This laptop delivers smooth, reliable performance and handles multi-tasking with ease. The design feels premium, the system runs fast, and it’s perfect for both work and everyday use,” a customer posted on the Lenovo website. SHOP HERE Acer Aspire Lite 15 Laptop, $549 (down from $849) at The Good Guys What You Need To Know If you’re not a big gamer or someone who needs a beastly performer, the Acer Aspire Lite should be enough. Unlike many other cheap laptops, this model boasts a large 15.6” display and sits well under the usual dreaded $1000 mark. It’s also very lightweight at 1.59kg, so it’s not super heavy. Bargain hunters say it’s “great value”, especially for parents searching for a budget friendly laptop for their children. It’s also the “perfect” easy to use option for any self-confessed “non-computer savvy” users. SHOP HERE BEST BUDGET APPLE LAPTOP Apple M4 MacBook Air 13”, $1367 (down from $1699) at Amazon Australia What You Need To Know Apple MacBooks have been a cult fave for years, and the MacBook Air range offers a more affordable alternative to anyone wanting to stay in the ecosystem without having to fork out $2000+ for the Pro line-up. Perfect for students and remote workers, this 13-inch laptop gives you up to 18 hours of battery life and powerful performance in an ultra slim design measuring just 1.2cm thin. It’s also packed with the latest upgrades, including the new M4 chip, 10-core CPU, 12MP Center Stage with Desk View support, and Apple Intelligence. Fans are calling it a “great upgrade” compared to previous generations, and overall a nice option for those searching for a “fast, light and small” Apple laptop. This MacBook Air is available as a 13-inch or 15-inch model, in a variety of colours such as Midnight, Starlight and Silver. SHOP HERE BEST BUDGET LAPTOPS FOR STUDENTS Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3, $899 (down from $1179) at Lenovo What You Need To Know If you prefer Lenovo, this IdeaPad is one of the cheapest from the brand and some impressed bargain hunters have dubbed it a “great laptop for the price”. You can expect a modest 14-inch antiglare display, and a quick charge feature which promises to give you an extra two hours of work or study time with just a 15-minute recharge. SHOP HERE HOW WE CHOOSE PRODUCTS To help you find the best budget laptop for your needs and budget, we asked award-winning veteran freelance technology journalist, Alex Kidman, for their expert advice and recommendations on what to look for when buying an affordable laptop. In addition, our shopping team read hundreds of customer reviews and looked at test results and ratings from product review sites to help you find the right one. HOW TO CHOOSE A BUDGET LAPTOP To help you make the best buying decision, we enlisted tech expert Alex Kidman. Here are his top tips. What will you use it for? Identifying your needs is critical to buying the right budget laptop. For a schoolchild doing just English, a simple laptop will do, while one doing multimedia work may benefit from a better screen. If you need to be more genuinely mobile, look for a lighter unit, preferably with a larger battery. Screen quality experiences. Try to avoid anything sold as just an “HD” screen if you can unless you’re only going to be doing very simple document shifting work. RAM and storage matter more than the processor Budget laptops never have the latest, fastest processors. You’re almost certainly looking at something in the lower-end Intel i3 or AMD Ryzen 3 family or similar. Buying a model with a larger RAM allocation – look for 8GB ideally – and a bigger hard drive (128GB at minimum) can seriously speed up even the slowest machines. Windows or ChromeOS? Google’s ChromeOS has staked out its place on store shelves with low-cost Chromebooks, running the Chrome browser (more or less) as the operating system. Chromebooks are great for simple, web-first based computing, but they’re less flexible than a Windows PC, home to just about every application you can think of. Conversely, though, Windows needs a more powerful processor setup to run smoothly, so you may have a smoother run with a Chromebook at the same budget price point. Keep in mind battery estimates are guesses If you check the specs on manufacturer sites, they’ll say “up to” however many hours of battery life, even for budget models. Because everyone’s usage is different, though, these are a lot like those mileage figures you get for cars, representing a best-case, light usage scenario. For most budget models you’re probably going to get four-six hours of regular usage in most cases. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Is it worth buying a cheap laptop? You can find a variety of laptops at different price points, but keep in mind cheaper models tend to be slower, less capable at handling heavier demands (e.g. lots of multi-tasking and gaming) and have lower quality display or audio. Our expert pointed out “the trick is to pick which compromises mean the most or least to you”. “You may need a laptop for your kid’s schooling needs, or just a simple machine for some home office work. Or, naturally enough, you might just be working from a tighter budget these days,” Alex said. “There’s plenty of choice for Windows and Chromebook buyers, though if you’re a fan of Apple’s macOS, you’re plumb out of luck.” He also recommended carrying your device in a “laptop-friendly bag” since they’re typically not as durable as pricier models. “The plastic bodies of budget laptops make them inherently more fragile than a metal-body premium laptop, and they’re always built just to a price point. They’re still not free, though, so a small investment in a laptop sleeve, bag or satchel can save serious heartache for when disaster strikes,” Alex added. RELATED: Best laptop bags to buy Is it worth getting an older laptop? While you don’t need to stick to the latest releases, our expert recommends steering away from much older models since these might not actually be the most cost-effective option. “The budget laptop space is fiercely competitive, but it’s not uncommon to see some much older models still ‘on sale’, advertising seemingly huge price drops despite the fact that they’re less advanced than the similarly priced (but not appearing as much of a ‘bargain’). Check the operating system (if it’s Windows 10 it’s an older model) and processor specifications to get an idea of how long it’s been sitting on a shelf,” Alex said. Alex Kidman Alex Kidman is an award-winning veteran Australian freelance technology journalist, podcaster and YouTuber, as well as being a former editor at CNET, Gizmodo, PC Mag Australia, APC and Finder. He’s keen not just on the latest gadgets but how they can positively affect our lives and offer the best value to consumers, always looking out for any hidden issues or extra benefits from a wide range of technology gadgets. More best laptop coverage Your step-by-step guide to buying a laptop Best laptop deals to shop Sign up to our free weekly shopping newsletter to stay on top of the latest trends, product reviews and sale events. Tahnee-Jae Lopez-VitoSenior Shopping Writer Tahnee-Jae has years of reviewing experience, specialising in all the appliances and products that can help improve your home and life. From finding the best budget sheets to the mattresses that can help you get a better night’s sleep, she does all of the research to save you time and money. She previously worked as a content producer for one of Australia’s top comparison sites Canstar Blue, where she spent her days learning what Australian shoppers really think by translating detailed national survey data into hundreds of highly respected consumer ratings – helping shed light on how well brands offer value for money and more. Armed with a Bachelor of Journalism and Bachelor of Laws (Honours) from the Queensland University of Technology, she knows that detail matters and is dedicated to creating in-depth shopping guides to help you find the right product.