Best Budget Laptops Under £300
On a budget? We’ve found the best laptops to buy under £300.
Is your current laptop slow and breathing heavy? Are you on a super-tight budget? Don’t worry, we’ve got the best laptops under £300 that are affordable but still tech-y enough to do all the bits you want it to do (shop, order takeaways, and attempt uni work).
Our list features top-name brands and laptops with cool specs, all at different price points.
Go ahead, dive right into the best laptops under £300.
If you’re after a laptop to hold all-night Sims gaming sessions, then take a look at the best laptops for Sims 4.
Last updated: 29th August 2024
In this article:
- Best laptops under £300
- 8GB RAM laptops under £300
- 14 inch laptops under £300
- Tips for buying a laptop
- How much should I spend on a laptop in the UK?
- Chromebook vs a laptop?
- Is 4GB RAM enough for a laptop?
- How long should a laptop last?
Best laptops under £300
Technology can be quite pricey and, not forgetting to mention, confusing. All that tech jargon and numbers, RAMS, GBs — what does it all mean?
Our best chromebooks and laptops under £300 list will decipher all the vocab you don’t understand so you can shop a little more simply.
ASUS CX34 14″ Chromebook Plus – £279
What’s in the box
- 1 x ASUS CX34 14″ Chromebook Plus
- 1 x power adapter
Technical specs
- Operating system: Chromebook OS
- RAM: 8 GB LPDDR5
- Processor: Intel® Core™ i3-1215U Processor
- Storage: 256 GB UFS
- Screen resolution: Full HD 1920 x 1080p
- Screen size: 14-inch
- Screen type: LED
- Touch screen?: No
- WiFi?: Intel® dual-band WiFi – 2×2
- Ethernet: No
- Battery life: Up to 10 hours
- Battery type: 3-cell Lithium-ion
- Disc drive: No
- Memory card reader: No
- HDMI: 1x HDMI 1.4
- Webcam: Full HD webcam
- Colour: Rocky grey and white
Pros
- Good keyboard and port selection
- Great performance
Cons
- Basic speakers
ACER 314 14” Chromebook – £179
What’s in the box
- 1 x ACER 314 14″ Chromebook
- 1 x AC power adapter
- 1x user guide
Technical specs
- Operating system: ChromeOS
- RAM: 4 GB DDR4X
- Processor: MediaTek MT8183C Processor
- Storage: 128 GB eMMC
- Screen resolution: Full HD 1920 x 1080p
- Screen size: 14-inch
- Screen type: TN LED
- Touch screen?: No
- WiFi?: Dual-band AC WiFi – 2×2
- Ethernet: No
- Battery life: Up to 12 hours
- Battery type: 3-cell Lithium-ion
- Disc drive: No
- Memory card reader: No
- HDMI: No
- Audio: Dual stereo speakers
- Webcam: HD 720p webcam
- Colour: Silver
Pros
- Great battery life
- Great performance
- Bright screen
Cons
- Not as compact as other Chromebooks
- No touchscreen
HP Stream 14s-dq0509sa 14″ Laptop – £249.99
What’s in the box
- 1x HP Stream 14s-dq0509sa 14″ Laptop
- 1x AC adapter
- 1x Battery
- 1x Documentation
Technical specs
- Operating system: Windows 11 S
- RAM: 4 GB DDR4 (2400 MHz)
- Processor: Intel® Celeron® N4120 Processor
- Storage: 128 GB eMMC
- Screen resolution: HD ready 1366 x 768p
- Screen size: 14-inch
- Screen type: SVA
- Touch screen?: No
- WiFi?: AC WiFi – 1×1
- Ethernet: No
- Battery life: Up to 10 hours
- Battery type: 3-cell Lithium-ion
- Disc drive: No
- Memory card reader: 2-in-1
- HDMI: 1x HDMI 1.4b
- Audio: Dual speakers
- Webcam: HD ready 720p webcam
- Colour: Indigo Blue
Pros
- Great battery life
- SD slot
Cons
- Basic audio
- Clunky design
HP 15a-na0503sa 15.6″ Chromebook – £199
What’s in the box
- 1x HP 15a-na0503sa 15.6″ Chromebook
- 1x Power adapter
- 1x Documentation
Technical specs
- Operating system: ChromeOS
- RAM: 4 GB DDR4
- Processor: Intel® Celeron® N4500 Processor
- Storage: 128 GB eMMC
- Screen resolution: HD 1366 x 768p
- Screen size: 15.6-inch
- Screen type: SVA LCD
- Touch screen?: No
- WiFi?: AC WiFi – 2×2
- Ethernet: No
- Battery life: Up to 11.5 hours
- Battery type: 2-cell Lithium-ion
- Disc drive: No
- Memory card reader: MicroSD
- HDMI: No
- Audio: Dual speakers
- Webcam: HD webcam
- Colour: Mineral Silver
Pros
- Great battery life
- MicroSD slot
Cons
- Basic audio
ACER 315 15.6” Chromebook – £229
What’s in the box
- 1 x ACER 315 15.6″ Chromebook
- 1 x power adapter
- 1x quick start guide
Technical specs
- Operating system: ChromeOS
- RAM: 8 GB LPDDR4X
- Processor: Intel® Celeron® Processor N6000
- Storage: 128 GB eMMC
- Screen resolution: Full HD 1920 x 1080p
- Screen size: 15.6-inch
- Screen type: IPS LED
- Touch screen?: No
- WiFi?: Intel® WiFi 6 – 2×2
- Ethernet: No
- Battery life: Up to 10 hours
- Battery type: 3-cell Lithium-ion
- Disc drive: No
- Memory card reader: microSD
- HDMI: No
- Audio: Stereo speakers
- Webcam: HD webcam
- Colour: Silver
Pros
- Great battery life
- Lightweight for a bigger laptop
- Nice keyboard with touchpad
Cons
- Dim display
- Not enough memory
8GB RAM laptops under £300
Lenovo IdeaPad 3 – £299.99
What’s in the box
- 1 x Lenovo IdeaPad 3
- 1 x power adapter
Technical specs
- Operating system: Windows 11 S
- RAM: 8 GB DDR4-SDRAM
- Processor: AMD Ryzen 5
- Storage: 256 GB SSD
- Screen resolution: Full HD 1920 x 1080p
- Screen size: 15.6-inch
- Touch screen?: No
- Ethernet: No
- Disc drive: No
- Memory card reader: Yes
- HDMI: 1x HDMI
- Audio: Dolby sound system
- Webcam: HD webcam
- Colour: Blue
Pros
- Great battery life
- Good sound system
Cons
- Dim display
- Feels a bit cheap
ASUS Vivobook 15 – £279.99
What’s in the box
- 1 x ASUS Vivobook 15
- 1x Power adapter
Technical specs
- Operating system: Windows 11 Home
- RAM: 8 GB
- Processor: Intel Core i3
- Storage: 256 GB SSD
- Screen resolution: Full HD 1920 x 1080p
- Screen size: 15.6-inch
- Touch screen?: No
- Ethernet: No
- Disc drive: No
- HDMI: 1x HDMI
- Audio: Built-in speakers
- Webcam: HD webcam
- Colour: Black
Pros
- Backlit keyboard
- Decent port selection
Cons
- Short battery life
- A bit heavy
GeoBook 340 – £269.99
What’s in the box
- 1 x GeoBook 340
- 1 x power adapter
Technical specs
- Operating system: Windows 10 Pro
- RAM: 8 GB
- Processor: Intel Core i3
- Storage: 256 GB SSD
- Screen resolution: Full HD 1920 x 1080p
- Screen size: 14-inch
- Touch screen?: No
- Ethernet: No
- Disc drive: No
- Fingerprint sensor: Yes
- HDMI: 1x HDMI
- Audio: Built-in speakers
- Webcam: Yes
- Colour: Black
Pros
- Great battery life
- Bright, high quality colours on screen
- Fingerprint sensor included
Cons
- Basic audio
Laptop Outlet student discount
Best 14-inch laptops under £300
ACER Aspire 1 – £199
What’s in the box
- 1 x ACER Aspire 1
- 1 x power adapter
Technical specs
- Operating system: Windows 10 S
- RAM: 4 GB
- Processor: Intel® Celeron® N4500 Processor
- Storage: 128 GB eMMC
- Screen resolution: Full HD 1920 x 1080p
- Screen size: 14-inch
- Touch screen?: No
- Ethernet: Yes, Gigabit Ethernet port
- Disc drive: No
- Memory card reader: No
- HDMI: 1x HDMI
- Audio: Dual stereo speakers
- Battery life: Up to 8 hours
- Battery type: 2-cell Lithium-ion
- Webcam: HD Acer webcam
- Colour: Silver
Pros
- Strong battery life
- Lovely display
- Nice keyboard and typing
Cons
- Basic audio
- A bit clunky design
HP Stream 14s-dq0034na – £169
What’s in the box
- 1 x HP Stream 14s-dq0034na
- 1 x power adapter
Technical specs
- Operating system: Windows 11 Home
- RAM: 4 GB
- Processor: Intel® Celeron® N4120 Processor
- Storage: 128 GB SSD
- Screen resolution: Full HD 1366 x 768
- Screen size: 14-inch
- Touch screen?: No
- Ethernet: No
- Disc drive: No
- Memory card reader: No
- HDMI: 1x HDMI
- Audio: Dual stereo speakers
- Battery life: Up to 9 hours
- Battery type: 2-cell Lithium-ion
- Webcam: HD front webcam
- Colour: Silver
Pros
- Strong battery life
- Good memory
Cons
- Basic audio
- Keyboard isn’t backlit
Tips for buying a laptop
Looking for a laptop under £300 is not as easy as it might seem. While there are plenty of good quality laptops under that price tag, it’s hard to know if you’re getting a good deal or not. Cheap is certainly not always bad, but they aren’t always good, either.
Below are some of our top buying tips to help you get the most from your laptop.
Find out what you need
Ask yourself “what do I need this laptop for?”. The laptop you need to buy is one that will be fit for purpose. You don’t need a super high-tech (and costly) gaming laptop if that’s not your thing and you’re wanting a laptop for general use like studying and browsing.
Set a budget
Whether you want laptops under £300 or ones between £500 and £1000, know your budget and stick to it. The more you need from a laptop, the more it will typically cost, so keep that in mind if you’re after a laptop that does everything but want it for a low cost — it may not be possible so be realistic with your wants and requirements.
Compare, compare, compare
Found the perfect laptop on your first search? Amazing! But, please don’t rush into buying it just yet. Check the reviews across different platforms and sites, search for the same make and model to see if you can find a better price, look at other similar laptops and compare and contrast between them.
Take time in researching, you’ll be surprised at the fab deals you stumble across or the under-dog that you didn’t expect but want.
Consider buying refurbished
There are a lot of sites offering refurbished laptops at a fraction of the retail price, and still in good condition. This is a great choice for those wanting a laptop for basic needs and aren’t too fussed about technical specs and gadgets — but you can still find high-end, gaming, techy laptops that are refurbished and cheaper, too.
Many of these sites offer a one-year warranty so make sure you check it’s working and send it back if not!
Some sites to check out include:
- Up to 15% off student discount at Laptop Outlet
- Up to 50% off student discount at Laptops Direct
- Extra 10% off Windows laptops at Currys
How much should I spend on a laptop in the UK?
The amount you want to spend on a laptop largely depends on what you want to use it for, and how much you expect it to do. If you play a lot of games then £300 won’t get you a lot for your money. But if you’re just looking to browse the internet, use standard Microsoft apps for coursework and a bit of online shopping, then a basic laptop at around £300 would do you just fine.
On average, you might look to spend between £500-600 on a new laptop, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t shop around to grab a bargain.
Chromebook vs a laptop?
A Chromebook is a budget-friendly alternative to a Windows laptop or Apple MacBook. Chromebooks run using a Google operating system called Chrome OS. This means Windows and macOS programs don’t work on these devices.
What does this mean for applications? You won’t be able to run Microsoft Office or MacOS versions either. However, you can use Office 365 online and install Office web apps instead. Or you can simply use Google Docs, Sheets and more.
Do you complete all of your tasks on a web-based app like Google Docs? If so, Chromebooks are definitely worth investing in. They’re intuitive and easy to use because they follow on from the Google Chrome browser application interface.
In fact, Chromebooks are designed for students and business professionals! But the only downside is that you absolutely need an internet connection to make full use of one. So have a hotspot handy.
Is 4GB RAM enough for a laptop?
If you’re planning to use your laptop for studying, writing assignments and browsing the internet, there’s no reason why 4GB RAM shouldn’t be absolutely fine for you.
But if you’re interested in gaming, content creation or editing, then it’s a good idea to go for a higher spec as otherwise you’ll end up wanting to throw your laptop out the window when it starts to lag. Not speaking from experience, of course. You should find 8GB or even 16GB sufficient, but if you’re thinking about intense games and professional video editing software, sometimes 32GB is necessary.
How long should a laptop last?
Most experts think that a laptop should last between three to five years. Surprisingly, most laptops end up needing to be replaced because of things like your battery not performing as well, and software updates becoming outdated. As your laptop gets older, less support is available for older models, and eventually software updates won’t work if your laptop is past a certain date. But FYI that doesn’t mean you should use your laptop as a drink coaster…
Want to save cash on laptops? Get these laptops for under £300 for even less when you sign up to Student Beans. Check out our other tech student deals too while you’re at it! If you’re holding out for a good deal, then we’ve got Black Friday tips to help you shop smarter.