The Best Laptops Under $600 2025

Your search for the best laptops under $600 ends here. 

As you’re doing your back to school shopping, you might be in the market for a new laptop.

Whether you’re a freshman heading off to campus for the first time ever, or a senior returning to school for one final victory lap, being equipped with a laptop that can handle your course load is a must.

The only problem is… your budget. It just might not agree with you. Which is why finding the best laptops for under $600 can be a total game changer for your academic life at college (and more bucks to spend on socializing).

So if you (and your bank account) are dreading the thought of spending upwards of $1,000 or more on a computer, don’t fret — there are plenty of solid options available for students, all under $600. Check out our categories for the best college laptops under $600!

Laptops are super important to take to university, but don’t forget your other college dorm room essentials, too.

Jump to:

• Best laptops under 600
• Best gaming laptops under 600
• Best 2-in-1 laptops under 600
• Student discounts on laptops

Best laptops under 600

Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 — Amazon, $549.99

The Microsoft Surface line in general is known to have some of the best laptops available on the market right now, with the price coming in at just under $600. This smaller version of the Surface Laptop 4 is a great, budget-friendly choice if you want the power of a traditional 15-inch laptop without the price tag, making it one of the best laptops for under $600.

While the resolution is slightly lower than your standard laptop, the screen and display still look sharp and clear, and the 3:2 aspect ratio gives you plenty of room for productivity. The build quality is great, so this durable option will be sure to get you through four years of college, all for under $600.

What’s In The Box

• Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2
• 39W Power Supply

Technical specs

• Operating system: Windows 11
• RAM: ‎4GB or 8GB LPDDR4x
• Processor: Quad Core 11th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-1135G7
• Storage: 128GB, 256GB
• Screen resolution: 1536 x 1024
• Screen size: 12.4-inch
• Screen type: LED
• Battery life: 13.5 hours
• Audio connections: Omnisonic Speakers with Dolby® Audio™ Premium
• Webcam: 720p HD f2.0 camera
• Colors: Platinum, Sage, Ice Blue, Sandstone

Pros

• Great hardware and design
• Solid power
• Good battery life
• Color-accurate and bright display

Cons

• Average resolution
• No backlit keyboard

Check out Amazon student discounts. 

Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 — Amazon, $520

Fast and reliable are two words we would use to describe the Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5. You’ll be able to seamlessly multitask on all your projects without missing a step, despite this powerful laptop coming in a modest 11-inch screen size. And did we mention it’s one of the best laptops for under $600?

With a short charging time (15 minutes), you can get back on your laptop to work in no time, and there’s even a built-in webcam privacy shutter to ensure that all your data stays safe. The fan-less design is also super quiet, meaning you’ll be able to work without being interrupted by your laptop trying to cool itself down. Littles features like these add up and make it worth checking out, again making it one of the best laptops for under $600.

What’s In The Box

• Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5
• 65W AC adapter
• Lenovo Digital Pen

Technical specs

• Operating system: Windows 11 Home
• RAM: ‎ 8GB
• Processor: AMD Ryzen™ 5 7530U Processor
• Storage: Up to 1TB SSD M.2 PCIe Gen4
• Screen resolution: 1920 x 1200
• Screen size: 14-inch
• Screen type: LED
• Battery life: 15 hours
• Audio connections: Dolby Audio™
• Webcam: 1080p FHD webcam with privacy shutter
• Colors: Arctic Gray, Abyss Blue

Pros

• Solid battery life
• Great screen display and resolution

Cons

• Not the best screen
• Average webcam

HP Chromebook x360 — HP, $289.99

If you want to start out with a standard laptop that has the capacity for upgrades, you might want to consider the HP Chromebook x360, which is another great college laptop for under $600. 

While the baseline model can put in plenty of work, having the option to get more computing power in the future (when your budget might allow for it), is a nice option to have in your back pocket.

The great touch display will give you the feel of a tablet with the processing power of a laptop. If your schoolwork has you typing a lot, you’ll definitely appreciate how comfortable the keyboard feels, too. It’s a great, middle of the line option with plenty of potential for growth, with the base model being right under $600 for this laptop.

What’s In The Box

• HP Chromebook x360
• Charging cable
• Stylus

Technical specs

• Operating system: ChromeOS
• RAM: ‎8 GB LPDDR4-4266 MHz RAM
• Processor: MediaTek Kompanio 1380
• Storage: 128 GB PCIe® NVMe™ SSD
• Screen resolution: 1920×1080
• Screen size: 13.3-inch
• Screen type: LED
• Battery life: 16 hours
• Battery type: 2-cell, 47 Wh Li-ion polymer
• Audio connections: Audio by B&O; Dual speakers; HP Audio Boost
• Webcam: HP Wide Vision 720p HD camera with temporal noise reduction and integrated dual array digital microphones

Pros

• Comfortable keyboard and touchpad
• Plenty of ports
• Quality build

Cons

• Average baseline display
• CPU might not be enough for some

Check out our HP student discounts for savings on tech. 

Acer Aspire 5 — Walmart, $486.36

While the display on the Acer Aspire 5 isn’t anything to write home about, if you’re just using your laptop for schoolwork, you seriously can’t beat that price, coming in at nearly $200 under $600 for one of the best budget laptops on the market. It’s a perfectly acceptable laptop for your course work and any other productivity tasks you might need to use your laptop for.

The fingerprint reader is a nice touch (no pun intended), and there’s plenty of other features that make the $400 price tag impossible to overlook. If you need a laptop that will get the job done on a tight budget, this is the best under $600 laptop answer to your prayers.

Use your laptop to help learn how to study effectively in college.

What’s In The Box

• Acer Aspire 5
• AC adapter

Technical specs

• Operating system: Windows 11
• RAM: ‎8GB
• Processor: Ryzen 3 5300U
• Storage: 256GB
• Screen resolution: 1920 x 1080
• Screen size: 15.6-inches
• Screen type: LCD
• Battery life: 11 hours
• Battery type: 3-cell Li-ion
• Webcam: HD Webcam (1280 x 720)
• Colors: Pure Silver

Pros

• Great price
• HD display
• Plenty of ports

Cons

• Dull display
• Average keyboard

Find our Walmart student discounts.

Gaming laptops under 600

Need to deck out your gaming set-up? Check out the best Logitech gaming headsets and the best quiet gaming keyboards.

ASUS Vivobook 15 F512 — Amazon, $447

Trying to find gaming laptops under $600 may seem like an impossible task, but thanks to the ASUS Vivobook 15 F512, you can still play all your AAA titles without missing a beat — and at an incredible price, too. Plus, it has all the functionality you’ll need for school.

While the battery life isn’t great (be sure to have your charging cable with you at all times to avoid losing power at a critical moment), this option for gaming laptops under $600 is a steal. The ergonomic keyboard is great for gaming and typing alike, and the graphics look incredible on the screen.

What’s In The Box

• ASUS Vivobook 15 F512
• Charging cable

Technical specs

• Operating system: Windows 11
• RAM: ‎4GB DDR4
• Processor: AMD Ryzen™ 5 3500U Mobile Processor
• Storage: 512GB M.2 NVMe™ PCIe® 3.0 SSD
• Screen resolution: 1920 x 1080
• Screen size: 15.6-inch
• Screen type: OLED
• Battery life: 3 hours
• Battery type: 2-cell Li-ion
• Audio connections: SonicMaster, audio by ICEpower®, built-in speaker
• Webcam: 720p HD camera
• Colors: Slate Gray

Pros

• Great gaming laptop on a budget
• Ergonomic keyboard is great for typing
• Stunning display

Cons

• Below average battery life

HP Victus — Amazon, $560

The HP Victus is one of the best gaming laptops under $600. If you’re looking for strong performance for an affordable price, this is the laptop for you. It delivers smooth game-play thanks to the Intel Core processor and the 144Hz Full HD display offers fluid motion and a more immersive experience.

Due to its 8GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD, this gaming laptop can help you multitask efficiently and offers fast load times. 

What’s In The Box

• HP Victus 15.6-inch Laptop
• AC adapter

Technical specs

• Operating system: Windows 11 Home
• RAM: 8GB
• Processor: Intel Core i5-12450H
• Storage: 512GB SSD
• Screen resolution: 1920 x 1080
• Screen size: 15.6 inches
• Screen type: LCD, 144Hz refresh rate
• Battery life: Up to 8 hours
• Battery type: 4-cell Li-ion
• Webcam: HD Webcam (1280 x 720)
• Colors: Mica Silver

Pros

• Smooth 144Hz display
• Powerful GPU for gaming and creative work
• Large SSD storage

Cons

• Below-average battery life
• Can run hot under heavy load

Best 2-in-1 laptops under 600

Chromebook Duet 5 — Lenovo, $499

The Chromebook Duet 5 is one of the best 2-in-1 laptops under $600. It combines portability, versatility, and a vibrant display. The 13.3-inch Full HD OLED touchscreen delivers excellent visuals and the Snapdragon processor makes for a smooth performance. 

Multitask with its 8GB of RAM and up to 256GB of storage, plenty of space for all your college assignments! 

What’s In The Box

• Lenovo Chromebook Duet 5
• AC adapter

Technical specs

• Operating system: ChromeOS
• RAM: 8GB
• Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c Gen 2
• Storage: 128GB / 256GB eMMC
• Screen resolution: 1920 x 1080
• Screen size: 13.3 inches
• Screen type: OLED touchscreen
• Battery life: Up to 15 hours
• Battery type: 4-cell Li-ion
• Webcam: 5MP front-facing, 8MP rear-facing
• Colors: Storm Grey / Abyss Blue

Pros

• Stunning OLED touchscreen display
• Lightweight and detachable 2-in-1 design
• Long battery life

Cons

• Limited processing power for heavy tasks
• eMMC storage is slower than SSD

Use our Lenovo student discount for great savings. 

Dell Latitude 5300 2 in 1 Notebook — Walmart, $217.05 

The Dell Latitude 5300 notebook is one of the best 2-in-1 laptops under $600 — thanks to its versatility and reliability. The 13.3 inch touchscreen has a 360-degree hinge so you’re able to transform the laptop into a tablet, or put it into tent and stand modes for streaming movies. 

What’s In The Box

• Dell Latitude 5300 13.3″ 2-in-1 Notebook
• AC adapter

Technical specs

• Operating system: Windows 10 Pro / Windows 11 Pro
• RAM: Up to 16GB
• Processor: Intel Core i5 / i7 (8th Gen)
• Storage: Up to 512GB SSD
• Screen resolution: 1920 x 1080
• Screen size: 13.3 inches
• Screen type: Full HD Touchscreen, 360-degree hinge
• Battery life: Up to 10 hours
• Battery type: 4-cell Li-ion
• Webcam: HD Webcam (720p)
• Colors: Black

Pros

• Versatile 2-in-1 convertible design
• Solid performance for business and multitasking
• Long battery life

Cons

• Display could be brighter
• Slightly heavier than other ultrabooks

Student discounts on laptops

Laptops, and technology in general, are not cheap. 

But, why should you students have to suffer? Luckily, we’ve got various student discounts on laptops and tech, so have a look at the list below to grab some extra savings:

• Apple student discount — up to 15% off refurbished products
• Microsoft student discount — students get Office 365 for free, up to 10% off student discount, free Microsoft Teams for students and teachers
• Logitech student discount — 15% off, free desk mat, free Logi Accessory case
• Drop student discount — 10% student discount
• Newegg student discount — 8% student discount
• Acer student discount — 10% student discount 
• LG student discount — 10% off student discount on all electronics 
• Samsung student discount — up to 20% off student discount 

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