Best Budget Laptops of 2012
When laptops were introduced in the market, they were outrageously costly. At the same time, the features of the laptop were not as high-end as that of the desktops. However, the scenario has undergone a sea change at present. There are many laptops available within an affordable price range. It can be attributed to the fact that laptops are no more a status symbol, but have become a necessity, as they are not only portable, but you can stay connected to the world far more easily even when you are on the run. Gone are the days when one had to shell out a large chunk of money for laptops with high-end features. The budget laptops fit the bill very well.
All of us are aware that technology is changing at a rapid pace. At this point, I would like to bring it to your notice that the affordable laptops have a great performance and one must not be under the impression, that he/she will have to compromise with features just because these laptops are cheaper.
Best Value Laptop: 2012
1. Samsung Series 5 Chromebook XE500C21
| Price | $339 |
| Size | 11.6 x 8.6 x 0.8 inches |
| Weight | 3.26 pounds |
| Processor | Intel Atom N570 Processor 1.66GHz |
| RAM | 2GB DDR3 RAM |
| Hard Drive | 16GB Solid-State Hard Drive |
| Screen | 12.1-inch, Intel GMA 3150 |
| Battery Life | 6.5 hours |
Pros
- Lightweight
- Long battery life
- Very fast processor (boots in merely 8 seconds)
- Chrome OS operates in Cloud, so you can't access your files without an Internet connection
| Price | $349.99 |
| Size | 9.84 x 15 x 1.5 inches |
| Weight | 5.5 pounds |
| Processor | AMD E Series Processor 1.65GHz (1MB Cache) |
| RAM | 3GB SO-DIMM RAM |
| Hard Drive | 320GB 5400 rpm Hard Drive |
| Screen | 15.6-inch TruBrite LED display screen, AMD Radeon HD 6320 |
| Battery Life | 5.56 hours |
Pros
- Long battery life
- Great graphics
- User-friendly keyboard with separate numeric keypad
- Good for gaming and photo-editing
- Speakers are not very good.
- There is no integrated webcam or microphone.
| Price | $379.94 |
| Size | 15.12 x 1.4 x 10.12 inches |
| Weight | 5.72 pounds |
| Processor | AMD C Series Dual Core C 50 Processor 1GHz |
| RAM | 3GB DIMM RAM |
| Hard Drive | 320 GB 5400 rpm |
| Screen | 15.6-inch, AMD Radeon HD 6250 |
| Battery Life | Up to 6 hours |
Pros
- Keypad is equipped with a PalmProof technology.
- Touchpad is not bad either.
- It has a low-quality webcam.
- It's not a great option for gamers.
| Price | $389.97 |
| Size | 15.12 x 1.4 x 10.12 inches |
| Weight | 5.72 pounds |
| Processor | AMD E Series Dual Core E 450 Processor 1.65GHz |
| RAM | 4GB DIMM RAM |
| Hard Drive | 320 GB 5400 rpm |
| Screen | 15.6-inch, AMD Radeon HD 6350 |
| Battery Life | Up to 5 hours |
Pros
- Equipped with IceCool technology, so the laptop is kept cool.
- Audio quality is not very great.
| Price | $409.00 |
| Size | 19.8 x 13.3 x 4.1 inches |
| Weight | 8.6 pounds |
| Processor | 2.2 GHz Pentium B960 |
| RAM | 3GB DIMM RAM |
| Hard Drive | 320 GB 5400 rpm |
| Screen | 15.6-inch Screen, Intel HD Graphics 3000 |
| Battery Life | 6.5 hours |
Pros
- Equipped with a lot of connectivity options
- Quality of webcam is good
- Less graphic memory
| Price | $434.99 |
| Size | 20.4 x 13.5 x 3.3 inches |
| Weight | 7.6 pounds |
| Processor | AMD A Series Processor 2.5GHz (1MB Cache) |
| RAM | 4GB SDRAM RAM |
| Hard Drive | 640GB 5400 rpm Hard Drive |
| Screen | 15.6-inch Screen, AMD Radeon HD 6480G |
| Battery Life | 7.25 hours |
Pros
- Great picture quality
- Equipped with CoolSense Technology
- Only 3 USB ports
- Bad audio quality
| Price | $438.95 |
| Size | 14.8 x 9.8 x 1.37 inches |
| Weight | 5.73 pounds |
| Processor | Intel Core i3 2350M Processor 2.3GHz (3MB Cache) |
| RAM | 4GB DIMM RAM |
| Hard Drive | 500GB 5400 rpm Hard Drive |
| Screen | 15.6-inch Screen, Integrated Intel HD 3000 Graphics |
| Battery Life | 4 hours |
Pros
- Lightweight
- Well-spaced chiclet keyboard
- Good battery life
- Impressive speakers
- Bluetooth is absent.
- Design has a cheap feel to it.
- Configuration cannot be customized.
| Price | $439 |
| Size | 11.5 x 8.5 x 0.8 inches |
| Weight | 3.52 pounds |
| Processor | AMD 1.65 GHz E-Series Dual-Core E-450 with 1MB Cache |
| RAM | 4 GB SDRAM |
| Hard Drive | 500GB 5400 rpm Hard Drive with HP ProtectSmart |
| Screen | 11.6-inch Screen, AMD Radeon HD 6320 |
| Battery Life | Nearly 9 hours |
Pros
- 9 hours battery life
- Beats Audio provides great sound
- Slow processor
- Lacks DVD drive
| Price | $458.90 |
| Size | 19.09 x 13.31 x 4.29 inches |
| Weight | 6.57 pounds |
| Processor | Intel Core i3-2350M Processor 2.3GHz |
| RAM | 6GB DIMM RAM |
| Hard Drive | 500GB 5400RPM Hard Drive |
| Screen | 14-inch Screen, Intel HD Graphics 3000 |
| Battery Life | Up to 5 hours |
Pros
- Fast processor
- Stylish design
- Heavy
- No USB 3.0 port
- A lot of bloatware
| Price | $479.99 |
| Size | 9.84 x 14.96 x 1.48 inches |
| Weight | 5.3 pounds |
| Processor | Intel Core i3 2350M Processor 2.3GHz (3MB Cache) |
| RAM | 4GB SO-DIMM RAM |
| Hard Drive | 640GB 5400RPM Hard Drive |
| Screen | 15.6-inch Screen, Intel HD Graphics |
| Battery Life | 5.42 hours |
Pros
- Lightweight
- Beautiful design
- Good graphics
- Average battery life
- No integrated Bluetooth
| Price | $529.84 |
| Size | 22 x 3.1 x 13.6 inches |
| Weight | 8.2 pounds |
| Processor | 2nd generation Intel Core i3-2350M Processor |
| RAM | 6GB SDRAM RAM |
| Hard Drive | 640GB 5400RPM Hard Drive |
| Screen | 17.3-inch Screen, Intel HD Graphics 3000 |
| Battery Life | 5 hours |
Pros
- Speedy performance
- Great graphics
- Excellent display clarity
- High-sensitivity touchpad
- A lot of bloatware
- Wireless connectivity not very great
| Price | $539.17 |
| Size | 9.78 x 14.56 x 1.24 inches |
| Weight | 5.97 pounds |
| Processor | Intel Core i3 2330M Processor 2.3GHz |
| RAM | 4GB DIMM RAM |
| Hard Drive | 640GB 5400RPM Hard Drive |
| Screen | 15.5-inch Screen, Integrated Intel HD 3000 |
| Battery Life | Up to 5 hours |
Pros
- Good for multitasking
- Attractive design
- Average sound quality and graphics
- Not very great for gaming
