Best Laptops Under $800 of 2023 (Top 10 Picks + Buying Guide)

The best laptops under $800 won’t crave you for more performance (for at least next 4-5 years) because they are capable enough to satisfy even the needs of power users. They come with high-end Intel Core i7 and AMD Ryzen 7 CPUs with enough RAM and quick SSD storage to handle everything from heavy multitasking to photo or video editing and even gaming at 1080p.

The laptops in this price range ($700-$800) are also very well built and look and feel much more premium than the budget laptops. And you also won’t have to settle with a bad laptop display in this price range as the best laptops in this price range have a high quality bright and vivid IPS panels and on some of them you’d also get to see features like a fingerprint scanner, a 1080p webcam, the fastest speed thunderbolt 4 port, and much more…

What else do you need in a laptop!

Of course, spending up to $1000 will get you a more powerful machine for gaming that comes with a mid-range RTX 3060 GPU, but the budget gaming laptops available under $800 with an entry-level RTX 3050 and 3050 Ti GPUs can also run all the latest games. It’s just in the very intensive titles, you’ll have to scale down settings a bit.

For other uses than gaming, though, the laptops under $800 offer same (if not similar level) performance to premium costly laptops. So no matter what your use is, for business or college, content creation or coding, our expert’s hand-picked choices of laptops under $800 listed below will handle everything you throw at it.

Best Laptops Under $800 – Our Top Picks

1. 2022 Acer Aspire 5 15

Editor’s Choice

SPECIFICATIONS:

• Processor: Intel Core i7-1255U Processor (10-Cores, Turbo up to 4.7 GHz)
• Graphics: Intel Iris Xe integrated
• RAM: 16GB DDR4 (Upgradeable up to 32GB)
• Storage: 512GB NVMe SSD (Upgradeable)
• Display: 15.6-inch Full HD IPS ComfyView Display
• Weight: 3.9 lbs

BEST PRICE RETAILERS:

The Acer Aspire 5 is one of the best budget laptops available and it’s known to offer better-performing specs than its competitors for the price. Acer recently refreshed it for 2022, and now it is an even better value proposition with an all-new design and up-to-date specs.

It rocks the latest 12th Gen Intel Core i7 processor inside based on Intel’s innovative new big.LITTLE core architecture. It has separate cores for performance and efficiency-based tasks called P (Performance) and E (Efficient) cores, and the Core i7-1255U inside of this Aspire 5 15 has a total of 10 cores (8E and 2P)!

The powerful 10-core CPU is further accompanied by a mammoth 16GB of RAM and 512GB of spacious SSD with top-tier read and write speeds to deliver responsive performance, with apps launching at lightning speeds and laptop booting up the latest Windows 11 in mere few seconds!

Using multiple apps simultaneously and switching back and forth between them would be completely lag-free on this laptop. And thanks to the improved Iris Xe integrated graphics on 12th Gen Intel CPUs, it will also be able to handle graphics-intensive apps like Photoshop and Premiere Pro and even most modern games at low settings!

Apart from powerful internals, the new design of the laptop also looks pretty good in the new Steel Gray exterior finish. And Acer has also improved the fit and finish of it compared to previous models. While the bezels around its 15.6-inch display are still pretty thick and finished in contrasting black color, the actual display quality has improved with a little more peak brightness and slightly better color reproduction.

The connectivity options on this Aspire 5 15 are also impressive, with the fastest Thunderbolt 4 and new HDMI 2.1 ports to connect up to two displays and the latest Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1 for wireless connectivity. Also, the backlit keyboard of the laptop is comfortable to type for long hours, and it also has a dedicated Numpad if you crunch numbers all day long.

So overall, the 2022 Acer Aspire 5 15 is an all-around performing machine suitable for almost every type of user, which is why it is currently our top pick under $800.

2. Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 15

The Best Gaming Laptop Under $800

SPECIFICATIONS:

• Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 6600H 6 Cores (3.3 – 4.5 GHz)
• Graphics: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 (4GB DDR6) Dedicated + AMD Radeon Integrated
• RAM: 8GB DDR5 4800 MHz (Upgradeable)
• Storage: 256GB Gen4 NVMe SSD
• Display: 15.6-inch 120Hz Full HD IPS Display
• Weight: 5.2 lbs

BEST PRICE RETAILERS:

The $800 is a pretty lucrative price range for budget gaming laptop buyers because you can find some pretty good bargains in this price range. Like currently, you can buy the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3i 15 (Intel version of this laptop) with the latest 12th Gen Intel Core i7-12700H (14-core) processor and Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 GPU for under $800, generally available for $1000! (you can read more about it below)

However, if that deal expires, this AMD variant of it is the most powerful gaming laptop you can buy under $800.

It is powered by an AMD Ryzen 5 6600H processor, which is the latest AMD Ryzen CPU, and it comes with six high-performance cores that can clock up to 4.5 GHz. Moreover, it’s paired with an Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU, making it powerful enough to run all the new games.

It has a 120Hz 15.6-inch Full HD display to convert all that power into a jitter-free gaming experience, and there are also plenty of ports to connect all your gaming peripherals and they are smartly placed on both the sides and back of the laptop.

Although its 8GB RAM and 256GB SSD storage are on the lower side for gaming, it comes with the fastest DDR5 RAM and a Gen4 SSD. And they are upgradeable, so you’ll be able to add more RAM or a faster SSD to squeeze more performance out of it.

Such great capabilities and still weighing close to 5 pounds make the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3i 15 an excellent choice for gaming under $800 while also being relatively travel-friendly for everyday use.

3. HP ENVY x360 13

The Best 2-in-1 Under $800

SPECIFICATIONS:

• Processor: Intel Core i5-1230U (10 Cores, up to 4.4 GHz)
• Graphics: Intel Iris Xe integrated
• RAM: 8GB LPDDR4x
• Storage: 512GB SSD
• Display: 13.3-inch Full HD+ (1920 x 1200) IPS Display (100% sRGB, 400 nits)
• Weight: 2.9 lbs

BEST PRICE RETAILERS:

If you want to purchase a 2-in-1 laptop (a laptop and tablet in one kind of device), then the HP ENVY x360 13 is the best option right now under $800 in our opinion.

It’s not the most powerful 2 in 1 laptop you can buy in this price range, our alternative pick (mentioned below) is the one you should get if you are after the highest performance. Instead, the ENVY x360 13 is the perfect balance of everything, that is, powerful enough specs for most users, great touchscreen display packed in a well-built good-looking chassis along with all the necessary features.

It is powered by an Intel Core i5 processor paired with an 8GB of RAM and 512GB of SSD storage, which boots the latest Windows 11 operating system really fast and it’s powerful enough to handle everything from heavy web browsing to programming, basic photo and video editing jobs, and even light gaming.

As mentioned earlier, it is an all-metal built laptop, so it looks and feels very premium in hands and its 13.3-inch display is also fantastic with 16:10 aspect ratio, 400 nits of peak brightness and 100% sRGB color coverage.

The backlit keyboard and its trackpad are also equally good as you would expect from a premium device like this and surprisingly it also has all the required ports with two USB Type-A ports, two USB Type-C Thunderbolt 4 ports and even microSD card reader and a 3.5mm headphone jack, which is disappearing from laptops day by day.

So overall, the ENVY x360 13 is an excellent 2 in 1 laptop with all the great features, decently powerful specs and premium build quality. What’s surprising though is it’s also priced very well by HP and is usually available for around $700. Win-Win?

4. HP Pavilion Aero 13

Best for Students – Powerful, Lightweight & Long battery life

SPECIFICATIONS:

• Processor: AMD Ryzen 7 5825U 8-cores (up to 4.5 GHz)
• Graphics: AMD Radeon integrated
• RAM: 16GB LPDDR4
• Storage: 512GB SSD
• Display: 13.3-inch 16:10 1920 x 1200 IPS with 400 nits brightness & 100% sRGB
• Weight: 2.2 lb

BEST PRICE RETAILERS:

If you are a student looking for a laptop for college under $800, then the HP Pavilion Aero 13 is the best option for you. It is a near perfect budget laptop offering impressive performing specs in an ultraportable form factor with all-day battery life to take notes, work on assignments and carry around the campus without worrying about it to charge in between. And, it also has a pretty punchy display and loud and clear-sounding stereo speakers to take care of your entertainment when it gets boring.

It is available in multiple configurations, and you can buy it with an AMD Ryzen 5 processor for around $700, which is a good enough CPU with 6 cores to handle everyday work and study apps, multitasking, light gaming and editing, etc. But if you need more power, you can buy its variant with 8-core Ryzen 7 processor, 16GB RAM and 512GB SSD for around $800! So, you are getting a pretty good specs for the price here that can handle even 4K video editing and modern games (at low settings) without any issues.

Besides that, its 13.3-inch display is also top class with up to 400 nits of peak brightness to use the laptop comfortably outdoors, and it has an aspect ratio of 16:10, meaning it is slightly taller to accommodate more lines of text and code on the screen—resulting into less scrolling and increased productivity.

Though its RAM is soldered on the motherboard, which means you cannot upgrade it in the future, and you also don’t get Thunderbolt port on it, these are the necessary sacrifices you have to make when you buy a thin and light laptop or an AMD powered laptop, respectively.

Overall, with a premium thin and light all-metal chassis and the features like a backlit keyboard, glass trackpad, fingerprint scanner, and all the essential ports, the Pavilion Aero 13 is packed to the brim with impressive features. And its 11 hours of long battery backup, and just 2.2 pounds of weight make it the best laptop for students in this price range.

5. Lenovo ThinkPad E15 Business Laptop

Perfect for professionals

SPECIFICATIONS:

• Processor: AMD Ryzen 7 5825U Octa-Core (16 Threads, 2.0 – 4.5 GHz)
• Graphics: AMD Radeon Vega 8 integrated
• RAM: 16GB DDR4 3200 MHz
• Storage: 512GB SSD
• Display: 15.6-inch Anti-Glare IPS Display (300-nits)
• Weight: 3.9 lbs

BEST PRICE RETAILERS:

Lenovo’s ThinkPad series of business laptops are world-renowned for their industrial design, security, and powerful hardware. While owning one of these corporate identities costs a pretty penny, ThinkPad’s E-series laptops are relatively affordable.

Starting from the design, it’s nothing fancy. Just a standard all-black business notebook with a subtle Lenovo branding and ThinkPad written diagonally on the lid, but hold it in your hand, and you’ll find how well it is put together despite being a combination of aluminum and plastic enclosure.

If you break your gadgets easily, you should definitely consider a ThinkPad because they are much more durable than standard consumer laptops and designed to take on the bumps that come with everyday commutes. Also, you can buy it with Accidental Damage Protection, which is pretty affordable and a must add-on for people who break things easily.

Internally as well, it is a very capable device. You can configure it with AMD Ryzen 7 processor, 16GB RAM, and 512GB SSD, which is a pretty decent setup for everyday usage like creating documents, spreadsheets, web browsing, Zoom meetings, etc. And the integrated Radeon graphics will also allow you to do basic editing work and casually game on it.

Also, you can upgrade the RAM of the laptop to make it an even more capable machine, and you can also increase the storage of the laptop if there comes a need.

So overall, Lenovo ThinkPad E15 is a pretty good package if you are looking for a durable and reliable business laptop. But note that this E15 variant does not come with a backlit keyboard as standard. You’ll have to configure it with one on Lenovo’s website or choose one of their ready-to-ship models that has one.

Also, speaking of keyboards, the typing experience on a ThinkPad keyboard is still hard to beat. There’s just something about its curved keys. It feels super satisfying to type on it.

6. HP Pavilion Plus 14

Best for Photo/Video Editing

SPECIFICATIONS:

• Processor: Intel Core i5-1235U 10 Cores (2P + 8E), up to 4.4 GHz
• Graphics: Nvidia GeForce MX550 2GB DDR6 dedicated + Intel Iris Xe integrated
• RAM: 16GB DDR4
• Storage: 512GB SSD
• Display: 14-inch 16:10 2240 x 1400 IPS anti-glare (300 nits, 100% sRGB)
• Weight: 3.09 lb

BEST PRICE RETAILERS:

If you are looking for a thin and light laptop apt for content creation under $800, then this HP Pavilion Plus 14 is the one for you.

It rocks the 12th Gen Intel Core i5 processor with 10 cores, which is a pretty decent processor for an everyday use laptop. However, the differentiating factor of this laptop is it has a discrete GPU—the Nvidia GeForce MX550 with 2GB of DDR6 dedicated video memory.

Unlike other laptop graphics cards, the GeForce MX550 is optimized for content creation and not for gaming. Hence, it consumes less power and still delivers the required compute power for video rendering to export a large-sized media file in minutes.

Same is the case with its RAM. It has a highly efficient LPDDR4X type 16GB RAM, which consumes less power and still delivers better performance than the regular DDR4 RAM. But that does take away its upgradeability as the LPDDR4x RAM is soldered on the motherboard. On the other hand, storage drive is upgradeable, and it provides a 512GB of SSD, which quickly loads heavy editing software like Photoshop, Lightroom, and Premiere Pro.

Besides powerful performance, a content creation device should also have a bright, color-accurate display. Accordingly, the Pavilion Plus 14 comes with a 14-inch 1440p display with 100% sRGB color coverage allowing you to make color corrections to your photos and video footages with full confidence.

However, it does not have an SD card slot, but you can buy a USB Type-A or Type-C to SD card dongle for pretty cheap, and besides that it provides all the other ports including an HDMI 2.1 which supports displays with up to 8K resolution!

So overall the HP Pavilion Plus 14 is a perfect budget laptop to get you an entry into the world of professional editing.

And thanks to its large battery and efficient hardware components, it also delivers a decent battery life. With normal usage, you’ll be able to squeeze out 6-7 hours of use. On top of that, it also supports fast charging and comes with a fast charger in the box!

7. Dell Inspiron 16″ Touchscreen Laptop

Large 16″ touchscreen in a 15-inch size laptop

SPECIFICATIONS:

• Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 5625U Hexa Core (Turbo up to 4.3 GHz)
• Graphics: AMD Radeon integrated
• RAM: 8GB DDR4 (Upgradeable)
• Storage: 512GB SSD (Upgradeable)
• Display: 16-inch Full HD+ Touchscreen Display (1920 x 1200, 300-nits)
• Weight: 4.1 lbs

BEST PRICE RETAILERS:

There’s something about a touchscreen display that makes it look more vibrant and lends the laptop a premium look than the matte non-touch displays. Not to mention laptops with touchscreen displays also make it easy and intuitive to navigate web pages, switch between apps and use touch features on Windows 11.

If you have always loved the idea of touchscreens, then this Dell Inspiron 16 comes with a large and vivid 16-inch touchscreen display mated to a very compelling set of specs, and it also has some pretty nifty features up its sleeve.

Firstly, if you are thinking that a large 16-inch laptop will be difficult to carry around, then the Dell Inspiron 16’s overall footprint is smaller than many 15-inch laptops! Its tiny bezels around the screen help it cut down on a lot of body mass, and its chassis is also made up of aluminum, which is a lightweight metal. As a result, the Dell Inspiron 16 weighs just 4.1 pounds and fits inside the laptop compartment of a standard 15″ backpack, making traveling with it as easy as a 15-inch laptop.

If we talk about its performance, then Dell is offering a pretty great value here with an AMD Ryzen 5 six-core processor, 8GB of RAM, and 512GB SSD for under $600!

If you want to save some money and still want to buy a laptop that’s powerful enough for everyday chores, then you should definitely consider this laptop.

Besides that, you also get a pretty comfortable backlit keyboard, a high-quality 1080p webcam with dual array microphones, and a decent amount of ports, including standard USB Type-A, Type-C, HDMI, and others. Though you won’t get the Thunderbolt port on this one because it’s an AMD laptop.

8. Acer Aspire 5 17-inch Laptop

Large screen productivity

SPECIFICATIONS:

• Processor: 12th Gen Intel Core i5-1235U 10-cores (Up to 4.4 GHz)
• Graphics: Intel Iris Xe integrated
• RAM: 16GB DDR4
• Storage: 512GB SSD
• Display: 17.3-inch Full HD IPS Anti-Glare
• Weight: 4.8 lb

BEST PRICE RETAILERS:

No matter how thin and light or small and portable the laptops get, there is a type of audience who simply cannot stand working on a small display. If you are one of those, this Acer Aspire 5 17 is for you.

It is the best 17-inch laptop you can buy for under $800, with decently powerful specs and a 17-inch display with 1080p resolution to fuel your productivity. And with the decently built metal and polycarbonate construction, it is also a comparatively portable device at 4.8 pounds.

Powering the Acer Aspire 5 17 is the Intel Core i5-1235U processor with integrated Iris Xe graphics. The laptop also offers 16GB RAM with an option to upgrade up to 32GB and comes with a fast 512GB of SSD storage. As a result, the laptop boots Windows 11 and opens apps and games very quickly.

While these are not the most powerful specs you can get in this price range, there are no other 17-inch laptops that come close to the overall value this machine offers under $800. The combination of a 17-inch display with the mid-tier Core i5 processor makes it a great device for those who might want to work on excel sheets or even for those who want a good home computer for web browsing and content consumption. And with the added features like the full-size backlit keyboard, fingerprint scanner, very extensive ports selection and latest wireless connectivity, it has almost everything as per today’s standards.

9. HP Pavilion 15

People’s Choice

SPECIFICATIONS:

• Processor: Intel Core i7-1255U 10 Cores (up to 4.7 GHz)
• Graphics: Integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics
• RAM: 16GB DDR4 3200 MHz
• Storage: 512GB SSD
• Display: 15.6-inch full HD with 178-degree wide viewing angles
• Weight: 3.8 lb

BEST PRICE RETAILERS:

The best-selling devices are always a safe bet, right?

So, if you are looking for the best-selling laptop, then the HP Pavilion 15 laptop has been consistently topping the charts in the sub-$800 price segment for a year now.

While you can always return any laptop if you don’t like it after it arrives, but if you don’t want to get into such hassle or you’re buying it as a gift to someone and don’t want to get embarrassed after they ask you to return it for them, then this HP Pavilion 15 is the one you should choose.

Well, it’s not mainly doing anything out of the box, but it offers a perfect balance between design, features, and performance. Plus, the reputation of HP and its remarkable after-sales service are the factors driving this laptop good sales.

So, it’s powered by an Intel Core i7-1255U processor, which is the latest 12th Gen 10-core CPU, and it performs exceptionally well with everyday tasks, and its integrated Iris Xe graphics are also capable enough to handle graphics-intensive workloads like video editing and gaming.

It also comes with a pretty adequate amount of 16GB RAM and 512GB SSD storage delivering a balanced computing experience to satisfy the needs of almost every type of user.

While its display is a bit dim for outdoor usage and it also misses out on a backlit keyboard, the long battery life and its design and great build quality more than make up for those shortcomings.

10. Apple MacBook Air M1

The Best Bang For The Buck

SPECIFICATIONS:

• Processor: Apple M1
• Graphics: M1 integrated
• RAM: 8GB Unified Memory
• Storage: 256GB SSD
• Display: 13.3-inch Retina Display (2560 x 1600, 100% DCI-P3)
• Weight: 2.8 lb

BEST PRICE RETAILERS:

Apple recently launched the new MacBook Air and while it came with some pretty big updates like new design, better display with webcam, and obviously the latest Apple M2 chip, its predecessor the MacBook Air with M1 chip is still a pretty good option.

Its design is still a very modern looking and there’s no question about its build quality as Apple uses finest of materials to build the MacBook’s chassis. Its 13.3-inch display is also the best you’ll find in a laptop in this price range. It gets very bright, so you’ll have no problem using it in the cafeteria with outdoor sitting and it also covers 100% of DCI-P3 color gamut, so you can even use it to do professional color grading to your photos and videos.

If we talk about the performance, then M1 chip while being two years old at this point still outperforms the PCs powered by the latest 12th Gen Intel Core and AMD Ryzen 6000 series (U series) processors. It’s a tremendously powerful chip and multitasking with everyday used apps is just a cakewalk for the M1, as it is powerful enough to handle even demanding tasks like 4K video editing in the iMovie and Final Cut Pro.

Though connectivity options are quite limited on it with only two USB Type-C Thunderbolt 4 ports, overall, the MacBook Air with M1 is still a very powerful device and for under $800 it is undoubtedly the best bang for the buck deal. It would be a perfect choice for college because of its lightweight, powerful performance and long battery life and it’s also a great choice for beginner content creators, musicians or professionals who prefer using macOS over Windows.

So, these are the best laptops that you can buy for under $800 right now.

While we have tried to address the needs of all types of users in our list, it might be possible that your needs are slightly more specific. Don’t worry. Let us know about them in the comments below, and we’ll be more than happy to find the right laptop for you. Also, you can ask any more questions that you might have about the laptops listed above. We’ll be more than happy to provide you with more information about them.

Make sure to select your laptop under $800 based on everything that’s mentioned above and we bet you’ll not regret your purchase or go from any one from our top picks as they are checked by our team for much more than what we’ve mentioned above!

Lastly, you can visit our home page to browse through more guides like this with our up-to-date list of top picks and continue your research or if you feel confused you can get one-on-one with our experts by filling up the form on this page.

Frequently Asked Questions

If this guide helped you, let us know in the comments below and share it to spread the word!