# Best Cheap Laptops for 2026

> PCMag tests top budget laptops for 2026.
- Title: Best Cheap Laptops for 2026 · PCMAG | Shortify
- Summary: PCMag tests top budget laptops for 2026. PCMag recommends Apple MacBook Neo as best budget laptop for most buyers at $699.
- Keywords: apple, macbook, budget, laptop, pcmag, 2026, chromebook, acer, msi, dell, framework, Best
- Source: PCMAG — https://pcmag.com/picks/the-best-budget-laptops
- Author: Brian Westover
- Published: 2026-09-23T01:13:32+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: apple, macbook, budget, laptop, pcmag, 2026, chromebook, acer, msi, dell, hp, framework
## Best Budget Laptop for Most Buyers
PCMag tests over 100 laptops yearly for raw performance, screen quality, battery life, and value.

> PCMag editors select and review products independently
## Apple MacBook Neo
Apple MacBook Neo costs $699 with A18 Pro chip, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD, and 13-inch display.

> The Apple MacBook Neo rewrites the budget laptop playbook
## Best Budget Big-Screen Laptop
Acer Aspire 16 AI costs $694.99 with Snapdragon X chip, 16-inch display, and 120Hz refresh rate.

> Acer's Aspire 16 AI is the best-value budget 16-inch laptop
## Best Budget Gaming Laptop
MSI Katana 15 HX costs $1,227.96 with RTX 5050 GPU for smooth 60fps gaming.

> MSI's Katana 15 HX delivers smooth 60fps gaming with or without DLSS 4
## Best Budget 2-in-1 Convertible Laptop
Dell Inspiron 14 2-in-1 costs $879.99 with 14-inch display and 14-hour battery life.

> Dell's Inspiron 14 2-in-1 nets you a stylish design and decent speakers
## Best Budget Chromebook
Asus Chromebook Plus CX34 (2025) costs $439.99 with 1080p display and 14-hour battery life.

> Asus' update to the Chromebook Plus CX34 remains an excellent value
## Best Budget 2-in-1 Convertible Chromebook
HP Chromebook Plus x360 costs $379.00 with 12 months of Google One AI Premium.

> HP's Chromebook Plus x360 provides customers with attractive everyday productivity
## Best Budget 2-in-1 Detachable Chromebook
Lenovo Chromebook Duet Gen 9 costs $599.99 with 13-inch display and 14-hour battery life.

> The latest Lenovo Chromebook Duet is a low-cost ChromeOS detachable 2-in-1
## Best Extreme-Budget Chromebook
Asus Chromebook Plus CX14 costs $389.99 with 1080p display and 14-hour battery life.

> For its price, the Asus Chromebook Plus CX14 delivers solid performance
## Best Laptop for Long-Term Savings
Framework Laptop 13 (2025) costs $849.00 with AMD Ryzen AI 300 processor and 14-hour battery life.

> The updated Framework Laptop 13 is the best yet
## Best Early Prime Day Deals
Dell XPS 13 Intel 5 costs $699 with student discount, HP OmniBook 5 costs $549, and HP OmniBook 3 costs $499.

> Dell XPS 13 Intel 5 512GB SSD 8GB RAM 13.4" Touch Laptop
## Editors' Note
PCMag updated recommendations on September 23, 2026, after testing over two dozen new laptops.

> September 23, 2026: With this update, we removed the Lenovo ThinkBook 16 Gen 7
## Why MacBook Neo Stands Out
MacBook Neo offers premium build, sharp display, long battery life, and faster speeds than competitors.

> Apple's MacBook Neo rewrites the budget laptop playbook
## Who It's For
MacBook Neo suits budget-conscious Mac fans, students, and non-power users with basic computing needs.

> Budget-conscious Mac fans: The MacBook Neo will serve you well if you want the macOS ecosystem
## Who It's Not For
MacBook Neo lacks ports for heavy peripheral users, limiting external monitor and storage use.

> Heavy peripheral users: The Apple MacBook Neo suffers from limited connectivity
## Best Value for Money
MacBook Neo provides exceptional low-priced performance at $699 for education buyers.

> Priced at $699 (or $599 for education buyers), the MacBook Neo combines premium chassis materials
## Key takeaway

PCMag recommends Apple MacBook Neo as best budget laptop for most buyers at $699.