Anyone who is looking for the best laptop under 500 dollars has several good choices. The following three laptop deals that are worth looking into. Of course, in this price range, the computers are not going to have all the features of a more expensive laptop computer; but, if the unit is not for extensive work or game play, these will do just fine.
1st Contender for Best Laptop Under 500: Dell Inspiron 15R
Dell is a respected name when it comes to PCs, so it would make sense that the company also makes some of the best laptops. Dell sells the Inspiron 15R for just under 500 USD. It is powered by a 2nd Gen Intel Core i3-2330M 2.20 GHz processor. The high definition LED display is a generous 15.6 inches powered by Intel HD Graphics/HD Graphics 3000 that handles up to 1.6GB of memory.
The operating system is Windows 7 x64. Dell also added McAfee Antivirus for a 30-day trial. It has an integrated HD webcam, a wireless connection and Bluetooth. A unique feature of the Inspiron is the ability to change the case color. Extra covers are optional.
Other features that make the Inspiron R15 a best laptop under 500 include:
- 4GB Single Channel DDR3 SDRAM at 1333MHz provides plenty of memory
- 500GB SATA hard drive (5400RPM) for lots of storage
- 8X Tray Load CD/DVD Burner (Dual Layer DVD+/-R Drive) Optical Drive for increased speed
- Lithium-ion battery provides up to four hours of power
The Inspiron 15R is definitely a good buy for under $500 USD.
2nd Contender: The Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E425
The Edge is another one of the 2012 best laptop deals. It, too, is just under $500. This one has an AMD Dual-Core A4-3300M APU and is loaded with Windows 7 Home Premium x64. The HD LED widescreen is 14 inches and powered by an AMD Radeon HD 6470 M graphics card.
One unique feature about this ThinkPad is TrackPoint, a cursor-pointing device that allows a user to point, select and drag in a single procedure without the hands leaving the keyboard. The user employs a stick on the keyboard in conjunction with three click buttons that are below the keyboard.
Other features that make the Inspiron a top contender include:
- 4 GB DDR3 – 1333MHz (1 DIMM) for lots of fast memory
- 500 GB Hard Disk Drive, 5400rpm for plenty of storage
- Multi Recorder Optical Drive (12.7mm) for playing and recording DVDs
- 4 USB ports, including a powered one and one USB/eSATA combo for connecting multiple devices
- Integrated Wi-Fi wireless LAN adapters for fast, convenient Internet connectivity
- 4-in-1 card reader for accessing multiple memory cards
- Lithium-ion battery for up to 8.3 hours of power
ThinkPads are big sellers. Lenovo is the second largest maker of PCs, so they know what they are doing, and they know how to make a better laptop, as well.
Last But Not Least: The Sony 15.5 Inch E Series Customizable Laptop
Another best laptop under 500 is from the Sony E Series. This series features both a 14- and a 15-inch HD widescreen. The 14-inch is just under 500 USD, and the 15.5-inch is in the mid 400s. The trade off for the larger screen is less battery life. The 15.5-inch lasts up to 8.75 hours, and the 14-inch lasts up to 5.75 hours.
It is not exactly an ultra thin: The height on one end is 1.24 inches, and thickens to 1.45 inches. It weighs about six pounds, which is a little heavier than the other units in this review, which weigh about five pounds.
The laptop has a unique look that will satisfy men and women alike. The surface and the interior palm rest are textured with an embossed diamond shape. It is available in four vibrant colors: blush pink, charcoal black, glacier white and midnight blue.
The Sony has some unique features that are worth noting. One is push-button Internet access without booting the operating system. The other is the isolated keyboard, which is similar to that of a PC. It is an 86-key QWERTY keyboard with 2.0mm stroke and 19.05mm pitch for easy typing. It also has a numeric keypad and a traditional touch pad.
Other features that make the Sony E Series a best laptop under 500 include:
- Intel Pentium B960 processor (2.20GHz3) for fast computing
- Loaded with Windows 7 Home Premium
- 4GB (4GB x1) DDR3-SDRAM-1333 provides sufficient memory for general usage
- 320GB (5400rpm) hard drive for lots of storage
- Intel HD Graphics 3000 for fast video
- Norton Antivirus 30-day trial
- Memory Stick PRO Duo media slot and SD memory card slot for more storage
- Wi-Fi wireless networking (802.11b/g/n) and 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet LAN for fast Internet
- Built-in web camera and microphone for recording video, audio and connecting with friends on the Internet
- Numerous ports: HDMI output, Headphone output, Microphone input, 4 USB 2.0 ports, and a VGA output
The Verdict on The Best Laptop Under 500 Dollars
According to the features and specifications of these laptop computers, the best laptop under 500 dollars is the Sony 15.5-inch E Series Customizable Laptop. It has plenty of power, memory and extra features for multimedia and Web surfing. If more battery life, a larger hard drive or more memory is necessary, Sony has several upgrade options. For normal use and for first time buyers, the unit offers more than enough functionality. Sony offers good support, even to the point of helping buyers recover lost computers. It would be hard to go wrong with this laptop computer.