Best Laptop Under 400 – Best Picks for the Money 2022

A while back, my niece asked for a laptop that could help her manage her studies easily. So, it was the time I started looking out for the best laptop under 400 because I knew that she didn’t need anything powerful.

What hardware is required for best laptop under $400?

• An Intel Or AMD processor with speed over 2 GHz.
• a RAM OF 4GB or more.
• Storage of 128GB or more.
• Screen size of 14-inch at least.

Well,

While I was looking for a laptop for my niece, I researched all the available options deeply. It was the time when I decided to share my compiled list of the top 10 picks with you guys as it might help you get an ideal machine, especially if you are low on budget.

If you are more interested in gaming then you may check the best gaming laptops under 400 !

Let us, therefore, move on with some of the best laptops under 400 available in 2022:

Top 10 Laptops Under $400 – The Best Picks of 2022

1. Acer Aspire 5 – Best Laptop Under $400 Rated for 2022

Acer Aspire 5 was the laptop that I got for my niece. To be honest, the first impression of this laptop left me in awe. Starting with some basics, the laptop is quite smooth, compact, and slim. Hence, I thought that it would be easier for Jenny (My Niece) to carry it around from place to place.

Moving on with that;

The specs of Acer Aspire 5 are also well up to the mark. As per my experiments, it didn’t lag or stutter even when I was operating applications like Microsoft Word and Excel at once. In a nutshell, Aspire 5 is really an aspiring choice for those who crave to get the best deal within a limited budget.

Let’s move on to the specs and features that this laptop offers:

Key Features You Must Know:

The best budget laptop under 400 features an AMD Ryzen 3 processor which is superbly fast. It can easily handle most of the applications and programs without causing any lag.

However if you can spend an extra 80 bucks, you may get this  same machine with 10th generation Intel Core i3 processor.

On the other hand, a 15.6” full HD IPS display gives a mesmerizing viewing perspective. That said, it will make your work much easier and will keep your eyes away from strain and glare at the same time.

Other than that, the slimmest laptop under 400 also comes with a 4GB DDR4 memory combined with 128GB SSD. So, you’d get to enjoy an exceptional multitasking experience with this computing machine.

What fascinated me the most in this laptop was the pre-installation of Windows 10. As per the remarks of Jenny, “It was so easier for me to manage my study data and other tasks while using the Windows 10”.

Everybody wants a laptop with a long-lasting battery and Acer gives you just that. Aspire 5 is meant to work for at least 7.5 hours on one full charge. This spec is immense as it will keep you focused on your tasks for a long time.

You can also check best laptop under 600.

Final Views:

Acer Aspire 5 is the favorite option for people from every walk of life. It’s sleek, slim, and has a lightweight body as well. My two cents? Spend all your money on this powerful beast and you won’t be regretting this decision for a long time.

 

2. HP 14 Laptop – Best HP Laptop Under 400

In case you need a superfast laptop with a plethora of features, then this newest HP 14 Laptop is there for the rescue. This computing machine has got a rugged design, first of all. Besides, the overall shape and body gives off aesthetic vibes. It’s a laptop with an all-rounder performance specifically meant for those who are extremely low on budget.

Important Features You Should Know:

Get things done fast with high performance, instant responsiveness, and best-in-class connectivity thanks to the 11th Generation Intel Core i3-1115G4 processor.

Boost your efficiency as you browse, create, and multitask faster than ever with 4 GB DDR4- SDRAM of memory. Plus, with 128 GB of Solid-State Drive storage, your laptop will boot up in seconds, transfer files without waiting hours, and give you a snappier experience every time you use your laptop.

Connect with classmates and instructors from home and in high quality with an HP True Vision HD camera, integrated dual-array microphones.

With a battery life of over 9 hours, plus fast recharge speeds with HP Fast Charge technology, you’ll stay connected all through your workday and into your evening streaming.

Smoothly stream 4K content and play your favorite games on a Full HD 14-inch display, powered by Intel UHD Graphics.

If you can spend an extra 50 bucks, you may also look into HP-15 dw, which offers the same processor, but you get many more goodies: a 15.6″ screen, and double the RAM and storage of HP 14 laptop!

Final Views:

HP 14 Laptop could meet the expectation of low-budget peeps quite well. It’s sophisticated, unique, and offers an ample amount of specs at the same time. Backed by a 1-year limited hardware warranty, getting it would turn out to be a wise decision for you!

 

3. HP Stream – Best Cheap Laptop Under 400

One thing that needs to be appreciated about 2022 model HP is that it produces some of the cheapest laptops in the market with improved specs. I mean, the latest HP Stream is an example of how affordable a laptop can get.

For those wondering:

The best laptop under 400 comes with a compact and portable shape. It can easily be carried around from one place to another. Adding to that, the specs are kind of average.

Anyway, let us take a look at what one of the best cheap laptops under 400 offers:

Key Specs You Should Know:

First of all, what I loved the most about HP Stream is that it’s versatile. That said, with the OFFICE 365 subscription and a 1TB cloud space, this machine can do the job perfectly for students and teachers.

Moving forward, the backing of dual-core Intel Celeron processor can easily run most of the applications such as MS Word, Excel, or PowerPoint without causing any major issue.

Lastly, 8GB DDR4 ram along with 128GB offline storage is more than enough for a University or College Student. Frankly saying, these specs are more than enough considering the price tag of best HP laptop under 400.

It comes with a 14″ diagonal HD anti-glare screen which provides good image quality for Internet use, Zoom meetings,  basic photo editing and casual gaming.

This HP Stream laptop is ideal for Home, Student, Professionals, Small Business, School Education, and Commercial Enterprise, Online Class, Google Classroom, and Remote Learning.

If you are more interested in gaming, you can also check best gaming laptops under 400 for both gaming and routine work within your budget.

Final Views:

HP Stream is a laptop that suits casual tasks of a student. Besides, one can also use it for entertainment purposes. Check it out if you can’t afford a laptop that has a higher price tag.

 

4. HP Chromebook – Best 2-in-1 Chromebook Under 400

You might wonder: “What if I can’t afford a $400 laptop? Is there any other option left?” Well, of course, there is. The Chromebook offered by HP is the deal you are looking out for. The best laptop under 400 gives vibes of a toy. Yeah, while I was testing it, it seemed to me like a toy with some improved features.

Anyway,

Chromebook has limited specs and there should be no doubt about it. However, it’s portable, durable, lightweight, and has a long-lasting battery as well. So, these are all the features on which you can count on while purchasing this cheap Chromebook around 400.

Some important features being offered by HP Chromebook are as follows:

Most Important Features You Must Know:

First things first, the laptop has got a fast Intel Pentium Silver processor, which can still operate the laptop with speed and smoothness and that’s what matters the most.

Other than that, I’d want to talk about the Chrome operating system. It’s simple, sophisticated and has an easy to use interface as compared to Windows or iOS laptops.

The Chromebook laptop from HP comes with a storage of 128GB with a 4GB RAM, for efficient and speedy processing.

The Chromebook comes with a 14.0-inch diagonal HD, SVA, micro-edge, WLED-backlit, multitouch-enabled, edge to- edge glass Display. Graphics are high end  Intel UHD Graphics 600, and the audio by B&O with dual speakers. Thus overall a very satisfying experience with viewing movies.

Also, check the best gaming laptops under 300.

Final Views:

HP Chromebook with all its pros and cons is still an option that parents could consider for their kids. It might turn out to be a perfect investment keeping in mind the ongoing situation of COVID 19 and online education system.

 

5. SAMSUNG Chromebook 4 – Best 15-Inch Laptop Under 400

The Chromebook 4 offered by Samsung is an upgrade over the HP Chromebook we discussed just above. Although most of the specs of both laptops are same, Samsung gets an edge over HP in terms of ram and storage space.

To simply put:

The brand new Samsung Chromebook 4 has a lightweight body. Besides, what I loved about this machine was its outstanding battery performance. Adding to that, the display is also larger as compared with HP Chromebook. All these features and specs make Samsung Chromebook an attractive choice for casual work.

Some important features about the best cheap laptop under 400 are as follows:

Key Features You Must Know:

The increase of RAM to 6GB along with a 64GB storage space allows students to enjoy multitasking. Adding to that, the extra storage space could also be used to store movies, songs, and lectures, etc.

There are no doubts about the durability of the laptop. The military-grade aluminum been used in its construction makes it one of the toughest devices. I dropped it on purpose to see its sturdiness and there wasn’t even a single scratch on this laptop.

As usual, the laptop has an affordable price. Hence, the processor installed in it is Intel Celeron N4000. Along with that, it works on Chromebook operating system which is simple yet intuitive.

If you have high budget, then you may also check best laptop under 700.

Final Views:

Samsung Chromebook 4 offers improved performance. With a price tag lower than 400 bucks, this laptop can do wonders for you even though it comes with limited specs.

 

6. Acer Chromebook 315 – Best Touchscreen Laptop Under 400

Here is yet another Chromebook from Acer that comes with a price tag of less than 400 bucks. The main highlight about this computing machine? It comes with a full touchscreen interface.

So, all in all;

You’d get to enjoy a touchscreen laptop and its features. Apart from the display, I really liked the overall look of the laptop which gives off aesthetic vibes. The sophistication and intuition is well up to the mark as well.

Let us take a look at some notable features being offered by Chromebook 314:

Important Features You Must Know:

Chrome operating system being installed in the laptop gives you access to enjoy all applications offered by Google. Adding to that, you’d also get extra 100GB cloud storage for storing large files without any hassle.

On the other hand, the 4GB DDR4 ram plays a pivotal role in multitasking. With Chromebook 314 you can run multiple programs at once without any lag or stutter.

In the end, battery timing of around 12.5 hours is quite a huge number. It’s true as I’ve tested this Chromebook multiple times. Even with internet connectivity, Acer Chromebook laptop was operational for straight 10 hours.

Final Views:

Acer Chromebook 315 is up for the grabs with improved performance. Most of all, it comes with a full HD touchscreen display. So, you should get it, if you want to enjoy the touchscreen aspect of a laptop within a $400 budget.

 

7. Acer Chromebook Spin 311 – Best 2 in 1 Laptop Under 400

It actually feels better when you pay to get a single device and it can perform the function of two different gadgets at once. Yeah, I’m talking about this unique laptop from Acer, which comes with a convertible body.

Yeah, you heard it right:

The laptop could be used as a full-fledged tablet. Switching to tablet mode is as easy as cutting butter with a hot knife. The convertible aspect of this Chromebook is one of the reasons many students are interested in it.

Let us move on with some of the features offered by the best convertible laptop under 400:

Most Notable Features:

Talking of the display first, it’s convertible. Besides, the touch interface it offers works as responsively as a tablet. So, you get to enjoy features of two gadgets confined in a single laptop.

The backing of Intel Celeron processor along with 4GB DDR4 memory and 32GB offline storage also makes Chromebook Spin a perfect option for working people. It can handle different multitasking apps as well.

Lastly, the Chrome operating system comes with many perks and benefits. Some of them include 100GB of online cloud storage, pre-installation of different Google apps, and an easy to use UI.

Final Views:

Acer Chromebook Spin is quite an innovation from the manufacturer. Packed with many features and specs, it should be a priority for you especially if you want to use a laptop and a tablet simultaneously.

 

8. Acer Aspire 1 – Best Online Class Ready Laptop Under 400

The dilemma these days among most of the students is that they can’t find a cheap laptop, which can run apps like Zoom or Google Meet easily. Well, they don’t need to worry now as Acer Aspire 1 has come to the rescue in this regard.

Here’s a catch about this laptop:

It is Online Class Ready. This means you can use it to attend your online classes, lectures, and recordings without any worries. Moreover, the best laptop under 400 has an ergonomic shape. I personally liked its keyboard which was quite responsive and easy to type on at the same time.

Some important features offered by Acer Aspire 1 are as follows:

Important Features You Must Know:

First things first, the laptop from Acer features an Intel Celeron processor along with 4GB ram. So, the multitasking performance is well up to the mark.

In addition, the laptop comes with a large 15.6” full HD display with no pixel shattering issues. So, you can easily focus on different lectures and recordings respectively.

Last but not the least, the best Acer laptop under 400 comes with Windows 10 S operating system. It’s more advanced and helps students to enjoy multiple features at the same time.

For smooth meetings, you can also check dedicated 7 best laptops for zoom.

Final Views:

Acer Aspire 1 is one of the laptops that I adore the most. I’ve used it several times to attend different webinars and zoom meetings as well. So, I’d be recommending you to get it as soon as possible.

 

9. Lenovo IdeaPad 3 – Best Laptop Under 400 for the Money:

IdeaPad 3 from Lenovo is another versatile laptop that you can get by merely spending less than 400 bucks. For starters, the laptop has got a unique shape. Plus, it’s lightweight and portable enough to be carried around easily. I really liked its display which is bigger and bright at the same time.

Some notable features offered by IdeaPad 3 are as follows:

Features You Should Know:

Starting with the processor, the laptop’s been backed by AMD Ryzen 3. Moreover, Vega 3 graphics card is also added to enhance the overall gaming performance.

On the other hand, the laptop has got a bigger and brighter 15.6” full HD display to keep you inclined towards different tasks for a long time.

Finally, the presence of Windows 10 Pro makes it easier for students and working people to enjoy multiple benefits and features of the laptop at once.

Final Views:

IdeaPad 3 from Lenovo is a perfect option for those who are interested in playing some old games apart from using it for online work.

 

10. ASUS VivoBook Flip 14 – With Fingerprint Sensor:

Finally, we’d be wrapping our review section with the VivoBook Flip 14 from Asus. This laptop, first of all, comes with a convertible design. Besides, the touchscreen interface is quite responsive and precise at the same time. The shape and body are quite lightweight, which allows students to carry it around easily.

Let us have a look at some specs of VivoBook 14 Flip:

Important Features:

The laptop has a 2 in 1 design. It could easily be converted to a full-fledged tablet without any hassle.

Other than that, the best $400 laptop is powered by Intel Celeron processor. A 4GB DDR4 ram is also present to improve the multitasking performance.

If you need double performance, then see best laptop under 800.

Final Views:

Get yourself VivoBook Flip 14 if you are interested in utilizing both a tablet and a laptop without facing any issue.

 

Top 3 Recommendations:

Based on my personal experiments and positive customer feedback, the top 3 picks are as follows:

1. Acer Aspire 5 – as it’s the best laptop under 400 in 2022.
2. HP 14 Laptop – if you need a good laptop under 400.
3. Acer Chromebook Spin 311 – if you need a convertible laptop within a $400 budget.

How to Choose the Best $400 Laptop? A Buying Guide:

It’s always hard to choose a laptop with a limited budget.

That said, take a thorough look at what you should expect in a $400 laptop as follows:

Processor:

Let me be clear here. The best processor you could get in a laptop within a 400 budget is AMD Ryzen 3.

Intel Celeron is also a better option but it isn’t as efficient as Ryzen 3. So, that should be a priority for you first of all.

Graphics:

Graphics do matter when we are talking about taking online lectures or running heavy apps.

That said, an integrated graphics card can enhance the overall rendering speed of a laptop perfectly. This speed is crucial in processing multiple projects. As it turns out, a perfect GPU can also help to surf the internet or attend webinars without any lag.

Therefore, while looking for a $400 laptop, make sure that it has got a good graphics card installed in it.

Operating System:

I personally favor Windows operating system as it has got more features with a lot of benefits.

However, it doesn’t mean that Chrome operating system isn’t better. Chrome OS can be used to carry out multiple tasks as well. But, the features would be limited.

So, that’s what you have to keep in your mind the next time you go for a cheap laptop.

Frequently Asked Questions:

1. What is the best laptop under 400 dollars?

I got my niece, the brand new Acer Aspire 5 and it’s still performing at its fullest even after 3 months. The laptop has an improved battery timing. Most of all, it could be used for multitasking as well. Therefore, it’s an ultimate winner for me.

2. Which laptop under 400 has the best fps?

Acer Aspire 5 and HP 14 Laptop both give an average fps rate of 25 to 30 on medium to high settings. Lenovo IdeaPad 3 also gives solid 30 fps on some old AAA gaming titles.

3. What is the best Samsung laptop under 400?

SAMSUNG Chromebook 4 offers a variety of features and an improved performance at the same time. It’s thus a perfect Samsung laptop within a range of 400 dollars.

Summing Things Up:

I know that it’s pretty much hard to get a perfect laptop with such a limited budget. However, I’ve made it easier for you with the compiled list that you can go through above. Make your decision accordingly and enjoy attending online lectures in these tense circumstances.

Stay Home, Stay Safe!