This Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5 has great specs and build quality for $520: https://www.ebay.com/itm/305572819766 Answer from eaurouge444 on reddit.com
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reddit.com › r/suggestalaptop › affordable laptop for a college student
r/SuggestALaptop on Reddit: Affordable Laptop for a College Student
October 8, 2024 -
  • Total budget (in local currency) and country of purchase. Please do not use USD unless purchasing in the US:

I would like it to be $500 or under, but I have a slightly flexible budget.

  • Are you open to refurbs/used?

No.

  • How would you prioritize form factor (ultrabook, 2-in-1, etc.), build quality, performance, and battery life?

I would prioritize build quality and performance the most. I want something that will last. I want something with decent memory, or at least an SD card slot.

  • How important is weight and thinness to you?

Not very.

  • Do you have a preferred screen size? If indifferent, put N/A.

N/A

  • Are you doing any CAD/video editing/photo editing/gaming? List which programs/games you desire to run.

Very light photo editing. I'm a History Major so I'll need to download and edit some maps and some small graphics. Nothing that GIMP can't handle and only every once in a while.

  • If you're gaming, do you have certain games you want to play? At what settings and FPS do you want?

Sometimes some Minecraft and solitaire.

  • Any specific requirements such as good keyboard, reliable build quality, touch-screen, finger-print reader, optical drive or good input devices (keyboard/touchpad)?

No Chromebooks. Reliable build. Touch-screen would be nice, but not a deal breaker. I need the ability to at least hook up a mouse, but not a million devices.

  • Leave any finishing thoughts here that you may feel are necessary and beneficial to the discussion.

I've only ever had year old when they were bought laptops, so I don't really know what constitutes a 'good' laptop. I just want something that I can use for school and won't need to be refreshed every ten seconds because they wifi doesn't work. I don't need a gaming computer or anything, just something you would recommend for a college freshman who uses it a lot but for very light things, mainly research and writing.

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reddit.com › r/laptops › affordable college laptop. no gaming
Affordable college laptop. NO GAMING : r/laptops
September 8, 2024 - You'll have to look at second hand or refurbished. Both dell & Lenovo sell refurbished laptops, either returns or canceled orders. For example, I was able to get a certified refurbished yoga 9i for $700ish from Lenovo ebay store (it was basically new with less than 5 power cycles and 2 yr warranty ...
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reddit.com › r/suggestalaptop › decent cheap student laptop?
r/SuggestALaptop on Reddit: Decent cheap student laptop?
November 21, 2024 -

(prefill form below for tldr) My MacBook very conveniently destroyed itself right before I'm starting hybrid classes. I know almost nothing about computers and am just trying to find something decent to use temporarily for Firefox/papers/research/online classes etc nothing intensive or esoteric. Due to my lack of computer knowledge I'm getting really confused trying to choose something. I've heard Chromebooks are kind of mid so I've been looking at used thinkpads on eBay but there's a ton of models that all seem to vary a lot in quality and I can't tell if I'm finding good/standard deals or getting ripped off on stuff I'll have to fix because I don't really know what I'm looking at. I'm mostly looking at older refurbished x1 carbons which all seem to be pretty similar in price though it seems like many of them have messed up/untested/absent batteries. Should I look at something else or just buy one that seems to have a working battery and hope all goes well? I'm hoping to spend less than $300 after just dropping $600 on textbooks lol but I could do <$400 if needed

LAPTOP QUESTIONNAIRE

Total budget (in local currency) and country of purchase. Please do not use USD unless purchasing in the US:

USD <$3-400, USA

Are you open to refurbs/used?

Yes

How would you prioritize form factor (ultrabook, 2-in-1, etc.), build quality, performance, and battery life?

     Performance, battery, quality, form

How important is weight and thinness to you?

Not very

Do you have a preferred screen size? If indifferent, put N/A.

N/A

Are you doing any CAD/video editing/photo editing/gaming? List which programs/games you desire to run.

N/A

If you're gaming, do you have certain games you want to play? At what settings and FPS do you want?

N/A

Any specific requirements such as good keyboard, reliable build quality, touch-screen, finger-print reader, optical drive or good input devices (keyboard/touchpad)?

I'd like if it had a variety of ports (HDMI, USB, etc) but aside from that I just need something that will work consistently and not be really slow or anything.

Thank youuuuuuu

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reddit.com › r/suggestalaptop › best budget laptop for college
r/SuggestALaptop on Reddit: Best budget laptop for college
July 21, 2024 -

Seeking a laptop for college, will be writing papers and recording audio PowerPoint presentations. questionnaire filled below

Total budget (in local currency) and country of purchase. Please do not use USD unless purchasing in the US

Up to 500 usd

Are you open to refurbs/used?

Yes

How would you prioritize form factor (ultrabook, 2-in-1, etc.), build quality, performance, and battery life?

I love 2-in-1s but realize I’m overshooting my budget with that. I’d prefer something that has performance.

How important is weight and thinness to you?

I prefer something lighter, but am okay with something medium weight

Do you have a preferred screen size? If indifferent, put N/A.

Above 15

Are you doing any CAD/video editing/photo editing/gaming? List which programs/games you desire to run.

No gaming. Just audio editing.

If you're gaming, do you have certain games you want to play? At what settings and FPS do you want?

N A

Any specific requirements such as good keyboard, reliable build quality, touch-screen, finger-print reader, optical drive or good input devices (keyboard/touchpad)?

Reliable build quality and good keyboard

Leave any finishing thoughts here that you may feel are necessary and beneficial to the discussion.

I’d like to stick with windows, but if chrome is easy to get the hang of I’m fine with that. 8GB ram and a decent size memory.

Thank you so much in advance!

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reddit.com › r/getstudying › recommend budget friendly laptops for studying
r/GetStudying on Reddit: recommend budget friendly laptops for studying
December 6, 2022 - Depends on your budget, but the T and X series are usually safe bets. E480s/90s seem nice as well. ... But I bought a new tablet and a new chrome book and canvas won't run in either.
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reddit.com › r/asktechnology › what’s the best budget laptop for 2025? students & freelancers, any recommendations?
r/AskTechnology on Reddit: What’s the best budget laptop for 2025? Students & freelancers, any recommendations?
September 10, 2025 - Continue this thread Continue this thread Continue this thread Continue this thread Continue this thread Continue this thread ... My favorite budget laptop is the Lenovo thinkpad t480.
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reddit.com › r/suggestalaptop › budget laptop for student
Budget laptop for student : r/SuggestALaptop
January 7, 2024 - A place for prospective laptop buyers to get suggestions from people who know the intimate details of the hardware. Please use the laptop form while posting a new request: bit.ly/3cIzaWC ... ✨HP OMEN MAX 16 Gaming Laptop Configured with: 16" FHD+ 165Hz 400 nits IPS Display, Intel Ultra 7 ...
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reddit.com › r/laptops › best budget laptop for uni
r/laptops on Reddit: Best budget laptop for uni
April 9, 2025 -

Hello, I’m starting university the coming fall and I’m trying to find a laptop that I can use mainly for school but occasionally for movies or playing the sims 4.

My budget is around 550€(yes I know the prices depend on where you live and the currency, there’s also a bit wiggle room on the budget)

However, these are some of the laptops I’ve thought about:

  • Asus vivobook Go15 R3-7/8/128(or asus vivobook go 14)

  • Lenovo ideapad 1 15ALC7 R5/8/512 or Lenovo ideapad slim 3 R5/8/512

  • Hp laptop 15-fc0828no R5-7520U/16/512

  • Samsung galaxy book 4 i3-1315U/8/256/IPS

  • Acer aspire 3 R5-5500U/8/512

Do any of these seem to be okay for what I need? Which one would you choose? Any other recommendations?(I do not know literally anything about laptops lol, also I’m going to be studying languages so the laptop doesn’t need to be able to run any complicated apps etc.)

Find elsewhere
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reddit.com › r/laptops › which laptop should i get for college that is under $400?
r/laptops on Reddit: Which laptop should I get for college that is under $400?
April 3, 2024 -

Unfortunately, my Dell Inspiron's motherboard circuted and I'm faced with either replacing the motherboard, which will cost almost as much as the laptop itself (about $350), or getting a new laptop.

So, I've decided to start researching into laptops to replace my old one. I'd personally rather have a new one anyways.

The two laptops I'm interested in are the Acer Aspire 3 and Dell Inspirion 15. I don't know anything about laptops nor where to get good deals. Do you have any suggestions? I'm only wanting to spend up to $400.

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reddit.com › r/laptops › best budget laptop for college student
r/laptops on Reddit: Best budget laptop for college student
December 9, 2023 -

I’m sure this is a post that y’all have seen a million times but here it is again and I’d like y’all’s pointers. I’m a college student using an Acer Nitro 5 (yes I know) as my school laptop and it is getting quite annoying. Not only does it weigh almost as much as a freight train but it’s glitching out and malfunctioning a ton. I’m looking for a replacement strictly for school somewhere under $450. Thank you all in advance!

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reddit.com › r/laptops › best cheap laptop for a college student?
r/laptops on Reddit: Best CHEAP laptop for a college student?
April 11, 2025 -

I’m looking for a new laptop for school and there seems to be mixed reviews on different cheap ones. I’ve been looking at Lenovo, but I’m seeing a lot about issues with battery life, display, or speed.

I commute to school and would prefer a longer battery life, but if there are portable chargers or something that work with the charger I suppose I could make it work.

I’m a psychology student and I don’t game or anything so I’m just looking for something I can use to watch tv, study, make spreadsheets, etc.

Any help or suggestions are really appreciated! Thank you!

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Reddit
reddit.com › r/suggestalaptop › budget friendly laptop for school and light gaming
r/SuggestALaptop on Reddit: Budget Friendly Laptop for school and light gaming
June 24, 2023 -

I live in the US and am looking for a laptop I can use for school and light gaming that is lightweight and easily carried in a backpack. My budget is currently $300-$500 as I'm still a student.

Top answer
1 of 2
1

I recommend the Acer Aspire 5 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3.

The Acer Aspire 5, equipped with an AMD Ryzen 5 3500U processor, 8GB of DDR4 RAM, and a 256GB SSD, offers good performance for school tasks and light gaming. Its 15.6" Full HD display and integrated AMD Radeon Vega 8 graphics provide a solid visual experience, while its lightweight design at 3.97 lbs and battery life of up to 7.5 hours make it highly portable.

Similarly, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3, featuring an Intel Core i3-1115G4 processor, 8GB of DDR4 RAM, and a 256GB SSD, is another excellent choice. It also boasts a 15.6" Full HD display and integrated Intel UHD Graphics, ensuring smooth performance for everyday tasks and light gaming. Weighing 4.07 lbs with a battery life of up to 7 hours, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 is easy to carry in a backpack.

Both laptops offer a good balance of performance, portability, and affordability, making them ideal for students.

For more recommendations, check out my posts: https://www.reddit.com/user/voyagerdx/comments/1du4ise/budget_lenovo_laptops_under_500_usa/

https://www.reddit.com/user/voyagerdx/comments/1cstvx9/top_5_bestselling_dell_laptops_on_amazon_under_600/

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Since you are going to game, and if you can push your budget a little higher then I would recommend this Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 because it comes with AMD Ryzen 5 6600H hexa core CPU which is one of the best in your budget and great for your usage, 8GB of RAM for smooth multitasking, Good SSD storage of 256GB for faster boot up and loading, 15.6 inch IPS 120Hz screen which is a must have for this price range, it comes with RTX 3050 GPU, and high build quality.

Here is a list of all Amazon deals on Laptops

Please note I'm using affiliate links which means I'll receive a small percent of the purchase if you use this link at no extra cost to you

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reddit.com › r/laptops › laptop for college = $1000
r/laptops on Reddit: Laptop for College = $1000
June 20, 2024 -

Hi, I'm looking for a new laptop as I am going into college this coming fall. My budget is around $1000. I just want a good all around laptop that can get the job done. I have looked into the Asus Zenbook 14, but have heard that the battery life is mediocre. I need something that can hopefully get me through the day without needing to charge. If you have any suggestions that would be helpful. Thank you!

Top answer
1 of 5
15
Hi! Proud owner of a Zenbook 14x here. In my experience, the battery life is quite decent (I have the one with a 13700H for sub $1k) I might get downvoted for saying this, but if you need a laptop that can last the entire day without a charge, a MacBook might be your best bet. While there are more Windows machines with ARM chips coming out, which is really intriguing, I’m not very confident they are a "good all-around" option for a student just yet. There are still many applications that aren’t fully compatible.
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I would love to help, but what major are you going into? What brand of phone do you have? It would be good to know these things as different majors work better with different brands. For example, those in engineering NEED windows (speaking from experience) and those in creative design largely prefer mac. What type of software do you need to run? (Google docs, Adobe Photoshop, Autodesk Inventor, etc). Also, brand of phone is just for better ecosystems, (iphone with mac, android and windows, and iphone works fine with windows but android with mac is not great unless if you NEED to use mac). Without answers to this stuff I notice that a lot of answers are just whatever the laptop is of the person writing the reply, such as "ohhh well I have a macbook air 2015 with a core 2 duo and I think it's really great for my college" or "I have a acer nitro 5 which is great for video games" when both of those ideas definitely won't fit everyone and generally is bad advice. Don't forget that many if not most laptop manufacturers have college discounts you should try and claim. I don't use macOS outside of my workplace yet I have to give them credit for good college deals (and they don't even ask for proof). However most mac choices do go over your budget of $1000 so i'm just using them as an example. Used M1 macs can be good options if you can find a good deal, like this one. LASTLY, avoid machines with 8gb of ram, as it likely isn't enough for a college workload. Remember, everyone is different, but 16gb plans for the future and will help your laptop last all through college. Also, 512gb of storage or above is a good buffer for the future, unless if you just need web browsing. Also - -Avoid macs with Intel chipsets, as support will be phased out soon and many programs don't work with intel macs. -If you get a windows laptop, make sure it supports windows 11, not just windows 10. Windows 10 loses support on October 14th, 2025. -If you get a Copilot Plus PC, it's a great choice! (Not sure if it can really be gotten for under $1000 but maybe on sale in a few months or for a used/refurbished laptop). The battery life can be great, but just do a quick web search to make sure that any programs you want to use work before you buy the laptop. For example, google drive for desktop doesn't work yet.
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reddit.com › r/computer › best budget friendly laptop for school?
best budget friendly laptop for school? : r/computer
August 20, 2025 - Get whatever catches your eye from a major brand like Lenovo, Dell, or Asus (HP is ok if it's a model with a metal body, like an Elitebook, not a crappy plastic one) that has 16GB or more of RAM/memory, 256GB or more of storage, and a decent CPU. There are way too many models now to give you ...
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reddit.com › r/suggestalaptop › school laptop on a budget
r/SuggestALaptop on Reddit: School Laptop on a Budget
June 22, 2023 - I researched the Acer Aspire 5 A515 56 347N Slim Laptop 15 6 Full HD IPS Display 11th Gen Intel i3 1115G4 Dual Core Processor 8GB DDR4 128GB NVMe SSD WiFi 6 Amazon Alexa Windows 11 Home in S Mode you mentioned in your comment along with its ...
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reddit.com › r › SuggestALaptop › comments › pln7co › budget_student_laptop
Budget Student Laptop : r/SuggestALaptop
February 24, 2021 - I’ve tried to do a lot of research on what works best for the price for my needs. I’m just a college student (4th year but going for a masters after) studying dietetics. For my program, I don’t need anything crazy to run; I just need the basic word, ppt, excel, and what not. I’m indifferent about whether it’s Mac iOS or windows, but I’d like to stick around the ball park of $500 ish - maybe a tad more. You know how the college budget ...
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reddit.com › r/suggestalaptop › looking for a laptop under $500 for college!!!
r/SuggestALaptop on Reddit: Looking for a laptop under $500 for college!!!
January 10, 2024 -

Hello! I’m interested in buying a laptop under $500 for college from Amazon. Under $350 is preferred but $500 is my max. I’m not the most knowledgeable person when it comes to technology so any help would be greatly appreciated.

Here are some things I’m looking for in a laptop:

  • Total budget

  • Preferably $350USD or under

  • Maximum $500USD

  • Refurbs/used?

  • Not interested in refurbs/used

  • How would you prioritize form factor (ultrabook, 2-in-1, etc.), build quality, performance, and battery life?

  • Simple laptop

  • Decent build quality

  • Needs to be able to smoothly run multiple tabs

  • Good battery life (needs to be able to last 6-10hrs in between charges)

  • Weight and thickness

  • As long as its not SUPER thick or heavy

  • Do you have a preferred screen size? If indifferent, put N/A.

  • At least 15inches

  • Are you doing any CAD/video editing/photo editing/gaming? List which programs/games you desire to run.

  • N/A

  • If you're gaming, do you have certain games you want to play? At what settings and FPS do you want?

  • If anything I’d like it to be able to run Roblox at any FPS (yes I am a grown woman)

  • Specific Requirements

  • 2 USB A

  • 1 USB C

  • USB C Charging

  • Camera (doesn’t have to be the beat quality)

  • 128GB or more (SSD preferably)

  • 8GB RAM

  • HDMI port (optional)

  • Finishing thoughts

I don’t mind bad speakers or lack of bluetooth. I know that with my budget there would be some compromises but thats okay, any help would be appreciated.

I don’t know if this helps but I’m a nursing major. It’s a 4 1/2 degree for my cohort and need the laptop to last at least 4 years.

Thank you!

(edit: laptop questionnaire)