If you want a no-fuss laptop under $500 that just gets the job done, the Acer Aspire Go 15's got you covered. Solid everyday speed, a sharp 1080p screen, killer battery life (almost 12 hours!), and a comfy keyboard, all for under $300.

You may be on a budget, but you're not out of luck—if you look, you'll find some very serviceable Chromebooks, Windows clamshells, and 2-in-1 laptops under $500. By knowing what you want and what your cash can buy you, you can still find a decent deal on a laptop that will do the job.

We've laid out our favorite frugal options here, but you'll still need to decide whether you want a Chromebook or a Windows machine, a laptop or a 2-in-1 design, and even whether you want features, like a touch screen, that may be rare in the very cheapest laptops. The specs for all of our top picks are listed in our spec comparison, along with links to the full reviews. And if $500 is too tight a filter for what you are looking for, also check out our roundup of the best budget laptops (which includes some slightly pricier machines) and our picks for the best laptops overall.

It's no longer true that you have to spend $1,000 to $3,000 to get a decent gaming laptop. Thanks to new cloud-based gaming Chromebooks, you can even find some models under $500, though your options are more limited.

In the cheap seats, the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming Chromebook 16 is our top recommendation. For under $500, it's a really solid value. The Acer Chromebook 516 GE is another good option, and it sometimes goes on sale at the under-$500 mark.