5 laptops and Chromebooks on sale and worth buying if you're going back to school

Deals
By
Published 2 min read

From capable Chromebooks to a touchscreen HP, these are the budget laptop deals we'd recommend right now.

An HP laptop.
(Image credit: Future/HP)

Budget laptops are a tricky thing together right. Some are barely good enough for web browsing and email, and not much else. Others are actually surprisingly capable, if you're looking for a student or starter laptop.

So when we see a retailer throws up discounts on laptops that are actually worth your money, it feels important to let you know. Best Buy's latest laptop deals do exactly that. None of these are going to replace a proper workstation for graphic design or video editing. But for everyday use, browsing, streaming and light creative work, they're a solid buy at these prices.

HP 15.6 Full HD Touch-Screen Laptop
HP 15.6 Full HD Touch-Screen Laptop: was $599.99 now $499.99 at Best Buy

This is the most capable machine on the list, pairing an AMD Ryzen 5 7520U with 8GB of memory and a roomy 512GB SSD. The touchscreen is a handy addition at this price point, and overall this is a good option if you want something that can handle everyday multitasking without feeling sluggish.

View Deal
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 Chromebook
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 Chromebook: was $750 now $399.99 at Best Buy

Running on a MediaTek Kompanio 520 chip, with 4GB of memory and 64GB of eMMC storage, this 14in Chromebook won't handle heavy workloads. But for browsing, streaming and cloud-based document editing, it's smooth and dependable. The touchscreen is a nice extra, and the abyss blue finish looks lovely.

View Deal
Lenovo Ideapad Slim 3i 15.6 Full HD Laptop
Lenovo Ideapad Slim 3i 15.6 Full HD Laptop: was $499.99 now $299.99 at Best Buy

A sensible full-size option for anyone who wants a proper laptop rather than a Chromebook, with a 15.6in HD display that's comfortable for longer sessions of browsing or streaming. While it's not built for demanding creative work, it copes fine with everyday tasks, spreadsheets and video calls.

View Deal
HP 14 Chromebook
HP 14 Chromebook: was $399 now $222 at Best Buy

Powered by an Intel Celeron N4500 with 4GB of memory and 64GB of eMMC storage, this no-frills Chromebook would be ideal as a second machine or for younger family members. It's light, simple to set up and boots quickly, and the modern grey finish keeps things looking tidy rather than cheap.

View Deal
Acer Chromebook 315
Acer Chromebook 315: was $299 now $222 at Best Buy

With a nice big 15.6in screen, this quality Chromebook is a good pick if you want more room for browsing or streaming and don't need huge amounts of power. It runs the same Intel Celeron N4500 and 4GB of memory as the HP Chromebook above, and comes bundled with a protective sleeve.

View Deal
Tom May
Tom May
Freelance journalist and editor

Tom May is an award-winning journalist specialising in art, design, photography and technology. He is the author of the books The 50 Greatest Designers (Arcturus) and Great TED Talks: Creativity (Pavilion). Tom was previously editor of Professional Photography magazine, associate editor at Creative Bloq, and deputy editor at net magazine. 

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.

Back To Top