The Best Cheap Laptops in Singapore (2023) For Any Budget

Sometimes, looking for a laptop on a budget is a tough ask. Thankfully, laptops are getting more affordable by the year as technology advances. Right now, you can get a decent laptop under $1000. If you look harder, you can even find laptops under $500. But no need to do all the hard work as we have done all the research for you. Here are the best budget laptops that you can buy in Singapore right now!

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Acer Laptops Review

Acer has a wide range of laptops – from high-end to budget models. Regardless of whether your budget is $400 or $1000, you’ll find an Acer model which presents good value-for-money. Here are the best budget Acer laptops that we recommend

Acer Swift 3

Fast performance in all aspects
Keyboard and trackpad are excellent
Good battery life
2-year warranty

CPU: 8th gen Intel Core i5-8250U | Display: 14” FHD LED-backlit TFT LCD | RAM: 8GB DDR4 | Storage: 256GB PCIe SSD | Weight: 1.45kg

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The Acer Swift 3 may not be the cheapest budget laptop. Why we have added it is because it offers phenomenal value-for-money. It has fantastic specifications for a laptop with a $1000 price tag. With an 8th Intel i5 processor, you can expect zero lag in almost any task you put it up to. The build quality of the Acer Swift 3 is also pretty good. We are impressed with its responsive keyboard and trackpad. Typing on it feels smooth and gives nice tactile responses. The trackpad movement is smooth and accurate, almost as good as a mouse. The Acer Swift 3 is a budget ultrabook provides excellent performance.

Acer Swift 1

Good display for video playback
Up to 9 hours of battery life
1-year warranty

CPU: Intel Celeron N4000 | Display: 14” FHD IPS | RAM: 4GB DDR4 | Storage: 64GB eMMC | Weight: 1.3kg

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The Acer Swift 1 is a great laptop for the average user. With its super low price, its specifications are honestly nothing to shout about. It does offer decent performance for day-to-day usage. We like its 14 inches full HD display which is good for watching YouTube videos or movies. It is also packed within a thin and slim body. Weighing just 1.3kg, the Acer Swift 1 is a super portable laptop that you can bring around comfortably.

You won’t regret getting the Acer Swift 1. You can check it out on Amazon.

Acer Aspire Nitro 5

Cheap gaming laptop

Excellent processor and graphics power
Solid build quality
2-year warranty

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Looking at price alone, the Acer Aspire Nitro 5 may not be a cheap laptop. But when you compare it to the other gaming laptops, it offers excellent value-for-money. It is powered by an 8th Gen i7 processor and the Nvidia GTX1050. With these specifications, you can play the latest games at high graphics quality and frames per second. The Acer Aspire Nitro 5 is an excellent gaming laptop available at an affordable price.

Acer Aspire 1

Decent display for everyday use
Super low price point
1-year warranty

CPU: Intel Celeron N4100 | Display: 14” HD LED-backlit LCD | RAM: 4GB DDR4 RAM| Storage: 32GB eMMC | Weight: 1.65kg

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If you are looking for a Windows laptop, you will likely find none that offers better value than the Acer Aspire 1. Its specifications are pretty basic but are decent enough for basic to mid-end tasks. One negative point is its 32GB storage space which is pretty small considering the Windows installation takes up a good chunk of storage. If you want to install more programs or keep large-sized files, you’ll have to expand its memory.

Everything considered the Acer Aspire 1 is an excellent choice if you are looking for the cheapest Windows laptop.

Microsoft Laptop Review

Microsoft’s entry into the laptop market has created quite a stir. Their Surface laptops are known for their portability, tablet-like quality and unique form factor. Most of their Surface laptops are quite expensive at more than $1300 for an entry-level model. Thankfully, Microsoft has released the Surface Go which retails for below $900. Now, you can enjoy all the unique features of a Microsoft laptop without burning a hole in your wallet.

Microsoft Surface Go

Fast and efficient performance
Superb portability and design
1-year warranty

CPU: 1.6Ghz Intel Pentium Gold | Display: 10” PixelSense Touch Display | RAM: 8GB LPDDR3| Storage: 128GB SSD | Weight: 0.52kg

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Termed as the iPad killer, the Microsoft Surface Go is much more than a tablet. It is probably one of the best tablet-pc hybrids in the market right now. It is a serious alternative for anyone looking for a value-for-money laptop. Equipped with the Windows 10S, you can also upgrade to a full-fledged Windows 10 for free through the Windows store. If you do that, you’ll have all the functionality of a Windows laptop with the flexibility of a tablet.

Can’t decide between a tablet or a laptop? The Microsoft Surface Go solves that problem for you.

Lenovo Laptops Review

Lenovo laptops are trusted by their customers all around the world. A large proportion of their customers are businesses who demand high-quality laptops that deliver reliable performance day after day. As such, most Lenovo laptops have a premium pricing because they provide quick support including on-site repairs. If you are looking for a cheaper laptop, there are still some Lenovo models that would fit your budget. Here are the two that we recommend

Lenovo Yogabook
Lenovo Ideapad S130

Lenovo Yogabook

Excellent build quality and form factor
Decent battery life
1-year warranty

CPU: Intel Atom x5-Z8550 | Display: 10.1” IPS LED LCD Touch | RAM: 4GB LPDDR3| Storage: 128GB SSD | Weight: 0.69kg

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The first thing that stands out in the Lenovo Yogabook is how beautiful and sleek it is. As you can tell, it is a close competitor of the Windows Surface Go because of their similar form factor and pricing. In terms of build quality, we would give the edge to the Lenovo Yogabook. If you use the touchscreen often, you’ll love it. Highly responsive and accurate performance that will do great even if you plan to use it for writing notes. The only drawback of the Lenovo Yogabook is its specifications are not as powerful. Its processor and RAM may not be sufficient for more taxing tasks.

The Lenovo Yogabook is a budget 2-in-1 convertible laptop and tablet made for touchscreen users.

Lenovo Ideapad S130

Works great with office tasks
1-year warranty

CPU: Intel Celeron N4000 | Display: 11.6” LCD | RAM: 4GB LPDDR3 | Storage: 32GB eMMC | Weight: 1.15kg

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For less than $400, the Lenovo Ideapad S130 is one of the cheapest laptops out there. Honestly, its specifications and performance are nothing too impressive. You can perform daily tasks like web browsing, creating word documents and office tasks with no problem. However, do not expect it to do any heavy lifting for you. A plus point is it is one of the lightest full-fledged laptops at this price point weighing at just 1.15kg.

Need a cheap laptop with decent build quality? Check out the Lenovo Ideapad S130.

Asus Laptop Review

Asus is a Taiwanese laptop brand that has been growing rapidly in the last decade. They have a wide range of laptops from top-end gaming laptops under the Republic of Gamers brand to the value-for-money Vivobook line. Asus ultrabooks, Zenbooks, are also popular among the office crowd for their strong performance packed within a sleek exterior. For budget Asus laptops, go for their Vivobook laptops. Here are some of the best value-for-money Asus laptops

Asus Vivobook 15

Strong performance in everyday computing tasks
Good keyboard and trackpad
Excellent screen performance in all light conditions
1-year warranty

CPU: Intel i5-8250 1.6GHz | Display: 15.6” Anti-glare | RAM: 8GB DDR4 | Storage: 1TB HDD | Weight: 1.7kg

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For a laptop priced below $1000, the Asus Vivobook 15 performs better than many of the more expensive laptops. Essentially, it is a great buy if you want above-average computing performance without paying an excessive amount. Powered by an Intel i5 processor together with 8GB of RAM, the Vivobook can handle most processes with ease. An anti-glare 15.6-inch display makes it a media powerhouse as well. For a powerful laptop with an affordable price, it is quite a portable device with its slim profile and 1.7kg weight. The Asus Vivobook is a premium laptop without a premium price tag.

Asus Vivobook Flip

Great functionality as a tablet or laptop
1-year warranty

CPU: Intel Core m3-7Y30 | Display: 14” Full HD Touch Display | RAM: 8GB DDR4 | Storage: 128GB eMMC | Weight: 1.5kg

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Slim and sleek, the Asus Vivobook Flip is a convertible laptop that offers good performance at a reasonable price. From the display to the keyboard to the included stylus, it has everything you need whether its a tablet or laptop. However, there are two things which limit it. For a tablet convertible, it is quite heavy at 1.5kg to hold it in one hand for an extended period. Its processor is also relatively weak when you compare it to full-fledged laptops. That being said, it performs competently even when you put it under demanding tasks.

Consider the Asus Vivobook Flip if you need a laptop with good touch screen functionality.

Dell Laptop Review

With more than 35 years in the PC game, Dell laptops are often a class above their competitors. For businesses, Dell XPS range of laptops offers unparalleled performance and top-notch builds. However, the XPS range is rather expensive with prices often starting from $2000. Luckily, Dell also produces more budget options such as the Inspiron which ranges around the low $1000 range.

Dell Inspiron 14

Powerful processor and graphics for top performance
Sleek and professional design
Long battery life of up to 11 hours
1-year warranty

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Looking at the specifications of the Dell Inspiron 14, you may mistake it for one of the flagship models of the expensive Dell XPS range. That is until you see its price tag of just $1299, close to $1000 less than the XPS models. The Dell Inspiron 14 may not be a cheap laptop based on price alone, but for the value it offers, it is an excellent deal. With the powerful Nvidia MX150 graphic card, you will be able to do relatively intensive video editing on it. If you want to play some AA title games, it should handle them just fine as well.

If you want the best bang for your buck, the choice is clear – the Dell Inspiron 14.

Apple MacBook Review

Apple Macbooks have a cult following. Once you are a Mac convert, you’ll find it hard to go back to using a Windows laptop. However, Apple MacBooks are not cheap. If you go for their top-end MacBook Pro, prices start close to $2000. If you want the cheapest Apple laptop, you’ll have to settle for the Apple MacBook Air.

Apple MacBook Air

Super lightweight and portable
A decent workhorse for daily tasks
1-year warranty

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The Apple MacBook Air is an old but reliable laptop that has a place even now in 2019. Recently, the MacBook Air was refreshed, but with that, the price went up by more than $500. If you want an Apple MacBook for cheap, you’ll have to settle for the older version of the MacBook Air. Don’t worry; it still works great no matter whether you are a student or using it for office work.

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Things to consider when choosing a laptop

Deciding which laptop to get is not an easy decision. There are many different brands and models that you can choose from. How do you select the right laptop for you, especially when you are going to be using it for at least 2 long years? We have compiled a list of considerations that should cross your mind when buying a laptop.

What are you using it for

Think about what you are going to be using the laptop for. Are you using it for work, gaming, videos or just casual browsing? Are you going to be bringing it around regularly or is it going to be put at a permanent place most of the time? These are questions that you should have the answers to so that you can get the right laptop for your lifestyle and usage.

If you are using the laptop for gaming, you may want to choose one with a better processor and graphics card. If you are using it for mostly office functionality or casual browsing, you may not need such high specifications. If you need a mobile laptop, you should choose one that light and portable. Otherwise, carrying a heavy laptop around every day will make you hate it. Once you answer these questions, you should have a clearer idea of the profile of the laptop best for you.

Your budget

You are looking for a cheap laptop, but within this category, there are different price ranges as well. Your budget has to be realistic. You can’t expect to have to $500 budget and get a top-level gaming laptop. Essentially, look to be paying between $800 to $1300 for a more high-end model with better specifications and features. If you only need a laptop with average specs, $500 to $800 would be a good budget range. From $300 to $500, laptops are likely to have older processors and specs.

In general, we recommend getting a laptop that is at least $600 if you plan to use it regularly. Paying a little more will help ensure your laptop has decent specifications that are future-proof for at least 2 to 3 years. Additionally, the parts would be higher-quality which means it can last longer with any technical problems. The slight premium you pay will save you money in the long run.

Screen and resolution

There are a few points of a laptop screen that you should take note of. Firstly, how big of a screen do you need? If you are planning to watch videos on it, perhaps a screen size of 13 inches and bigger would be preferable. On the other hand, if you want a mobile laptop, a smaller screen will make it more convenient to bring around.

Secondly, you will want to consider whether you need a touchscreen display. These would typically cost more, and you would pay around $150 to $300 more for touchscreen functionality. It can be useful if you plan to use your laptop in a tablet form.

Lastly, you should take note of what resolution the display uses. Most budget laptops have resolutions that are slightly lower than HD. If you want a full HD display, get one that has a 1920 by 1080 resolution. If you are using the laptop for media consumption, getting a better screen is definitely worth the extra money.

CPU and RAM

Having a good processor aka the CPU and high RAM is essential if you need your laptop to be blazing fast. Currently, the most popular and updated processor is the Intel 8th ones. For budget laptops, you’ll most likely be choosing between an Intel i3 or i5 processor. If your budget is lower, the processor might be an Intel Pentium or Core m.

For decent speeds, you should get a laptop that has at least 4GB in RAM. Another option would be to increase the RAM yourself by getting additional RAM to install. For that, check out whether your laptop has extra RAM slots free for use. If your laptop has 8GB of total RAM, it should work well in almost any situation you throw at it.

Graphics card

There are two main types of graphics cards – integrated or dedicated. If you are not planning to game or do video editing, an integrated graphics card will work just fine. On the other hand, gamers should get a laptop with a dedicated graphics card for better video performance, especially for graphic-intensive games.

Battery life

Having a laptop with good battery life is vital if you don’t have access to a power source frequently. If your laptop can last 8 hours, you can last an entire workday with it even if you are always on the move. If its battery sucks, you’ll constantly be on the lookout for a power plug which makes the day stressful. However, a good battery may not be that important if you have constant access to a power source.

Keyboard and touchpad

Typing on a good keyboard versus a bad keyboard is heaven and hell. Most laptops nowadays have pretty decent keyboards for casual typing. If your job entails typing on a laptop for extended periods, make sure the reviews of its keyboard are good.

Having a good touchpad will mean that you won’t need an external mouse. Touchpad with touch gestures can also be useful for quick navigation and improve workflow processes. Honestly, the best touchpads usually appear on more premium and expensive laptops that cost $1000 or more. If you are getting a budget model, the touchpad is generally decent but not exceptional.

Warranty

Most laptops come with at least a 1-year warranty. There are some brands which offer a free upgrade to a 2-year warranty. Having your laptop covered by warranty is important. Repairing a laptop can be a very costly affair. The repair cost may even be close to the purchase price of the laptop given that the laptop’s initial price is already cheap. With a warranty, most repair and replacement jobs are free and will help to extend the lifespan of your laptop.

Some of the product links that we have included are affiliate links. This means that we may receive a small commission from platforms like Amazon if you make a purchase. This commission comes at no added cost to you. This helps to support us so that we can create more buyer guides for our Singapore readers.