Buying guide
Best Laptops Under $700
Reviewed by
Eran Yorkovsky · Founder, PickGrade
A laptop under $700 can be genuinely good if you match it to the right job. The real choice is between three kinds of machine — a browser-based Chromebook, a flexible Windows laptop, or a budget Mac. Here's how to pick, and the one spec that bites at this price.
Find the right laptop under $700 →The honest version of "under $700"
A laptop under $700 can be genuinely good — as long as you match it to the right job. This is not the budget for serious gaming, professional video or 3D work, or years of heavy multitasking. It is the budget for students, home users, writing, browsing, email, streaming, video calls, and everyday productivity. Get those expectations right and there are three excellent picks here. Get them wrong and you'll be disappointed in any of them.
The decision isn't really "which laptop" — it's "which of three kinds." Browser-only, flexible Windows, or budget Mac. Start there.
The three picks under $700
| Pick | Price | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Chromebook Plus 14 | $399 | A life that's already in a browser and Google Docs |
| Acer Aspire 5 | $549 | Flexible Windows you can upgrade later |
| MacBook Neo | $699 | Real macOS at the lowest Apple price |
MacBook Neo ($699) — the budget Mac that changed this category
The MacBook Neo is the most interesting laptop under $700 because it puts genuine macOS in the budget bracket for the first time. It runs the iPhone-derived A18 Pro chip, gets close to all-day battery, and Apple's education pricing pushes it lower still for students. It's the pick to beat for writing, browsing, school portals, video calls, and light productivity — provided you don't need Windows. Its one real ceiling is the 8GB of memory (more on that below), so it's an everyday machine, not a heavy-multitasking or creative-app workhorse.
Acer Aspire 5 ($549) — the flexible Windows choice
The Acer Aspire 5 is the safer direction if you need Windows compatibility — for school-required apps, more accessory support, or light PC gaming. The reason to choose it isn't elegance; it's flexibility. It's also the one laptop here you can open up and upgrade (add RAM or storage later), which is rare at any budget price and stretches its useful life.
Chromebook Plus 14 ($399) — cheapest, if it fits
A Chromebook makes sense when your budget is lowest and your workflow is almost entirely web-based: Docs, Gmail, school portals, streaming, and web apps. Don't buy one expecting it to behave like a Windows laptop or a Mac — it's a different kind of device, and that's perfectly fine only if your work fits inside a browser.
How to choose between the three
- Does your school or job require specific Windows or macOS apps? That decides it before anything else. Windows-only software rules out the Mac and the Chromebook; a required macOS app rules out the others.
- Is this your only computer? If yes, lean toward the Neo or the Acer over the Chromebook, and take the storage and memory notes seriously — you'll live with this choice for years.
- Do you want into the Apple ecosystem? The Neo is now the cheapest door in, and it pairs with an iPhone the way the others can't.
The one spec that bites at this price: memory
Most laptops under $700 ship with 8GB of RAM, and most can't be upgraded later. For light, browser-based work, 8GB is fine today. But if you keep many tabs, a video call, and an app open at once — and you'll keep this machine for years — 8GB is the limit you'll feel first. The Acer Aspire 5 is the escape hatch, since you can add memory to it. With the Neo and most Chromebooks, what you buy is what you keep, so buy honestly about how hard you'll push it. The same logic applies to storage: get more than you think you need.
A quick note on "gaming under $700"
It's one of the most-searched budget asks, and the honest answer is that it means real compromises — entry GPUs, lower frame rates, and shorter battery. None of the picks here is a gaming laptop. If gaming is a priority rather than an occasional thing, it's usually worth saving toward a dedicated machine rather than forcing it into a $700 budget that can't deliver it well.
When to spend a little more
If this is your main laptop for the next four years and you want it to still feel fast at the end, it's worth weighing the MacBook Air M5 at $1,099. It costs more, but 16GB of memory, a faster chip, and a build made to last make it the safer long-term choice for a lot of people. The under-$700 picks are about getting the right machine for lighter work — not the most machine.
Bottom line
Under $700, the real question is which of three kinds of laptop fits your work. Choose the MacBook Neo for real macOS on a budget and light-to-moderate use. Choose the Acer Aspire 5 when Windows compatibility — or the ability to upgrade later — matters. Choose the Chromebook Plus only if your life already lives in a browser.
Answer a few questions and the quiz narrows it by operating system, budget, workload, and portability.
- Take the laptop quiz
- Best laptops for college students — the full student guide
- MacBook Neo vs MacBook Air — should you stretch to the Air?
- MacBook Neo vs Acer Aspire 5 — cheap Mac or budget Windows
- See all laptops we cover
Still choosing?
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- Best Budget Laptops for Students and Work
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- MacBook Neo vs Chromebook: Which Cheap Student Laptop Makes Sense?
Frequently asked
What is the best laptop under $700?
It depends on what you need to run. The MacBook Neo ($699) is the strongest pick if macOS works for you and your use is light to moderate. The Acer Aspire 5 ($549) is better for Windows software, accessory support, and the ability to upgrade later. The Chromebook Plus ($399) is best if nearly all your work happens in a browser. Confirm any required school or work software first — that decides it before price does.
Is the MacBook Neo better than a Windows laptop under $700?
The MacBook Neo is better for a clean macOS experience, near all-day battery, and Apple ecosystem fit. A budget Windows laptop like the Acer Aspire 5 is better for Windows-only software, more hardware and accessory choices, basic PC gaming, and — in the Acer's case — the ability to add memory or storage later. Match it to your required apps, not just the spec sheet.
Is 8GB of RAM enough in a budget laptop?
Most laptops under $700 ship with 8GB of RAM, which is fine for light, browser-based work but is the first limit you'll feel if you multitask heavily and keep the laptop for years. Most can't be upgraded later — the Acer Aspire 5 is a notable exception. If this is your only machine and you push it hard, either choose the upgradable Acer or consider stretching to a 16GB laptop.
Can you get a good gaming laptop under $700?
Realistically, no — not for serious gaming. Under $700 means entry-level graphics, lower frame rates, and short battery life, and none of the best budget laptops are gaming machines. If gaming is a priority rather than occasional, it's usually better to save toward a dedicated gaming laptop than to force it into a $700 budget.
Should I buy a Chromebook under $700?
A Chromebook is a good lower-cost choice if almost all your work happens in the browser — Docs, email, school portals, and streaming. It's not the right pick for Windows or macOS apps, creative software, local development, or heavy multitasking. If your work fits a browser, it's the cheapest sensible option; if it doesn't, the Acer Aspire 5 or MacBook Neo is a better fit.