Speaker 1: So the folks on C Net’s video team asked me to put together a best list of laptops for 2023 because that’s what I do most of the time. I test and review laptops. So anyway, they slacked me saying, Hey Josh, we’d like you to put together a list of the best laptops. So I said, sounds great, I’d love to. So here I am to tell you about the best laptops of 2023, but instead of just a straight up best list, I decided to put together my best [00:00:30] list of budget laptops. And everything on this list starts under a thousand dollars, but can frequently be found for hundreds list. So let’s get to it. Number one, but in no particular order is the Apple MacBook Air M1. Despite its advanced age, the M1 air can still compete with great performance and battery life up to 18 hours in our tests.
Speaker 1: And even though it’s slim and lightweight, the Fless design stays cool and silent, and it’s got a top-notch display too. Because it’s old though, its design and features [00:01:00] are slightly outdated compared to current MacBooks, like its seven 20 p webcam. And even though it’s apple’s least expensive laptop, it still starts at $999. Fortunately, it regularly goes on sale for $800 or sometimes even $750. Next is the HP Pavilion, arrow 13, another slim and small laptop that’s a bit of a budget friendly hidden gem. It doesn’t have a fan less body like the air, but it is incredibly light [00:01:30] at less than a kilogram. It has strong processing performance thanks to an A MD rise and chip and battery life. Top 10 and a half hours. The arrow starts at $880 direct from hp. But like everything else on this list, you’ll want to be patient and pick it up on sale because the price can drop below $500.
Speaker 1: You do have to pay attention to the configuration though since a backlit keyboard is not standard. Also, like a lot of laptops these days, the memory is soldered on, so you want to make sure [00:02:00] you get all that you need upfront. Now, for those who want something a bit bigger and a bit bigger and bigger still, there’s the Acer Aspire five. It’s available in 14, 15.6 and 17.3 in sizes. And I’m partial to the 15.6 in size because it’s relatively compact and lightweight at under three and a half pounds, but still full featured A MD and Intel configurations are available with the latest chips from both, [00:02:30] and you’ll even find entry level Nvidia discrete graphics again for less than a thousand dollars with prices starting around $500 and on sale for even less, the build quality is in line with its low price. And again, you won’t find a backlit keyboard on all models.
Speaker 1: And again, memory is soldered on like the air and arrow. But if your main concern is getting the best performance for your dollar, the Aspire Line is an excellent place to start. Even the top Aspire doesn’t quite have the power for gaming and content [00:03:00] creation though. Enter Dell’s G 15. The entry level gaming laptop starts at $900, but finding it direct for $700 isn’t uncommon. That base model is good enough, but well configured. You should expect to spend between 1100 and $1,500. Component options include Intel or a MD processors, three Nvidia GPUs and three display choices to keep prices. Low corners do get cut, so you won’t find a lot of ports, for example. [00:03:30] And the webcam is seven 20 P resolution and the keyboard and touch pattern mediocre. And while it would make a good work laptop with a battery life of about five hours and weight that tops six pounds, it’s not exactly travel friendly.
Speaker 1: But despite all that, it’s still a great way to get into PC gaming. And finally, what would a budget laptop list be without at least one Chromebook? This year, Google and its partners introduced a new category called Chromebook Plus, which is sort of a guarantee that you’re getting [00:04:00] a certain level of performance and features to get the most from Chrome oss. And it’s only for $399. We’ve tested three this year, and while all of them were good, the Lenovo Idea Pad Flex five I Chromebook Plus is our favorite. Despite the lengthy name, it’s a two in one that is better than the standard plus features and topped the performance of the others. And its battery life lasted for 10 and a half hours on our tests. Its regular price is higher at $500, but I’ve seen it discounted [00:04:30] for less than $400. And that’s it. That’s my list of best budget friendly laptops of 2023. What’d you think? Did I miss something that should be on this list? Let me know in the comments. And if you want to read more about these pics or check out our other best laptops of 2023 lists, head to cnet.com. Thanks for watching. And you’ll see me when you see me.
