High spec, low price: The best laptop under £600 in 2024

While the ASUS brand is synonymous with quality and high-end machines like the ASUS ProArt P16 laptop we reviewed, here the Vivobook 16 M1605YA was clearly designed to cut all the right corners to keep the cost down. And by that, we mean that the only obvious areas where this differs from a machine closer to costing £1000 are the lack of a dedicated graphics card and fingerprint reader. We think that the rest of the laptop, both inside and out, is nothing short of stunning for a sub-£600 machine. Here we not only have 16GB of RAM, but also a generous 1TB SSD for super-fast load times and plenty of storage capacity; both respectable for what we'd expect to see at this price point.

The CPU is a Ryzen 7 too, so will cope with some heavy-duty computing tasks. Light gaming will trip along smoothly too, as despite having an integrated graphics card, it is an AMD Radeon. Ports are in reasonable supply too, so you'll be able to attach external SSDs, keyboards and more. Lastly, there's a webcam alongside that 16-inch display, so not only will you get a very practical screen size that's ideal for all kinds of users, but you can stay in touch via video calls too. Just brilliant, especially at a price that will leave you enough left over for a budget mouse or keyboard.

We think it's hard to argue with a Windows laptop that costs under £400 let alone the £600 limit we're looking at here. But, as a low-budget option within an already-budget category, this Acer Aspire 3 A315-44P laptop gets enough right to more than qualify. Surprisingly considering the price and spec, this isn't running Windows in the lightweight 'S' mode – it's Windows 11 out of the box. At 15.6 inches, the screen is a highly practical size, has reasonably wide viewing angles, and is great to see on such an affordable laptop.

This Acer has 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD – making this machine ideal for browsing, daily office tasks, Microsoft Office 365 and streaming videos. Once again, this outstrips many other budget laptops on the gigabyte count. Plus, don't forget, this is an SSD, so boot times will be fast, as will load times. Yes, the Ryzen 5 processor isn't the very latest generation, but it's still mid-range and capable of delivering a swift enough experience for the average user. The build is a little lightweight in areas, but not flimsy. Extras like being light and super-portable, with a backlit keyboard, IPS low blue light screen and good battery life make this a formidable budget laptop option.

Already featured on our list of the best student laptops, this 15.6-inch HP 15s-fq2016sa laptop is the perfect solution for any student who needs to get their work done with reliability and speed. Essential for lugging around campus, the case is nice and slim not to mention lightweight at only 1.69kg. Inside is a fast Intel Core i5 processor to handle all of the usual Windows applications and everyday tasks with ease. The 8GB of RAM may not be as generous as some here, and the graphics card is only suitable for light gaming. But, you should be able to while away your lunch break in the Student Union bar with some simple games.

The 15.6-inch display is ideal for taking notes in lecture halls and it's also nicely anti-reflective. The 512GB SSD is a surprising upgrade over many other sub-£600 laptops, too. Battery life is good enough for the average day of lectures, and when you're done for the day you can stream movies and spend some of that Student Loan with some online shopping. We think it's the perfect student laptop option.

Despite it's non-gamer looks, the Acer Aspire 5 A515-57G is well-suited for gaming. But before we dive in, let's look at what this isn't. It's not a beast of a dedicated gaming laptop fit for super-high-resolution AAA titles – you'd need to spend two to three times more to get close to that. But, as a budget gaming option, it's ideal for running lightweight games and modern titles like Minecraft, Roblox and Rocket League at appropriate resolutions and framerates.

Firstly, it's powered by an Intel Core i5 – much better than the average laptop in this price bracket. Best of all, it comes with a dedicated graphics card – the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2050. All in all, with the addition of 16GB of RAM, the Aspire can handle modern games at medium settings. And you're not playing on a postage stamp either. The display is a 15.6-inch IPS display at full-HD resolution; but you won't be getting higher than a 60Hz refresh rate at this price. That said, the Acer Aspire 5 A515-57G laptop is a surprisingly good option for budget gamers who need to put their money into the core areas that gamers need – GPU, CPU and RAM.

Although all Chromebooks are their own class of utilitarian laptop in terms of performance, the Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5 stands out as one of the best Chromebooks on the market. Being a Chromebook you're not buying this for its raw computing or graphical power. Instead, this is a versatile and portable device with a brilliant 2-in-1 design allows you to switch between laptop and tablet modes. Powered by an Intel Core i3-10110U processor with 4GB of RAM, this Chromebook is well-suited for browsing, streaming, and light everyday tasks. We think that the 13.3-inch touchscreen really elevates this laptop when coupled with its tablet mode. Best of all, with up to 10 hours of battery life, it'll last longer than your typical working day.

Yes, the 64GB of eMMC storage might seem more than a little limited compared to non-Chromebook laptops, but for a Chromebook (which by definition is meant to be a simpler, more lightweight device) it's standard. But, users who need to store larger files or install more substantial applications will need to look at an external SSD. Despite this, we find the Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5 to be an excellent choice for anyone looking for a flexible and portable Chromebook for accessing their cloud-based applications and storage.

We really like it when a touchscreen laptop has military grade toughness – essential for anything that's been designed to be used on the move. The ASUS Vivobook X1504VA is perfect for anyone who prefers touchscreen functionality for their daily tasks. With a 15.6-inch Full HD touchscreen, this laptop has plenty of practical screen real estate making it perfect for all kinds of work or web browsing and streaming media. The processor is an Intel Core i5-1335U, so mid-range – but its the 16GB of RAM that helps this to deliver solid performance. The 512GB SSD is generous, too, with plenty of space for applications and files.

However, we do think that some of the keyboard keys are a little small – such as the cursor keys. So, if you're used to larger keys and a wider layout you might need to look elsewhere. Despite this, the ASUS Vivobook X1504VA’s responsive touchscreen and overall specification make this laptop a highly practical device for those who prefer touch navigation and productivity on the go.

There's a really clear feature that makes us like the Acer Aspire 3 Spin: It can convert from a laptop into a tablet providing plenty of budget-friendly versatility. Anyone looking for a 2-in-1 laptop that truly delivers on the promise of laptop functionality and tablet flexibility will love it. Powered by an Intel Pentium Intel Core i3-N305 and 8GB of RAM, it offers solid (although mid to low-end) performance for everyday tasks. So, while it's not going to give some of the other laptops here a run for their money based on pure performance, it is one of the best 14-inch touchscreen tablets with all of the benefits that can bring; as well as being a practical laptop when you need it to be.

Compact and lightweight, the addition of a webcam and noise-cancelling microphone make for quick and easy video calls, too. However, as with many laptops in this price range, it comes with a small SSD for storage, so if you're more of a power-user look elsewhere. But, for those of us who need to keep things simple, flexible and productive, the Acer Aspire 3 Spin is a brilliant 2-in-1.

For some time, having OLED as a priority on your laptop wishlist would push your budget well over the £1000 mark. But this ASUS Vivobook 15 OLED X1505ZA bucks that trend as a top choice for users who prioritize rich colours and deep black levels. Its a 15.6-inch OLED panel too, so it's large enough to enjoy watching movies, photo editing, or any work.

At its heart is a solid mid-range Intel Core i5-1240P processor and 16GB of RAM. So, this thing will not only look great – it'll perform brilliantly, too. We particularly like the 1TB SSD, making it one of the best options here for sheer storage space. However, as with any OLED display, they eat more power than other display types – so expect your battery life to vary depending on your brightness settings and so on. Despite this, the ASUS Vivobook 15 OLED X1505ZA is an stunning sub-£600 option for creatives, media fans, or anyone looking for high-quality visuals. Considering it's less than half the price of the ASUS Vivobook S 14 OLED we reviewed, it's a steal.

Here, quality brand MSI has come up with a laptop that's good-looking, well-specified and affordable. So, considering that it also comes with Windows 11 and military grade toughness, we think it's a seriously good proposition for any business. The 15.6-inch screen is large and clear enough for detailed office tasks, and the graphics card is an Intel Iris Xe Graphics – more than powerful enough to deliver multimedia presentations (or some light gaming between meetings...). Battery life is more than respectable at around 8 hours, too.

As for the tech specs, this has 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD – more than enough to run Windows 11 and store all the apps your business needs. Having a built-in webcam is an essential business feature, and the keypad is backlit. The only real omission here for businesses is the lack of a built-in fingerprint sensor, but as external ones are a low cost security upgrade, this machine is still a spectacular deal.

Even we found it a challenge to find a laptop with a 17-inch screen in this price range, let alone one made by a brand as reliable as Lenovo. This Lenovo V17 G4 IRU 17.3-inch laptop is the definition of a solid all-rounder that will please those who prefer a little more room for both screen and keyboard layout. The display is powered by a decent GPU – an Intel Iris Xe – so any gaming on this will be lightweight; But, for everything else, this is going to be an excellent option. The RAM is enough for everyday tasks but the SSD storage is on the low side, so invest in an external SSD if you need to carry a lot of files with you.

The battery life of the V17 is reasonable, and there's a really good range of ports for extra connectivity. Speaking of extras, this comes with some excellent and genuinely useful bells and whistles, in the shape of webcam, stereo Dolby Audio speakers and Wi-Fi 6 networking for super-fast connectivity. At 2.2kg it is a little on the heavy side, but if it's a 17-inch screen you want and you have £600 to spend, this is a reliable option that will leave you with enough spare cash for plenty of accessories.