Having a good laptop is essential when you have a job that requires a laptop, especially a remote job. Finding the right cheap laptop can be an ordeal and stressful because of so many options in the market.
Keep reading this article to learn more about the most affordable laptops for remote workers. The list below will help you choose the perfect laptop for your remote job needs.
I know some laptops can be pretty expensive and may be out of your price range depending on the type of laptop you want, but not to worry because there are a lot of reliable options at a reasonable price you can go for.
So, continue reading to find the most affordable laptops for remote workers and tips for finding the best laptops.
Table of contents
- Tips on How To Find the Most Affordable Laptops for Remote Workers.
- List of the Most Affordable Laptops for Remote Workers
- #1. Microsoft Surface Book 3
- #2. Dell XPS 13
- #3. Apple MacBook Air
- #4. HP Envy x360
- #5. Microsoft Surface Laptop 4
- #6. Acer Swift 3
- #7 Lenovo IdeaPad 5i
- #8. Acer Aspire 5
- #9. Lenovo Chromebook flex 5
- #10. Apple MacBook Pro
- #11. Microsoft Surface Pro 7
- #12. HP Pavilion 15
- #13. Google PixelBook Go
- #14. LG Gram 16
- #15. HP EliteBook x360 1040 G5
- FAQs
- Conclusion
- References
- Recommendations
Tips on How To Find the Most Affordable Laptops for Remote Workers.
To have a good quality laptop as a remote worker is very important, so when getting a computer, make sure you look for a laptop with fantastic specs. Here are important tips to consider when buying a reliable device.
#1. Look out for the Processor Speed
A processor is also called a central processing unit (CPU); it is the circuit board in a computer and the essential part.
It performs commands on behalf of the programs on your laptop. So, if you need a good working and fast laptop, you can go for laptops like Intel Core i7 or i5 because it has a faster processor.
#2. Check for the Battery Life
When choosing a laptop as a remote worker, it is crucial to know how long the battery lasts. The latest laptop models have batteries lasting between eight and nineteen hours.
Long battery life gives you the luxury to work from anywhere and anytime you want. Also, your battery won’t suddenly die, making you lose your work.
#3. Find a laptop with a suitable storage type and size
As a digital guru looking for a good working laptop, consider the storage size and type. A computer has two kinds of storage: a solid-state drive (SDD) and a traditional hard drive (HDD), so you can get any of these.
Furthermore, an SSD is an excellent option to compare an SSD and an HDD because it is faster but more expensive. You can go for an HDD if you are on a tight budget.
#4. Check the laptop size and weight
Going for a bigger laptop is not ideal if you are a remote worker. Look for the lightest laptop with a good size, such as a 13.3-inch screen or bigger. This is very important for digital nomads.
#5. Take a look at its functionality and usability
As a remote worker, this is one of the vital factors to consider when searching for a good laptop because it makes your work easier.
Make sure the device has a good screen quality because of your eyes, and you will work on it throughout the day. Ensure the laptop has excellent keyboard ergonomics, making typing much more effortless.
Also, check for the webcam because having a good working webcam makes video conferencing better.
#6. Look out for the memory size
As we all know that memory is commonly known as random access memory (RAM), and it is an important feature of a high-speed laptop. RAM temporarily stores files and programs that you use daily.
RAM ensures that when you open a frequently used program, it will open quickly. In addition, laptop memory is typically 8GB in capacity. The ideal RAM to look for is 8GB or 16GB.
List of the Most Affordable Laptops for Remote Workers
- Microsoft Surface Book 3
- Dell XPS 13
- Apple MacBook Air
- HP Envy X360
- Microsoft Surface Laptop 4
- Acer Swift 3
- Lenovo IdeaPad 5i
- Acer Aspire 5
- Lenovo Chromobook flex 5
- Apple MacBook Pro
- Microsoft Surface Pro 7
- HP Pavilion 15
- Google PixelBook Go
- LG Gram 16
- HP EliteBook x360 1040 G5
#1. Microsoft Surface Book 3
Specifications
- Cpu: 10th Gen Intel Core i7
- RAM: 32GB
- Screen: Device available in 13 or 15-inches
- Storage: 256Gb – 1 TB
- Battery Life: 17 hours
- Weight: 3.53 kilograms
Microsoft Surface Book 3 is one of our most affordable laptops for remote workers. It has an incredible performance and is a great business laptop for bulky software.
Furthermore, it is a 2-in-1 laptop that can be used as a tablet. You can fold it too! It is a close competition for Apple’s Macbook Pro regarding its overall performance and many specifications.
The device’s touchscreen and detachable keyboard make it different and very versatile. It uses the surface pen with design applications, so you don’t need to separate the tablet to work on.
In addition, the long battery life of about 17 hours makes it a promising contender if you are a traveller.
#2. Dell XPS 13
Specifications
- Cpu: Intel Core i7-1065G7
- RAM: 16GB
- Screen: 13.4-inch,1080p
- Storage: 512GB SSD
- Weight: 1.32 kilograms
Dell is known for offering a bargain in the form of reliable laptops. And the XPS models are built to deliver good performance.
Therefore, the XPS 13 is an excellent option. Dell’s premium offering is the XPS 13 line of laptops. It is the best, most affordable Dell laptop for remote workers.
Talking about the battery life, Dell XPS 13 has an incredible battery life that allows you to work for a long time without being bothered.
Dell XPS 13 is thin and easy to carry. It has a powerful Intel Core processor, two thunderbolts, and three ports. Also, it boasts a fast WiFi 6.
You can check these laptops for programmers: 15 Best Laptops For Programming
#3. Apple MacBook Air
Specifications
- Cpu: Apple M1 chip
- RAM: 8GB
- Screen: 13.3-inch
- Storage: 256GB – 512GB
- Weight: 1.36 kilograms
- Battery Life: 20 hours
Apple MacBook Air is one of the best and most affordable laptops for remote workers. For someone who likes Mac devices but can’t afford MacBook Pro, this MacBook Air might be the one for you.
This Mac device is ideal for remote work; also, the latest version of the MacBook Air possesses the new Apple M1 chip processor.
Video producers or photographers who use laptops to edit photos can use MacBook Air because it is a powerful device.
From the specification, it has a long battery life, so you can work more and charge less. Being a lightweight and thin laptop, it is suitable for travellers.
#4. HP Envy x360
Specifications
- Cpu: Intel Core i7-1065G7
- RAM: 16GB
- Screen: 13.4-inch, 1080p
- Storage: 512GB SSD
- Weight: 1.26 kilograms
- Battery Life: 11 hours
HP ENVY x360 is a versatile laptop and can be used for anything. This is one of the most affordable laptops for remote workers.
Normally, you can use it as a laptop or a tablet. It comes with a stylus pen that allows you to type and draw on it using design software.
Furthermore, the laptop is so light that you can easily carry it around. It has ample memory space that allows you to multitask smoothly.
#5. Microsoft Surface Laptop 4
Specifications
- Cpu: 11th Gen Intel Quad-Core i7
- RAM: 16 GB DDR4 RAM
- Screen: 13.5 Inches Touch Screen
- Storage: 256 GB SSD
- Weight: 4.9 lbs
- Battery Life: 17 hours
- Graphics: Integrated Intel Iris Xe Graphics
Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 is one of the most affordable laptops with a comfortable keyboard that helps you key in information quickly, especially if your job requires keying in a lot of information.
Although the laptop’s outside appearance is just plain, the performance and battery life stand out. In addition, the laptop is lightweight and has a strong sound.
#6. Acer Swift 3
Specifications
- CPU: Intel Core i7 1065G7
- RAM: 8GB
- Screen: 14 inches
- Storage: 256GB
- Weight: 1.5 kilograms
- Battery Life: 14 hours
Acer Swift 3 is a great laptop with a beasty CPU and a fantastic screen. It has a battery life of about 14 hours but decreases quickly if you are streaming video or using power-consuming applications.
Generally, it is a low-cost investment making it one of the most affordable laptops for remote workers. It has features like facial recognition and an integrated fingerprint scanner.
Also, Acer Swift 3 has a built-in Alexa, and d it is a lightweight computer.
#7 Lenovo IdeaPad 5i
Specifications
- Cpu: 11th Generation Intel® Core™ i5-1135G7 Processor
- RAM: 8 GB DDR4 3200MHz
- Screen: 15.6-inch FHD (1920 x 1080) IPS, anti-glare, touch screen
- Battery Life: 11 hours
Lenovo IdeaPad 5i laptop is a direct successor to the popular Lenovo IdeaPad S540. The new performance and cosmetic improvements do well under tedious tasks.
It is built with business in mind and has good features like a webcam privacy shutter and a fingerprint reader that offer additional security with a single touch. In addition, it is one of the most affordable laptops for remote workers.
#8. Acer Aspire 5
Specifications
- Cpu: Intel Core i5-8250U
- RAM: 8GB
- Screen: 15 inches
- Storage: 256 GB
- Weight: 2 kilograms
- Battery Life: 10 hours
- Graphic: NVIDIA GeForce MX150
Acer Aspire 5 is one of the cheap laptops and the best option for remote workers. Going for this laptop is getting the latest technology and still on a budget.
This laptop has features like WIFI 6, built-in Alexa, and a built-in HD webcam to facilitate you working remotely.
In addition, this is a great device for those has many external devices because it offers a wide selection of ports.
Also, read this: 15 Best Laptops for Writers in 2022
#9. Lenovo Chromebook flex 5
Specifications
- Cpu: Intel Core i3
- RAM: 4GB
- Screen: 13.3 inches
- Storage: 64GB eMMC 5.1
- Weight: 1.35 kilograms
- Battery Life: Up to 9 hours
Lenovo Chromebook flex 5 is one of the best cheap laptops for remote workers, and it uses the 10th generation i3 intel processor to power it.
This device is secure, and you easily navigate across different channels. If your job demands internet use, then it is the best for web and online applications. Also, it is speedy and smooth to work.
However, the laptop can install some business applications; also, it has a smaller number of ports, which might not be suitable for those with many devices to plug in.
#10. Apple MacBook Pro
Specifications
- Cpu: M1 Pro
- RAM: 8 – 64 GB
- Screen: Device available in 13, 14, and 16 inches
- Storage: 256GB – 8TB
- Weight: 1.3 – 2.2 kilograms
- Battery Life: 17 – 21 hours
MacBook Pro is one of Apple’s products that is a top-performance laptop. This makes it one of the most affordable laptops to go for as a remote worker. Also, the laptop has efficient processing by comprising only the best hardware.
Many people (like bloggers, photographers, etc.) like this laptop because of its performance and the screen’s high resolution.
It has the latest processor, graphics cards, WiFi, a solid-state drive, and a MagSafe three that offers lightning-speed charging.
#11. Microsoft Surface Pro 7
Specifications
- Cpu: Intel Core i3, i5, or i7
- RAM: Up 16GB
- Screen: 12.3 inches
- Storage: Up to 1TB SSD
- Weight: 0.77 to 0.79 kilograms
- Battery Life: Up to 10.5 hours
Microsoft Surface Pro 7 is one of the most affordable laptops for remote workers. It offers high-quality performance. The Microsoft Surface Pro gives tough competition to Mac Air and other Mac computers in its performance.
It offers smooth functionality and is one of the best laptops for working from home. Also, the laptop is a touch screen making your typing and note-taking easy.
However, the keyboard and surface pen is more expensive than the device, which is not included with the laptop, but you have to get it differently.
#12. HP Pavilion 15
Specifications
- Cpu: 8th Generation Intel® Core™ i7 processor
- RAM: 8GB and can be upgraded to 16GB
- Screen: 15.6-inch full HD IPS display
- Storage: 1 TB hard drive and 128 GB solid-state drive
- Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti graphics card
- Battery Life: Up to 10.5 hours
This is one of the most affordable laptops for remote workers with high-spec hardware.
HP Pavilion 15 is a good choice for business professionals who need a machine that doesn’t require you to spend much but gets the job done.
Also, it is suitable for web browsing, working on documents, photo editing, streaming movies, and daily desktop work. The laptop has a lot of ports for those that have external devices.
#13. Google PixelBook Go
Specifications
- Cpu: 8th Generation Intel® Core™ i7 processor
- RAM: 16GB
- Screen: 15.6-inch full HD IPS display
- Storage: 1 TB hard drive and 128 GB solid-state drive
- Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti graphics card
- Battery Life: 12 hours
Before going into Google PixelBook Go, let’s talk about Chromebooks. Chromebooks have some benefits like affordability, lightweight, simple UI, stability, and fast. Still, they have some disadvantages, such as limited storage—although some have the option of extending storage with an SD card.
Moreso, Chromebooks do use websites like Adobe’s Creative Suite (Photoshop, Premier, etc.) So back to the Google PixelBook Go, which is reliable, fast, and lightweight.
This laptop will be suitable for remote workers whose daily tasks are limited to tasks in Chrome or other Google applications, given that you have a stable internet connection.
#14. LG Gram 16
Specifications
- Cpu: Intel 11th Gen Intel Core i7-1165G7 processor
- RAM: 16GB
- Screen: 16-inch IPS LCD display with a 16:10 aspect ratio at WQXGA (2560×1600) resolution
- Storage: 1TB NVMe M.2 2280 SSD
The LG Gram 16-inch laptop is one of the most affordable and lightest laptops. It is a high-quality, high-resolution laptop for remote workers.
It holds the Guinness World Record for the lightest 16-inch laptop. So if you are looking for a lightweight device with excellent connectivity, the LG Gram 16 might be the laptop for you, especially for freelance writers.
Read this: 15 Best Laptops for Photo Editing on Budget in 2022
#15. HP EliteBook x360 1040 G5
Specifications
- Cpu: 8th Gen Intel Core i5-8250U Quad-core Processor
- RAM: 8GB
- Screen: 14 FHD (1920 x 1080) Touch Display
- Storage: 128GB Sata SSD
HP EliteBook x360 1040 G5 is one of the most affordable laptops for remote workers. This laptop is the 8th Generation Intel Core i5-8250U and has an integrated intel UHD Graphics 620.
Also, it has a 14-inch full HD in-plane switching (IPS) technology, Brightview Touchscreen Display, Infrared 1080p HD IR webcam, and Fingerprint reader.
FAQs
When buying a laptop, here are the things to look at for the monitor display quality, performance and Wi-Fi connectivity. A good monitor display helps reduce eye strain when working on your laptop for a long time.
There are two popular operating systems to go for, either Windows or Apple (picking any of them is a good choice). However, it all boils down to personal preference. You should go for a laptop with an operating system you love using.
The best lightweight touchscreen laptop is LG Gram 14
The best laptop for Business is Microsoft Surface Book 3. It has an incredible performance and is excellent for bulky software.
Conclusion
When getting a laptop as a remote worker, You may be in the position to decide the specific choice of laptop you want, which might be a challenging one.
That is why you need to know the factor that affects choices like processor speed, display quality, productivity, storage capacity, and budget restrictions.
So, we have listed the most affordable laptops with their specifications. Not only are these the best in specifications and the cheapest, but they have also surpassed their predecessors in performance.
Now you need to make the wise decision of deciding on the most affordable laptop for remote workers.
References
Recommendations
DISCLOSURE: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning when you click the links and make a purchase, we receive a commission.
4 comments
Comments are closed.