Today, compromises still linger even when you extend your budget to $800. With laptop prices jumping a hill up, you now have to clear your requirements before you browse an under $800 budget laptop for a purchase.
Because even though $800 stands as a mid-range budget, laptops under this price tag still bound you to make compromises in certain aspects. So you have to make sure they meet your most crucial needs while compromising on others. This time, we took charge and began testing some of the market’s best laptops to recommend an all-rounder.
Under $800, we discovered that the Acer Swift 3 offers the best value and performance. The combo of its strong CPU, ample memory, and long-lasting battery can’t be found anywhere else. However, because everyone’s needs are different, you can consider other options. So stick up as we review them ahead.
Such a laptop makes few compromises and delivers a satisfying performance, whether you expect it to be a multitasking professional or a match for your processor or graphics-intensive tasks. Also, you wouldn’t have to check on the marketplace for at least a year or two. After extensive testing, we finally made it out. So stick up as we get in the box.
Top Three Picks of Best Laptop Under $800
- Slim and strong metal build
- Outstanding overall performance
- Gorgeous HD IPS display
- Smartly handles excessive heat
- Strong CPU performance
- Light old school design
- Bright 15.6-inches HD display
- Great ports
Best Laptop Under $800 [Tested Models]
It doesn’t matter what your buying purpose is, a laptop should always have a decent processor and a great GPU to give you a better experience and performance.
The below list of laptops tick all the required boxes and made their way into our top 10 best laptops under the $800 category.
IMAGE | PRODUCT | RATING | PRICE |
---|---|---|---|
Overall Best | Acer Swift 3 Thin & Light Laptop
| 9.8 | View on Amazon |
Gamer’s Pick | ASUS TUF Gaming F15 Gaming Laptop
| 9.6 | View on Amazon |
Aesthetic King | ASUS VivoBook F512 Thin and Lightweight Laptop
| 9.5 | View on Amazon |
Bombastic Speakers |
| 9.3 | View on Amazon |
Affordable Laptop |
| 9.2 | View on Amazon |
Gaming Engineer |
| 9.5 | View on Amazon |
As light as a Feather | ASUS ZenBook 13 NanoEdge Bezel Display
| 9 | View on Amazon |
Durable in the GAME | Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15 Business Laptop
| 9.2 | View on Amazon |
360-degree PLAYER |
| 9.6 | View on Amazon |
ALL ROUNDER |
| 9.2 | View on Amazon |
How We Did the Test for Under $800 Laptop?
Compared to low-budget laptops, testing under $800 laptops wasn’t too difficult or too easy. While we easily selected 5 of the most popular laptops on the market. When we were expecting an all-around performance, the challenge appeared.
However, we considered the following factors and ensured that our final winner met them all.
Performance
When examining the performance, we saw that laptops under this range delivered a one-sided performance. They performed well either in terms of CPU or GPU. Some of them were average on both sides. However, we tested them with mild-gaming sessions and resource-hogging tasks. We ensured they excelled in these.
Built Quality
We performed quality assessments on each laptop to ensure its reliability. We made sure that the laptop was portable, flexible, lightweight, well-built, and capable of dissipating excessive heat.
Pricing
When we test each laptop’s performance, we also look at the extra features it offers. We then determine whether the laptop provides the best price value for what it delivers based on its design, performance, and features.
1. Acer Swift 3 Thin & Light Laptop
- Strong CPU and GPU performance
- Light old school design
- Bright and fast 15.6-inches HD display
- Great ports
The Acer Swift 3 also features a fingerprint reader, which provides another safe method of instantly unlocking your laptop via Windows Hello.
After extensive testing of putting hours into each laptop, here we have the winner in the face of the Acer Swift 3. Known for the most satisfying performance in this price range, this incredible machine brings portability and style along.
The surprises begin as soon as you open the box. Everything about this device is appealing, from its tempting silver shiny metallic appearance to its AMD Ryzen 7-powered performance. First and foremost, the gorgeous IPS display with an 82 percent screen-to-body ratio will send your inner Netflix streamer into a frenzy.
And if you take a look inside the chassis, you’ll see that everything screams power. For heavy computing tasks like video editing or gaming, the AMD Ryzen 7 and Radeon integrated graphics with 8 GB memory and a 512 GB SSD are more than enough to mention. However, to ensure you’re online, up to 16 hours of battery life stands by your side too.
So what is now left is you taking a taste of all this all-rounder offers in terms of performance and so many more features and that also at a great price value.
Technical Specifications
Screen Size | 14-inch |
Resolution | 1920×1080 |
Storage | 512 GB |
Memory | 8 GB |
Weight | 2.65 lbs |
Colors | Silver |
Material | Aluminum |
Dimensions | 12.73 x 8.62 x 0.63 inches |
Wireless Connectivity | Wi-Fi 6 (802.11a/b/g/n/ac)Bluetooth version 5.0 |
USB Ports | 1 USB 3.1 Gen 1 (Type A) 1 USB 3.2 Gen 2 (Type C) 1 Thunderbolt 4 |
- Applaudable Intel Core-i5 performance
- Stylish light and slim build
- Supports Thunderbolt 4
- Long battery backup
- Lacks SD card support
2. ASUS TUF Gaming F15 Gaming Laptop
- Slim and strong metal build
- Outstanding overall performance
- Gorgeous HD IPS display
- Smartly handles excessive heat
The ASUS TUF Gaming F15 has an easy-upgrade design that provides quick access to memory slots and storage bays, through which, upgrading your RAM and SSD is simplified.
Gaming laptops are known for their capability of providing an all-rounder performance. However, the fact that they are so expensive makes them unthinkable. With its potent specifications, the ASUS TUF Gaming F15 attempts to be your everyday work machine despite being designed specifically for gaming.
Lacking the RGB lights that a gamer craves, the first look at this machine is the metal lid, which exposes a plastic base as it opens. The vintage design is visually appealing and easy to carry. The first thing to mention is the 15.6-inch HD IPS rich display which is wider as compared to the Acer Swift 3’s 14-inches and provides a brighter delight for the eyes when we tested it with some 4K streams and favorite games.
The base panel of the model we tested carried an 11th Gen Intel Core-i5 chip, 8 GB memory, dedicated GeForce GTX 1650 graphics, and 512 GB SSD storage. With these powerful specs, the TUF Gaming F15 performed admirably during our tests, which included browsing a large number of Chrome Tabs that frequently hog memory.
We also tested it with low-intensity gaming sessions. However, it excelled in both areas, as each page loaded quickly and with no lags, and the gaming experience received a thumbs up from the team. This fantastic laptop is also mastered in terms of battery life, with 12.5 hours of battery life sufficient for basic tasks. Not only that, but the TUF Gaming F15 has some fantastic extra features just waiting to be discovered.
Technical Specifications
Screen Size | 15.6-inch |
Resolution | 1920×1080 |
Storage | 512 GB |
Memory | 8 GB |
Weight | 5.07 lbs |
Colors | Black |
Material | Plastic |
Dimensions | 14.13 x 10.08 x 0.97 inches |
Wireless Connectivity | Wi-Fi 6 (802.11a/b/g/n/ac)Bluetooth version 5.1 |
USB Ports | 2 USB 3.2 Gen 1 (Type A)1 USB 2.0 (Type A)1 USB 3.2 Gen 1 (Type C) 1 USB 3.2 Gen 2 (Type C) |
- Stellar GPU and CPU performance
- Rugged build that weighs less
- Thunderbolt 4 support available
- 144Hz fast refresh rate
- Lacks USB-C Charging support
3. ASUS VivoBook F512 Thin and Lightweight Laptop
- Breathtaking design NanoEdge
- Up-to-par display
- Solid build with grey color
- Fingerprint sensor with mouse pad
The centered silver metallic sheen of the Asus logo on the lid paired with the textured Slate Grey finish gives a top-notch contrast.
The VivoBook 15 hasn’t downgraded its performance alongside being the sickest and aesthetically pleasing laptop in the market and proves that ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!
The Asus VivoBook 15 (2020) comes with a powerful AMD Ryzen 5 3500U processor that is backed with a 2MB Cache and goes up to 3.6 GHz when turbo-boosted alongside having the AMD Radeon Vega 8 GPU to help in creating great graphical performance.
Furthermore, it is armed with 8 gigs of RAM and 256GB PCIe NVMe SSD. And the storage is enough for someone who isn’t into gaming and other high-end stuff. However, RAM and SSD can be increased as well. Another thing about the SSD is that it boots the windows comparatively faster than the HDD. Not only that, but the SSD helps in loading the apps and games faster, too.
To give you a premium look and feel, Asus has done a solid job in manufacturing top-tier designs for its higher-end ZenBook line. On the way down, the VivoBook 15 has a beautiful plain plastic bottom that is intact when it is placed on a table.
Also, the ErgoLift Hinge in the back helps to lift the keyboard deck a bit upward giving a comfortable typing experience. Not only that, but you will find the same finish as you did on the lid. Another great feature that the VivoBook 15 provides is the built-in fingerprint sensor.
Another notable thing about the keyboard is that the key spacing is brilliant for the most part, but this could’ve been better if the space was slightly greater. And the keys are a bit mushy and lack a strong bounce to help move your fingers quickly.
When it comes to the display, the VivoBook 15 has a 15.6” FHD NanoEdge bezel display, and the most interesting part is that it has a 88% screen-to-body ratio. And it comes in a 1920x1080p display that produces sharp images, but the panel is overall dim and the colors are kind of washed out.
As most laptops have battery issues in common. We have experienced in our testing Asus VivoBook 15 has a short battery life as well as you go on playing games or perform some tasks that put pressure on the system.
Technical Specifications
MODEL | Vivobook 15 F512DA |
CPU | AMD R5-3500U |
GPU | AMD Radeon Vega 8 |
RAM | 8GB DDR4 |
STORAGE | 256GB |
RESOLUTION | 1920×1080 |
WEIGHT | 3.53 pounds |
- Sturdy build
- Aesthetic look
- Comfy keyboard and touchpad
- IPS display with anti-glare coating
- Not perfect for gaming
- Not good in battery
4. Acer Aspire 5 Slim Laptop
- Multiple ports option
- Acer Color Intelligence
- Appreciable Speakers
- Great keyboard
The Aspire 5 has a narrow-bezel design that helps in creating amazing crisp images alongside the true colors for you to enjoy with the FHD IPS display.
The Acer Aspire 5 falls into the category of laptops that wouldn’t win all the acknowledgment and praise, but it is a laptop among the ones that will get the job done. It ticks all the boxes for the students who are participating in remote or in-person learning.
If you can’t take your eyes off the premium laptops backed with fancy features, but find them hurting your bank then you might wanna look into the Acer Aspire 5 as it is a budget laptop that is a general-use one and performs decently.
It comes with an AMD Ryzen 3 3200U processor that goes up to 3.5Ghz if turbo-boosted alongside having the Radeon Vega 3 Mobile graphics to help it survive in the graphics race. Also, another thing that is worth appreciating is that due to the graphics card, the battery life is extended and the card doesn’t suck all the power.
The 8GB DDR4 RAM comes in as the entry-level specs and the storage is 128GB PCIe NVMe SSD. However, the storage is quite low, but it can be upgraded. Also, it is enough for someone who performs light stuff.
When it comes to the design, the Acer Aspire 5 is something that you would expect from a mid-range player; it has nothing too fancy, but this doesn’t mean that this one is an ugly and unpleasant laptop.
Read More How To Remove Acer Laptop Battery?
If you look into the keyboard, you’d find it to be much more convenient and is backed with responsive keys; giving you more travel than you may expect from it. Also, there’s no such audible click or something, but you’d be feeling them actuate actually, which is far better than the mushy or shallow keyboard(s).
On the way down, the touchpad is so simplistic with no dedicated click buttons. But, it responds really well to the clicks and touches with a sign of zero to looseness. To be honest, it’s not the largest touchpad, but it basically does the job.
Technical Specifications
CPU | Ryzen 3 3200U |
GPU | AMD Radeon Vega 3 |
RAM | 4GB DDR4 |
STORAGE | 128GB SSD |
RESOLUTION | 1920×1080 |
WEIGHT | 3.97 pounds |
- Great sound quality
- Upgradeable
- Array of ports
- Nice backlit keyboard
- Mediocre performance
- Straight design
5. Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" Laptop
- More than good battery life
- Unique signature Abyss Color
- Sturdy chassis
- Great choice for light gaming
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 consists of the AMD Ryzen 5 3500U Mobile processor that uses much lower voltage and is really great in running cooler than the CPUs that exist in the desktop PCs.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 is normally a better choice when you’re going to buy a laptop on a tight budget for school, college, or office work. It’s a decent laptop with sturdy chassis, a 14” screen, and a wonderful keyboard — perks that aren’t available on most budget laptops.
It is one of the laptops that have the capability to easily rival any other budget laptop. To be more specific, it doesn’t have the earth-shattering power, but it does the trick and completes the task — a great choice for students and office work.
It’s packed with 8 gigs of RAM to speed things up for you and make them happen quicker. In addition to that, the RAM can be upgraded as well so if you don’t feel like staying on the 8GB then you can add more. On top of that, it has a 256GB SSD which is enough for someone who doesn’t perform tasks on heavy software or play heavy games, but you can extend the storage as well.
Despite being a 14” 1920x1080p screen, the display is not-so-bright. Not only that but the contrast and saturations are pretty weak as well. This laptop is not, obviously, for movie watching or gaming, but it does and can run Skyrim.
The IdeaPad 3’s keyboard indicates that it is made for work more than play, but there’s a hollow sound when you press the keys; however, if you start to press harder you’d feel that the keyboard is much better for long-form typing.
Also, you don’t get any fancy extras. This laptop doesn’t come with a fingerprint sensor for instant logins and it doesn’t have a keyboard backlight either. Furthermore, the trackpad isn’t as impressive as the keyboard as it is a rounded-off rectangle made up of plastic with a bit of wobble to its clicker.
This laptop doesn’t come with any unique design features that convince eyes to make it their top priority, apart from the signature Abyss Blue color. It’s more like an ordinary laptop and comes in a rectangular shape with rounded corners and the “Lenovo” logo on one side of the corner. Also, the lid and the underside are of hard plastic.
Technical Specifications
MODEL | Ideapad 3 |
CPU | AMD Ryzen 5 3500U |
GPU | AMD Radeon Vega 8 |
RAM | 8GB DDR4 |
STORAGE | 256GB SSD |
RESOLUTION | 1920×1080 |
WEIGHT | 3.30 pounds |
- Nice performance for its price
- Solid built quality
- Long battery life
- Affordable price
- Dim display
- Clicky touchpad
6. Dell G3 Gaming Laptop
- Responsive touchpad
- Better option for gaming
- Top-tier battery
- Nvidia GTX 1050
This laptop looks more aesthetic and premium even without being made with premium materials. It has a black plastic lid that features the “Dell” logo with a decent touch to it that makes it pop.
We’ve now hopped onto the track to see the best budget gaming laptop that offers solid performance and the price is reasonable as well. Apart from that, you wouldn’t get the Windows 3 and the Thunderbolt 3 — we shouldn’t expect too many bells & whistles.
Gaming laptops’ demand has increased over the last year, and everyone wants to have a featherweight and the thinnest laptop ever alongside a 10x horsepower performance. But these features make it skyrocket the price as well, and not everyone can afford it. This is where the Dell G3 comes in…
The Dell G3 has the Core i5-8300H Quad-core processor that is backed with an 8MB Cache and goes up to 3.9GHz on turbo boost. To make it a great player for games, it has the Nvidia GTX 1050 graphics card that is more efficient and works better in offering better graphics.
The 8GB RAM and the 256GB SSD come as entry-level specs. However, there’s always room for an upgrade. The 8GB RAM is quite enough for gaming, but if you want a better experience, you’re more than welcome to increase it. Also, the 256GB SSD might run out soon if you’re into high-end games. And the SSD helps in booting the windows much faster and loads up apps and games significantly quicker, too.
If we look at the Dell G3 from other aspects, it stands out compared to its price; but it falls severely when it comes to its display as it is quite dull. Despite having a 1920x1080p display, it doesn’t help in producing vivid colors. And the brightness is comparatively fine as it stands at 272 nits.
Most of the time, the budget laptops have a decent keyboard with a great feeling. The Dell G3 keyboard feels a little cheap and the keys are a bit small as well, but these don’t affect the overall typing quality. Also, the touchpad is a bit taller and has enough space, and works perfectly and accurately while browsing the web and navigating Windows.
Technical Specifications
MODEL | G3 |
CPU | Core i5 8300H (Quad-core) |
GPU | Nvidia GTX 1050 |
RAM | 8GB 2666 megahertz DDR4 |
STORAGE | 256GB |
RESOLUTION | 1920×1080 |
WEIGHT | 5.95 pounds |
- Minimalistic style
- Great battery performance
- Strong performance
- Ideal for gaming
- Dull display
7. ASUS ZenBook 13 NanoEdge Bezel Display
- High-end durability
- ErgoLift Hinge
- Lightweight
- Great performance
This laptop is armed with the latest 10th generation Intel Core i5 processor, which performs really well when it comes to gaming
Surprisingly, the Asus ZenBook 13 is incredibly compact, slim, and as light as a feather. The performance is so fine for the price that your mind will be at peace plus it doesn’t hurt your wallet as well. Also, the touchpad comes in a considerate size and features a full-color display.
The processor performs well in online multiplayer games such as CSGO, CODW, Dota2, etc, which makes a goto processor if you’re into gaming. Furthermore, it has Intel UHD Graphics that are noticeably good in the low-end graphics range.
It also features an 8GB of RAM alongside having a 256GB PCIe NVMe SSD is considered a good combination and is found in the majority of budget-friendly laptops. However, there’s always quite enough room for upgrades. Another thing about the SSD is that it will significantly reduce the load time of your laptop and increase the data transferring speed when moving files.
Read More Download, Install, And Run Safari Browser On Windows 10?
The ZenBook 13 offers a whopping 1920×1080 glossy colorful panel that gives a clean detail while watching a movie or something on the laptop. Also, the brightness hits the 370 nits range and becomes really bright when at peak. It also features a 13.3-inches 16:9 Anti-glare FHD 4-way NanoEdge bezel display that looks too good. And due to the NanoEdge bezels, it has an 88% screen-to-body ratio that increases the screen as well.
Additionally, the keyboard feels really great even though the laptop is slim — the slim design hasn’t compromised the keyboard travel. The keyboard has plenty of space to easily place your finger on the keys. Furthermore, the keyboard has LED backlighting, which is really nice, bright, and worth the appreciation.
In addition to that, the touchpad is really good and is pretty huge — giving enough space for easily sliding your fingers on it to achieve what you wish for. Another thing about the touchpad is that it has a built-in number pad that is easily activated by holding the top right of the touchpad.
Furthermore, the ZenBook 13 is featuring the ErgoLift hinge that slightly lifts the keyboard upward for better hand placement for typing. On top of that, it has the MIL-STD-810G military standard for durability and reliability. Due to being 13.9mm thin, it is still durable and ultrathin and does the trick for the ones who adore power.
Technical Specifications
MODEL | Zenbook 13 UX325 |
CPU | Core i5-1035G1 |
GPU | Intel UHD Graphics |
RAM | 8GB LPDDR4X |
STORAGE | 256GB PCIe NVMe SSD |
RESOLUTION | 1920×1080 |
WEIGHT | 2.50 pounds |
- Premium and luxurious feeling
- Great multitasking
- Powerful overall performance
- Sleek and slim design
- Weak speakers
- Below-average keyboard design
8. Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15 Business Laptop
- Smooth touchpad surface
- Simplistic design
- Awesome touch screen display
- Great multitasking
- Fingerprint sensor
This laptop has 16GB 3200MHz DDR4 SDRAM that works more than well in multitasking, alongside having a 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD that stores a considerate amount of apps and data.
In this modern era, everything is becoming online and everyone needs a laptop to get the work done. But, for strong performance, looks, and durability, a laptop can become expensive. On top of that, a student on a tight budget cannot buy a laptop that fulfills his requirements. The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 is something that was specifically manufactured to cater to the needs of a student and eliminate all the problems while being affordable as well…
The IdeaPad 5 has the latest Intel Core-i5 10th generation processor with a whopping 6MB cache and clocks up to 3.6GHz in turbo boost, which is really admirable. Also, it is backed with Intel UHD Graphics to give it a good backup in the graphics area. They both combined are a great combination for gaming as they can run heavier games on the lowest graphics settings.
It has a 15.6-inches Anti-glare 1920x1080p FHD display that also endorses the 10-fingers multi-touch feature. On top of that, it has a 300-nits brightness which makes it a better competitor in the market as compared to other laptops in this price range, whose weak point is the screen.
The keyboard is the standard Lenovo keyboard, having short key travel. It is a full-size backlit keyboard with a number pad on the right side. Also, the power button is right above the keypad. It is featuring the fingerprint as well to ace up its security. And the touchpad has a smooth texture to it, which offers smooth sliding of your finger on it and the cursor responds accurately.
To be honest, there was nothing fancy in the design of the IdeaPad 5, but the simplicity is something that can be much appreciated. Also, there is a sturdy and strong feel to the aluminum chassis that makes the laptop suitable for carrying to lectures and study halls on a daily basis, and the simple look will suit everyone.
Technical Specifications
MODEL | Ideapad 5 |
CPU | Core i5-1035G1 |
GPU | Intel UHD Graphics |
RAM | 16GB 3200MHz DDR4 |
STORAGE | 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD |
RESOLUTION | 1920×1080 |
WEIGHT | 4.44 pounds |
- Durable design
- Great battery life
- High performance
- Touch screen display
- The touchpad could’ve been better
9. ASUS Chromebook Flip C436
- 360-degree movable screen
- NanoEdge display
- Premium Chromebook
- Heavy-duty work
There are a few things that really make this laptop’s design stand out, and the first ones that come in are the chrome and Asus logo contrasted with the ivory lid. Another one is the hinge with pretty nice detailing.
Asus has been making premium laptops for a decade now, featuring extra and top-tier features that amaze everyone. This time, it has come with a premium-looking Chromebook that is a fabulous multitasker and is a great companion of a programmer, photo editor, or content creator.
The Chromebook Flip C436 has the Intel Core i3 10th generation processor, having a 4M Cache, and clocks up to 4.1GHz on turbo boost. This processor is combined with the Intel UHD Graphics to give you a decent performance in the low-tier graphics range.
Furthermore, it is backed with an 8GB of RAM alongside having 128GB PCIe NVMe SSD. the RAM is quite enough for the majority of the people unless you’re doing some heavy-duty work, which will definitely require more RAM, but you can increase it if you’re not comfortable with it. The SSD is a great component in the laptop that helps in transferring data at a high speed, booting Windows instantly, and loading apps quickly as well.
It features a 1920x1080p touchscreen 14” FHD 4-way NanoEdge display, which is a great companion when you’re watching movies as it helps in popping all the colors clearly. Apart from offering vivid and sharp visuals, the Chromebook Flip C436 is, however, not that bright enough, but it still does the trick. Also, it has a touchscreen, which is somehow not that responsive either.
This laptop has a backlit keyboard that lacks the number pad, which isn’t a big deal, along with decent spacing between the keys. And laptops that are thin don’t deliver as much key travel as you’ll see on this one. There’s a decent audible click to it when you press any key and a springiness that pushes you back. In addition to that, the Chromebook C436 has a wide-angle touchpad that is too smooth to the touch and creates no problem. It is also easy to use Chrome OS gestures.
In the Chromebook, you’ll find a durable 360-degree hinge that enables the laptop to turn into a quick tablet mode or if you’ve a mood to watch a movie then you shape it into a tent to place it right in front of you and watch it without having to hold it.
Technical Specifications
MODEL | Chromebook Flip C436 |
CPU | Core i3-10110U |
GPU | Intel UHD Graphics |
RAM | 8GB |
STORAGE | 128GB PCIe NVMe SSD |
RESOLUTION | 1920×1080 |
WEIGHT | 2.58 pounds |
- Slim and sleek design
- Vivid display
- Tip-top keyboard
- Fingerprint scanner
- Wi-Fi 6
- Average battery life
10. Asus VivoBook X512DA
- Ultimate solution for light games
- Perfect keyboard
- Decent performance
- Fingerprint Facility
Asus is one of the finest companies that make top-tier laptops in every budget range. This time, it has come with the VivoBook X512DA, which is a great fellow for someone who is all about working.
Asus is one of the finest companies that make top-tier laptops in every budget range. This time, it has come with the VivoBook X512DA, which is a great fellow for someone who is all about working.
The Asus VivoBook X512DA consists of the AMD R5-3500U processor along with the same company’s graphics card that is the AMD Radeon Vega 10, which is suitable for light gaming but gives a decent smoothness in games as compared to the Vega 8 version. Also, the processor has a 2M cache and clocks up to 4.0GHz with Turbo boost technology.
It has an 8GB DDR4 SDRAM and storage space of around 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD. To be honest, the RAM and the SSD are quite enough for daily life work, but if you’re a heavy-doer then you might need to upgrade it to your desired amount.
This laptop has a 15.6-inches ultra-slim NanoEdge 5.7mm bezel Full HD display that keeps the fuss down to a minimum. Due to the ultraslim bezels, it gets an 88% screen-to-body ratio — giving you plenty of screens to watch your favorite movies without the fear of losing anything.
It features the Ergonomic chiclet keyboard that is almost perfect for use in every environment. And the 1.4mm key travel will give a comfy typing experience. The keys are sufficiently good and the feel to it is quite good as well. Also, the touchpad is of fair size and the fingers can easily slide across without any issue and works accurately.
On the lid, you’ll see a decent ASUS logo, which is pretty minimal and simple. It also has the Ergofit hinge that helps the keyboard to lift a bit, making it a decent place to place your fingers on and start typing until you want.
Technical Specifications
MODEL | VivoBook X512DA-NH77 |
CPU | AMD R5-3500U |
GPU | AMD Radeon Vega 8 |
RAM | 8GB DDR4 SDRAM |
STORAGE | 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD |
RESOLUTION | 1920×1080 |
WEIGHT | 3.5 pounds |
- Offers upgradability
- Decent battery life
- Slim bezels
- Aesthetic design
- Poor display
- Poor build quality
Buyers Guide
Before selecting the aforementioned laptops, we had to go through a list of specs to make sure they are acknowledged by everyone when they go for buying them.
Everyone, who is opting for a laptop under $800, really needs to know about the things/specs that make a huge difference and set them apart from other laptops. And to make things easier for you, we have listed them below as well.
So, to keep things short, let me walk you through the list of things that play a vital role.
Processor
The first thing that really matters in a laptop or a PC is the processor. If you’re going for a laptop/PC that has an obsolete processor or weaker one then it is like you’re about to waste your money without a second thought.
To be more precise, it will be not bad to say that the processor is the most important part of a computer that plays a vital role in how better the system performs. It throws a significant effect on the overall performance of the system.
While buying a laptop, you’d need to see what processor is coming with a laptop under $800. It will be preferred to opt for a laptop with a minimum i5 processor. However, it is also possible to get a laptop with an i7 processor. Also, the generation of the processor matters a lot as well — make sure to get the latest generation one, too, so your system can perform better.
Ram
Another thing that should be looked into is the RAM.
To sum up everything in one line: the more RAM is, the faster your laptop will be. Having more RAM makes multitasking easier for the system and makes the software not to be glitchy or laggy.
Typically, a laptop under 800 bucks comes with DDR4 RAM, but it will be preferred if you could find one with DDR5 RAM.
Additionally, it is highly recommended to pick the one that comes with upgradeable RAM so your laptop can be future-proof. Normally, with this budget, you’ll get 8GB of RAM with decent specifications. And it is advised to get more RAM for better performance.
Graphics Card
The next that matters a lot in a PC or a laptop is the graphics card. It is a known fact that it is the most essential element in a system. Without it, your laptop will lack a hugely important component.
A graphics card helps a system in running graphics-intensive software or game smoothly, without any issue. Also, if you’re a bit into gaming and want a laptop that can run lightweight games then an integrated graphics card can work out for you, but if you’re into high-end AAA games then you’d be needing a dedicated graphics card for that.
Additionally, if you want a laptop for heavy visual work then the NVIDIA GTX 2080 or 1660 or something in this range would run the software smoothly for you.
Display
Normally, a display is something that is overlooked, almost, most of the time. But, graphics designers or video editors highly depend on the display and graphics card.
A brighter display and more vivid colors will help you in having more enjoyable experiences. Also, with a greater pixel display, you will be having an easier approach to determining enemies in a game as you will be able to have a crisper image to look at.
Read More How To Measure Laptop Screen Size?
Furthermore, a better display plays a huge role in enhancing your experience and puts a positive and greater impact on the images that you see on the screen.
Also, you can find a touch screen laptop as well within this budget, but we wouldn’t recommend getting one as the touch screen will decrease the functionality of the laptop. However, it’s a personal preference if someone wants to get a touch screen.
SSD
Most of the laptops come with an HDD, which works fine in most cases. But if you’re someone who loves to have seen things happen quickly and faster then you wouldn’t be pleased to have the HDD.
An SSD is far more efficient than an HDD as an SSD uses flash memory, and is way faster than the old-school hard drives. With an SSD, your programs will significantly load faster, files will be transferred at a lightning speed as compared to the HDD, and data transfer will be increased immensely. Another thing is that you would need a 512GB of SSD to have enough storage space.
Conclusion
As we already talked about the challenges faced in buying an under $800 budget laptop. A budget that once allowed for purchasing a powerful machine now necessitates some compromises. However, because you won’t be purchasing a laptop real soon, be sure it works well in all areas. You can confidently trust the Acer Swift 3 Thin & Light Laptop for all of your intended tasks. Because besides being ultraportable, the Acer Swift 3 efficiently handles heavy tasks with a lengthy battery backup.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Which processor should I choose if I want high performance?
The simple answer to this question is the higher the processor the better will be the performance of the system. But in the $800 price range, you’re more likely to encounter the i5 and i7 processors. However, you shouldn’t choose a laptop that has a processor lower than the i3.
Should I go for cheaper laptops?
It solely depends on your budget. But if you want to go for cheaper laptops then you should expect a low-end laptop with slower or weak performance. However, if performance is not your issue then you can go for it. But if good performance is something that you are opting for then you would have to up your budget as well.
Which company’s graphics card should I choose?
The Nvidia and AMD graphics cards are the best ones in the market, and no other card can dominate them in performance. Also, some of the top graphics cards of AMD and Nvidia are very expensive as they provide top-notch performance and are the latest in the game.
What is the ideal amount of RAM?
It really depends on the type of task you do on a daily basis. If you’re someone who continuously performs heavier tasks on your laptop then you would need more RAM. But, normally, 8GB of RAM works perfectly fine for normal daily work. Also, the majority of laptops have an option to upgrade the RAM.
Will there be an option to upgrade my Graphics card?
Normally, there isn’t an option to upgrade the graphics card in a laptop as the integrated cards are pre-soldered on the motherboard so you cannot upgrade it. However, some laptops come with a dedicated graphics card as well, which performs way better than the integrated ones, so if you have a dedicated one then the performance of your system will be better and you wouldn’t feel the need to upgrade. But if you still want to upgrade then there isn’t an option.