Before going into the best mini laptop for the money you must know that technological advancements are taking new leaps. Technology has reshuffled every industry; the world has entered into the information age.
Big giant-sized computers have been transitioned into compact mobile-computers. Big brands are competing to improvise even the mobile-computers design into something alien to the humans.
We do not know where the journey ends, but every next step ahead is adding value to our lives.
Let’s take laptops (mobile-computers) as an example. The small-sized computers have added so much ease to our lives. Now, we can take our computer around, get entertained, compile research papers, play video games, and even study.
The latest shuffle has shrunk even the laptop size into mini-laptops. These mini-laptops are taking the internet and technology world by storm.
Everyone is after them, as they are more compact, small-sized, and weighs less. The compactness and portability make them easy to carry, and one can have them in pouches for hours.
Especially those who travel very often, find mini-laptops best fits. For them, carrying a big sized 17-inch laptop would cause a problem. They can have this small-sized compact mobile computer along and carry out their casual tasks.
Best Small Laptop For Your Money 2020 with Buying Guide:
These are some best mini laptop for the money in 2020 you can have. We listed the products, read their specs and performance, and look what falls right on your criteria.
1) Acer Chromebook Spin 11
Check PriceWe have not seen many Chromebooks hitting UK laptop industry. There are very few best mini laptops for the money which are making their ways into the UK world, Acer is one of them. About, half of the mini-laptops purchase made in the UK is just of Acer Chromebook.
The laptop is a typical entry and falls under budget range with basic specs and Google Chrome OS. The OS you know is designed for someone who wants to use apps and spend time on browsing.
Acer is not famous for paying heed to the looks. This mini laptop as well might not impress you from its designing. The first glance of the machine gives you vibes of a budget laptop, from plastic lid to linear pattern; it looks more like an old-school look.
The laptop bolstered Intel Celeron N3350 processor, which is good enough to take a load of your browsing and application workload. The laptop features 11.6 inches HD touch display, 4GB RAM, 32GB eMMC. The specs look more than good for a Chromebook, as you are also going to get a MicroSD memory card slot for expanding the 64GB of built-in storage.
Though he dedicated storage is enough to take loads of apps and other bits unless you do not play video games or store heavy movies or videos.
If you are looking for a machine for compiling assignments, and writing lengthy articles or dozens of emails on the go, Chromebook Spin 11 will certainly satisfy your needs. The chiclet-style keyboard offers a satisfying writing experience and stretches almost entirely from edge-to-edge.
You get perfect ideal space while writing; the keys are well designed and spaced from each other.
When it comes to the screen, you should not put lots of hopes from the Chromebook screens. The asking price is low; that’s why the brand has to cut corners to make that price achievable.
The laptop offers 11.6 inches IPS panel full HD screen. The visuals might not be that sharp; still, you will be happy to watch your favorite show without any color issue. The colors are impressive than rival devices, although avid gamers and creative professionals might ask something more. But, the price and other things do not allow them to have something vibrant.
The battery of the Chromebooks is always smashing. You are promised to deliver at least 8-10 hours with a single battery charging, without any hiccup.
Pros:
- Affordable price
- Solid performance
- It offers a durable frame design which lasts for years
- Perfect mini laptop for the people who indulge in typing work more than often
- You get superb battery backup up to 10-hours
Cons:
- Dim display
- Can handle a couple of open tabs just fine
- The IPS screen is not that bright as we expected
2) Asus Transformer Mini
_ Check PriceASUS has never failed to impress its audience with cutting edge technology integrated products and out of the box design. The latest entry ASUS transfer has no exception to the rule; in fact, the product has raised the bar higher for counterparts.
The laptop, as the name says it all, is a true transfer. The mini laptop transforms into a tablet with a detachable keyboard, and into a full-fledged laptop.
That laptop runs Windows operating system; this showcases that the machine would not cause any issue in performance. Chrome OS may be fast in browsing and online apps running but stuck when we try to load more than one application.
The laptop is said to withstand as long as 12-hours in a single charging. This means you can have it on your campus, on a foreign tour, in-flight, and in the office to do your work.
The laptop is made for work and play, get your favorite entertainment running, along with compile your research paper, or outline your next article.
The laptop comes in four aluminum cover; you got to choose among four vibrant colors. The laptop is a compact, sleek, and only thickness lies around 0.75 inches. For avid gamers, who cannot stop playing video games on the way, can have it on board, the machine features a graphics card two times better than its previous generation model.
You roll your hands on 64GB dedicated storage, though most of it is utilized by the operating system.
The machine features latest Intel Atom Quad-Core x5-Z8350 Processor, 4GB RAM for fast, efficient and on the go loading.
Pros:
- The weight of the mini laptop would not harm your shoulder for sure, mere 1.7 pounds.
- 64GB storage with the option to SD card extend up to 128GB
- Full HD display enhanced video watching experience
- Quite effective and fast processor compare to other counterparts
- Enhanced battery life
Cons:
- The design could have been better than that
- The display is not that good, dim
- Windows OS really halts issue in the running through the apps and casual tasks
3) HP Chromebook x2
Check PriceIf you are looking for the high quality, durable, and best mini laptop for the money, must not overlook HP Chromebook x2. The laptop is a perfect grab for all your casual office and home usages. The product is produced and designed by one of the leading name laptop and computer world, HP. The brand has earned a huge name in producing mind-blowing quality and reliable machines.
The laptop features a Chrome OS operating system, would run apps and another online browsing like a breeze. In Chrome OS, Chrome offers many latest and newly designed apps, which cannot be used and run on normal Windows operating system.
The laptop features Intel Core m3-7Y30 processor; the base frequency is around 1GHz which can go up to 2.6Ghz with intel turbo boost technology.
The dedicated storage capacity is 32 GB, which can be extended using a micro SD card up to 128GB. The RAM size is enough to take a load of apps and online browsing, 4GB is more than enough for a Chromebook.
Keep in mind; this is a 2-in-1 laptop. The HP mini-series laptop features a detachable keyboard and converts into a tablet. You can use it as a full-fledged laptop for compiling your emails or articles and use as a Tablet to enjoy movies or run apps. The laptop features a screen size of 12.3 inches; diagonal 2k IPS backlit touchscreen display.
Pros:
- MicroSD card reader makes it easier to extend the hard disk as per your desired size up to 128GB
- The laptop can run as long as 12-hours in a single charging
- The mini-laptop weighs around 3.06 pound
Cons:
- Dim screen display
- Poor audio
4) Dell Chromebook 3189 Education 2-in-1
Check PriceAre you looking for a mini laptop for your kid to take the casual school load? If yes, Dell has designed something amazing for you. Dell Chromebook 3189 features everything that your kid would need in schools. The laptop is designed for educational purpose, kid-proof features. Such as it is a sealed laptop with a spill-resistant keyboard, the rubberized edges would protect it from sudden drops and offers around the clock protection from any damage.
The 2-in-1 laptop can be used a full keyboard laptop as well as a tablet. 180-degree hinge allows it to lay fully flat, making it easier to share content and note down something during the class.
The laptop features ChromeOS, owned by Google. The giant search engine is trying very hard to evolve today’s educational system and make it convert on today’s need basis.
The Chromebook G suite features a mountain of apps for student and teacher collaboration, including the classroom. The application keeps the student and teachers data organized, and keep the students and teachers in-contact and to create more useful distributions under one floor.
Dells’ mini laptop houses an Intel Celeron N3060 processor, the processor has earned a unique place in min laptop and quite capable of tackling the load of mini laptops. The storage though, could have been enhanced from 16GB, but the extended storage option using a MicroSD up to 128GB gives you peace of mind.
Dell’s Chromebook features 4GB RAM enough to take a load of Chrome OS apps and online browsing.
The 11.6 inches non-touch LCD laptop is not going to pot a record when it comes to comparing its specs with others. But, it does have enough performance and functions to fulfill the purpose at school or college.
The laptop’s battery is amazing, and range around 10-hours with a single charging. The battery backup makes the laptop a constant companion, can have it around campus, job, home, and travel.
Pros:
- The laptop is a durable solution for school kids problem
- The spill-resistant keyboard is something amazing to have in a school kid laptop
- Rugged design will add value to your regular life
- MicroSD card would let you extend the space to your desired level
- Decent amount of ports
Cons:
- Storage is less than expected
- Dim display
5) Microsoft Surface Pro 4
Check PriceIf may I ask you a question, what is the strict definition of a mini-laptop?
The answer would be the same as that, a laptop that is portable, lightweight, versatile, and possess a long battery life. If that’s the definition, then Microsoft Surface Pro 4 falls right on the definition, the machine that checks all the right boxes.
The laptop was released in 2019, with a multi-touch screen, a detachable keyboard. The laptop fits whichever form of laptop you need anytime anywhere.
The laptop weighs slightly higher than most of the counterparts but fits the needs of a user, who wants an efficient tablet, and flexibility of a great laptop when they need.
The laptop features a 10-inch 1800 x 1200 pixel display, along with intel Pentium Gold processor, and 4GB dedicated ram. The storage is enough to store your files and other apps data without any problem, SSD 128GB. You are not store, games, high-sized videos and bulky images, as 128GB is nothing in the face of high-resolution videos.
With this laptop, you can use Microsoft 364, an ideal grab for students and professionals alike.
The “Surface go” also features a surface pen, which goes to draw on the screen directly. It helps to note something down, during a class without any trouble.
You also get a Bluetooth, five-megapixel front-facing camera with 1080 Skype HD video. The battery life is solid, and withstands at least 8-hours in single charging.
Pros:
- Impressive range of features
- Good for students as well as teachers and professional
- Dedicated 128GB SSD storage
- Multi-touch screen and detachable keyboard
- A perfect laptop for digital art student which needs a system than supports pressure-sensitive stylus
Cons:
- There can be backlight bleed on the screen
6) Lenovo Yoga Book C930
Check Price HereIf you are an artist and looking for something amazing that no one has ever offered, look nowhere. Lenovo Yoga Book C930 has offered something amazing no other brand can ever dare to offer. The mini windows laptop features a dual display and opens like a book with two screens. One 10.8 inches multi-touch display and other 10-inch E-ink DISPLAY, both screens have a range of resolution around 2560 x 1600, adding e-ink display.
The machine adds a Bluetooth pen for the artist penning down something instantly without searching for the pen and paper. Draw amazing things on the screen with up to 4,096 different levels of pressure. The machine reshaped the entire concept of drawing digitally. If you have been resisting and facing problems in digitally drawing because of the rigid screens, you may find ease drawing on the screen.
The latest Yoga book has bolstered some amazing range of impressive specs. You can have a 7th generation core i5 processor with 4GB RAM, and 128GB SSD hard. The laptop also houses a built-in card reader, and 360 degrees hinge to flip and fold the screen. The battery runtime is amazing; you get fully 8-hours on the go without getting any battery drain option.
The laptop also houses on-processor graphics with shared video memory. You will get enhanced image and video quality experience, along with a photo and video editing apps running seamlessly.
7) Dell Inspiron A6-9220e – Mini Laptop Cheap
Check PriceIf you are looking for an extremely budget option for a mini laptop, look no further, you got your unit in the form of Dell Inspiron A6-9220e. The laptop houses standard 11.6 inches IPS display, with 1,366 x 768 resolutions.
Dell offers 4GB ddr4 RAM and 32GB storage. The option of extended storage using a micro SD card is there, and one can easily extend the storage as per the required range. You will have an older USB-A port, latest one USB-A port and HDMI output in that laptop, enough connectivity option in a mini laptop.
The laptop comes in three colors; you can choose between blue, white, and grey. The laptop also packs a 720P webcam, two speakers and a lock system. The battery is good to go, would provide juice for at least 8-10 hours in single charging.
The keyboard is perfect, can support 10 million keystrokes before fading out.
The laptop features 0.82 inches thick and 2.55 pounds of weight. Would not halt any issue in getting it in your bag and carrying it around the way.
Pros:
- Good to go a laptop for a budget range
- 10-HOURS of battery life
- Good range of connectivity port
- Incredible keyboard
Cons:
- The processor cannot take the load
8) Lenovo IdeaPad 100s – Best Laptop Under 300$
Check PriceLenovo IdeaPad 100s laptop is a great value for your money. The machine runs windows ten home basic and offers a great range of performance along with specification. Checks all the right boxes, including aesthetics, from the design, it is evident that the designing team puts a great effort and come up with a splendidly designed product. The laptop is available in four colors; pick one that suits your aesthetic send.
The laptop is not a 2-in-1, but the keyboard is sturdy and renders excellent performance. The keyboard ensures the workload pressure and offers a smooth, seamless experience.
The machine has Intel Atom Z3735F processor, along with 2GB RAM and 32GB SSD hard drive. The laptop battery run time is good to go; 8-hours is enough for a mini laptop.
The windows ten home basic and Idea collaboration makes a great product, enough power to support students and professionals equally.
Ideapad mini laptop houses a 0.3 MP camera that is not comparable to the newest entries, still a useful add-on.
Pros:
- Comes in hands at low price
- Good overall performance
- Eye catching aesthetics
Cons:
- Cannot take the load
- Freezes more than often
What to look for when buying a mini laptop?
Mini laptops are the hottest trends. People are more into mini-laptops or in layman language compact laptop, which is easy to carry and store.
These are some features you need to look for when buying a mini laptop.
Screen Size:
Mini laptops entire focus should be on the size of the screen. The screen must not be that small to see the full web page, nor big enough to halt issue while packing it on for your next trip.
The ideal size of the screen for a mini-budget laptop is around 8-10 inches. Bigger than this or less than that would hinder issues, and you would not be able to carry out your casual tasks such as typing emails, compiling papers, and browsing the internet.
Battery:
For a mini laptop, having a good battery backup is essential. The entire soul of having a small laptop would fade out if the battery dies instantly. You are having the small-sized notebook, just because you need to do your casual tasks on the go, and when the battery is an issue, how can you carry out those jobs?
So, have something which could stand at least 6-8 hours. In the mentioned laptops, before adding them, checked the battery backup and given a high-margin to those laptops which are good at the battery.
Weight:
The mini laptop should be portable. Anything cannot be portable if it is heavyweight and bigger in size.
Look for a laptop ranging 3-4 pounds in weight, more than this would result in pain in the shoulder.
Chrome OS vs. Windows:
Yes, that’s the biggest issue when a buyer comes forward to purchasing a mini laptop. He sees chrome OS and Windows OS, which one is the best?
Look, both are good; it depends upon your workload and work type.
If you are the one who mostly uses a laptop for browsing and doing online stuff, ChromeOS would be a good fill.
For someone who does work offline than online, opting-with Windows OS would be good. Both operating systems have their own advantages and disadvantages; it is the usage which decides which one is the best.
2-in-1 laptops
Decide which one is good for you: the simple laptop or 2-in-1 laptop. The 2-in-1 also comes in two variations. The first is detachable that comes with a screen that comes off the keyboard entirely and the second is flexible laptops. The flexible laptops feature hinges that lay back 360-degree or 180-degree.
These laptops can be used as a tablet and a full-fledged keyboard laptop. You will be enjoying two features in one laptop.
But, if you see you do not see the need of your notebook as a slate, go for the traditional laptops, they are more powerful and often offer a longer lifespan.
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