Best Laptops for Work from Home under $500 in 2020

by | Jan 12, 2021 | Laptops, Tech

An office today has become confined in the smallest place the world has ever known – a laptop. Occupations are continuing to become more remote, and it is only a strong and reliable laptop that can make your work from home time as optimum as possible.

In the quest of looking for the best laptop for remote working, you must look at features that cater to your business needs. Working longer hours, whenever and wherever you want means that you need the longest, and most sustainable battery life. If you’re working with a lot of data, you need a powerful laptop to keep track of everything. And of course, it is always good to find what you need at the most reasonable price possible.

Depending on your use, whether it be professional or educational, the type of laptop you want can vary. So whether you’re a filmmaker or a web designer, to save your time and effort, we have simplified your research into a list of 2020’s best laptops for your remote occupation under $500.

NAME SPECS RATING
HP 14 14

HP 14″ Touchscreen
Micro-Edge HD Business Laptop

  • Ram: 8 GB
  • Hard Drive: 256 GB SSD
  • Processor: AMD Ryzen 3
  • Display: 14 inch LED Backlight

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ASUS VivoBook 15

ASUS VivoBook 15

  • Ram: 8 GB
  • Hard Drive: 128 GB SSD
  • Processor: Intel core i3
  • Display: 15.6 inch Intel UHD

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Dell Inspiron 15.6

Dell Inspiron 15.6″ HD Touchscreen Laptop

  • Ram: 8 GB
  • Hard Drive: 128 GB
  • Processor: Intel Core i3
  • Display: 15.6″ LED Backlit Touchscreen

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Dell Inspiron i3583 15.6

Dell Inspiron i3583

  • Ram: 8 GB
  • Hard Drive: 128 GB SSD
  • Processor: Intel core i3
  • Display: 15.6″ LED Backlit Touch Screen

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Dell Latitude E5470 HD Business Laptop

Dell Latitude E5470 HD Business Laptop

  • Ram: 8 GB
  • Hard Drive: 256 GB SSD
  • Processor: Intel core i5
  • Display: 14.6″ HD Anti-Glare Screen

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Dell Latitude E7470

Dell Latitude E7470

  • Ram: 8 GB
  • Hard Drive: 256 GB SSD
  • Processor: Intel core i5
  • Display: 14.1″ HD Anti-Glare Screen

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HP 14in High Performance Laptop AMD Ryzen 3

HP 14in High Performance Laptop AMD Ryzen 3

  • Ram: 4 GB
  • Hard Drive: 128 GB SSD
  • Processor: AMD Ryzen 3
  • Display: 14″ LED Backlit HD Screen

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HP 15-inch HD Laptop, AMD Ryzen 3

HP 15in HD Laptop, AMD Ryzen 3

  • Ram: 8 GB
  • Hard Drive: 256 GB SSD
  • Processor: AMD Ryzen 3
  • Display: 15.6″ LED Backlit HD Screen

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HP 15.6

HP 15.6″ HD Intel 10th Gen i3-1005G1

  • Ram: 4 GB
  • Hard Drive: 128 GB SSD
  • Processor: Intel core i3
  • Display: 15.6″ LED Backlit HD Screen

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HP 2019 14

HP 2019 14″ Laptop – Intel Core i3

  • Ram: 8 GB
  • Hard Drive: 128 GB SSD
  • Processor: Intel core i3
  • Display: 14″ LED Backlit HD Screen

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HP 14 14″ Touchscreen Micro-Edge HD Business Laptop

Capacity: 8GB RAM|256GB SSD

Processor: 2.60GHz AMD Ryzen 3 3200U turbo boost up to 3.5GHz

Display: 14 inch LED Backlight 1366×768(HD)

Connectivity:  1x USB-C 3.1 Gen 1, 2x USB 3.1, 1x HDMI, 1x SD Card slot, Audio combo, 802.11ac, Bluetooth 4.2, webcam, RJ-45 ethernet port

OS: Windows 10 Home in S mode

Graphics: Radeon Vega 3 Graphics

For its great price, this handy touchscreen notebook is super desirable. An 8 GB Ram makes it a comfortable device for home and business tasks, allowing users to work on extensive spreadsheets, design projects and other strenuous editing tasks. Another modern feature of this laptop is its 256 SSD storage which replaces the bulky hard drive, making the laptop portable and easier to carry. It also prevents lag and creates a more efficient user experience. The HD resolution equipped with a well effective touchscreen is worth overlooking the fact that the laptop lacks a fingerprint scanner. Overall, it proves as a perfect choice for a WFH laptop.

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ASUS VivoBook 15 Thin and Light Laptop

Capacity: 8GB RAM , 128GB SSD

Processor: Intel core i3

Display: 15.6 inch Intel UHD (1920×1080 pixels)

Connectivity:  USB 3.2 Type-C, USB 3.2 Type-A, USB 2.0, and HDMI; Gigabit Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac)

OS: Windows 10 S

The ASUS VivoBook 15 has a beautiful wide display. It features an Ergo Lift Hinge which allows you keyboard elevation making typing more comfortable. The Intel core i3 processor will prevent sluggishness during your work, and make it easy for you to move around. It comes with all the ports you can possibly want and even has a built-in fingerprint scanner for added security. Back-lit keyboard, strong audio and extremely portable, this laptop has it all and that to, for no more than $500.

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Dell Inspiron 15.6″ HD Touchscreen Laptop

Capacity: 8GB DDR4 SDRAM, 128GB Solid State Drive

Processor: 8th Gen Intel Core i3-8145U mobile processor

Display: 15. 6″ LED backlit Touchscreen with Truelife HD

Connectivity:   HDMI port, Integrated Bluetooth 4. 0, Stereo speakers + MaxxAudio, Built-in SD media Reader, HD webcam, 802. 11bgn WiFi, 2 x USB 3. 0, 1 x USB 2. 0, 1x Headphone output/Microphone input combo

An attractive laptop, the Dell Inspiron 15.6 inch is quite frankly a steal at its price. The wide display and lightweight design makes it suitable for remote working.      The improved construction of the 8th Gen Intel Core processor meets all your browsing and editing needs. You can use it for light or casual gaming and its integrated widescreen HD webcam with increased accessibility, make it a great laptop for remote virtual conferences.

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Dell Inspiron i3583 15.6″ HD Touch-Screen Laptop

Capacity: 8GB ddr4 system memory; 128GB Solid State Drive

Processor: Intel i3-8145U, dual-core, four-way

Display: 15. 6″ touch screen, 1366 x 768 HD resolution, LED backlight; Intel UHD Graphics 620; MaxxAudio

Connectivity:  HDMI output; Built-in media reader supports SD memory card formats; Wireless-AC; Built-in HD webcam with microphone; Windows 10 Home in S Mode

Another good looking Dell laptop which comes with a long battery life and uninterrupted touch screen experience. The fast interface and sturdy build allows long hours of streaming. You can easily switch out of the S mode and you’re good to go after that. Overall, it is a powerful laptop with a modern design and can fulfill your remote working needs.

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Fast Dell Latitude E5470 HD Business Laptop Notebook PC

Capacity: 8 GB DDR4 Ram / 256 GB Opal Encrypted SSD

Processor: Intel Core 6th Generation i5-6200U High Performance 

Display: 14.6 Inch HD (1366 x 768) Anti-Glare Screen, Intel HD 520 Graphics

Connectivity: HQ Camera, Intel Dual Band Wireless 8260 (802.11ac) W/ Bluetooth, HDMI, VGA, SC Card Reader, SD Card Reader, 3 x USB 3.0, RJ-45

OS: Windows 10 Professional (64 Bit)

While this laptop may not appeal to gamers, this still proves to be a fantastic laptop for professional use.  It comes with an anticipated backlit keyboard and has a proper light weight design. Proves to be portable and easy for daily use. A refurbished model that has the feel of a new, original one for such a cost effective alternative. Perhaps the only con is the lack of the CD drive. Otherwise, this proves to be a stellar laptop for your home office.

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Dell Latitude E7470 14in Laptop

Capacity: 8GB RAM 256GB SSD

Processor: Intel Dual-Core i5-6300U

Display: 14. 1-inch diagonal LED-backlit HD 16: 9 anti-glare (1366 x 768) screen and integrated Intel HD Graphics 4400 graphics

Connectivity: 3 USB 3. 0 ports, ExpressCard-54 slot, SD card reader, and a VGA port

The love child of powerful performance and a sleek look, this laptop will put you in awe, especially for it price. The built-in 10 key option in the keyboard lets you work with just your right hand, for when you have to, and ultimately gives you increased efficiency. Visuals are stunning and invite you to all of your streaming or watching activities. 10/10 laptop for your professional needs.

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HP 14in High Performance Laptop AMD Ryzen 3

Capacity: 4 GB DDR4-2400 SDRAM (1 x 4 GB) Internal storage: 128 GB M.2 Solid State Drive

Processor: AMD Ryzen 3 3200U 2.6GHz up to 3.5GHz

Display: 14.0-inch diagonal HD SVA Bright View micro-edge WLED-backlit (1366 x 768) , Graphics: AMD Radeon Vega 3 Graphics

OS: Windows 10 Home in S mode

This laptop is made for office or school work. It has a full size keyboard and while it has a very limited memory, you can simply hook it up with an SDHD card. The price doesn’t get any better, and it is almost impossible to find such a sturdy, long lasting laptop in this budget. For working long hours, it is equipped with an extensive battery life. Lightweight and smooth user experience, it’s a great catch!

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HP 15-inch HD Laptop, AMD Ryzen 3

Capacity: 8 GB DDR4-2400 SDRAM and 256 GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD

Processor: 15.6-inch diagonal HD BrightView micro-edge, WLED-backlit display (1366 x 768)

Display: 15.6-inch diagonal HD BrightView micro-edge, WLED-backlit display (1366 x 768)

OS: Windows 10 Home

An environmentally conscious project, this laptop is ENERGY STAR and EPEAT certified. In this budget, it is almost unbelievable that it gives you features like a long battery life, modern and lightweight design and a wide roomy display. The plentiful storage and a powerful processor give you an efficient work experience. You can easily multi-task and edit copious amounts of data, if that’s what you’re looking for. Equipped with a webcam, a back-lit keyboard, and an automatic protection system to prevent unauthorized access, this laptop is pretty much an all-rounder.

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HP 15.6″ HD Intel 10th Gen i3-1005G1

Capacity: 4 GB DDR4 SDRAM | 128GB SSD

Processor: 10th Gen Intel Core i3-1005G1 (1.20 GHz – 3.40 GHz)

Display: 15.6″ diagonal HD SVA BrightView micro-edge WLED-backlit, 220 nits, 45% NTSC (1366 x 768)

Connectivity: Built-in HD Webcam with Dual Speakers | WiFi 802.11ac and Bluetooth 4.2

OS: Windows 10 Home in S mode

A lightweight laptop (less than 4 pounds!), this one is a budget friendly portable laptop. From a glance, you can’t tell how economical it really is. Surface design is sleek and comes equipped with the 10-key keypad option for greater access. A surprisingly long battery life will let you go about your work without needing to charge it for hours. For a 4GB RAM, it works unbelievably faster than some 8GB RAM laptops. The wide back-lit display makes improves user experience tenfold. A great choice for your remote projects!

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HP 2019 14″ Laptop – Intel Core i3

Capacity: 8GB RAM | 128GB SSD

Processor: 7th Gen Intel Core i3-7100U mobile Processor smart dual-core

Display: 14″ Display Typical 1366 x 768 HD resolution LED backlight

OS:  Windows 10 operating system

This laptop is widely recommended for professionals that have daily virtual meetings going on for hours on end, or students appearing for online lectures. For this budget, it’s light enough for travel and also allows for some casual gaming. It has a suitable display and is equipped with a strong processor that accounts from a fast enough work experience, cutting down on lag time. You might want to get an external storage hooked up for this one does not feature the best storage space. Or you can simply use any cloud. Otherwise, it’s a great deal!

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You can also checkout our other blog on best laptops for programming to check our reviews on best laptops for software developers and programmers.