Discover the Hottest Budget-Friendly Laptops in July 202N4 - Picks by ZDNet

Top Picks: Most Unbeatable Laptop Offers in July 2024 - Spotted

We use laptops for everything from editing video in 4K to answering emails. But eventually, it becomes time to retire our old machines and upgrade – a prospect that can be daunting when prices are high.

From portable gaming devices to laptops suitable for your home office and remote work setups, we’ve rounded up deals on some of the best laptops before Prime Day launches so you can find a laptop that you or a family member will love while saving some significant cash. (You can also check out our list of the best Prime Day laptop deals ahead of the event.)

Also: The best laptops: Expert tested

If you see something that looks like a great deal, we recommend adding it to your cart ASAP. Prices tend to change quickly, and stocks may vanish if popular models are on sale.

Disclaimer: This post includes affiliate links

If you click on a link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Best laptop deals

Apple MacBook Air 15-inch, M2 chip, 512GB : $1,199 (save $300)
Microsoft Surface laptop 5 : $936 (save $364)
ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 gaming laptop : $1,749 (save $250)
HP Victus 15.6 inch laptop : $600 (save $100)
HP Chromebook X360 14-inch FHD touchscreen 2-in-1 laptop : $279 (save $120)
Samsung 14-inch Galaxy Book4 Pro laptop : $1,211 (save $289)
Acer Aspire 3 laptop : $300 (save $22)
Dell Inspiron 15 3000 Windows 11 Pro laptop : $548 (save $251)
HP Chromebook, 11.6-inch, 4GB RAM, 32GB : $100 (save $118)
ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 14-inch OLED gaming laptop : $1,300 (save $300)
ASUS Zenbook 14-inch OLED touchscreen laptop : $1,300 (save $200)

Apple MacBook Air (2024, 13.6-inch) Save $100

Amazon/ZDNET

Current price: $999
Original price: $1,099

Shoppers hoping to upgrade their existing MacBook Air to a 2024 device can save $100 if they opt for a 13.6-inch model at Amazon. This model comes with a Liquid Retina display, 8GB RAM, and 256GB SSD storage. It’s not the most powerful option available, but it will certainly suit you if you need a light, thin laptop for work and travel.

View now at Amazon

Apple MacBook Air (2023, 15-inch) Save $300

Apple/ZDNET

Current price: $1,199
Original price: $1,499

Best Buy often offers discounts on the Apple MacBook range, and one deal we particularly like the look of is for an Apple MacBook Air. If you need a light, portable laptop – but with a larger screen – for travel and work purposes, the $300 discount is attractive. This model has a 15-inch display suitable for all of your work and entertainment needs, an Apple M2 chip, 8GB RAM, and 512GB SSD storage.

View now at Best Buy

Samsung Galaxy Book 4 360 Save $350

Samsung/ZDNET

Current price: $1,000
Original price: $1,350

This excellent Samsung Galaxy Book 4 deal is worth considering. $1,000 is not too much to spend on a robust, future-proof laptop, and if you need a reliable model, there is a substantial $350 discount. The Samsung Galaxy Book 4 360 is a 2-in-1 model sporting a 15.6-inch Full HD touchscreen, an Intel i7 processor, 16GB RAM, and 512GB SSD storage. Higher specifications are also available through the Samsung website.

View now at Samsung

HP Stream 14-inch laptop Save $50

HP/ZDNET

Current price: $179
Original price: $229

Walmart’s deal on the HP Stream laptop is worth considering if you need a budget-friendly machine suitable for travel and portability. I particularly like this laptop for its easy parental controls, having set one up recently for a friend who wanted to give their 12-year-old their first laptop in a safe manner.

The HP Stream is a 14-inch Windows 11 laptop with an Intel Celeron processor, 4GB RAM, and 64GB eMMC storage. Sure, it’s not the most specification-heavy, but at only $179, this laptop is a steal.

View now at Walmart

Lenovo V15 Series laptop Save $74

Lenovo

Current price: $326
Original price: $400

Another deal we like the look of is $74 off a Lenovo V15 Series laptop. This model comes with 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD storage, a 15.6-inch Full HD display, an Intel N6000 processor, a variety of connectivity ports, and Windows 11 Home. This laptop would be suitable for home workers and students, although it won’t be powerful enough for high-resource gaming.

View now at Amazon

Alternative laptop deals

How did we choose these laptop deals?

We searched for laptop deals at retailers like Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy, and also at the websites of leading manufacturers like Lenovo, HP, Dell, Apple, Acer, and Asus. We also used various price trackers to ensure that a claimed deal wasn’t spurious.

We have concentrated on quality products from leading vendors, as discounts on these laptops are likely to be most sought-after by potential buyers.

When compiling the list of the best deals, we considered the following:

Price: Naturally, the price point of our recommended laptops has to include a worthwhile discount. While some discounts are small in relation to an overall price tag - for example, $30 off a $150 device - and other discounts are in the hundreds of dollars, we wanted to ensure that in any case, it’s value for money.
Features: We included a range of laptops with features sure to appeal to you, including different screen sizes, processors, memory options, and storage. Furthermore, these laptops include varying levels of security, parental lock options, and display resolutions.
Use cases: At ZDNET, we also took into account different use cases. You might be in the market for a budget-friendly, basic laptop for a child, for example, or you may need a future-proof laptop suitable for work. Or, it might be a gaming device you’re after. So, we have compiled a set of recommendations based on different purposes.

What specifications do I need to look for in a laptop?

The right specs depend on your needs and how you intend to use your new laptop – whether for gaming, studies, video calling, or simply daily internet surfing. We break it down for you below:

Processing power/CPU: The processor is the computer’s brain and handles the basic programming tasks. Gamers will want a higher processor that can even boost to a higher GHz threshold for AAA games like Death Stranding and Halo Infinite. Higher processor outputs will also apply to content creators who need a laptop to handle editing video software, but if you’re using your laptop for general work or just surfing the internet, you can opt for a lower processor.
Graphics card/GPU: Again, gamers and content creators will want a higher graphics card to reflect the beautiful imagery for their gaming. I personally recommend that gamers opt for at least an RTX 3060 at the moment. However, again, internet surfers and workers shouldn’t worry too much about the graphics if you’re focusing on building out Word documents.
Storage: For those that focus on lighter laptop use, 256GB of SSD storage will be plenty of space for your laptop. However, if you need more storage for high-resolution photos, videos, or more, you’ll want to opt for 512GB of storage or even 1TB.
RAM: In conjunction with the CPU, RAM is used to help the computer multi-task and is vital to running programs. ZDNET expert Adrian Kingsley-Hughes breaks down RAM needs here , but at minimum, especially for working, you should opt for around 8GB, and gamers will potentially want more.

Do I need a gaming laptop or a “regular” laptop?

Again, it depends on your needs. Those who aren’t gamers can opt for a regular laptop with high specs, but content creators or those who work with heavy editing software should opt for a designer’s laptop or a gaming laptop. Not because, of course, you want to have the best gaming specs on the side, but because those laptops come with powerful CPUs, GPUs, and high RAM to handle the heavy requirements that software needs.

How much should I pay for a good laptop?

When you’re considering your budget for a new laptop, you have to consider what you want to use the device for.

If you’re a gamer who needs a high-spec laptop with a decent graphics card, top-of-the-range display and high refresh rate, you should expect to pay more than $500 - $600 – and potentially beyond $1,000. However, if you need a laptop for basic tasks, studying, and streaming, you can easily get away with a basic laptop for a few hundred dollars.