Home > 2-in-1 laptops > Best 2-in-1 Laptops under $500
The best 2-in-1 laptops under 500 dollars are quite interesting. They don’t offer the best performance, but their quality has significantly increased over the years.
So they are a nice middle ground between an affordable laptop and having enough power to do what most people do with their laptops.
If you stick to our list, you can definitely find a quality laptop that is versatile and powerful enough for streaming movies, doing office work and browsing the web.
So let’s check out our top 10 list of the best 2-in-1 laptops under $500!
Our Top 3
#1 – Dell Inspiron i5378 |
#2 – Asus Chromebook Flip C302CA |
#3 – Acer Spin 3 |
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Light 13-inch with Nice Display |
Quality Design & Vibrant Display |
All-Around Good Value 15-inch |
| 13.3″ HD | 12.5″ HD | 15.6″ HD |
| Intel i3 with 4 GB of RAM | Intel m3 with 4 GB of RAM | Intel i3 with 4 GB of RAM |
| 1000 GB HDD (5400 rpm) | 64 GB eMMC | 1000 GB HDD (5400 rpm) |
| Expect 6 to 7 hours | Expect 10 hours | Up to 9 hours |
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| Jump to our Review | Jump to our Review | Jump to our Review |
What to expect from the Best 2-in-1 Laptops under $500
The best 2-in-1 under 500 dollars are made for people that want an affordable device to stream movies and browse the web. You should not expect a powerful laptop, but instead one that sacrifices a little on power to give you function.
You’ll find all kind of laptop size here and all kind of weight as well. So depending on whether you prefer a larger display or more portability, choose a small or bigger device.
Design & Quality
Design-wise, they vary quite a lot. Some will be detachable laptops – most of the smaller ones – and the rest will be convertible, where the keyboard flips behind the keyboard – and that gives you more versatility thanks to their many modes.
Most people will choose a convertible device since it is more versatile – and comes in all sizes – but some will definitely prefer the detachable keyboard. If you often use your laptop as a tablet, you’ll want the lather.
Performance
When you’re looking at the best 2-in-1 laptops under 500 dollars, you can expect to get a very decent laptop to do basic work. They are not going to deliver a lot of power, but they’re good enough for web browsing, office work and as a laptop to watch movies.
Most of these notebooks are equipped with an i3 processor. This is more than enough for most basic tasks. Others – especially the smaller ones – are equipped with a Pentium or a Celeron. These are not that powerful and I don’t recommend them if you need speed. But if you just want a portable laptop to do basic tasks, they are fast enough.
Display & Graphics
You’ll find 2-in-1 laptops under $500 of all size. From mini laptops – great for someone always on the go – to mid-sized 13-inch & 14-inch to bigger 15-inch laptops.
This is a very personal choice, but if you are often on the road, you should choose smaller than a 15-inch. And if you are often typing, you should choose a 13-inch or bigger as they come with a full-size keyboard.
Audio
A lot of people choose a convertible laptop under 500 to listen to music. Either for streaming their favorite songs while they work or to have background music while they have friends home.
Laptops in this category will of course have enough audio output to listen comfortably to your favorite music, but you should not expect anything too powerful. Enough to watch movies and enjoy your songs, but not enough to replace external speakers.
Other Aspects
A laptop with a long battery life is something most people are looking for. It’s more enjoyable to go out with your laptop if you don’t have to carry the power plug. With the best 2-in-1 laptops under 500 dollars, it’s a hit-or-miss.
Some will have pretty long battery life, more than enough for a full day outside, others will fall short. So if it’s an important feature for you, check carefully which one you choose.
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Specs for the Top 10 Best 2-in-1 Laptops under $500
Graphics 10 to 15-inch Processor Intel Atom, Intel Pentium, Intel m3, Intel i3 and similar RAM 4 to 6 GB Storage 64 to 1000 GB Battery life 6 to 15 hours OS Windows 10, ChromeOS, Windows 10 Pro Thickness / Weight 0.32 to 0.9″ / 1.52 to 4.74 lbs Price Range $$, $$$
Top 10 Best 2-in-1 Laptops under $500
1 – Dell Inspiron i5378 – 13″ HD Convertible
“Light 13-inch with Nice Display”
The Dell Inspiron i5378 is a nicely balanced device. This 13-inch 2-in-1 has everything you need to make it one of the best 2-in-1 laptops under $500. First, it has a nice aluminium design that belongs on a more expensive notebook, and that makes it a lightweight notebook. Useful for anyone that needs to carry it around often.
The display is also better than you would expect on an inexpensive 2-in-1 laptop, and it’s also equipped with a comfortable keyboard. I’d have preferred a louder sound system but, considering it’s one of its only flaw, we won’t make a big deal out of it! Performance-wise, it’s one of the most powerful in its category, more than enough for a laptop to stream movies and browse the web.
Pros
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Cons
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| Graphics | 13.3″ HD touchscreen (1920 x 1080) |
| Performance | Intel i3 with 4 GB of RAM |
| Storage | 1000 GB HDD (5400 rpm) |
| Battery life | Expect 6 to 7 hours |
| OS | Windows 10 |
| Thickness / Weight | 0.77″ / 3.56 lbs |
2 – Asus Chromebook Flip C302CA – 12″ HD Convertible
“Quality Design & Vibrant Display”
This Chromebook has everything to become a classic, no wonder it’s so popular! With an m3 processor, it’s more powerful than most on this list. The Asus Chromebook Flip C302CA won’t lag behind, believe me.
Its two best features are its good-looking aluminium design and its vibrant display. Its 12-inch 2-in-1 design is a great balance between ultra-portability and screen real-estate. Not too big, not too small. And what about that colorful display that has nothing to envy to more expensive notebooks.
Also, it has a very comfortable, backlit keyboard something you won’t find often in this category. Really, Asus wanted to build a quality product and it shows. They delivered what can be considered as one of the best Chromebooks on the market right now!
Pros
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Cons
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| Graphics | 12.5″ HD touchscreen (1920 x 1080) |
| Performance | Intel m3 with 4 GB of RAM |
| Storage | 64 GB eMMC |
| Battery life | Expect 10 hours |
| OS | ChromeOS |
| Thickness / Weight | 0.54″ / 2.65 lbs |
3 – Acer Spin 3 – 15″ HD Convertible
“All-Around Good Value 15-inch”
Acer has come up with nice products that deliver a lot of value in the past years. This Spin 3 is not different. This 15-inch 2-in-1 is nicely designed and, for its size, it’s quite lightweight at 4.74 lbs. Definitely light enough to carry around.
As they often do, engineers at Acer sacrificed a little on the display brightness to give you more elsewhere. You won’t have the most vibrant display, but you do get a well-balanced notebook that delivers a lot for its price.
Pros
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Cons
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Buy on NewEgg
| Graphics | 15.6″ HD screen (1920 x 1080) |
| Performance | Intel i3 with 4 GB of RAM |
| Storage | 1000 GB HDD (5400 rpm) |
| Battery life | Up to 9 hours |
| OS | Windows 10 |
| Thickness / Weight | 0.89″ / 4.74 lbs |
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4 – Asus Transformer Mini T103HA – 10″ HD Detachable
“Best 10-inch”
The Asus Transformer Mini that has been one of the top mini laptop for a few years. And I still recommend it. It’s a super-lightweight & thin laptop, so if having a portable device is one of the most important features for you, go for this device.
It’s not the most powerful Windows laptop you’ll find, but that’s what you should expect when buying a detachable in this category. But don’t worry, it’s still more than enough for taking notes in class or for someone on the road that needs a portable laptop. It also has more storage space than its competition and a long battery life. A really good choice for someone always on the road. Read our full review.
Pros
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Cons
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| Graphics | 10.1″ HD touchscreen (1280 x 800) |
| Performance | Intel Cherry Trail with 4 GB of RAM |
| Storage | 128 GB eMMC |
| Battery life | Up to 11 hours |
| OS | Windows 10 |
| Thickness / Weight | 0.32″ / 1.74 lbs |
5 – Dell Inspiron i5568 – 15″ HD Convertible
“Good Value 15-inch”
This is another classic Inspiron. It looks good, has a very decent weight for a 15-inch convertible laptop under $500 and has quite solid design. Performance are nothing to write your mother about, but it’s actually pretty good with its i3 processor and 4 GB of RAM.
One of the best aspects is that this Inspiron has a nice HD display. Nicer than most in this price range. The battery life is not the best, but that’s a compromise I understand as this laptop doesn’t target people that are often on the road. All-in-all, it’s really a good value product.
Pros
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| Graphics | 15.6″ HD touchscreen (1920 x 1080) |
| Performance | Intel i3 with 4 GB of RAM |
| Storage | 500 GB HDD (5400 rpm) |
| Battery life | Expect 6 hours |
| OS | Windows 10 |
| Thickness / Weight | 0.8″ / 4.58 lbs |
# 6 to 10 Best 2-in-1 Laptops under $500
6 – Lenovo Yoga Book – 10″ HD
“Portable & Innovative For Artists”
This is quite an innovative notebook… It’s a new kind of device where you get a tablet that comes with a drawing pad and a keyboard. Interesting, but it’s not for everyone.
Who should not buy this product? Someone that types often. If you are taking notes at school or need a laptop for writers, look elsewhere. The flat & hard keyboard is not made for that. Since it’s flat, you have no key feedback, which makes typing much slower than on a real keyboard. It’s fine for typing emails and light writing work, but you won’t write an essay on it.
Now the plus side(s). Superb display! Bright and colorful, you can’t really ask for more. And, if you are an artist, this might be your best choice. The drawing pad is really responsive and easy to use. Lenovo really did a great job there. Oh… and did I say it’s around 1.5 pounds and that is has a super long battery life. Perfect for an artist that is always moving around.
Pros
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Cons
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| Graphics | 10.1″ HD screen (1920 x 1200) |
| Performance | Intel Atom with 4 GB of RAM |
| Storage | 64 GB eMMC |
| Battery life | Up to 15 hours |
| OS | Windows 10 |
| Thickness / Weight | 0.38″ / 1.52 lbs |
7 – Samsung Chromebook Pro – 12″ HD Convertible
“Vibrant Display and Ultra-Portable”
Oh… I really like this Chromebook. If you don’t need Windows and only need a device to browse the web, watch movies and write essays, it’s a great choice. It has a nice, premium design that is ultra-portable. That makes this small laptop a great choice for anyone that needs to take notes.
What I like the most is the vibrant ultra-HD display that is certainly one of the best display on a 2-in-1 under 500 dollars. Add that to the fact that you get quite good performance and you’ve got yourself a great product!
Pros
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Cons
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| Graphics | 12.3″ HD touchscreen (2400 x 1600) |
| Performance | Pentium or better with 4 GB of RAM |
| Storage | 32 GB eMMC |
| Battery life | Up to 9 hours |
| OS | ChromeOS |
| Thickness / Weight | 0.5″ / 2.4 lbs |
8 – Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga 11e – 11″ Convertible
“Sturdy 11-inch”
Lenovo built the Yoga 11e to be a laptop for school. They wanted an affordable notebook that would work nicely and would survive kids assaults.
And they did succeed. This 11-inch notebook has a strong construction that will survive drops most other laptops won’t. It has enough performance for daily basic task – although it’s far from a powerhouse – and its display has wide viewing angles to make teamwork easy. It’s thicker and heavier than the competition, but still is portable. Read our full review.
Pros
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Cons
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| Graphics | 11.6″ screen (1366 x 768) |
| Performance | Intel N3150 with 4 GB of RAM |
| Storage | 128 GB SSD |
| Battery life | Up to 11.5 hours |
| OS | Windows 10 Pro |
| Thickness / Weight | 0.9″ / 3.5 lbs |
9 – HP Pavilion x360 – 14″ Convertible
“Nice & Powerful but non-HD”
I’m torn when reviewing this HP pavilion x360. First of all, I really like 14-inch laptops. It’s a nice size where you get enough screen space to be comfortable, and you still have a portable laptop.
I must say the HP Pavilion x360 is a good-looking 14-inch 2-in-1 laptops under 500 dollars. And it has more power than the competition thanks to 6 GB of RAM and an SSD hard-drive. Nice… So what’s the problem? The display is non-HD… For some it’s not going to be a problem, but I do think that all laptops should come with an HD display nowadays…
Pros
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Cons
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| Graphics | 14″ touchscreen (1366 x 768) |
| Performance | Intel i3 with 6 GB of RAM |
| Storage | 128 GB SSD |
| Battery life | Up to 8 hours |
| OS | Windows 10 |
| Thickness / Weight | 0.8″ / 3.8 lbs |
10 – Acer Switch 3 – 12″ HD Detachable
“Nice Display but Underwhelming performance”
The Asus Switch 3 has a few good qualities, but too many flaws to be considered the best 2-in-1 Windows laptops under 500 dollars. Let’s start by its design. It does have an ingenious, unique design that is durable and well-made. I give it to Acer’s engineers, they did a good job. Also the audio is quite loud.
But Acer compromised a little bit too much elsewhere. It’s not a bad product, it’s just not as good as the competition in most categories. The display is quite nice, but maybe not as good as it could be. Also it’s not very powerful – that an understatement – and probably its biggest flaw if you forget about the battery life that should be improved. As I said… not a bad product and I would purchase it for the right price, but the competition does better.
Pros
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Cons
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Buy on online
| Graphics | 12.2″ HD touchscreen (1920 x 1080) |
| Performance | Pentium N4200 with 4 GB of RAM |
| Storage | 64 GB eMMC |
| Battery life | Expect 6 to 8 hours |
| OS | Windows 10 |
| Thickness / Weight | 0.64″ / 2.76 lbs |
Erik is the owner and main editor of lptps.com. He has been working in computers and information technology for more than 20 years. He’s a business analyst, developer, and avid traveler.
