Home > 2-in-1 Laptops > Best Budget 2-in-1 Laptops
If you’re looking for the best budget 2-in-1 laptops, then this is the right place.
I’ve chosen the best low-cost 2-in-1 laptops that deliver quality & performance, but that are also made for the budget conscious buyer.
So whether you’re looking for a cheap convertible laptop or a small detachable, you’ll find it here!
Our Top 3 Picks
#1 – Asus Q304UA |
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Powerful Budget 2-in-1 | Low-Cost Mini Hybrid | Ultra-Cheap 14-inch with Good Features |
| 13.3″ HD | 10.1″ HD | 14″ HD |
| Intel i5 with 6 GB of RAM | Intel Cherry Trail with 4 GB of RAM | Pentium with 4 GB of RAM |
| 1000 GB HDD (5400 rpm) | 128 GB eMMC | 64 GB eMMC |
| Up to 10 hours | Up to 11 hours | Expect 6 to 9 hours |
| Jump to our Review | Jump to our Review | Jump to our Review |
What to expect from the best budget 2-in-1 laptops?
Convertible or Detachable?
Most of the best budget 2-in-1 laptops are small detachable laptops. They are great for using as a tablet and as a laptop – and the screen size is perfect for tablet-mode – but they lack the versatility that a convertible has.
With a convertible laptop, you can use them in 4 modes: Classic, Tablet, Stand and Tent.
While the tablet mode is great for reading, the stand and tent modes are perfect for watching movies and scrolling through newspapers or social medias.
Screen size
The best budget 2-in-1 laptops are the land of the mini & small laptops. You will find some 13-inch, most of them will be 10, 11 or 12-inch.
If you do a lot of typing, I suggest you choose at minimum a 12-inch laptop. The ones smaller than that don’t have a regular keyboard, which can get uncomfortable after a while. (I’m talking about authors or bloggers here that type for 8 hours straight).
Performance
Like all budget laptops, don’t expect these to give you the most power on the market. They are not designed for performance.
But expect to have more than enough for web surfing, multi-tabbing, homework & office work.
Price & Quality – Top budget 2-in-1 laptops
In budget laptops, you have to be careful… there are crappy products on the market! But stick to our list and you’ll get something good.
With these top 2-in-1 budget laptops, laptop manufacturers have impressively managed to build good quality laptops at low-cost!
Here you pay usually under $500 – and most of the time around $200 to $300 – but you still get a solid laptop with good enough screen & speakers to enjoy movies & TV shows.
Windows or Chromebooks?
Whether you choose a Windows laptop or a Chromebook depends on what you want to do.
If you simply surf the web, write emails and watch movies, a Chromebook will give you more speed for your money. But if you need a fully working computer, buy a Windows laptop.
Recommended for you:
Specs for the Top 15 Best Budget 2-in-1 Laptops
Graphics 10 to 14-inch Processor Intel Atom, i3, i5, or similar RAM 2 to 6 GB Storage 16 to 500 GB Battery life 8 to 10 hours OS Windows 10, ChromeOS Thickness / Weight 0.32 to 0.86″ / 1.74 to 3.86 lbs Price Range $, $$, $$$
Top 15 Best Budget 2-in-1 Laptops
1 – Asus Q304UA – 13″ HD Convertible
“Powerful Budget 2-in-1”
If you’re looking for a cheap convertible laptop, the Asus Q304 might be exactly what you are looking for. It’s not the least expensive one on the list, but it definitely has some of the best features for the price.
It’s a 13-inch laptop that has a good HD display and a solid, light design. Also, it has the power of more expensive laptops with its i5 CPU & 6 GB of RAM, without breaking the bank.
All-in-all, this Asus makes for a solid & affordable 13-inch 2-in-1 for people that need performance and a good screen. Read our full review.
Pros
| Cons
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| Graphics | 13.3″ HD touchscreen (1920 x 1080) |
| Performance | Intel i5 with 6 GB of RAM |
| Storage | 1000 GB HDD (5400 rpm) |
| Battery life | Up to 10 hours |
| OS | Windows 10 |
| Thickness / Weight | 0.78″ / 3.31 lbs |
| Price Range | $$ |
2 – Asus Transformer Mini T103HA – 10″ HD Detachable
“Low-Cost Mini Hybrid”
The 10-inch Asus Transformer Book Mini is really a great choice if you are looking for a light mini detachable notebook. I like the look, they’ve managed to make it look premium even if you don’t pay the price. It comes with a useful pen and the battery will last long enough to use it all day without charging. A really great product by Asus! Read our full review.
Pros
| Cons
|
| Graphics | 10.1″ HD touchscreen (1280 x 800) |
| Performance | Intel Cherry Trail with 4 GB of RAM |
| Storage | 128 GB eMMC |
| Battery life | Up to 11 hours |
| OS | Windows 10 |
| Thickness / Weight | 0.32″ / 1.74 lbs |
| Price Range | $$ |
Other similar versions (prices may vary)
White & Orange3 – Asus VivoBook Flip 14 – 14″ HD Convertible
“Ultra-Cheap 14-inch with Good Features”
The VivoBook Flip 14 is a good looking 14-inch notebook that uses the features of a more expensive version, with less power. This way they were able to produce a good quality notebook with a decent display.
If you’re simply looking for a laptop to watch movies and browse the web, this one will definitely do the trick. And, usually, it’s a laptop that sells at less than $400… For that price, you’ll hardly find better value!
Pros
Cons | |
| Graphics | 14″ HD screen (1980 x 1080) |
| Performance | Pentium with 4 GB of RAM |
| Storage | 64 GB eMMC |
| Battery life | Expect 6 to 9 hours |
| OS | Windows 10 |
| Thickness / Weight | 0.8″ / 3.5 lbs |
| Price Range | $$ |
Recommended for you:
4 – HP Spectre X2 – 12″ HD Detachable
“Affordable with High-End Quality”
The HP Spectre X2 is usually a more expensive mid-range laptop, but this version is almost half the price of the original one. And it kept most of its high-end features! It’s equipped with a detachable & vivid HD screen, perfect for watching HD movies in bed!
Performance is great for this category thanks to an Intel M3 processor and 4 GB of RAM, but what really interesting is the 128 GB SSD they’ve put in it. It boots fast and you get loads of storage space! It’s definitely one of the best budget 2-in-1 laptops right now!
Pros
| Cons
|
| Graphics | 12″ HD touchscreen (1920 x 1080) |
| Performance | Intel m3 with 4 GB of RAM |
| Storage | 128 GB SSD |
| Battery life | Up to 10 hours |
| OS | Windows 10 |
| Thickness / Weight | 0.52″ / 2.68 lbs |
| Price Range | $$$ |
5 – Acer Spin 1 – 11″ HD Convertible
“Ultra-Cheap with Great Display”
Oh I like the Acer Spin 1! First, the design: it’s solid, has a nice finish and definitely has the look of a more expensive notebook. But I think the most impressive feature is the display. You get a really great HD touchscreen that you’d normally wouldn’t find in this category.
Add to that a comfortable keyboard, an included stylus and adequate audio and you’ve got yourself a great budget 2-in-1. On the minus side, the performance is so-so and it has little storage, but that’s a compromise I’m willing to make to have all the rest. Really a great small laptop by Acer.
Pros
| Cons
|
Check current price on Amazon.com
| Graphics | 11.6″ HD touchscreen (1920 x 1080) |
| Performance | Celeron with 4 GB of RAM |
| Storage | 32 GB eMMC |
| Battery life | Up to 8 hours |
| OS | Windows 10 |
| Thickness / Weight | 0.8″ / 3.31 lbs |
| Price Range | $ |
6 – Acer Aspire R15 – 15″ HD Convertible
“Perfect for Watching Movies”
The R15 is not the cheapest 2-in-1 on the market, but wow does it deliver a lot of value! You get a great display, solid audio in a good-looking design. It’s not the lightest of laptop, so if you are always carrying it in you bag, you might want to look elsewhere. But otherwise, as a 15-inch convertible laptop, it’s tough to beat!
Pros
| Cons
|
| Graphics | 15.6″ HD touchscreen (1920 x 1080) |
| Performance | Intel i5 with 8 GB of RAM |
| Storage | 1000 GB HDD (5400 rpm) |
| Battery life | Up to 10 hours |
| OS | Windows 10 |
| Thickness / Weight | 0.79″ / 5.29 lbs |
| Price Range | $$$ |
7 – Lenovo Flex 5 (Yoga 520) – 14″ HD Convertible
“14-inch with Long Battery Life”
The 520 is the budget convertible laptop of the Yoga series. It doesn’t have the high-end design its brothers have, but it still looks very good. And a less than 4 lbs, it is a light 14-inch 2-in-1. Here you’ll get good performance, a battery life that is longer than most budget 2-in-1 and impressive audio for the price. I’d have preferred the display to be a bit brighter, but otherwise it’s a very good device.
Pros
| Cons
|
Check current price on Amazon.com
| Graphics | 14″ HD touchscreen (1920 x 1080) |
| Performance | Intel i5 with 8 GB of RAM |
| Storage | 128+ GB SSD |
| Battery life | Up to 10.5 hours |
| OS | Windows 10 |
| Thickness / Weight | 0.8″ / 3.85 lbs |
| Price Range | $$$ |
8 – Asus Chromebook Flip C302CA – 12″ HD Convertible
“Best Hybrid Chromebook”
This Chromebook is a market favorite for a reason! It’s a low-cost laptop that’s perfect for surfing the web, sharing with your friends on social medias and watching movies! So light you can carry it everywhere and the battery will last almost a full day. And with that kind of power, you’ll be able to heavily multi-task without a problem.
Pros
| Cons
|
| 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 |
| Price Range | $$$ |
# 9 to 15 Best Budget 2-in-1 Laptops
9 – Dell Inspiron i5378 – 13″ HD Convertible
“Light 13-inch”
Here Dell made an affordable convertible laptop that fits well in this competitive market. It has enough power for most people, has a good enough screen that is pleasant to watch, and this affordable 13-inch convertible laptop is light enough for someone that is always on the move.
Pros
| Cons
|
| Graphics | 13.3″ HD touchscreen (1920 x 1080) |
| Performance | Intel i3 with 4 GB of RAM |
| Storage | 1000 GB HDD (5400 rpm) |
| Battery life | Expect 6 to 7 hours |
| OS | Windows 10 |
| Thickness / Weight | 0.77″ / 3.56 lbs |
| Price Range | $$ |
10 – Acer Chromebook R11 – 11″ Convertible
“Inexpensive but Good”
The Acer R11 is one of the most inexpensive 2-in-1 laptops you can find. Even thought it’s a notebook sold at less than $300, you’ll get a cute 11-inch that has good audio and a comfortable keyboard to type on. It also has a pretty decent display. It’s not the brightest and the one with the best viewing angles, but at that price we’ll forgive them!
Pros
| Cons
|
| Graphics | 11.6″ touchscreen (1366 x 768) |
| Performance | Pentium N3150 with 4 GB of RAM |
| Storage | 32 GB eMMC |
| Battery life | Up to 10 hours |
| OS | ChromeOS |
| Thickness / Weight | 0.76″ / 2.75 lbs |
| Price Range | $ |
11 – Samsung Chromebook Pro – 12″ HD Convertible
“Nice Design & Fast”
Samsung did something interesting with this Chromebook Pro. It’s more expensive than the really cheap 2-in-1 Chromebooks, but there is a reason for that. First, its screen is colorful & responsive and it’s backed by enough performance to smoothly run pretty much any app.
The design is solid & attractive, thus the name ‘Pro’. It doesn’t show it’s a budget 2-in-1 Chromebook. I’d have preferred louder audio and a keyboard that is more comfortable, but otherwise it’s a great product by the Korean laptop manufacturer.
Pros
| Cons
|
| 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 |
| Price Range | $$ |
12 – Asus Transformer Book T100HA – 10″ HD Detachable
“The classic detachable laptop”
This is the classic detachable laptop! The Asus Transformer Book series has been the pioneer and this T100HA definitely feels like it! It’s a low-cost, quality notebook that is well-engineered. It works well in every area and is one of the most popular top 2-in-1 budget laptops for a reason!
Pros
| Cons
|
Check current price on Amazon.com
| Graphics | 10″ HD touchscreen (1280 x 800) |
| Performance | Intel Cherry Trail with 4 GB of RAM |
| Storage | 64 GB eMMC |
| Battery life | Up to 12 hours |
| OS | Windows 10 |
| Thickness / Weight | 0.72″ / 2.28 lbs |
| Price Range | $$ |
13 – Asus Transformer Book T300 Chi – 12″ HD Convertible
“All-Aluminium Detachable”
The Transformer Book line has been around for a while and produced some pretty goods laptops over the years. The Asus Transformer Book T300 Chi is in line with its siblings. The aluminium body is solid, the screen is bright and produces vivid colors but the battery life should be improved to match up with the competition. And performance-wise, you cannot really ask more of a budget 2-in-1. All-in-all, if you’re looking for a budget small laptop, this is one of the best choices you can make!
| Graphics | 12″ HD screen (1920 x 1080) |
| Performance | Intel m5 with 4 GB of RAM |
| Storage | 128 GB SSD |
| Battery life | Up to 10 hours |
| OS | Windows 10 |
| Thickness / Weight | 0.86″ / 3.2 lbs |
| Price Range | $$ |
14 – HP Pavilion X2 – 10″ Detachable
“Sleek 10-inch detachable”
The HP Pavilion X2 is quite a good detachable laptop. It is very portable and has enough power to support your multi-tabbing. I really like the look, but don’t get mistaken by those two big speakers on the side of the screen, the sound it at par with the rest of the best budget 2-in-1 laptops on this list!
| Graphics | 10″ touchscreen (1280 x 800) |
| Performance | Intel Atom with 2 GB of RAM |
| Storage | 32 GB eMMC |
| Battery life | Up to 11 hours |
| OS | Windows 10 |
| Thickness / Weight | 0.78″ / 2.54 lbs |
| Price Range | $$ |
15 – HP Pavilion x360 – 13″ Convertible
“Best budget 13-inch with good performance”
The HP Pavilion x360 is a good choice as a college laptop or as a laptop to watch movies. Even if it’s a budget laptop, it’s still light and thin. It delivers some of the best performance on this list and the battery will last all day. The screen is not HD, but it’s still a good one and you’ll enjoy watching movies on it.
| Graphics | 13.3″ touchscreen (1366 x 768) |
| Performance | Intel i3 with 4+ GB of RAM |
| Storage | 500+ GB HDD (5400 rpm) |
| Battery life | Up to 12 hours |
| OS | Windows 10 |
| Thickness / Weight | 0.78″ / 3.7 lbs |
| Price Range | $$$ |
Other similar versions (prices may vary)
14-inch non-HD
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.
