![How to buy a budget laptop without getting ripped off](https://cdn.magzter.com/1409095068/1641329239/articles/61dd378deebf5/How-to-buy-a-budget-laptop-without-getting-ripped-off.jpg)
PC brands love to tout expensive, high-end laptops, but history has shown most people buy a budget laptop. And why not? A $500 laptop can be a capable machine that will serve you well for years.
There’s just one problem: The brands are on to you. They’ve flooded the market with hundreds of slightly tweaked configurations designed to maximum profit. Choosing the right budget laptop is pretty difficult if you don’t know what to look for. It can get especially tricky with sale models, as you’ll often find retailers trying to offload less desirable older or poorly configured models among all the deals.
Our guide can help you buy a budget laptop without getting screwed on its specifications. If you’re looking for more concrete buying recommendations across a mix of budgets, our roundup of the best laptop deals can also help (fave.co/33Lcczj).
OPERATING SYSTEM: WINDOWS OR CHROMEOS?
The most important choice you must make is the operating system. Budget laptops run MicrosoftWindows or Google ChromeOS. The latter is often less expensive, with budget Chromebooks sold for as little as $125.
ChromeOS is a fast, smooth, simple operating system ideal for people with a good internet connection, a preference for Google services, and basic expectations. You will access most apps and services online and have a more limited selection of apps and services to choose from.
Windows is versatile, powerful, and functional. It offers you access to hundreds of thousands of applications to handle just about any task. Most keyboards, mice, and displays are designed for Windows first, though they may also work with ChromeOS. Windows isn’t as smooth as ChromeOS and it requires a more powerful laptop in order to run well.
Esta historia es de la edición January 2022 de PCWorld.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición January 2022 de PCWorld.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
![If you get a phone call from LastPass, it's a scam](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/7443/1706649/cShjWVinE1716988151308/IF-YOU-GET-A-PHONE-CALL-FROM-LASTPASS-ITS-A-SCAM.jpg)
If you get a phone call from LastPass, it's a scam
A new breed of sophisticated phishing scammers are targetting LastPass users with phone calls and emails.
![Sick of ads in Windows? This ingenious program eradicates them all](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/7443/1706649/m7oHnwAj01716988042601/SICK-OF-ADS-IN-WINDOWS-THIS-INGENIOUS-PROGRAM-ERADICATES-THEM-ALL.jpg)
Sick of ads in Windows? This ingenious program eradicates them all
This clever free tool removes all the ads that Microsoft keeps stuffing into Windows 10 and 11.
![Controversial Windows 11 Start menu ads begin rolling out](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/7443/1706649/Z6t73kfSu1716987915738/CONTROVERSIAL-WINDOWS-11-START-MENU-ADS-BEGIN-ROLLING-OUT.jpg)
Controversial Windows 11 Start menu ads begin rolling out
Microsoft has pushed “Promoted” apps from the Store to the Windows 11 wide build just a few weeks after they started appearing to Insiders.
![Ring of bogus web shops steals 850K credit card numbers](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/7443/1706649/Vsbi6vCgF1716987765909/RING-OF-BOGUS-WEB-SHOPS-STEALS-850K-CREDIT-CARD-NUMBERS.jpg)
Ring of bogus web shops steals 850K credit card numbers
Fake online storefronts, which show up in great numbers in Google and other search engines, are becoming a big problem.
![This free, ancient Windows app will watch your laptop battery](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/7443/1706649/tlnnDC82X1716987639227/THIS-FREE-ANCIENT-WINDOWS-APP-WILL-WATCH-YOUR-LAPTOP-BATTERY.jpg)
This free, ancient Windows app will watch your laptop battery
BatteryInfoView gives you the laptop battery information you didn’t know you wanted.
![How to use your smartphone as a Windows 11 PC webcam](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/7443/1706649/2uMo1PMnX1716987436964/HOW-TO-USE-YOUR-SMARTPHONE-AS-A-WINDOWS-11-PC-WEBCAM.jpg)
How to use your smartphone as a Windows 11 PC webcam
Windows 11 now allows the wireless connection of Android smartphones for use as a webcam.
![How to digitize VHS tapes the cheap way](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/7443/1706649/XrCx6fgW01716987155138/HOW-TO-DIGITIZE-VHS-TAPES-THE-CHEAP-WAY.jpg)
How to digitize VHS tapes the cheap way
Preserve your old video tapes with an inexpensive capture card and free software.
![Aomei Backupper Pro: All-in-one backup, now with online storage](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/7443/1706649/GggZ8_NNV1716986808649/AOMEI-BACKUPPER-PRO-ALLINONE-BACKUP-NOW-WITH-ONLINE-STORAGE.jpg)
Aomei Backupper Pro: All-in-one backup, now with online storage
Now with cloud storage, Backupper Professional is swinging with the backup big boys in terms of features.
![SK Hynix Tube T31: Looks like a USB drive, performs like an SSD](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/7443/1706649/XMwLUJkFQ1716986573685/SK-HYNIX-TUBE-T31-LOOKS-LIKE-A-USB-DRIVE-PERFORMS-LIKE-AN-SSD.jpg)
SK Hynix Tube T31: Looks like a USB drive, performs like an SSD
SK Hynix’s Tube T31 looks like a standard thumb drive, but performs more like the external SSD it actually is.
![Adios, cheap SSDs? WD and Seagate warn that PC storage prices are going up](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/7443/1706649/wlHi1ffub1716986439071/ADIOS-CHEAP-SSDS-WD-AND-SEAGATE-WARN-THAT-PC-STORAGE-PRICES-ARE-GOING-UP.jpg)
Adios, cheap SSDs? WD and Seagate warn that PC storage prices are going up
If you’re considering a storage upgrade, act sooner rather than later.