Top 5 budget laptops under $800 for Photographers

Do you have the impression that it is required to spend more than 1000$ to buy a laptop that will cope with everything you need? We are here to help! We have created a list of budget laptops under 800$, that will cover the daily needs of different kinds of users, from demanding gamers to businessmen. 

But first, let’s have a quick look at some hardware requirements that we think play the most important role when buying a new laptop:

  • CPU: The latest processors of both Intel and AMD can handle most software easily. Although Intel i7s and AMD Ryzen 7s are faster, the corresponding i5s and Ryzed 5s are also powerful enough and will cover your needs. As the ‘’brain’’ of your new laptop, the CPU should be a priority.
  • RAM: The ideal size of RAM for your needs is 16GB. However, given the fact that your CPU will be powerful enough, you could get away with buying a laptop that has 8GB, especially when most laptops support future upgrades to 16GB or more.
  • Graphics Card: Fortunately, the times when an expensive dedicated graphics card was essential for almost everyone has passed. The offered integrated graphics by both Intel and AMD CPUs can manipulate computing software. If you are a gamer, however, you will need a gaming laptop with a dedicated graphics card. 
  • Storage: An SSD drive is a good investment as it concerns the speed of your computer and should be preferred over an HDD. Thankfully, most of the new laptops are equipped with one of them. Even though the recommended size for you is 500GB of storage, most people could be covered with 256GB.
  • Screen: A High-Quality display with good viewing angles should be a high priority for you. Also, the screen should be around 13 to 15 inches to ensure a fluid process of multitasking with different windows open at the same time.

Now that we have examined our recommended requirements, let’s have a deeper look at the 5 laptops that made it on our less than $800 list. We promise you, that each one of you will find a perfect choice for your needs.

Acer Aspire 5 Slim 15.6” : The all-rounder budget laptop

budget laptop
  • CPU: AMD Ryzen 3 Dual-Core up to 3.5GHz
  • RAM: 16GB
  • GPU: AMD Radeon Vega 3
  • Storage: 512GB SSD
  • Display: 15.6 inch FHD (1920 x 1080) IPS
  • Price: $599 (Amazon 10/2020)

The brand new 2020 Acer Aspire 5 has the potential to meet your needs. Acer has created a laptop that includes solid performance, a very good battery life, and high portability and kept its cost under 600$. 

The dual-core Ryzen 3 ranks as a solid dual-core workhorse that will handle every basic task pretty easily. Having 16GB of RAM is pretty rare in this price range and means it is not likely to have performance hiccups when you run too many programs at the same time. The Radeon Vega 3 integrated graphics core will allow for your software and everyday occupations such as Netflix or youtube, but you might find it harder to cope with something more challenging like highly demanding PC games.

A solid-state drive always helps to speed up performance and the 512GB capacity will not fill up quickly. Also on the plus side, the laptop is equipped with a 15.6 inch, full-on 1080p display, and also uses an IPS (in-plane switching) panel for wider viewing angles. The Aspire is quite portable as well, as it weighs 3.97 lbs and measures 14.3x 9.7x 0.7 inches.

To sum up, at the given price, the Acer Aspire 5 justifies its offering and can cope with everything you throw at it. It might not be the most powerful laptop on the list, but it is equipped with a very good display. Thus if you want to spend time watching videos and movies online and you are not a fanatic gamer, this could be the best choice for you.

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Asus ZenBook 13 Ultra-Slim : The ultimately portable budget laptop

Top 5 budget laptops under $800 for Photographers
  • CPU: Intel i5  Quad-Core up to 3.60GHz
  • RAM: 8GB
  • GPU: Intel HD Graphics 620
  • Storage: 256GB SSD
  • Display: 13.3 inch FHD (1920 x 1080) 
  • Price: $749 (Amazon 10/2020)

Being the definition of a beautiful and portable budget laptop, the Asus ZenBook has nothing to be ashamed of as it concerns its performance too. It is the most expensive laptop on the list, but for good reasons.

Asus has managed to reduce the cost keeping the same display and design as the more expensive model. This ZenBook model has a powerful Intel i5 processor that has the speed that you need, and an 8GB RAM that should be enough for you and could also later be upgraded. The 256GB SSD is fast and meets the requirements, and you could add an external disk for more space in the future. 

As mentioned above, although Intel integrated graphics will easily cope with computing or editing software and occupations like Netflix and browsing, the Intel HD 620 is not the best choice for gamers. If gaming is not your priority, the crisp, clear, high-resolution display and the portability of ZenBook combined with the i5 processor, the 8GB RAM, and the 256GB SSD make it one of the best choices on this list.

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Acer Nitro 5 Gaming Laptop : The gamer’s choice budget laptop

Top 5 budget laptops under $800 for Photographers
  • CPU: Intel i5 Quad-Core up to 3.70GHz
  • RAM: 8GB
  • GPU: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 4GB
  • Storage: 256GB SSD
  • Display: 15.6 inch FHD (1920 x 1080) 
  • Price: $690 (Amazon 10/2020)

Keeping in mind that many of you spend some time gaming, it would be a deficiency if we didn’t include in the list the new Acer Nitro 5, one of the most versatile and budget laptops you can buy right now. 

The model comes equipped with a powerful Intel Core i5 CPU and 8GB of RAM (which can be upgraded), a 256GB SSD, and a dedicated Nvidia Geforce GTX 1650 GPU. Thus, performance will not be a problem for you, as this build can handle any software, browsing, and pretty much anything. The great difference with the rest of the reviewed laptops is that Asus TUF contains a powerful dedicated GPU which will allow you to play every game you want. You won’t have any problem running demanding games like PUBG or Witcher III in 1080p and Ultra settings. The 15.6 FHD display will do more than just ‘the job’. 

The Nitro 5 is designed for gamers and this is obvious only by looking at it. However, the dedicated GPU and the gaming design has its cost as it concerns the size, as this Acer laptop is larger (14.2x 10.3x 1) and heavier (4.9 lbs) than the rest laptops on the list. If you consider gaming more important than portability and elegance, this is probably the best laptop on the list for you.

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Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14” : The best budget laptop choice

Top 5 budget laptops under $800 for Photographers
  • CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 Quad-Core up to 3.50GHz
  • RAM: 8GB
  • GPU: Radeon Vega 8 graphics
  • Storage: 256GB SSD
  • Display: 14” inch FHD (1920 x 1080) 
  • Price: $449 (Amazon 10/2020)

This Lenovo budget laptop also has the potential to meet your everyday needs with the lowest price on the list, as it costs less than 500$.

Although the hardware build of the IdeaPad 3 with AMD Ryzen 5 processor, 8GB of RAM, and AMD Radeon graphics probably is not as quick as the rest of the budget laptops, it will meet the basic more than your basic needs. Because of the 8GB of RAM, you won’t have a problem multitasking as well and the 256GB SSD is perfect for the price and could be upgraded with an external hard drive later. 

The display is 1080p and offers an image of high-quality and the 14inch screen proves to be big enough. The Lenovo IdeaPad is also very compact and beautifully designed, and thus it can be easily transferred with dimensions of 12.8x 8.9x 0.8 and weight of 3.24 lbs.

Overall, the cheapest laptop on the list is a great choice for you, if you want a laptop that meets the minimum requirements and can easily cope with basic tasks like browsing, movie streaming, etc.

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IPad Air 10.9” with Brydge Pro keyboard : The one for Apple fans

Top 5 budget laptops under $800 for Photographers
  • CPU: A14 Bionic chip with 64‑bit architecture
  • OS: IPadOS 2020
  • Storage: 64GB SSD
  • Display: 10.9” inch (2360×1640) 
  • Price: $599 for the iPad Air + $119 for the Brydge Pro keyboard: Total $718 (Amazon 10/2020)

If we didn’t include on our list a computer for all Apple fans out there, it would be an omission. If you want to purchase a computer that is reasonably priced, ultimately portable but also powerful enough for your needs and super-compatible with other Apple devices, then you could consider buying the latest iPad Air. We know that iPad is actually a tablet, but when combined with a keyboard like Brydge, it can be transformed into a powerful laptop.

Consequently, you will be able to save some of the money you would spend if buying a powerful laptop, while you will have purchased a device that will be easily carried all the time, no matter where you are heading. Moreover, given the fact that the iPad Air is also a very powerful device, hosting an A14 Bionic CPU and 6GB of RAM, that will easily handle anything you throw at them for many years, purchasing one of them as your main computing device is a smart choice.

Top 5 budget laptops under $800 for Photographers

To do that, you will need a high-quality keyboard. Brydge has developed an all-in-one Wireless Keyboard with Trackpad for the latest iPad Pro and iPad Air 4, which promises to transform your device into a high-end, pocket-size MacBook. 

CHECK THE IPAD AIR HERE

CHECK THE BRYDGE PRO HERE

If you liked our top selection, make sure to also check our photography guides!

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