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Are you looking for a laptop for your business, gaming or multi-media projects? Well, it does not matter, whatever is the purpose behind your quest. There are plenty of reasons to go for 2-in-1 laptops.
But the issue is that the laptop market is flooded with so many models at different prices. Deciding the right laptop is a daunting task particularly when you have a budget less than 500$. We have solved your problem and reviewed seven of the best 2-in-1 laptops under $500.
1: New ASUS VivoBook (Best 2 in 1 Laptops Under 500)
If you are on a budget and looking for a reasonable 2-in-1 laptop, ASUS VivoBook is your way to go. The most prominent feature of the computer is its thin and premium aluminum design and look. You can use this affordable convertible laptop for a whole day due to its long battery life. If you are a geek who has to use a computer for the entire day and you are looking for an affordable convertible, keep reading to find more about this laptop.
The laptop has got an impressive thin keyboard with perfectly-defined corners and edges. Its two 360-degree hinges feel sturdy and keep the display in place. When you flip the laptop into tablet mode, it looks cool and does not feel heavy and bulky like other convertible laptops. Thanks to its lightweight and thin properties.
You cannot find such a compact and lightweight affordable convertible with this screen size. The laptop weighs 3.31 pounds with an average touch display. We are not saying that it has got the best display but not the worst either.
The laptop comes with a 14-inch glossy screen coating which can cause issues in respect of glare while using outdoor or under harsh lighting in your room or office. Other features which won our hearts and pushed us to include the laptop in the list are its thin keyboard and responsive touchpad.
When it comes to performance, the laptop comes with an Intel Core m3-7Y30 dual-core processor and 4GB RAM. The drawback of the laptop is its inadequate storage capacity due to which it comes with this price tag. Another aspect that you should keep in mind is its limited performance of the processor.
The laptop is perfect for using a long time to carry out light tasks daily but if you are up to some serious work like photo editing and other media-editing tasks, then check out other convertible laptops with better specs.
- Processor 2.6 GHz Intel Celeron
- RAM 4 GB DDR4
- Hard Drive 64 GB Embedded MultiMediaCard
- Graphics Coprocessor Intel UHD Graphics 600
- Screen Size 11.6 inches
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
2: ASUS Chromebook Flip
If you are looking for a lightweight, fast and premium convertible Chromebook, ASUS Chromebook flip is the right choice for you. Some of you may find it pricey than other Chromebooks available in the market, but its features worth your extra money. Let’s find it why.
The laptop is competing entry-level Windows laptops in terms of price and offering a convertible laptop with a premium look and feel. It has got a metallic body, sharp screen, comfortable backlit keyboard and touchpad, and impressive battery life to beat other plastic laptops. The laptop has got a display of 12.5 inches with IPS technology to run Android apps in beta version and multiple chrome tabs with style and solid performance.
The laptop has got a design similar to the MacBook, but you can see a big Asus logon on the lid and bezel of the laptop. It has got stable 360-degree hinges and you can easily convert the laptop into a tablet. The laptop has got all necessary connectivity ports except Type-A USB 3.0 ports. You can fix this issue by buying adapters to connect older devices.
The laptop comes with a sharp display of 12.5 inches with a 1920×1080 resolution and a decent color. The laptop has a backlit keyboard which allows you to type without any hurdle and issue even in places with low light.
Last, but not least, the most important aspect is its performance. In terms of performance, the laptop does not disappoint us at all as it has got an Intel Core m3-6Y30 processor and 4GB RAM that allows smooth multitasking.
- Processor 3.4 GHz Core M Family
- RAM 4 GB DDR3L
- Memory Speed 1 GHz
- Hard Drive 64 GB Embedded MultiMediaCard
- Screen Size 14 inches
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
3: Microsoft Surface Go
If you are looking for an ideal budget tablet or convertible laptop, Microsoft Surface Go is your way to go. But wait a second. If you cannot go with gadgets having shorter battery lives, you can check out the other options in this list with an impressive battery life. Else, the laptop has got almost every decent feature in it.
We love this tablet for some good reasons and one of them is that it is coming from Windows. You might be thinking: why is it so? Well, Windows wins in versatility than iOS and Android. The other reason is that Windows has included a touchpad so you can control the cursor other than using a stylus or touch screen.
Mostly we think that Windows machines do not come with strong and sturdy build quality, but it is not the case with the Surface Go. The laptop comes in silver magnesium look and feels more premium than other windows machines coming in this price range. It comes with a kickstand that helps you to easily switch from laptop to tablet and tablet to laptop modes.
The laptop comes with a 10-inch display with strong graphics. The display could be small but it has got a lot to offer you an amazing experience. If you enable Windows Hello facial recognition feature, logging in to the tablet could be a troublesome experience. The optional backlit keyboard is awesome but for a better experience, use it on a desk rather than your lap.
Its optional pen comes with some good benefits and you can take notes and draw sketches in multiple apps. The pen can also help you for making a digital signature without ant issue. When it comes to the speed, we tested the standard configurations with an Intel Pentium Gold 4415Y processor and 4GB of RAM. We would say that its performance is impressive but still, it is not as fast as IPad.
- Processor 1.6 GHz Pentium
- RAM 8 GB
- Hard Drive Flash Memory Solid State
- Graphics Coprocessor Intel HD Graphics 620
- Screen Size 10 inches
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
4: HP Pavilion 15
If you are a student and looking for the best HP laptop that will not create holes in your pocket, consider HP Pavilion 15. We are not saying that the laptop has got sheer power capacity but still, it has got some decent features to impress you.
The laptop is one of the few laptops based on AMD Ryzen technology in HP’s stable. I have included the laptop on the list because of its value against price. I would say it is a perfect laptop when it comes to a balance between performance and price.
The chassis of the laptop is made up of plastic but still, the laptop is included in the list of attractive devices. The logo of HP is featured on the laptop’s lid in black color that gives a modern and handsome look to the laptop. When it comes to displaying, the laptop features an HD display with sharp screen quality. But still, HP makes some compromises in terms of display quality.
With this price tag, you cannot expect to find an audio superstar, but still, the laptop works fine for playing the music and videos while browsing on the web. Considering the performance, the laptop features an Intel Core i5-6200U CPU and 8 GB RAM. For external storage, the laptop has got 1 TB hard drive. These specs with such a reasonable price are more than enough one could ask for.
The laptop with full HD display and impressive design provides a good value against your money. This notebook is not the fastest book out there but still manages to provide a good multitasking experience. If HP could offer the notebook with a better keyboard and less bloatware, the laptop could beat the competitors.
- Processor 2.3 GHz Intel Core i5
- RAM 8 GB DDR4
- Hard Drive 1 TB HDD 5400 rpm
- Graphics Coprocessor Intel HD Graphics 520
- Screen Size 15.6 inches
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
5: Lenovo Flex 14
Are you looking for a mid-range 2-in-1 laptop? Lenovo Flex 14 is an excellent choice to consider. Although the computer does not include hardware beasts or discrete graphics yet, it has got everything that you are looking to carry out daily tasks at an affordable price. The convertible laptop is not as impressive as the Lenovo Yoga 920.
The laptop has got modern components into a slim and lightweight body at a very reasonable price. That is the main convincing or selling point of the laptop. If you are a student or just simply looking for a cheap laptop to carry out your daily work, you cannot find a better option than this.
Talking about the design of the laptop, the device does not disappoint us in this area. The laptop has got a luxury and brushed aluminum chassis. At this price, the laptop has got more premium and classy design. The laptop is an attractive device featuring a matte Onyx shell with hinges. The hinges enable the display to rotate 360 degrees without any issue and it feels quite reliable.
For performance, you are getting a combination of 4 GB RAM and Intel Pentium Gold 4415U processor with 128 GB SSD. I am not going to recommend this laptop if you are intending to do some heavy tasks or multitasking. It will work perfectly for light web browsing and executing lightweight applications.
- Processor 2.3 GHz Pentium
- RAM 4 GB DDR4
- Hard Drive Flash Memory Solid State
- Screen Size 14 inches
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
6: Samsung Chromebook Pro
If you are looking for a premium Chromebook that comes with a beautiful design and high-end features, then give a try to Samsung Chromebook Pro. As we know when it comes to Chromebooks, Samsung always offers high-end products.
The Chromebook is made up of using a magnesium alloy, and its chassis gives a strong feeling upon touching. Samsung has two models for Chromebook, one is the Pro, and the other is Plus. Both models have almost the same specs but with different colors and CPU. Here, we are talking about Chromebook Pro.
The laptop has got sturdy 360-degrees hinges and you can easily tilt the screen. The convertible works amazingly in all the modes whether its tent mode or laid-back mode. Keep in mind that it is not the flexible or easiest tablet to use available in the market but still, it is not an awkward one too. We are in with love this laptop because of its screen, compact design, lightweight and small size.
The Samsung Chromebook Pro comes with limited connectivity options and it is quite justified because of its size and use case. Its keyboard has got good keys and you can enjoy typing but the keyboard and trackpads fail to impress a lot of users out there. The laptop comes with an included stylus in the package.
The laptop has a mind-blowing display with a resolution of 2400×1600 pixels. I am in love with its screen quality, color accuracy, and contrast. The laptop features an Intel Core m3-6Y30 processor for multitasking. The Samsung Chromebook Pro is a high-end convertible laptop with minor problems and absolutely worth your money.
- Processor 1 GHz core_m
- RAM 4 GB LPDDR3
- Hard Drive Flash Memory Solid State
- Graphics Coprocessor Intel HD Graphics 615
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
7: Acer Chromebook
The Acer Chromebook R13 is the latest addition to convertible Chromebooks. The convertible Chromebook costing you less than $500 is a cheap gadget aimed to meet your basics tasks without any hassle and fuss. With this laptop, you get access to software from the house of Google such as Chrome web browser, Google Docs, Gmail and many Android applications from Google Play store.
If you are a student and or you have limited bucks to invest in a laptop for carrying out writing tasks, then the Chromebook from Acer is all you need to get your job done.
But let me tell you clearly that if you are looking for a device with excellent performance, then the R13 Chromebook is not a perfect choice. You can check out other devices from the list with better specs and performance capabilities.
- Processor 2.1 GHz MediaTek_MT8127
- RAM 4 GB LPDDR3
- Hard Drive 32 GB Flash Memory Solid State Drive
- Graphics Coprocessor Imagination PowerVR GX6250
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
We are done with our list of best budget 2-in-1 laptops. We hope you have liked the laptops and decided the best and affordable 2-in-1 laptop for you. If you have anything to ask or suggest, simply just drop a comment. We would love to hear from you.
Daniel Levi is the Senior Editor at LaptopsGeek. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from Arizona State University and boasts over 15 years of experience in laptop reviews. With his extensive knowledge and expertise, Daniel provides invaluable insights into the world of laptops, ensuring that LaptopsGeek readers stay informed about the latest advancements in technology.