These are the best cheap laptops under $600 in 2022

Buying a new laptop can be an exciting time, especially if you have a keen interest in computers in general. It’s the feeling of having a brand-new machine that does exactly what you want, faster than your old laptop did. But for as exciting as it can be, many of the best laptops are not cheap, so finding the right one isn’t always easy if you have a tight budget. That’s why we have lists focusing on the best cheap laptops you can buy today, and in this particular one, we’re going to focus on laptops that cost under $600.

The $600 price point is a very reasonable one, but it’s also a range where it really pays to keep an eye out for deals. Many of the laptops below this price outside of sales aren’t amazing, but if you wait it out for some discounts, you can find some real gems. That’s what we did for this list, so keep in mind that while most of the laptops here do cost $600 or less at writing time, that’s dependent on sales, so that price may have changed in the meantime.

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• Best overall: Dell Inspiron 16
• Best convertible: HP Pavilion x360 14
• Best with a 3:2 display: Surface Laptop Go 2
• Best 17-inch laptop Lenovo IdeaPad 3
• Extra cheap 14-inch laptop: HP Laptop 14
• Best business laptop: Lenovo ThinkPad L13 Gen 3
• Best tablet: Surface Go 3
• Best Chromebook: Acer Chromebook Spin 514

Best overall laptop under $600: Dell Inspiron 16

Many users, myself included, find that a 15-inch laptop is the perfect size, and if that’s the case for you, then the Dell Inspiron 16 is probably the best option you can get right now. This is a 16-inch laptop, but it has a size that’s more like a typical 15-inch, it just has a taller screen. Plus, it has current specs and it’s a solid laptop all around. Officially, it costs more than $600, but with an ongoing deal at writing time, you can get it for $550, which is a great deal.

Performance-wise, the Dell Inspiron 16 comes with some very good specs, starting with an Intel Core i5-1235U, which gets you 12 cores, 12 threads, and boost speeds up to 4.4GHz. Plus, Intel Iris Xe graphics help with some GPU workloads, too. On top of that, you get 8GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD in the base model, which is more storage than you’ll get with almost any competing laptop in this price range, so this is a really good deal.

And that continues with the display. There aren’t a ton of laptops in this price range that are already adopting a 16:10 aspect ratio, but that’s exactly what you get with the Inspiron 16. This is a 16-inch panel, but because of that taller aspect ratio, the laptop as a whole feels more like a 15-inch laptop. In terms of format, 16:10 is taller than 16:9, but not as tall as 3:2, but because this is a large screen, that aspect ratio makes it feel that much bigger. Plus, it comes in Full HD+ (1920 x 1200) resolution, so it’s pretty sharp,

The Dell Inspiron 16 is also going to be one of the very few laptops on this list to have a 1080p webcam, which is a big plus if you’re planning on making video calls or participating in online meetings regularly. Most cheap laptops have 720p cameras which simply aren’t as good, so that’s a big plus here.

In terms of design, the Dell Inspiron 16 is as standard as they come, but that might not be a bad thing necessarily. It’s a silver laptop without much in the way of flair, and while that’s not exciting, it also means you won’t get any weird looks when you pull it out in public. The laptop does look very sleek, though. It weighs 4.12lbs, so it’s not super light, but it’s not too bad for a laptop of this size, and the 18.3mm of thickness at its thickest point are also par for the course.

Finally, you get a solid selection of ports with this laptop. That includes one USB Type-C port, two USB Type-A ports, HDMI, a headphone jack, and a full-size SD card slot. That gives you plenty of options for peripherals, so you probably won’t need any adapters or hubs anytime soon.

Realistically, the biggest downside with this laptop is that the current deal might end, and it will cost significantly more than $600 outside of a sale. But if you can find it discounted, this is definitely one of the laptops you can get for under $600.

Dell Inspiron 15 3511

The Dell Inspiron 16 comes with modern specs and a large 16-inch display.

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Best convertible: HP Pavilion x360 14

If you’re like me, the thought of buying a laptop that isn’t a convertible is probably preposterous. And while convertibles can be expensive, the HP Pavilion x360 14 is going for a bit less than $600 right now, and it tends to be fairly cheap in general. Despite that, it has some solid specs and it’s going to serve you very well.

Starting with performance, the HP Pavilion x360 14 comes with 12th-generation Intel processors, specifically starting with an Intel Core i5-1235U, a 10-core, 12-thread processor with boost speeds up to 4.4GHz. That’s a very fast processor already and it also includes Intel Iris Xe graphics, making it suitable for some light GPU workloads. Additionally, it comes with 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD, which is a very good starting point for a laptop at this price.

The display on this model is also very sharp, coming in at Full HD (1920 x 1080) resolution and a 16:9 aspect ratio. This makes it one of the better options for watching movies and videos, and it’s the more common aspect ratio at this price. The screen goes up to 250 nits of brightness, so it’s not great for outdoor use, but if you’re mostly indoors, it should work just fine. As it’s a convertible, of course, the laptop supports touch, but also pen input, and an active pen is even included in the box.

A common sacrifice with laptops at this price is going to be the webcam, and this one is a 720p camera, as you’d probably expect. There’s an option for a 5MP webcam, but you need to also add cellular network support, which makes this a much more expensive laptop. There’s no Windows Hello facial recognition here, but you do get a fingerprint reader if you want an easier way to unlock the PC.

The HP Pavilion x360 is a fairly standard-looking convertible, though it does come in silver and gold color options if you want that choice. It’s not extremely portable, weighing 3.35lbs, but it’s not far from what you’d expect from a convertible of this size. It’s also not very thin, measuring 18.8mm, but it could be worse. While it won’t win any awards for being thin and light, you can take this laptop anywhere without too much of a hassle, and it’s not bad for a convertible.

As for ports, you get one USB Type-C port, two USB Type-A ports, HDMI, a headphone jack, and a microSD card reader. This is a solid setup that covers most basic needs, and the lack of Thunderbolt support is to be expected at this price, so you can’t really complain. If you have a peripheral, odds are it will work It’s worth mentioning again that there is also an option to configure the Pavilion x360 14 with cellular network support, specifically 5G. However, this makes the laptop much more expensive, as we’ve said above. Still, if you want a cheap 5G laptop, it might be one of your best options.

This configuration with an Intel Core i5 processor and a Full HD display typically has an official price of $800, but it’s currently down to just $570, and for that price, this is a bargain. You get great performance, a sharp display, and the convenience of a convertible. Of course, because it’s a sale, you might not always find it at this price, but right now, this is one of the best laptops you can get for under $600.

HP Pavilion x360 14

The HP Pavilion x360 14 is a great budget convertible with solid specs and a sharp display.

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Best laptop with a 3:2 display: Surface Laptop Go 2

Microsoft’s Surface lineup has some great premium devices, but in the past few years, it’s also received some solid budget options. For those who want a premium-feeling laptop without spending a lot, the Surface Laptop Go 2 is one of the best laptops you can find for under $600, especially with the current discounts.

Starting with performance, the Surface Laptop Go is powered by an Intel Core i5-1135G7. That’s not Intel’s latest and greatest processor, but it’s still a quad-core, eight-thread CPU, and it can boost up to 4.2GHz. That’s going to give you some solid performance in day-to-day tasks like school work, browsing the web, and writing documents, plus you get Intel Iris Xe graphics for some light GPU workloads. At the base level, that’s backed up by 4GB of RAM and 128GB of SSD storage. Normally, that’s all you can get for under $600, but right now, you can upgrade to 8GB of RAM and still pay just $600 ($100 off the regular price). The extra RAM does make the experience significantly better, plus there are other benefits with this upgraded model, like a fingerprint reader.

The Surface Laptop Go also has a 3:2 aspect ratio for the display, just like all the other Surface devices. This is significantly taller than a typical 16:9 display, meaning you get much more vertical space, which is great for productivity since you can see more on a page without having to scroll, for example. It comes in an odd resolution, 1536 x 1024, which is below Full HD. However, considering this is a 12.4-inch panel, it’s still going to look plenty sharp, just not as much as the more premium Surface devices. The screen also supports touch, but not the Surface Pen, which is surprising for a Surface device, but you’d probably not get a lot of use out of it on a clamshell laptop like this.

Surface devices typically have some of the best webcams of any Windows laptop, but unfortunately, that’s not the case with the Surface Laptop Go 2. Like many other cheap laptops, it has a 720p camera, and perhaps even more surprising is the fact that there’s no Windows Hello facial recognition. Microsoft does say it enhanced the webcam from the first-generation Surface Laptop Go, and most webcams in this price range are 720p, but it’s still not the best.

In terms of the design, the Surface Laptop Go changes things up in the materials used compared to other Surface devices. The lid is made from aluminum, while the base is made from a polycarbonate resin with glass fiber, and it comes in four colors to choose from – the signature Platinum, Matte Black, Sandstone, and Sage (green). It still looks very much like a Surface device, even if it’s not quite as premium. It’s a fairly thin laptop, measuring just 15.69mm, and it weighs 2.45lbs, so it’s very portable in general, and one of the lightest laptops on this list.

As for ports, you get one USB Type-C, one USB Type-A, a Surface Connect port for charging and docking, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. This is a decent setup, but the lack of a traditional display output and Thunderbolt may be a bummer to some. It’s definitely in line with other Surface devices in terms of ports, which isn’t necessarily a good thing, but it’s serviceable.

Overall, the Surface Laptop Go is a premium-looking laptop that’s very portable and packs solid performance. The mid-tier model is available for just under $600 at Best Buy right now, and it’s one of the best laptops around. If you’re fine with getting the base configuration, you can find it on Microsoft’s website.

Surface Laptop Go

The Surface Laptop Go features the iconic Surface design and solid performance for a low price.

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Best 17-inch laptop under $600: Lenovo IdeaPad 3

For some of us, having as large of a screen as possible is the way to go, and for hose users, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 may be the best option right now. This is a 17-inch laptop, and as larger laptops tend to make some sacrifices, it’s not [backing the absolute latest specs, but that’s not to say it’s a slow laptop by any means. Plus, it’s the first AMD-powered laptop on this list.

Starting with performance, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 comes with an AMD Ryzen 5 5625U processor, which is a slight refresh of the Ryzen 5 5600U. This processor has 6 cores, 12 threads, and it can boost up to 4.3GHz, so it’s a very fast CPU already, and it’s going to breeze through most day-to-day tasks without much of a problem. This model also comes with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of SSD storage, which is fairly standard for a laptop in this price range.

Also typical of cheaper laptops is a relatively basic screen, though at least the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 comes with a Full HD panel by default, which isn’t always a guarantee. The screen is 17.3 inches diagonally, and the 1920 x 1080 resolution isn’t super sharp, but it’s definitely usable for most people. It also reaches 300 nits of brightness, which is more than the 250 nits promised by most other laptops on this list.

Keeping up with the rest of the laptops on this list, the camera on the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 is another 720p sensor, and once again, there’s no Windows Hello facial recognition support. Thankfully, there’s a fingerprint reader built into the power button, which should make it easier to unlock the PC without having to type in your PIN.

The design of this laptop is fairly basic, as you’d probably expect for a cheap laptop. It comes in either Storm Grey or Abyss Blue colorways, though only the Storm Grey model fits our target budget at writing time, and there isn’t anything that really helps it stick out in any way. At 19.9mm of thickness, it’s not really very slim, but the 4.51lbs of weight is actually fairly reasonable for a large 17-inch laptop, so portability isn’t as bad as it could be.

Coming around to the ports, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 has one USB Type-C port, two USB Type-A ports, HDMI, a headphone jack, and a full-size SD card reader. This is a fairly standard setup for laptops at this price, and you’ve probably noticed most of the devices on this list don’t stray too far from this combination. It’s definitely serviceable if you have a few peripherals and don’t want to use adapters or hubs.

Large laptops are naturally more expensive, and thus, there are some corners cut with this model compared to some of the other entries on this list. Even with those, though, this is a fairly powerful laptop that can keep up with your work or school needs. If you want a 17-inch laptop for under $600, this is one of your best options.

Lenovo IdeaPad 3

The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 is a relatively basic laptop, but it has a large screen and solid performance to handle day-to-day tasks without a problem.

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Extra cheap 14-inch laptop: HP Laptop 14

If you want a 14-inch laptop on the cheap and you don’t care about the convertible form factor, the aptly named HP Laptop 14 may be for you. This is actually the only laptop on this list officially priced under $600, and with an ongoing sale, it’s going for just $450 at writing time. And yet, you get some solid specs all around.

Indeed, the HP Laptop 14 is already packing 12th-generation Intel Core processors, starting with an Intel Core i5-1235U. This is a 10-core processor with 12 threads and boost speeds up to 4.4GHz, the same you’ll find on higher-end laptops. And again, INtel Iris Xe graphics help handle some lighter GPU workloads, including entry-level gaming. This is paired with 8GB of RAM and a 128GB SSD, which is a bit of a step down from most other laptops on this list, but keep in mind this is also a significantly cheaper laptop, and if you want, you can configure it to have more storage, too.

The first downside of this laptop is in the display. It’s a 14-inch panel, and while most other laptops on this list start with Full HD resolution, the HP Laptop 14 starts with a less sharp HD (1366 x 768) panel. You do have the option to upgrade to Full HD, though, and it’s not a very expensive upgrade, so it’s worth considering if your budget allows for that. There are also more expensive options like touch support and a brighter Full HD panel.

Unsurprisingly, the HP Laptop 14 comes with a 720p webcam and no Windows Hello support, whether that’s via facial recognition or a fingerprint reader. That’s pretty much in line with what you’d expect out of a cheap laptop, especially with this one being among the cheapest on the list.

Design is another area where the HP Laptop 14 is evidently cheap, with the rounded corners and plastic build typical of HP’s cheaper laptops. It comes in a few colors, though, including the basic black and silver options, but also a silver/warm gold dual-tone design and the Indigo Blue option pictured above. The 3.24lb weight isn’t all that light for a 14-inch laptop, and at 18.8mm in thickness, it’s not the slimmest device around, but those are the sacrifices you make with something this cheap.

Thankfully, you don’t make a ton of sacrifices with ports, with one USB Type-C port, two USB Type-A ports, HDMI, a headphone jack, and a full-size SD card reader. That’s a solid setup, but keep in mind the Type-C port doesn’t support charging or a DisplayPort signal, plus it only has 5Gbps of bandwidth, so it’s slower than most other laptops on this list. Still, there’s a good amount of variety here, and you should be able to connect a few peripherals without any issues.

The lower MSRP does mean the HP Laptop 14 isn’t quite as good as some others on this list, but if you just want something with the latest processors and solid overall performance, this laptop delivers that for a very low price.

HP Laptop 14

Despite being fairly basic, the HP Laptop 14 comes packing solid specs that should deliver all the performance you need for day-to-day tasks.

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Best business laptop: Lenovo ThinkPad L13 Gen 3

Lenovo’s ThinkPad laptops are some of the most famous business laptops out there, and while they tend to be fairly expensive, the ThinkPad L14 tries to boil down some of those qualities into an affordable package. And to its credit, it does very well. Officially, this laptop costs well over $600, but Lenovo is almost always running some kind of sale on its website, so there’s a very good chance you can find it in that price range (as is the case at writing time).

For starters, the ThinkPad L13 Gen 3 comes with AMD Ryzen Pro 5000 series processors, specifically starting with the Ryzen 5 Pro 5675U. These Pro processors have additional security features for businesses, plus this one comes with 6 cores, 12 threads, and boost speeds up to 4.3GHz, so you’re getting quite a bit of performance here and you shouldn’t need any upgrades (though the option is there). You also get 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD, so you have your bases covered out of the box.

One of the highlights of the ThinkPad L13 Gen 3 is its display, which is a 13.3-inch panel in a 16:10 aspect ratio. We haven’t seen a lot of that on this list, but these taller screens give you more vertical space, which is great if you’re reading or writing since you don’t need to scroll as often. Plus, with Full HD+ (1920 x 1200) resolution, the display plenty sharp for this size, and you’re getting a great experience overall.

The camera on the Lenovo ThinkPad L13 Gen 3 is a 720p webcam, like we’ve seen many other laptops have, and Windows Hello support isn’t a standard feature either. However, being a business laptop, you do get options. You can upgrade to a 1080p camera with IR for facial recognition, or add a fingerprint sensor if you prefer that. The latter option is cheaper, but the former is a bit more convenient, plus you get a better webcam for meetings and video calls.

Something else that makes the ThinkPad L13 unique is its design, at least compared to the rest of the laptops on this list. It comes in either Storm Grey or Black colorways, and it features the usual design elements you’d expect from a ThinkPad, like the red TrackPoint in the middle of the keyboard, and duplicate mouse buttons above the touchpad. Some may not like this, but they’re iconic business features, and it’s great to have them at such a low price. This is also one of the most portable devices here, weighing 2.75lbs and measuring 17.3mm in thickness.

Rounding things out with ports, the ThinkPad L13 Gen 3 comes with two USB Type-C ports, two USB Type-A ports, HDMI, and a headphone jack. Unlike many others on this list, there’s no SD card slot, but you do have an extra USB Type-C port, which adds a bit of versatility. This is still a great setup overall.

Aside from the risk that it will be priced at over $600 when you read this, there isn’t a whole lot to complain about with the ThinkPad L13 Gen 3. The base configuration is already solid and very affordable with the ongoing discount, and you can even upgrade things like the webcam if you want to. It’s not perfect, but it’s probably the best business laptop you can get for under $600 right now.

Lenovo ThinkPad L13 Gen 3

The Lenovo ThinkPad L13 is am affordable, but capable business laptop with iconic ThinkPad design elements and solid performance.

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Best tablet under $600: Surface Go 3

Microsoft recently refreshed its budget Surface Go line, and the Surface Go 3 is naturally the best device in the family so far. The latest iteration offers improved performance, but otherwise, it’s the same as the Surface Go 2, and that’s not a bad thing. For under $600, this is probably the best detachable laptop you can find.

So let’s focus on that improved performance first. The Surface Go 3 comes packing an Intel Pentium Gold 6500Y, which is a dual-core, four-thread processor that can boost up to 3.4GHz. There’s an option for an Intel Core i3-10100Y, but that goes over our price ceiling. The base configuration also includes 4GB of RAM and 64GB of eMMC storage, and we’d definitely recommend upgrading to 8GB of RAM and a 128GB SSD. That configuration will cost you $550 (it’s actually discounted to $500 right now), which is still within the budget, but you’ll have to consider whether you want to get the keyboard and/or Surface Pen alongside it. If you don’t need those things, the performance increase is certainly worth the extra cost.

The display on the Surface Go 3 didn’t change, but it didn’t need to. This is a 10.5-inch panel and it comes in Full HD+ (1920 x 1280) resolution, which is very sharp for a display of this size. It’s also still using the classic 3:2 aspect ratio of other Surface devices, so even though it seems small on paper, it gives you a nice canvas to work with. Of course, as it’s a tablet, it supports touch and the Surface Pen, though they are sold separately

One aspect where the Surface Go 3 easily rises above the rest of the devices on this list is the webcam. There’s a 5MP camera on the front capable of recording 1080p video, and it’s one of the best cameras on any laptop, and it especially stands out on this list. Plus, it includes support for Windows Hello facial recognition, and it’s one of the few laptops on this list to have it as a standard feature. There’s a second camera on the back with an 8MP sensor and 1080p video.

The Surface Go 3 also retains some premium elements in its design, like the magnesium casing Microsoft typically uses for some of its Surface devices. It’s also the thinnest and lightest device on this list, weighing a mere 1.2lbs and measuring just 8.3mm. Of course, that’s without the optional keyboard, but even if you add that, it’s super portable.

Ports, on the other hand, are a bit lacking. You get a USB Type-C port, a Surface Connect port for charging and docking, a headphone jack, and a microSD card reader. It’s a basic setup that makes sense for a tablet, but for a PC, it’s quite limited, and you’ll need adapters for most wired accessories.

It’s not the fastest PC out there, but the Surface Go 3 focuses on offering a premium experience in areas like the display, design, and webcam, and it’s a fantastic device for this price.

Surface Go 3

The Surface Go 3 is an affordable Windows tablet with a premium and lightweight design and great cameras.

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Best Chromebook: Acer Chromebook Spin 514

Acer makes one of our favorite Chromebooks on the market, the Chromebook Spin 714, but while that one is a bit too expensive for this list, the Acer Chromebook Spin 514 is a perfect fit. It’s still a very capable laptop that’s going to breeze almost anything you’d want to do on Chrome OS, and it still has the versatility of a convertible.

This configuration of the Acer Chromebook 514 comes with an AMD Ryzen 3 5125C, one of the custom processors AMD develops exclusively for Chromebooks. This is a dual-score, four-thread CPU that runs at up to 3GHz. That’s not overly impressive on paper, but with Chrome OS being a very lightweight operating system, this is still going to deliver all the performance you need for school work and day-to-day tasks. Plus, you get 8GB of RAM and 128GB of eMMC storage in the base configuration, so this is a solid configuration all things considered. A proper SSD would be better, but this is still solid for the price.

As the Spin branding suggests, this is a convertible laptop, and that of course means the display supports touch. It’s also covered in Corning Gorilla Glass, so it should be fairly durable and feel premium. The display panel itself has Full HD (1920 x 1080) resolution, so it’s pretty sharp for this size, and it makes for a great viewing experience.

This laptop also has a 1080p webcam, which is great to see if you want a laptop for online classes or if you make video calls often. Unfortunately, there’s no form of biometric authentication, whether that’s with IR-based facial recognition or a fingerprint scanner. That’s just a matter of convenience, though, you don’t need it.

Moving on to the design, the Acer Chromebook Spin 514 looks fairly standard, but it has a premium build quality you don’t see in a ton of laptops at this price. We’ve already mentioned the Corning Gorilla Glass display, but the chassis is mostly made of metal, and it meets MIL-STD-810H standards for durability, so it should be able to survive some drops and bumps. It’s not flashy, but the build quality is some of the best you’ll find in a laptop that costs under $600. Considering the build quality and the fact that it’s a convertible, the 3.31lbs of weight aren’t bad at all for this laptop. It’s also 17.27mm thick, which isn’t too bad, either.

Finally, in terms of the ports, you get two USB Type-C ports with power delivery and display output, one USB Type-A port, and a headphone jack. There isn’t as much variety as with some other laptops, but with two USB ports, you can get an adapter to add HDMI or other ports you might need. It’s not ideal, but you have the option.

At $560, the MSRP of the Acer Chromebook Spin 514 is well within our budget and for that price, you’re getting a great experience with Chrome OS. It cuts some corners here and there, but it does a lot right and it’s easily one of the best laptops you can get for under $600.

Acer Chromebook Spin 514

This Acer Chromebook Spin 514 is a solid Chromebook convertible with AMD Ryzen processors and a premium build.

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And those are, in our opinion, the best laptops you can buy right now for under $600. As we mentioned at the top, many of these laptops are on sale at writing time, which is why they fit the budget, so you’ll have to check for yourself to make sure. Out of these, we chose the Dell Inspiron 16 as the best overall pick because it’s a great combination of the latest Intel processors, a great display, and a 1080p webcam, all somewhat uncommon elements at this price. You won’t find another laptop at this price that combines all that, and the only reason this one even fits is thanks to a sale, which you’ll want to take advantage of.

Looking for a different type of laptop? Check out our list of the best 5G laptops if you want something that can stay connected to the internet anywhere you go (and if money isn’t a constraint).

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These are the best cheap gaming laptops you can buy in 2022

Finding a cheap laptop that does everything you want it to do is not an easy task. Buying something at an affordable price inherently means corners have to be cut, so you have to look hard for something that fits your needs. That’s all the more true for gaming laptops, which need to have certain expensive components inside, like dedicated GPUs. We’re here to help with that, and we’ve rounded up the best cheap gaming laptops you can buy today.

What constitutes a cheap laptop varies depending on the category we’re looking at. In general, the best cheap laptops we recommend cost $700 or less, but it would be very hard to find a good gaming laptop at that price. For this list, we’re considering the best cheap gaming laptops that cost under or around $1,000 (at writing time). That gives you a fair bit of choice and some great laptops already. Depending on discounts, you may be able to upgrade certain parts of these laptops and stay within that budget, but we’re focusing on the base configuration so you can explore possible from there.

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• Best overall: Acer Nitro 5
  • Also great: HP Victus 15t
• Most powerful GPU: Gigabyte G5
• Best 17-inch laptop: ASUS TUF Gaming F17
• Best AMD-powered laptop: HP Victus 16z
  • Also great: Dell G15
• Extra cheap: Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3
• Best do-it-all laptop: Asus Zenbook Flip 15

Best overall: Acer Nitro 5

The Acer Nitro 5 is one of the most popular cheap gaming laptops out there, and for good reason. These laptops often deliver a very capable gaming experience for an affordable price, and this is one of the latest models around, with some great specs to get you started with gaming.

First off, the Acer Nitro 5 is already packing Intel’s 12th-generation Core processors, specifically a Core i5-12500H. This CPU comes with 12 cores and 16 threads, and it can boost as high as 4.5GHz, resulting in very strong performance for day-to-day tasks as well as gaming. Of course, the GPU is especially important if you want to game, and this model of the Acer Nitro 5 also comes with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 Ti with up to 95W of power, which should be able to run the majority of modern games, though you may need to tweak some settings in more demanding games. Plus, it comes with 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD, both of which can be upgraded later on if you need more. For just under $1,000, that’s a very compelling combination.

Even with its powerful specs and low price, the Acer Nitro 5 also manages to come with a pretty good display for gaming. It’s a 15.6-inch panel with a 16:9 aspect ratio, typical of gaming laptops, especially at this price. The resolution is Full HD (again, pretty typical for this price), but most importantly, it supports a 144Hz refresh rate. This ensures that games can run much more smoothly, particularly more lightweight titles where the built-in GPU can push more frames more easily.

A common sacrifice you’ll see across these affordable gaming laptops is the webcam, and that’s no different here. The Acer Nitro 5 has a 720p webcam, and there’s no Windows Hello support. Neither facial recognition nor a fingerprint reader are available, so you’ll have to type in your PIN whenever you want to log in.

Some gaming laptops can have pretty gaudy designs, and the Acer Nitro 5 definitely doesn’t hide its roots, but it’s still somewhat classy. The chassis is mostly made of sleek straight likes, but there are red accents on the corners near the rear exhaust fans. Four-zone RGB lighting also illuminates the keyboard, and the transparent edges on each key make the RGB lighting very apparent, so this can be a flashy laptop. Something else that’s common for cheap gaming laptops is a beefy design, and at nearly 27mm in thickness, the Acer Nitro 5 definitely keeps that up. It also weighs 5.51lbs, so portability isn’t a major focus, as you’d expect for a gaming laptop.

Rounding things out with ports, you get one Thunderbolt 4 port on the back (meaning you can eventually connect an external GPU if you want more power) along with HDMI. On the left side, a USB Type-A port along with RJ45 Ethernet and a headphone jack, and two more USB Type-A ports on the right. This gives you space for plenty of peripherals, and having some ports on the back helps keep some clutter off the sides of your laptop so you can use a mouse for gaming, for example.

This is frankly a fantastic laptop for the price, giving you lots of power, a great screen for gaming, and a solid selection of ports. As far as cheap gaming laptops go, this is certainly one of the best.

Acer Nitro 5

The Acer Nitro 5 is an affordable, yet capable gaming laptop woth solid specs out of the box, plus some upgradeability.

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Also great: HP Victuz 15t

HP debuted the Victus line of laptops in 2021, offering a mix of a premium and sleek design with solid gaming specs. The latest Victus 15t is packing the latest Intel processors and Nvidia graphics, but it also comes with some customizability, so you can get a configuration that’s more suited to your needs.

First off, the HP Victus 15 is powered by Intel’s 12th-generation Core processors, starting with a Core i5-12500H. As we just mentioned above, that’s a 12-core, 16-thread CPU that can boost up to 4.5GHz, and it’s already a very fast processor to start with. It also starts with an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 GPU, which is enough for some entry-level gaming. But the great thing about this laptop is that it’s highly configurable, and because it’s on sale right now, you can go as high as a Core i7-12700H and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 Ti and still be under $1,000. The base model comes with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, and we recommend upgrading at least the RAM before getting into CPU upgrades, though you can also upgrade the RAM yourself later if you prefer going that route.

As the name suggests, the Victus 15 comes with a 15.6-inch display, and again, it’s a 16:9 aspect ratio and Full HD resolution (1920 x 1080). This display comes with a 60Hz refresh rate by the default, but there are upgrade options including a 144Hz panel and even the option for a brighter 300-nit display. You’ll want to consider these upgrades and balance them with the other configuration options available to stay under $1,000.

Predictably, the HP Victus 15 comes with a 720p webcam that does not include support for Windows Hello facial recognition. In fact, a fingerprint reader also isn’t available, so there’s no biometric authentication support, and you’ll have to use a PIN or password to sign into your PC.

A big advantage the Victus 15 has over the Acer Nitro 5 is the sleeker design that fits much better into any environment. It comes in either black, white, or “performance blue”, and all three colors look nice and subdued without being too boring. There’s no RGB flair on the laptop, and even the Victus branding is professional-looking, nothing that would necessarily indicate this is a gaming laptop. It’s a much thinner machine, too, at 23.6mm, and somewhat lighter with a starting weight of 5.06lbs.

As for ports, you get one USB Type-C (3.2 Gen 1) port, two USB Type-A (3.2 Gen 1) ports, HDMI 2.1, gigabit Ethernet, a headphone jack, and a full-size SD card reader. That’s a setup that covers all the basics, and it clearly focuses more on important gaming specs like HDMI 2.1 and fast Ethernet. However, the USB ports aren’t extremely fast, and there’s no Thunderbolt support, which may be a bummer to some users. Still, a solid setup all around.

The Victus 15t doesn’t necessarily offer the same performance for your money (outside of sales, at least) as the Acer Nitro 5, but it’s still a very capable gaming laptop, and the sleeker design makes it a very valid option for gamers who want to take their laptop to school or work, too.

HP Victus 15t

Packing the latest Intel processors, RTX graphics, and a 144Hz display, the Victus 16t is a great choice for an affordable gaming laptop.

Features:

Pros: Cons:

See at HP

Most powerful GPU: Gigabyte G5

If you want the most power you can get in a cheap gaming laptop, the Gigabyte G5 is your best option right now. Officially, it costs over $1,000, but right now you can get a pretty significant discount on it, bringing it just under our threshold.

In terms of the processor, the Gigabyte is actually packing an older CPU than some other models on this list, but that doesn’t mean you should disregard it. This is an Intel Core i5-11400H, which has 6 cores, 12 threads, and boost speeds up to 4.5GHz, so it’s still a very capable processor that will serve you well for a long time. You’re not missing out on much, and the focus here is on the GPU, which is much more important for most games. That’s why you get an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 here, which is a big step up from both the RTX 3050 and 3050 Ti, with 6GB of video memory (instead of 4GB), and far more processing power in general – plus it can use up to 105W, so there’s plenty of power here. Rounding things out, you get 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD, which you can upgrade later. This is a fantastic setup to start with, though.

The gigabyte G5 comes with a 15.6-inch panel and Full HD resolution (1920 x 1080), which is fairly standard at this point. It also has a 144Hz refresh rate for extra smooth gaming, making good use of the more powerful graphics card inside. You should be able to enjoy just about any modern game, and many of them at high frame rates, with this laptop. For very intensive games, you’ll still need to tweak some setting, but you’ll be seeing higher frame rates on many more titles compared to most other laptops here.

Not one to go against the current, the MSI GF65 sticks to the tried and true 720p camera we’ve seen in other laptops, and there’s no Windows Hello facial recognition, either. In fact, there’s no Windows Hello support of any kind, and that’s also par for the course at this point.

Looks-wise, the Gigabyte G5 is fairly sleek for a gaming laptop. There really isn’t a lot that gives this away as a gaming laptop other than the angular patterns around the air intake and exhaust vents, and the rest is very clean, with the Gigabyte logo also looking very professional. On the inside, the keyboard is backlit and designed to let the light shine around the edges of the keys, which may be a bit more flair than some like, but it’s still fairly clean. This is also one of the lighter laptops here, with 4.81lbs of weight, but it’s very thick, reaching 31.8mm at its thickest point.

Coming around to the ports, the selection you get here is very wide and varied. You get one USB Type-C port, three USB Type-A (3.2 Gen 1) ports, HDMI 2.0, mini-DisplayPort, gigabit Ethernet, a combo audio jack (plus a separate microphone jack if you prefer it that way) and a full-size SD card reader. This is the biggest selection of ports you’ll probably find here and it gives you a lot of options. It may not have Thunderbolt support, but the built-in ports are more than enough for any peripherals you may have.

The Gigabyte G5 is probably the most powerful laptop for gaming here, with the GeForce RTX 3060 GPU delivering more performance than most others on this list. It has an older CPU and a very thick design, but if you want GPU power, you can’t go wrong with this one.

Gigabyte G5

The Gigabyte G5 is the most powerful laptop on this list in terms of the GPU, and it still manages to be fairly light. It usually costs over $1,000, but with a sale, it just fits our budget.

Features:

Pros: Cons:

See at Best Buy

Best 17-inch gaming laptop: ASUS TUF Gaming F17

Gaming is all about immersion, and nothing can help you more with that than having a large screen to see your games on. The Asus TUF Gaming F17 gives you exactly that, along with quite a bit of power to run your games, too. Larger laptops are generally more expensive, so you sacrifice a bit of power in some ways, but this is still a great laptop.

In terms of performance, it’s not packing the latest hardware anymore, but it’s not a slow laptop by any means. It’s powered by an Intel Core i5-11400H processor, which has 6 cores, 12 threads, and boost speeds up to 4.5GHz, so it’s far from a slow processor. For graphics, you get an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 3050 Ti, which can use up to 75W of power with Dynamic Boost. It’s a pretty powerful GPU that should be able to handle most modern games without much of an issue, though you’ll need to change some settings in more demanding titles. Additionally, you get 8GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD, giving you a decent amount of memory and storage for your games and other files. Both RAM and storage are upgradeable later on, too.

The ASUS TUF Gaming F17 also comes with a 17.3-inch Full HD (1920 x 1080) display, meaning it has the typical 16:9 aspect ratio. It also has a 144Hz refresh rate, so your games can look that much smoother, as long as the GPU can keep up. It’s a great display for gaming, and even though Full HD starts to look a little less sharp with a 17.3-inch panel, you really won’t notice it during gameplay (plus a higher resolution wouldn’t make sense for these specs).

Keeping in line with what we’ve seen so far, the webcam above the display is another 720p camera, and once again, there’s no Windows Hello facial recognition support here. It should come as no surprise that there also isn’t a fingerprint reader, so Windows Hello support is out of the question entirely.

Unlike some other laptops on this list, the TUF Gaming F17 doesn’t do much to hide its gaming-oriented nature. The lid features large TUF branding and four dots in the corners that make it obvious this isn’t your everyday laptop, plus large exhaust vents make it apparent you’re carrying a gaming laptop. The keyboard deck also features some angular designs, and the keyboard is backlit with single-zone RGB lighting. The WASD keys are fully translucent, too, so it’s even clearer this is a gaming laptop. Being a large 17-inch laptop makes this one of the heaviest devices on this list, weighing 5.73lbs, but thankfully it’s not the thickest, at 23.9mm at its thickest point.

As for ports, there’s a solid supply overall. You get one USB Type-C (3.2 Gen 2) port, three USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports, HDMI 2.0b, RJ45 Ethernet, and a headphone jack. That covers most of the basics, even giving you wired internet if you absolutely need a lag-free experience. Thunderbolt support would be welcome, but considering the wide selection of ports you get out of the box, this is great already.

For those looking for a cheap 17-inch gaming laptop, the ASUS TUF Gaming F17 is still one of the best options out there, and it’s one of the more affordable options too.

ASUS TUF Gaming F17

The ASUS TUF Gaming F17 is a great option if you want a larger screen at a lower price, while still getting the perks of a gaming laptop.

Features:

Pros: Cons:

See at Best Buy

Best AMD-powered gaming laptop: HP Victus 16z

AMD-powered laptops have become more and more prominent in recent years, and they’re often just as good if not better than Intel counterparts. The HP Vixtus 16z is a great example of a fantastic AMD laptop that’s also highly customizable to your tastes.

Starting with performance, the Victus 16z is powered by AMD’s Ryzen 6000 series processors starting with a Ryzen 5 6600H. That’s a 6-core, 12-thread processor and it can boost up to 4.5GHz. For graphics, the base configuration comes with an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 3050 GPU, though you can upgrade to a GeForce RTX 3050 Ti and still be within the budget (at writing time, at least). Usually, the laptop starts just under $1,000, but an ongoing sale allows for some upgrades. Additionally, you get 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD in the base configuration, though you can get some upgrades, or upgrade the laptop yourself later if you want to save money now.

In the display department, the Vicrus 16z has a 16.1-inch panel and it comes in Full HD resolution (1920 x 1080) like most of the laptops on this list. In the base configuration, the display is a 60Hz panel and it has 250 nits of brightness, but you can upgrade to a brighter panel or opt for a 144Hz display, depending on where you choose to allocate your budget. Things like the display and GPU can’t really be upgraded later on, so it might make sense to invest in them now.

As per usual, the webcam on the Victus 16z is a 720p camera, and it also doesn’t support Windows Hello facial recognition. A fingerprint sensor is also not included, which shouldn’t come as much of a surprise at this point. All of these cameras are serviceable. but they won’t stand out in any way.

Moving on to the design, this is pretty much the same we’ve seen in the Victus 15 model above, just slightly bigger. This model comes in either blue or black, so there’s no white variant, but otherwise, it looks just as clean and sleek. The larger size naturally makes for a heavier laptop, so it weighs 5.29lbs, and at 23.6mm, it’s also somewhat thick, though not thicker than most laptops on this list.

The larger size compared to the Victus 15 does get you one extra port, though. In total, you get one USB Type-C (3.2 Gen 2) three USB Type-A (3.2 Gen 1), HDMI 2.1, gigabit Ethernet, a headphone jack, and a full-size SD card reader. That’s a very solid setup with just about any port you could want for connecting peripherals, external displays, and so on.

If you’re looking for a laptop powered by the latest AMD processors that’s capable of delivering a great gaming experience without drawing too much attention, the Victus 16z is a fantastic choice. It’s easily one of the best gaming laptops you can get on the cheap, and with ongoing sales, it’s even more tempting.

Victus 16z

The HP Victus 16z is a premium-feeling gaming laptop with AMD processors and other powerful specs, plus plenty of ports.

Features:

Pros: Cons:

See at HP

Also great: Dell G15

Dell is no stranger to making some of the best laptops out there, and the G15 gaming laptop is another great choice for AMD fans. It has similarly powerful specs and a design that’s arguably more unique than most gaming laptops on this list.

First off, the Dell G15 comes with the same AMD Ryzen 5 6600H processor as the Victus 16z, with 6 cores, 12 threads, and boost speeds up to 4.5GHz. This is part of AMD’s latest lineup, and it’s a powerful CPU at that. For graphics, you get an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050, giving you baseline RTX support and solid performance so you can run just about any modern game on this laptop. Finally, you get 8GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD in this configuration, which is a pretty good setup, and you can always make some upgrades down the line as your budget allows.

The display on the Dell G15 is a 15.6-inch panel, and it comes in at — unsurprisingly — Full HD resolution (1920 x 1080). This model includes a 120Hz refresh rate by default, though, which is great if you want a smoother experience for gaming and in general. It’s just 250 nits of brightness, so you won’t want to use it outdoors, but it’s not like you’d want to carry this around everywhere anyway.

Just like every other laptop on this list, the Dell G15 has a typical 720p webcam, and it doesn’t support Windows Hello facial recognition. It also doesn’t include a fingerprint sensor, as is the case with most of the laptops we’ve looked at so far.

The Dell G15 definitely has a unique look compared to other laptops on this list. The chassis uses a combination of silver and black, but the grey portion has dark speckles sprinkled throughout, giving the laptop a bit more identity without being overly flashy. You’ll also see a red G logo on the right side of the laptop, and a textured pattern on the lid does make it obvious this isn’t a work laptop. The Dell G15 isn’t particularly portable, weighing 5.55lbs and measuring nearly 27mm in thickness at its thickest point.

You do get a good supply of ports with this laptop, though. It has one USB Type-C port (3.2 Gen 2), three USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports, HDMI 2.1, RJ45 Ethernet, and a headphone jack. As is the case with most gaming laptops, this is a very solid setup, and it covers all the basic needs you might have. Thunderbolt support would have been almost impossible with an AMD laptop, plus even Intel laptops at this price often skip out on it, particularly those focused on gaming.

The Dell G15 packs fairly powerful specs and it’s a great gaming laptop, with the added benefit of looking pretty unique compared to others on this list. If that’s what you’re looking for, then this is one of the best cheap laptops you can buy right now.

Dell G15

The Dell G15 is great cheap gaming laptop with AMD Ryzen 6000 processors and RTX graphics, and it has a fairly unique design.

Features:

Pros: Cons:

See at Best Buy

Extra cheap gaming laptop: Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3

If your biggest priority is to buy something on the cheap, the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 is the best laptop to cover your basic gaming needs at a low price. It’s usually nearing $1,000, but a big sale over at Best Buy makes this an easy recommendation if you want something very cheap, since it costs just $580.

Starting with performance, the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 comes with an Intel Core i5-11400H processor, which isn’t the newest processor around anymore, but that’s part of what helps make it so cheap. It’s a 6-core, 12-tread CPU, and it can boost up to 4.5GHz, so you won’t be missing out on a ton of performance here. It also packs a solid GPU, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 with up to 90W of power, so you can feasibly play most games with this laptop, even if some of them require you to change some settings here and there.  It rounds things out with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of SSD storage in the base model, but you can upgrade both of those beforehand or later on.

The display on the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 is a 15.6-inch panel and it comes in Full HD resolution (1920 x 1080), so it stays in line with other laptops we’ve seen so far. This configuration also has a 120Hz refresh rate, so you can enjoy a smoother gaming experience, at least in titles your GPU can handle more easily.

It’s getting somewhat repetitive at this point, but yes, the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 also comes with a 720p webcam above the display, and as usual, there’s no facial recognition built-in. There’s also no fingerprint reader, so Windows Hello support isn’t a possibility out of the box.

The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 has a fairly sleek design, making this an easy laptop to take with you anywhere without drawing too much attention. It features a plain black chassis for the most part, without much to give it extra flair, aside from thick exhaust vents at the back and a slight angle toward the front corners of the laptop. While it’s still a heavy laptop, the 4.96lbs of weight actually make this one of the lighter devices on this list, plus the 24.2mm of thickness are also on the lower end compared to the others.

Finally, we have the ports, and the supply of them here is not too bad, but it is more limited than most other. We get one USB Type-C port, but it doesn’t support DisplayPort output, and aside from that there are two USB Type-A ports, HDMI 2.0, a headphone jack, and gigabit Ethernet. It doesn’t have as many ports as some others, and the lack of DisplayPort support via USB Type-C is also odd to see. Still, like most gaming laptops, you have at least a few ports to connect peripherals for gaming.

For those who want to save as much as possible while still getting a serviceable gaming experience, the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 is a great starting point. Thanks to the ongoing discount, it’s really affordable for what you get, and while it makes some sacrifices, it deserves to be considered one of the best gaming laptops on account of being so cheap.

Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3

The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 is the cheapest laptop on this list, but it still packs a punch with modern specs and a relatively lightweight design.

Features:

Pros: Cons:

See at Best Buy

Best do-it-all laptop: Acer Aspire 7

As much as you like gaming, there’s a good chance you have a bit more going on in your life, and if you can’t afford to buy one laptop for gaming and one for work, it’s great when you can get a laptop that does both. The Acer Aspire 7 is a great example of exactly that, and it’s a very affordable machine, too.

Performance-wise, you’re not missing out on much, but the Acer Aspire 7 does come with an Intel Core i5-1240P processor. Instead of the 45W CPUs we’ve seen a lot of on this list, this is a 28W processor, so it’s a little less power-hungry, and it should allow for better battery life as well as a slightly more portable package. For graphics, the Aspire 7 packs an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050, which can use up to 50W of power. That should still be enough to handle a lot of modern games without issue, though as usual, you may need to change some settings here and there so everything runs smoothly. Additionally, you get 8GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD with this configuration, but you can always upgrade those later if you need more.

Because gaming isn’t the only focus of the Aspire 7, the display doesn’t have a high refresh rate. This is a 15.6-inch panel, and it comes in Full HD resolution (1920 x 1080), which is just sharp enough for a display of this size to not be overly pixelated. The standard 60Hz refresh rate is still just fine for gaming unless you’re into competitive e-sports, in which case you’d probably want one of the gaming-focused laptops above.

Unfortunately, while this is a more everyday-type laptop, it still comes with a 720p webcam, which is less than ideal if you want to participate in video calls or meetings frequently. There’s also no Windows Hello facial recognition, but this is the only laptop on this list to have a fingerprint reader, at least, so you have a more convenient way to unlock the laptop.

Being designed more towards everyday life, the Acer Aspire 7 does have a cleaner look, too, though to be fair, many of the laptops here also look fairly clean. Still, this plain black chassis is as clean as it gets, and it definitely looks like a laptop you can take anywhere without any sort of weird looks. It also emphasizes portability a bit more, so the laptop is just 19.8mm thick, easily the thinnest of any of the laptops on this list. At 4.61lbs, it’s also the lightest of the bunch, even if it’s still a bit heavy compared to a regular ultrabook. For a machine you can use for gaming, this is very portable.

As for ports, you get one Thunderbolt 4 connection that allows you to plug in all kinds of peripherals, including docks and external GPUs. Additionally, three USB Type-A ports, HDMI, RJ45 Ethernet, and a headphone jack make for a very well-rounded setup, on par with most typical gaming laptops. In fact, with Thunderbolt support, this setup is better than most laptops on this list.

It doesn’t have the most powerful GPU out there, but the Acer Aspire 7 still offers solid gaming performance and it comes in a much more portable package than any other laptop on this list. Cheap laptops have to make sacrifices, but this is one of the best ones at balancing everyday life and gaming capabilities.

Acer Aspire 7

The Acer Aspire 7 is a great budget-friendly laptop that can handle some gaming while still being relatively thin and light.

Features:

Pros: Cons:

See at Acer

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Those are, in our opinion, the best cheap gaming laptops you can buy today. We gave the overall pick to the Acer Nitro 5 because it offers the most overall performance you can get from a laptop at this price, including a 12th-gen Intel CPU and powerful Nvidia graphics, plus Thunderbolt support in case you want to use an external GPU later. If you want GPU power above all else, the Gigabyte G5 may be the better option for you.

If you have a bigger budget, consider checking out our list of the best gaming laptops in general. There are some fantastic options there. Or stop by our list of the best laptops if gaming isn’t a big focus for you.

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Oppo’s ColorOS 13 brings an Aquamorphic design and several new features

At the OnePlus 10T launch event earlier this month, OnePlus unveiled OxygenOS 13 — the latest version of its custom Android skin based on Android 13. Now, Oppo has lifted the covers off ColorOS 13, which is pretty much the same as OnePlus’ Android 13 skin.

New features in ColorOS 13

Like OxygenOS 13, ColorOS 13 adopts a new Aquamorphic Design, offering fluid, vibrant, and inclusive UI and animations inspired by the way water acts in nature. It consists of a new system theme palette based on the changing color of light between sunrise and sunset at sea level, an updated font with improved readability, and a card-style layout that displays information in a clear and visually-friendly order.

Oppo’s latest custom Android skin also brings new intuitive animations to the table that offer softer, more natural, and realistic interaction effects. It is powered by an updated Quantum Animation Engine that delivers precise feedback when interacting with the UI. Furthermore, ColorOS 13 includes a new Shadow-Reflective Clock widget that accurately shows the flow of time, new inclusive illustrations, a dedicated IoT device control module, and media playback controls in the updated Control Center.

ColorOS 13 also brings new features to enhance the multitasking experience, including Multi-Screen Connect support for the Oppo Pad Air, a new Meeting Assistant that ensures users get a stable network connection and fewer distractions during meetings, and support for a new sidebar shortcut to take meeting notes.

The multitasking improvements also include better Home Screen Management features that allow users to quickly access the information they need, including a Global Search banner, Large Folder support, and new Home Screen widgets.

Oppo has also updated the Smart Always-On Display (AOD) functionality in ColorOS 13. It now lets users control apps and check additional information without unlocking the screen, and it also offers native Spotify integration. ColorOS 13 further brings new wallpapers to help users easily track smartphone usage, Adaptive Layout support for large-screen devices, and Split Screen support.

ColorOS 13 also brings new privacy and security features to the table, including an Auto Pixelate option that can recognize and blur profile photos and names in chat screenshots. ColorOS’ Private Safe feature has also been improved with an updated UI, and it now encrypts your data using the widely-used Advanced Encryption Standard (AES).

In addition to highlighting the new ColorOS 13 features, Oppo also shared some details about the software support commitment for its wide range of devices. The company now promises three major Android OS upgrades and four years of regular security patches for its flagship Find X series devices. On the other hand, the affordable Oppo Reno, F, and K series devices will receive two major Android OS upgrades and three years of security updates. Lastly, the budget-friendly Oppo A series will receive one major Android OS upgrade and three years of security updates.

ColorOS 13 Rollout Schedule

Oppo has shared a tentative ColorOS 13 rollout schedule for its portfolio of devices. If all goes to plan, the Find X5 and Find X5 Pro should receive stable ColorOS 13 before the end of this month. The Find X3 Pro and Reno 8 Pro 5G should receive the update next month, followed by the Reno 8, Reno 7 Pro, Reno 7 5G, Reno 7, Reno 6 5G, Oppo F21 Pro, Oppo F19 Pro Plus, Oppo K10, and Oppo A96 in October.

During the second round of the ColorOS 13 rollout in November and December, Oppo will release the update for 33 models. It will be followed by a third round in the first half of 2023, during which the update should reach 25 more devices.

To learn more about Oppo’s latest Android skin and everything it brings to the table, check out our hands-on preview of the ColorOS 13 beta running on the Find X5 Pro.

What do you think of all the new features that ColorOS 13 brings to the table? Did you spot any new features that might come in handy in your day-to-day use? Let us know in the comments section below.

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The ad-supported Netflix tier might limit the app’s functionality

Netflix is one of the most popular TV streaming services available out there. What started as a basic DVD rental platform eons ago has slowly grown into a more diverse entertainment hub. The company now has its own original catalog of series and movies. That’s not to mention the dozens of exclusive mobile games it provides. For a single monthly fee, the company grants you access to its offerings, and you get to stream your favorite titles on the go. After all, Netflix is available on almost all of the commonly-used devices and operating systems. So you get to start a show on your living room’s Smart TV and resume it on your phone as you commute.

Though, as the company struggles to maintain its present subscribers and gain new ones, it has been looking for new ways to appeal to the masses. For example, it started cracking down on password sharing in certain regions. This is to motivate users to get their own paid accounts. Whether this tactic works or backfires is irrelevant. Another strategy is launching a cheaper, ad-supported tier.

We already know that the ad-supported Netflix plan won’t include all of the shows currently available. Though, it seems like the company will also be limiting the mobile app’s functionality for users on this particular tier. According to Steve Moser‘s findings, the ad-supported Netflix plan won’t allow downloading content for offline viewing. Additionally, the app might prompt users to answer some questions. That’s to personalize the ad experience and provide more relevant ones. The text that Steve has found in the mobile app states:

Downloads available on all plans except Netflix with ads.

Now, let’s set up your ad experience.

We just need a few details to make sure you get the most relevant ads on Netflix. It’ll be really quick, we promise!

It’s unclear when this Netflix plan will launch and how cheaper it will be. It’s also yet to be seen whether it’ll help the company gain more subscribers — by appealing to users on more limited budgets.

Do you plan on subscribing to the ad-supported Netflix tier? Why or why not? Let us know in the comments section below.

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Source: The Tape Drive with Steve Moser

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LineageOS 19 is now available for the Xiaomi Mi 6, Moto G 5G, Motorola Edge, and more

The LineageOS team has extended LineageOS 19 support to several Android devices since the Android 12-based custom ROM debuted earlier this year. Towards the end of last month, the team added support for the OnePlus Nord N200, Fairphone 3, and Redmi 7. Now, it’s extending support to five more devices — the Xiaomi Mi 6, Moto G 5G, Moto G 5G Plus, Moto Edge, and ZUK Z2 Plus.

The Moto G 5G (Moto One 5G Ace), Moto G 5G Plus (Moto One 5G), and Motorola Edge are budget-friendly Motorola devices from 2020 that launched with Android 10 out of the box. Motorola only released one major software update for all three phones, so users haven’t had the chance to experience all the new software features Google introduced with Android 12. But, thanks to LineageOS 19 support, users can now try out Android 12 on these devices.

The Xiaomi Mi 6 and ZUK Z2 Plus are much older in comparison and haven’t received official Android upgrades for a few years. The LineageOS team has given these devices a new lease on life with LineageOS 19 support. If you’re still rocking these phones and want to give Android 12 a shot, you can download LineageOS 19 from the links provided below. The Wiki links will direct you to the respective device pages, where you’ll find the flashable ZIP file and instructions for your device.

Sr. No.	Device and Forum Link	Device codename and Wiki Link	Maintainer
1.	Xiaomi Mi 6	sagit	ArianK16a
2.	Moto G 5G (Moto One 5G Ace)	kiev	SyberHexen Jleeblanch
3.	Moto G 5G Plus (Moto One 5G)	nairo	SyberHexen
4.	Motorola Edge	racer	erfanoabdi Jleeblanch SyberHexen
5.	ZUK Z2 Plus	z2_plus	DD3Boh

To flash LineageOS 19, you’ll have to unlock your device’s bootloader and install a custom recovery like TWRP. If you’re not sure how to do that, check out our detailed guides on how to install a custom ROM and how to install TWRP for instructions. Before you proceed, though, make sure you carefully read the installation instructions and other linked documentation in the Wiki pages linked above. Also, take a backup of your data before starting the process, or you may lose it during the installation.

Note that LineageOS 19 doesn’t come with Google apps pre-installed. You’ll have to flash a compatible GApps package after installing the ROM if you wish to use any Google apps or services. Head over to our guide on how to download and install the latest GApps for detailed instructions.

While the LineageOS team has extended LineageOS 19 support to five devices, the team has also dropped three devices from the LineageOS 18.1 build roster due to maintainer inactivity. These include the Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2, Xiaomi Mi Mix, and Xiaomi Mi Note 2.

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Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 vs Apple iPhone 13 Pro: On which flagship should you spend $999?

Samsung revealed the Galaxy Z Flip 4 during its Unpacked event in August 2022. This device comes with plenty of innovative offerings, including a foldable display. For $999, you can either buy the Galaxy Z Flip 4 or buy the iPhone 13 Pro. Regardless of the choice you make, ensure that you protect your Samsung or Apple phone with a case. After all, it’s better to be safe than sorry. This is the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 vs Apple iPhone 13 Pro — the battle between two very different smartphones that cost $999 each.

Navigate this article:

• Specifications
• Design
• Display
• Performance
• Cameras
• Battery
• Bottom Line

Galaxy Z Flip 4 (2022) vs iPhone 13 Pro (2021): Specifications

	Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4	Apple iPhone 13 Pro
Processor	Qualcomm SM8475 Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1	A15 Bionic chip
Body	Unfolded: 165.2 x 71.9 x 6.9 mm Folded: 84.9 x 71.9 x 15.9-17.1 mm 187 g	146.7 x 71.5 x 7.65 mm 204 g
Display	Main 6.7-inch foldable Dynamic AMOLED 2X display 2640‑by‑1080-pixel resolution at 426 ppi Support for HDR10+, 120Hz, and 1200 nits max brightness. Cover: 1.9-inch Super AMOLED display 512‑by‑260-pixel resolution	6.1-inch Super Retina XDR display 2532‑by‑1170-pixel resolution at 460 ppi Support for HDR, ProMotion technology (120Hz), True Tone technology, and 1200 nits max brightness.
Cameras	12MP rear camera system: Wide: ƒ/1.8 Ultra Wide: ƒ/2.2 10MP front camera: ƒ/2.4	Pro 12MP rear camera system: Telephoto: ƒ/2.8 Wide: ƒ/1.5 Ultra Wide: ƒ/1.8 TrueDepth 12MP front camera: ƒ/2.2
Memory	128GB/256GB/512GB SSD 8GB RAM	128GB/256GB/512GB/1TB SSD 6GB RAM
Battery	All-day battery life	Up to 75 hours of audio playback
Connectivity	5G Wi-Fi Bluetooth 5.2	5G Wi-Fi Bluetooth 5.0
Resistance	IPX8	IP68
Security	Fingerprint scanner	Face ID
OS	One UI 4.1.1 (based on Android 12)	iOS 15
Colors	Bora Purple Graphite Pink Gold Blue	Sierra Blue Graphite Gold Silver Alpine Green
Material	Ultra Thin Glass Armor Aluminum	Glass back Stainless steel frame
Price	Starts at $999	Starts at $999

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Design: The Galaxy Z Flip 4 is out of this world

Design is an important aspect to look into before buying a new device. After all, we stare at our phones for hours every day, and we wouldn’t want to look at an ugly product. Fortunately, both phones look modern and have minimalistic builds. However, there are quite some obvious differences between the two.

The iPhone 13 Pro features the familiar design we’ve seen on previous-gen models. It has a matte glass back and a glossy stainless steel frame. On said back, we spot the notable bump — which packs the Pro camera system. On the other hand, the Galaxy Z Flip 4 is made of ultra-thin glass and armor aluminum. It has a more streamlined camera system and a hinge in its middle.

When it comes to colors, the iPhone 13 Pro offers five finishes, while the Galaxy Z Flip 4 goes for four only. Notably, though, you can order the Samsung phone in its Bespoke Edition — allowing you to customize the colors of different parts of it. The resulting product is unique and reflects your taste. Obviously, the Galaxy Z Flip 4 wins over the iPhone 13 Pro in this round for having a more innovative design.

Display: Bendgate is a feature on the Galaxy Z Flip 4

The display also happens to be one of the highlights to look into when picking a phone upgrade. After all, looking at and touching our screens is how we mostly use these devices. So a terrible display would result in an unpleasant user experience. Expectedly, both high-end smartphones have great displays. However, one of them takes it a step further.

Despite the iPhone 13 Pro having a slightly clearer display, the Galaxy Z Flip 4 wins this round for its innovative execution. The Samsung phone has a 6.7-inch main screen that you can fold in half. This means you get to use a large phone screen without sacrificing your own comfort. When you want to place it in your pocket, you just fold it to switch to its compact form. That’s not to mention that folding it protects the main screen from direct scratches and damage.

To glance at your notifications without unfolding the whole device, you get a tiny cover screen next to the rear camera system. Think of this cover display as a peeking window — allowing you to view time-sensitive events when you’ve folded your Flip. Otherwise, both phones support 120Hz refresh rates and have similar brightness levels.

Performance: The Apple A15 Bionic is bananas

When you buy a new, high-end phone, you also expect a lag-free experience. Usually, that is mostly determined by its memory, processor, and operating system. We’ve taken a look at benchmarks for the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 and Apple A15 Bionic chips. Both chipsets perform remarkably well in the mobile field — with the A15 shining in the general single-core and multi-core performance tests. Meanwhile, the Qualcomm processor defeats the A15 in the gaming department. Though, the Apple chip has a higher overall score.

Nonetheless, scores don’t matter as much as practicality. Both the iPhone 13 Pro and Galaxy Z Flip 4 should operate smoothly. Keep in mind, though, that iOS is objectively less buggy than Android OS. So despite the two phones packing two mighty chips, you might encounter fewer lags and glitches when using the iPhone. Ultimately, both devices can execute everyday tasks just fine.

Cameras: The Flip is a flop

The Galaxy Z Flip 4 has been winning most of the previous rounds. In the camera department, though, it has some shortcomings. Starting with the front-facing or selfie camera, you get a 12MP TrueDepth camera system on the 13 Pro. This enables you to take 3D maps of your face and use Face ID for authentication. The Galaxy Z Flip 4, on the other hand, has a regular 10MP camera. For authentication, you have to depend on the fingerprint scanner included in the side button.

On the rear, both phones offer Wide and Ultra Wide lenses, with Apple aiming at higher resolutions and better apertures. Additionally, you get a telephoto lens on the iPhone 13 Pro — which is completely missing on the Galaxy Z Flip 4. So if you’re purely looking for a versatile camera setup, you might want to consider the iPhone over the Samsung phone. Nonetheless, the camera output on the Galaxy Z Flip 4 is more than decent.

Battery: The iPhone 13 Pro is selfish

With both the Galaxy Z Flip 4 and iPhone 13 Pro lasting a whole day on a single charge, battery comparisons have drifted to other aspects. For starters, the Samsung phone has a USB Type-C port — which is more universally adopted and used. Meanwhile, Apple resorts to its proprietary Lightning port on its Pro iPhone. This gives the Galaxy phone a few points.

Though, perhaps the most notable difference between the two phones is reverse Qi wireless charging. The Galaxy Z Flip 4 allows you to place a Qi-supported device on its back to wireless charge it. While you can charge your iPhone wirelessly with Qi or MagSafe, you still can’t charge other devices — like your AirPods — through the iPhone. This round goes to Samsung for using the superior port and because the ability to share power is indeed a very handy and neat offering.

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Bottom Line: Innovation vs Familiarity

Both the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Apple iPhone 13 Pro come with a $999 price tag. So — which should you buy? If you are stuck in Apple’s ecosystem and aren’t willing to try a new mobile experience, then obviously the iPhone 13 Pro is the one to go for. Additionally, if you’re looking for the superior camera system, then the iPhone has more to offer in this field. Otherwise, the Galaxy Z Flip 4 is almost objectively the better device to buy here. It packs a lot of innovative features and technologies that are still nowhere to be found on iPhones. You most certainly get more value for your money when you get this Samsung phone.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4

The Galaxy Z Flip 4 offers a foldable display. It's compact, packed with innovative technologies, and worth every buck.

View on Samsung

Apple iPhone 13 Pro

The iPhone 13 Pro features a familiar design, has a solid build, and packs an unrivaled mobile processor.

View on Best Buy

Which of the two phones will you be buying, and why? Let us know in the comments section below.

The post Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 vs Apple iPhone 13 Pro: On which flagship should you spend $999? appeared first on XDA.

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