In the past, it was next to impossible to get a decent laptop under $500-$600. Things sure have changed since then. Now, you can find a great laptop even if you are running on a tight budget. And the best part is that you won’t even have to settle for a not-so-impressive laptop. Instead, you can buy yourself a light, sleek and high performing laptop under $600. If you are looking for something cheaper, you can easily find a netbook priced under $400. All said done, a lavish budget is no longer a prerequisite for a great laptop.

The following is a list of some the best budget laptops out there:

1. Acer Aspire V5 – Don’t be fooled by the size of this 11-inch ultraportable. The Acer Aspire V5 packs the power of a full fledged laptop with an Intel Core i5 processor, a 500GB hard drive and a 6GB RAM. All this makes for a high performance laptop, one you can use with equal ease at your office or at a coffee shop. Having said as much, there are a few limitations primarily due to its small size- the keypad is a tad bit uncomfortable to use and the same goes for the touch pad. Both of these need a little getting used to. Nevertheless, the Acer Aspire V5, priced at under $500, offers complete value for money.

2. Sony Vaio E Series – The Sony Vaio E Series SVE11113FXW is also an 11-inch ultraportable, ideal for the frequent flyer. It is powered by a 1.2 GHz AMD E2-1800 processor and comes with 500GB hard drive and 4GB RAM. Again, the size might be a bother initially but once you get used to it, it stops being a problem at all. The laptop is available for $449 and has a surprisingly decent battery life.

3. HP Envy Sleekbook 6 - Price wise, the HP Envy Sleekbook falls somewhere around the margins of the category we are discussing as it is priced as close to $600. On the bright side, it is the best looking laptop you will find for that price. It boasts of a 2.1 GHz AMD processor with 4GB memory and 500GB hard drive. As added benefits, it comes with decent graphics and audio output as well.

4. Dell Inspiron 14z- The biggest USP of the Dell Inspiron 14z is the second generation Intel Core i3 processor which is difficult to find in this price category. Just like all the other laptops mentioned here, it comes with 500GB hard drive and 4GB RAM. As the name indicates, it is a 14-inch laptop which means that the size should not be a problem. At the same time, it is not a bulky laptop and can be carried around pretty easily. Just like the previous model, it is a little towards the expensive side and is available for close to $600.