Related Articles
This story is part of Gift Guide, our year-round collection of the best gift ideas.
Need a new laptop? If it’s for working from home, here are my basic-spec recommendations:
- Intel Core i3 processor or better
- 8GB of RAM or more
- SSD (solid-state hard drive)
- 15.6-inch full-HD display (because anything smaller starts to feel cramped for full-time work)
Two of the three machines below meet those requirements; one has a slightly smaller screen. But they’re all priced at $400 to $500, meaning they’re about as affordable as Windows laptops get — and they make few compromises along the way. Take a look — and also take a listen to the latest episode of the Cheapskate Show podcast, in which we talk about this very subject.
Gateway
Gateway GWTN141-4BK
$399 (save $300)
If you can live with a 14-inch screen, Gateway’s model offers a lot of bang for the buck. In addition to a 10th-gen Core i5 processor, you get 16GB of RAM (twice what the other two laptops offer), plus a 256GB SSD and a fingerprint scanner. It even has a THX-tuned audio subsystem.
Gateway offers the system in your choice of colors, a refreshing change from the usual any-color-as-long-as-it’s-black.
$399 at Walmart
HP
HP Pavilion 15z
Starting at $400 (save $200)
You can get out the door with HP’s 15.6-inch laptop for as little as $400, but because you can customize the system, allow me to recommend a few upgrades.
After clicking Customize & Buy, add the following:
- 15.6″ diagonal, FHD (1920×1080), IPS, micro-edge, BrightView, 250 nits ($40)
- Full-size, backlit, natural silver keyboard with numeric keypad ($0)
- Intel® Wi-Fi 6 AX 200 (2×2) and Bluetooth® 5 combo (Supporting Gigabit file transfer speeds) ($10)
This last is definitely optional, but it’ll help future-proof the laptop toward the Wi-Fi 6 standard. All told, these upgrades add just $50 to the total price.
You might also want to double the storage to 256GB ($50). Either way, this Core i7-powered system should supply ample horsepower for everyday computing tasks.
See at HP
Lenovo
Lenovo IdeaPad S340
$500 (save $280)
The 15.6-inch IdeaPad closely matches the aforementioned HP — with the various upgrades applied. You get an Intel Core i7 processor, 8GB of RAM, a 256GB SSD and a 15.6-inch full-HD display. Integrated graphics, too, but the slightly older Wi-Fi spec.
Ultimately, it boils down to whether you have a brand preference — or you’re in a hurry: The custom HP will likely take at least a few days to ship (and it could be longer due to demand), while the Lenovo should go out immediately — and might even be available for in-store pickup.
$500 at Office Depot
Your thoughts?
Get a Harman Kardon Citation One smart speaker for $70
The Citation One, shown here in black, is a punchy little smart speaker that supports multiroom setups.
Harman Kardon
I love when I can get premium-brand audio gear for the price of lower-quality no-brand audio gear. Case in point: For a limited time, and while supplies last, Back Market has the mint-condition refurbished Harman Kardon Citation One Smart Speaker with Google Assistant for $150. That’s for the gray model only. Price at Best Buy for a new one: $230.
See it at Back Market
The Citation One stands just over 7 inches tall. It supports both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity, multiroom setups and dual-speaker pairing for true stereo.
CNET hasn’t reviewed it, but reviews I’ve seen elsewhere note its punchy, bass-forward audio and simplistic operation, the latter attributable to built-in Google Assistant.
Back Market offers a 30-day money-back guarantee and 12-month warranty — meaning there’s zero risk involved. Indeed, if this is anything like the Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones I ordered from the company, it should arrive in good-as-new condition. At $70, I’m liking this a lot.
CNET’s Cheapskate scours the web for great deals on tech products and much more. For the latest deals and updates, follow him on Facebook and Twitter. You can also sign up for deal texts delivered right to your phone. Find more great buys on the CNET Deals page and check out our CNET Coupons page for the latest Walmart discount codes, eBay coupons, Samsung promo codes and even more from hundreds of other online stores. Questions about the Cheapskate blog? Answers live on our FAQ page.
Find The Perfect Gift
AllUnder $10Under $20Under $50Under $100Under $250allmomsdadsgrandparentsfitnesstravelersteenspreteenstechgamingfoodiesromanticjewelryhomekids107 results
Five S Kneading Massager
$35 at Amazon
Hydro Flask
$35 at Hyrdo Flask
Nintendo eShop Gift Card
$50 at Amazon
Fox in the Forest
$12 at Amazon
SteelSeries Arctis 1
$50 at Amazon
Jacques Torres bonbons
$55 at Jacque Torres
A bouquet of exotic meats
$90 at Man Crates
Sarah Chloe diamond locket
$145 at Sarah Chloe
The Bouqs Co. Pixie bouquet
$99 at The Bouqs Co.
Sweet heart bamboo
$35 at Plants.com
Max Brenner chocolates
$37 at Max Brenner
Ingarden microgreens garden
$100 at Amazon
Shun Sora Japanese petty knife
$70 at Amazon
Wolf Circus Toni gold bracelet
$95 at Wolf Circus
Champagne Gummy Bears
$9 at Sugarfina
MakiMaki sushi roll kit for 2
$125 at MakiMaki
Cote des Roses rosé
$16 at Wine.com
Flavored Truffle Gift Box
$38 at La Maison du Chocolat
Barrel Aged Hot Hive Honey and Reaper Salt Series
$40 at Fuego Box
Carrie Hoffman X studs earrings
$290 at Carrie Hoffman
Wanna Date? sweet date spread
$12 at Uncommon Goods
Italian olivewood serving board
$17 at Sur la table
Three-piece cheese knife set
$20 at CB2
A delivery of fresh pasta
$25 at Goldbelly
Maison Miru heart nap earrings
$75 at Maison
Bokksu Japanese snack box
See at Amazon
State cashmere blanket throw blanket
See at Amazon
HyperChiller
See at Amazon
Nixplay smart digital photo frame
$20 at CB2
Online cooking classes
See at Online Cooking School
Washable Silk Tee & Shorts
See at Quince
Ouai Chill Pill Bath Bombs
See at Ulta
60 Hour Candle
See at TheraBox
Dyson Supersonic hair dryer
See at Dyson
Mint & Lily Mama necklace
See at Mint & Lily
Sephora gift card
See at Sephora
Google Nest Hub
See at Google
Theragun Prime
See at Therabody
Matador NanoDry Towel
See at REI
Mixbook
See at Mixbook
Tiki fire pit
See at Amazon
Mario Badescu face spray set
See at Ulta
Flower delivery from BloomsyBox
See at BloomsyBox
Slip silk pillowcase
See at Amazon
Aarke water carbonator
$230 at Bed Bath & Beyond
Disney Plus Gift Subscription
$80 at Disney
DJI Minin 2 Fly More Combo
$600 at Amazon
Fujifilm Instax Mini 11 Instant Camera
$69 at Amazon
ThisWorx Portable Car Vacuum Cleaner
$36 at Amazon
Perfect Pot
$165 at Our Place
Letterfolk Customizable Tile Mat
$75 at West Elm
Parks Project Candle
$36 at Parks Project
iPad Mini 2021
$500 at Best Buy
Crown & Paw Pet Canvas
$50 at Crown & Paw
Coravin Wine Preservation System
$150 at Target
Botley 2.0
$47 at Amazon
Arcade1Up Arcade Machine
$600 at Best Buy
Biolite TraveLight 135
$40 at Biolite
Blockaroo Blocks
$40 at Amazon
Gloomhaven: Jaws of The Lion Board Game
$32 at Amazon
JBL Go 3
$50 at Amazon
Illy Y3.3 Espresso and Coffee Machine
$149 at Amazon
Lenovo Smart Clock
$35 at Best Buy
Keurig K-Slim Coffee Maker
$79 at Amazon
Lego Speed Champions Corvette
$30 at Amazon
Madewell Transport Tote
$178 at Madewell
Lunya Silk Sleep Mask
$48 at Lunya
Lite-Brite
$13 at Target
Lodge Cast-Iron Grill Pan
$20 at Amazon
Wyze Cam v3
$36 at Amazon
Apple AirPods 3
$150 at Amazon
EarFun Air Pro 2
$80 at Amazon
Sony WF-1000XM4
$250 at Walmart
Sony PlayStation 5
$499 at Amazon
Roku Express 4K Plus
$39 at Amazon
Apple iPad 2021 (9th generation)
$280 at Amazon
Acer Chromebook Spin 713
$530 at Amazon
MacBook Air M1
$1,000 at Best Buy
Bose SoundLink Flex
$150 at Best Buy
Dell G15
$1,100 at Best Buy
HP Pavilion Aero 13
$1,000 at HP
Lenovo Yoga 7i (2-in-1)
$850 at Best Buy
Mosaic Plant-Based Meal Delivery
$70 at Mosaic
Trade Coffee Subscription
$40 at Trade
Vizio MQ7 65-inch
$1,000 at Amazon
Apple Watch SE
$269 at Amazon
Apple Watch Series 7
$399 at Best Buy
Atlas Tea Club
$199 at Atlas Tea Club
iPhone 11
$499 at Apple
iPhone 13
$799 at Apple
Fitbit Charge 5
$179 at Amazon
Google Pixel 6
$599 at Amazon
iPhone 13 Pro
$999 at Apple
LG C1 OLED 65-inch
$1,797 at Amazon
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
$1,166 at Amazon
TCL Series 4 TV 65-inch
$529 at Amazon
TCL Series 6 TV 65-inch
$999 at Amazon
Theragun Mini
$199 at Amazon
Best of Dylan’s Candy Bar Gift Basket
$100 at Dylan’s Candy Bar
The Mirror
$1,495 at Mirror
Echo Dot with Clock
$60 at Amazon
Croissant Light
$19 at Amazon
Spanish-style Wine Glasses
$20 at Amazon
Nintendo Switch OLED
$350 at Target
Xbox Series X
$499 at Amazon
Get the best price with CNET Shopping.
Love shopping online but don’t have time to compare prices or search for promo codes? Our CNET Shopping extension does that for you, so you always get the best price.
