Best laptops under Rs 50,000: A quick guide to picking value-for-money notebooks in 2023

Choose the right size

Most budget laptops come in two sizes — 14-inch and 15-inch. While it might sound like a minor difference, a 14-inch laptop will be much more compact and lighter in weight when compared to a 15-inch laptop. This also means, a 14-inch laptop will have a smaller screen real-estate when compared to a 15-inch laptop.

If you are someone who carries a laptop every day to school or work, in the long run, you will definitely appreciate a laptop with a compact design and lightweight. Similarly, if you are someone who attends online classes or does work from home, a laptop with a large screen will be a good option. Again, instead of going for a laptop with a 720p display, it is best to consider one with 1080p resolution with at least 250nits of peak brightness. For those who use their laptops in extremely bright rooms or in outdoors, a laptop with at least 400nits of brightness is advisable to ensure adequate visibility.

Ensure it has at least 8GB RAM

While it is common to spot a laptop with 4GB RAM, especially in the budget segment, we do not recommend anyone buy a laptop with 4GB memory in 2023. A modern laptop, especially if it’s running Windows OS should have at least 8GB of RAM for experiencing a smoother day-to-day experience, as most modern apps and software require a lot of apps to deliver seamless performance.

Also, note that some laptops come with soldered LPDDR4x/LPDDR5x type RAM which doesn’t support user-upgradability. If you feel the workload might increase in the future, always consider laptops with SODIMM that allow users to upgrade RAM easily.

SSD is a must

No matter if it’s a budget laptop or a high-end gaming machine, it should have an SSD, probably a PCIe Gen3/Gen4 type. An SSD will drastically improve the boot speed, and app opening speed, and it also allows users to move files between devices quickly.

While it is recommended to get a laptop with at least 256GB SSD, you can also pick a laptop with a 128GB SSD and a 512GB or 1TB HDD. This gives both faster storage for the operating system and storage space for saving large files like movies and games.

A keyboard with a backlight could be like the cherry on the cake and a 1080p web camera too

Some brands have started to offer backlight keyboards even on a budget laptops. While these laptops could cost a bit more, it is best to get one with a backlight, especially if you are a night owl, who spends a lot of time with a laptop during the night time.

Also, a 1080p web camera can be the perfect companion for your laptop. Brands like Asus and Acer do have select laptops that are affordable and still manage to pack a 1080p web camera.

Make sure it has the latest processor

Both Intel and AMD make excellent notebook chips. Given most budget laptops misses out on dedicated graphics card, we suggest you opt for an AMD Ryzen 5000/6000/7000 series processor-based laptop with integrated Radeon graphics if you want a GPU-forward budget laptop. Similarly, if you are looking for a laptop with improved multi-tasking capability, a machine with 11/12/13 gen Intel hybrid chips with P and E cores should be your choice.

Here are the top three best budget laptops under Rs 50,000 to consider in 2023

ASUS Vivobook 16X (2022)

Price at Rs 46,990 on Amazon, the ASUS Vivobook 16X (2022) is one of the best large-screen laptops under Rs 50,000 in India. This machine is based on the AMD Ryzen 5 5600H, a gaming class CPU with 8GB of RAM and 512GB of PCIe-based storage solution. The laptop has a 16-inch 1080p screen with a minimal bezel design. It has a backlit keyboard, and a fingerprint sensor with support for Windows Hello. The device packs a 50WHrs battery with a backup of up to 8 hours per charge along with fast charging support via a 90W fast charger.

Acer Aspire Vero

If you want a laptop that looks unique and is also environmentally conscious, then you can consider the Acer Aspire Vero, which is currently listed on Amazon for Rs 48,000. This compact 15.6-inch laptop is made using ocean-recycled plastic without compromising on either design or build quality. Based on the Intel Core i5-1155G7 processor, the laptop offers 8GB RAM and 512GB SSD. It supports fast charging via the USB Type-C port. There is also a 16-inch variant of the Aspire Vero, which costs Rs 54,601.

Mi Notebook Pro

Our last pick is the Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro, a 14-inch laptop with a metal body and a 2.5K resolution display. This laptop comes with the Intel Core i5-11300H gaming-class processor with Iris Xe graphics. The laptop offers 8GB RAM and 512GB of NVMe-based SSD. It has a backlit keyboard the device also supports 65W USB Type-C fast charging. This laptop costs Rs 56,999.