There are a few things in tech more depressing than a cheap Windows laptop. Between sluggish performance, application timeouts, dim displays, and poor battery life, you sacrifice a great deal to buy a sub-$600 Windows machine.

That doesn't mean you can't still get a good laptop on a budget; it just means that Windows is probably not the operating system to consider. While you can install Linux on anything, most laptops don't come with Linux pre-installed, and those that do aren't much cheaper than their Windows counterparts. While you can sometimes find the Apple MacBook Air on sale, it's hardly "budget" at full price.

Which leaves us with Chromebooks.

Chromebooks are cheaper compared to Windows laptops

You don't even need a Chromebook Plus laptop

Many of the best Chromebooks cost about $600 or less, while the more premium Chromebook Plus tier tends to stick close to the $699 price tag of the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus. So, with most Chromebooks coming in at under $700, it's rare to find many Windows laptops for the same price. In fact, there are so few budget Windows laptops around these days that I find it difficult to recommend a good Windows laptop that retails for under $600.

Yes, you can get a decent Windows mini-PC for about that much, but you still need to add a monitor, keyboard, and mouse, which will significantly increase the price above the $600 threshold.

ChromeOS also costs less to install, so manufacturers can use those savings to equip the Chromebook chassis with a better display and keyboard. A good laptop display can go a long way. While it's not necessary for most people, a good display will make your next streaming binge a lot more immersive, and it's ideal for editing photos and videos. However, a good display is a valuable benefit in all respects. While just about any modern display can work for web surfing, emailing, or spreadsheet management, a good display can help alleviate eye strain due to screen flickering, and it'll make your work

ChromeOS requires fewer resources

So you can save on a high-powered CPU

ChromeOS is a pretty low-lift operating system in general, and that difference becomes even more obvious when compared to the bloated monster that is Windows 11. And that can be a major savings, especially for folks looking to stay on a tight budget while buying new tech.

A lower-powered Chromebook will be faster and more responsive than a similar laptop running Windows 11 because it devotes fewer resources to the operating system. Essentially, ChromeOS demands less of the CPU and RAM, leaving you more power to work with. You're getting more power for your money, and that's a key factor in selecting the right budget laptop.

ChromeOS devices also last longer on battery than similarly priced Windows laptops, for the very same reason. The new Copilot+ Windows 11 laptops offer all-day battery life with their ultra-efficient processors, along with fast and responsive performance. However, these laptops also tend to cost twice as much as even a premium Chromebook. So while they are great laptops, Copilot+ machines are often not budget-friendly. Those that don't have the same battery life and performance as their more powerful and expensive counterparts. Which means Chromebooks offer the best combination of value, performance, and battery life.

There are limitations to Chromebooks

If you need specific apps, Windows may be the better choice

There are some drawbacks to the Chromebook line of devices. Whether you're looking at a standard laptop, a convertible 2-in-1, or a tablet, ChromeOS has a limited app ecosystem. Common applications, such as Microsoft Office, the full Adobe suite, or CAD, will not run on ChromeOS. Many Android applications can run on ChromeOS, but the full Android app suite hasn't been optimized for the ChromeOS platform.

Chromebooks also can't game. While Chromebooks do feature integrated graphics, ChromeOS itself doesn't support many games. Most Android games are incompatible with ChromeOS, and even those that are compatible often perform poorly or display incorrectly. If you want to play games on your Chromebook, it needs to be a web-based game, or you'll need to use a cloud gaming system like Nvidia GeForce Nowto play modern game titles.

The benefits still outweigh the downsides

ChromeOS is still a better budget choice than Windows

Chromebooks aren't the only budget-friendly systems that suffer from app support issues. Budget Windows laptops and tablets will also struggle with demanding applications, such as the Adobe suite and CAD. The only major advantage of the Microsoft Office suite on Windows is its presence. However, if you don't need Office, there's no reason not to opt for a Chromebook instead.

A budget Windows system won't be running any games well, either. You might have better luck installing some phone game apps on Windows, but that's not a guarantee. Chances are, with a budget Windows laptop, you'd be using the same web-based games or cloud gaming solutions as you would with a Chromebook. This means that Microsoft Office is the only make-or-break factor, and you can access more common Microsoft applications like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint on ChromeOS through web-based versions. And you can use that same workaround to get access to Adobe Photoshop Express and Adobe Acrobat.

If you want the best balance of power, performance, design, and app support while staying within a tight budget, Chromebooks are the only sensible choice.