Wired Names Seven Best Cheap Laptops to Buy in 2026
Tech outlet Wired has published its annual roundup of the best budget laptops for 2026, highlighting the upgradeable Framework Laptop 12 as its top pick alongside guidance on essential specs for cheap devices.
Tech publication Wired has released its annual guide to the best cheap laptops, naming the Framework Laptop 12 as its top recommendation. Unlike most budget laptops, which typically serve only as temporary placeholders, this model is fully upgradeable, letting users replace nearly every internal component, including the processor, themselves. The DIY edition, which ships without RAM or storage, starts at $549, and the reviewer noted a surprisingly high-quality touchpad and keyboard for the price.
The guide also compares several other models, including the HP OmniBook 5 and OmniBook 3, Apple MacBook Neo, Dell XPS 13, MSI Cyborg A15, and Asus Chromebook CX15, detailing their displays, processors, and memory configurations.
Other recommendations
Additional laptops mentioned include the Lenovo LOQ 15 gaming laptop at $1,400 with an RTX 5060 graphics card, the Acer Chromebook Plus 516 at $479 praised for its touchpad quality, and the Lenovo Chromebook Duet Gen 9 at $379, a small detachable device offering nearly 10 hours of battery life. The Acer Nitro V 16 was also noted, though flagged for a weak power adapter that can drain its battery during graphics-intensive games even while plugged in.
Buying advice
Wired advises against buying laptops with a resolution below 1920x1080, less than 8 GB of RAM, or under 128 GB of storage, and recommends avoiding Windows laptops with Intel Celeron processors. The outlet also suggests that for laptops under $500, a Chromebook is generally a better choice than a Windows device, since budget Windows laptops in that price range tend to disappoint.
