Top 10 Back-to-School Laptops Under £500 

Heading back to school, college, or university in 2025? You don’t need to spend a fortune to get a reliable, high-performing laptop. Whether you're taking notes, attending online classes, or doing research, these are the top 10 best laptops under £500 right now perfect for students.

1. Lenovo IdeaPad 1 (2025 Edition)

Price: ~£299

• AMD Ryzen 5 7520U
  
  

• 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD
  
  

• Lightweight & durable
  
  

• Great for everyday school tasks
  
  

2. Acer Aspire 3 (15.6")

Price: ~£449

• Intel Core i5 1235U
  
  

• 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD
  
  

• Large Full HD screen
  
  

• Ideal for multitasking

3. HP 14s-fq Laptop

Price: ~£399

• AMD Ryzen 3 5300U
  
  

• 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD
  
  

• Sleek, minimalist design
  
  

• Great battery life

4.ASUS Vivobook Go 15

Price: ~£429

• AMD Ryzen 5 7520U
  
  

• 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD
  
  

• Excellent keyboard for typing
  
  

• Slim and portable

5. CHUWI HeroBook Pro

Price: ~£239

• Intel Celeron N4020
  
  

• 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD
  
  

• Budget pick with decent speed
  
  

• Ideal for light school tasks and browsing
  
  

6. Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2

Price: ~£499

• Intel Core i5 1135G7
  
  

• 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD
  
  

• Touchscreen + portable
  
  

• Premium build under £500
  
  

7. Dell Inspiron 15 3000

Price: ~£449

• Intel Core i3 1215U
  
  

• 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD
  
  

• Dependable for schoolwork and light media

8. Acer Chromebook Plus 514

Price: ~£349

• AMD Ryzen 3 7320C
  
  

• 8GB RAM, 128GB eMMC
  
  

• Fast ChromeOS performance
  
  

• Best for Google-based students

HP Pavilion x360 

Price: ~£489

• Intel Core i5
  
  

• Convertible 2-in-1 touchscreen
  
  

• Great for tablet-style note-taking

10. Jumper EZbook X5

Price: ~£259

• Intel N4100
  
  

• 6GB RAM, 128GB SSD
  
  

• Budget ultra-light option
  
  

• Good for note-taking and browsing