What is the best affordable laptop for a computer science student in 2025?

For the 2025 computer science student who needs an affordable laptop costing under $500, balancing between performance, portability, & features nicely, here’s an all-inclusive list with key specs and benefits from the best choices.

1. Acer Aspire 5

The Acer Aspire 5 is still the best budget-friendly choice for a student, being lightweight and performance-driven.

Specifications

• Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 or Intel Core i3
  
• Memory: 8GB RAM (upgradable)
  
• Storage: 256GB SSD
  
• Display: 15.6-inch FHD (1920 x 1080)
  
• Battery Life: Up to 10 hours

Pros:

• Good performance for everyday tasks and programming.
  
• Lightweight and portable, so easy to carry around campus.
  
• Good battery life for all-day use.

Cons:

• The screen could be a bit brighter.
  
• Build quality would average compared to the costlier versions.

2. Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i Chromebook 14 (2025)

This is a perfect Chromebook for the student who spends most of their time using web-based apps.

Specifications

• Processors: Intel N100 or Core i3
  
• RAM: 8GB
  
• Internal Storage: 128GB eMMC
  
• Display: 14-inch FHD (1920 x 1080)
  
• Battery Life: Up to 13 hours

Pros

• Light and portable design
  
• Good battery life for extended study sessions.
  
• Budget-friendly at $400 to $500.

 

Cons

• Less power to process heavier applications.
  
• Runs Chrome OS, which may not support all software required for computer science courses.

3. ASUS Vivobook 16 M1605 (2025)

A general-purpose laptop that has a balance of performance and price.

Specifications:

• Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 or Ryzen 7
  
• Memory: 8GB or 16GB RAM
  
• Storage: Up to 1TB SSD
  
• Display: 16-inch FHD (1920 x 1080)
  
• Battery Life: About 8 hours

Pros

• Good performance for programming and multitasking.
  
• Good port selection, including USB-C and HDMI.
  
• User-replaceable storage and memory for future upgrades.

Cons

• Heavier than other competitors, less portable
  
• Battery life will probably not survive a full day with heavy use.

4. Apple MacBook Air (M1, 2020)

Not a budget laptop per se, but an excellent value for students.

Specifications

• Processor: M1 chip from Apple
  
• Memory: 8GB RAM, which may be upgraded to 16GB
  
• Storage: 256GB SSD that is upgradable
  
• Display: 13.3 inches Retina (2560 x 1600)
  
• Battery Life: Up to 15 hours

Pros

• Exceptional performance and battery life.
  
• High-quality Retina display with good graphics quality.
  
• Lightweight and portable design.

Disadvantages

• Pricier range, from $650-$700
  
• Only two USB-C ports.

5. Acer Chromebook 516 GE (2025)

This Chromebook supports cloud gaming & can also be used for any work

Details:

• Intel Core i5 processor
  
• 8GB RAM
  
• 128GB eMMC
  
• 16-inch FHD (1920 x 1080)
  
• Up to 10 hours

Pros

• Large screen for multitasking.
  
• Good performance for web-based applications and light gaming.
  
• Affordable.

Cons

• Lacking offline capabilities because of Chrome OS.
  
• Not recommended for software-intensive applications.

Conclusion

When I am choosing the best affordable laptop for a computer science student for the year 2025, I have to think about what kind of software I am going to use & what my budget is.The Acer Aspire 5, and ASUS Vivobook 16 will make good choices for general operations, whereas the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i goes well for web-based operations. If you like macOS, you can take this MacBook Air, but that’s going to be expensive. In case you need to have a Chromebook, the Acer Chromebook 516 GE is pretty cool both in performance & money.