Gadgets
Top 5 affordable laptops of this holiday season

The holiday season is here and we are all wondering what are the best gifts we could give our loved ones. Laptops aren’t normally the first things to come to mind, however, for really special people in our lives they can be the best choice. Of course, they aren’t exactly cheap, especially if you want to purchase a good laptop. Since it is a gift for a special person, supposedly everyone wants it to be great. Even though the truly impressive, high-end devices are insanely expensive, there are a number of more affordable laptops that can turn into the perfect Christmas gifts.
Naturally, it really depends on the recipient of the gift what the best model is for them. There are great business laptops, gaming laptops, some amazing ultrabooks that are incredibly portable, and there are really good entry-level laptops that are suitable for kids and beginner computer users. We made up a short list for you, with 5 affordable laptops you could consider giving away as a gift and that will make you become the best Santa of the year.
The Acer Swift 3 is one of the best laptops, suitable for the majority of users. Just like any other Acer laptop, it has a stylish design, with elegant lines, and the well-known silver-black color combination we’ve seen in other Acer devices over the years. While the design is not new at all, it still looks great, and it certainly will be to the liking of many laptop users. The 14-inch device is perfect to carry around and it still is large enough to be comfortable to use. The laptop weighs only 0.77lbs and it is less than 1 inch thick, so it’s one of the most portable devices one can buy right now, at least in this price range. Acer’s Swift 3 is one of the best affordable laptops as it comes in three different configurations, all of which are powerful enough for average users. The device features 7th generation IntelCore i3 or i5 processors and depending on the configuration, it includes 4GB or 8GB RAM and up to 256GB SSD flash storage. The 14-inch LED display has full HD resolution and it ensures a great visual experience. Overall, it is a solid device, both inside and out and it definitely is one of the best affordable laptops on the market this season. Right now, it is available for prices starting at around $600, depending on the seller.
Lenovo Ideapad 720S
The 2018 Lenovo Ideapad 720S is another one of the best affordable laptops you can give as a gift. This model is a bit more expensive than the previously presented Acer Swift 3, but it’s still under $700 and it has a great number of features to impress with. The Lenovo Ideapad 720S is slightly smaller than the Acer Swift 3, having a 13.3-inch display, even so, it is quite heavier. Of course, it is still portable, with its 4.41 pounds, but it is definitely considerably heavier than the Acer laptop. The design of this model is simple and nice too, with the same silver-black duo.
Under the hood, the Lenovo Ideapad 720S carries an AMD Ryzen 5 2500U Processor and it includes 8GB of DDR4 memory and 512GB flash storage. The display has the same full HD resolution, so the visual experience should be quite similar to the one provided by the Acer Swift 3. Of course, the screen is a bit smaller, and this counts for many users. While the Ideapad 720S doesn’t seem to be as impressive as the Acer Swift 3, t still is a good laptop that would make a perfect gift. It is available for $689, which is more than the price of the Acer device but it still is considerably lower than the price of high-end laptops.
Check out the Lenovo Ideapad 720S on Amazon
Asus Chromebook Flip 302CA
While many people prefer traditional laptops, there is a large number of users that also like convertible devices. The Asus Chromebook Flip 302CA is one of these affordable laptops that users can flip around and use in different modes. The 12.5-inch Chromebook features a touchscreen, which the previous models did not offer, and it can be used in laptop mode, tablet mode, tent mode and more thanks to its 360-degree hinge. With its 2.65-pound body, the Asus Chromebook Flip 302CA is not as lightweight as the Acer Swift 3 but it isn’t as heavy as the Lenovo Ideapad 720S either. As a matter of fact, it is somewhere between the two, making it an ultra-portable device that can easily be carried in a bag.
The processor of the Asus Chromebook Flip 302CA is an IntelCore m3 one and the device includes 64GB of storage and 4GB of RAM. While some people consider the Asus Chromebook Flip 302CA to be more like a tablet than a laptop, we think that it is one of the best affordable laptops you can give as a gift this year. The device’s price is lower than $500 for the m3 model. There is also a variant that features an m5 processor and this is more expensive, having a $627 price tag.
Buy Asus Chromebook Flip 302CA on Amazon
Microsoft Surface Go
The new Microsoft Surface Go is another one of the best affordable laptops you can buy right now. Just like the Chromebook Flip, it isn’t a traditional laptop, instead, it is a convertible device that can be used as a tablet or a laptop, depending on the users’ needs. The Surface Go has a solid build and the good looks of all Surface devices. The 10-inch touchscreen device might not be the largest one ever, but it is great form completing work on the go, for creating sketches, drawings, plans, and more, and it is definitely good for watching videos or for simply surfing the web when commuting or traveling.
The Microsoft Surf Go comes with an Intel Pentium Gold processor, it includes up to 8GB of RAM and up to 128GB SSD storage. The device is light-weight, and thanks to its rather small dimensions, it is really easy to carry around all day. Naturally, it runs Windows, to be more specific, it runs Windows 10 Home in S mode out of the box. Customers can choose to purchase the device only or they can go for the device and Type Cover combo in order to get the laptop experience.
Check out the Microsoft Surface Go on Amazon
Dell Inspiron 15 7000 Series Gaming Edition 7567
Last but not least, we must include on our list of best affordable laptops a gaming device too. The Dell Inspiron 7000 series Gaming Edition 7567 is exactly what its name suggests: a gaming laptop that will most certainly impress everyone if you buy them this laptop as a gift. The Dell gaming laptop is not as portable as the previously presented models are, but then again, not all laptops have to be carried around with us at all times. The 15.6-inch device is the biggest one on the list but it is definitely one of the best affordable laptops one can give away this holiday season.
The Dell laptop has the specific gaming laptop design we all love, and it looks simply amazing. The device doesn’t only look great, it is also quite powerful. Dell equipped this model with 7th generation IntelCore i5 or i7 processors and Nvidia GTX 1050 graphics cards with 4GB of RAM. The laptop includes 8GB of RAM and a 1TB Hybrid Hard Drive with 8GB cache. The laptop works like a charm and it is undoubtedly one of the best affordable laptops one can buy without robbing a bank.
See more about the Dell Inspiron 15 7000 Series Gaming Edition 7567 on Amazon
Consoles
PC Mounts Show PlayStation Trophy Support

We love the PlayStation ecosystem, especially its top first-party studios, but Sony Interactive Entertainment could do more to build goodwill. The long-awaited Trophy support for PS5 games on PC appears to be closer to reality, though nothing official has been announced.
TrueTrophie’s scanners found a new PS5 Trophy list with “PSPC” as a platform. The list, titled “Trophy Set” and unattached to a game, appears to be a test. TrueTrophies notes that developers rarely submit their own platforms to PSN, suggesting Sony is behind it.
TrueTrophies says this platform is separate from PS5 but can connect to it, suggesting compatibility. As PlayStation fans know, PS4, PS Vita, and PS3 games could share a list. In October 2022, Sony added PSN support to Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered’s PC release, allowing players to link Steam accounts to unlock an exclusive skin. Potentially minor, but something we’ll watch.
TrueTrophies lists PlayStation Trophies for serious hunters. They scrape the PlayStation Network’s ominous underbelly with scanners to provide the most up-to-date trophy lists, sometimes dangerously. TrueTrophies posted Marvel’s Spider-Man 2’s trophy list weeks ago, with spoiler titles.
Gadgets
No worries, PS5 Slim SSD upgrades are possible

Next month, the PS5 Slim will replace the original PS5. Its main selling point is its detachable disc drive. Sony’s design change will streamline manufacturing, but consumers will have more flexibility. The refreshed machine will be 30% smaller than its predecessor, reducing its footprint.
But since the manufacturer hadn’t mentioned it, some worried you couldn’t install another SSD. A spokesperson told IGN that “there are no changes with the new model”—you can still install a compatible hard drive to expand the console’s storage.
Note that the new model increases on-board storage from 825GB to 1TB, so you get more space out of the box. However, some games are now so large that you may need a new PS5 SSD.
Consoles
If Not Already Clear, Elder Scrolls 6 Will Skip PlayStation

Despite Microsoft’s acquisition of Bethesda, The Elder Scrolls 6 was not confirmed as an Xbox exclusive a few months ago. This happened because Xbox executive Phil Spencer indicated that target platforms hadn’t been selected yet, but it always felt like he was talking about the game being years away rather than the RPG being on PlayStation.
If you’re still holding out, Microsoft plans to release The Elder Scrolls 6 just on Xbox and PC. Documents from the company’s FTC lawsuit were recently released. In the document, Bethesda’s announced titles (both as a publisher and developer) are listed, and The Elder Scrolls 6 is listed for Xbox, PC, and nothing else.
We expected this, but The Elder Scrolls 6 was announced before Microsoft acquired its developer. The Elder Scrolls is a beloved franchise that’s been on various platforms for generations, so this isn’t Starfield.
However, the game isn’t due until 2026 at the earliest, according to the paper, and who knows what the gaming landscape will be like then.
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