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
More PS5 Metal Gear Solid remakes? Konami Must Know

Want more classic Metal Gear Solid remakes on PS5? You’ll need to speak Konami’s language—dollar bills—to express your desire.
“Regarding remakes of previous games in the series other than Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, we will listen to player demand and consider accordingly,” a Konami official told IGN.
Konami explained that “we chose Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater because it depicts the birth of Big Boss (Naked Snake), which is the starting point of the Metal Gear series.” Fans wishing it would last forever contributed.
Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, yes? Maybe you’ll buy another disc to show Konami you’ll pay again?
Consoles
Sony Accused of Abusing Industry Dominance

The Romanian Competition Council is investigating Sony for abusing its console gaming market dominance. How exactly? The RCC says Sony sells video games exclusively through the PlayStation Store and blocks competing distributors from accessing activation codes.
“These practices would have reduced the purchasing options for PlayStation-compatible video games, leading to higher prices for video games on this type of console,” the RCC’s press release (in Romanian) states on ResetEra. These practices discourage Romanian studios from making PlayStation-compatible games.
The RCC is serious, too, having inspected Sony’s European headquarters to find out what happened. The press release states that “1.3 million console video game users” and “127 video game development studios” would be affected by Sony’s anti-competitive practices.
We’re not lawyers, but we believe digital game codes can’t be bought from other retailers, preventing price competition. Sony allowed the practice until a few years ago, so it’s interesting that it’s back.
Consoles
Sony Expects 108 Million PS5 Sales This Generation

After the COVID-19 supply collapse, Sony CEO Jim Ryan is optimistic about PS5 sales. The Sony executive anticipates the PS5, the best-selling console for months, will sell 108 million units.
That’s difficult stuff considering Sony needs to sell 70 million more PS5s. Since supply has increased, consoles are selling like hotcakes in major countries, suggesting the firm is above 40 million.
Ryan stated in a recent games business briefing webcast and Q&A (thanks, TweakTown):
“The 70 million, I think, is the existing PlayStation 4 user base, and while we would hope to convert a large number of those people, we will definitely target and definitely be successful in bringing large numbers of gamers who did not own a PlayStation 4, and in many instances, who have never owned a PlayStation at all.”
Mr. Ryan’s numbers—should we focus on the 108 part?
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