https://www.techradar.com/news/mobile-computing/laptops/9-best-budget-laptops-for-under-299-1304028

Contrary to popular belief, saving cash on a laptop doesn’t require that you hold out for the inevitable end of the year sales. Even at the beginning of every calendar year, there are hidden gems just begging to be bought that don’t cost an arm and a leg. Budget laptops are an omnipresent, inescapable force to be reckoned with. And, they’re threatening top PC makers into rethinking their business models.

That’s especially the case with the Chromebook lineup, a series of cheap laptops inspired by Google designed around the limitation of being browser-first. This, in turn, makes some budget laptops faster than their premium counterparts. At the same time, Microsoft is making great strides to bring Windows 10 into the 21st century with its thin, light and cloud-based operating system. Rumor has it, Windows 10 S is due for a drastic shake-up when it’s inevitably rebranded as a ‘mode’ within the existing Windows 10 Home and Pro.