Top 5 Best Budget 2-in-1 Laptop PCs: Affordable convertible 14-inch laptops
Want a decent size 2-in-1 laptop that also converts into a tablet with a flip hinge, here are five of your best options. These laptops are in the budget and affordable range but don’t let that put you off as they are full capable and will take on everyday tasks with ease.
Why get a laptop when you can get a 2-in-1 laptop with the versatility of converting the same device from your conventional laptop into a tablet. What’s more, the 360 degree rotating hinge lets you use the same device in tent mode for presentation and streaming video without distraction. That same hinge also lets you use the screen and keyboard flat on the table when working in a group.
If you need more convincing read When are Hybrid 2-in-1 Laptops a Good Idea
How to Pick a Budget 2-in-1 Laptop PC
With all things being equal; memory, storage, display size and resolution, the performance of these 2-in-1 laptops are determined by the heart of the device, its processor. Budget 2-in-1 laptops use a range of processors from Intel Core i3 to AMD Ryzen 3 to Intel Pentium processors. While there are cheaper laptops based on Intel Celeron processors, these are mainly used with Chrome OS in laptops that are more commonly known as Chromebooks. The laptops on our list runs Windows Home.
To understand how these processors perform, we refer to benchmark results submitted by users for its Average CPU Mark. These are ratings from PassMark CPU Benchmark software you can find at www.cpubenchmark.net. The results shown here are correct at time of writing.
| Ave CPU Mark | Single Thread | Cross Platform Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intel Pentium 5405U | 2360 | 1365 | 4779 |
| AMD Ryzen 3 3200U | 3778 | 1839 | 5760 |
| Intel Core i3-8145U | 3848 | 2118 | 6741 |
| Intel Core i3-10110U [FASTEST] | 4282 | 2505 | 7681 |
Figure: Bar Graph Showing CPU Performance
Top 5 Best Budget 2-in-1 Laptop PCs
Here are the top 5 best budget Windows 2-in-1 laptops.
- HP Pavilion x360 14-inch 2-in-1 Intel Core i3 [FASTEST, LIGHTEST]
- Dell Inspiron 14 5000 14-inch 2-in-1 Intel Core i3 [FASTEST]
- Lenovo IdeaPad C340 14-inch 2-in-1 AMD Ryzen 3 [SLIMMEST]
- HP Pavilion x360 14-inch 2-in-1 Intel Pentium 5405U [BEST BATTERY LIFE, LIGHTEST]
- Lenovo IdeaPad C340 14-inch 2-in-1 Intel Pentium 5405U [SLIMMEST]
1. HP Pavilion x360 14-inch 2-in-1 Intel Core i3
Powered by the 10th generation Intel Core i3 processor, the 14-inch 2-in-1 laptop comes with 8GB memory and 128GB SSD storage. The 14-inch display uses a Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixel) panel and supports touch. The HP Pavilion x360 runs Windows 10 Home in S Mode.
Specifications
- Intel® Core™ i3-10110U Processor
- 14-inch Full HD IPS LCD touchscreen
- 8GB DDR4 RAM and 128GB SSD
- Up to 9 hours
- Dimensions and Weight: 20.5 x 222.9 x 324 mm (H x W x D) and 1.59kg
2. Dell Inspiron 14 5000 14-inch 2-in-1 Intel Core i3
Also powered by the 10th generation Intel Core i3 making it one of the best performing 2-in-1 in our list, the Dell Inspiron 14 5000 has a 14-inch Full HD touch display. While you can configure this with more memory, it only comes with 4GB DDR4 RAM. Fortunately, it has double the storage with a 256GB SSD onboard.
Specifications
- Intel® Core™ i3-10110U Processor
- 14-inch Full HD IPS LCD touchscreen
- 4GB DDR4 RAM and 256GB SSD
- Dimensions and Weight: Height: 19.74mm – 19.95mm (0.78″ – 0.79″) | 2. Width: 328mm (12.91″) | 3. Depth: 232.80mm (9.17″) | Weight: 1.67Kg
3. Lenovo IdeaPad C340 14-inch 2-in-1 AMD Ryzen 3
Powered by the second most powerful processor in our CPU comparison table above, the AMD Ryzen 3 3200U based 2-in-1 is your cheaper option if you wish to save some money. Even with a smaller price tag, Lenovo manages to include 8GB of memory and 128GB of SSD storage. The 14-inch display has Full HD resolution and supports touch. You even get a choice of colours, black or silver. If you want a cheaper alternative to Intel based 2-in-1 in the same class, the C340 is your best bet.
Specifications
- AMD Ryzen 3 3200U Processor
- 14-inch Full HD IPS LCD touchscreen
- 8GB DDR4 RAM and 128GB SSD
- Up to 10 hours
- 17.9 x 328 x 229 mm (H x W x D) and 1.65kg
4. HP Pavilion x360 14-inch 2-in-1 Intel Pentium 5405U
The HP Pavilion x360 is back again in the fourth spot but this time powered by the Intel Pentium 5405U processor. This makes the device more affordable, a hundred dollar or so cheaper. Compared to budget laptops based on Intel Celeron processors, this laptop is certainly faster but isn’t anywhere near the new Core i3 in terms of performance. This budget Pavilion x360 is offered with 4GB RAM and 128GB of storage. Oh, and the 14-inch display still packs Full HD resolution and supports touch.
Specifications
- Intel Pentium Gold 5405U processor
- 14-inch Full HD IPS LCD touchscreen
- 4GB DDR4 RAM Memory and 128GB SSD Storage
- Up to 10.5 hours
- 20.5 x 222.9 x 324 mm (H x W x D), 1.59kg
5. Lenovo IdeaPad C340 14-inch 2-in-1 Intel Pentium 5405U
Yet again, we see the Lenovo IdeaPad C340 but this time with the slower Intel Pentium 5405U. This makes the laptop more affordable. Lenovo used the same strategy used by HP in offering the C340 with the option of an AMD Ryzen 3 processor seen above or this. The laptop comes with 14-inch Full HD touchscreen, 4GB of memory and 128GB of storage. The battery lasts up to 8 hours. When you run low, a quick 2 hours 15 minutes charge will bring it right back up. The privacy shutter for the webcam is a nice touch.
Specifications
- Intel® Pentium® Gold 5405U Processor
- 14-inch Full HD touchscreen
- RAM: 4 GB / Storage: 128 GB SSD
- 328mm x 229mm x 17.9mm / 12.9″ x 9.0″ x 0.7″ 1.65kg
Best Affordable Mid-Range 2-in-1 Laptop PCs: Versatility & portability without compromise – Colour My Tech
11th April 2020 @ 11:40 pm
[…] to carry the budget-end processors; the Intel Pentium 5404U and Intel Core i3 8145U featured in the best budget 2-in-1 laptop PCs. The difference here is this laptop can last up to 9.5 hours on a full charge. It also supports […]