HP , Core 3 N355, 16GB, 512GB SSD, Silver

A $370 laptop with 16GB RAM and a 512GB SSD is a rare find, and that's the whole reason to buy this HP. The screen is dim and the CPU is slow, but for basic tasks, it gets the job done without making you hate your life.

The Core 3 N355 is a weird chip to benchmark. It's an 8-core part from Intel's latest low-power lineup, but it lands in the 27th percentile for CPUs in our database, which tells you everything about where it sits. It's fine for web browsing and document editing, but it chokes on anything demanding. The real surprise is the integrated graphics, which somehow rank in the 96th percentile. That sounds impressive until you realize it's being compared against other integrated GPUs in cheap laptops, not dedicated graphics. It'll handle 4K video playback smoothly and maybe some very light photo editing, but gaming is a lost cause at 18.3 out of 100. The 16GB of DDR4 RAM is the unsung hero here, keeping multitasking snappy when the CPU would otherwise tap out.

The obvious competitor is a used business laptop like a Lenovo ThinkPad T14 or Dell Latitude. For the same $370, you can get a three-year-old machine with a much better keyboard, brighter screen, and faster CPU, but you'll sacrifice battery life and warranty. Against new laptops, the Acer Aspire 5 and ASUS Vivobook 15 are the closest rivals, often trading blows on specs but rarely matching this HP's RAM and storage at this exact price. The MacBook Air M4 and Galaxy Book5 Pro are in a completely different universe, both in performance and cost, so don't cross-shop those unless your budget suddenly triples.

At $370, this is a solid deal for what you get. The 16GB RAM and 512GB SSD combo is rare at this price, and it's the main reason to buy this over a cheaper Chromebook or a used ThinkPad. You're not getting a premium experience, but you're getting a competent Windows machine for less than a flagship phone. If you need a laptop for school, light office work, or as a secondary machine for travel, this is a smart buy. Just don't expect it to age gracefully.

The HP 14-ep2035cl is a $370 laptop that doesn't pretend to be something it's not. It's a basic machine for basic tasks, and at this price, that's exactly what you should expect. The standout spec here is 16GB of RAM, which is genuinely generous for a budget laptop and means you can keep a dozen browser tabs open without the whole thing grinding to a halt. The Intel Core 3 N355 processor is new but firmly entry-level, so don't expect to edit photos or do anything beyond streaming, email, and Office work. The 512GB SSD is a nice bonus too, giving you room to breathe compared to the 128GB drives that still plague this price range. Just know that the 250-nit screen is dim and the build quality won't win any awards. You're buying a functional tool, not a luxury item.

If you need a bright screen for working outdoors or a CPU that can handle more than basic multitasking, this isn't it. Go find a used Dell Latitude or ThinkPad with a 400-nit display and an older but faster Core i5. You'll lose the warranty but gain a much better daily experience.

Buy this if you need a cheap Windows laptop right now and don't want to hunt for used deals. The 16GB RAM and 512GB SSD make it a better daily driver than most $400 machines, and the Core 3 N355 is adequate for the basics. Just know that the screen is dim, the CPU is slow, and you'll probably want to replace it in three years. For students or anyone on a strict budget, it's a fair trade-off.