ASUS L210MA-DB01 11.6", Celeron N4020, 4GB, 64GB eMMC + 16GB HDD, Black

The ASUS L210 is an ultra-budget 11.6 inch laptop that's extremely light and cheap at around 240 USD. But the Celeron N4020, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of eMMC storage make it painfully slow for anything beyond basic tasks. It's only worth considering if your budget is rock bottom and you only need a machine for typing and web browsing.

The Celeron N4020 is a dual-core processor that sits in the 2nd percentile of our database. That's not a typo. This is one of the slowest CPUs you can buy in a new laptop today. Opening a few browser tabs is fine, but once you hit double digits or try to run a video call while multitasking, you'll feel the lag. The 4GB of RAM is also in the 2nd percentile, which means Windows has very little room to breathe. Expect frequent reloading of tabs and apps.

The 64GB eMMC storage is another weak spot, landing in the 4th percentile. eMMC is closer to an SD card than a proper SSD, so boot times and app launches are slow. And 64GB fills up fast once Windows and updates take their share. The Intel HD Graphics 600 is in the 6th percentile, so gaming is off the table. Even light photo editing will be a chore. This laptop is built for one thing at a time, and even then, it asks for patience.

Compared to something like the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon, the ASUS L210 is in a completely different universe. The ThinkPad has a faster processor, more RAM, a better screen, and a proper SSD, but it also costs several times more. That's not a fair fight. A more realistic comparison is a refurbished ThinkPad or Dell Latitude from a few years ago. Those machines often cost around the same as the L210 but offer dramatically better performance and build quality.

Against the HP OmniBook X Flip or Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge, the L210 looks like a toy. Those are modern machines with ARM processors, gorgeous displays, and all-day battery life. But again, they cost four to five times as much. The L210's real competition is other sub-300 USD laptops and Chromebooks. And in that space, a Chromebook with a similar Celeron chip often feels snappier because ChromeOS is lighter than Windows. If you're not tied to Windows, a Chromebook might be the smarter buy.

At 240 USD, the ASUS L210 is cheap, but cheap doesn't always mean good value. You're getting a very limited machine that will frustrate you if you try to do more than the absolute basics. The included year of Microsoft 365 Personal is a nice touch, worth around 70 USD on its own, which softens the blow. But for a bit more money, you can find refurbished business laptops with proper SSDs, more RAM, and much better screens. If your budget is truly fixed at this level, the L210 is an option. Just know what you're signing up for.

The ASUS L210 L210MA-DB01 is an 11.6 inch budget laptop that sits at the very bottom of the price ladder, usually around 240 USD. It's aimed at students or anyone who needs a super light machine for typing notes, checking email, and streaming the occasional video. At 2.2 lbs and 0.7 inches thin, it's basically a tablet with a keyboard attached, and that's the main appeal here.

But let's be real about what this thing is. The Intel Celeron N4020, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of eMMC storage are specs from a few years ago, and they were modest even then. Windows 10 in S Mode keeps things running smoother by limiting you to Microsoft Store apps, but it also means you can't install regular desktop software without switching out of S Mode. For basic schoolwork and web browsing, it can get by. For anything else, it's going to struggle.

Is the ASUS L210 good for students? If your workload is Google Docs, email, and maybe some YouTube, then yes, with patience. Is it good for gaming or creative work? Absolutely not. This is a single-purpose machine, and that purpose is being cheap and portable.

Skip the ASUS L210 if you need to run anything beyond a web browser and Office apps. Gamers, video editors, programmers, and anyone who keeps more than a few tabs open should look elsewhere. If you need a machine for photo editing, coding, or even just smooth multitasking, a refurbished ThinkPad or a Chromebook in the same price range will serve you much better. Also skip it if you need reliable hardware, the single customer review we have reports a total failure after a month, and that's not a great sign.

Should you buy the ASUS L210? Only if you need the cheapest possible Windows laptop and you're willing to live with serious compromises. It's fine for writing papers, checking email, and light web browsing. It's not fine for multitasking, gaming, photo editing, or running anything beyond basic apps. The 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage will feel cramped within months.

If you can stretch your budget even 50 to 100 USD more, or if you're open to a refurbished machine or a Chromebook, do that instead. The L210 is a last resort, not a first choice. It's a laptop that exists to hit a price point, and it shows.