Our Top 10 series continues with our picks for the best notebook PCs under Php30,000! We’ve actually gotten quite a number of requests for this so we eventually decided to give it a go. In our search we put a lot of weight on value per peso spent since we really wanted to get best bang for our buck when it comes to laptops.
By the way, if you haven’t checked out our other Top 10 Mid-2013 posts, check ’em out below:
Top 10 LTE Smartphones Under Php21,000
Top 10 Phablets
Top 10 Quad-core Smartphones Under Php10,000
Okay, let’s get to our picks! Note that the list is arranged based from price (lowest to highest):
ASUS X401U (Php17,995)
The ASUS X401U is powered by AMD E2-1800, a budget-friendly and reliable processor. For just Php17,995 we already get a 14.1” Display, 2GB RAM, and 500GB Storage. The body is made of plastic but it’s only 21mm thin and 1.4kg light. It’s a perfect entry level notebook for people which a tight budget. Note though that it has no DVD-ROM drive.
Samsung ATIV Book 2 (Php18,995)
Samsung’s ATIV Book 2 is currently one of the full-featured budget notebooks in the market. It might not be as thin as the other notebooks but it offers a DVD-ROM drive which a lot of Filipinos still can’t let go (Mahilig kasi manood ng DVD). Powered by Intel Celeron 847, 2GB RAM, and 500GB Storage, it’s already a capable everyday workhorse for your usual office documents, web browsing, social networking, media, and light gaming.
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Acer V5-122P-42154G50n (Php20,995)
For those who are AMD fans, this entry level touch notebook is powered by an AMD A4-1250 Processor and comes with 4GB RAM, 500GB Storage, and a spiffy 11.6” Touchscreen display. This notebook is ideal for anyone looking for a great Windows 8 experience but with a limited budget. This is Acer’s most affordable touch notebook where the compact size is ideal for those who are always on the go.
ASUS Vivobook X202E (Php20,995)
The Vivobook X202E is the first touchscreen notebook in the Philippines. Again, touchscreen is nice to have when you’re using Windows 8. The X202 E is powered by Intel Celeron 847 with 4GB RAM, 500GB storage, and a nice 11.6-inch display. Don’t let the price betray you into thinking this is a “cheap” laptop though. It has a full metal body and it’s available in three colors. There’s also a Core i3 variant but you’ll need to pony up an additional Php6,000.
Acer Aspire V5-431P-997B4G50 (Php25,995)
If you want a 14.1” Touch notebook then this is the one you might need. Priced just right for Php25,995 it’s an entry level touch notebook powered by Intel Pentium 997, 4GB RAM, 500GB storage and with DVD-ROM support. Available in blue and gray this notebook is compact and perfect for those who needs a bigger touchscreen but with a sensitive budget.
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ASUS X450CA (Php26,995)
If you’re a fan of the ASUS Zenbook then you’ll like the X450C because it has the same circular spun finish of the Zenbook. Difference though is that the body isn’t all metal (made of plastic), hehe. Anyway, it’s powered by Intel Core i3 and has 4GB RAM, 500GB storage, 14.1 non-touch display, and a DVD-ROM drive. If you’re not a fan of touchscreen then the X450CA is a great notebook companion with adequate processing power. It’s also available in Core i5 with dedicated NVIDIA graphics for Php32,995.
Lenovo S400T (Php27,990)
The Lenovo S400T is an Intel Core i3 touchscreen notebook with a 14.1” display. What’s good about this notebook is that the design is very similar to their high-end lineup like the Yoga so you get a more premium feel. It also has 4GB RAM and 500GB storage. All in all not a bad offering.
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Aspire V5-471G
This Aspire notebook is currently the most affordable notebook with dedicated graphics. The Intel Core i3 processor is paired with a 1GB NVIDIA GT710M making it quite a decent machine for gaming. It also has 4GB RAM, 14.1-inch display, and 500GB storage.
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ASUS VivoBook S400 (Php29,995)
Second to the last on our list is the VivoBook S400. This is powered by a Intel Core i3 processor and comes with 4GB RAM, 500GB HDD and a 14.1” Touchscreen display. It has a full metal body which gives it a very premium, professional, and sleek look. Note though that it doesn’t have a dedicated graphics card.
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HP Pavilion Sleekbook TouchSmart 14-B132TX (Php29,995)
Last but not the least, the HP TouchSmart Sleekbook! This is already the most expensive on our list and it’s also packed with features and power. It has an Intel Core i3 processor, NVIDIA GT630M 1GB graphics card, 4GB RAM, 750GB storage and a 14.1 Display with touch. Compared to the VivoBook S400 the trade-off is the body which is now plastic. Overall if you want to max out your 30k budget this baby will leave you with 5 pesos change but gives you overall the most complete specifications you need for a notebook.
And that wraps up the list! Did we miss anything? Comment below!
We think this is a pretty solid list of laptops under Php30,000. If we missed anything, please do share in the comments section below. Note that we added the pre-loaded Windows 8 to the price (which is usually Php2,500).
