Of All The Cheap Laptops Under $100 At Amazon, This Is The Top Choice (According To Reviews)

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Buying a laptop can be a pricey endeavor. Fortunately, there are several cheap options for replacing an old laptop or even buying your first one on a budget. Of those options, one of the cheapest methods is purchasing a renewed or refurbished model from Amazon. 

Amazon Renewed is a service designed for bargain-loving tech consumers, allowing sellers to provide refurbished or renewed products at discounted prices. When it comes to laptops, the Amazon Renewed program is a great place to check. In fact, it's the only way to buy a laptop for less than $100 from the site. There are quite a few cheap laptops for less than $100 on Amazon, thanks to the Renewed program. However, many of these models don't come highly rated. 

We took a look around and found a couple that defied that norm, including a renewed Samsung Chromebook 4, which, based on reviews, is the top choice by a significant margin. The 2020 model provides an 11.6-inch screen and comes with 4 gigabytes of RAM, 32 gigabytes of eMMC storage, and an Intel Celeron 1.10 gigahertz processor. The laptop weighs just under 4 pounds and has an average battery life of 12 hours. Like all Chromebooks, the Samsung Chromebook 4 comes with the Chrome operating system and its numerous features designed to increase user-friendliness.

When new, the Samsung Chromebook 4 costs $215.99. However, you can buy a renewed version of this device for $87.95, translating to a savings of nearly 60%. As mentioned, buying a renewed device entitles you to a 90-day warranty, and the product will come with all of the charging cables and other accessories necessary for its use. However, the caveat is that the product description for renewed devices does not list their condition. That means that you won't know whether your cheap laptop is in premium, excellent, good, or acceptable condition until the package arrives and you open it. That doesn't negate the value of these bargain items, but it is something to keep in mind when shopping and may explain the general lack of extremely glowing reviews we encountered during our search.

Speaking of reviews, we mentioned that the renewed Samsung Chromebook 4 was the top-rated cheap laptop we found for under $100 on Amazon. Out of 2,220 user ratings, the renewed product boasts 4.2 out of 5 stars. Most reviews are positive, with one customer stating, "it looks brand new, [and] has good functionality," and another saying, "it looks brand new. [It] even still has the plastic sheet on the bottom." Not all reviews are glowing, though, and one customer was particularly displeased with the condition of their renewed laptop, claiming, "it came in completely scratched and damaged."

While the Amazon Renewed 90-warranty means you can return the device if you're not satisfied, there is no guarantee that the next model you will receive will be in better condition. Remember that it can be a bit of a gamble, and keep that in mind while shopping for refurbished items.