Laptops for home-based workers (under PHP 25K)

More and more companies have been adopting the work from home dynamic as they realize how long it will take for things to return to normal. Initially, we’ve released a list of laptops suitable for home-based workers under PHP 35k 19, as we didn’t need to compromise a lot with this budget. However, we do understand that the budget may be too much for a lot of people. Hence, we’re now making a list of laptops for under PHP 25k.

Since we’re working with a smaller budget, do understand that we’re going to have to compromise on a few things. We’re going to be limited to 4GB of RAM, no SSD-HDD combo for storage, and worst of all, a lower-resolution display. But most of these things can be upgraded in the future. So, we focused on the processor instead. All laptops in this list feature a reasonably recent processor from both Intel and AMD from their core i3 or Ryzen 5 line up.

Asus X407UA

If you could stretch out your budget a little bit, then consider the Asus X407UA. While you get the same 14-inch HD display, 4GB of RAM, and portability, you get an upgraded i3-8130U processor. You also trade in the 128GB SSD for a 1TB HDD, which may be worth it to people who need a lot of space. Villman 21 is selling the laptop for PHP 25,995.

Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15ARR

The first truly four-core laptop on our list is the Lenovo Ideapad 330S. It features a 15.6 Full HD display, an AMD Ryzen 5 2500U processor, Radeon 540 GPU, 4GB of RAM, and a 1TB HDD. It’s priced at PHP 23,995 at Villman 61

Acer Aspire 3 A315-42G

Again, we’re over budget here by PHP 1,000, but It’s worth it. The Aspire 3 A315-42G features a 15.6-inch Full HD display, AMD Ryzen 5 3500U processor, Radeon 540X GPU, 4GB of RAM, and a 1TB HDD. It’s currently available for PHP 25,999 at Villman 26, with a 0% for 12 months offer.

If you can spare the cash and pay in full, then consider buying from PCHub as their cash prices are a lot lower than their regular prices. Here are our recommendations that fit the budget:

Dell Inspiron 3593

The Dell Inspiron 3593 is great for those who need a lot of ports and a DVD drive. It features a 15.6-inch HD display, an Intel Core i3-1005G51 processor, 4GB of RAM, and a 1TB HDD. It’s priced at PHP 24,990.

Asus X512DA

If you need a lot of fast storage, then take a look at the Asus X512DA. It features a 15.6-inch Full HD display, AMD Ryzen 5 3500 U processor, 4GB of RAM, and 512GB of SSD storage. You can get it for PHP 24,990.

Asus X512DK

If, however, you feel like you need more performance, then check out the Asus X512DK, which includes an H-series processor and a discrete GPU. It features a 15.6-inch Full HD display, AMD Ryzen 5 3500H processor, Radeon 540X GPU, 4GB of RAM, a 1TB HDD. It’s available for PHP 24,990.

Lenovo S145-14IWL

Another great option with lots of SSD storage is the Lenovo S145-14IWL. It features a 15.6-inch Full HD display, an updated Intel i3-1005G1 processor, 4GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD. It’s currently priced at PHP 24,490.

And that sums up our recommendations. Once you get the extra money, consider upgrading and get an SSD and RAM (in that priority). These will greatly improve the overall snappiness of the system, as well as boost multitasking performance.