Are you ready to part with $500 of green on a new laptop? If the answer is yes, we will give you some suggestions later. But if not, how about a used one that is much higher in specification and performance? Choosing the best laptops under $500 offers both in spades.

So how would you go about getting the best deal on cheap laptops like this?

Well, first of all you have to think about what you need. Once you get into this price range, the choice of uses is much broader. Do you want a complete workhorse for the family? You know something that can do mom’s household budgets, dad’s presentations and business accounts, and the little ones’ school or college assignments. Add to that editing family photos and sessions, surf the web, communicate with family members from afar, and much more.

Or do you want some sugar on top of being able to run some of the best games on it? These will require some more guts in the graphics department, a big and fast hard drive to install them on, and a fast set of compatible RAM of at least 3-6GB.

Once you’ve decided, it’s time to see what’s available. I was immediately able to find half a dozen new offerings from companies like Dell, Asus, and Toshiba that would more than satisfy the first set of criteria. Some also have built-in web cameras. You can also occasionally find a machine that is capable of casual gaming. Opting for a non-integrated graphics chipset like ATI Radeon is a must for this.

But with that said, if you’re prepared to enter the used market, then looking for the best laptops under $500 suddenly takes on a different look. It is perfectly possible, for example, to buy one with 6 GB of RAM on a full AMD or Pentium processor at this price used.

Don’t think they’re all bad either. Often when you check, the only reason they are used is because they are ex-display models or have cosmetic damage to the case such as minor scratches or chips. Obviously, stay away from full-blown cracks, and when in doubt, ask the seller to send you a close-up photo. Cracks around the screen area should always be avoided.

So go out, look around, and you’ll find some good laptops under $500 that will blow your mind.