Ever since the quarantine began, working from home is something that became very popular in our society. Not every profession allows this, but those that do strongly encourage the employees to remain in the safety and comfort of their own home and do all of their chores and responsibilities from there. If you happen to be a programmer, a graphics-designer, or just any type of freelancer, you’re already probably familiar with this situation.
Since technology is rapidly advancing, it becomes even more common for certain jobs to be done through computers, ideally through laptops. Web design or any other type of computer work is strongly related to laptops, but for a more serious profession, you’ll need a serious laptop as well. Since the market is currently oversaturated with computers, chances are that you’ll have a difficult time choosing one if you’re still a beginner. Thankfully, today’s article is based entirely on that, so if you want to make the absolute best choice for your money, this is the right place to be. Let’s take a look.
Why this particular size?
Before we begin, you’re probably wondering why we decided to talk exclusively about 11-inch laptops. Well, you’re probably familiar with the fact that some laptops are larger, others are smaller, and nowadays you can find them in many different sizes, although only a few of them are the current “standard”. 11-inch laptops are not too large, meaning that they’re great for carrying around if you often like to work while on the road, on a plane, or at the local coffee shop. They fit in almost every bag, although we always recommend using the special bags you get when you purchase the computer, and they’re just very convenient size-wise. Now that we got that out of the way, let’s take a look at some of the top picks for 2024, shall we?
1. Lenovo Flex 11 – $330
Lenovo is a famous brand in the world of computers at the moment, although it wasn’t really like that a few years ago. When they first came out on the market, people were skeptical about their quality and performance, but as time went by, they managed to build up a name and a huge base of satisfied customers.
Lenovo Flex is a small but powerful laptop that has enough power to help you go through all of your computer-related tasks. You can find the specs for it below.
CPU: Intel Pentium Silver N5000 / 1.1 GHz.
Maximum CPU Core Speed: 2.7 GHz.
4MB Cache / 64-Bit Computing
2. Samsung Galaxy Book – $450
Samsung is an absolute giant in the technology field, and they’ve proven this in many different branches, not just in the world of smartphones. There’s absolutely nothing to overthink about if you want to purchase a product from this company. They deliver every single time. For this particular laptop, you can get the following specifications:
CPU: 2.5GHz. Intel Core i5-7200U Dual Core
GPU: Intel HD Graphics 620
RAM: 8GB
AMOLED Touchscreen – 2160×1440 resolution
SSD 256GB
You can get this laptop with the latest Hybrid Processor that comes from Intel, it’s called The Verge. Depending on the model you’re going to get, the price will vary.
3. Asus Chromebook – $170
Another titan in the computer industry, ASUS managed to achieve a lot of success with their Chromebook, a stylish, well-rounded laptop that’s great for so many things. You can get it in black or silver, and a few other color combinations but depending on the area in which you live. Some models are not available in some countries, so you’ll have to check this for yourself. All around we think that this is a great laptop, and you can check the specs for it below:
Operating System: Chrome OS (Comes pre-installed with the computer)
RAM: 2GB but can boost up to 4GB – DDR3L 1600Mhz SDRAM
Display: 11 Inch, 1366×768 screen
CPU: Intel Bay Trail-M N2830 2.41 GHz
Comes with an HD Camera that’s great for conference calls on apps such as Zoom and Skype. The computer also comes with a card reader which is very useful as well. These things come with a great battery, but in case you need a new charger, chargemall.com is a place where you can learn a lot about this.
4. Apple Macbook Air -~$600
The name Apple is more than enough of an explanation in the world of technology. Whether you’re purchasing their phones or laptops, you know what the deal is. You’ll pay slightly more, but you’ll end up getting quality, stability, and performance. The Apple Macbook Air is one of the best products from Apple, but there are some rumors that it might get discontinued in the future. We’re not sure whether this is true or not, but you can always buy a used one if you like this particular model. The price is somewhere around six hundred dollars on popular sites such as Amazon, and here are the specs:
CPU: 1.6GHZ Dual-Core Intel Core i5 Processor – Can Turbo boost up to 2.8GHz
RAM: 4GB of 1600MHz Ram
128GB Storage Space
Screen: 11.6-inch measured diagonally
USB 3 Ports, 30 days of standby time, and up to ten hours of wireless web surfing.
5. Dell Latitude 3180 – ~$500
Considered to be one of the best and most affordable student laptops in the world, the Dell Latitude 3180 (11-inch model) managed to achieve a lot of sales worldwide, as well as score some very positive reviews from the audience. This model comes with the following specifications:
CPU: Pentium N4200 186 Intel
Graphics Card: Integrated Intel HD Graphics 505 (Apollo Lake) 265.
Screen: 11.6 inches measured diagonally, HD display, TN Panel with a resolution of 1366×768
RAM: 4 Gigabytes of 1600 MHz DDR3 RAM.
This particular computer doesn’t come with a pre-installed operating system, so you can either choose to pay extra for that or install it on your own using a bootable USB. This model has a great battery, it doesn’t weigh much and you can take it anywhere you want with you due to its practical size. The color will depend on the model you’ll choose, but just like some previous examples that we listed above, some models are not available in certain countries, so you’ll have to settle for the ones which are supplied to your local tech store.
6. ASUS VivoBook W202NA – ~$350
ASUS managed to achieve a lot of success with its VivoBook series, laptops designed mainly for content creation but some light computer works as well. Whether you want to code or design something, the VivoBook is here to help you out. They are affordable, look great, and are available in almost all countries worldwide. Asus never fails to disappoint with their availability. Let’s take a look at some of the specifications:
CPU: Intel Celeron Dual Core
RAM: 4GB
Storage: Hard Disk only, size depends on the model. Doesn’t come with an SSD unfortunately.
GPU: Integrated Graphics Card, Intel HD
Connectivity: Standard Wi-Fi connection supported
7. HP Stream 14 – ~$300
HP is a brand that isn’t making a lot of noise in the computer field, but almost everything they put out is of solid quality and worth the price. The HP Stream 14 is another cost-efficient model that gets the job done even if you have to do a bit more serious business. Usually, 11-inch laptops are not very powerful compared to some of their larger brothers and sisters, but this one will surprise you. For approximately three hundred dollars you get the following specs:
CPU: Intel Celeron Dual Core N3060
RAM: 4GB
GPU: Intel HD Graphics 400
Storage: Sadly, no SSD, but it comes with a Hard Disk of 32GB which is not much but can be upgraded, and considering the price, it’s a fair deal.
Audio: Two Speakers
An overall great system for students who need to do some basic work, but can be used for light video editing as well, although the storage space doesn’t allow it. Of course, you can always connect an external hard disk and work that way.
8. Dell i3168 – ~$500
This particular model from Dell can be used both as a laptop and a tablet as well. It’s a two in one computer with great performance, so let’s take a look at the specs you’re getting for the price.
CPU: Intel Pentium N3710, self-overclock able up to 1.6GHz
RAM: Can be purchased with 2GB or 4GB of 1600 MHz RAM
Display: Led-Backlit display that serves as a tablet when a laptop is in tablet mode
OS: Comes with pre-installed Windows 10 which is pretty amazing
Colors: Comes in either gray or blue
A great laptop that doesn’t weigh much and looks pretty cool for an 11-incher. It is well-built meaning that you won’t be hearing any unpleasant plastic noises or anything that would make you feel like you have a cheap product. The display is clear enough and we think it’s an overall great investment.
9. Lenovo N22 Chromebook – ~$360
If you are a student, or you’re looking to gear up an entire classroom with cost-efficient yet powerful little machines, the Lenovo N22 Chromebook is what you need. This model looks cool, it’s durable and great for learning or doing some light work. You can fit it in your school bag or just tuck it under your arm and be on your way. Let’s take a look at the specifications:
CPU: Intel Celeron N3060 Processor 1.60GHz, 2MB Cache
GPU: Integrated INTEL HD 400 Graphics Card
OS: Comes with a pre-installed Windows 10 Home Edition
Memory: 4GB RAM that clocks at 1600 MHz, 32GB regular storage space, no SSD unfortunately.
Battery: 3 Cell 45 Wh Li-Polymer
Display: 11.6 Inches HD (1366×768) with the latest Anti-Glare technology
Camera: HD Camera with a microphone that’s solid enough for conference calls and video chatting.
We feel like this model has more than enough to offer for this price range, and it should be a great fit for those who are completely new to computer usage and want to do some light work such as accounting or running ads on social media platforms. It’s great for studying as well because it can be easily taken to school.
10. Dell Inspiron 11 – ~$320
Last but not least, we have the Dell Inspiron 11, a great laptop that’s also a two in one deal. It comes with a touch screen that will allow you to navigate much more easily through websites, your e-mail inbox, and a lot more. The battery is great, and the display is bright enough for working during the day when the daylight is a bit stronger. Let’s take a look at the specs that you get for the price:
CPU: The latest 4th gen Intel Processor (2M Cache, 1.4 GHz)
GPU: AMD Radeon HD 8210 Graphics Processing Unit
Display: 11.6 Inches of LED-Backlit Touch Display with the Truelife technology and an HD resolution of 1366×768.
Memory: Depending on the model, but you can get the 500GB edition if you require a lot of space for video editing or a similar profession/hobby.
RAM: Dual Channeled 4GB DDR3 1600MHz Memory which is pretty powerful for such a small computer
USB 3.0 and 2.0 Ports, A card reader, and a 720p Camera great for conference calls and online classes on platforms such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Skype.
Conclusion
It doesn’t take a lot of computer users to get to the conclusion that smaller is better when it comes to portability. Although these things don’t seem to pack a lot of power, they certainly do, thanks to the advancement of technology. Processors nowadays are so small compared to what they were a few years ago, so expect some mind-blowing speed from these little devices, especially if they come packed with an SSD, which happens to be the current standard.
Our list includes some of the best picks for 2024, models which are affordable given the performance they deliver, and small enough to carry anywhere you want. We hope that our guide was useful and we wish you the best of luck for your future purchases. Stay productive.
