Best 2-in-1 Laptops Under $500 with Pen in 2022

A 2-in-1 laptop can provide 2 devices in 1 – a laptop and a tablet. $500 is a fair budget price for a 2 in 1 especially when you are a college student, considering that high-quality laptops and tablets cost around 500 dollars that including a Pen.

A laptop should also be of considerable value. Especially because it allows you to do a lot more with your laptop, including as a source of income.

What is a 2 in 1 Laptop?

2-in-1 laptop, 2-in-1 notebook pc, convertible laptop, 2-in-1 tablet, or 2-in-1 detachable is a portable computer with both tablet and laptop functions.

History of 2 in 1 Laptop?

Before the 2-in-1 and its names appeared, tech journalists used the words convertible and hybrid to name the pre-2-in-1 portable computer.

Or a hybrid keyboard featuring a complementary physical keyboard that rotates behind the chassis or is hot-pluggable.

Both the pre-2-in-1 convertible and hybrid were crossover devices that combined the capabilities of a tablet and a laptop.

Subsequent 2-in-1 PCs constitute the sibling category of pre-2-in-1 convertibles and hybrids.

The 2-in-1 PC models were similarly named as 2-in-1 convertibles or 2-in-1 detachable, respectively, and, despite borrowing the term pre-2-in-1 PCs, there were two types of 2-in- A 2-in-1 PC is distinct from the two types of pre-2-in-1 PCs because 1 PC has the additional features of a traditional notebook.

The 2-in-1 PC consists of portable computer components inside a lightweight and thin chassis and is an example of technology convergence. Tablet mode is convenient for media consumption and non-intensive work, while laptop mode is useful for content creation.

What to expect from $500 2-in-1 laptops?

For this budget, you can expect:

1. Display Screen

A 13-inch to 15-inch screen on this budget will feel like a pro. If your office specializes in customer service, it’s worth investing in a good resolution that can handle all these calls.

2. RAM

Most of these budgets use 4GB to 8GB of RAM to speed up your computer and make it more responsive for a smoother experience.

3. Storage

Within a $500 budget, you’ll find a 256GB memory card that will take your photos and videos to the next level! 256GB of memory provides the perfect balance between work and leisure, ensuring that all activities are not sacrificed for each other.

4. Operating System

Windows 8 to 10 come with under 500 dollars budget. These operating systems are designed by Microsoft, so they will provide you with a great user experience!

5. Battery

For those on the go, this is great news! The new budget will give you 5-6 hours of battery life.

List of best 2-in-1 laptops under $500 with Pen in 2022

1. ASUS VivoBook Flip 14 with Pen

For an affordable 2-in-1 laptop under $500 with Pen, this laptop comes with a very sleek and affordable configuration. Slim and lightweight features are essential to the success of this laptop.

The device sports a 2.3GHz Intel Premium Gold N5000 processor with 4GB of DDR4 RAM and 128GB of SSD storage. The aluminum design makes the laptop look like a premium range.

Inspired by the MacBook, the Asus VivoBook Flip 14’s keyboard features straight edges and smooth rounded edges. A display hinge that supports up to 360-degree screen rotation ensures the stability of your laptop screen.

When used as a tablet, it feels light and comfortable even with a 14-inch display size. Another notable feature of the keyboard is that it has a structure that significantly reduces noise. However, the keys do not have a backlight.

The VivoBook Flip 14’s touchpad responsiveness is smooth, but the touchpad clicks may be louder than usual for a quiet keyboard. There is a fingerprint in the upper left corner of the touchpad.

The Intel HD 620 GPU features a full HD touch screen of 1920 x 1280 pixels for vivid and clear viewing. The touch may feel a bit stiff, but the bezels at the top and bottom of the screen are designed to be large enough to prevent unintentional touch.

Interestingly, the VivoBook Flip 14 speakers are excellent for a 2-in-1 laptop for just $500. The highest level of audio clarity makes the stealing deal. It also comes with a USB 3.1 Type-C port and a rarely used micro-USB 2 port.

It also has a decent-sized non-standard micro HDMI and has a full-size SD card slot, audio jack, and charging point. The average battery life is 9 hours, which is good for a 2-in-1 laptop under $500.

Overall, the Asus VivoBook Flip 14 can perform well on Windows 10 and is suitable if you use online media more than heavy tasks like creating audiovisual content.

2. Microsoft Surface Go 3

When it comes to Microsoft, it’s a well-known brand for making good laptops, PCs, and other gadgets. This laptop is ultra-super-portable. This form factor gives you tremendous flexibility to work almost anywhere.

The Microsoft Surface Go laptop has an unusual resolution as most laptops in this range come in 1920 x 1080 resolution, but this laptop has an 1800 x 1200 resolution which is very interesting.

Keep in mind that this is not a power plant. The preposition for this laptop is that you don’t edit a lot of videos here or throw in some hardcore work.

It’s more suitable for everyday features and entry-level price points. I think this laptop is best for students because it is a very nice device.

Whether you’re traveling somewhere, having a meeting, or in a coffee shop, this laptop won’t make you feel uncomfortable.

It doesn’t need a case, no folio, and it’s a pretty slim size that can be used upright. Microsoft Surface Go has an insanely thin keyboard cover and clicks just as well as plastic keyboard buttons, but not much of a form factor.

The keyboard cover is thinner than the iPad’s double-sided folio. So you can flatten it or fold it at an angle to the deck.

The keyboard is not big. Nevertheless, compared to the Folio keyboard, it is still the way in my opinion. This laptop has an Intel Pentium Gold processor with 128GB of storage and 8GB of RAM, which is quite nice.

Most people can use this system to send emails to someone, watch a movie on the internet, chat with someone, or do some random daily tasks.

The cool thing about this laptop is that it has a face unlock feature on the front head of the laptop and a camera on the back.

It also includes a USB Type-C port with a faster-charging surface connector and a headphone jack on a laptop that can be used in tablet or studio mode.

As opposed to stinging too many ants, there’s a slim Microsoft magnetic charging connector. The laptop has amazing black bars on the top and bottom that look very realistic and feel very cool.

3. Acer spin 3

The sub-$500 price point is quite disappointing if you want to experience a convertible that is decent enough. But 2022 has been pretty friendly for budget seekers, and we’ve finally got our hands on the Acer spin 3, especially for potential buyers who prefer an entry-level 2-in-1 laptop.

The Acer Spin 3 can be a good choice for those looking for the best 2 in 1 laptop under $500 and looking for the best specs. This laptop weighs 0.78 inches and only 3.75 pounds.

It is fairly well made and feels solid in the hand. Let’s say we’re talking about a nice design since it has a black textured top bezel and a glossy silver bottom. The silver finish does a great job of preventing stains and scratches.

If you use this laptop every day, it will handle your daily tasks very well. This laptop has a 360-degree hinge mechanism that allows two hinges to hold the screen in various arrangements;

So from a traditional clamshell laptop to lying flat on a table. The convertible is so much better, it gives you a chill feel to watch movies, play games, or whatever else you want. It’s amazing.

Tablet mode is an easy-to-use stylus that lets you draw beautiful designs, sketch cartoons, and more. Acer spin 3 laptop comes with a 14-inch, 1920 x 1080 widescreen display, and an LED-backlit IPS panel, and can support a multi-touch screen with thin bezels measuring a 038-inch screen.

The screen provides 240 nits of brightness, so using this laptop in bright light may not be a problem. It has an amazing rechargeable active stylus so you can use units of any design, take an angle or sketch something like that, giving you the best performance, which is cool.

Now let’s talk about performance. This laptop is equipped with a 10th generation Core i5 processor. Most laptops in this price range use sleeve processors. So I salute Acer for choosing a high-end Core i5 processor.

It has 8GB DDR4 RAM and 256 PCIe NVMe SSD memory, which is better compared to the HP Spectra x360 or Asus.

Acer claims that this laptop offers 12 hours of battery life, but according to some users, we’ve found 8-9 hours of battery life. Maybe it depends on their usage.

On this laptop, you’ll find an amazing island-style keyboard with backlight enabled. The keys are responsive and good.

This laptop also has a fingerprint sensor, so you can easily protect your sensitive data.

4. Dell Inspiron 14 5481

The Dell Inspiron 14 5481 is a 2-in-1 convertible laptop that is the best choice for a convertible laptop on a budget. It will impress you with its stylish design and unique features.

It boasts an i3-8145U processor, perfect for budget laptops and Chromebooks. Fully perform everyday tasks without any hassle thanks to Intel UHD 620 Graphics.

It has 4GB of RAM and a 128GB SSD. It offers decent storage space and fast speed. You can also open the case and upgrade/replace the components yourself.

The touch screen responds well to pokes and taps. It features a 14-inch screen with an HD screen resolution of 1366 × 768 pixels. The resolution is not very good, but it is one of the things that should be thrown away, so the price is not cheap.

The Dell Inspiron 14 5481 features an accessible keyboard. The integrated touchpad is wide enough and well-balanced to support multi-gesture. This particular feature gives it an edge over traditional laptops.

Tablet mode is handheld, the standing mode has the keyboard face down, and the tent mode has the hinge and keyboard face opposite. With all these modes, the touch is also centered, making it easy to interact with Windows 10.

That is, one USB 2.0 port, one headphone jack, one HDMI port, two USB 3.0 ports, and an SD card reader. This model supports 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth version 4.2. The battery life of this variant is better than what you would expect from a traditional laptop. Lasts about 8 hours.

The Dell Inspiron 14 5481 2-in-1 Convertible Laptop outperforms the competition in the market when it comes to price. However, it cuts down on some features to reach that price.

5. Microsoft Surface Go 2

The amazing Surface Go from Microsoft ensures a compact and convenient user experience. With a 1.6GHz Intel Premium Gold CPU, this convertible for under $500 gets you the Windows 10S operating system. Also, you don’t have to deal with compatibility issues.

At just £1.15, the Microsoft Surface Go is a champion ultra-compact laptop that comes with a great kickstand. The design focuses on rounded corners, which makes this affordable 2-in-1 laptop stand out from its predecessors on the Surface.

It has also become a preferred choice for medical students, nursing students, and physicians. The design also makes the Surface Go used for drawing or writing purposes. It comes with a USB-C port and microSD on the body, making it a better choice than a tablet like the iPad.

8 Gb RAM, 128 GB of expandable storage, and a Surface Connect port set this laptop apart. The keyboard has full-size curved keys and a glass trackpad, an improved version of the Surface Pro.

However, the reduced space between the keys can only slightly interfere with the typing experience. With 1800 x 1200 pixels, this 10-inch display delivers a highly valued viewing experience with color fidelity and fair picture quality.

A large bezel around the screen helps to handle the laptop. And what’s interesting is the speakers placed inside the left and right bezels around the screen. They also provide high-quality sound. And the battery lasts up to 9 hours on this device.

Overall, this 2-in-1 laptop is a win-win in the affordable range. The Microsoft Surface Go competes well within this range and provides users with satisfactory performance.

In addition to this 8GB/128Gb version of the Microsoft Surface Go, there are two variants available on Amazon 4GB/128GB and 4GB/64Gb – with some price fluctuations but still under budget.

6. HP Pavilion X360

The 14-inch touch screen display is one of the key attributes of the HP Pavilion x360. Although we lowered the display resolution to 1366 x 768 pixels to justify the price tag, the viewing angles are still very sharp.

The SVA LCD panel also offers a widescreen viewing experience, making it a good buy for streaming fanatics.

In terms of productivity, the HP Pavilion x360 is an excellent budget-based purchase, driven by a Chiclet-style keyboard with a numeric keypad and decent key travel for writers and copywriters.

However, the HP ImagePad with support for gestures appears to be one of the most obscure characteristics. You also get access to a functional webcam, dual microphones, powerful front speakers, and a 360-degree collapsible layout that translates to weighing around 3.55 pounds.

Walkthrough- Best Laptop With Camera and Microphone in 2022

The HP Pavilion x360 starts the process with a reliable and efficient Intel Core i3-1005G1 processor. Despite being an entry-level mobile SoC, it can reach turbo clock speeds of up to 3.4 GHz.

It only has 2 cores to work with, but I tested the device for some relatively heavy accounting tasks, and the HP Pavilion x360 delivers brilliant colors and even excels thanks to HyperThreading technology.

You can’t get a discrete graphics card at this price point, but Intel UHD graphics support is still good enough for certain casual games.

When it comes to system memory, 8GB of RAM is commendable for a given price. What stands out, however, is the high bandwidth of system memory, which allows complex workloads to be managed in the smallest possible timeframe.

As far as storage support goes, you can get a 128GB solid-state drive with PCIe support. Despite limited storage space, file retrieval and Windows 10 OS boot speed are among the best attributes.

The operating system can use Windows 10 in S mode. More precisely, it is a power-efficient and touch-friendly add-on.

The connectivity suite is very versatile and functional, thanks to an HDMI output, a Type-C data transfer port and two USB 3.0 Type-A slots, and standard Wireless 5 compatibility.

When it comes to autonomy, this convertible produces up to 9 hours of battery backup under moderate use.

If you’re looking for a budget-friendly business laptop under $500 with a high overall portability index, the new and improved HP Pavilion x360 is one of the best options to invest in.

7. Lenovo Flex 5

The Lenovo Flex 5 comes in a design that falls somewhere between a budget laptop and a premium laptop. The 14-inch thick Lenovo Flex 5 Convertible is sleek and has a wedge-shaped bottom speaker that makes it hard to hear when placed on a surface.

The Onyx Black offers a luxurious finish and the laptop comes with a durable and sturdy chassis. On the right are two USB slots, an SD card reader and a power button, and on the left are a charging port, HDMI, one USB, and a 3.5mm jack.

The 2-in-1 laptop is perfect for those looking for everyday productivity under $500 without a backlit keypad and precision touchpad.

When it comes to displays, the Flex 5 doesn’t provide users with a balanced display experience due to budgets. The color quality is just average and doesn’t quite cover brightness levels when using the device outdoors.

There is a provision to add a Windows Ink pen while touch works very well. What’s more, this 2-in-1 laptop has a Full HD display at an affordable price.

The 2.7GHz AMD quad-core Ryzen 3 4300U processor delivers decent performance when paired with 4GB DDR4 RAM and 256GB SSD storage.

Responsiveness is respectable on a budget, and up to 10 hours of battery life isn’t bad for standard everyday use. However, a single fan can be noisy and distracting.

For reference, the Lenovo Flex 5 Convertible is a decent convertible for under $500. While the keyboard provides a smooth typing experience, the touch function works well and the overall sleek design makes it worthwhile.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it worth buying a 2-in-1 convertible laptop?

A key feature of a 2-in-1 laptop is its flexibility. It can be used as a laptop or tablet, or both. This is useful for those who commute frequently and do not want the burden of a heavy laptop. From the comfort of your home or office, you can use it for documentation or watching videos while surfing the web. The touchscreen is a blessing in the form of a 2-in-1 laptop. So considering these points the 2-in-1 laptop is completely worth it.

What is the difference between a touchscreen and a 2-in-1 laptop?

Touchscreen laptops conveniently come with a keyboard, but the screen has the functionality of a touchscreen. The 2-in-1 Hybrid Convertible Technology laptop comes with a detachable keyboard that can be removed when converting a laptop to a tablet.

Can all 2-in-1 laptops use a stylus/pen?

Not necessarily. 2-in-1 laptops have touch screen displays, but not all touch screens are stylus/pen friendly. 2-in-1 laptops that support external devices may have a built-in Corning Glass screen or may require a tempered glass screen to protect the display.

Who can get the most out of a cheap 2-in-1 laptop?

College students who need to use a laptop for assignments, presentations, and everyday document work will find 2-in-1 laptops more useful than traditional laptops in terms of affordability, portability, and a comfortable transition from laptop to tablet mode.

Young professionals who prioritize their budgets and only need to do standard tasks at home, such as report typing and recreation, may want to consider these machines.

Verdict: Best 2-in-1 Laptops Under $500

Well, these are some of the best-rated 2-in-1s under $500 that have been reviewed and carefully selected for your benefit. Some of these laptops come with Pen. You can go through all the specs, pros and cons, and find a good machine.