Laptops

Laptops for your basic work and learn from home needs

All within a reasonable budget

Published

on

File photo: Lenovo Yoga S730

We’ve been getting a lot of inquiries about laptops that can handle basic work and study needs but preferrably cost under and around PhP 30,000. So we reached out to some brands to see what they have on offer.

Bare in mind, we haven’t exactly tested all of these for ourselves. We can’t say for sure how they well they perform and are adding them on this list purely because they look good on paper. Hopefully, it helps you make an informed choice.

Here they are in no particular order:

ASUS

ASUS is popular brand because of their wide range of laptops that cater to nearly every budget segment. We’ve heard several stories of college students and young professionals relying on ASUS laptops for their study and work needs. As for us, we’ve tried their VivoBook series and we’re huge fans.

VivoBook 15 X512DA-EJ364T — PhP 25,995
Specs: 15.6-inch FHD display, AMD Ryzen 5 3500U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 8, 4GB DDR4 DRAM, 1TB SATA HDD, full-sized backlit keyboard, fast charting to 60% in 49 minutes, Windows 10 Home, 2 years global warranty.

ASUS Laptop 14 X409JA — starts at PhP 25,995
Specs: 14″ and 15″ display options, Intel Core i3 1.2Ghz, 4GB DDR4 RAM, 1TB HDD storage, Windows 10 Home, 2 years global warranty.

ASUS Laptop 15 X509JP — PhP 31,995
Specs: 15.6 FHD display, Intel Core i3 1.2Ghz, 4GB DDR4 RAM, 512GB SSD storage, fast charting to 60% in 49 minutes, Windows 10 Home, 2 years global warranty.

ASUS also has an ongoing sale with Shopee. See if there’s anything there you’re interested in and fits your budget.

Bonus: ASUS VivoBook X412F is a laptop that we also reviewed. At PhP 32,995, it caters to those who want an affordable yet premium experience.

LENOVO

Anyone who’s worked in a corporate setting should be familiar with Lenovo Laptops. They’re known for providing office-issued work machines that are peppered with security features. While the ones on this list are consumer versions, you should still expect the same general level of quality and security.

IdeaPad Slim 3i Ultrabook — PhP 29,995
Specs: 15.6-inch FHD screen, Intel Core i3-10110U, 4GB DDR 2667 RAM (Upgradeable),512GB SSD Internal storage upgradeable HDD storage, MX130 2GD5 GPU, Windows 10 Home, 2CELL 35WH battery, 2 years carry in warranty, no office subscription bundle. Comes in Business Black, Platinum Grey, and Abyss Blue.

IdeaPad Flex 3i Convertible — PhP 25,995
Specs: 14-inch HD display, Pentium Gold 5405, 4GB DDR 2400 RAM, 512GB SSD, Windows 10 Home, 4CELL 45WH battery, 2 Years Premium Care warranty. Comes in Onyx Black.

Flex 3 Chromebook — PhP 18,995
Specs: 11.6-inch HD display, C-N4020 processor, 8GB LPDDR4 2400 RAM, 64GB HDD storage, 3CELL 42WH battery, 2-year international care warranty. Comes in Abyss Blue and Almond.

There’s a lot more and you can check out this list to see for yourself. Lenovo also has an ongoing LSS Promo where you can get laptops that worth PhP 35,000 at PhP 2000 to PhP 5,000 off.

Bonus: The Lenovo IdeaPad L340 Gaming which we reviewed is also currently on discount. From PhP 44,995 at the time of our review, it now currently retails at PhP 35,995 through Villman’s Lazada Store.

DELL

Dell is low-key produces some of the toughest laptops out there. They’re after sales support is known to be really reliable — not something you often hear about brands. We’d argue these might be the best laptops for basic work and more on this list.

Dell Inspiron 15 3593 — PhP 35,990
Specs: 15.6 FHD display, 10th Gen Intel Core i5 3.6Ghz, 4GB, 4Gx1, DDR4, 2666MHz RAM, 1TB 5400 rpm 2.5″ SATA HDD storage, NVIDIA® GeForce MX230 with 2GB GDDR5 graphics memory, 3-Cell Battery, 42WHr, Windows 10 Home, 1Yr In Home : Onsite Service warranty. Comes in Silver, Black, White.

Dell Inspiron 15 3593 — PhP 27,490
Specs: 15.6 FHD display, 10th Gen Intel Core i3 3.4Ghz, 4GB, 4Gx1, DDR4, 2666MHz RAM, 1TB 5400 rpm 2.5″ SATA HDD storage, Intel UHD Graphics, 3-Cell Battery, 42WHr, Windows 10 Home, 1Yr In Home : Onsite Service warranty. Comes in Silver, Black, White.

We’ll update this list whenever necessary. If you have laptops at around this budget that you would like to recommend. Let us know!

Related Topics:

Editors' Choice

GadgetMatch Awards: Best of IFA 2026

Xiaomi 18 Fold, Govee, XGIMI, ARZOPA, Cuktech and more!

Published

on

September 9, 2026

By

We’re back at IFA 2026 in Berlin, checking out some of the coolest and most interesting tech on the show floor.

From smart home lighting and portable displays to projectors, power solutions, foldables, and more, these are some of the products and brands that caught our attention this year.

In this video, we take a look at: ‪

GOVEE‬

ARZOPA

CUKTECH‬

** Use code CUKTECH09, valid until September 30

XGIMI

Xiaomi

ASUS‬ x NVIDIA RTX SPARK

Watch until the end for our favorite finds from IFA 2026!

Continue Reading

Laptops

ASUS laptops now come with three months of Google AI

5TB of cloud storage included

Published

on

September 7, 2026

By

Select ASUS and ROG laptops now come with three months of Google AI Pro or Google AI Plus at no extra cost. The offer starts September 7 and covers eligible models from the 2025, 2026, and upcoming 2027 lineups.

Google AI Pro includes 5TB of cloud storage, while Google AI Plus comes with 400GB. Both plans also provide access to a range of Google’s AI-powered tools and features.

More Google AI on ASUS laptops

Eligible customers can use the Google Gemini app, Deep Research, Google Flow, Gemini in Google apps, and Gemini Notebook, among other features. Availability varies depending on the Google AI plan and supported features.

Google AI Pro offers higher usage limits and expanded access to Google’s more capable Gemini models. It also includes additional developer and agentic tools such as Google Antigravity, Jules, and AI Studio, subject to availability and plan terms.

Google AI Plus provides elevated access to Google’s AI tools alongside features for creative generation and productivity.

The offer covers more than just AI features. Google AI Pro’s 5TB of cloud storage and Google AI Plus’ 400GB give users additional space for documents, photos, videos, research, and other projects.

Available across select ASUS models

The one-year program starts September 7 and applies to selected ASUS and ROG laptops in supported markets. Eligible models span the ROG, TUF Gaming, ProArt, Zenbook, and Vivobook families, including select 2025 and 2026 models and upcoming 2027 devices.

Customers can redeem the offer exclusively through the MyASUS app. ASUS has published the full list of eligible models and the offer’s terms and conditions on its website.

Check the full list of eligible ASUS laptops

ASUS is also running its No. 1 Quality, School-Ready Deals promotion until September 15, 2026. The promo offers additional deals for students, gamers, and professionals buying select ASUS and ROG devices.

The company’s No. 1 Quality and Service package also includes up to three years of international and local warranty, service access across more than 90 countries, and over 100 ASUS Service Centers and Drop-Off Points in the Philippines. Eligible laptops also come with one year of Local Accidental Damage Protection and up to six free device cleaning claims.

Continue Reading

IFA 2026

TECNO MEGABOOK T15 360 unveiled at IFA 2026

Four laptops, three phones, one event

Published

on

September 4, 2026

By

TECNO is making its MEGABOOK lineup a little more flexible.

At IFA ShowStoppers 2026, the uprising tech brand unveils the MEGABOOK T15 360 with two more laptops and three phones tagging along.

One laptop, four modes

The MEGABOOK T15 360 series is the brand’s first laptop lineup with a 360-degree hinge and touchscreen display.

By that, it’s more than just a conventional laptop. It can also be a tablet or a portable display via Tent mode or Stand mode. This added feat makes everything more versatile as TECNO’s existing laptops are only limited to the clamshell form factor.

Both models feature a 15.6-inch screen with the standard 16:9 aspect ratio. As alluded earlier, it’s a touchscreen laptop consisting of 10-point multitouch points. There’s also optional MPP 2.0 active pen support if you want to write or draw directly on the display.

So what’s the difference?

Well, the regular T15 360 gets a Full HD 60Hz panel with 320 nits brightness.

Meanwhile, the Pro version takes it up a notch with a faster 120Hz refresh rate, sharper 2.5K display resolution, full 100% sRGB coverage, and higher 350 nits brightness.

Both laptops come in an all-metal chassis made using CNC machining. The convertible design doesn’t come at the expense of a more conventional laptop build.

Performance uncompromised

TECNO isn’t treating the T15 360 as a lightweight convertible that has to compromise on performance.

You can get up to an Intel Core Ultra 9 185H processor, paired with an LPDDR5X RAM. The storage is based from PCIe M.2 2280 SSD — with select models having a secondary M.2 slot for utmost expansion.

There’s also a 70Wh battery plus support for a speedy 65W PD GaN charger. Connectivity includes up to Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.4, alongside seven built-in ports.

Practical stuff were neither forgotten. There’s a backlit keyboard with a dedicated number pad, a fingerprint reader underneath its power button, dual speakers with DTS Ultra, a webcam, and dual digital microphones.

TECNO’s OneLeap feature also rounds things out by letting the MEGABOOK work with other TECNO’s smartphones, tablets, and other PCs for cross-device collaboration.

Two more MEGABOOKs

TECNO also brought two other MEGABOOKs to IFA.

The MEGABOOK K15S WCL is the more straightforward option. It uses Intel’s newer Wildcat Lake platform with a 16:10 display, a 70Wh battery, and 65W GaN charging — all in a premium, all-metal body.

Then there’s the MEGABOOK T17 Ultra. Ultra by its name, it goes big with a massive 17.3-inch 16:9 display. It can be configured with up to an Intel Core Ultra 9 processor and LPDDR5X memory. It also features a massive 99.99Wh battery and speedy 100W GaN PD fast charging.

Wait! There’s even more…

Beyond laptops, TECNO reveals the true form of its Next-Gen Bezelless Concept Phone at IFA 2026.

As announced more than a month ago, this concept uses a redesigned display architecture, internal stacking, structural engineering, and screen packaging to eliminate the physical black border around the display, resulting in what TECNO calls a true 0mm display border.

Beside a phone prototype, there are two consumer-ready products as well.

The POVA 8 Pro 5G Tonino Lamborghini Limited Edition combines the POVA series’ performance-focused approach with Tonino Lamborghini’s design language.

It uses a MediaTek Dimensity 7400 Ultimate 5G chipset alongside TECNO’s custom-made P1 Graphic Chip and a 5K IceShield vapor chamber cooling system. Specific details will be announced on September 4, 2026.

Meanwhile, the CAMON Slim 5G focuses on a thinner form factor, measuring just 6.39mm thick.

TECNO says it combines the CAMON line’s imaging features with AI capabilities and artistic colorways. More specifications will be revealed on September 7.

Pricing and Availability

The MEGABOOK T15 360 Series is expected to arrive in Europe by Q4 2026.

Depending on the configuration choice, the MEGABOOK T15 360 will start between EUR 899 ~ EUR 999. The MEGABOOK T15 360 Pro will cost as much as EUR 1099.

No pricing info were announced for the other MEGABOOKs and two phones as of writing.

Continue Reading

Trending