Best Laptop for Accounting in 2021: 11 Budget Options

Laptops have become an essential part of almost everyone’s life nowadays. And if the events of 2021 have proven anything to us, it is that being connected online is a necessity that can help you get through some difficult times. This can be in the form of letting you stay connected to your job, or just with other people in general.

This can be especially true for users that are either studying Accounting or working jobs in this field. As for these people, their day revolves around numbers, spreadsheets, different apps such as QuickBooks, Boomr, Sage One, Wave, etc.

And so in order to help you keep your data safe and multiple headaches away, we have put together a list of the Best Laptop to get for Accounting in 2021. We also set up a Buying Guide to help you make the right decision yourself. These laptops are Budget options and so even though you will get the best bang for your buck, you will not need to break your bank in return.

Also Read: FileRepMalware: What is it and Should You Remove it?

If you want a quick summary of the article, These are our Top 3 Picks:

Best Inexpensive Laptop — Acer Aspire 5 Slim

“With the Acer Aspire 5 Slim, you do not need to go for a really costly option to get all your accountant needs fulfilled.“

Best Over All Laptop — Dell Inspiron 14 7000 Series

“The Dell Inspiron 14 7000 Series is the best option in terms of the price that it comes at and the features that it offers.”

Best Budget 2 in 1 — HP Pavilion x360

” If you want your device to be more than just your laptop, then the HP Pavilion x360 is the best option with the most functionality.“

Best Laptop for Accounting in 2021: 11 Budget Options

Name	Display (inches)	Battery Life (Hours)	Weight (lbs)
1. Dell Inspiron 14 7000 Series	14″	20	2.78
2. Asus Vivo Book 15″ – F512	15.6″	5-6	3.97
3. HP Pavilion x360	14″	9	3.50
4. Lenovo Flex 5 14″ 2 in 1	14″	10	3.63
5. Acer Swift 3	14″	11	2.65
6. Asus TUF FX504GD	15.6″	5	3.09
7. HP Pavilion 15.6	15.6″	10	4.0
8. Lenovo IdeaPad 3	15.6″	8	4.1
9. Surface Go 2 – M3	10.5″	11	1.2
10. Acer Aspire 5 Slim	15.6″	7	3.97
11. Acer Aspire E 15	15.6″	10	5.27

The following list contains laptops of different kinds. As there are many different Budget Options present as well as different types of laptops. We have covered a variety of ranges so that everyone can find something that suits them best.

1. Dell Inspiron 14 7000 Series

The Dell Inspiron 14 7000 series is a piece of hardware that deserves to go a little out of your planned budget. Just to get that extra little something. And well, when you look at the specifications that this laptop comes with, be prepared to click buy now instantly.

This Series comes with the latest tech on the market right now. It has an 11th Generation Intel I-5 Processor, 8GBs of DDR4 RAM, and finally 256 GBs of SSD storage. Making it not only fast but also efficient in terms of its power usage.

You get all the bells and whistles in terms of the Display too. As you get QHD+ resolution and then Dolby Vision which can help make your images 40x Brighter and over 10x Darker at the same time. And if around 20 hours of battery life is something that is not enough for you, you can charge it from 0 to 80% in only an hour.

Though there is one drawback to this device, which is that it does not come with a Numpad. And so you will have to get an external one to make your life easier.

One other slight drawback is that it does not have Thunderbolt 4 ports.

Specs

Screen Size: 14″

Display: QHD+ (3200 x 1800)

Battery: 20 Hours

Numpad: No

Processor: 11th Gen Intel i5 – 1135G7

Hard Drive: 256 SSD

Ram: 8 GB DDR4

Weight: 2.78 lbs

2. Asus Vivo Book 15″ – F512

The Asus Vivo Book 15″ is a monster to have, especially when you consider the price point at which Asus is putting their product. And well, they have been doing this for a while now. As you will see quite a bit of budget options by Asus.

This line of series has 4 different variations of the product, all of which are fairly budget options by quite some margin. Though we would recommend you to get the F512 as that is the best of these series. With just a couple of hundred more, you will be ensuring that this piece of hardware lasts you a few years easily.

The F512 kicks things of with an 88% Nano Edge display that is Full HD. This sleek design comes in an even sleeker overall package as it weighs only 3.75lbs. This is a bargain as at the same time, you get 15.6″ inches of the screen too.

Asus also offers this with all the latest and fastest specifications as you get a 512 SSD, an 8GB DDR4 Ram, and an Intel i5 Processor. Meaning this device by Asus has enough juice to go above and beyond all your Accounting needs.

As many users have admitted, the ASUS ends up being an amazing device especially because of the hardware that it offers in the price range that it is set on.

Specs

Screen Size: 15.6″

Display: Full HD (1920 x 1080)

Battery: 5-6 hours

Numpad: Yes

Processor: 10th Gen i5-1035G1

Hard Drive: 512 SSD

Ram: 8 GB DDR4

Weight: 3.97 lbs

3. HP Pavilion x360

The HP Pavilion is a reliable choice to get if you are in the market for a laptop that is 2-in-1. This x360 Convertible can be used as a Touchscreen Tablet or a Touchscreen device at the same time. This helps increase its functionality two-fold.

This 2-in-1 convertible comes in 14″ and with a Full HD IPS Panel. This does help give it great viewing angles from anywhere you look. And with the fact that the product has an 80% Screen body ratio, you get a machine that is pleasant to look at.

With the looks, this HP Pavilion series comes packed with hardware. It has the 10th Gen i5 processor which will have all the power you might need. And when that is coupled with a 512 SSD and an 8 GB DDR 4 RAM, you will be able to multi-task all you want.

You do not get a Numpad though. So if your accounting needs make that a necessity, you would need to get a separate one.

With the x360, you will not be able to play a lot of games but in day-to-day performance and especially for your accountant work, the features and performance will be more than enough according to long-term users of this laptop.

Specs

Screen Size: 14″

Display: Full HD (1920 x 1080)

Battery: up to 9 hours

Numpad: No

Processor: 10th Gen i5 – 1035G1

Hard Drive: 512 SSD

Ram: 8 GB DDR4

Weight: 3.50 lbs

4. Lenovo Flex 5 14″ 2 in 1

The Lenovo Flex 5 convertible is another 2 in 1, 14″ inch Laptop/tablet that is a good choice for anyone that wants to get a tablet and a laptop while only paying for one.

The specifications are on par with the HP Pavilion as you get a Full HD Screen IPS Display. Though the Ram and Hard Drive are different. As you only get a 256 GB SSD but to make up for that, Lenovo has paired this up with 16GBs of DDR4 Ram! This is double almost any device on this list.

You also get an AMD Ryzen 5 4500U Processor rather than an Intel one. But do not worry as this processor is at par with the one offered in the HP Pavilion.

And to add to the list, Lenovo ships this Tablet/Laptop with its own stylus pen. Which will help you use this hardware in Tablet mode with ease.

Though just like the x360, you do not get a Numpad which is one of this device’s drawbacks.

Specs

Screen Size: 14″

Display: Full HD (1920 x 1080)

Battery: up to 10 hours

Numpad: No

Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 4500U

Hard Drive: 256 SSD

Ram: 16 GB DDR4

Weight: 3.63 lbs

5. Acer Swift 3

The Acer Swift 3 is one Laptop that gets all the basics right. This laptop comes with a full IPS LED Backlit display which means crispier images and better contrast overall. And with the fact that it comes with a Full HD panel, the display is one area this laptop would not disappoint.

In the Processor department, you get an AMD Ryzen 7 4700U Octa-Core Processor, 512 GBs SSD Hard Drive, and finally 8GBs of DDR4 RAM. All these are going to be smooth and lag-free no matter what software you want to run. And so, as an Accountant the Acer Swift 3 is another strong product to get.

Finally, you get up to 11.5 hours of battery and a fingerprint sensor that is built into the keyboard. The only drawback is that as this display is 14″, you will need to get a separate Numpad as that is not built-in.

Many users have proposed that the only slight problem with the Acer is its RAM but you can upgrade that and so all that this product has, are good reviews.

Specs

Screen Size: 14″

Display: Full HD (1920 x 1080)

Battery: 11.5 hours

Numpad: No

Processor: AMD Ryzen 7 4700U

Hard Drive: 512 SSD

Ram: 8 GB DDR4

Weight: 2.65 lbs

6. Asus TUF FX504GD

The Asus TUF FX 504GD is a little different than the other laptops on this list. This device will help you with your Accounting skills and work while having enough juice left for you to play video games.

This 15.6″ Full HD IPS will provide a pleasant viewing experience and as the panel can go up to 60 Hertz, you will not need to worry about your frames if you do game on it.

In terms of specifications, you do get a little older processor with the 8th Generation i5 processor but it is coupled with a GeForce GTX 1050i Graphics card. For the Hard Drive, you get 256GBs of storage and 8GB DDR4 RAM but as it isn’t the fastest one out there. So you will need to think about that if you go for this product.

And as you get a Numpad built-in, you would not have to go get an external one. But as this is a Gaming device primarily, this is not the lightest laptop on this list. And we would recommend you to go for this if you are not going to have to carry this hardware around a lot.

Specs

Screen Size: 15.6″

Display: Full HD (1920 x 1080)

Battery: 5 hours

Numpad: Yes

Processor: 8th Gen i5 – 8300H

Hard Drive: 256 SSD

Ram: 8 GB DDR4

Weight: 3.09 lbs

7. HP Pavilion 15.6

The Pavilion series by HP is back but this time with a little bigger laptop. Though this cannot fold backward like the x360, you still get touch capabilities with this 15.6″ inch laptop.

And even though this is a little heavier than the x360, this Pavilion by HP makes up for that in the processing department. This gets 12GBs of DDR4 RAM and an Intel 10th Gen i5 that is paired up with a further 512 SSD Hard Drive. And yes, if you noticed, both this and the x360 get the same processor but the extra 4GBs of RAM surely makes your overall experience much smoother.

For the Display Panel, you get an IPS Full HD Display which will provide you an amazing viewing experience. And as this laptop is a 15.6-inch version, you get a Numpad built-in. So that means this laptop can be the one for you if your job revolves around accounting.

Specs

Screen Size: 15.6″

Display: Full HD (1920 x 1080)

Battery: up to 10 hours

Numpad: Yes

Processor: Intel 10th Gen i5 – 1035G1

Hard Drive: 512 SSD

Ram: 12 GB DDR4

Weight: 4.0 lbs

8. Lenovo IdeaPad 3

If you want all the options that come with the HP Pavilion 15.6″ series but want to get your laptop at a cheaper price? Well, we introduce you to the Lenovo IdeaPad 3.

This has exactly the same specs as the HP Pavilion series and so it comes with a 10th Gen i5 Processor that is paired up with a DDR4 12GB RAM. Though for the cheaper price, you do lose something, which is the Hard Drive space, which comes at only 256 GBs. You might need to upgrade if you want to store more data on your laptop than just your Accounting documents.

Other than that, the screen even though is a touch one, you get an HD panel, rather than a Full HD one. This is not bad by any means but this is something that you might miss if you go for the Lenovo.

Crabapple on Reddit points out how this Lenovo Idea-pad beats the competitors that are pricier than this product such as the Ryzen 5 1600.

Specs

Screen Size: 15.6″

Display: HD (1366 x 768)

Battery: up to 8 hours

Numpad: Yes

Processor: Intel 10th Gen i5 – 1035G1

Hard Drive: 256 SSD

Ram: 12 GB DDR4

Weight: 4.1 lbs

9. Surface Go 2 -M3

The Surface Go 2 – M3 has a couple of tricks up its sleeve other than just being gorgeous to look at. Meaning that it essentially comes in Tablet form rather than a laptop. But you can get a Bluetooth keyboard from Microsoft themselves.

Even though this is a tablet to start with, this has all the functionality of a normal laptop, rather it has some more as it can be used as a tablet without the keyboard too. And as it is detachable, its weight only becomes 1.2 lbs. Making this one of the lightest 2 in 1 laptop on this list.

For processing power, you get an Intel M3 processor, 128 GB SSD Hard Drive, and 8 GB DDR4 RAM. Though this laptop does not have enough power for your gaming needs, anything related to Accounting will be a breeze.

Though this is so light, you only get a 10.5″ inch screen and no Numpad. Which might be too big of a sacrifice for some.

If as a user you are in the Samsung ecosystem, the Surface GO 2 can end up being the perfect thing to add to your inventory, as suggested by many users.

Specs

Screen Size: 10.5″

Display: Full HD (1920 x 1080)

Battery: up to 11 hours

Numpad: No

Processor: Intel M3

Hard Drive: 128 SSD

Ram: 8 GB DDR4

Weight: 1.2 lbs

10. Acer Aspire 5 Slim

The Acer Slim 5 Slim is a bargain, especially if you see the price point that Acer is selling this product at. And yes granted, this laptop does not come with a lot of fancy tricks, but you still get more than enough for your day-to-day activities.

This 15.6″ laptop comes with a Full HD IPS Panel which is already a step up from some more expensive products on this list.

Other than the Display, you get a solid 7.5 hours of battery life and that is managed by an AMD Ryzen 3 Processor. That in intel versions is equivalent to an 8th Generation Intel i5. That is paired with a 128GB SSD Hard Drive and 4 GB DDR4 RAM. These won’t let you run anything heavy but you can be sure that this laptop for Accounting will be more than enough in all departments.

Specs

Screen Size: 15.6″

Display: Full HD (1920 x 1080)

Battery: 7.5 hours

Numpad: Yes

Processor: AMD Ryzen 3 3200U

Hard Drive: 128 SSD

Ram: 4 GB DDR4

Weight: 3.97 lbs

11. Acer Aspire E 15

The E 15 by Aspire is another good budget option to go for if you want to save big bucks. The E 15, as the most inexpensive product on this list, is not the fastest of laptops but if you want a reliable product that will last you a couple of years, the E 15 can be a good choice.

Even though this product is a little old, you still get a Full HD IPS Display and up to 12 hours of battery. This is a bonus no matter what purpose you are buying the laptop for.

For processing, you get a 7th Generation Intel i3 processor that gets 4GB of DDR4 RAM and 1 TB of HDD Hard Drive. This means that even though you can multi-task easily, you will not have the fastest experience. But that does even out, especially when you see the price you get this laptop at.

As hhkk47 has mentioned on Reddit, if you can add another 4GB of RAM on the device, you will be easily able to use the laptop to game on some of the older games.

Specs

Screen Size: 15.6″

Display: Full HD (1920 x 1080)

Battery: up to 12 hours

Numpad: Yes

Processor: Intel 7th Gen i3 7100U

Hard Drive: 1 TB HDD

Ram: 4 GB DDR4

Weight: 5.27 lbs

Laptop Buying Guide for Accounting Students and Professionals

With so many options out right now, it does make life easier because it gives you a lot of different options to choose from. But at the same time, one drawback is that there are so many details that a person needs to look out for. As if you go for laptops in the same price range, the difference will only be slight differences.

In this guide, we will tell you about the important stuff that you need to look for in your laptop before you go ahead and buy it.

Minimum Specs	Recommended Specs
Screen Size: 13″	Screen Size: 15″
Battery: 5 Hours	Battery: 8 Hours or more
NumPad: No	NumPad: Yes
Processor: Intel i3 or an equivalent	Processor: Intel i5 ore an equivalent
Hard Drive: 256 GB (HDD)	Hard Drive: 512GB or More (SSD)
Ram: 4GB	Ram: 8GB or more

Screen Size

One of the most important things for you is going to be the screen size of the laptop. Because of the type of work Accounting is, we would prefer you go for a Laptop that has around 13 – 15” inches of Screen Size.

Yes, these 15” Laptops will be heavier compared to their 11” inch counterparts, but we think for Accountants, sacrificing Screen Size for a couple of grams or a pound off in total is not worth it. This is because nowadays, even larger laptops are not really as heavy. And we think if you have a bigger screen, it will be easier for you to work in different apps as you will have to scroll around less.

Battery

The next thing to look out for is the Battery. You will need to have something that comes with a long-lasting battery life.

Now some people do say that where ever one goes nowadays, there is always a place to charge. And that we agree but, still you might be traveling in a car or be in a situation where you can’t. And in situations like that, having that extra hour of the battery can prove to be the difference between you getting your work done on time or not.

Numpad

The Best Laptop for Accounting will be one that can help improve your productivity and efficiency over time. Having a Numpad, can and will, make your life a lot easier, especially if you are going to be dealing with numbers on hours on end.

So we recommend, as an Accountant, get a laptop that comes with a Numpad or get one from anywhere as a separate component. These are not expensive and you can get one pretty cheap. And at the same time, as they are not too big either, carrying them around is not going to be a problem either.

Processor

Next up we have the Processor of your Laptop. This is the component that makes everything run. The more powerful processor you have generally does equal a smoother experience. But, at the same time, because this list is for the budget options, you will not be able to get the most powerful processor out there.

In our recommendation, you can go for anything that has a Core i3 or Core i5 as their processor. These processors will end up being powerful enough for you to go through your daily tasks with ease and even run other mildly heavy processing apps.

Hard Drive

The Hard Drive is the hardware that ensure where your data is going to be saved and how quickly you will be able to retrieve the data. Nowadays on the market, there are 2 different Hard Drives. One is called Hard Drive Disk (HDD) and the other is the Solid State Drives (SDDs).

SDDs are faster and safer for the data long run as they do not have any moving parts. While HDDs are slower in terms of their Read and Write speeds but are cheaper In return.

We would recommend you go for a Hard Drive that is around 500GBs in space and if it is an SDD, that is just a bonus. But this isn’t much of a problem as this is something that you can upgrade over time.

RAM

The other part that plays a part in how quick or lag-free your laptop is going to be is the RAM. This is where your computer holds all the data that is currently in use. Nowadays, even budget laptops come with 4GB RAM, while some come with 8GB.

On a Laptop 4GBs will be enough as even the heaviest apps that Accounting requires 2GBs of space but in order to ensure longevity, 8GBs of RAM would be more than enough.