Best under under $500 laptop

What are you using the laptop for? Do you play games? Do you need graphics for photo/video editing? Or is it just for basic use, like your mail, microsoft office type stuff?

Keep some stuff in mind such as portability. So go for a 15.6" Model. Get an I3 or even better an I5 (either second or third generation) -- usually second generation is more common (Aka Sandy Bridge) ---- 3rd Generation (Ivy Bridge)
You will want around 300-500gb harddrive. You might have some music, photos, and videos here and there. A decent resolution also 1366x768 is usually the standard on the lower end laptops.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

This is the best for your money. IT IS THE LATEST IVY BRIDGE Processor (wanted to emphasize since I haven't seen many companies offer 3rd generation i5s on lower end laptops) even $1000+ laptops have second generation i5s so this acer is a GREAT DEAL!


http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
This lenovo is also a great buy and comes with windows 8


avoid refurbished, etc, you want something to last 3-5years and the two i mentioned will do that!

Good luck buying. The acer has 6 gigs of ram vs 4 on the Lenovo but trust me u wont ever use more than 2 gigs for "casual work" My computer has 3 gigs as we speak and it works beautifully.

It's for school, online lectures. I also watch movies/youtube online. I don't care much about games.

I wouldn't go with the Acer unless you need battery power. The U after the i5 indicated it is a ultra low power consumption variant. As a result it only runs at 1.7GHz. The Lenovo seems like a much better choice to me.

Some quick buying tips:
- Acer sucks
- Asus, HP, or Lenovo are my recommends
- 17" has a much nicer screen than 15.6" but isn't as portable, and is slightly more expensive, however if this is your MAIN COMPUTER and portable isn't a big deal 17" is ideal.
- 17" vs 15.6", again, is your biggest decision
- Windows 8 recommended (if you hate the Start Screen use Start8 or a similar tool)
- as for the REST of the specs it doesn't seem to matter too much to you

17" top choice:
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/HP+-+Pavilion+17.3%22+Lapto...;tab=specifications?id=1218810330901&skuId=6882542

15.6" top choice:
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Asus+-+15.6%22+Laptop+-+4GB...;tab=overview?id=1218810958397&skuId=6892385

*These are just quick recommends.

Ok, that's pretty simple. You're looking for a standard netbook. Easy to use, easy to carry and has the basic features and functions. Here's a list of the good netbooks around. Most of them fall into your price range as well, so take a look at their specs and see if it will suit your needs.

http://computers.toptenreviews.com/netbooks/

Well, I would really recommend the amd APU lineup. For your budget, get something like an A6 with dedicated graphics.