Cheap Laptops in South Africa – What to Look For and Where to Buy

Are you looking for a reliable laptop while on a budget? You’re not alone. Cheap laptops are in high demand across South Africa because they make everyday computing accessible for students, freelancers, businesses, and home users. But not every budget laptop is worth buying.

Here’s what really matters when you’re shopping for an affordable device.

What Makes a Good Cheap Laptop?

A laptop's price isn't the only factor to making it a good laptop. Performance and reliability are what determine if a laptop is actually usable day to day. At a minimum, you should expect:

  • 8GB of RAM – Anything less will struggle with modern browsers, and even basic tasks like opening multiple tabs or running Zoom can lead to crashes and slowdowns.

  • 256GB SSD – Hard drives (HDDs) are outdated and will make the system feel 10 years old. Even opening a program can take 10+ seconds on a mechanical drive. An SSD keeps your laptop fast and responsive.

  • Battery life of 2+ hours – On a budget, long battery life is optional, but you don’t want a machine that needs to be plugged in every 30 minutes. Anything above two hours is usable for light work and study.

These are the essentials. Extras like higher screen resolution, slim design, or fingerprint readers are nice features to have, but shouldn’t distract you from the basics above.

Why Cheap Laptops Are a Smart Choice in South Africa

With costs rising, refurbished and budget laptops have become the go-to option in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, and beyond. Many buyers are finding that a reconditioned business-grade machine from Dell, HP, or Lenovo outperforms a brand-new “budget” laptop at the same price.

For example:

  • Schools and training centres often order durable business laptops in bulk because they last longer under heavy use.

  • Freelancers prefer lightweight models with SSDs for speed and portability.

  • Home users just need reliable machines for email, banking, and browsing — which refurbished laptops handle easily.

How to Pick the Right Cheap Laptop for Your Needs

  • Students: Choose something light with a webcam and Wi-Fi. SSD and 8GB RAM are musts for online classes.

  • Home users: Look for reliability. If it can run a browser, Office, and stream videos smoothly, that’s enough.

  • Businesses: Go for durable chassis, Windows Pro, and bulk deals where available.

The key is to focus on what you’ll actually use daily — and not overspend on extras you won’t touch.

Affordable Laptops That Work

At PC Laptops, we stock a wide range of refurbished and affordable laptops in South Africa. Every unit is tested, cleaned, and backed by warranty. Popular options include:

  • Reconditioned Laptops – professionally restored with SSDs and ready to use.

  • Bulk Laptop Deals – perfect for schools, training centres, or offices.

  • Business-Grade Machines – reliable Dell, HP and Lenovo laptops designed for years of use.

Cheap doesn’t have to mean slow or outdated, it means smart buying. Get the performance you need without the high price tag today by checking some of our most affordable and popular units.

Recommended Cheap Laptops in South Africa

If you’re ready to buy, here are three of our most affordable laptops that meet the minimum standards (8GB RAM, SSD storage, and solid reliability). Each has been professionally refurbished, tested, and comes with a 1-year warranty.

1. Lenovo ThinkPad T560 – i5 (6th Gen) – R6 499.00

  • Intel i5–6200U @ 2.30 GHz

  • 8GB DDR3 RAM

  • 256GB SSD (fast load times, no lag)

  • 15.6″ Full HD display (1920 x 1080)

  • Windows 11 Pro (64-Bit)

  • WiFi, Bluetooth, Webcam

  • 1 Year Warranty

 [View Lenovo ThinkPad T560 →]

2. Dell Latitude 5490 – i5 (8th Gen) – R7 799.00

  • Intel i5-8350U @ 1.9GHz

  • 16GB DDR4 RAM (great for multitasking)

  • 512GB SSD

  • 14″ HD display (1366 x 768)

  • Windows 11 Pro (64-Bit)

  • USB-C, Thunderbolt, HDMI, WiFi, Webcam

  • 1 Year Warranty

[View Dell Latitude 5490 →]

3. HP ProBook 650 G5 – i5 (8th Gen) – R8 599.00

  • Intel i5–8265U @ 1.60GHz

  • 16GB DDR4 RAM

  • 512GB NVMe SSD (faster than standard SSDs)

  • 15.6″ Full HD display (1920 x 1080)

  • Windows 11 Pro (64-Bit)

  • USB-C, HDMI, WiFi, Webcam

  • 1 Year Warranty

[View HP ProBook 650 G5 →]

💡 Each of these laptops is built for business use, which means they’re more durable and reliable than typical “budget” retail models. By going refurbished, you’re getting higher specs for the same price you’d normally pay for a brand-new entry-level machine.