The hidden costs of cheap laptops: Why your $300 deal could cost you more in the long run

Acer Aspire 3 15 open at an angle, highlighting the lid and keyboard.

My Acer Aspire E 15 carried me for years throughout college, so let it be known that I cherish the best budget laptops. However, sometimes, a deal that seems too good to be true actually is too good to be true.

I recently reviewed the Acer Aspire 3 15, which is on sale for a little over $300 and hits nearly all of the notes we expect a budget laptop, both good and bad. However, the key it missed was battery life.