Laptop recommendations under $400?

Hi there

I'm looking for a laptop under $933 to handle basic web browsing, Office work, and watching movies or media.

15.6-inch screen
Full HD resolution
An SSD plus an optical drive (which I plan to swap out for an HDD)

I don't need macOS pre-installed. Ideally, something with decent sound quality. I was looking at a Dell 320.

Or maybe this HP.

This one doesn't have an optical drive—if there isn't a drive, how would I go about adding an HDD? Also, since it's an Intel Core i3, I assume it performs better than an Intel Core i3 or other current processors.

Do you think I can find something meeting these specs within my budget?

Look, you've gotta check out the Ryzen 3 2200U processor. Honestly, it’s probably the best bang for your buck you can find if you're looking at anything competing with Intel's 8th Gen stuff.

You could actually snag an N5000 for around $2,700 if you find the right deal, and it’ll come with a 1080p screen. I honestly can't say for sure whether that's a step up or a step down compared to the Ryzen 3 2200G, especially since that Pentium setup gives you four actual physical cores while the 2200G relies on SMT—meaning you're really just looking at two real cores and four logical ones. If it were me, I'd probably be leaning toward something similar myself.

What kind of setup were you looking at for under $320? I just renewed my contract with AT&T and they hooked me up with a gift card for $200 over at a local mall, so I’m basically looking to snag a laptop in that same price range you're eyeing.

I finally pulled the trigger and ordered this one.

restlessdriver said:https://www.bestbuy.com/site/asus-vivobook-x...o-1343016.aspx

Does this thing actually work for anything?

Peter Rodriguez10 said:Did this actually do anything?

Specs are solid for the price tag.
Only downside is the 4GB of RAM, but you can't really ask for more at this entry level.
Might be upgradable if there's an open slot somewhere.