Buying a laptop for up to 200 euros: a comparison of six entry-level models

Finding a laptop under 200 euros is not that easy. Only a few manufacturers serve the price range and mostly those who are not particularly well known. The almost only exception are Chromebooks from Asus or Lenovo. As a reminder: Chromebooks run on the Chrome OS operating system, the central control element of which is the Chrome browser. They are perfect for surfing, editing documents in the browser or checking e-mails.

Incidentally, much more is not possible with a Windows laptop under 200 euros. Windows 10 S usually runs on them. With this Windows version, programs can only be installed via the in-house Microsoft app store. Accordingly, laptops under 200 euros are only suitable for users who want to surf the Internet with the laptop and do their work in the browser. (Significantly) more money has to be invested in image and video editing, gaming and the like.

This hardware should be in the laptop up to 200 euros

When it comes to hardware, buyers shouldn’t expect too much. No manufacturer installs more than 4 gigabytes (GB) of RAM. Intel’s dual cores dominate the processors. Unfortunately most of them are outdated. Between 2016 and 2019, the processors of the models from the comparison came onto the market. The internal memory also leaves a lot to be desired. It measures either 32, 64 or 128 GB. You can’t store a lot on the laptops and you can’t run performance-hungry programs at all. Accordingly, for laptops up to 200 euros, the processor and memory are not as important as the display. Actually, a Full HD IPS panel should be in there.

But only the no-name manufacturers of the laptops offer this. As far as their size is concerned, they also trump the well-known competition. You only get 14-inch laptops from unknown manufacturers, 11.6 inches are possible if you buy Asus, Lenovo or Medion. Otherwise, the choice remains between Chrome OS and Windows. Most buyers should be more familiar with Windows. Danger: Excel, Word and Power Point only run as browser versions on Chrome OS. The Microsoft programs cannot be installed on Chrome OS. So, under the following specifications, let’s consider the models:

Please note that the article was published in January 2023 and the prices of the products presented are subject to strong fluctuations.

Odys mybook PRO14 SE

This marks the start of laptops under 200 euros Odys mybook Pro 14 SE. The brand is not particularly well known. Odys is a proprietary brand of AXDIA International GmbH based in Willich. According to its own statement, AXDIA regulates the sale of electronic products and takes care of the “development of an innovative product idea, through production and logistics, as well as sales and marketing, to after-sales service and support.” After all, there is a contact person in Germany in the event of any defects.

The built-in hardware of the entry-level laptop is correspondingly weak in performance, but compared to other laptops under 200 euros it is good. With the Intel Celeron N4120, buyers can enjoy a weak four-core processor. As a rule, dual cores work in the price category. On the other hand, the 4 GB of RAM in the Odys laptop is not uncommon. Every notebook offers this in comparison.

The computer saves documents, pictures etc. on 64 GB eMMC memory. That’s not much. Incidentally, EMMC is an abbreviation for embedded MultiMediaCard. This is flash memory, the way it works relieves the processor. EMMC memory works faster than a hard disk drive (HDD) but slower than SSD memory.

What makes the laptop special is its display. Odys relies on an IPS panel with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 in 14 inches. As a reminder: IPS stands for in-plane switching, i.e. the way in which the light crystals in the display are illuminated. The construction usually offers the best colors and viewing angles for monitors. (IPS vs. VA). Both the size and design of the screen are rare in laptops under 200 euros.

According to the manufacturer, the laptop’s battery lasts eight hours. However, it can be assumed that this means everyday work. With video streaming, the power storage is likely to melt much faster.

Asus Chromebook C223NA-GJ0102

The first well-known representative in the comparison is this Chromebook C223NA-GJ0102 from the Taiwanese manufacturer Asus. Only its battery life of around eight hours (according to the manufacturer) and the 4 GB of working memory set it apart from the Odys laptop and the Asus Chromebook. As far as the raw hardware is concerned, the branded product is otherwise inferior to the no-name model. Its internal memory measures just 32 GB eMMC memory.

That’s half of what Odys offers. In addition, the display of the Asus Chromebook is significantly smaller at 11.6 inches (29.46 cm) and has a lower resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels. The built-in Intel Celeron N3350 processor is also significantly weaker. It is a year older than the N4120 in the Odys laptop and only offers two cores. Accordingly, buyers of no-name laptops get better value for money.

Thomson Neo 14

Back to the future: Thomson is probably not familiar to most consumers. The French company made its first computers in the 1980s, but went out of business. Now a subsidiary of Vantiva, Thomson is attempting to re-enter the home computing market. You can do that with Thomson Neo 14 in the price category under 200 euros quite decent in comparison. Its display measures 14 inches and has a Full HD resolution.

This means that the Thomson laptop is on par with the Odys Mybook. The manufacturer relies on an Intel Celeron N4020 for the processor. The difference to the Odys model is in the details. As a reminder: a Clereon N4120 works there. It offers two more cores than the processor in the Thomson laptop. On the other hand, the built-in memory is nice. At 128 GB, the Thomson notebook is twice the size of the Odys competition.

CSL Laptop Ultra Thin

Odys and Thomson laptop on the heels is also the CSL Ultra Thin. Its display is also 14 inches (35.56 cm) and has a Full HD resolution. Unfortunately, the Intel Celeron N3350 processor, one of the weaker chips in comparison, works in it. According to the manufacturer, its battery life is also significantly shorter than that of the competition at up to six hours. After all, RAM (4 GB) and internal storage (64 GB) are on par with many other models. Incidentally, the laptop is manufactured by the Chinese company Qisi Digital Technology. Sounds ominous and remains so after a Google search.

Medion E11202

Most consumers should now be familiar with Medion. The manufacturer celebrated great success at the discounter Aldi. Ten to 15 years ago, the “Aldi PC” repeatedly caused a stir because it offered particularly good value for money. Medion is now one of the established computer manufacturers and delivers with the Medion E11202 a model in the price range around 200 euros. Nice: With 128 GB of storage space, the laptop is on par with the Thomson and Peaq models. The built-in Intel Celeron N3450 processor offers four cores, but it was released in 2016. Its 11.6 inch (29.46 cm) display has a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels and, according to the manufacturer, the battery lasts for up to eight hours. Overall, a solid laptop up to 200 euros, although the reductions in the display hurt compared to other models.

Peaq Classic PNB C140V-1G428D

The conclusion is again a no-name product from Peaq. This is a private label from Media Markt and Saturn. the Peaq Classic PNB C140V-1G428D offers a Full HD display that measures 14 inches (35.56 cm) diagonally. Of course, 4 GB of RAM in the laptop does its job again. The Intel Celeron N4020 processor has two cores. The battery life is positive: According to the manufacturer, the laptop lasts up to 8.5 hours. Its memory is comparatively large at 128 GB.

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