How to Navigate the Current Laptop Shortage for Back-to-School Shopping

Due to a persistent shortage of RAM and storage, laptop prices have become volatile, with some models costing significantly more than before. Despite this, shoppers can still find functional devices for under $500 and higher-spec machines for roughly $700. The guide suggests prioritizing newer Windows laptops with Intel 13th-gen or AMD Ryzen 7000 CPUs, or Apple silicon Macs, and aiming for at least 16 GB of RAM and 512 GB of storage when possible.

It highlights specific models such as the MacBook Neo, MacBook Air, Asus Zenbook A14, Acer Aspire 14 AI, HP OmniBook 3, and various refurbished ThinkPads, as well as affordable Chromebooks like the Asus Chromebook Plus CX34 and Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514. The overall recommendation is to avoid low-end units that feel sluggish from day one, as they will only deteriorate further.