Affordable, Tested Tech Actually Worth Buying
PC Magazine|May 2022
Our experts review more than 2,000 products each year: laptops, TVs, phones, routers, you name it. Here are some of the very best budget buys.
Illustration by Ian Moore
Affordable, Tested Tech Actually Worth Buying

At PCMag, testing technology products is our whole schtick. We do it at least 2,000 times a year, striving for the unbiased, lab-based results that make us the independent guide to technology. And we love the latest $5,750 mobile workstation, $3,000 OLED TV, or the loaded $7,999 Apple Mac Studio. Why shouldn’t we? Car magazines review Ferraris, after all.

Most folks don’t drive them, though. And most of us don’t buy cost-is-no-object technology, especially in an age of inflation and supply-chain shortages. That’s why we’re particularly pleased when we find products that deliver performance as well as value, elegance as well as affordability, and features as well as frugality. Telling you about our favorite bargains is the best part of our job. And now we’re doing it in a nifty new way.

Presenting The PCMag Cheap 100: Our recommendations of outstanding values in 100-odd product categories, both hardware and software, from home-entertainment and health products to PCs and smartphones. Our editors scoured our vast field of reviews to assemble this mega-guide of picks. And we’ll be updating it online monthly, as a cut-to-the-chase supplement to our many bargain-conscious online buying guides. We hope this timely, curated list helps you keep a little more money in your wallet.

In this issue of the Digital Edition, we’re sharing 25 of the top picks from May’s list. You can always find more at PCMag.com, of course (at https://www.pcmag.com/ picks/the-pcmag-cheap-100-affordable-tested-tech actually-worth-buying). Value hunters, unite!

BEST CHEAP GENERAL-USE LAPTOP

This story is from the May 2022 edition of PC Magazine.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the May 2022 edition of PC Magazine.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM PC MAGAZINEView All
AUDIO
PC Magazine

AUDIO

AUDIO

time-read
1 min  |
December 2022
SMART HOME
PC Magazine

SMART HOME

SMART HOME

time-read
3 mins  |
December 2022
T Mobile
PC Magazine

T Mobile

Mobile

time-read
2 mins  |
December 2022
Apple TV 4K 3rd Generation): Best for the Apple-Centric
PC Magazine

Apple TV 4K 3rd Generation): Best for the Apple-Centric

A powerful, feature-rich media streamer that’s pricier than most

time-read
7 mins  |
December 2022
20 Tips for Leveling Up Your Work-at-Home Game
PC Magazine

20 Tips for Leveling Up Your Work-at-Home Game

Whether you're new to working remotely or just looking fo do if beffer, fhese fips can help you stay productive and maintain balance.

time-read
10+ mins  |
November 2022
12 Google Calendar Tricks You're Probably Not Using
PC Magazine

12 Google Calendar Tricks You're Probably Not Using

Wondering how to share your Google Calendar? Want to add a new calendar? Here are the tips you need.

time-read
6 mins  |
November 2022
SimpliSafe Home Security System: Affordable Ease of Use
PC Magazine

SimpliSafe Home Security System: Affordable Ease of Use

Affordable security with a focus on flexibility

time-read
10+ mins  |
November 2022
Honda Unveils First All-Electric SUV, Built on GM's Battery Platform
PC Magazine

Honda Unveils First All-Electric SUV, Built on GM's Battery Platform

The Honda Prologue battery-electric SUV arrives in 2024 and will use the Ultium battery technology developed by General Motors.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2022
We Must Save Streaming Video Before It’s Too Late
PC Magazine

We Must Save Streaming Video Before It’s Too Late

A generation of art risks extinction if the companies that own streaming services don’t believe their vast libraries are worth preserving. We have to act now to save it.

time-read
5 mins  |
November 2022
If You Have a Uterus, Don't Buy an Apple Watch
PC Magazine

If You Have a Uterus, Don't Buy an Apple Watch

New women's health and reproductive features in the Apple Watch 8 and Ultra have the potential to cause harm following the overturning of Roe v. Wade.

time-read
3 mins  |
November 2022