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Best laptop sales in Australia: cheap laptops to buy in {month} {year}
If you’re looking for a cheap laptop or a deeply discounted premium machine, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve scoured the web for savings and rounded up all the genuine deals in one neat place.
You’ll find we’ve covered everything from budget browsing machines to high-performance powerhouses, so you’ll no doubt find something here to match your needs.
We’ve highlighted a selection of the latest deals that we’ve sniffed out, and if you scroll further down, we've rounded up some of our favourite laptops in a dedicated buying guide.
Best laptop deals this week
Laptops & ultrabooks
Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch (2021) | M1 Pro / 16GB RAM / 512GB SSD | AU$2,999 AU$2,699 on Amazon (save AU$300)
Apple’s all-new MacBook Pro came out late last year, and you can now save AU$300 on the powerful device from Amazon. It comes equipped with Apple’s latest M1 Pro chip, which will deliver brilliant performance. It’s also sporting a 14-inch Liquid Retina XDR display, which is backit by mini-LEDs. Translation? It’s a mightily impressive laptop for creatives. Only discounted in grey.
Apple MacBook Air M1 | 8GB RAM / 256GB SSD | AU$1,499 AU$1,349 on Apple (save AU$150)
We think the MacBook Air (M1, 2020) is the best laptop in Australia. It’s worthy of this spot thanks to Apple’s own M1 chip, which has greatly improved both performance and battery life for the laptop. It’s carrying a price tag that’s decently competitive with Windows rivals too (finally). This price is available from Apple’s Education Store, where you’ll get a discount on the laptop and AU$219 off a pair of AirPods.
Dell XPS 15 OLED (9510) | i7 / 16GB RAM / 1TB SSD / RTX 3050 Ti | AU$4,299 AU$3,267 on Dell (save AU$1,032)
The Dell XPS 15 is a beautiful machine with plenty of power under the hood. This model is equipped with a snappy Intel i7-11800H processor and an RTX 3050 Ti, so it’s well-suited to graphic-intensive design work and even some light gaming. It’s got a 15-inch OLED display, which means you’ll get sharp images and precise colour reproduction. Enter the code BTU5 at checkout to get the full discount.
Acer Chromebook 311 | Celeron N4100 / 4GB RAM / 64GB eMMC | AU$449 AU$316 on Amazon (save AU$133)
Chromebook’s aren’t particularly slick or stylish, but they are very affordable machines. This Acer Chromebook is now just AU$316, and it comes with an Intel Celeron N4100 processor, paired with 4GB of RAM and a 64GB eMMC. As a Chromebook, it puts all of Google’s apps right at your fingertips, so it’d make a good laptop for a student who does most of their work online.
2-in-1s
Dell Inspiron 13 2-in-1 (7306) | i7 / 16GB RAM / 512GB SSD | AU$2,099 AU$1,574 on Dell (save AU$525)
We haven’t reviewed this particular laptop at TechRadar, but we have rated similar machines from Dell highly. This model comes packing an 11th-gen Intel i7, alongside 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD. It uses Intel’s Evo platform too, so it should have a great battery life in theory. You’ll also get the Dell Active Pen included in the box, so you won’t have to pay extra to get full use out of the device. Available from Dell, with AU$525 saved.
Gaming laptops
Lenovo Legion 5i Pro (Gen 6) | i7 / 16GB RAM / 512GB SSD / RTX 3070 | AU$3,299 AU$2,474.25 on Lenovo (save AU$824.75)
This Legion 5i Pro comes stacked with high-end specs, including an Intel i7-11800H and an RTX 3070. This machine is solidly built and has a full-sized keyboard, which we personally quite appreciate in a gaming laptop. This discount is available directly at Lenovo, just enter the coupon code LENGAMING to redeem.
eBay Plus exclusive
Razer Blade Pro 17 (2021) | i7 / 16GB RAM / 1TB SSD / RTX 3070 | AU$4,499 AU$2,944.05 on eBay (save AU$1,554.95)
If you’re looking for a blazing gaming laptop with a sizable screen, the Razer Blade Pro 17 is absolutely worthy of your shortlist. This 17.3-inch machine comes equipped with an Intel i7-11800H and an RTX 3070, plus 16GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD and a 165Hz screen refresh. That stacks up to be an immensely powerful laptop, and one that is usually quite expensive. If you’re an eBay Plus member, you can get it for AU$2,944 by using the coupon code PLUSFEB5.
eBay Plus exclusive
Razer Blade 15 Advanced | i7 / 32GB RAM / 1TB SSD / RTX 3080 | AU$5,399 AU$3,229.05 on Wireless 1 eBay (save AU$2,169.95)
If you’re after an RTX 3080 in a gaming laptop, this Razer Blade 15 Advanced could be exactly what you’re looking for. It’s packing an Intel i7-11800H, 32GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD and of course, a ripper RTX 3080. This model also takes things up a notch by including a glorious 360Hz 1080p screen. This deal is only available to eBay Plus members, and you’ll need the coupon code PLUSFEB5.
Dell G15 (5511) | i7 / 16GB RAM / 512GB SSD / RTX 3060 | AU$2,369 AU$1,895 on Dell (save AU$474)
This unassuming gaming laptop is well-equipped, with an Intel i7-11800H CPU and an Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU. The 15.6-inch 1080p display has a refresh rate of 120Hz as well, so you can expect super-smooth gameplay. While this laptop is lacking some of Razer’s design flair, it makes up for it with great specs at a bargain price. Head directly to Dell where it’s AU$474 off.
Alienware X17 | i7 / 16GB RAM / 512GB SSD / RTX 3060 | AU$3,899 AU$3,119 on Dell (save AU$780)
Alienware’s X-series aims to deliver high performance in a thinner form factor than most other gaming laptops. This X17 comes boasting an Intel i7-11800H processor and an RTX 3060, so you can expect excellent gaming performance. A laptop this thin is bound to run hot, but if you can get past that, pick it up from Dell and save AU$780.
Alienware X15 | i7 / 32GB RAM / 1TB SSD / RTX 3070 | AU$4,699 AU$3,524 on Dell (save AU$1,175)
This 15-inch laptop is packing some mighty specs, including an Intel i7 11800H chip, an RTX 3070, 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD. We gave this laptop 4.5/5 stars in our review, though we did find that it runs very hot and has a very short battery life of just over three hours. Overall though, we think it’s a great gaming laptop that’s surprisingly portable.
- Find great bargains and compare Australian prices on the latest tech at Getprice
The best deals on our favourite laptops
Over the years we’ve reviewed plenty of laptops, and as a result, we’ve seen what to avoid and what to jump on when there’s savings to be had. Check out the prices on some of our favourite laptops below and see if anything has dropped enough to spark your interest.
To say that we’re big fans of the Dell XPS 13 is a huge understatement. This 13-inch Ultrabook has appeared in our list of the best laptops for several years running, and there’s good reason why.
This iteration came out in late 2020 and it’s known as the Dell XPS 13 9310. It’s equipped with Intel’s latest 11th generation processors while the Intel Iris Xe handles the integrated graphics (and almost doubles the graphical prowess from the previous model). Both work together to bring a decent amount of power to these gorgeous laptops, and some light gaming is also possible thanks to the specs.
There are barely any bezels to speak of on these laptops, and it can be configured with a Full HD+ or a 4K HDR screen (OLED panels are also available). The sleekness of the XPS 13 comes at the expense of ports, and the speakers are a little lacklustre, but these are small exceptions in an otherwise premium laptop.
Read our full Dell XPS 13 (Late 2020) review
When Apple ditched Intel’s chips for its own M1 silicon in 2020, it was a real game changer for the laptop market – Apple or otherwise. The new processor gives the MacBook Air a serious performance boost, which thankfully, has not come at the expense of battery life (our testing found it lasting an impressive 11 hours and 15 minutes in continuous movie playback).
Despite the significant power upgrade, Apple has priced this laptop at a better RRP than its predecessor, and it even gives other premium Ultrabooks such as the Dell XPS 13 a run for their money – something we never would have anticipated from Apple. You can expect to pay AU$1,499 for the model with 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD, or AU$1,849 for the 512GB SSD version.
If you do have a couple hundred bucks to spare, we’d also suggest taking a look at the 13-inch MacBook Pro (M1, 2020). That’ll get you better-sounding speakers, a more comfortable keyboard and a neat Touch Bar. The MacBook Pro also keeps its cooling fans (while the MacBook Air doesn’t) so it should be able to run more intensive tasks before performance is throttled.
Read our full Apple MacBook Air (M1, 2020) review
We rate the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 as the best gaming laptop around. It’s outfitted with AMD’s Ryzen 4000 and 5000 series processors, which lend a lot of power to the Zephyrus G14. As for graphics, Asus has mixed with Nvidia to bring the latest RTX cards to the laptop.
Despite that seriously impressive power, the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 is reasonably priced and can be found for a fair whack less than the competition. There’ve been a few concessions to keep it that way though – the laptop is without a webcam, and it’s not as particularly good looking as the Razer laptops of the world.
With that said, the Zephyrus G14 is a thin and light laptop that also manages best-in-class battery life despite its gaming laptop status.
Read our full Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 review
The Asus ZenBook Flip 13 moves easily between laptop, tent and tablet mode with its 360° hinge, and Asus promises it’s good for 20,000 cycles. It’s a solidly built, stylish piece of kit, and it comes packing Intel’s latest 11th generation chips, making it a powerful 2-in-1 laptop.
Housed within the body is a beautiful 13-inch screen with ultra-thin bezels on all four sides, so you’re able to make the most of the 1080p display. The front-facing Harman Kardon speakers sound genuinely good too, which can be rare on even the best of laptops.
With space at a premium, Asus has done something clever to keep the number pad too. It’s been integrated into the trackpad, and it appears in illuminated LED lights when you need it – pretty neat if you ask us.
If you’ve got the cash to spare for a MacBook Air, we’d argue that it’s the best student laptop in Australia, but if you’re just after something that’s cheap, then the Lenovo IdeaPad Duet Chromebook is a great choice. It’s a 2-in-1, and for the unit itself paired with a detachable keyboard and stand cover, you’ll pay just AU$499 (and it’s often on sale too).
The internal specs aren’t anything to write home about, but what really matters here is Chrome OS, which we’ve found to be a richer experience than the equivalent Windows 10S. Google’s fantastic apps will be right at your fingertips, so it’s ideal for someone who does the majority of their schoolwork online (using Google Docs and the like).
You won’t be able to load up on Chrome tabs with reckless abandon, but for general web browsing, video streaming and basic productivity, the Duet does exactly what you want it to do. All told, this is the best value you’re going to find in a portable device of this kind.
Read our full Lenovo IdeaPad Duet Chromebook review
If you're after some more further info on the best laptops, check out some of our other dedicated articles:
- Best laptops in Australia
- Best gaming laptops
- The best ultrabooks
- Best business laptops
- Best 2-in-1 laptops
Watch the video below for the top 7 things to consider when buying a laptop.Â
Date
18 Feb 2022Sources
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Transforming your perceptions of digital transformation
Read MoreThe concepts of digital transformation and innovation did not just appear in 2020 as the world was thrown into chaos. Rather, they have been bandied about relentlessly for the last decade. Often, however, this has led to the ideas becoming background noise or well-intentioned daydreams, rather than practical changes on the ground. How, then, should business leaders transform how they think about transformation? How can they show they are committed to change by taking action?
About the authorDr Stefan Sigg is CPO at Software AG.
Turning the theory into a reality will require more than simply investing in the latest tech. It will require mundane, but critical, work to build digital foundations, a cultural transformation, and swimming with the generational tides.
Foundations over bells and whistles
Far too often, the hype around a new technology outstrips its potential to make genuine improvements to the employee and customer experiences. This is especially pertinent when there is a significant lag between the announcement of new digital solutions and tangible benefits feeding through.
There are several steps companies should take in order to shorten this disparity between expectations and reality. Firstly, companies need to set up a solid foundation of enabling and connecting technologies such as cloud and data integration. Without them, any new additions will sit idle or not fulfil their potential. Secondly, companies must find the right balance between technology and industry focus. It is not efficient for specialized companies such as banks or retailers to try and build their own proprietary base technology. They’d be far better off leaving it to the experts, using existing technology and start adding industry-specific logic at the topmost possible layer of the tech stack.
This is about taking complexity away from businesses and letting them get on with what they do best. Many software vendors specialize in this very process by helping companies transfer their data, application, and integration platforms to the cloud – a very complex job for an internal team. By outsourcing this work, the other companies can focus on creating value for their customers and empowering their workforce.
Building this solid digital base will be more important than ever over the coming year. Despite ongoing uncertainties around the pandemic, the new US administration and long-term geo-political uncertainties, businesses can overcome these challenges if they prepare now.
Building a transformative culture
2020 saw a rapid acceleration in the uptake of new tech. McKinsey have suggested that both consumers and businesses have advanced their digital adoption by five years in just eight weeks. Microsoft argue that the incredible uptake in virtual collaboration during the pandemic equated to two years of digital transformation in two months. This came down to companies needing to adapt in order to keep operating. Nevertheless, it exemplifies what companies can achieve when they put their mind to it.
Becoming a digital company is not a simple matter of buying the latest shiny tech and throwing it at your employees. Reforming the culture in the business is a crucial hurdle on the route to transformation. Take data collection for example - data storage company Seagate estimates that 70% of data businesses capture goes unused. Without building a culture that encourages people to take advantage of these new assets, they simply become an added complexity and cost. Firms must make well-considered plans about how they integrate these new tools into their current work practices, and when the latter need to be adapted to the technology. If management can handle this well, it will allow employees to make far better use of the tools and customers will feel the benefit. For example, industrial companies discover their IoT data as assets and transform (at least partially) into software companies. The opportunities to leverage the scale and profitability of software-based services are real.
Digital natives in the driver’s seat
Millennials have arguably become the most influential generation, taking over as the largest age bracket the US labor market in 2015. Indeed, Millennials are becoming leaders themselves, making up over a third of business decision makers. As such, companies should consider both who their employees and customers really are, what they need, and how to satisfy their preferences.
Having a digital native group in the majority and increasingly in positions of influence, will undoubtedly affect how many companies approach technological transformation. This generation wants more than barebone digital initiatives. Technology has previously been used out of necessity or designed to fit existing structures. Now, most of the workforce has a new perspective. They are open to novel concepts and using technology in innovative and efficient ways.
Software and hardware will transition from being shoehorned into the workplace to becoming its very foundation.
Plotting the route ahead
The months ahead are ridden with uncertainty, but what we can be certain of is that the value of genuine digital transformation is not going anywhere. Building resilience, efficiency and agility into your business will continue to put you in the best position to overcome any new obstacles and take advantage of new opportunities as the world gets back to business.
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