Amazon Props Up Misleading, Junky Laptops No One Should Buy

Amazon pushes outdated hardware

Amazon’s search results for “best laptop” are currently surfacing outdated, underpowered, and misleadingly marketed devices. These listings often carry the "Amazon’s Choice" badge despite featuring hardware that fails to meet modern performance standards. Many of these machines use components from several years ago that cannot handle the demands of Windows 11.

One prominent result is an HP laptop labeled as "Ultral Light" with a glaring typo in its title. This machine relies on an Intel Celeron processor and a 1366 x 768 resolution display. It misleadingly claims 192 GB of storage by combining 64 GB of slow eMMC memory with a bundled 128 GB SD card.

These laptops rely on high ratings from years ago to maintain their positions at the top of search results. A laptop that was barely acceptable in 2022 is a poor investment in 2026. Amazon’s algorithm prioritizes these high-margin, low-quality devices over modern machines that offer better value for the same price.

Low resolution screens are obsolete

A 768p screen is functionally obsolete for any laptop sold in 2026. These panels offer poor clarity and limited screen real estate compared to standard 1080p displays. Using Windows 11 on such a low resolution makes multitasking difficult and renders text with noticeable pixelation.

The HP Stream 14 and the HP 15.6-inch models found on Amazon’s first page both utilize these sub-standard displays. Manufacturers use these panels to drive prices under $300, but the trade-off in usability is too high. Never buy a laptop with a resolution lower than 1920 x 1080.

Storage type is another area where these cheap machines fail. Most budget laptops on Amazon use eMMC storage, which is significantly slower than a proper NVMe SSD. This hardware choice leads to long boot times and sluggish application performance, even when performing basic tasks like checking email or browsing the web.

Better budget alternatives exist

Consumers can find much better hardware if they look past the sponsored results and algorithmically boosted junk. The Asus Chromebook CX15 costs nearly the same as the low-end HP models but includes a 1080p screen and a 128 GB solid-state drive. While it still uses a Celeron processor, ChromeOS runs more efficiently on low-end hardware than Windows does.

If you require Windows 11, the Acer Aspire Go 15 is a superior choice. It features a 1080p display and a 256 GB SSD, providing a much smoother user experience. It also comes with Windows 11 Home rather than the restrictive S Mode found on many ultra-cheap alternatives.

For those with a slightly higher budget, the following laptops offer significantly better performance and longevity:

• Asus Vivobook 16: Often priced at $550, featuring the 8-core Qualcomm Snapdragon X.
• Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3X: Available for $584 with high battery efficiency.
• Apple MacBook Air (M4): The current gold standard for portable performance and battery life.
• Acer Aspire Go 15: The bare minimum for a functional Windows 11 experience in 2026.

Gaming laptops with bad value

The "best laptop" search also surfaces gaming machines that are poor financial decisions. An Acer Nitro V with an RTX 4050 GPU appeared for $950, which is a terrible price for that specific hardware. You can currently find a newer Acer Nitro V with an RTX 5050 for only $750.

The RTX 50-series cards provide a massive performance leap over the older 40-series. Paying $200 more for an older, slower graphics card is a mistake that Amazon’s search results encourage. You cannot upgrade a laptop’s GPU later, so buying the best available chip within your budget is critical.

The Lenovo LOQ 15 is a much stronger alternative in the gaming category. It features an RTX 5060 and often sells for $970. This machine offers a significant upgrade in frame rates and graphical fidelity compared to the overpriced RTX 4050 models littering the search results.

Off-brand laptops flood the market

Unknown brands like Jumper and Nimo are gaining visibility on major retail sites. These companies often use misleading marketing to sell sub-par hardware to unsuspecting buyers. Nimo frequently markets laptops as "gaming" devices despite the fact they lack a discrete graphics card.

Buying from these mystery brands is risky because they lack established support networks and independent reviews. While a Jumper laptop might include a 1080p screen for a low price, the underlying components are often bottom-tier. These machines are built with the cheapest possible parts to maximize profit on high-traffic retail pages.

Reliability matters more than a low price tag. A laptop from a reputable manufacturer like Dell, Lenovo, or Apple will have better driver support and a higher chance of lasting more than a year. The Dell 15 Laptop is a solid budget example, offering 16 GB of RAM and a 512 GB SSD for $530.

Comparing Amazon to other retailers

The problem of low-quality search results is not exclusive to Amazon, but it varies by retailer. Walmart is currently the worst offender for surfacing "knock-off" brands. Out of 40 laptops on its first page of results, 24 come from mystery brands like RNRUO and Coolby.

Best Buy provides a much better shopping experience for consumers searching for "best laptops." Its results include modern, high-quality machines like the MacBook Pro, Zenbook S 14, and Lenovo Legion 7i. Best Buy’s curation prevents the first page from being dominated by obsolete $200 machines and off-brand clones.

As the 2026 memory shortage continues to drive up hardware prices, finding a good deal becomes more difficult. Retailers have a responsibility to direct customers toward functional technology rather than clearing out old inventory. For now, users must manually filter for reputable brands and modern specifications to avoid buying a "best laptop" that is actually a piece of junk.