This ultra-slim student laptop is over 50% off, down to just $279

Looking for a cheap laptop? This Gateway Ultra Slim Notebook might be just the ticket.

The best laptops for students run the gamut from affordable, portable laptops to borderline desktop class powerhouses, and every now and then we're pleasantly surprised when we spot a new addition to our student laptop deals lineup.

This one from Walmart certainly fits the bill, and while it's not the most powerful of the laptops we've seen, the sizeable discount makes it worth a look.

That's because the retailer is offering the Gateway Ultra Slim Notebook for just $279.99. That's $300 off the regular price, which is more than a 50% price cut.

As we already alluded to, the Gateway Ultra Slim Notebook isn't going to be the go-to for big creative projects or app development - although its product page does point out it's more powerful than older laptops (we'd be worried if it wasn't).

It also says it can run the majority of AAA games in Full HD, but we wouldn't expect to boot up Star Wars: Jedi Survivor.

Instead, it's ideal for booting up quickly in a lecture to take notes, or watching YouTube at the end of the day - with maybe a little bit of photo editing in there.

It's running Windows 10, although the product images show it running Windows 11, and the majority of reviewers have been pleased with its performance. There's 512GB of SSD storage, and 16GB of RAM which makes it an ideal multitasker.

The 14.1-inch display offers a resolution of 1920x1080, making it Full HD, too, and there's even a Fingerprint Scanner and built-in camera for security and communication respectively.

Looking for something with a little more power? Be sure to check out our list of the best laptops for coding.

Lloyd Coombes freelance tech and fitness writer for Live Science. He's an expert in all things Apple as well as in computer and gaming tech, with previous works published on TechRadar, Tom's Guide, Live Science and more. You'll find him regularly testing the latest MacBook or iPhone, but he spends most of his time writing about video games as Gaming Editor for the Daily Star. He also covers board games and virtual reality, just to round out the nerdy pursuits.