Right, let's be honest. When we saw a 15.6-inch laptop with Intel's latest 15th Gen processor for under £300, we were properly sceptical. The Lapbook S15 N6 seemed too good to be true — and we've been burnt by budget laptops before. But after three weeks of daily use, we've got to admit: this little machine has genuinely surprised us.
For £299.97, you're getting a Full HD display, 8GB RAM, a 512GB SSD, and Windows 11 Home. That's not revolutionary, but it's a solid spec sheet for the money. The question is whether Lapbook has cut corners where it matters. We've been using this as our main testing laptop for everything from video calls to light photo editing, and the results might change how you think about budget computing.
The Lapbook S15 N6 doesn't scream premium when you unbox it, but it doesn't look embarrassingly cheap either. The plastic chassis feels sturdy enough for daily commuting, though we wouldn't recommend treating it like a rugby ball. At roughly 1.8kg, it's light enough to chuck in a backpack without your shoulders complaining by lunchtime.
The 15.6-inch Full HD IPS display is where this laptop starts to shine. We were expecting the usual budget laptop wash-out, but the 1920x1080 resolution delivers genuinely crisp text and surprisingly vibrant colours. Our video editor tested it with some 4K footage, and whilst you're not going to mistake this for a MacBook Pro, it handled Netflix binges and light photo work without making us squint.
Here's where we expected disappointment but found pleasant surprise instead. The Intel 15th Gen quad-core processor paired with 8GB RAM handles day-to-day tasks without the soul-crushing lag we've experienced on other budget machines. We opened 15 Chrome tabs, ran Spotify, and had Word documents scattered about — and it barely broke a sweat.
The 512GB M.2 SSD is the real hero here. Boot times clock in at around 12 seconds, and file transfers happen at speeds that would make mechanical hard drives weep. For context, our old budget test laptop took nearly two minutes to boot and about the same to open Excel. This thing has it done whilst you're still reaching for your coffee.
We did push it harder with some light video editing in DaVinci Resolve, and whilst it's not going to win any speed awards, it managed 1080p editing without completely giving up. Just don't expect miracles with 4K content.
Lapbook has clearly thought about real-world use here. You get USB 3.0, USB 2.0, HDMI, RJ45 ethernet, and USB-C that handles both charging and external displays. We connected it to a 4K monitor via HDMI and it handled dual-screen setup without drama — something we genuinely didn't expect at this price point.
The built-in HD webcam and microphones are functional rather than fantastic, but they'll do the job for Teams calls and family Zooms. Don't expect to look like a YouTube presenter, but you won't terrify your colleagues either.
After three weeks of testing, we reckon this laptop hits three specific sweet spots. First, students who need something reliable for essays, research, and Netflix without breaking their overdraft. Second, small business owners who need basic machines for staff that won't cause IT headaches. Third, anyone who wants a capable backup laptop that doesn't cost more than a weekend away.
For £300, the Lapbook S15 N6 delivers more than we expected and hits the brief for budget computing without major compromises. If you need a reliable machine for everyday tasks and don't want to spend iPhone money on a laptop, this is actually a solid shout.
As an Amazon Associate, Smart Trends earns from qualifying purchases.
Was this review helpful?
