Now that people have a more independent and cloud-based set of work tools, they can finally consider leaving Windows behind and getting a better and cheaper laptop, like a MacBook Air.
“What? A MacBook Air cheaper than a Windows laptop? Impossible!”
Well, if you look in the Wintel (Windows + Intel) universe for a laptop with the same features as Apple’s entry-level laptop — the MacBook Air — the Wintel version will be more expensive.
A basic laptop today should have a 3K or 4K display (Full HD is already obsolete), solid-state storage, high-quality camera, microphone, and audio, and be thin, lightweight, and stylish. Most importantly, the battery should last all day. This last feature is not possible in Intel-based laptops, where, in practice, the battery lasts no more than 90 minutes. A modern laptop is used like a smartphone: unplugged from the outlet, carried around all day, and recharged while you have lunch or sleep.
So yes, you can find cheaper laptops, but they will have worse features than the minimum standard. They also use lower-quality components (camera, microphone, display) and outdated technology (storage, CPU).