While the price of laptops has risen steadily over the years, it's still possible to find great models that cost less than $1,000. Mid-range and budget options have gotten better in quality, and many premium ultraportables start around that price for their base configurations. You can get an exceptionally well-built laptop with a metal chassis, like an Apple MacBook Air, a 2-in-1 convertible, or even a gaming laptop with a powerful CPU and GPU. Mobile workstations are generally more expensive, but if you're okay with some compromises, you can get a gaming laptop as an alternative.
We've tested over 165 laptops, and below, you'll find our recommendations for the best laptops under $1,000 you can buy. See our recommendations for the best laptops under $600, the best laptops under $700, and the best laptop brands.
If you're looking to pick up a new laptop on Black Friday, check out all the best deals that we've found this year!
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Best Laptop Under $1,000
General Productivity8.6Multimedia9.1Gaming4.9Workstation6.5Form Factor:Traditional (Clamshell)Portability:Typing Quality:8.0Touchpad:See all our test resultsPorts:The best laptop under $1,000 we've tested is the Apple MacBook Air 13 (M4, 2025), a 13-inch ultraportable. This newly released model doesn't stray far from its M3 predecessor; it has the same sleek design, exceptionally sturdy all-aluminum build, and all-day battery life. You still get a sharp Retina display, a spacious and tactile keyboard, Apple's industry-leading haptic touchpad, and an excellent 1080p webcam. The display is limited to a 60Hz refresh rate, which is a little disappointing considering most premium Windows laptops have adopted high-refresh panels, but it likely won't bother most people looking at static documents all day.
Other than a new Sky Blue color, the upgrades on this 2025 model are under the hood. The M4 chip is noticeably faster than its M3 predecessor, providing an even snappier and more responsive desktop experience. There's a new 12MP camera with Center Stage support, a feature that keeps you centered in the frame, which can be useful if you need to move around during a video call. Apple has also upgraded the external display support, allowing you to connect up to two 6k @ 60Hz displays in addition to the built-in screen. Unfortunately, the port selection remains unchanged, with only two USB-C ports.
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Best Windows Laptop Under $1,000
General Productivity7.9Multimedia8.5Gaming5.1Workstation6.7Form Factor:Traditional (Clamshell)Portability:Typing Quality:7.5Touchpad:See all our test resultsPorts:Our best Windows pick under $1,000 is the Acer Swift Go 14 (2024). This 14-inch ultraportable is compact and lightweight, and it feels quite sturdy despite having a little more plastic in its construction than premium models like the Apple MacBook Air 13 (M4, 2025) above. It features Intel's Meteor Lake CPUs, which are powerful enough to handle everyday tasks like text processing, spreadsheets, and presentations, as well as more demanding workloads like programming. You can get up to 32GB of RAM and 2TB of storage; only the latter is user-replaceable.
The overall user experience is good, but it's a bit of a downgrade compared to the MacBook Air. It has a slightly mushier keyboard and a non-haptic diving board touchpad, and the quality of its speakers is significantly worse. You get a wider port selection, though, and its battery life is excellent at around 11 hours of light use. Display options include an FHD+ IPS and a 2.8k OLED panel. Both look sharp and get bright enough for use in most indoor settings, but remember that the OLED flickers, which might bother people sensitive to screen flickering.
If you prefer a slightly larger laptop and don't mind paying more, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7th Edition 15 (2024) is a great choice that's currently on sale (Black Friday) for $999 USD via retailers like Amazon. It's a more premium device than the Swift Go 14 with a full aluminum chassis, a more comfortable keyboard, a haptic touchpad, and a significantly longer battery life. Its Qualcomm SoC performs well, but because it's an ARM-based chip, some programs might not run properly, so check for app compatibility first.
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Best Chromebook Under $1,000
General Productivity7.2Multimedia8.0Gaming3.2Workstation4.7Form Factor:2 in 1Portability:Typing Quality:9.0Touchpad:See all our test resultsPorts:The best Chromebook under $1,000 we've tested is the Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714 (2024). It has a 14-inch screen that gets bright enough for use in most indoor settings and provides just enough space for split-screen multitasking. Since this is a 2-in-1, you can set it up in tent mode for media consumption or use it as a tablet. Its IPS touchscreen display looks vibrant, and it supports touch and pen input (the device doesn't come with a stylus). The only downside is the display's poor reflection handling; it isn't suitable for bright environments, as any direct light sources like lamps or the sun will be visible.
Ports include one USB-A, two USB-C/Thunderbolt 4, and an HDMI port. Its battery life is great at over 10 hours of light use, and you can charge over USB-C. This laptop is available with various Intel Meteor Lake CPUs. Although these are low-power models, they're more than fast enough for anything you'd need to do on a Chromebook. Its keyboard and touchpad are easy and comfortable to use, and the webcam is fantastic, offering a clear image. Of course, not every piece of software is compatible with ChromeOS, so be sure to check for compatibility if you need to use any specialized programs.
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Best 2-In-1 Tablet Under $1,000
School8.5Gaming6.5Multimedia8.8Workstation7.8Business7.8Form Factor:TabletPortability:Typing Quality:8.0Touchpad:See all our test resultsPorts:The best 2-in-1 tablet we've tested for under $1,000 is the Microsoft Surface Pro 11th Edition (2024). This form factor lets you detach the keyboard to make the device easier to hold as a tablet or to save space when viewing content, like on a kitchen counter or airplane tray table. You can simply pop its comfortable type cover keyboard back on when needed; just remember to factor in the keyboard's cost since it's a separate purchase. This is a great device for taking handwritten notes or drawing, but like the keyboard, you must buy the stylus separately. These extra purchases will bring the total cost of the device above $1,000, though we definitely think it's worth it.
As for the tablet itself, the only model under $1,000 is the Snapdragon X Plus configuration with an IPS display, which isn't bad since it's the one we recommend. The X Elite model is faster, but its OLED panel exhibits a very distracting 'screen door effect' and is susceptible to permanent burn-in. One important thing to know is that this is an ARM-based device, so make sure the apps you use are compatible or run well enough through Microsoft's Prism emulation layer to get your work done. Battery life is great at over 11 hours of light use, and you can charge the device over USB-C.
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Best Gaming Laptop Under $1,000
School7.8Gaming8.7Multimedia7.1Workstation8.9Business7.8Form Factor:Traditional (Clamshell)Portability:Typing Quality:8.0Touchpad:See all our test resultsPorts:Our best gaming pick is the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 Advantage Edition (2023). For under $1,000, you can get this laptop with a 165Hz FHD+ display, a Ryzen 7 7735HS CPU, an AMD Radeon RX 7600s GPU, 16GB of DDR5 RAM, and 512GB of storage. This configuration can deliver high, consistent frame rates in demanding AAA games at 1080p or even 1440p, depending on your settings. The 165Hz FHD+ IPS panel has a fast response time and variable refresh rate support to deliver a clear image in fast-moving scenes with minimal ghosting and screen tearing; it just doesn't get very bright, so visibility can be an issue in well-lit settings.
This laptop sports a solid port selection for peripherals and external displays, including an Ethernet and HDMI 2.1 port. The RAM and storage are user-replaceable, providing a clear upgrade path down the line. Thermal throttling is minimal under load, but the laptop does get hot and loud. Thankfully, there aren't any hot spots around the WASD keys. This laptop also isn't particularly portable as it's relatively bulky, and you'll need to carry along its fairly beefy charger for use on the go, as its battery lasts only a little over an hour when gaming.
Notable Mentions
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Lenovo Yoga 7i 16 (2023):
The Lenovo Yoga 7i 16 (2023) is a good alternative to the Acer Swift Go 14 (2024) if you want a bigger screen or a 2-in-1 convertible. However, its Intel 13th Gen CPUs are slower in multi-threaded workloads, and it's only available with 60Hz IPS displays.
See our review -
Lenovo Yoga 7 2-in-1 14 (2024):
The Lenovo Yoga 7 2-in-1 14 (2024) is another convertible at the mid-range price point worth considering. It's very similar to the Acer Swift Go 14 (2024) overall; the only downside is that both available displays have an FHD+ resolution, with the lower-end panel looking noticeably dimmer and more washed out than the Swift Go's.
See our review -
Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE (2024):
The Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE (2024) is a larger alternative to the Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714 (2024). It has better performance and a nicer display, but it isn't a 2-in-1 convertible and isn't as portable because it's bulkier. It also has a lower-quality webcam and a slightly shorter battery life.
See our review -
Acer Nitro V 16 (2024):
The Acer Nitro V 16 (2024) is a good alternative to the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 Advantage Edition (2023) if you prefer a model with an NVIDIA GPU. However, due to its low availability, you may have difficulty finding it.
See our review
Recent Updates
Nov 26, 2025:
Added the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7th Edition 15 (2024) as an alternative to the Acer Swift Go 14 (2024) because it's on sale for less than $1,000 during the Black Friday period.
May 06, 2025:
Replaced the Apple MacBook Air 13 (2022) with the Apple MacBook Air 13 (M4, 2025) because the 2022 model is discontinued.
Mar 06, 2025:
Small text changes to provide information about the new M4 Apple MacBook Airs. No change in recommendations.
Jan 15, 2025:
Small text changes for conciseness and clarity. No change in recommendations. Added the Lenovo Yoga 7 2-in-1 14 (2024) as a Notable Mention.
Nov 20, 2024:
Replaced the HP Pavilion Aero 13 (2024) with the Acer Swift Go 14 (2024) because the Acer performs better and provides a superior user experience overall. Added the Lenovo Yoga 7i 16 (2023), Acer Chromebook 516 GE (2024), and the Acer Nitro V 16 (2024) as Notable Mentions. Small text changes to provide information regarding the Apple MacBook Air 13 (2022)'s RAM configurations.
All Reviews
Our recommendations above are what we think are currently the best laptops you can get for under $1,000. In addition to the test results, we consider the price, feedback from our visitors, and availability.
If you prefer to make your own decision, here's the list of all the laptops we've tested, sorted by price from low to high. Keep in mind that most laptops are available in various configurations, and the table only shows the results of the model we tested, so it's best to see the full review for information about other variants.