Buying a new laptop is quite an important decision. It can be hard to find the exact things you need in a laptop, and this is a device you're going to use for a few years, so it's important to choose the right one. To help out with that, we already have a list of the best laptops you can buy, but what if you don't have an infinite budget? Well, you're in luck, as we've rounded up some of the best laptops you can buy for under $1,000.
Nowadays, the best premium laptops can go well into the thousands of dollars, but a $1,000 budget isn't too shabby at all. You can get some great laptops at that price, so you're not really limited in quality here. These laptops may lack some bells and whistles, but they'll get the job done perfectly fine, and this is a budget where you can already find great laptops in all kinds of categories.
The top laptops priced under $1,000 in 2023
Lenovo Yoga 7i (14-inch, 2023)
A solid laptop for almost anyone
The Lenovo Yoga 7i is a great convertible laptop with 13th-generation Intel Core processors and a sharp 14-inch display that delivers a solid experience across the board. It also has a good selection of ports and a 1080p webcam to round things out.
- 13th-gen Intel processors deliver solid performance and battery life
- Sharp 2.2K display with decent color coverage
- 1080p webcam with Windows Hello
- A little heavy for its size
Lenovo has really become one of the best consumer laptop makers in the past couple of years, and if your budget is under $1,000, the Lenovo Yoga 7i is a great option
Starting with performance, the Lenovo Yoga 7i comes with 13th-generation Intel Core processors, up to a Core i7-1355U with 10 cores and 12 threads, though P-series models are also expected at some point. Outside of sales, you may need to stick to the Core i5 model, but that should still offer pretty good performance. You also get up to 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD, though again, you'll need to watch your budget with the upgrades.
While there's a 16-inch version of the Yoga 7i, we're recommending the 14-inch model, which comes with a 2.2K IPS display in the 16:10 aspect ratio. That's pretty sharp for a display of this size, and it covers 100% of sRGB, so it's pretty good on that front, too. OLED models are also planned, but not available yet. Since it's a convertible, it supports touch and pen input, too, and some models even include a pen in the box. Above that display is a 1080p webcam, and it even supports Windows Hello facial recognition.
In terms of design, the Lenovo Yoga 7i also has a fairly premium build, being made almost entirely of aluminum. It does come in at 3.42 pounds, so it's not terribly light for its size, but that's an acceptable compromise at this price. Plus, it does pack in a lot of ports, including two Thunderbolt 4 connections, USB Type-A, HDMI, a headphone jack, and a microSD card reader. You shouldn't need a Thunderbolt dock, but you still have the option.
Overall, the Lenovo Yoga 7i really nails all the basics for a solid laptop in its price range, and it's very easy to recommend to almost anyone. We reviewed last year's model, which is very similar aside from having older processors.
Apple MacBook Air (M1, 2020)
Still going strong thanks to the Apple M1
Despite making its debut in 2020, the M1 MacBook Air continues to be one of the best laptops you can buy for under $1,000, and it's all thanks to Apple Silicon. The M1 processor delivers great performance and battery life, plus the laptop has a great screen and it's very light.
- Apple M1 processor is still pretty fast and efficient
- Sharp Retina display with P3 Wide Color
- One of the lightest aluminum laptops on the market
- There are newer (but more expensive) models
- 720p webcam
- Not a ton of ports
You would think that a laptop model launched in 2020 might have fallen by the wayside by now, but the M1 MacBook Air has stood the test of time, and it's still one of the best laptops you can buy today (at this price, at least).
That's in big part thanks to the Apple M1 chip, which combines an efficient 8-core CPU and GPU. You'll get great day-to-day performance thanks to the chip being based on Arm architecture. It's a balance you can't really get with an Intel-based laptop, even today. The base model comes with 8GB of unified memory and a 256GB SSD, and that's what you're stuck with outside of sales. But it's still solid.
The display is very impressive, too. The MacBook Air comes with a 13.3-inch Retina display, and it has a 16:10 aspect ratio for a total resolution of 2560x1600, which is very sharp for a laptop in this price range. Plus, with P3 Wide Color support and 400 nits of brightness, it really stands out against the competition. The downside here is the webcam, which is only a 720p sensor, though Apple does have some software magic to make it look a bit better.
As for the design, it's what you'd expect from Apple (the company introduced a new design language in 2021). This model still has the classic wedge shape, and it comes in three colors — Silver, Space Grey, and Gold — but to Apple's credit, the 2.8-pound weight makes this one of the lightest aluminum laptops on the market. Ports are limited to two USB4/Thunderbolt ports and a headphone jack, but you can use a dock to get more ports if you need them.
Despite some drawbacks, the MacBook Air is one of the best laptops around for this price. For day-to-day use, it's perfectly capable, and it can even handle some content creation better than many others in this price range, especially at this size.
HP Pavilion Aero 13 (2023)
A super-light laptop with a lot to offer
The HP Pavilion Aero is a budget-friendly laptop that gets a lot right, starting with being incredibly light, at just 2.2 pounds. It comes with AMD Ryzen 7035U series processors and it has a nice 16:10 display that helps it stand out in its price range.
- Powerful performance with AMD Ryzen 7035U series processors
- Tall 13-inch display with Quad HD+ upgrade option
- Super light at under 2.2 pounds, or one kilogram
- 720p webcam without facial recognition
- No USB4 support
- Price has been increasing
The original HP Pavilion Aero really hit it out of the park when it debuted in 2021, and since then, HP has just been upgrading it with new processors, but that's all it really needs to do to be good.
For 2023, HP packed AMD Ryzen 7035U series processors into this laptop, starting with a Ryzen 5 7535U, with 6 cores and 12 threads that deliver great performance. The big upgrade with this processor, however, is the inclusion of Radeon 660M graphics, making it possible to actually play some lighter games on this laptop. The Ryzen 7 model is even faster, but you might go over the budget. The laptop also starts with 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD for storage, with upgrades up to 16GB and 1TB, respectively, if you can afford them.
HP hasn't really changed the display on this laptop in the last two years, but that's not a bad thing. The 13.3-inch panel has a 16:10 aspect ratio, and it comes in Full HD+ resolution by default, which is already quite good for the price. For just $30 more, you can also upgrade to a Quad HD+ panel, a rarity for a laptop this affordable. The webcam should have been upgraded, however, as it's still a 720p sensor without facial recognition. If you want to use Windows Hello, you do get a fingerprint reader for that.
Back on a positive note, however, the Pavilion Aero is still impressive due to how light it is, coming in at 2.2 pounds. It also comes in four color options, something we don't see too often with magnesium laptops. There's a decent variety of ports, including USB-C, two USB Type-A ports, HDMI, and a headphone jack, though we have to lament the lack of USB4 support.
HP has been increasing the price of the Pavilion Aero with each new model, which is a bummer because the only notable upgrade is in the processor. However, that upgrade is pretty big this year, and with everything else still being as good as it is, this laptop definitely deserves a recommendation
Asus Vivobook 15 OLED (2023)
A stunning visual experience for a low price
The Asus Vivobook 15 OLED is a capable mid-range laptop with AMD Ryzen 7030 series processors and an OLED display that delivers stunning visuals. It's surprisingly affordable, giving you high-end performance for a very reasonable price.
- Solid performance with AMD Ryzen 7 7730U processors
- OLED display is perfect for media consumption
- Solid supply of ports
- 720p webcam without facial recognition
- No USB4
OLED displays are a premium feature for most laptops, but if you want one for a relatively low price, the Asus Vivobook 15 OLED is a great option that costs well under $1,000.
Performance-wise, the Asus Vivobook 15 OLED comes with AMD Ryzen 7030U series processors, up to a Ryzen 7 7730U with 8 cores and 16 threads. This model doesn't have Radeon 680M graphics, but for daily use, it's still pretty good. Plus, it comes with up to 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD. The laptop is so cheap that you can max out these specs and still pay just $850, which is fantastic.
Obviously, the display is using an OLED panel, which means you get true blacks, vivid colors, and 100% coverage of DCI-P3. It gets fairly bright, too. It is fairly basic in terms of resolution since it's a Full HD panel, but the 15.6-inch size makes this perfect for watching movies and videos. A sharper 2.8K panel should be available at some point, too. The webcam above that display is a 720p sensor, and it doesn't support Windows Hello, though there's a fingerprint sensor on the laptop for that.
In terms of design, the Asus Vivobook 15 OLED won't blow you away, but the silver finish looks sleek, and 3.75 pounds is an acceptable weight for a 15-inch laptop. It also meets MIL-STD-810H durability standards. As for ports, we're looking at a single USB-C port, three USB Type-A ports, HDMI, and a headphone jack. The lack of USB4 support shouldn't be surprising in this price range.
While it's not exactly a premium laptop, the Asus Vivobook 15 OLED has a great display, and it's the ideal choice if you want a laptop to watch movies, TV, and videos on. It can also handle day-to-day workloads just fine.
Surface Pro 9 (Wi-Fi)
An extra-portable Windows PC
The Surface Pro 9 is a high-performance Windows tablet with 12th-generation Intel processors and a sharp 13-inch display and a 120Hz refresh rate. It also has a great webcam and it comes in four colors to choose from, though some of them will cost extra.
- Slim and lighter than a typical laptop
- 5MP front webcam and 10MP rear camera
- Super-sharp 13-inch display with a 120Hz refresh rate
- It doesn't have the newest processors around
- Keyboard is sold separately
- Very limited ports
Not everyone wants a typical laptop, and if you're after something a little less conventional and more portable, the Surface Pro 9 is probably the one for you.
Because the Surface Pro 9 starts at $1,000, you don't get a lot of spec options if you want to stay under our price limit. The base model comes with an Intel Core i5-1235U processor, which has 10 cores and 12 threads. Aside from that, you get 8GB of RAM and a 128GB SSD, with some upgrades available if you can get some discounts.
The display is still one of the best things about the Surface Pro 9, being a 13-inch panel with a very sharp resolution of 2880x1920, and a tall 3:2 aspect ratio. It also has a dynamic 120Hz refresh rate, so motion on the screen looks much smoother and more pleasant. Of course, being a tablet means it supports touch and pen input, too.
The Surface Pro 9 also has one of the best webcams around, with a 5MP sensor supporting 1080p video along with Windows Hello facial recognition. There's also a second camera on the back, a 10MP sensor that can record 4K video, letting you record videos in a pinch.
Being a tablet means this is also one of the lightest and thinnest devices on this list, coming in at 1.94 pounds and 9.3mm, respectively. Portability is a big deal here, though that point is somewhat nullified once you add a keyboard (which also goes over the $1,000 budget). The best thing about the Surface Pro 9 is that it comes in some cool new colors, but the base configuration doesn't have them, so you're likely stuck with platinum. For ports, you only get two Thunderbolt 4 ports, so a docking station is almost required. There isn't even a headphone jack here.
These shortcomings are to be expected with a tablet, though, and the Surface Pro 9 is still the best Windows tablet out there. If that's the form factor you're looking for, this is the device you want.
Dell Latitude 3440
Nailing the basics for getting work done
The Dell Latitude 3440 is a basic, but capable business laptop with 13th-generation Intel Core processors and a wide range of configuration options to suit your needs. It also has a 14-inch Full HD display.
- 13th-gen Intel Core processors deliver good performance
- 1080p webcam (in most models)
- Lots of configuration options
- Pricing is very inconsistent
- Display isn't particularly great
The thing about business laptops is that pricing is always very inconsistent and fluctuates a lot, so any recommendation we can make here is likely to vary frequently. Right now, we're recommending the Dell Latitude 3440, and specifically focusing on a mid-range configuration.
That configuration includes an Intel Core i5-1335U, a 13th-generation processor with 10 cores and 12 threads, though a Core i3 model exists if you want something cheaper. It also includes 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD for storage, with upgrade options available depending on discounts.
This model also includes a 14-inch Full HD display with a 16:9 aspect ratio, which is a bit more traditional, but still good. Colors won't look particularly vibrant on this display, but this is far better than the 1366x768 panel in the case configuration. The webcam is also Full HD, though Windows Hello support is only available in more expensive models. The base configuration has a 720p webcam.
For what's considered a budget laptop, the Dell Latitude 3440 is about what you'd expect in terms of design. It has a simple gunmetal gray look to it, and it weighs 3.42 pounds, which isn't particularly light for this size. However, it has a good selection of ports, including USB-C, three USB Type-A ports, HDMI, RJ45 Ethernet, and a headphone jack. Some models would also have a SIM card slot, though that would be too expensive for our budget. Similarly, Thunderbolt 4 support isn't guaranteed at this price, and it's understandable that it's missing here.
Price fluctuations may push this laptop over our budget, or they may make better configurations available, but at writing time, this model definitely earns a recommendation given its price point. It even includes a Windows 11 Pro license, which makes a lot of sense for business.
MSI Cyborg 15 (2023)
Solid performance to run your games
The MSI Cyborg 15 is a budget-oriented gaming laptop with 12th-generation Intel Core processors and Nvidia GeForce RTX 40 series graphics, delivering solid performance for gaming. It also has a Full HD 144Hz display so games look and feel smoother.
- Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 GPU with 6GB of memory
- Full HD 144Hz display
- Decently portable considering its specs
- 12th-gen Intel processors aren't overly impressive
- 8GB of RAM by default (though you can upgrade it)
- Display colors won't be the best
Gaming is a fairly expensive hobby, and it usually requires expensive hardware. But if you don't want to spend a ton of money, the MSI Cyborg 15 is a pretty solid gaming laptop for under $1,000.
Officially, the only configuration you can get for this price includes an 8-core, 12-thread Intel Core i5-12450H, along with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 Laptop GPU. This 12th-generation processor isn't particularly impressive, but the GPU matters a lot more here, and having one with 6GB of memory is great at this price point. You also get 8GB of RAM (not much, but you can always upgrade later) and a 512GB SSD. At writing time, some discounts can also net you a Core i7 processor, or more RAM and a better GPU without going over the budget.
The display is also the minimum standard you'd want for a gaming laptop. It's a 15.6-inch Full HD panel with a 16:9 aspect ratio and a 144Hz refresh rate, which is enough to make your games look and feel smoother when you're playing. Colors won't look particularly great here, but normal in this price range. Similarly, the 720p webcam isn't great, but it's what you'd expect, and the same applies to the lack of Windows Hello support.
As for the design, the MSI Cyborg 15 is pretty thick, but it's not overly heavy considering its specs, starting at 4.37 pounds. The laptop has a see-through chassis, and it uses a neon blue backlight for the keyboard, making for a fairly unique look, too. It also includes plenty of ports, including USB Type-C, two Type-A ports, HDMI 2.0, RJ45 Ethernet, and a headphone jack. It's not mind-blowing, but it's pretty good.
If you're someone who's just dipping their toes in gaming, or you simply don't have the budget for a high-end gaming rig, the MSI Cyborg 15 is a great choice in this price range, especially with the discounts available at writing time.
Acer Chromebook Spin 714
A ChromeOS laptop with a lot to love
The Acer Chromebook Spin 714 is one of the most premium ChromeOS laptops on the market, with 12th-gen Intel Core processors and a great display, especially in its top-tier configuration. It also has a solid webcam and a somewhat premium design.
- 12th-gen Intel processors deliver great performance on ChromeOS
- 14-inch 16:10 display with optional Quad HD+ configuration
- 1080p webcam
- No biometric authentication
- A newer model has been announced (but not released)
Finally, for fans of Google's ChromeOS, we have the Acer Chromebook Spin 714, easily one of the best Chromebooks on the market, even disregarding the price.
Powering this laptop are 12th-generation Intel Core processors, up to a Core i7-1260P with 12 cores and 16 threads if you really need the best performance possible. There's a cheaper Core i5 model that should still perform great, though. It also comes with 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD, and while that wouldn't be particularly impressive for a Windows laptop, it's phenomenal for ChromeOS, far ahead of most competing laptops.
We're looking at a 14-inch display with a 16:10 aspect ratio here, and since it's a convertible, it supports touch and pen input by default. Said pen is even built into the laptop for easy use and storage. The base model comes with a Full HD+ panel, but you can upgrade to a much sharper Quad HD+ display if you opt for the high-end model, and that's still under $1,000. There's a 1080p webcam above that display, too, but no biometric authentication is available, sadly.
As for the design, the Acer Chromebook Spin 714 comes in a subdued, but still fairly unique Slate Blue colorway, which prevents it from looking too boring. It's a decently light laptop, too, at 3.09 pounds. And it still packs a decent number of ports, including two Thunderbolt 4 connections, USB Type-A, HDMI, and a headphone jack, making for a well-rounded setup overall. You can't really make the most of those Thunderbolt ports on ChromeOS, but it's still great to have them in a laptop at this price.
There's very little to criticize with the Acer Chromebook Spin 714, and it definitely earns a recommendation from us. All I'd change is the lack of a fingerprint reader, but it's an acceptable compromise when the rest of the laptop is so good.
Best laptops under $1,000 in 2023: Bottom line
Whether you want a standard laptop for day-to-day use or something more powerful for gaming, there are a lot of laptops here that cater to different needs and wants. We put the Lenovo Yoga 7i at the top because it's packing powerful 13th-generation Intel processors, a sharp display with a 16:10 aspect ratio, and a 1080p webcam with Windows Hello support. It even has a nice aluminum design and a lot of ports, including Thunderbolt 4 support, so we couldn't ask for much more. It really is a complete package.
Lenovo Yoga 7i (14-inch, 2023)
A solid laptop for almost anyone
The Lenovo Yoga 7i is a great convertible laptop with 13th-generation Intel Core processors and a sharp 14-inch display that delivers a solid experience across the board. It also has a good selection of ports and a 1080p webcam to round things out.
- 13th-gen Intel processors deliver solid performance and battery life
- Sharp 2.2K display with decent color coverage
- 1080p webcam with Windows Hello
- A little heavy for its size
If you're looking for something a bit cheaper, the Asus Vivobook 15 OLED is a fantastic option, too. It's so affordable that even the top-tier configuration still falls well below $1,000, and yet it has solid AMD Ryzen processors and a beautiful OLED display that makes it perfect for watching all kinds of media.
When it comes to this list, we're definite a bit limited in terms of power, but if you need more performance for something like video editing, check out the best laptops for creators. Those are more expensive, but there are some great options in there.