Right now, with $1,000 you can get an iPhone, or score one of these excellent laptops instead. The Asus ZenBook 13 tops our list of best laptops under 1,000 dollars. The ZenBook 13 will set you back less a grand, for which you get solid performance, a spirited CPU, durable build quality, and a display that’s only seen in systems costing hundreds of dollars more.
We’ve not just picked our Editors’ Choice – or the others in our list – a number have not even made it to our Top Picks. Instead, we’ve curated them from the dozens of laptops of all kinds that we’ve reviewed at different price points, and it has taken hundreds of hours to have those in-depth reviews. It’s not an easy task, so don’t be surprised to see a previous generation CPU as part of the list, but there’s more that makes for a good laptop. The latest components don’t necessarily mean it’s a good laptop.
More importantly, in this list of “best of” we’ve zeroed on what you really need in a laptop to make it worth your money, depending on your needs.
Top picks for best laptops under $1,000
- AMD Ryzen 3 3200U Dual Core Processor (Up to 3.5GHz); 4GB DDR4 Memory; 128GB PCIe NVMe SSD
- 15.6 inches full HD (1920 x 1080) widescreen LED backlit IPS display; AMD Radeon Vega 3 Mobile Graphics
- 1 USB 3.1 Gen 1 port, 2 USB 2.0 ports & 1 HDMI port with HDCP support
- 802.11ac Wi-Fi; Backlit Keyboard; Up to 7.5 hours battery life
- INSTANT GRATIFICATION – Experience a laptop with premium performance, so you can spend less time getting more done; it’s like a small PC that’s compact enough to go where you go with a...
- EPIC ENTERTAINMENT – With audio by B&O, a larger screen-to-body ratio, and a 15.6-inch Full HD micro-edged screen to maximize your view, entertainment on your laptop feels like bringing the theater...
- IMPRESSIVE GRAPHICS – The Intel Iris Xe Graphics gives you a new level of graphics performance with crisp, stunning visuals, plus the convenience of a thin and light laptop (2)
- UNSTOPPABLE PERFORMANCE – Get things done fast with the 11th Generation Intel Core i7-1165G7 processor, which delivers instant responsiveness and best-in-class connectivity (3)
- 4GB RAM | 32GB eMMC
- Equipped With The Powerful and Latest Intel Celeron Processor N Series, Intel Dual-Core N4000, (1.1 GHz base frequency, up to 2.6 GHz with Intel Turbo Boost Technology, 4 MB Intel Smart Cache
- 11.6 " diagonal HD(1366 x 768) SVA Anti-glare Widescreen LED-backlit Display I Integrated Intel UHD Graphics 600
- 1 USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-C (Data transfer only, data 5 Gb/s signaling rate); 2 USB 3.1 Gen 1 (Data transfer only); 1 HDMI; 1 headphone/microphone combo, 1 microSD media card reader
- 10th generation Intel Core i5-1035G1 processor. Dual-core, four-way intelligent processing performance. Intel Turbo Boost Technology delivers dynamic extra power when you need it, while increasing...
- 15.6-inch touchscreen for convenient control. Tap, tap, swipe and get the most out of Windows 10. HD TruBrite technology that expands color and clarity. 1366 x 768 typical HD resolution. Supports 720p...
- 12GB memory system for full power multitasking.
- 256GB Solid State Drive (PCI-e). Save files quickly and store more data. With large amounts of storage and advanced communication power, PCI-e SSDs are ideal for major gaming applications, multiple...
- NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 4GB GDDR5 (Base: 1395MHz, Boost: 1560MHz, TDP: 50W)
- Intel Core i7-9750H Processor (8M Cache, up to 4.5GHz)
- 15.6” 144Hz FHD (1920x1080) IPS-Type display
- 512GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD | 8GB DDR4 2666MHz RAM | Windows 10 Home
- 15.6 inch Full HD (1920x1080) 4-way NanoEdge bezel display with a stunning 88% screen-to-body ratio
- Latest 10th Gen Intel Core i5-1035G1 CPU (6M Cache, up to 3.6 GHz)
- 8GB DDR4 RAM and 512GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD
- Ergonomic backlit keyboard with fingerprint sensor activated via Windows Hello
- Thin, light, and stylish – This 2-in-1 laptop weighs just 3.64 pounds and is only 0.82" thick. It's soft and comfortable to the touch, with a durable paint that creates a better user experience....
- The 10-point, 14-inch FHD (1920 x 1080) IPS touchscreen allows the Lenovo Flex 5 14" 2-in-1 laptop to be comfortable, fun, and easy to use. It's also great to look at, with 4-side narrow bezels
- The 360⁰ hinge lets you use your 2-in-1 touchscreen laptop in whatever mode works best for you; Use it in 'Laptop' mode for everyday computing, 'Tent' mode for sharing things, 'Stand' mode for...
- Enjoy up to 10 hours of battery life, plus quick charge to 80% in just 1 hour
- Efficient Intel Celeron N4020 Processor (4M Cache, up to 2.8 GHz)
- 11.6” HD (1366 x 768) Slim Display
- 64GB eMMC Flash Storage and 4GB DDR4 RAM
- Windows 10 in S Mode with One Year of Microsoft 365 Personal
- TAKE IT ANYWHERE – With its thin and light design, 6.5 mm micro-edge bezel display, and 82% screen to body ratio, you can take this PC anywhere and see more of what you love (1).
- REVOLUTIONARY ENTERTAINMENT – Enjoy ultra-wide viewing angles and seamlessly perform multi-monitor set-ups with a 15.6-inch, Full HD, IPS, micro-edge, and anti-glare display (2).
- IMPRESSIVE GRAPHICS – The Intel Iris Xe Graphics gives you a new level of performance with crisp, stunning visuals, plus the convenience of a thin and light laptop (3).
- UNSTOPPABLE PERFORMANCE – Get things done fast with the 11th Generation Intel Core i5-1135G7 processor, which delivers instant responsiveness and best-in-class connectivity (4).
- Powered by the latest AMD Ryzen 3 3250U processor with Radeon Vega 3 graphics, the AMD multi-core processing power offers incredible bandwidth for getting more done faster, in several applications at...
- The 15. 6" HD (1366 x 768) screen with narrow side bezels and Dopoundsy Audio deliver great visuals and crystal-clear sound for your entertainment
- 128 GB SSD M. 2 NVMe storage and 4 GB DDR4 memory; Windows 10 installed
- Keep your privacy intact with a physical shutter on your webcam for peace of mind when you need it
- 14.0" HD (1366 x 768) LED Backlit Anti-Glare Display
- Intel Pentium Gold 6405U 2.40GHz Dual-Core Processor, Intel UHD Graphics, Performance is similar to 7th Gen i5, 8th Gen i3 series
- 8GB DDR4-2400 SDRAM Memory for full-power multitasking; 128GB Solid State Drive; No Optical drive
- 2 x USB 3.0, 1 x USB 2.0, 1 x HDMI, 1 x Combination Audio Jack, 1 x Multi-format SD Media Card Reader; Wireless-AC and Bluetooth 5.0 Combo; Windows 10 Home 64-bit in S mode
- Laptop for work, school and play: With Office 365 and 1 TB of cloud storage, this device combines functionality, connectivity, style, and value
- Essential productivity: This nimble laptop delivers the essential productivity and entertainment you want for school or home, without slowing you down
- Office 365 for one year: Get full access to Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint, OneNote, Access, and 1 TB of OneDrive Storage for one year
- Processor: Intel(R) Celeron(R) N4000 Processor, Dual-Core, 1.1 GHz base frequency, up to 2.6 GHz burst frequency
- PROCESSOR:Intel Celeron N4020 (1.1 GHz base frequency, up to 2.8 GHz burst frequency, 4 MB L2 cache, 2 cores)
- MEMORY: 4 GB DDR4-2400 SDRAM (1 x 4 GB) Transfer rates up to 2400 MT/s. 1 x 4 GB; STORAGE: 64 GB eMMC
- DISPLAY: 14" diagonal, HD (1366 x 768), micro-edge, BrightView, 220 nits, 45% NTSC
- Ports: 1 X USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-C; 2 X USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A; 1 X AC smart pin; 1 X HDMI; 1 X headphone/microphone combo; 1 X multi-format SD media card reader; 1 X HP True Vision 720p HD camera with...
- Chromebook runs on Chrome OS - An operating system by Google that is built for the way we live today. It comes with built-in virus protection, updates automatically, boots up in seconds and continues...
- All the Google apps you know and love come standard on every Chromebook, which means you can edit, download, and convert Microsoft Office files in Google Docs, Sheets and Slides.
- Get access to more than 2 million Android apps from Google Play to learn and do more.
- Chromebooks come with built-in storage for offline access to your most important files and an additional 100GB of Google Drive space to ensure that all of your files are backed up automatically.
- 9th Generation Intel Core i5-9300H Processor (Up to 4.1 GHz)
- 15" Full HD Widescreen IPS LED-backlit display | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Graphics with 4 GB of dedicated GDDR5 VRAM
- 8GB DDR4 2666MHz Memory | 256GB PCIe NVMe SSD (2 x PCIe M.2 slots - 1 slot open for easy upgrades) & 1 - Available hard drive bay
- LAN: 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet LAN (RJ-45 port) | Wireless: Intel Wireless Wi-Fi 6 AX200 802.11ax
- Apple-designed M1 chip for a giant leap in CPU, GPU, and machine learning performance
- Go longer than ever with up to 18 hours of battery life
- 8-core CPU delivers up to 3.5x faster performance to tackle projects faster than ever
- Up to eight GPU cores with up to 5x faster graphics for graphics-intensive apps and games
- ▶ AMD A6-9220e accelerated processor; Dual-core processing. AMD A6 APU handles the AMD Radeon graphics alongside the central processor to balance the load, enabling great performance, rapid...
- ▶ Beautiful 14" display Typical 1366 x 768 HD resolution. Energy-efficient LED backlight.
- ▶ 4GB DDR4 Memory for full-power multitasking; 64GB eMMC flash memory: This ultracompact memory system is ideal for mobile devices and applications, providing enhanced storage capabilities,...
- ▶ 802. 11ac wireless LAN; 2 x USB 3. 0, 1 HDMI 1. 4; 1 headphone/microphone combo, AMD Radeon R4 integrated graphics
- Dependable performance for all day: Designed for long-lasting performance to get you through a full day of socializing, multitasking, or just staying entertained on the crisp display
- Eyecatching design everywhere you go: The sleek and stylish design features a beautiful brushed keyboard and color-matched hinge for a seamless look you can take anywhere
- Environmentally conscious: Low halogen, mercury-free display backlights, arsenic-free display glass in this ENERGY STAR(R) certified, EPEAT(R) Silver registered laptop
- Processor: AMD Athlon Gold 3150U Processor, Dual-Core, 2.4 GHz base clock, up to 3.3 GHz max boost clock
- Powered by latest AMD Ryzen 5 3500U Quad-Core Processor @ 2.1GHz (4 Cores, up to 3.7GHz, 4MB Cache)
- 17.3" diagonal HD+ SVA BrightView WLED-backlit 60% NTSC, 220 nits brightness (1600 x 900) Display; AMD Radeon Vega 8 Graphics
- 12GB DDR4-2400MHz SDRAM Memory for full-power multitasking; 256GB SSD offers a compact warehouse for storing all your favourite movies, music, photos, and more in one convenient place
- DVD-Writer; Realtek RTL8821CE 802.11b/g/n/ac (1x1) Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.2 Combo; 1 HDMI; 1 headphone/microphone combo; 1 RJ-45; 2 USB 3.1 Gen 1 (Data transfer only); 1 AC smart pin; 1 USB 2.0 Type-A...
- - 【Upgraded】Original Seal is opened for upgrade ONLY. If the computer has modifications (listed above), then the manufacturer box is opened for it to be tested and inspected and to install the...
- - 【Screen】15.6" diagonal, HD (1366 x 768), micro-edge, BrightView, 220 nits, 45% NTSC, Non-touch display.
- - 【Processor】10th Gen Intel Core i3-1005G1 1.20GHz Dual-Core Processor (4MB Intel Smart Cache, up to 3.40GHz), Intel UHD Graphics
- - 【RAM and Storage】16GB system memory for advanced multitasking; 256GB Solid State Drive (PCI-e NVMe); Optical drive not included; Full-size, natural silver keyboard with numeric keypad
Last update on 2021-01-27 at 07:28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Best laptops under $1,000 per category
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- Best laptop under $1,000: Asus UX333FA-DH51
- Best gaming laptop under: Acer Predator Helios 300
- Best business laptop: Lenovo ThinkPad T480
- Best laptop for students: Lenovo IdeaPad 330
- Best laptop for photo/video editing: Acer Swift 2 w/ MX150
- Best 2-in-1: Asus ZenBook Flip 14
- Best value Chromebook: Acer Chromebook 11
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Best laptop under $1,000: Asus UX333FA-DH51
While there are many laptops that can be had for much less, for a reasonable price, the Asus ZenBook UX333FA makes with a premium build quality and sleek design. It’s our favorite for best laptop under $1,000. For the price, it offers a Whiskey Lake 8th-gen intel Core i5-8265U CPU, 8GB memory, and a 256GB solid-state drive (SSD).
The design remains the same over its predecessor from last year, but an upgrade to the 8th-generations Intel Core processors counts for a lot. It moves forward with better performance at a very reasonable price. Intel’s newer chips offer a substantial performance boost, for everyday task like office work, and they are more efficient when the CPU is maxed out.
Read our full Asus UX333FA-DH51 Review
Best gaming laptop under: Acer Predator Helios 300
Acer has lately elevated its Predator line of gaming laptops to elite status with the Helios 300, delivering the best of the best for less money. The Predator PH315-51-78NP is the latest in Acer’s gaming line, and it has lots of things going for it. First, it has a cool name. Starting at it’s current price, it isn’t the most affordable laptop you can get with these specs, only that it packs a solid feature set and can even paired with a virtual reality (VR) headset.
This gaming laptop is powered by an H-Series “Coffee Lake” eight-generation Intel Core i7-8750H CPU and a GeForce GTX 1060 GPU, a combination that will run anything thrown its way with resilience. Battery life is middling (which is common among all gaming laptops), but the Helios advantages are centered on whether you prefer a comfortable keyboard, nice aesthetics, sturdy build quality and gaming prowess over anything else. For a gaming laptop, we are inclined to stick with most part.
Read our full Acer Predator Helios 300 Review
Best business laptop: Lenovo ThinkPad T480
When it comes to 14-inch business ultrabooks, Lenovo has it figured out with its ThinkPads. In its lineup, they have light –the 3.6-pound Lenovo ThinkPad T480, lighter –the 3-pound Lenovo ThinkPad T480s, and lightest – the newly released Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon. It’s ironical that as the system get thinner and lighter, the prices swing in the opposite direction.
So, why would you go for the heaviest ThinkPad in the pack?
Because it not only rings the lowest starting price of the trio, but also features some legacy features that you can’t find on its other miniature siblings, including a hot-swappable battery that gives you near-eternal unplugged life with an extra Hot-swappable battery pack.
Read our full Lenovo ThinkPad T480 Review
Best laptop for students: Lenovo IdeaPad 330
It’s not easy to find a notebook line that offers the possibility of diverse configurations, while remaining affordable and maintaining a stylish design. Our Top Pick for college is the Lenovo IdeaPad 330, a 15-inch notebook with Intel’s Celeron N4100 processor, 4GB of RAM and a 1TB hard drive for storage. For the price, it offers an unbeatable value in a beautiful design, solid hardware and the flexibility to configure it with better specs.
It must be what every student envisions when shopping for an affordable, top-value laptop, offering impeccable features and good components unmatched portability. On a feature set versus value basis, the IdeaPad 330 offers the best combination of both, making it our Top Pick.
Read our full Lenovo IdeaPad 330 Review
Best laptop for photo/video editing: Acer Swift 3 w/ MX150
For the creative professionals who often edit photos and video, a laptop with a discrete graphics card and a clear screen always come handy. Intel’s integrated graphics are OK for normal productivity work, but a dedicated GPU like the Nvidia GeForce MX150 can change how fast you edit your content.
That’s where you start to appreciate the Acer Swift 3. For the price, you get an 8th-gen Core i7-8550U, 8gb of RAM, a 256GB SSD and a 14-inch Full HD display. It benefits from a built-in MX150 GPU that applications can utilize for additional performance punch. Acer’s Swift 3 is well built with an all-metal frame, is attractive, and should offer enough battery life for a full day’s work.
Read our full Acer Swift 3 Review
Best 2-in-1: Asus ZenBook Flip 14
How Asus manages to pack so much power in a 14-inch body but make it look like a 13.3-inch device is something Apple have not managed to crack even in the newly released MacBook Air. A preiums design makes the ZenBook Flip 14 stand out in the crowd of svelte, extremely portable 13.3-inch convertible laptops. For one, it doesn’t have a 13-inch screen, the Flip 14’s chassis is fairly bigger than its rivals and the screen measures 14 inches diagonally.
A bright screen, speedy SSD, solid performance and a premium aesthetic are just the right features for a Top Pick convertible. If you’re a 2-in-1 convertible fan and on a tight budget, you’ll love this device. Plus, as a purely professional ultraportable, we still feel that with the ZenBook Flip 14 Asus has finally got hold of what pro users really want.
Read our full Asus ZenBook Flip 14 Review
Best value Chromebook: Acer Chromebook 11
PC manufacturers are making their Chromebooks stand out with a roost of features like rugged designs and convertible designs, but the Acer Chromebook 11 CB3-132-C4VV scores differently. This 11-inch laptop fuses a non-convertible design with all the features you’d need in a Chromebook, and nothing extra. By all feature we mean a long-lasting battery, a svelte and light design, stable performance and an insanely low-price tag.
It bears a stylish design, a bright IPS display, and a reasonably-low price tag, which should make it ideal for anyone in the market for an attractive yet decent Chromebook for work, college and entertainment.
Read our full Acer Chromebook 11 Review
How good is an under $1,000 laptop?
Very good! As we said earlier, you’ll want to be careful when buying a budget laptop to ensure that the manufacturer hasn’t cut corners to make it affordable. But honestly – manufacturers are omitting features that we care about even on premium laptops – you can spend over $2,000 and get a laptop that has mediocre battery life or any other flaw if you don’t identify what matters to you.
In our tests, we have encountered a few budget laptops that are very nice with good performance that are better than two subsequent generations. And consider: the Lenovo ThinkPads, they don’t have the ultrathin, metallic designs but they are still a top choice for business executives.
The same goes for budget laptops. Be sure what your needs are, identify the laptop that will meet them, if you find an affordable one among the list, grab it. If anything, our list proves that you can quite get a bit of solid performance and reliability for well under $1,000.
Which is better – Windows, Mac or I try a Chromebook?
Its all about choice. Specifically, on what tasks you usually undertake. We suggest that you first understand the limitations of each, especially Macs and Chromebooks, with Windows being a neutral here especially to the wide scope of applications. All said, there are advantages and disadvantages of each.
Chances are that if you’re shopping for a sub-$1,000 laptop, definitely you’re not eyeing a mac unless you want to settle with an older model. That leaves you with Windows and Chrome OS, which goes down to the kind of software you need to run.
If you want access to the widest selection of software across most platforms, them Windows must be your safe bet. If you’re on budget, need to browse the wen and don’t need tons of storage, a Chromebook is the way to go.
Should I go for the latest processor?
Sure, if you get one at the right price. Right now, the Whiskey Lake 8th-generation Intel Core i5 CPU is the main thing among budget laptops, and extends to our $1,000 list. Quite a few of the laptops in our list use the Core i5, which is a real workhorse chip that will deliver top-notch performance on most productivity tasks without hesitation. It is also energy efficient, meaning you will enjoy longer battery life.
In case you go for a Chromebook, definitely you’re getting a slower processor, maybe Intel Core i3 or Pentium processor. And, chances are that you might find a Core i7 processor in this list, if you get one, run with it. For the better part of it, the Core i5 is the easiest processor to find in this list of budget laptops.
What about a 4K display?
Probably not – it wasn’t long ago hen we were all struggling to find Full HD displays in the under $1,000 category. Besides, budget laptops don’t pack as much battery life as more expensive laptops to sustain the battery sucking 4K displays. Even if you manage to score a 4K display for under a grand, you won’t be very happy with its juice, especially when you’re away from the mains. That’s a wrap for our best laptops under 1000 dollars listing.
Asus UX333FA-DH51 13.3", I5-8265U, 8GB, 256+TPM, WIN10 Laptop
3 used from $749.66
Best Laptops Under 1000
US 1+
