The 5 Best Laptops Under $1,000 of 2025

The best laptop under $1,000 we've tested is the Apple MacBook Air 13 (2022), a 13-inch ultraportable. It has an exceptionally sturdy all-aluminum build, a bright and sharp Retina display, a spacious keyboard, and Apple's industry-leading haptic touchpad. You also get great-sounding speakers and an excellent 1080p webcam. Performance isn't a problem; its M2 SoC can easily handle general productivity tasks. Port selection is its biggest drawback, as it only has two USB-C ports with support for a single external display. Another option is to go with the Apple MacBook Air 13 (2024), which is largely identical but can support two external displays with the lid closed. You might only be able to find the 8GB RAM model for less than $1,000 USD, though.

With all that said, you might want to disregard all of this and get the new M4 MacBook Air instead, which Apple has just announced. The new model brings better performance, a 12MP camera with Center Stage support, and Thunderbolt 4 support. The latter will let you use two external displays in addition to the laptop's built-in screen. The base 13-inch model will start at $999 USD, sporting 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. If you don't care for the upgrades, you can likely find a really good deal on the M2 or M3 model via a reseller, so keep an eye out. We've ordered the M4 MacBook Airs and will begin testing as soon as we get them in the lab.

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 in addition to touch input, it has USI stylus support (although the stylus isn't included with the laptop). The only downside is the display's poor reflection handling; it isn't suitable for use in 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. Regarding specs, 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.

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 $1000, 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—you can charge the device over USB-C.

Our best gaming pick is the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 Advantage Edition (2023). For under $1,000, you can get this laptop with a Ryzen 7 7735HS, an AMD Radeon RX 7600s GPU, 16GB of DDR5 RAM, and a fast 1TB M.2 NVMe SSD. This configuration can deliver high, consistent frame rates in demanding AAA games at 1080p or even 1440p, depending on your settings. The only display option within the budget is a 165Hz FHD+ IPS panel; while it doesn't get very bright, it does support variable refresh rates to reduce screen tearing.

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.