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 150 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.
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Best Laptop Under $1,000
School8.5Gaming6.5Multimedia7.9Workstation7.8Business8.0Form FactorTraditional (Clamshell)Portability9.1Typing Quality8.0Touchpad9.2Ports5.0The 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.
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Best Windows Laptop Under $1,000
School8.2Gaming6.6Multimedia7.8Workstation8.4Business8.2Form FactorTraditional (Clamshell)Portability8.5Typing Quality7.5Touchpad7.6Ports9.0Our best pick under $1,000 on the Windows side 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 (2022) above. It features Intel's Meteor Lake CPUs, which are powerful enough to handle 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, so get enough RAM for your needs upfront.
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 is susceptible to permanent burn-in, and it flickers, which might bother people sensitive to screen flickering.
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Best Chromebook Under $1,000
School7.9Gaming4.6Multimedia8.1Workstation6.9Business7.8Form Factor2 in 1Portability8.4Typing Quality9.0Touchpad7.4Ports7.0The 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.
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Best 2-In-1 Tablet Under $1,000
School8.4Gaming6.5Multimedia8.7Workstation7.8Business7.7Form FactorTabletPortability8.9Typing Quality8.0Touchpad8.0Ports5.0The 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.
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Best Gaming Laptop Under $1,000
School7.6Gaming8.6Multimedia7.1Workstation8.9Business7.8Form FactorTraditional (Clamshell)Portability6.1Typing Quality8.0Touchpad8.0Ports8.0Our 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.
Notable Mentions
- 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
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Small text changes to provide information about the new M4 Apple MacBook Airs. No change in recommendations.
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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.
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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.
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Aug 28, 2024: We've replaced the ASUS Zenbook 14 Flip OLED (2023) with the HP Pavilion Aero 13 (2024), as the ASUS is no longer available at this price point. We've also replaced our picks of older laptops with their newer models, replacing the Acer Chromebook Spin 714 (2022) with the Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714 (2024) and the Microsoft Surface Pro 8 (2021) with the Microsoft Surface Pro 11th Edition (2024).
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May 31, 2024: We've replaced the ASUS TUF Dash F15 (2022) with the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 Advantage Edition (2023) as it performs better, and made minor text changes for accuracy and note upcoming product launches.
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.
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Comments
Best Laptops Under $1,000: Main Discussion
What do you think of our picks? Let us know below.
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- 21010
thank you!
However, I’m confused because I thought the 2022 in the RTINGS review said it had flicker even though the flicker graph was flat while the 2021 review indicated no flicker but then it’s flicker graph had bumps in it. Wondering if both reviews were off to start, and were both years reviews updated or just the one? Also do you know if there are any iPhones and also any iPads that would work for me at certain brightness settings, that is without flicker? I want one of each. And do you do any consulting away from RTINGS. If I were to buy a MacBook Air (or iPhone/iPad) could we have it shipped to you and have you test it for flicker (within the return window) and maybe configure it, of course for a fee?Hi,
I think there’s a bit of confusion regarding the actual model. There’s no 2021 MacBook Air. The M1 came out in 2020, while the M2 came out in 2022, and the M3 came out in 2024. Are you referring to the MacBook PRO from 2021?
As for iPhones and iPads, most recent models flicker as far as I’m aware. Unfortunately, we don’t do any consulting work to test specific products.
- 21010
thank you!
However, I’m confused because I thought the 2022 in the RTINGS review said it had flicker even though the flicker graph was flat while the 2021 review indicated no flicker but then it’s flicker graph had bumps in it. Wondering if both reviews were off to start, and were both years reviews updated or just the one?
Also do you know if there are any iPhones and also any iPads that would work for me at certain brightness settings, that is without flicker? I want one of each.
And do you do any consulting away from RTINGS. If I were to buy a MacBook Air (or iPhone/iPad) could we have it shipped to you and have you test it for flicker (within the return window) and maybe configure it, of course for a fee?
- 21010
Thank you for all this information. Can you tell me what other sizes the M2 2022 Macbook comes in besides 13"? And what memory options, and where to buy?
Hi,
The M2 MacBook Air is available in a 13- and 15-inch. However, the 15-inch has been discontinued, so you can only get it from a thrid-party seller or marketplace like Amazon or Bestbuy. The 13-inch is still available from Apple and other retailers. RAM options vary from 8GB up to 24GB. Apple has recently discontinued the 8GB model and made the 16GB the baseline spec, though you can still get the 8GB from third-party sellers.
- 21010
Thank you for all this information. Can you tell me what other sizes the M2 2022 Macbook comes in besides 13"? And what memory options, and where to buy?
- 21010
Did the iPad Pro M4 measure any flicker? Is there any super simple “no set up” tool to measure flicker at home? Rereading your comments, still some confusion whether the 13" MacBook from 2021 or 2022 measured flicker-free, or if both measured flicker-free? When you say “IF” the 2021 13" MacBook is flicker-free then according to the Apple Tech the larger variants from that year should also be flicker-free, it is the Rtings review of the 2021 13" MacBook that says it is flicker-free, so are you thinking it is possible there is flicker on that model but the Rtings review measurement tool just was not able to pick it up, or how should I understand the “IF”?
Yo! The iPad Pro M4 does measure with flicker at 480Hz.
Opple Lightmaster meters are a consumer-grade luminance tool that will give you a bunch of information on the display (brightness, color temperature, flicker, etc). I’ve not personally used one as I have access to much more sophisticated tools, but the reviews seem to be positive about the tool itself, but the app being more of an annoyance than anything. I’m hesitant just because it doesn’t tell me all the thresholds for it’s reading capability, so I’m concerned it wouldn’t be able to identify flicker above a certain cap, which they don’t tell us.
Another method is to use a camera and set the shutter speed to 1/4000 and you might be able to identify it. The thing you’ll see more of with this method is the stroboscopic visibility, which would be the seen as wide gaps in the line. The Macbooks don’t have a wide stroboscopic visibility so this method isn’t really useful for you in this particular circumstance.
Sorry, I’ll try to make it a bit clearer. It does get a bit confusing.
So, the M1 Macbook Air we tested from 2021 does have flicker (this should be updated in the review soon). The M2 Macbook Air from 2022 does not have flicker.
What I meant by “if” was more a reference to the information I received from the Apple Store genius. I can confirm what I have here but any variants of our products (so in this case a larger M2 Macbook from 2022), I cannot verify. I can only say what Apple employees have told me. So the “if” is a lack of my ability to 100% guarantee that information. What I can guarantee is that the M2 Macbook Air 13" 2022 does not have flicker.
- 21010
Thank you so much again! You are going above and beyond to help me figure this out, and I really appreciate it. I hope they give you a raise because it sounds like you deserve it haha. There’s not much more I can ask of you, other than if there’s any way to find out if the larger 2022 MacBooks also have a flicker-free screen like the 13-inch one. I tried going to the Apple Store, but they had no idea. I also tried calling customer support, and I don’t think they even knew what flicker was. If there is some Apple customer support number to actually talk to their engineers, then maybe I could get an answer myself, but I don’t know if there is or who to contact. Do you know anyone who owns that model and could measure it, or, if not, do you have any way to do it? Please let me know, or if you have any ideas on who I could contact. If you can do it, great, but if not, I understand.
Did the iPad Pro M4 measure any flicker?
Is there any super simple “no set up” tool to measure flicker at home?
Rereading your comments, still some confusion whether the 13" MacBook from 2021 or 2022 measured flicker-free, or if both measured flicker-free?
When you say “IF” the 2021 13" MacBook is flicker-free then according to the Apple Tech the larger variants from that year should also be flicker-free, it is the Rtings review of the 2021 13" MacBook that says it is flicker-free, so are you thinking it is possible there is flicker on that model but the Rtings review measurement tool just was not able to pick it up, or how should I understand the “IF”?
- 21010
It’s all good! It wasn’t a waste or anything, so no worries about that. :) If the information I received from Apple is correct, than if one of the models is flicker-free than all models regardless of size within that same category should be flicker free as well. So the 2021 13" Macbook Air being flicker free should mean that the larger sizes of the Macbook Air from that year should be the same. I hope that answers your question!
Thanks so much! If you ever get a chance to confirm this by measurements or some other means let me know, otherwise thanks again for your time and help.
- 21010
I’m sorry but I think I goofed. I just looked on rtings.com at the 2021 13" macbook air review and that is the model that is flicker free, so I was hoping you could find out if the larger models were also flicker free for that year. I realize you’ve already spent quite a bit of time on this.
It’s all good! It wasn’t a waste or anything, so no worries about that. :)
If the information I received from Apple is correct, than if one of the models is flicker-free than all models regardless of size within that same category should be flicker free as well. So the 2021 13" Macbook Air being flicker free should mean that the larger sizes of the Macbook Air from that year should be the same.
I hope that answers your question!