10 Best Laptops Under 1000

Wally Nowinski
editor

Our experts used the PerfectRec decision engine to comb through our laptop database and find the best laptops under 1000 available in 2024. Here are our top picks.

Our criteria for the best laptops under 1000:

  • Budget: We focused on budget and budget only. These are the best laptops in our database between $750 and $1,000.
To consider others factors, try the PerfectRec decision engine to get your personalized laptop recommendation
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10 Best Laptops Under 1000

1
BEST RATING
Build Quality:
5.0
General: A-, Gaming/AI: B, Eng/Design: A-
Size: 15.3"
Overall Performance: Good
Portability: Very thin, light
Battery: Excellent




Expert Summary
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) comes with an appealing combination of features for those who prioritize a blend of performance and portability. It has a larger 15-inch display and a powerful Apple M2 chip with ample memory for smooth multitasking and everyday tasks. However, note that it's priced in the upper midrange spectrum. While it has a very slim design and light weight, enhancing its portability, it may not be the first choice for those seeking the utmost in gaming or intensive engineering due to its display limited to a standard refresh rate and integrated GPU. It offers fanless operation for a silent experience and a backlit keyboard. Although excellent for general use, performance may be fair for more demanding 3D and machine learning applications, and good for engineering tasks. Battery life is solid, allowing for extended use between charges. The MacBook Air has a top-tier build quality, excellent keyboard, and great speakers, making it a strong all-around laptop, but the premium price reflects its status as a high-end Apple product.
Pros
  • Large, high-resolution screen
  • Lightweight and thin design
  • Long battery life
  • Silent, fanless operation
  • Excellent build and keyboard quality
Cons
  • No touchscreen
  • Limited ports availability
  • Average 3D performance
  • No Ethernet port
2
Acer 14”

Swift Go 14

BEST RATING
Portability:
4.7
General: A-, Gaming/AI: B, Eng/Design: A-
Size: 14"
Overall Performance: Good
Portability: Thin, very light
Battery: Good




Expert Summary
The Acer Swift Go 14 offers robust performance with its Intel Core Ultra 7 processor and Intel Arc graphics, suited for general use and capable of handling some engineering and creative tasks. The OLED display is of high quality, boasting a high resolution and color accuracy, which is great for visual work but not touch-enabled. This laptop is lightweight and thin, enhancing its portability, but the tradeoff comes in battery life, which is moderate. There are ample ports, including Thunderbolt, for connectivity, and features such as a backlit keyboard and fingerprint reader are present for convenience. It's described as having a lower midrange price, indicating a balance between affordability and features. Overall, it's a versatile choice for everyday use, with some capacity for more demanding applications.
Pros
  • High-resolution screen
  • Good for general use
  • Backlit keyboard
  • Good color coverage
  • Efficient heat management
Cons
  • Moderate battery life
  • Average 3D/Machine Learning performance
  • Limited port variety
  • No hardware ray tracing
3
HP 16”

Spectre x360

BEST RATING
Battery Life:
4.6
General: A-, Gaming/AI: B, Eng/Design: A-
Size: 16"
Overall Performance: Good
Portability: Med. thick, med. heavy
Battery: Very Good




Expert Summary
The HP Spectre x360, a 2-in-1 convertible, can serve as both a laptop and tablet and sits at an upper midrange price. It has a solid combination of a large screen, significant storage, and ample RAM, paired with an Intel i7 processor and integrated graphics, making it capable for general use and multitasking. Its higher battery capacity should offer long hours of typical usage, but the weight is a consideration for portability. Its assortment of ports, including USB-C and Thunderbolt, adds versatility for connecting peripherals. The build quality and display are noted for being high-quality, with a bright screen that supports touchscreen interaction. Its performance is sufficient for general work and some engineering applications, though dedicated gaming or intensive 3D rendering may be limited due to the absence of a discrete GPU. The keyboard and speakers are highly regarded, ensuring a comfortable typing experience and good sound quality.
Pros
  • Convertible laptop-tablet design
  • High-resolution touchscreen
  • Good battery life
  • Backlit keyboard with fingerprint reader
  • Multiple Thunderbolt ports
Cons
  • No dedicated number pad
  • Limited engineering performance
  • No hardware ray tracing support
  • Heavier than ultra-portables
4
Dell 15.6”

XPS 15

BEST RATING
Operating Noise:
4.8
General: A-, Gaming/AI: B, Eng/Design: A-
Size: 15.6"
Overall Performance: Good
Portability: Med. thick, med. heavy
Battery: Very Good




Expert Summary
The Dell XPS 15 is positioned at a midrange price level, offering a substantial balance between performance and cost. For storage, it comes with a decent size, accompanied by a sizeable amount of RAM for multitasking. It is powered by a modern Intel processor, alongside an Intel Arc GPU which makes it suitable for general usage and some more intensive tasks like light engineering work, but it might struggle with very demanding 3D or machine learning tasks. You'll find the battery life suited for a full day's work. Its 15.6-inch display is an IPS type with a good resolution, although it's not a touchscreen. Portability is good, not too heavy nor too bulky, making it a solid choice if you need to move around with your laptop. There are multiple USB-C ports, including Thunderbolt 4, enhancing connectivity and data transfer speed. The laptop has a backlit keyboard and a fingerprint reader for extra convenience and security, an excellent build quality, and manages heat well. Overall, the Dell XPS 15 is versatile and well-rounded, fitting for general use, professional work, and some creative tasks, yet not the ultimate choice for high-end gaming or very demanding computational tasks.
Pros
  • Premium build quality
  • Excellent keyboard
  • Good general performance
  • Reliable heat management
  • High-resolution display
Cons
  • Average battery life
  • Limited gaming performance
  • No touchscreen option
  • Moderate portability
5
HP 15.6”

Envy x360 15"

BEST RATING
Operating Noise:
4.6
General: A-, Gaming/AI: B, Eng/Design: B+
Size: 15.6"
Overall Performance: Good
Portability: Med. thick, med. heavy
Battery: Very Good




Expert Summary
The HP Envy x360 15" is a versatile laptop with a convertible 2-in-1 design, which allows it to be used as both a laptop and a tablet. It has a lower midrange price and offers an OLED touchscreen with a standard resolution, suitable for general use and media consumption. The AMD Ryzen 7 processor coupled with ample RAM makes it a good candidate for everyday tasks and can handle some more demanding applications. Its portability is considered good, given its reasonable weight and battery life, which supports typical usage for a decent duration. Additionally, this laptop features a backlit keyboard and a number of USB-C ports, enhancing its functionality and ease of use. However, it may not be the best option for intensive gaming or heavy engineering tasks, as it lacks dedicated high-performance graphics capabilities. Overall, the HP Envy x360 15" could be a good fit for users seeking a combination of performance in everyday tasks with the flexibility of a tablet.
Pros
  • Convertible design for laptop and tablet use
  • Touchscreen with good color coverage
  • Backlit keyboard and fingerprint reader for convenience
  • Solid build and heat management
  • Good general performance for everyday tasks
Cons
  • Mediocre performance for 3D tasks and engineering
  • Limited port selection with no Thunderbolt
  • Average battery life
  • Heavier than some comparable models
6
Apple 13.6”

MacBook Air (2022)

BEST RATING
Build Quality:
5.0
General: A-, Gaming/AI: B, Eng/Design: B+
Size: 13.6"
Overall Performance: Good
Portability: Very thin, very light
Battery: Excellent




Expert Summary
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) is priced in the midrange and features 512 GB of storage and 16 GB of RAM, ensuring smooth operation for general purposes. It has an Apple M2 main processor and GPU, offering balanced performance for everyday tasks and lighter creative work. With a 13.6-inch IPS display, it provides good color accuracy and viewing angles, but it doesn't have touch capability. Its battery capacity allows for up to 15 hours of typical usage, and at 2.7 pounds and 0.44 inches thick, it is highly portable. The MacBook Air has two USB-C ports with Thunderbolt support and charges via USB-C, but it lacks HDMI and Ethernet ports, meaning you might need adapters for certain connections. It comes with macOS pre-installed and has a high-quality backlit keyboard and fingerprint reader but no number pad. It's engineered for silent operation, with no fan noise. Its build and speaker quality are rated best, while 3D and machine learning performance is fair, indicating it's not ideal for intensive gaming or heavy engineering software.
Pros
  • High screen color accuracy
  • Fanless for silent operation
  • Portable and lightweight design
  • Excellent build quality
  • Good battery life
Cons
  • No touchscreen available
  • Not suited for intensive 3D tasks
  • No hardware ray tracing support
  • Limited port variety
7
Apple 13.6”

MacBook Air (2022)

BEST RATING
Build Quality:
5.0
General: A-, Gaming/AI: B, Eng/Design: A-
Size: 13.6"
Overall Performance: Good
Portability: Very thin, very light
Battery: Excellent




Expert Summary
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has a premium build quality and is priced in the upper midrange. It features 1TB storage, 16GB RAM, and utilizes the Apple M2 processor, providing very good general-use performance and silent operation due to its fanless design. The integrated M2 GPU accommodates some engineering tasks but might not be ideal for intensive 3D or machine learning workloads. The 13.6-inch IPS display has a resolution higher than Full HD but is not touch-enabled. It offers excellent portability at 2.7 pounds and has a lengthy battery life suitable for all-day use. It runs on MacOS and connectivity includes two USB-C/Thunderbolt ports and USB-C charging, but no support for traditional USB or HDMI without adapters. Suitable for general use, everyday multitasking, and light engineering work, but not aimed at intensive gaming or the most demanding engineering software.
Pros
  • Lightweight and slim design
  • High-resolution, color-accurate screen
  • Silent, fanless operation
  • Best-in-class keyboard and trackpad
  • High build quality
Cons
  • Average 3D/machine learning performance
  • Higher price point
  • No touchscreen
  • Limited port variety
8
Lenovo 14”

Flex 5 14

BEST RATING
Battery Life:
4.6
General: B+, Gaming/AI: B, Eng/Design: B+
Size: 14"
Overall Performance: Good
Portability: Med. thick, light
Battery: Very Good




Expert Summary
The Lenovo Flex 5 14 is a 2-in-1 convertible that can be used as both a laptop and a tablet, making it versatile for various tasks. It's priced in the lower midrange and offers a fair balance of performance and features. With an AMD Ryzen 7 processor and 16 GB of RAM, it's a good choice for general use and capable of handling some engineering and 3D tasks, though not optimized for intensive gaming. It has a 14-inch IPS touchscreen display, a decent battery life, and is lightweight for portability. It also features a decent spread of ports including USB-C, and it charges via USB-C as well, but it lacks a dedicated number pad, yet it includes a backlit keyboard and fingerprint reader for convenience and security.
Pros
  • Convertible laptop and tablet functionality
  • Good battery life for typical use
  • Backlit keyboard with fingerprint reader
  • Portable with very good portability score
  • Decent screen color and general use performance
Cons
  • Screen brightness not suitable for outdoor use
  • Limited color range for professional editing
  • No Thunderbolt or Ethernet ports available
  • Speaker and webcam quality are only fair
9
BEST RATING
Operating Noise:
5.0
General: A-, Gaming/AI: B, Eng/Design: B+
Size: 16"
Overall Performance: Good
Portability: Thin, med. heavy
Battery: Good




Pros
  • Good portability for its size
  • High-quality backlit keyboard
  • Silent fanless operation
  • Full HD+ display with accurate colors
  • Solid build quality and heat management
Cons
  • Limited battery life
  • Limited high-performance capabilities
  • No hardware ray tracing or DLSS
  • No available RAM slots for upgrade
10
MSI 14”

Prestige 14

BEST RATING
Portability:
4.6
General: B+, Gaming/AI: B, Eng/Design: B+
Size: 14"
Overall Performance: Good
Portability: Thin, very light
Battery: Good




Expert Summary
The MSI Prestige 14 is a laptop with a lower midrange price, offering a balance between performance and affordability. It has a storage capacity of 512 GB and 16 GB of RAM, which are suitable for general use and some more demanding tasks. Powered by an Intel i7 processor and an Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU, it can handle 3D rendering and machine learning applications, but might not be the best for intensive gaming. The 14-inch IPS display with full HD resolution provides good color accuracy but lacks touchscreen capabilities. It's quite portable at under 3 pounds, with a solid battery life, and it has the versatility of USB-C with Thunderbolt 4 support. This laptop is appropriate for professional use, featuring a backlit keyboard, fingerprint reader, and ray tracing capabilities, but it could get warm during heavy use. Overall, the MSI Prestige 14 is well-suited for business professionals and users who require a mix of portability and power.
Pros
  • Lower midrange price
  • Powerful graphics card for gaming
  • Compact, lightweight for portability
  • Adequate performance for most tasks
  • Robust build quality
Cons
  • Limited screen size for multitasking
  • Average battery life
  • Speaker quality is fair
  • May heat up under load