The best laptops under $1,000 you can buy: Expert tested

The best laptop under $1,000 overall is the M2 MacBook Air, which was also named ZDNET's Product of the Year for 2022. It's a fantastic machine for a variety of reasons. The M2 SoC (system on a chip) gives the device a much-needed performance boost. It lets you quickly transfer enormous files, render videos, compress them, and create multimedia-intense PowerPoints. The M2 MacBook Air can do all of this without blinking.

Professional and casual users alike will appreciate the Liquid Retina display, which can simultaneously show 1.07 billion shades of color. Granted, it may not be as stunning as the screen on the MacBook Pro, but you still get a roughly 2K resolution image (2,560 x 1,664 pixels). Having a screen this nice does come at a cost. The M2 MacBook Air has a slightly worse battery life than the 2020 model, lasting about 16 hours instead of 17 hours. 

Review: Apple MacBook Air (M2, 2022)

Despite the slightly short battery life, the device is a premiere laptop, no matter how you look at it. As ZDNET's editor-in-chief Jason Hiner wrote in his hands-on review, "the M2 MacBook Air is... the first redesign of the... product line in over a decade, and Apple has delivered a hardware design that impresses" on both form and function.

Apple M2 MacBook Air tech specs: CPU Model: Apple M2 | RAM Memory: 8GB | Hard Disk Drive: 256GB SSD | Screen Size: 13.6 inches

Gaming laptops tend to be rather expensive, and for good reason. They often house some of the industry's best hardware configurations. They're so good that these machines can also be found among the best video editing laptops. Finding an excellent, inexpensive gaming laptop can be tricky, although it is possible. Case in point: the Gigabyte G5 KF. It may be cheap, but don't let the low price tag fool you because it's quite a beast. It houses a 12th Gen Intel Core i5 processor with a Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 graphics card, ensuring powerful performance.

Moreover, the G5 KF comes with a 15.6-inch Full HD (1,920 x 1,080 pixels) display sporting a high refresh rate of 144Hz. The refresh rate, if you're not familiar with it, is the frequency of how often a screen updates itself. The higher the rate, the smoother the output will be. This is important because video games benefit significantly from high refresh rates. They ensure you never miss the action and can see everything coming at you.

As good as the G5 HF is, it has some downsides. Multiple user reviews on Amazon complain about how loud the fan can get (gaming laptops require robust cooling systems to keep operating at an optimal temperature). The device can still get hot despite the noise, making typing more difficult.

GIGABYTE G5 KF tech specs: CPU Model: 12th Gen Intel Core i5-12500H | RAM Memory: 8GB | Hard Disk Drive: 512 GB SSD | Screen Size: 15.6 inches

2-in-1 laptops offer unique utility due to their flexibility: one minute, you could use it as a traditional laptop typing away on the keyboard, and the next, you'd be drawing on it like a tablet after flipping the display around. Their form factor allows them to tackle all sorts of workloads. Among the low-cost options, the Lenovo Yoga 7i is the best.

The Yoga 7i's success is due to three factors: its hardware, its display, and its design. First, the device houses the decently powerful Intel Core Ultra 5 alongside 16GB of RAM, making it robust and speedy enough to handle a wide array of tasks easily. Additionally, it offers a good amount of storage courtesy of its 512GB SSD.

Also: Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in1

Regarding its display, you'll receive a 16-inch Full HD touchscreen. ZDNET Editor Kyle Kucharski referred to it as "dynamic... [adding] another dimension to Windows" and allowing "flexible usage." 

However, it is not particularly bright, maxing out at 300 nits (you're better off not using this laptop under the sun). Design-wise, Lenovo made several great choices: It's slim yet durable, and the hinges feel particularly strong, minimizing screen wobble.

Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 tech specs: CPU Model: Intel Core Ultra 5 Series 1 | RAM Memory: 16 GB | Hard Disk Drive:  512 SSD | Screen Size: 16-inches

Bigger doesn't always mean better. Sometimes people overlook 14-inch laptops because they don't look as aesthetically impressive as larger machines. But you may be surprised at how fantastic they can be, and in certain scenarios, be way better than 16-inch laptops. Dell's Inspiron 14 Plus 7440 is one of these computers.

It's a hardy little device sporting a compact 14-inch display and a form factor made out of aluminum and recycled steel. You may think the Inspiron 14 Plus 7440 weighs a ton with all that metal, but quite the contrary. It clocks in at around 3.5 pounds for ease of carrying. This is an ideal machine for users who are frequently on the go.

Review: I tested Dell's most underrated laptop and it has clever features at an accessible price

Under the hood, the Inspiron 14 Plus 7440 runs on an Intel Core Ultra 7 155H, plus an Intel Arc graphics card. It's a pairing well-known for great all-around performance, although it does struggle with demanding tasks. The laptop's battery can last a little over eight hours which is good enough for a full day's work. Of course, that number can extend when you enable the battery saver, for example, to enjoy the device a bit longer.

We can't forget the wonderful onboard keyboard. Each key is made out of a rubber-like material that's soft to the touch. Combine that with the springy keys and you have a very comfortable keyboard.

Dell Inspiron 14 Plus 7440 specs: CPU Model: Intel Core Ultra 7 155H | RAM Memory: 16GB | Hard Disk Drive: 1TB | Screen Size: 14-inch 2.2K resolution Display

Being a budget laptop doesn't necessarily mean you have to offer a subpar experience. Case in point: the HP Pavilion Plus, which has a fantastic screen. It starts strong, as the base model houses a 1,920 x 1,200 pixel resolution IPS (in-plane switching) display. An IPS screen is notable because it outputs more color and has better viewing angles than an LED display. 

One step above that, you have the WQXGA options, which outputs at a resolution of 2,560 x 1,600 pixels. Not only is it an IP screen, but it's also covered in an anti-glare coating to ensure clarity. And it's been certified for Low Blue Light to keep your eye from getting tired of staring at a screen all day. Then, at the top, HP offers a stunning 2.8K resolution OLED screen. This is the cream of the crop as the option can show off a vibrant array of colors and abyssal blacks in high quality.

The problem with the OLED option is that it is the most expensive of the three. It requires you to get the AMD Ryzen 7 7840U processor, increasing the cost of the laptop to over $800. It is still relatively cheap compared to other OLED laptops, but it may be out of budget for some people. Regardless of the price, the Pavilion Plus is a great device.

HP Pavilion Plus tech specs: CPU Model: AMD Ryzen 5 7540U | RAM Memory: 16 GB | Hard Disk Drive: 512 GB SSD | Screen Size: 14 inches

The Acer Aspire 3 has earned its spot as the best laptop for value. It's the cheapest option here and serves as a solid work machine. The device has an AMD Ryzen 3 7320U processor, an integrated AMD Radeon graphics card, and 8GB of RAM. It's a lightweight laptop that can handle various tasks, from internet browsing to writing documents and streaming movies. Due to its mid-range hardware, the Aspire 3's battery can last quite a while – about 11 hours on a single charge, according to Acer. You should know the 

If you check out the Amazon reviews for the laptop, you'll notice many people like the display. The summary explicitly points out that users enjoy how it "provides crisp visuals and vibrant colors." That's probably because Acer gave their model a  15.6-inch Full HD resolution (1,920 x 1,080 pixels) IPS display. 

Like the previous Pavilion Plus, IPS tech allows the computer to show vibrant colors. It even supports Acer BlueLightShield, which lowers the amount of harmful blue light sent to your eyes. Another great feature worth mentioning is its large cooling fan, which ensures the model is at an optimal temperature at all times.

Acer Aspire 3 tech specs: CPU Model: AMD Ryzen 3 7320U | RAM Memory: 8GB LPDDR5 | Hard Disk Drive: 128 GB | Screen Size: 15.6 inches

ASUS isn't known for its work laptops. People associate the name with gaming hardware, but you'd be surprised what the Zenbook 14 can deliver. It houses an Intel Core Ultra 5 125H alongside an NPU or neural processing unit. NPUs are a relatively new piece of tech that has become quite common in 2024 laptops. They improve overall hardware performance, which is great to have on low-end models.

While the Zenbook 14 is less powerful with the integrated Intel graphics card and 8GB of RAM, the NPU makes up much of the slack. 

Review: Asus Zenbook 14

One area the laptop excelled in was battery longevity. During our initial tests, it lasted 12 straight hours before running out of juice. Be aware that this length of time was achieved without battery save mode turned on. With the feature active, there's a good chance it would've gone for much longer. Additionally, it comes with a vibrant OLED screen displaying a Full HD resolution (1,920 x 1,200 pixels) image. 

Also, remember that the Zenbook 14 can become warm when the hardware is pushed to its limits. 

Asus Zenbook 14 tech specs: CPU Model: Intel Core Ultra 5 | RAM Memory: 8 GB | Hard Disk Drive: 512 GB | Screen Size: 14-inches

Graphic designs laptops tend to be expensive, as the work they're intended for often requires powerful hardware -- which can be pricey. Microsoft's Surface Pro 9 bucks this trend by being a low-cost design laptop that won't cost you an arm or a leg. 

Truth be told, the Surface Pro 9 is more of a tablet than a traditional laptop. You interact with it via the Slim Pen 2, which is primarily used for drawing on the touchscreen, although it can be used for navigation. Speaking of which, it comes equipped with a stunning 13-inch PixelSense Flow Display capable of outputting impressive color accuracy. 

Plus, it runs at a refresh rate of 120Hz for velvety smooth animations. Putting these two features together allow the Surface Pro 9 to be an effective "on-the-go Photoshop workstation." And like other Microsoft Surface models, you can equip it with the Signature Keyboard accessory to turn it into a proper laptop.

Review: Microsoft Surface Pro 9 review: The MacBook competitor Windows users have been waiting for

Performance-wise, the Surface Pro 9 does pretty well. Buyers originally have the option to purchase an ARM-based chipset. Though the only processor available for the device at the time of writing is the 12th generation Intel Core i5. That's totally fine because the Intel CPU was arguably the better of the two. It enables the laptop to be "exceptional work machine."

Microsoft Surface Pro 9 specs: CPU Model: 12th Gen Intel Core i501235U | RAM Memory: 8GB | Hard Disk Drive: 256GB | Screen Size: 13-inch PIxelSense Flow Display