Review and buying advice on the best laptops under $1,000 for 2023

Nowadays, you don’t have to drop a ton of cash on a premium laptop to get everything you need. It’s entirely possible to get an excellent laptop for under $1,000. Whether you’re talking about a traditional Windows clamshell or a fully loaded Chromebook, spending less than a grand can get you a laptop you’ll enjoy using. Moreover, at this price point, you don’t have to sacrifice your budget to get excellent performance, a crystal-clear screen, or long battery life.

There are so many options on the market that it can be difficult to choose the right model. You, so we’ve highlighted our top picks to make the search easier. Continue reading to find your match. (To see laptop recommendations that are affordable for all price ranges, visit our comprehensive guide to the best laptops).

Updated 12/21/2022 Check out our latest review of The Acer Chromebook Spin 513. The 3:2 aspect ratio gives it a sharp screen and plenty of real estate. It also has a long battery life. Check out our review of the Framework Laptop Chromebook. This unique Chromebook design allows you to modify and replace parts easily. It may be expensive, but it offers the possibility to upgrade the computer in the future.

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7 Carbon – Best overall under $1,000

Pros

• Beautiful 2.8K OLED display
• Booming audio
• Quiet operation
• Strong multimedia and application performance

Cons

• So-so keyboard
• Lid is so thin, it flexes too much
• Battery life below-average

The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7 Carbon is a great value for money, offering a range of multimedia capabilities and crisp audio. The real star of the show is the 14-inch 2880×1800 OLED display. According to the reviewer, “the contrast is outstanding, with the deepest blacks and brightest whites.” As for colors, they’re “accurate and noticeably vibrant.” The screen is a perfect fit for creative professionals who do a lot of photo editing. The laptop is lightweight at just 2 pounds, making it an ideal travel laptop. There are some minor flaws. The keyboard isn’t the best and battery life is less than stellar. However, the pros far outweigh any cons.

Check out our complete article
Review Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7 Carbon

Acer Aspire 5 – Best under $500

Pros

• Affordable price
• Rugged construction
• Great keyboard
• Ports well-chosen

Cons

• Subpar webcam
• Pre-installed bloatware is annoying
• It’s a bit difficult to use the touchpad

The Acer Aspire 5 is a great option for those under $500 because of its low price, decent performance and sturdy build. Our tester was surprised by its “solid, durable feel.” Although it lacks backlighting, the keyboard is quite nice. It is spacious and ideal for long typing sessions. Performance is fast enough for general-use tasks like writing emails and browsing the web, but that’s about it. If you’re shopping around for a solid everyday laptop that won’t break the bank, the Aspire 5 is definitely worth a look.

Check out our complete article
Review Acer Aspire 5

Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5 – Best Chromebook

Pros

• Attractive design
• Affordable
• Punchy audio
• Excellent keyboard

Cons

• Mediocre performance
• Subpar battery life

The Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5, a mid-range Chromebook, is a great choice. It’s fast enough for web browsing, editing documents, and so on. That said, it can “feel taxed by demanding tasks.” When our tester opened up multiple tabs, he noticed a sag in performance. However, the port selection is a good mix of old-and-new. It has two USB C ports, one USB-A port, and a 3.5mm combo audiojack. There is also a microSD card reader. As for the keyboard, our tester liked the “crisp and taut” feel of the keys. Although this laptop is a 2-in-1—meaning the screen can fold back to make it function more like a tablet—it weighs about 3 pounds, which is on the heavier side for a convertible laptop. While it may not be portable, this laptop is still very versatile for tablet-like applications.

Please read our full article
Review Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5

HP Chromebook x2 11 da0023dx – Best folio-style Chromebook

Pros

• Gorgeous 2K touchscreen
• Solid performance
• Excellent battery life
• Robust design

Cons

• Trackpad can be too sensitive at times
• Ports: Light on

Ah, folio-style laptops. Although some might find the detachable keyboard design frustrating, our reviewer loved this model. The HP Chromebook 11 2-in-1 laptop is a great choice. The tablet’s aluminum chassis feels rugged and like it’ll last quite a while. Although the keyboard was difficult to use for long typing sessions, it was easy to get used to. The magnets attach the rear plate to the tablet. It transforms into a kickstand and holds the tablet up for hands-free typing. The connection was both strong and clean according to the reviewer. As for the performance, it’s about what you’d expect out of a Chromebook. It’s zippy enough for everyday tasks like browsing the web and so on.

Please read our full article
Review HP Chromebook x2 11

Acer Swift 3 – Best for college students

Pros

• Solid chassis and excellent build quality
• Large, attractive 16-inch 1080p LCD screen
• Touchpad and keyboard with great usability
• DisplayPort and USB-C with charging

Cons

• Webcam, microphone, and speakers don’t impress
• AMD alternatives outperform Intel processor 
• Battery life is often disappointing
• There are many bloatware items

If you’re a college student working with a modest budget, the Acer Swift 3 is a fantastic option. It features a 16-inch 1080p LCD display, a sturdy chassis, and a comfortable keyboard and touchpad. However, battery life is subpar, so you’ll want to keep the charger on hand. This is unfortunate, as the Swift 3’s slim profile makes it a good laptop for travel. If you don’t mind the lackluster battery life, this is a great laptop for watching movies and writing research papers on.

Please read our full article
Review Acer Swift 3 SF316-51

Acer Aspire Vero 14 – Best eco-conscious option

Pros

• Peppy performance
• Battery life is strong
• Thunderbolt 4
• Material that is eco-friendly
• Convenient, fast fingerprint reader

Cons

• Bloatware
• Weak speakers
• Sold-on RAM, not upgradeable

The Acer Aspire Vero 14 will satisfy those who demand more environmentally-conscious technology. It is made from 30% post-consumer recycled material and is leading the way for eco-friendly personal electronics. It’s no slouch in the performance department either, sporting a Core i7 CPU, Intel Iris Xe Graphics, a solid 16GB of RAM, and a surprisingly large 1TB M.2 SSD. The only real drawbacks are the odd decision from Acer to solder on the RAM so it can’t be upgraded in the future, and the fact that it comes with some unwelcome bloatware. These issues are minor and can be easily fixed with a little effort. The Acer Aspire Vero 14 is a decent computer that delivers good performance. It also has an eco-friendly design which makes it easier to make a purchase.

Please read our full article
Review Acer Aspire Vero 14

How we tested

The PCWorld team runs benchmarks on each Windows laptop to test its GPU, CPU, battery life, and other performance. The idea is to push the laptop to its limits and then compare it against others we’ve tested. Chromebooks, on other hand, are subject to a series of web-based testing. It wouldn’t be fair or possible to run the same kinds of tests on a Chromebook, as they’re Chrome OS-based machines. Below, you’ll find a breakdown of each test and the reasons why we run them.

Windows laptops

• PCMark 10PCMark 10 is used to determine how well the laptop handles tasks such as web surfing, word processing, spreadsheets and so forth.
• HandBrakeHandBrake is more intense than PCMark 10 It basically measures how long a laptop’s CPU takes to encode a beefy 30GB file.
• CinebenchCinebench is a quick stress test of the CPU cores. Cinebench renders a 2D scene in a very short time.
• 3DMark3DMark tests 3D performance by running graphic-intensive clips.
• Video rundown: To gauge battery life, we loop a 4K video using Windows 10’s Movies & TV app until the laptop dies.

Chromebooks

• CrXPRT 2: The CrXPRT 2 benchmark tests a Chromebook’s battery life.
• Speedometer 2.0: This test determines a Chromebook’s web browser performance. It simulates this by adding to, completing, or removing from a list.
• Basemark Web 3.0This benchmark measures how well a Chromebook handles web-based applications.
• Kraken 1.1Kraken 1.1 is a JavaScript performance benchmark.
• Jetstream 2Jetstream 2 is a combination WebAssembly benchmarks and JavaScript benchmarks. This is a way of evaluating how well a Chromebook can run advanced workloads.

How to choose a laptop below $1,000

Here we are at the million-dollar question. Do you go for a basic Chromebook, or a Windows 10 laptop with more features? It really depends on what you intend to use your laptop for. Chromebooks are a great, low-cost option for those who want to get the basics. A Chromebook is my primary laptop for work. It has everything I need to edit and write. If you travel a bunch for work, it’s probably a good idea to invest in a laptop with solid battery life. If you’re still unsure, don’t sweat it. I’ve put together a list of quick tips below.

Which type of laptop should I choose?

There’s traditional clamshells, 2-in-1’s, Chromebooks, and much more. The displays on convertible laptops (aka 2-in-1’s), for example, can swing around 360 degrees. You can use the laptop as a tablet by doing this. They can be set up as a tent and used to view movies or participate in video calls. Chromebooks, on the other hand, exclusively run Google’s web-focused Chrome OS and are generally used for everyday tasks. All you need is a Gmail account and boom, you’re in. Each one has its pros and cons. Chromebooks are inexpensive and have a long battery life, while convertibles are usually lighter and more portable.

How do I pick a CPU?

If it’s CPU power you’re looking for, look for processors with higher numerical names. Core i7 processors are better suited to gaming than for everyday tasks. Core i3, Core i5, Core i7, Core i9 and Core i9 all have Intel processors. The more powerful the processor, the higher the number. If you don’t need a ton of power, Intel Core i5 processors are your best bet, as they offer good performance at a decent price. Core i3 is good for basic office and web work. As for AMD options, the Ryzen 3 is good for basic productivity and web browsing, while Ryzen 5 chips rival Intel’s Core i5 as solid all-arounders. Ryzen 7 chips are well-suited to video editing and content creation. Finally, if you’re dealing with 4K video, spring for a Ryzen 9.

What about GPUs, though?

You’ll want a discrete graphics card for hardcore gaming or editing videos. It’s separate from the processor, so you can expect higher performance out of it. Integrated graphics, however, are attached to your CPU and use less power. This is perfectly fine for everyday tasks, especially if you’re not doing anything that’s graphics-intensive.

What amount of RAM should I buy?

8GB RAM is enough to get the job done. If you’ve got a gaming laptop, 16GB of RAM is the way to go, and content creators will want even more.

What about battery life?

A laptop that can lasts 10 to 12 hours should be sufficient to take with you anywhere you go. That’s more than a full work day, so it should theoretically get you through long flights or a day of classes. Of course, more is better. Keep in mind that the heavier the battery, so the laptop is heavier.

What ports should I search for?

An extensive range of ports is always a benefit in my book. It eliminates the need for an adapter. I’d recommend a laptop that has both USB-C and USB-A. A HDMI port is also a good option. This port is particularly useful for connecting to an external monitor.