The 6 Best Laptops in 2023 Under $1000

Our team selected the six best laptops in 2023 under $1000 to help you find a great laptop at a fair price. Shopping for a new laptop can be both exciting and confusing. However, it is definitely possible to find a fantastic device without breaking your budget. Start your search with these top six laptops and some helpful laptop-shopping tips. 

1. Dell Inspiron 16 AMD

Dell’s Inspiron line is aimed at users looking for great value at a fair price. The Inspiron 16 is one of the best laptops in 2023 under $1000, with the AMD variant available at only $699. For well under $1000 you get an AMD Ryzen 7 processor, 16 GB of RAM, 1 TB of storage and a 16-inch screen. That configuration will deliver a speedy experience for web browsing, productivity tasks and even gaming. 

The build quality of the Dell Inspiron 16 could be better, but it has a nice keyboard and great battery life. This is also a fairly lightweight laptop, making it great for students and commuters. 

2. 2020 M1 Macbook Air

Many people don’t think of Apple devices as “budget-friendly”, but the 2020 M1 Macbook Air is surprisingly affordable in 2023. On Apple’s website it is typically priced at $999, but you can often find it on sale around $800 at other retailers, such as Amazon and BestBuy. Even at $1000, the M1 Macbook Air is a great all-around laptop, even a few years after its initial release. 

What makes the M1 Macbook Air one of the best laptops under $1000 in 2023? It’s fast, powerful, lightweight and has an excellent build quality. The M1 chip is faster than many other processors you’ll find in this price range. 

This laptop is also very capable, especially for a Macbook Air. You can use it for school, work, programming and even more intensive tasks like video editing and gaming. However, if you’re looking for a gaming laptop, you may be better off with the HP Victus 15T, also included on this list. 

3. ASUS Chromebook Flip CX5

Don’t let the Chromebook line fool you – the ASUS Chromebook Flip CX5 is a surprisingly powerful budget laptop. It has a 2-in-1 design so you can flip the screen around and use it as a tablet. There are numerous variants of this particular model, although you can usually find it for around $700. At that price, you get 8 GB of RAM, 256 GB of storage and a 15.6-inch screen. 

This is the most powerful Chromebook on the market in 2023. It’s a great device for school or work and it can even handle some gaming using cloud gaming platforms. In fact, some variants include cloud gaming memberships, such as Amazon’s Luna+. If you are looking for a device for tasks like video or photo editing, though, this laptop probably won’t be able to keep up. 

4. Acer Aspire 5

Available for only $500, the Acer Aspire 5 easily makes our list of the best laptops in 2023 under $1000. This is a great value device, one that punches above its weight class, especially compared to other $500 laptops. The Aspire 5 has a mid-range Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM, 256 GB of storage and a durable build quality. 

The 14-inch screen might seem small to some, but it does make this laptop very portable. One great additional feature of the Aspire 5 is the amount of ports you get. In addition to standard USB ports, it also includes an HDMI port and an Ethernet port. 

If you’re looking to save an extra $100 or $200, you can also check out the Aspire 5’s little brother, the Acer Aspire 3. This laptop is very similar to the Aspire 5 but specced down a bit for a slightly lower price range. It can typically be found for around $400. 

5. HP Victus 15T

Anyone looking for a budget gaming laptop this year should check out the HP Victus 15T. This is not only one of the best laptops in 2023 under $1000 but also a great starter gaming laptop. The Victus 15 has an MSRP of $1099, but can usually be found on sale for much less, even as low as $800. There are also lower-spec models available priced down to about $700. 

Our recommended Victus 15 configuration comes with a 10-core 12th-gen Intel Core i7 CPU, 16 GB of RAM, 512 GB of storage (upgradable to 1 TB) and an NVIDIA RTX 3050 Ti GPU. It has a 1920 x 1080p Full HD IPS display with a respectable 144 Hz refresh rate. The keyboard also has customizable backlighting. 

The only real drawbacks to the Victus 15 are the OS and the battery life. Some users may be disappointed to hear that this laptop comes preloaded with Windows 11. So, if you are a Windows 10 fan, you may want to consider other options. Additionally, the battery life is fairly low, estimated at about 4 hours depending on your usage. 

6. HP Pavilion 14

The HP Pavilion 14 is a fantastic budget-friendly laptop with loads of customization options. In fact, some configurations are priced under $600. The Pavilion 14 is one of the best laptops in 2023 under $1000 and especially well-suited for students. You can even choose between an AMD or Intel CPU if you have a preference for one or the other. 

The Pavilion 14 isn’t flashy, but it is definitely powerful for its price range. It’s great at handling everyday tasks like school work, productivity tasks, web browsing, streaming and light gaming. However, more processor and graphics-intensive tasks, like video or photo editing, may show poor performance on this laptop. 

How to Choose a Laptop in 2023

Our team did our best to find the best laptops in 2023 under $1000, whether you’re looking for a gaming laptop, a good value laptop for work, or a powerful device for school. It can still be tricky picking out the best laptop for you, though. These tips can help you find the perfect laptop at the right price. 

Understand Your Needs

The most important thing to keep in mind when buying a laptop is the specific must-have features you want. For example, do you need Windows, ChromeOS or MacOS? If there are certain programs you need to use that are only available on Apple devices, you’ll need to choose an Apple laptop. Likewise, if you know you want to run a certain game or app, check the minimum system requirements to compare them to possible laptop picks. 

Stick to Your Budget

When you’re shopping for a laptop under $1000, you will likely need to compromise some premium features. You can still get a great device, though! Just make sure you stick to your budget. Buying a new laptop won’t be very rewarding if you get one you ultimately can’t afford. There are plenty of great laptops available for well under $1000 today. 

Pay Attention to Customization Options

Many laptops, such as those from HP and Dell, come in many different variants even under the same product name. Pay attention to these options since different configurations of a certain laptop will vary in price. They will all usually have similar performance, though, so choose the configuration that is the best value for your specific budget. 

Consider Used Laptops

If you’re on a tight budget and need a new laptop, even $500 might be a stretch. Luckily, you still have a lot of options. A used laptop can be a great choice for many users. Don’t mistake used for low-quality, either. Websites like BackMarket and Gazelle offer professionally-refurbished used tech at fair prices. For instance, you can pick up a 2013 or 2015 Macbook Air for under $400 that will still perform great for everyday tasks at school and work. 

The Best Laptops in 2023 Under $1000

Getting a new laptop is always exciting, especially when you know you’re getting a great device for your money. These six laptops are the top picks in the sub-$1000 price range this year, with fantastic options for work, school and even gaming. Make sure to research your specific needs and set a clear budget to simplify your laptop shopping process.