The 6 Best Laptops in 2024 Under $1,000

Our team selected the seven best laptops in 2024 under $1,000 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 seven 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 2024 under $1,000, with the AMD variant available at only $699. For well under $1,000, 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. Macbook Air 13 M2

Many people don’t think of Apple devices as “budget-friendly,” but the 2022 Macbook Air 13 M2 is surprisingly affordable in 2024. You can get its cheapest iteration from Apple at $999, but you can often find it on sale around $800 at other retailers, such as Amazon and BestBuy. Even at $1,000, the M2 Macbook Air is a great all-around laptop, even a few years after its initial release. 

The Macbook Air series has a reputation for being fast, powerful, lightweight and having excellent build quality. This version is no exception, and the M2 chip is faster than many other processors you’ll find in this price range. A lightning-fast 256 GB solid-state drive (SSD) and 8 GB of RAM sweeten the deal.

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. While the Macbook Air is certainly fast enough, Apple devices don’t get as much developer support as Windows alternatives.

3. Acer Chromebook Spin 714

Don’t let the Chromebook line fool you – the Acer Chromebook Spin 714 is a surprisingly powerful budget laptop. Like many Chromebooks, it has a 2-in-1 design so you can flip the screen around and use it as a tablet. More importantly, it costs just $699 in its cheapest configuration, though you can also get a more powerful one for just under $1,000.

The cheaper version comes with an Intel i5, 8 GB of RAM, 256 GB of SSD space and a 14-inch touchscreen. The more expensive Chromebook Spin has a beefier i7 processor and higher screen resolution, so it’s a better choice for gaming or content creation. For most people, though, the $699 configuration is one of the best laptops under $1,000 you’ll find in 2024.

This is one of the most powerful Chromebooks on the market in 2024. It’s a great device for school or work and it can even handle some gaming using cloud gaming platforms. Keep in mind, though, that more serious gaming may require a Windows laptop, as Chromebooks are basically powerful Android mobile devices. As a result, they don’t natively support as many games.

4. Acer Aspire Go 15

Available for only $300, the Acer Aspire Go 15 easily makes our list of the best laptops in 2024 under $1,000. This is a great value device, one that punches above its weight class, especially compared to other $500 laptops. The Aspire Go 15 has a mid-range Intel Core i3 processor, 8 GB of RAM, 128 GB of solid-state storage and a durable build quality. 

The Go 15 has a 15-inch screen, making it a bit bigger than the Aspire 5 that came before it while remaining portable. It also has plenty of ports, which you don’t always get in a budget laptop. In addition to two standard USB ports, it includes a USB-C port, an HDMI hookup and an ethernet port. A battery life above 11 hours is hard to overlook, too.

You can also spring for the Aspire 5 for $100 to $200 more for some higher specs. Keep in mind, though, that the Aspire 5 is an older model and, while it offers more storage and a faster processor, isn’t quite as good of a deal for the money.

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 2024 under $1,000 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, while others can come with Windows 10. That said, Windows 10 is losing support before too long, so it may be time to switch. Additionally, the battery life is fairly low, estimated at about 4 hours depending on your usage. 

6. HP Pavilion Plus 16

The HP Pavilion Plus 16 is a fantastic budget-friendly laptop. While it’s technically priced at $1,099.99, you can often find it for sale for less than $900. The Pavilion Plus 16 is one of the best laptops in 2024 under $1,000 and is especially well-suited for those who want personalization options. You can choose from four different Intel processors to customize it to meet your needs, two different SSDs, two cameras and two keyboard types.

The Pavilion Plus 16 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. You can bump its gaming performance even higher by springing for one of the more expensive configurations with a higher-end graphics card.

7. Lenovo Yoga 7i (16-inch Intel)

Rounding out our list of the best laptops in 2024 under $1,000 is the 16-inch Intel version of the Lenovo Yoga 7i. This 2-in-1 laptop falls at the higher end of the spectrum at just under $900, but you get a lot for that price tag. The newer, more powerful Yoga 9i is also an excellent choice, but it falls outside of the $1,000 mark.

The Yoga 7i’s integrated graphics and cheaper keyboard may not be for everyone, but its other specs are a huge bargain for the price. You can get up to a terabyte of storage, 13.5 hours of battery life and 16 GB of RAM. There are four Intel processors to choose from, ranging from a 10-core i5 to a 12-core i7.

Overall, the Yoga 7i is a killer deal for students of those needing a new work laptop, though it may fall short in terms of gaming. That said, you can find some great browser games in 2024 that this laptop will run perfectly.

How to Choose a Laptop in 2024

Our team did our best to find the best laptops in 2024 under $1,000, 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 $1,000, 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 $1,000 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 2024 Under $1,000

Getting a new laptop is always exciting, especially when you know you’re getting a great device for your money. These seven laptops are the top picks in the sub-$1,000 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.

Original Publish Date 6/1/2023 — Updated 5/21/2024