People tend to equate concepts like "budget" or "low-cost" with poor quality, but that's not true. You can find plenty of high-quality laptops that cost less than $1,000. I'm talking about well-crafted, powerful computers that can compete with the best laptops on the market when tackling productivity and entertainment workloads.
It certainly helps that many budget laptops were former high-end devices. Apple, for example, frequently drops the price of older MacBooks whenever a new one comes out. It also helps that sometimes newer computers only provide an incremental upgrade, allowing the previous generations to continue performing years after launch. MacBooks are one of these series, and it's why we often highlight MacBook discounts on ZDNET.
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What is the best laptop under $1,000 right now?
ZDNET's experts carefully test many different laptops at release, putting them through their paces in order to provide our readers with the best advice on what you should buy. Our pick for the best laptop under $1,000 is none other than the M2 MacBook Air, due to its solid performance, portability, and HD display. As great as it may be, the MacBook Air isn't perfect for every use case. The HP OmniBook X Flip, for instance, has a nicer 3K touchscreen, perfect for creative work, while the Dell 14 Plus is a nice, everyday laptop.
Check out our other top picks for the best laptops under $1,000.
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The best laptops under $1,000 of 2025
Show less View now at Amazon View now at Walmart Why we like it: The M2 MacBook Air is easily my favorite laptop under $1,000 for several reasons. A big part of my adoration is thanks to the performance coming from Apple's M2 chip. It is notably fast and responsive, especially when multitasking or running creative apps. The 10-core GPU can tackle graphics-heavy tasks with ease. It's also well-optimized for longevity, capable of lasting two full workdays on a single charge. The praise doesn't stop there. It packs a stunning 13.6-inch Retina display, a sharp 1080p webcam, and a booming quad-speaker system. Review: Apple M2 MacBook Air Who it's for: The M2 MacBook Air is a smart pick for any budget-conscious shoppers who want to be a part of the Apple ecosystem and want that strong day-to-day performance. I cannot stress enough just how good the M2 chipset is, even in 2025. Students, office professionals, writers, and anyone who works primarily in browsers will enjoy this machine. The best part is that all this hardware is packed in a lightweight, travel-friendly package. Who should look elsewhere: The M2 MacBook is also one of the more expensive options on this list, so if you're on a really tight budget, then I would suggest checking out another laptop -- namely, the M1 MacBook, which has a longer battery and is cheaper. Similarly, people looking for more horsepower should probably consider a MacBook Pro. Apple M2 MacBook Air tech specs: CPU Model: Apple M2 | RAM Memory: 8GB | Hard Disk Drive: 256GB SSD | Screen Size: 13.6 inches Pros Solid performance from M2 chip
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