When searching for the finest budget laptops, $1,000 can provide plenty of options nowadays. Even with a budget of just $500, you can discover some impressive choices. Nonetheless, sticking to a lower price point often requires making a few trade-offs.
However, don’t fret — this doesn’t imply you have to compromise on a substandard device that fails to fulfill your requirements. It merely indicates that you should adopt a more strategic approach in your shopping endeavors. That’s where we come into play. The Mashable team consistently evaluates new laptops across diverse operating systems and use cases, and we’ve identified numerous economical options that satisfy most of, if not all, our performance and build quality criteria.
### Our Top Picks
As of November 2024, we regard the 13-inch [Apple MacBook Air](https://mashable.com/review/apple-macbook-air-m2-2022-review) featuring the M2 chip as the best budget MacBook. It’s sufficiently rapid for most users, boasts remarkable battery longevity, a superb keyboard, and is priced starting at $999 (although it’s frequently [on sale](https://mashable.com/article/best-apple-deals) for below $900). Moreover, it now includes 16GB of RAM as the standard configuration.
For [Windows PCs](https://mashable.com/roundup/best-windows-laptops), the [Lenovo Yoga 7i 14 (Gen 9)](https://mashable.com/review/lenovo-yoga-7i-2-in-1-14-gen-9) is our top recommendation under $1,000. It comes equipped with a fast processor, reliable battery life, and has the ability to function as a tablet. Its starting price is $899.99.
If you prefer Microsoft devices, take a look at the [Surface Laptop Go 3](https://mashable.com/review/microsoft-surface-laptop-go-3). It’s a chic, lightweight notebook with a responsive keyboard. Yet, because of its older CPU, we suggest waiting for a price reduction. It has a retail price starting at $799.99.
### [SEE ALSO: The best laptops of 2024, tested and approved by Mashable staff](https://mashable.com/roundup/best-laptops-2024)
For Chromebooks, the top budget choice is the $499 [HP Chromebook Plus 15.6-inch](https://mashable.com/review/hp-chromebook-plus-15-6-inch). It features a broad, vibrant screen and dependable daily performance, along with handy AI functionalities and multimedia editing applications.
When it comes to gaming laptops, the [Acer Nitro V 15](https://mashable.com/review/acer-nitro-5) stands out for under $1,000. It provides commendable design and performance for AAA games, with a tested price of $999 (the base model begins at $749). We also suggest the [Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE](https://mashable.com/review/acer-chromebook-plus-516-ge) as an even more affordable gaming alternative at $649, building on the success of its predecessor.
### Other Budget Laptops on Our Radar
We are currently evaluating the [Asus Chromebook Plus CX34](https://zdcs.link/aNDwm3?pageview_type=RSS&template=roundup&module=content_body&element=offer&item=text-link&element_label=Asus%20Chromebook%20Plus%20CX34&object_type=roundup&object_uuid=05dUCRxCBtvgSzTdwCkiGLb&short_url=aNDwm3&u=https%3A%2F%2Fmashable.com%2Ffeeds%2Frss%2Fall), specifically the 2023 version with a 12th-generation Intel processor, available for $399.99. If it proves to offer superior value compared to HP’s Chromebook Plus 15.6-inch, it could take the title of our new top Chromebook.
We also plan to assess the [Asus Vivobook S 14](https://zdcs.link/Qp6qgl?pageview_type=RSS&template=roundup&module=content_body&element=offer&item=text-link&element_label=Asus%20Vivobook%20S%2014&object_type=roundup&object_uuid=05dUCRxCBtvgSzTdwCkiGLb&short_url=Qp6qgl&u=https%3A%2F%2Fmashable.com%2Ffeeds%2Frss%2Fall), a new Copilot+ PC featuring a Lunar Lake CPU and an OLED display, as well as the latest [Framework Laptop 13](https://zdcs.link/z6byPq?pageview_type=RSS&template=roundup&module