If you have £1000 to spend on a laptop, then this is a good amount and you should be able to get something really solid. You need to know what you’re looking for when purchasing any laptop, especially if you’re going to spend this kind of money.
However, there are a few options on the market that provide great value for money and will ensure that your pennies have been well spent. As long as the laptop has the power that you need, then you should be good to go. So, let’s look at the best laptops that you can find that are less than £1000.
Best Laptop under £1000
| Product | Image | Screen Size | Specs | Get More Info |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Macbook Air M1 |  | 13.3 inch | 8GB/256GB | Check Price |
| Google Pixelbook Go |  | 13.3 inch | 8GB/128GB | Check Price |
| Microsoft Surface 3 |  | 13.5 inch | 8GB/128GB | Check Price |
| Huawei MateBook X Pro |  | 13.9 inch | 16GB/512GB | Check Price |
| Dell Inspiron 5491 |  | 14 inch | 16GB/512GB | Check Price |
| Dell Inspiron 13 |  | 13.3 inch | 8GB/512GB | Check Price |
| ASUS A509 |  | 15.6 inch | 16GB/512GB | Check Price |
Macbook Air M1
Operating System: Mac | Screen size: 13.3 inch | RAM: 8GB | Storage: 256GB SSD | Processor: Intel i3 | Average Battery Life: 9 hours
When we’re talking about laptops around the thousand pound mark, the Macbook Air is always going to come up. Now, we all know that the Macbook Air isn’t the best value for money – you’ll see tons of people online saying how much they hate Apple and how their products are overpriced.
But in fairness to Apple, they can price their products at whatever cost they see fit. Ultimately, it’s the public’s choice to buy their products. And they do, in their millions. Why? Well, the Macbook Air is a good example, and it’s one of the best laptops under £1,000.
The main reason that I recommend the Air now is the CPU. The old Intel core i3 processor was getting pretty dated. Apple have now updated the Air to come with their own special M1 CPU instead. This means that you’ll get an 8-core processor instead of dual core, making it one of the most powerful options less than £1000.
The upgraded processor does make all the difference, and it’s more on par with an i5 or even an Intel Core i7 processor. It really does make the Macbook into a high end laptop at a mid-range price.
It’s priced at a similar rate in comparison to other premium laptops on the market – the Lenovo Thinkpad and the Dell XPS series come to mind. But, there are two main ways that the Macbook beats them hands down.
Firstly, it’s the user experience. This is especially true if you use an iPhone, and if you do, I’d advise you to opt for a Macbook to go with it. Secondly, the customer support that Apple provide is a million times better than any other computer brand out there.
If you get a warranty with your Mac, then this is going to cover you for pretty much anything – just take your Macbook to your local Apple store and you can get it fixed, no questions asked.
So in terms of the amount of power and storage you’re getting for the cost, are Macbooks expensive? Yes, but the benefits that comes with them will makes a difference for a lot of people, which makes them a great choice to opt for.
Pros
Cons
Overall Verdict – The new Apple Macbook Air is one of the top options if you’re looking to keep to a £1000 budget.
Google Pixelbook Go
Operating System: Chrome OS | Screen size: 13.3 inch | RAM: 8GB | Storage: 128GB SSD | Processor: Intel Core i5 | Average Battery Life: 8.5 hours
Now, let me get started by saying that the Pixelbook won’t be for everyone. If you’re attached to the Windows operating system, then you’ll need to look at another laptop. And if you’re attached to the Mac OS then well.. just buy a Mac!
However, if you’re open to using a different OS, or you have no idea what I’m even talking about, then here’s why I think you should consider the Pixelbook Go. People are a little dubious of spending so much on a Chromebook, but it does offer great performance.
Now, let’s look at the benefits of using a Pixelbook. The battery life is excellent in comparison to most other laptops out there. It has a really simple interface, so even if you’re not the most tech savvy, you’ll be fine using this.
It’s more secure than a Windows laptop and you won’t need to worry about viruses. But above all, it runs fast! The Pixelbook series is known for its quick startup times and responsive system.
The negatives? Well, the main thing is that you can’t use programs like Microsoft Word. There are Google equivalents of Word of course, but some people might be attached to using Microsoft versions.
Or, if you’re interested in design, you won’t be able to download a lot of the programs you may need. It is capable of some light video editing, but it’s not going to be capable of much more than this.
However, for people who don’t use a lot of different programs on their laptop, you might be better off opting for this Pixelbook Go. It’s light, fast and it does everything that most people need.
Pros
Cons
Overall Verdict – Though not for everyone, the Pixelbook Go is still a good laptop at this price.
Microsoft Surface 3
Operating System: Windows OS | Screen size: 13.5 inch | RAM: 8GB | Storage: 128GB SSD | Processor: Intel Core i5 | Average Battery Life: 9 hours
If you don’t want to opt for an Apple laptop, then there are a ton of other options out there. One of my favourites is the Microsoft Surface series, with the Surface 3 being one of the best models out there.
Let’s start with the good things about this model. It’s definitely a good option if you’re concerned about the appearance of your laptop, as it’s very stylish. However, the majority of you won’t be too bothered about this!
So what about the specs? Well, it comes with 8GB of RAM and an i5 processor, which is going to be fast enough to run most of the programs you need it to. Only gamers will really need to look at getting more power than this, and if you are a gamer, I’d advise you look at 16GB RAM laptops instead.
It also comes with 128GB of SSD storage space, which might not seem like enough. However, with most people using cloud storage like Google Drive nowadays, it won’t be too much of an issue unless you’re planning to download a ton of files and programs.
The only bad thing about the Surface 3 is the battery life, which isn’t as good as other laptops out there. Whilst the advertised battery life for this model is around 11.5 hours, you’re not really going to get this length with this model.
So if you really need a laptop that has a substantial battery life (if you take long journeys often where you might not get the chance to charge it), then you might want to look at another model.
Pros
Cons
Overall Verdict – The Microsoft Surface 3 is worth looking at if you’re into drawing and graphic design.
Huawei MateBook X Pro
Operating System: Windows | Screen size: 13.9 inch | RAM: 16GB | Storage: 512GB SSD | Processor: Intel Core i5 | Average Battery Life: 9 hours
When you’re trying to find the best deals possible, sometimes you can look at brands that aren’t as well known for making laptops. This is true for Huawei, who are well known within the tech world, but their Matebook line is still relatively young.
If we open the laptop up, it has 16GB of RAM, which is definitely plenty of power for pretty much any tasks you need to get done. In addition to this, it has ample storage too. It also has a NVIDIA GeForce MX250 graphics card too (though remember you can’t upgrade this easily as it is soldered to the motherboard).
It has a 13.9 inch screen, an i5 CPU and it is a fairly attractive and eye catching laptop as well. Something else that’s very handy is that it has 3 different USB ports, which includes a USB-A and a USB-C port as well. I should also mention the impressive audio quality, which isn’t too important but still nice to have.
This is another good laptop that you can pick up for less than £1000. With a strong chassis and excellent performance, it’s difficult to beat the Matebook X Pro.
Pros
Cons
Overall Verdict – Check out what the Huawei Matebook series has to offer if you’re looking for good prices. In terms of value and power, it may be the best laptop under £1000.
Dell Inspiron 5491
Operating System: Windows | Screen size: 14 inch | RAM: 16GB | Storage: 512GB SSD | Processor: Intel i7 | Average Battery Life: 7.5 hours
If you want something with more power but still less than £1000, then it’s worth looking at the Dell Inspiron 5491. It is fairly thin and light for such a powerful laptop.
You can purchase the model with 16GB of RAM, which will give you a faster running laptop – the additional RAM will enable your laptop to juggle more programs at the same time. So, you’ll be able to cope with a higher workload, which is useful if you’re using large-sized programs, like games or graphic design software.
The Dell Inspiron 5491 is a solid choice for anyone looking for a powerful 2-in-1 laptop. This will give you the ability to use it as a drawing tablet too, so you might want to pick up a Stylus as well.
If you combine the HD touchscreen display with the tablet function and then the 16GB of RAM, you’re going to have a great laptop for someone who want something interactive. It also comes with a fingerprint reader inbuilt too, which although isn’t essential, is definitely a nice touch (nice touch, get it?… I’ll let myself out).
So yes, the specs of this model are really good for the price, and they’re all wrapped up in a slim design too. It’s another possible option for those looking for a powerful laptop that’s less than £1000.
Pros
Cons
Overall Verdict – An alternative to the more popular laptops, this Inspiron gives you more power for your money.
Dell Inspiron 13
Operating System: Windows | Screen size: 13.3 inch | RAM: 8GB | Storage: 512GB SSD | Processor: Intel i5 | Average Battery Life: 7 hours
For those looking for a convertible laptop, then it could be worth looking at this model from the Dell Inspiron series. This series is known for being of a decent quality, and if you want the flexibility of a 2-in-1 laptop, then it makes sense to look at this model.
If you’re not entirely sure what a 2-in-1 (also referred to as a convertible laptop), essentially it’s a laptop and a tablet in one device. You can easily use it as a laptop, but you can also fold it back completely into a tablet and use the touchscreen, too. It comes with a pen for you to use, so if you think you might be interested in drawing on your laptop, then this model would make sense.
You can also flip this model into “tent mode” – combine that with the high quality display and it’s a perfect device to prop up and watch Netflix or YouTube on. So for those who intend to watch a lot of media, or want a good device to draw/sketch on, then this model would be perfect.
Although many people think that 2-in-1 laptops are less powerful than regular laptops, they’d be sorely mistaken. In the past, companies may have tried to get the smallest parts to make sure that it was light – however, this is no longer the case. This laptop comes with your standard 8GB of RAM and an impressive 512GB of SSD storage space for anything you need to save.
Overall, I think this Inspiron model is one of the better choices out there for people looking for something portable and lightweight.
Pros
Cons
Overall Verdict – A well designed laptop good for those looking for a 2-in-1 with a solid HD screen.
ASUS A509
Operating System: Windows | Screen size: 15.6 inch | RAM: 8GB | Storage: 256GB SSD | Processor: AMD Ryzen | Average Battery Life: 7 hours
If you’re looking for the best value for money, then it’s worth looking at brands like Acer and ASUS. By going with these cheaper brands, you’re typically going to be able to get more for your money.
The Acer A509 is a great example of this. You can pick up the A509 for less than £900, but it has the specifications of a much more expensive laptop. What do I mean by this?
Well, with this model you actually get an i7 processor, which is a step up from an i5 processor and two steps up from an i3 processor. If you compare this to the cheapest Macbooks, they actually come with an i3 processor. So you’re getting a lot more value for your money.
If you find the right model too, you can also get it with substantially more RAM than the standard 8GB. I say as a rule for most people nowadays you should be looking for 8GB as a minimum, but you can get this model upgraded with 16GB if you get the right price. So for those looking for the most value for money, you might want to consider the Acer A509.
Pros
Cons
Overall Verdict – If you want more than an 8GB laptop at this price range, looking at an ASUS laptop like this is a good idea.
Buying Guide for Laptops
What are the most sold laptops?
If you’re wondering which brands are the most sold worldwide, then the current leader is Lenovo, followed closely by HP and Dell. Despite what many people think, Apple aren’t as bigger market share holders within the laptop industry as of yet. However, in terms of the models, in Western countries two of the most sold laptops are the Macbook Pro and the Lenovo Thinkpad – these are often bought in bulk by companies, or even in the education industry by universities for their students.
Which processor should I opt for?
When you’re purchasing any laptop, the specifications can be quite confusing. This is definitely the case when you’re looking at processors, as many people don’t know the difference between an i3 processor and an i5 processor. Typically you’ll get better CPU performance from an i5 processor than an i3, however this isn’t always the case. Even some of the newer laptop models are released with an 11th Gen i3 processor, and they’ll perform better than another brand laptop with an i5. So, don’t focus on the processor too much unless you’re more experienced with laptops and you’re looking for something specific.
Which laptop is best for students?
If you’re a student and you’re looking for a laptop, then there are many different models for you to consider. In my opinion, I’d stick with either a Macbook or even the Microsoft Surface if you’re looking for something with a long battery life. For most students, one of the most important things is that you have a responsive keyboard, as you’re going to be typing a lot. So, make sure you check the reviews of the laptop’s keyboard you’re going to be purchasing first!
Can a laptop last 10 years?
The majority of people say that a laptop will last you anywhere between 3 and 5 years. However, if you buy the right laptop, then it can last you a lot longer than this. Of course, in ten years time some of the hardware used to make your laptop will be outdated. However, many laptops do still have the potential to last you 10 years.
Why do laptops break so easily?
If you’ve had a laptop break on you in the past, then I know your pain. But seeing as laptops are so important and expensive, why do they break so easily? Well the answer is that it’s made up of components that are just, unfortunately, easily broken. When you look at what a laptop is made of, many of its parts are fragile – its screen, its hard drive and a whole lot else. So unfortunately, laptops are just fragile by nature.
Which laptop brand is the most reliable long term?
A common question amongst those buying a laptop is asking which brand is most reliable if you’re looking for a laptop to last you long term. The first thing I should say is that you should look at the specs more than the brand itself – all brands have released good and bad models of their laptops in the past. In terms of reliability, you’re typically best off going for a brand like Apple, which have great customer service. Or one of the more premium brand names, like HP, Dell or even Lenovo.
Which OS should I choose?
For some people who aren’t particularly computer savvy, it pays to know what OS, or operating system, you’re going to use. The main choice that you have is between using Windows or opting for a different OS, like Mac or Chrome. This is essentially just the hardware that manages the programs that are on your laptop. Windows is by far the most popular, so many people want to stick with that – however, both Mac and Chrome OS can be a lot easier and smoother to use.
Conclusion
All in all, these are just a few of the options that are out there for you to think about. Whilst the Macbook typically rules king around the £1000 mark, there are many other options out there to consider as well. It really depends on what you’re looking for. You can also consider looking at laptops under £500 if you want something cheaper.
So, in my opinion, if you want great UX, then opt for a Macbook. But if you want more power, then you’re better off looking elsewhere. Windows laptops can offer almost the same functionality as a Macbook but with a little more power.
