8 best laptops under £1000 for 2023: we rank cheap computers in terms of power, display, weight and design

The best laptops to choose from, whether you want a gaming machine or a down-to-earth performers – all for under a grand
By David Phelan
Published 30th Mar 2023, 12:36 BST
Updated 29th May 2023, 09:58 BST

This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement.

8 best laptops under £1000 UK 20238 best laptops under £1000 UK 2023
8 best laptops under £1000 UK 2023

Choosing the right laptop is crucial. What’s most important to you, power, display, weight or design? Something that looks great might not have the grunt you need, and something with a big screen could be too heavy to comfortably sling in your backpack or briefcase. And since so many of us work in hybrid environments, portability from home desk to office desk could be important.

Even so, there’s plenty to choose from, with super-comfortable keyboards and bright displays, which don’t break the bank.

There are three operating systems to choose from: the magnificently intuitive macOS on Apple’s laptops is hard to beat. But it’s Windows that has the biggest range of compatible programs and applications, so it’s worth checking if the ones you need are available on the platform you like. The latest version of Windows is Windows 11, though you can save money often by choosing a version with the older but still excellent Windows 10. Often, upgrading to Windows 11 can be done later.

And then there’s Google’s ChromeOS, which offers a leaner system on usually more affordable machines. ChromeOS has come on leaps and bounds but it still performs best when it’s connected to the internet.

Many computers have touchscreen displays now (though never those made by Apple) and this is a feature available on several here.

Best budget laptops at a glance

Apple’s super-light laptop just squeaks in under the price bar. This laptop has Apple’s own silicon powering it, and the M1 processor is super-fast and efficient, with exceptional battery life that runs for up to 15 hours. It has a slick design with a big, smooth trackpad and an invitingly comfortable keyboard, including a fingerprint sensor in the power button.

There’s also exceptional integration with other Apple devices. For instance, if you see a web address on your iPhone, you can press and hold to copy it. Open the MacBook Air and press paste and it knows you want the last thing you copied and puts it in seamlessly.

There’s a more expensive MacBook Air, with a new design and even faster performance from the latest M2 chip (from £1,249), but for most people the M1 is more than fast enough.

Key specs 13.3in display, Dimensions 304 x 212 x 16mm, Weight 1.29kg, Processor Apple M1, Storage 256GB, 512GB, 1TB or 2TB, RAM 8GB or 16GB, Fingerprint sensor yes, 720P camera, Space grey, silver or gold finishes

The 16-inch display on the MateBook 16 is big, inviting and attractive. It looks good whether you’re working on a spreadsheet or playing back video. And video sounds good, too, thanks to powerful speakers mounted either side of the keyboard.

If you have a Huawei phone or tablet, these will connect seamlessly to this Windows 11 laptop, so you can transfer files to and from instantly. Unlike some laptops, this has great connectivity, with two full-size USB ports, two USB-C and HDMI connector. Note that to maximise the display and keep the overall size as small as possible, the webcam is built into the top row of the keyboard.

So, it looks at you from a strange angle but the benefit is you can close it off by pressing the key down. This laptop has strong design and is good value.

Key specs 16in display, Dimensions 351 x 255 x18mm, Weight 1.99kg, Processor AMD Ryzen 7 5800H Mobile Processor, Storage 512GB, RAM 16GB, Fingerprint sensor yes, 720P camera, Space grey finish