5 Best Laptops to Buy Under £1000
Did you know that the world’s first laptop, the Epson HX-20, was introduced in 1982? It weighed just over 3 pounds and featured a built-in microcassette drive, making it a precursor to today’s lightweight and portable laptops. This early innovation set the stage for the development of the laptops we use today.
Laptops have become an indispensable part of modern life, serving as versatile tools that offer convenience and connectivity. They enable us to work, study, and access information from virtually anywhere, enhancing productivity and flexibility. Laptops also play an important role in bridging the digital divide, ensuring that people across the globe have access to essential technology and educational resources.
In the world of laptops, there’s an intriguing mix of options to cater to various needs. From sleek and powerful gaming machines to affordable yet versatile workhorses, each laptop is designed to serve a specific purpose. Join us as we explore a diverse lineup of laptops, each with its own unique set of features and capabilities.
1. Asus ZenBook 14X OLED
Price: Starting From £1,000
CPU: Intel Core i7-13700H | RAM: 16GB LPDDR5 | Graphics: Intel Iris Xe | Storage: 512GB | Display: 14.5-inch OLED | Resolution: 2,880 x 1,800 | Refresh rate: 120Hz | Battery: Up to 10 hours | Weight: 3.5 pounds
Best for: Work and play on a gorgeous display.
The Asus Zenbook 14X OLED laptop offers an exceptional all-in-one computing experience, featuring state-of-the-art performance, a stunning display, and a comfortable keyboard that makes it a versatile choice for various tasks. What’s even more appealing is its affordable price tag of under £1,000. It stands as a worthy competitor to renowned laptops like the Dell XPS 13, boasting a larger, brighter, and more vibrant OLED display that sets it apart with an unbeatable contrast ratio compared to traditional LCD screens. The addition of a 120Hz refresh rate ensures that your gaming experience is characterised by seamless and fluid mouse movements.
Furthermore, its exterior is equipped with a fingerprint-resistant coating, which not only adds to its visual appeal but also keeps unsightly blemishes at bay. Coupled with its understated design and sturdy construction, this laptop can withstand the wear and tear of everyday use. The Intel 13th generation processor delivers impressive performance for tasks like video editing and casual gaming, even though its graphics chip isn’t a powerhouse, it more than suffices for lighter gaming needs. With a substantial ten-hour battery life, it easily supports you throughout your workday.
2. HP Envy x360 2-in-1
Price: £948.98
CPU: Intel Core i7-1335U | RAM: 16GB DDR4 | Graphics: Intel Xe | Storage: 512GB SSD | Display: 14-inch touchscreen | Resolution: 1,920 x 1,080 | Refresh rate: 60Hz | Battery: Up to 13 hours | Weight: 3.4 pounds
Best for: Budget laptop buyers who also need a tablet.
The HP Envy x360 stands as one of the top 2-in-1 laptops available in 2023, and its affordability is a major advantage. It boasts impressive features given its budget-friendly design, including a swift Intel Core i7 13th generation processor and a 512GB SSD for quick storage. Combined with its 16GB of fast DDR4 memory, it ensures responsive performance from the moment you power it on, even when running multiple apps and web browser tabs. While it may not excel in demanding tasks like intensive video editing, it packs enough next-generation power for everyday computing needs.
For an even better experience, consider opting for the version available at Best Buy, which comes with 16GB of RAM. The laptop features a sharp 14-inch 1080p display with a high pixel density, and it can easily transform into tablet or tent mode, adapting to your specific requirements. Additionally, it comes equipped with a built-in five-megapixel webcam featuring dynamic backlight adjustment, making it more than adequate for basic video conferencing and video calls. The responsive touch screen serves as a tablet, and with a generous 13-hour battery life, it comfortably covers a full day of work or school with some power to spare. Its onboard graphics are suitable for light gaming, particularly older esports and indie games, although it’s not designed for more intensive gaming tasks. Weighing in at a mere 3.4 pounds, this laptop is lightweight and highly portable.
3. Gigabyte G5 KF
Price: £899.99
CPU: Intel Core i5-12450H | RAM: 16GB DDR4 | Graphics: Nvidia RTX 4050 | Storage: 512GB | Display: 15.6-inch | Resolution: 1,980 x 1,080 | Refresh rate: 144Hz | Battery: Up to 5 hours | Weight: 4.4 pounds
The Gigabyte G5 KF is a budget-friendly gaming laptop that seamlessly integrates modern gaming components into an appealing design. It’s powered by an Intel 12th generation Core i5 CPU and Nvidia RTX 4050 this laptop excels in delivering impressive performance for casual gaming, particularly excelling in running popular esports titles at high frame rates. Its high-refresh-rate display guarantees a smooth and visually satisfying gaming experience, even when tackling demanding AAA games. While it may not support ultra settings with ray tracing, the RTX 4050’s compatibility with DLSS 3 frame generation significantly boosts frame rates in supported games.
In terms of battery life, the laptop aligns with the typical limitations of gaming laptops, offering a few hours of gameplay without needing to be plugged in. Additionally, its 1080p resolution, while not the highest available, remains suitable for the laptop’s size and contributes to maintaining reasonable battery life levels.
The Gigabyte G5 KF is an attractive and affordable gaming laptop that performs exceptionally well for casual gaming, with a focus on esports titles, and provides a satisfactory gaming experience for a wide range of gamers.
4. Apple MacBook Air 13 (M1, 2020)
Price: £799.99+
CPU: Apple M1 with 8-core CPU | RAM: 8GB DDR4 | Graphics: Apple M1 GPU | Storage: 256GB | Display: 13.3-inch | Resolution: 2,560 x 1,600 | Refresh rate: 60Hz | Battery: Up to 18 hours | Weight: 2.8 pounds
The Apple MacBook Air 13 (M1, 2020) is widely regarded as the best laptop under £1,000 in various tests. Despite the availability of a newer M2 version, the 2020 model maintains its excellent reputation thanks to its premium build quality, crisp display, comfortable keyboard, and generously sized touchpad. Its highly portable design, coupled with a remarkable battery life of approximately 13 hours for light tasks, makes it a top choice for on-the-go users.
In terms of performance, the Apple M1 chip effortlessly handles a range of tasks, including web browsing, text editing, video playback, and even light photo editing and casual gaming. It boasts a convenient fingerprint sensor for swift logins, an impressive 720p webcam, and clear microphone audio. However, it does come with a minor limitation in the form of a limited number of ports, offering only two USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 connections.
For those willing to slightly exceed the $1,000 budget, the M2 Apple MacBook Air 13 (2022) emerges as an enticing alternative. Featuring a sleeker design, thinner bezels, a larger and brighter 13.6-inch display, an upgraded 1080p webcam, a faster SoC (System on a Chip), and the inclusion of a MagSafe charging port, it offers enhanced features. Although its battery life is slightly shorter compared to its predecessor, providing 10 to 11 hours of usage for light tasks, it still delivers a satisfying experience. Additionally, while the 2023 MacBook Air 15 is available, the M2 model can now be found on sale for as low as £760 (at this time), making it a great value proposition.
5. HP Victus
Price: £748.99
HP Victus tech specs: CPU Model: Intel Core i5-12500H | RAM Memory: 8GB | Hard Disk Drive: 512 GB SSD | Screen Size: 15.6 inches | GPU: Geforce RTX 3050
When we think of the quintessential gaming PC, we often picture a device adorned with extravagant RGB lighting, sleek glass casing, and sizable internal cooling fans. In a refreshing departure from these flashy attributes, the HP Victus laptop offers a truly outstanding gaming experience.
In the realm of gaming, visuals are of paramount importance, and this laptop doesn’t compromise performance. It features an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 GPU and a wide-view screen with a 178-degree field of vision, ensuring top-notch visual experiences from any seating position. What sets it apart is its efficient cooling system, meticulously designed to expel heated air from the heat sinks, thus maintaining optimal operating temperatures during extended gaming sessions.
An impressive feature is the combination of the GeForce RTX 3050 graphics card with the Intel Core i5-12500H processor, granting the HP Victus a versatility that extends beyond gaming. It adeptly handles everyday tasks like web browsing, email correspondence, and document processing. This hardware configuration also proves invaluable for content creators, enabling tasks such as video rendering and editing with ease.
If we recognize the substantial storage demands of modern games, the inclusion of a 512 GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD catapults performance levels, far surpassing those of traditional hard drives by a factor of 30. Additionally, the laptop addresses various connectivity needs with 2 USB Type-A ports and 1 USB Type-C port, guaranteeing a wide array of options for expanding storage, including the use of external SSDs.
The HP Victus laptop diverges from the flashy gaming PC archetype and offers an exemplary gaming experience with its remarkable visual quality, versatile performance, and efficient cooling system. It caters to both gamers and content creators, providing a robust hardware configuration and ample storage options to meet the demands of modern computing.
In a Verdict
In the diverse world of laptops, each option caters to specific needs, and the best choice ultimately depends on your preferences and requirements.
If you prioritise a stunning display, versatile performance, and an affordable price tag, the Asus ZenBook 14X OLED stands out as an excellent all-rounder. With its gorgeous OLED screen, powerful processor, and sleek design, it’s well-suited for both work and play. However, if you seek a budget-friendly 2-in-1 laptop that offers solid performance and versatility, the HP Envy x360 is a compelling choice. Its affordable price, responsive performance, and long battery life make it a valuable option for budget-conscious buyers who also need a tablet. For gaming enthusiasts, the Gigabyte G5 KF provides a satisfactory gaming experience with modern hardware components at an attractive price point.
Lastly, the Apple MacBook Air 13 (M1, 2020) excels in providing premium build quality and a long battery life, making it a top pick for on-the-go users. On the other hand, the HP Victus laptop offers an impressive gaming experience, particularly for visual quality and versatile performance, catering to both gamers and content creators. Ultimately, the best laptop for you depends on your specific needs and preferences.
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