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A Generous Budget: The Best Laptops under £1,000
Harry Stewart
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October 19, 2022
Got a thousand quid to spend on a shiny new laptop?
You’re in luck. That kind of cash will net you a fast, reliable, and highly functional device suitable for personal or professional use.
While top-end gaming rigs and data-crunching workstations can soar well above the £1,000 mark, the vast majority of us will get by just fine with something at or below the threshold.
However, the best laptops under £1,000 differ from person to person. To maximise value, it’s crucial to choose a device geared towards your specific needs.
This post will show you how.
How to choose a laptop under £1,000
The laptop shopper with £1,000 in their pocket is spoiled for choice. All but the most specialised high-end machines fall within that price range, so finding a suitable option should be simple.
Sometimes, however, too much choice can complicate the process. That’s why it’s essential to whittle down your options according to your needs.
Think about what you’ll use the device for and shop accordingly. Hardcore gamers, social media addicts, and everyday office workers will all have unique needs.
Also, consider how frequently you’ll move the laptop around. If you’re constantly on the go, you’re better off sacrificing screen space for a small, agile laptop of 14 inches or less. Conversely, a big screen makes extended computer sessions much more manageable—it’s well worth it if you don’t transport your laptop often.
Battery life of laptops is a major consideration for users who work out of cafes or client worksites. There’s not always a plug socket within easy reach.
If so desired, a £1,000 budget can get you a high-powered convertible or touchscreen with a gorgeous Full High Definition (FHD) display. Nonetheless, you’ll get even better hardware (or a lower price) if you forgo them. Only invest in laptops with these extras if you’ll get good use from the tablet-like touch screen.
Weighing up the specs
One thousand pounds will snag you some pretty impressive specs. Depending on how close you get to the upper limit, expect to obtain an 11th or 12th Generation Intel® Core™ i5 or i7 (or AMD Ryzen™ 7), 8 GB to 16 GB RAM, a 256 GB to 512 GB SSD, and an FHD screen.
Laptops at this price point will also have all the essential ports and a high-speed WiFi adapter.
Think about the type of computing you do and prioritise the specs accordingly. For example, avid multi-taskers need to ensure they’ve got plenty of spare RAM, while highly-demanding applications require a solid processor.
Think about the graphics card.
Most gaming laptops under £1,000 come with an integrated graphics card. If you want to maximise graphics without investing in a dedicated GPU, then opt for Intel® Iris® Xᵉ Graphics. This card is more capable than any other integrated GPU out there.
Serious gamers, pro animators, and video-editing gurus will want a dedicated graphics card to render images on the fly. However, it’s crucial to keep your expectations in check. A £1,000 budget is enough to snag you a well-balanced laptop featuring an NVIDIA® GeForce® or AMD Radeon™ video card with 2 to 4 GB of memory.
While 4 GB of graphics memory is enough to run most games on 720p (and some on 1080p), it won’t handle demanding games on high settings. A late-generation, top-of-the-line gaming laptop generally has a 6 GB to 12 GB GPU and will cost well over £1,000—sometimes double or triple that figure.
So, to sum up, £1,000 will get you something suitable for casual gaming or light animation and video rendering. You’ll need to keep saving if you’ve got more demanding requirements.
The best HP laptops under £1,000
We’ve covered what to expect from a £1,000 and how to prioritise the specs. Now it’s time to peruse the best sub-£1000 laptops from HP.
Best 17-inch: HP 470 G9 17.3" Laptop
· Screen: 17.3 " FHD (1920 x 1080)
· Processor: Intel® Core™ i5 1235U (12th Generation)
· RAM: 16 GB RAM
· Hard drive: 512 GB SSD
· Graphics: Intel® Iris® Xᵉ Graphics
Good things come in big packages. Or at least that’s the case with the HP 470 G9. Boasting a crisp 17” FHD screen, this sizeable laptop has ample space to display several applications simultaneously. And with a whopping 16 GB of RAM, you’ll have no issues multi-tasking them all.
High-level integrated graphics come courtesy of Intel® Iris® Xᵉ, while its roomy 512 GB SSD gives you plenty of space to stow your files.
If you need more juice than the Intel® Core™ i5, it’s possible to upgrade to an i7 (that will put you over £1,000, though).
Best Budget 15-inch: HP Pavilion 15-eg0049na Laptop
· Screen: 15.6 " FHD (1920 x 1080)
· Processor: Intel® Core™ i5 1135G7 (11th Generation)
· RAM: 8 GB RAM
· Hard drive: 256 GB SSD
· Graphics: Intel® Iris® Xᵉ Graphics
If a 17-inch screen is a tad too cumbersome for your liking, then stepping down a size might be the perfect solution. For many users, a 15-inch screen offers an idyllic blend between portability and readability. The HP Pavilion 15-eg0049na Laptop showcases that concept in dazzling style.
Powered by a zippy 11th Generation Intel® Core™ i5 and 8 GB RAM, this high-powered device blazes through your everyday computational chores. Crisp Bang & Olufsen sound and a three-sided micro-edge display make it an excellent multimedia machine. It looks the part, too, thanks to its streamlined, premium metal design.
Budget-conscious shoppers should note this one retails at way below the £1,000 threshold.
Best 15-inch: HP ProBook 450 G8 15.6"
· Screen: FHD (1920 x 1080)
· Processor: Intel® Core™ i7 (11th Gen)
· RAM: 16 GB RAM
· Hard drive: 512 GB SSD
· Graphics: Intel® Iris® Xᵉ Graphics
Chock full of high-end specs, the HP ProBook 450 G8 gives you next-level performance in a portable 15-inch case. The speedy 11th Generation i7 processor and a whopping 16 GB of RAM work in tandem to crush complex computational tasks. Meanwhile, its Intel® Iris® Xᵉ Graphics rapidly render pixels on the fly.
To top it off, you get a roomy 512 GB SSD and a crisp FHD display. High-intensity users will find upgrading to this model is well worth the extra dough.
Best 14-inch: HP ENVY 14-eb0013na WUXGA Touchscreen Laptop
· Screen: 14 " WUXGA (1920 x 1200), touch screen
· Processor: Intel® Core™ i7 (11th Generation)
· RAM: 16 GB RAM
· Hard drive: 512 GB SSD
· Graphics: Intel® Iris® Xᵉ Graphics
Seeking something even more compact?
The HP ENVY 14-eb0013na is your go-to 14-inch option. The slender device barely fits within our £1,000 limit, but its elevated specs more than justify the price. An 11th Generation i7, 16 GB of RAM, and a 512 GB SSD put it at the top end of this category—not to mention the game-friendly Intel® Iris® Xᵉ Graphics.
The icing on the cake? This sleek, compact device also includes a crystal clear Widescreen Ultra Extended Graphics Array (WUXGA) touchscreen.
Best Touchscreen: HP Pavilion 15-eg2017na Touchscreen Laptop
Screen: FHD (1920 x 1080), touch screen
· Processor: Intel® Core™ i5 1235U (12th Generation)
· RAM: 8 GB RAM
· Hard drive: 512 GB SSD
· Graphics: Intel® Iris® Xᵉ Graphics
Touchscreen lovers on a budget could spend far less by grabbing the HP Pavilion 15-eg2017na. This shiny new 2022 model comes with a 12th Generation i5, 8 GB RAM, and Intel® Iris® Xᵉ Graphics. All that equates to a potent device geared towards multimedia consumption and everyday computational tasks. What’s more, its 512 GB SSD offers ample space for storing your favourite music and movies.
The vibrant FHD screen features 178° wide-viewing angles and affords mobile phone-like functionality with a full touchscreen-enabled display.
Best Gaming: Victus by HP 15-fb0003na Laptop
· Screen: FHD (1920 x 1080)
· Processor: AMD Ryzen™ 7 5800H
· RAM: 8 GB RAM
· Hard drive: 512 GB SSD
· Graphics: NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 3050 Ti (4 GB)
Gamers on the go can’t go wrong with the Victus, our top pick for the best gaming laptop under £1,000. This model, the Victus by HP 15-fb0003na Laptop, sports an NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 3050 Ti GPU with 4 GB of memory to render fast-paced frame rates during intensive contemporary games. Plus, a high-powered AMD Ryzen™ 7 processor and 8 GB RAM keep the rapid action flowing on its crisp FHD screen.
While gaming is its raison d'être, the Victus also serves well as a video editing or animation device.
If you want to play the latest triple-A (AAA) blockbusters on maximum settings, you’ll need to check out the pro-gaming Omen range instead. However, these top-end machines will cost you more than a grand.
Best Convertible: HP ENVY x360 13-ay1013na Convertible Laptop
· Screen: 13.3 “FHD (1920 x 1080), touch screen
· Processor: AMD Ryzen™ 7 5800U
· RAM: 8 GB RAM
· Hard drive: 512 GB SSD
· Graphics: AMD Radeon™ Graphics
Got a thing for convertibles?
The slick HP ENVY x360 13-ay1013na is among the most enticing two-in-ones in the entire HP range. This slender 13-inch device effortlessly folds over itself for both laptop and tablet functionality and comes with an MPP2.0 Tilt Pen for note-taking and sketching on the go. Excellent specs and a sizeable 512 GB SSD ensure you won’t get left behind.
Its small stature, lightweight chassis, and massive 15-hour-and-30-minute battery life make it ideal for creatives and everyday professionals on the go.
Choosing the right laptop under £1,000
While it won’t cover a top-end workstation or elite-level gaming rig, £1,000 gives you the freedom to pick and choose a suitable laptop for you.
But it’s still important to do the legwork with your research. Otherwise, you’ll wind up forking out for features you don’t need—or missing a few you do.
Take a close look through the critical considerations towards the top of this post. Once you’ve worked out what you want, you’ll find the perfect sub-£1,000 laptop on our list.
