Not all cheap laptops are slow, flimsy clunkers. Here are the 4 best weve tried.

As of March 2026, I think the 13-inch Apple MacBook Air powered by the M4 chip is the best cheap MacBook for most people. It's seriously speedy and super well-made. It's priced at a very fair $999 to start, but Amazon and Best Buy have sold it for as little as $749.

If you need an even cheaper MacBook, just hold tight: Apple is rumored to be launching a new low-cost MacBook in early March. It could retail for around $599 to $699.

Among the best Windows laptops, the Acer Aspire 16 AI is my top budget pick. It has a big, buttery smooth display, an impressive battery life, and a good mix of ports. On the performance front, it outpaces every other sub-$900 laptop we've tried. For those with a more flexible budget, the ultraportable Asus Zenbook A14 is my favorite Windows laptop under $1,000.