Ranking: Best laptops for under 1,000 dollars/euros

Thanks to the new Lunar Lake processor, the Vivobook S 14 OLED has lots of exciting features such as Thunderbolt 4, extended AI functionality (Copilot+) and Wi-Fi 7. There are plenty of ports, the input devices are comfortable to work with and there is no complaining about battery life.

The Asus Vivobook S 14 OLED benefits from the power-efficient Intel Lunar Lake processor and is a better overall compact laptop than dozens of its direct rivals despite the lower multi-core performance. The fans make limited noise, the temperatures are kept in check and battery runtimes are better than with previous-gen Vivobooks.

In Germany, the test Vivobook S 14 OLED model with the Core Ultra 5 226V, 16 GB RAM and 512 GB SSD can be ordered directly from Asus for 1,099 euros.

Metal case, Core Ultra 7, 32 GB RAM, 3K IPS display, a good keyboard - the RedmiBook Pro 16 offers all of this for less than 1,000 euros. In addition, the 99 Wh battery ensures extremely long battery life and Thunderbolt 4 is also integrated.

High-quality case with a comfortable to type on keyboard, fast processor, 32 GB RAM, long battery life and a very good IPS display: With the RedmiBook Pro 16, Xiaomi offers one of the best multimedia notebooks provided you don't need a dedicated graphics card. For less than 1,000 euros, this offer is almost unbeatable.

The RedmiBook Pro 16 can be ordered from TradingShenzen for 997 euros including a Windows 11 Pro license.

With the RedmiBook Pro 14, Xiaomi offers a fast and comparatively affordable 14-inch notebook with a Meteor Lake family processor and 32 GB of RAM. The high-resolution IPS oanel operates at 120 Hz and the 80 Wh battery ensures good runtimes.

Metal case, many ports, decent display, plenty of power under the hood, good keyboard and very long battery life - the Xiaomi RedmiBook Pro 14 has a lot to offer with little to criticize, especially considering the reasonable price.

The Xiaomi RedmiBook Pro 14 can currently be purchased from TradingShenzhen for 876 euros or 916 euros including a Windows 11 Pro license.

Lenovo gave its L-series a major update with the 2024 model. This generation works particularly well for AMD fans with Lenovo finally leaving the older Ryzen 5000 chips behind. As a result, owners of the Lenovo ThinkPad L14 Gen 5 (AMD) get USB 4, meaning Thunderbolt 3, among other benefits.

The L-series is cheap, but that doesn't mean it's bad: If you want to save money, the Lenovo ThinkPad L14 Gen 5 AMD is a good workstation for office applications.

In Germany, the SKU tested costs around 1,020 euros at our partner store, Campuspoint. Amazon Germany offers an Intel Core Ultra-powered version for around 1,100 euros.

The Lenovo Yoga 7 2-in-1 14 offers a lot of features for the price, including a modern, AI-enabled processor. It's a mid-range convertible positioned between the more affordable IdeaPad Flex 14 series and the higher-end Yoga 9 14 series.

The 2024 Yoga 7 2-in-1 14 is an excellent offering in its base configuration. That said, with higher-end SKUs the range of rival systems that the Lenovo has to face is so much wider.

The configuration we tested is currently available from Lenovo Germany for 968 euros. Higher-end configurations with an OLED display and Core Ultra H options can cost up to €1,399.

It may look the same as the previous generation on the outside, but things are different on the inside making the ThinkPad E14 G6 faster, more durable and versatile.

The Lenovo ThinkPad E14 G6 enjoys a CPU performance, graphics performance and battery life boost for an overall balanced and reliable system.

The ThinkPad E14 G6 with the Core Ultra 7 155U, as tested, is sold by multiple retailers.

The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5 15 is an affordable enough everyday computer and a good overall package. The high-quality case and long battery life are its standout features. With a battery runtime of more than 14 hours (surfing websites via Wi-Fi), the IdeaPad has no difficulty setting itself apart from its rivals and the matte IPS display offers accurate colors as well as full sRGB coverage. Editing images is no problem.

With the IdeaPad Slim 5 15, Lenovo has an affordable everyday notebook on offer. For 649 euros, you get an AMD SoC, a matte IPS display and very long battery life in addition to an attractive aluminum case.

In Germany, the IdeaPad Slim 5 15 is available at Campuspoint for 649 euros; it's 585 euros as long as you're a student/educators. The model is also available from Lenovo directly for 649 euros.

For those who don't need a strong GPU, the Yoga Slim 6 14APU8 can be a good buy as good all-around notebook with no major flaws. The relatively power-efficient Ryzen processor is housed inside a stylish and high-quality-looking case blessed with good input devices and a reasonable selection of ports.  

The Lenovo Yoga Slim 6 14APU8 with the Ryzen 5 7540U is a high-quality, compact and pleasantly light all-around notebook.

The Yoga Slim 6 14APU8 (7540U, Radeon 740M, OLED display) is available for around 800 euros in Germany.

The second generation of the ThinkPad E16, a 'basic' ThinkPad now offers decent graphics performance. And in other respects, the whole thing looks like a true ThinkPad that's only inferior to its higher-quality and more expensive brethren in a few respects.

An efficient, fast system for working in a calm, quiet environment, its comes with worse-than-desired display and keyboard.

The ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 with the Ryzen 5 7535HS, 32 GB RAM and a 1 TB SSD which is the SKU that we tested is available at Campuspoint for just under 900 euros in Germany. The E16 Gen 2 powered by the Intel Core Ultra 5 125U which is identical in all other respects costs ~70 euros more at Playox, among other options.

If you don't need all the fancy and expensive features of a traditional ThinkPad, the ThinkBook 16 G7 is a more affordable but still reasonably good option, especially for SMBs. Its efficient Core Ultra 5 CPU is a highlight, while the 1,200p base panel is a bit of a disappointment.

The ThinkBook 16 G7 is a quiet machine with all the basic office laptop features, plus it's slim and light enough for an occasional trip without being too flashy for use in a professional setting.

The system can be purchased directly from Lenovo.