Best Laptops for Less Than $1000: Can They Get the Job Done?

Would you spend $12,000 on a portable computer that weighs nearly 20 pounds? Unlikely. But that's exactly what people who bought Compaq's Portable 386 did in 1987, when the luggable was introduced.

Fortunately, today's laptops are way faster, far lighter, and much, much cheaper. In fact, you can buy a good-quality laptop for $1000 or less--but you will have to make some compromises, of course.

For example, many $1000-or-less laptops include only basic productivity software, such as Microsoft Works, as opposed to Microsoft Office. Still, if you haven't shopped for a laptop lately, you might be surprised at how far a thousand bucks can take you.

The following guide provides three current examples of laptops in the $1000 ballpark, with links to PCW ratings and our Shop & Compare pricing tool. (Keep in mind that online prices fluctuate constantly and laptop models come and go quickly.) The second part of this guide offers tips on how to configure a laptop for $1000 or less.