The AMD Ryzen 5 3550H processor can be overclocked for fantastic speeds. Beautiful display on a 15.6-inch screen that features ComfyView and Full HD IPS resolution. Fantastic audio features and microphone for an immersive gaming experience. 256GB SSD offers incredible memory, teamed with 8GB of DDR4 memory. CONS. 1440P / 165Hz. Our Rating: 8.6/10. Check Price on Amazon. This Acer Nitro 17 model is our pick for the best gaming laptop for $1,000. And, while it technically comes in at ~$50 over $1,000, it has some significant feature upgrades over the other option on this list that make it worth considering. Asus Vivobook 15 X515JA 15.6" Laptop. Perfect for everyday tasks, the Asus Vivobook 15 X515JA has of power thanks to its Intel® Core™ i3 processor and 8 GB of RAM. With an impressive 15.6” screen, your eyes won’t feel the strain thanks to its full HD NanoEdge display with a special anti-glare coating. Its battery won’t let you down All in all, the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15 is a fantastic budget laptop for programming. It offers fantastic performance that will help you power through demanding programming projects, enormous 2TB storage, and a large full HD screen. For under $1000, you’ll be hard-pressed to find anything better. View On Amazon. Best all-rounder: HP Pavilion SE 14 – check price. Best 2-in-1: HP Chromebook x2 11 – check price. Best budget Chromebook: Asus Chromebook Plus CX34 – check price. Best 15-inch budget laptop 1 day ago · Best budget laptop overall: Dell Inspiron 14 ; A great budget laptop with more power, but fewer features: Acer Aspire 5 (A514-54-501Z) Best budget Chromebook: Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5i (13-Inch) The Best Cheap Laptops We’ve Tested We’ve tested lots of affordable Windows laptops, Chromebooks, and 2-in-1 tablets. You don’t have to spend more than $700 to get a good computer. Today’s best Christmas gaming laptop deals. ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo 16 – Save 36% now! CORSAIR – Voyager a1600 16” 240Hz Gaming Laptop QHD – Save $500. ASUS – ROG Zephyrus 14” WQXGA 120Hz Gaming Laptop – Save $550. Acer Predator Helios 300 Gaming Laptop – Save $85 NOW! jMlS.