Is 1000 thread count actually good?

Not necessarily, and a number that high is often a marketing trick. Thread count is the number of threads per square inch, and quality genuinely improves only up to roughly 200 to 600. To advertise 1000, manufacturers usually twist multiple thin, lower-grade plies together and count each one, inflating the figure without improving the fabric. A well-made 300 to 500 thread count sheet in good cotton almost always feels better than a 1000 count made from cheap multi-ply yarn.