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Laptop Radar

Updated Nov 6, 2026

Best laptop for programming up to $1,500 dollars today

Today’s picks

  1. The best up to $1,500
    score 7.9

    Core i7-13650HX64 GB RAM1.024 GB

    $1,059

    No history yet · today

    Amazon: the cheapest today

    Who it’s for: Programming · Gaming

    Pros: Costs 55% less than similar models; Dedicated graphics card; 64 GB of RAM

  2. Best value
    score 7.0

    Core Ultra 716 GB RAM512 GB

    $1,200

    No history yet · today

    Amazon: the cheapest today

    Who it’s for: Programming · Photo and video editing

    Pros: 16 GB of RAM; 512 GB SSD

    Cons: No dedicated graphics card

  3. The cheapest worth buying
    score 6.9

    Core i7-12700H32 GB RAM1.024 GB

    $1,100

    No history yet · today

    Amazon: the cheapest today

    Who it’s for: Programming · Photo and video editing

    Pros: Costs 31% less than similar models; 32 GB of RAM; 1 TB SSD

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The best laptop for programming up to $1,500 today is the Asus ROG Strix G16 16″ Core i7-13650HX RTX 4060, $1,059 (score 7.9).

All models: Laptops for programming up to $1,500

See the 24 highest-scoring modelsHide the list
Models in the segment, from highest score to lowest
ModelPriceScoreBuy
Asus ROG Strix G16 16″ Core i7-13650HX RTX 406064 GB · 1 TB SSD$1,059at Amazon7.9Buy on Amazon
HP Omnibook 14″ Core Ultra 5 226V16 GB · 512 GB SSD$1,400at Amazon7.6Buy on Amazon
Dell 15 15.6″ Core i7-1355U32 GB · 1 TB SSD$1,400at Amazon7.1Buy on Amazon
Acer Swift Go 14″ Core Ultra 716 GB · 512 GB SSD$1,200at Amazon7.0Buy on Amazon
Lenovo ThinkPad P15v Gen 3 15.6″ Core i7-12700H32 GB · 1 TB SSD$1,100at Amazon6.9Buy on Amazon
Acer Aspire Go AG15-42P-R0CT-CA 15.6″ Ryzen 7 7730U16 GB · 1 TB SSD$950at Amazon6.7Buy on Amazon
Dell Latitude 7430 14″ Core i7-1265U32 GB · 1 TB SSD$824at Amazon6.5Buy on Amazon
Asus Vivobook 15.6″ Core 7 150U16 GB · 512 GB$1,050at Amazon6.5Buy on Amazon
MSI Thin A15 15.6″ Ryzen 5 7535HS RTX 305016 GB · 512 GB SSD$1,199at Amazon6.4Buy on Amazon
Dell Inspiron 15 3530 15.6″ Core i5-1334U16 GB · 512 GB SSD$1,150at Amazon6.0Buy on Amazon
Lenovo ThinkPad E16 16″ Core i7-1165G716 GB · 512 GB SSD$1,499at Amazon6.0Buy on Amazon
Asus Vivobook 14″ Core i5-1334U16 GB · 512 GB SSD$880at Amazon5.8Buy on Amazon
Asus Vivobook 17.3″ Core 516 GB · 512 GB SSD$1,049at Amazon5.8Buy on Amazon
MSI Modern 15.6″ Core i5-1334U16 GB · 512 GB SSD$1,200at Amazon5.8Buy on Amazon
Asus Vivobook 15.6″ Core 5 32016 GB · 512 GB$1,300at Amazon5.8Buy on Amazon
MSI Thin 15.6″ Core i5-12450H RTX 205016 GB · 512 GB SSD$1,476at Amazon5.8Buy on Amazon
Acer Aspire Lite AL15-41P-R64M-CA 15.6″ Ryzen 7 5700U16 GB · 512 GB SSD$840at Amazon5.7Buy on Amazon
Acer TravelMate P2 14″ Core 5 120U16 GB · 512 GB SSD$1,095at Amazon5.7Buy on Amazon
Lenovo IdeaPad 15.6″ Core i5-1155G716 GB · 512 GB SSD$1,130at Amazon5.2Buy on Amazon
Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 2 14″ Core i5-1145G716 GB · 512 GB SSD$485at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Acer Aspire Lite 15.6″ Ryzen 7 5700U2 versions · 16 GB a 32 GB of RAM · 512 GB a 1 TB$840at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 14″ Core i7-1185G716 GB · 512 GB$879at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Dell Latitude 5401 14″ Core i7-9850H16 GB · 512 GB SSD$987at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Dell Inspiron 15.6″ Core i7-1355U16 GB · 1 TB$1,160at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon

Laptops for programming up to $1,500 in numbers

How much it costs

Half of the 32 laptops cost up to $1,179; the range with the most models is from $1,000 to $1,200, with 12.

How many models there are in each price range, from $400 to $1,600. Half cost up to $1,179; across the whole catalog, the median is $1,155.1 model between $400 and $6007 models between $800 and $1,00012 models between $1,000 and $1,2008 models between $1,200 and $1,4004 models between $1,400 and $1,6001071284$400$800$1,200$1,600
  • half cost up to $1,179
  • whole catalog: $1,155
See the table by price range
Laptops for programming up to $1,500 by price range, against the whole catalog
Price rangeModels in the segmentIn the catalogMedian score of the segmentMedian score of the catalog
Under $8101824.5
$810 to $1,20019366.25.9
$1,200 to $1,80012386.07.0
$1,800 to $2,7000337.7
Over $2,7000278.4
See these models on the price and score map

What changed

This is the first check with history for this segment. Radar checks prices every day: from the next one on, this section shows what got cheaper, what got more expensive and what came in or left.

Brands

6 brands have a model here; Lenovo has the most, with 7 models.

and 1 brand more

Confirmed features

Counts only what each model’s listing confirms.

  • 4 of 32 have a confirmed dedicated graphics card

  • 3 of 32 have a 120 Hz or higher screen confirmed

  • 1 of 32 has an OLED screen confirmed

Against the whole catalog

  • +2%median price above the catalog’s
  • −0.7median spec score: 6.0 vs 6.7
  • 15%of the catalog: 32 of 216 models
See the full table
Laptops for programming up to $1,500 against the whole catalog
IndicatorLaptops for programming up to $1,500Whole catalogDifference
Models3221615% of the catalog
Median price$1,179$1,155+2%
Median score6.06.7−0.7 ponto
Lowest price$485$320+$165
Highest price$1,499$8,499−$7,000

What the numbers say about laptops for programming up to $1,500

  • Versions: 2 models have more than one version within the selection, from 512 GB to 1 TB. The model’s price is that of the cheapest version; the others appear on the card and in the list.
  • Raising the budget to up to $1,800, best by spec sheet becomes o Dell Inspiron 15 3530 15.6″ Core i7-1355U: score 8.1 at $1,719, 0.2 point higher the leader of this range (Asus ROG Strix G16 16″ Core i7-13650HX RTX 4060, score 7.9 at $1,059).

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How to read these numbers

Pick 1, best score for the price: Asus ROG Strix G16 16″ Core i7-13650HX RTX 4060, $1,059 at Amazon, on 06/11/2026. The median price of the 32 models on the list is $1,179.

How we choose
  • The picks combine a high rating and a price in line with the list: each one fits a way of spending, a use, or the brand that shows up most. The pros and cons come from each model’s spec sheet.
  • Stores: Amazon. We include stores we read every day through an open source or an affiliate program: the Radar collection, the Amazon catalog and the factory price database. A store that failed to load today is left out.
  • The same model in two stores is only merged with a catalog code, GTIN or the manufacturer’s full code. When in doubt, only one store is kept. A price far from the collected one (below 60% or above 150%) is left out.
  • Amazon appears without a price, only with the link: we don’t read Amazon prices in bulk.

Next step

See each laptop on the chart

Open the chart already filtered to Laptops for programming up to $1,500.

Frequently asked questions

Which is the best laptop for programming up to $1,500 today?

Today it is the Asus ROG Strix G16 16″ Core i7-13650HX RTX 4060, for $1,059 (score 7.9).

Which laptop for programming up to $1,500 has the best value today?

The Acer Swift Go 14″ Core Ultra 7, for $1,200 (score 7.0).

Which laptop for programming up to $1,500 costs less without losing spec score?

The Lenovo ThinkPad P15v Gen 3 15.6″ Core i7-12700H, for $1,100 (score 6.9).

How much does a laptop for coding (16 GB of RAM, 512 GB and a Core i5, Ryzen 5 or better processor) and a price up to $1,500 cost?

In the Nov 6, 2026 catalog, the median price of the 32 models in the segment is $1,179, and prices range from $485 to $1,499. The final price is the one at the store.

Which laptop for coding (16 GB of RAM, 512 GB and a Core i5, Ryzen 5 or better processor) and a price up to $1,500 has the highest score?

Among the models in the segment on Nov 6, 2026, the highest spec score is the Asus ROG Strix G16 16″ Core i7-13650HX RTX 4060: 7.9, at $1,059. The one with the lowest price is the Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 2 14″ Core i5-1145G7, at $485. Spec score doesn’t measure real-world performance or durability.

How does the Radar count the models in this segment?

Models whose specs list 16 GB of RAM or more, 512 GB or more and a Core i5, Ryzen 5 or better processor, with a lowest collected price up to $1,500, are included. Each model counts once: if it has more than one version within the rule, the price is that of the cheapest version and the others show on the card.

Laptops for programming up to $1,500: what changes compared with the whole use?

This page looks only at models that pass the "laptops for programming" rule and have a price up to $1,500. To see all the ranges for that use, open the use overview; to see all uses in the range, open the price range overview.

Is it worth spending more than $1,500?

Raising the budget to up to $1,800, best by spec sheet becomes o Dell Inspiron 15 3530 15.6″ Core i7-1355U: score 8.1 at $1,719, 0.2 point higher the leader of this range (Asus ROG Strix G16 16″ Core i7-13650HX RTX 4060, score 7.9 at $1,059). Compare on the chart before deciding: the score comes from the spec sheet and doesn’t measure real-world performance or durability. Data from Nov 6, 2026.

How does the Radar choose the laptops on the "best score for the price" line?

From cheapest to most expensive, the laptop that has a higher spec score than all the cheaper ones in the segment makes the line. Anything that costs more and has an equal or lower score is left out. The line doesn’t say which laptop to buy: it only shows which ones don’t lose on both score and price at once.

How often does this page change?

Every day, with each collection: numbers, chart, ranking and the "What changed" section are rebuilt with the day’s catalog. This edition is from November 6, 2026.

Read next

Where the numbers come from

Lowest price seen for the product on Amazon.ca, delivered to Toronto M5V 3L9, on the day it was read, before GST/HST.

The price is the one recorded on the date shown. The spec score doesn’t measure real-world performance or durability.

Data from Nov 6, 2026.