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Laptop Radar

Updated Nov 10, 2026

Best laptop for programming up to $2,800 dollars today

Today’s picks

  1. The best up to $2,800
    score 9.1

    Asus

    ROG Strix G18 G815 18″ Core Ultra 9 275HX RTX 5070

    Core Ultra 9 275HX32 GB RAM1.024 GB

    $2,599

    No history yet · today

    Amazon: the cheapest today

    Buy on Amazon
    Notify me if it dropsMore details

    Who it’s forProgramming · Gaming

    ProsDedicated graphics card

  2. Best value
    score 8.7

    MSI

    Crosshair 18 HX 18″ Core Ultra 9 275HX RTX 5070

    Core Ultra 9 275HX16 GB RAM1.024 GB

    $1,999

    No history yet · today

    Amazon: the cheapest today

    Buy on Amazon
    Notify me if it dropsMore details

    Who it’s forProgramming · Gaming

    Pros23% below similar · IPS screen

  3. Top pick from Acer
    score 8.8

    Acer

    Predator Helios Neo 18″ Core Ultra 9 RTX 5070 Ti

    Core Ultra 932 GB RAM2048 GB

    $2,768

    No history yet · today

    Amazon: the cheapest today

    Buy on Amazon
    Notify me if it dropsMore details

    Who it’s forProgramming · Gaming

    ProsDedicated graphics card

Partner store links: the Radar may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. How we make money

The best laptop for programming up to $2,800 today is the Asus ROG Strix G18 G815 18″ Core Ultra 9 275HX RTX 5070, $2,599 (score 9.1).

All models: Laptops for programming up to $2,800

See the 24 highest-scoring modelsHide the list
Models in the segment, from highest score to lowest
ModelPriceScoreBuy
Asus ROG Strix G18 G815 18″ Core Ultra 9 275HX RTX 507032 GB · 1 TB SSD$2,599at Amazon9.1Buy on Amazon
Apple MacBook Pro 16.2″ Apple M5 Pro24 GB · 1 TB SSD$2,750at Amazon9.1Buy on Amazon
Apple MacBook Pro 14.2″ Apple M52 versions · 16 GB a 24 GB of RAM · 1 TB$1,799at Amazon8.9Buy on Amazon
Asus Zenbook Duo 14″ Core Ultra 932 GB · 1 TB$1,910at Amazon8.8Buy on Amazon
Acer Predator Helios Neo 18″ Core Ultra 9 RTX 5070 Ti32 GB · 2 TB SSD$2,768at Amazon8.8Buy on Amazon
Acer Predator Helios Neo 14.5″ Core Ultra 9 RTX 507032 GB · 1 TB SSD$1,824at Amazon8.7Buy on Amazon
MSI Crosshair 18 HX 18″ Core Ultra 9 275HX RTX 50703 versions · 16 GB a 32 GB of RAM · 1 TB a 2 TB$1,999at Amazon8.7Buy on Amazon
Asus ROG Strix G16 16″ Core Ultra 9 RTX 5070 Ti32 GB · 1 TB SSD$2,781at Amazon8.7Buy on Amazon
MSI Katana A15 15.6″ Ryzen 9 8945HS RTX 407032 GB · 1 TB SSD$1,700at Amazon8.6Buy on Amazon
Apple MacBook Pro 16.2″ Apple M4 Pro24 GB · 512 GB SSD$2,499at Amazon8.6Buy on Amazon
Acer Predator Helios Neo 16″ Core Ultra 9 RTX 5070 Ti16 GB · 1 TB SSD$2,200at Amazon8.5Buy on Amazon
MSI Katana 15 HX 15.6″ Core i7-14650HX RTX 507032 GB · 1 TB SSD$1,899at Amazon8.4Buy on Amazon
MSI Venture A16 16″ Ryzen 9 27032 GB · 2 TB SSD$1,199at Amazon8.3Buy on Amazon
Apple MacBook Air 15″ Apple M52 versions · 16 GB a 32 GB of RAM · 512 GB$1,299at Amazon8.3Buy on Amazon
MSI Katana 15.6″ Core i7-14650HX RTX 507016 GB · 1 TB SSD$1,586at Amazon8.3Buy on Amazon
Apple MacBook Air 13″ Apple M52 versions · 16 GB a 24 GB of RAM · 512 GB a 1 TB$1,099at Amazon8.2Buy on Amazon
MSI Cyborg 15.6″ Core Ultra 7 268V RTX 507016 GB · 1 TB SSD$1,509at Amazon8.2Buy on Amazon
MSI Vector 16 HX 16″ Core Ultra 7 255HX RTX 5070 Ti3 versions · 16 GB a 32 GB of RAM · 512 GB a 1 TB$1,647at Amazon8.2Buy on Amazon
Acer Nitro V 16S 16″ Ryzen 7 260 RTX 506032 GB · 1 TB SSD$1,400at Amazon8.1Buy on Amazon
MSI Modern 15.6″ Core i9-13900H32 GB · 1 TB SSD$1,100at Amazon8.0Buy on Amazon
MSI Cyborg 15.6″ Ryzen 7 260 RTX 507016 GB · 1 TB SSD$1,699at Amazon7.9Buy on Amazon
MSI Katana 15.6″ Core i7-13620H RTX 407016 GB · 1 TB SSD$1,599at Amazon7.8Buy on Amazon
MSI Cyborg A15 15.6″ Ryzen 7 260 RTX 505016 GB · 1 TB SSD$1,249at Amazon7.7Buy on Amazon
MSI Thin 15.6″ Ryzen 7 7735HS RTX 405064 GB · 4 TB SSD$2,259at Amazon7.7Buy on Amazon

Laptops for programming up to $2,800 in numbers

How much it costs

Half of the 45 laptops cost up to $1,280; the range with the most models is from $500 to $1,000, with 14.

How many models there are in each price range, from $500 to $3,000. Half cost up to $1,280; across the whole catalog, the median is $767.14 models between $500 and $1,00012 models between $1,000 and $1,50011 models between $1,500 and $2,0004 models between $2,000 and $2,5004 models between $2,500 and $3,00014121144$500$1,000$1,500$2,000$2,500$3,000
  • half cost up to $1,280
  • whole catalog: $767

Cheapest $550 Acer Aspire Go 15″ Ryzen 5

Most expensive $2,781 Asus ROG Strix G16 16″ Core Ultra 9 RTX 5070 Ti

See the table by price range
Laptops for programming up to $2,800 by price range, against the whole catalog
Price rangeModels in the segmentIn the catalogMedian score of the segmentMedian score of the catalog
Under $6002464.94.1
$600 to $9006166.56.1
$900 to $1,30016187.06.9
$1,300 to $2,00013188.38.4
Over $2,0008168.79.1
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

5 brands have a model here; MSI has the most, with 21 models.

Confirmed features

Counts only what each model’s listing confirms.

  • 28 of 45 have a confirmed dedicated graphics card

  • 27 of 45 have a 120 Hz or higher screen confirmed

  • 4 of 45 have an OLED screen confirmed

Against the whole catalog

  • +67%median price above the catalog’s
  • +1.3median spec score: 8.0 vs 6.7
  • 39%of the catalog: 45 of 114 models
See the full table
Laptops for programming up to $2,800 against the whole catalog
IndicatorLaptops for programming up to $2,800Whole catalogDifference
Models4511439% of the catalog
Median price$1,280$767+67%
Median score8.06.7+1.3 ponto
Lowest price$550$200+$350
Highest price$2,781$4,999−$2,218

What the numbers say about laptops for programming up to $2,800

  • Versions: 5 models have more than one version within the selection, from 512 GB to 4 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 $3,300, best by spec sheet becomes o Asus ROG Strix SCAR 16″ Core Ultra 9 275HX RTX 5080: score 9.2 at $3,300, 0.1 point higher the leader of this range (Asus ROG Strix G18 G815 18″ Core Ultra 9 275HX RTX 5070, score 9.1 at $2,599).
Size

Pick a size. Applies to all pages

How to read these numbers

Pick 1, best score for the price: Asus ROG Strix G18 G815 18″ Core Ultra 9 275HX RTX 5070, $2,599 at Amazon, on 10/11/2026. The median price of the 45 models on the list is $1,280.

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 $2,800.

See laptops for programming up to $2,800 on the chart

Frequently asked questions

Which is the best laptop for programming up to $2,800 today?

Today it is the Asus ROG Strix G18 G815 18″ Core Ultra 9 275HX RTX 5070, for $2,599 (score 9.1).

Which laptop for programming up to $2,800 has the best value today?

The MSI Crosshair 18 HX 18″ Core Ultra 9 275HX RTX 5070, for $1,999 (score 8.7).

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 $2,800 cost?

In the Nov 10, 2026 catalog, the median price of the 45 models in the segment is $1,280, and prices range from $550 to $2,781. 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 $2,800 has the highest score?

Among the models in the segment on Nov 10, 2026, the highest spec score is the Asus ROG Strix G18 G815 18″ Core Ultra 9 275HX RTX 5070: 9.1, at $2,599. The one with the lowest price is the Acer Aspire Go 15″ Ryzen 5, at $550. 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 $2,800, 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 $2,800: 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 $2,800. 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 $2,800?

Raising the budget to up to $3,300, best by spec sheet becomes o Asus ROG Strix SCAR 16″ Core Ultra 9 275HX RTX 5080: score 9.2 at $3,300, 0.1 point higher the leader of this range (Asus ROG Strix G18 G815 18″ Core Ultra 9 275HX RTX 5070, score 9.1 at $2,599). 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 10, 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 10, 2026.

Read next

Laptops for programming: median of $1,415Laptops up to $2,800: median of $660Laptops for programming up to $2,600: median of $1,229Laptops for programming up to $2,500: median of $1,209Laptops for programming up to $3,300: median of $1,289Laptops for programming up to $2,000: median of $1,158Laptops for programming up to $1,900: median of $1,100Laptops for programming up to $1,800: median of $1,099All Radar overviewsOverview of new laptops: price, score and brandSee laptops for programming up to $2,800 on the chart
Where the numbers come from

Lowest price seen for the product on Amazon.com, shipped to New York 10001, on the day it was read, before sales tax.

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

Data from Nov 10, 2026.