Programming plays a vital role in this digital epoch as it provides a way for us to communicate with machines and computer systems. From a digital alarm clock that wakes us in the morning and a coffee machine that makes coffee for us at a push of a button to smartphones and smartwatches, every gadget is instructed to perform a specific activity via programming. As the usage of these electronic devices is increasing day by day, programming skill remains at the top of the list. Therefore, programming is a skill that you can learn in this technology-driven world to excel in your professional career.
But what exactly is programming? Well, programming or computer programming is the process of writing an executable computer program. Alternatively, programming is the means to communicate with computers or devices and instruct them to perform a particular task. To start learning to program, the most important thing that you need is a laptop that offers sufficient computing power to create and compile programs quickly and easily.
If you are looking for a laptop for programming and wondering how to pick the best one, you have landed at the right place. In this article, we will talk about some of the best laptops for programming and highlight their specifications and prices. But prior to it, we shall discuss what one must consider before choosing a laptop for programming. So, without further ado, let us begin!
How to Choose the Best Laptop for Programming?
While choosing a laptop for programming, you need to consider the following points:
- Your laptop should have a powerful processor and high-performance RAM so that it can quickly compile and execute code.
- Another important component that you need in your programming laptop is a solid-state drive (SSD). In general, SSD is much faster than the hard disk drive (HDD), and it will save you time while accessing files and projects.
- Your laptop should have a high-resolution screen so that you feel comfortable even if you work for long periods. In addition, a high-resolution screen cuts down on scrolling since you can see more code at once.
- Since programming requires you to type a lot of code, it is essential that your laptop should have a keyboard that is comfortable and responsive.
10 Best Laptops for Programming to Use
Here is a curated list of the best laptops for programming, and you can choose one that best suits your needs and budget.
1. Apple MacBook Pro M1 14-inch
Specifications:
- Operating System: macOS 12 Monterey
- CPU: Apple M1 Pro
- Graphics Card: 14-core GPU
- Screen: 14-inch Liquid Retina XDR display
- RAM: 16 GB
- SSD Storage: 512 GB
Apple’s MacBook Pro 14-inch is one of the best laptops to use for programming. It incorporates the blazing-fast M1 Pro chip that offers long battery life of up to 17 hours and groundbreaking performance. With this laptop, you can easily manage 8K video editing, render complex scenes in 3D, and quickly compile code. It has an 8-core CPU that delivers up to 3.7x faster performance, 14-core GPU that delivers up to a 3.7x faster performance for graphics-intensive apps and games, and 16-core Neural Engine that provides up to 11x faster machine learning performance than its previous generations.
This laptop has all the ports you need, including an HDMI port, three Thunderbolt 4, an SDXC card slot, and a MagSafe 3 port. In addition, it comes with a Liquid Retina XDR display and a six-speaker sound system with spatial audio. The Apple MacBook Pro M1 14-inch has a Touch ID, making it easier for you to access your secured documents, make a purchase on the Apple Store or Apple TV, and unlock your MacBook without entering your password.
Pricing: Apple MacBook Pro M1 is available in Silver and Space Grey colors at $2368.01.
You can buy this laptop from here .
2. Google PixelBook Go M3 13.3-inch Chromebook
Specifications:
- Operating System: Chrome OS
- CPU: Intel Core m3
- GPU: Intel UHD Graphics 615
- Screen: 13.3-inch Full HD or 4K LCD
- RAM: 8 GB
- SSD Storage: 64 GB
Google PixelBook Go M3 is Google’s latest Chromebook packed with plenty of features. It has an amazing battery life and you go unplugged for up to 12 hours. It is a lightweight laptop, which is easy to carry. Moreover, it starts up within seconds, and the 8th Gen Intel Core Processor delivers exceptional performance. Google PixelBook Go M3 incorporates a Titan C security chip and has a built-in antivirus software that protects your data and keeps your passwords safe. You can experience great comfort using this laptop even in the dark because of its backlit keyboard and Hush key.
Also, the touchpad is so spacious and accurate that it requires you only to use a light touch. An HD touchscreen display and dual stereo speakers of this laptop provide a fantastic picture and sound quality for video calls, watching movies, or editing photos.
Pricing: Google PixelBook Go M3 is available only in black color, and its price is $539.99.
You can buy this laptop from here .
3. HP Spectre x360 (2020) 13.5-inch
Specifications:
- Operating System: Windows 10 Home
- CPU: Intel Core i7
- Graphics Card: Intel Iris Xe Graphics
- Screen: 13.5-inch OLED 3K2K Touch Display
- RAM: 16 GB
- SSD Storage: 1 TB
HP Spectre x360 11th generation laptop is a great fit for business and personal use with a long-lasting battery life of 12 hours. It is a thin, portable, and lightweight laptop. You can perform different tasks associated with programming, such as compiling code, booting the operating system, launching applications, etc., quickly.
The best feature of the HP Spectre x360 is that it has a touchscreen with stylus support. Moreover, the Intel Iris Xe graphics card provides an exceptional experience for faster video editing and the creation of 3D content. The Intel Dynamic Tuning Technology automatically adjusts power to avoid battery drain and overheating. This laptop comes with two Thunderbolt 4 with USB4 Type C ports, one SuperSpeed USB Type-A port, and one headphone jack.
Pricing: HP Spectre x360 11 th generation laptop is available at $1,994.99.
You can buy this laptop from here .
4. Apple MacBook Air M1 13.3-inch
Specifications:
- Operating System: macOS 10.14 Mojave
- CPU: Apple M1
- Graphics card: Integrated 8-core GPU
- Screen: 13.3-inch Retina Display with True Tone
- RAM: 8GB
- SSD Storage: 256 GB and 512GB
Another best laptop for programmers offered by Apple is its MacBook Air M1. It is supercharged by the Apple M1 chip. This Apple M1 system on a chip (SoC) is a single tiny chip consisting of 16 billion transistors and integrates the CPU, GPU, Neural Engine, and I/O. The Apple M1 chip comes with an 8-core CPU delivering 3.5x faster performance than the previous generations. With a superfast 8 GB of unified memory, you can quickly and easily perform tasks, like multi-tab browsing and opening large graphics files. The best part of this laptop is its astounding battery life that lasts up to 18 hours.
One of the best features of the MacBook Air M1 is its touch ID that allows you to lock or unlock your MacBook with a single touch of your finger. Also, you can simply use your fingerprint to access system settings, secure documents, buy an app, and rent a movie. The MacBook Air M1 has two Thunderbolt 4 ports for charging, data transfer, and connecting to other devices. Also, it has one headphone jack.
Pricing: Apple MacBook Air M1 is available in three different colors, namely silver, gold, and space grey. Also, there are two variants of this laptop in terms of storage capacity. The below table highlights the prices of the laptop depending on the color and storage capacity:
| Color/Storage Capacity | 256 GB | 512 GB |
| Gold | $999 | $1011.12 |
| Silver | $897 | $1197.50 |
| Space Grey | $1019 | $918.49 |
You can buy this laptop from here .
5. Microsoft Surface Book 3 13.5-inch Touchscreen
Specifications:
- Operating System: Windows 10 Home
- CPU: Intel Core i7
- Graphics card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 with Max-Q Design w/4GB GDDR5
- Screen: 13.5-inch PixelSense Display
- RAM: 16 GB, or 32 GB
- SSD Storage: 256 GB or 512 GB
Microsoft Surface Book 3 is a robust surface laptop that is 50% faster than Microsoft Book 2. It ensures high performance for graphics design, application development, video and social content creation, and immersive gaming. The laptop comes with a surface pen that enables you to write, draw, and navigate on the screen. Also, it offers an excellent battery life of up to 15.5 hours and comes with improved standby that extends the battery life when you are away.
Microsoft Surface Book 3 comes with the ports for all the connections you need. It has one USB-C port and two USB-A ports with a full-size SD card slot. Moreover, it comes with 2 Surface Connect ports; one on the base and the other on the tablet, and one headphone jack.
Pricing: You can buy this laptop with a capacity of 512 GB and a configuration of i7/32 GB at $2599. Also, you can get it with a capacity of 256 GB and a configuration of i7/16 GB at $2349.
You can buy this laptop from here .
6. Dell XPS 15 7590 15.6-inch
Specifications:
- Operating System: Windows 10
- CPU: Intel Core i7
- Graphics card: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 4GB GDDR5
- Screen: 15.6-inch 4K UHD OLED InfinityEdge anti-reflective
- RAM: 16 GB
- SSD Storage: 256 GB
Dell XPS 15 7590 is yet another best laptop for programming. It is Dell’s smallest performance laptop that comes with an OLED display option. It is a robust laptop that is ideal for programmers, gamers, and creators. Also, it is one of the slimmest 15.6-inch laptops that offer exceptional performance. This laptop comes with one Thunderbolt 3 with Power Delivery and Display Port, one HDMI port, two USB ports, and one universal audio jack. In addition, it consists of one slot for one SD-card reader and one wedge-shaped lock slot. Furthermore, Dell XPS 15 7590 has brilliant sound clarity, deeper bass, greater volume, and 3D sound with Waves MaxxAudio Pro.
The OLED display of this laptop comes with self-lighting pixels that can turn off completely to achieve perfect black for higher contrast, which makes content appear on the screen with breathtaking details, especially in dark areas.
Pricing: This laptop is available for $1999.
You can buy this laptop from here .
7. LG Gram 17 Ultra-Light 17-inch
Specifications:
- Operating System: Windows 10
- CPU: Intel Core i7
- Graphics card: Intel Iris Plus
- Screen: 17-inch WQXGA
- RAM: 16 GB
- SSD Storage: 512 GB
As its name suggests, LG Gram 17 Ultra-Light laptop is a lightweight laptop with a large 17-inch display screen. Therefore, this laptop is ideal for programmers who need to spend most of their time in front of the laptop screen for writing code. Though it has a widescreen, this laptop is extremely lightweight to carry anywhere. Since this laptop comes with an Intel Core i7 processor and Intel Iris Plus graphics card, it ensures ultimate performance.
Also, it offers a long-lasting battery backup of 17 hours. LG Gram 17 comes with a Thunderbolt port that allows you to connect up to a 5K display and transfer data up with a speed of 40 Gbps. With this laptop’s backlit keyboard, you can effortlessly write your code even in dark environments. Also, it comes with a touch ID feature that enables you to log in securely with your fingerprint.
Pricing: LG Gram 17 Ultra-Light is available for $1,387.99.
You can buy this laptop from here .
8. ASUS Chromebook Flip C436 14-inches Touchscreen
Specifications:
- Operating System: Chrome OS
- CPU: Intel Core i5
- Graphics card: Intel UHD
- Screen: 14-inch touchscreen Full HD 4-sided NanoEdge Display
- RAM: 16 GB
- SSD Storage: 512 GB
ASUS Chromebook Flip C436 is another ultra-light laptop with a four-sided NanoEdge display design. This laptop lets you stay productive for the whole day with its long-lasting battery life of 14 hours. It is an ideal high-performance Chromebook for content creators and programmers. The most stunning feature of this laptop is its durable 360-degree ErgoLift hinge, which allows you to flip the touchscreen display to use it in the tent, stand, and tablet modes.
It incorporates four high-quality stereo speakers that deliver amazing sound and comes with two USB Type-C ports. In addition, this laptop has a backlit keyboard and a fingerprint sensor on the power button.
Pricing: This laptop is available for $961.02.
You can buy this laptop from here .
9. Microsoft Surface Pro 8 13-inch Touchscreen
Specifications:
- Operating System: Windows 11
- CPU: Intel Core i7
- Graphics Card: Intel Iris Xe Graphics
- Screen: 13-inch PixelSense Flow display
- RAM: 16 GB
- SSD Storage: 1 TB
Microsoft Surface Pro 8 is a robust laptop that satisfies all your coding needs. Not only is this laptop ideal for programmers but also for graphic designers, illustrators, and many other professionals. You can even use this laptop as a tablet and fix it at an angle between a laptop and tablet mode. Plus, you will get an iconic Kickstand that makes it easier for you to fix the laptop at any angle. This laptop is the first laptop-to-tablet PC built on the Intel Evo platform. It is equipped with a powerful Intel Core i7 processor that enables you to carry out multiple tasks simultaneously.
Moreover, it comes with two USB-C and Thunderbolt 4 ports and one dedicated charging port. You can even buy Surface Slim Pen 2 to write, sketch, and navigate on the laptop, just like you do with a pen on paper. Other accessories that you can buy with this laptop are Surface Arc Mouse and Surface Earbuds.
Pricing: This laptop is available for $2,231.35.
You can buy this laptop from here .
10. Acer Aspire 5 15.6-inch
Specifications:
- Operating System: Windows 10 Home
- CPU: Intel Core i5
- Graphics card: Intel Iris Xe Graphics
- Screen: 15.6-inch Full HD IPS Display
- RAM: 8 GB
- SSD Storage: 256 GB
Acer Aspire 5 is also an ultra-thin, high-performance laptop for programmers and is ideal for video editing, gaming, programming, and photo editing. It has a premium feel and appearance due to its slim body and aluminum top cover. This laptop has a long-lasting battery life that lets you go unplugged for more than 12 hours. You can connect various peripheral devices with your laptop since it provides multiple ports, including one USB Type-C and two USB 3.2 HDMI. With any one of the USB ports, you can even charge your mobile devices. Furthermore, this laptop has top-grade sound quality since it comes with Acer True Harmony.
Pricing: This laptop is available for $629.99.
You can buy this laptop from here .
Conclusion
So this was our curated list of the best laptops for programming available out there. All the laptops mentioned above have long-lasting battery life, maximum storage capacity, fast RAM, and provide a great experience to programmers. Each laptop has amazing features and is the best in its own way. Whether you wish to work on Windows 11, Windows 10, macOS, or ChromeOS, our list has covered all of them. If you are looking for a laptop with Chrome OS, you can choose between ASUS Chromebook Flip C436 and Google PixelBook Go M3.
We have also listed two options of macOS, namely Apple MacBook Air M1 and Apple MacBook Pro M1. If you wish to work on Windows 11, you can choose Microsoft Surface Pro 8. For Windows 10, you can make a pick from the remaining ones.
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