The 5 Best Laptops for Programming Reviewed
Programming requires laptops with better specs than others. This is due to the nature of the work. The best laptops for programming should have a powerful processor, plenty of RAM, an ergonomic keyboard, and a high-resolution display. Programmers spend a large portion of their working day typing code and staring at complex information on a screen. Laptops for programming need to be able to accommodate this with speed, convenience, and comfort.
There are also minimum system requirements when it comes to programming. You need whichever laptop you choose to be able to keep up with you while you work. Laptops for programming must provide you with the support you need. If you’re looking for a new laptop, here is an overview of some of the best laptops for programming.
Best Laptops for Programming
1. Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme
Lenovo introduced its own competitor into the 15” market and the ThinkPad X1 Extreme is it. Its main drawback being a slightly shorter battery life, the ultrafast ThinkPad X1 Extreme is more than capable of running several programs at once and is ideal for both programmers and gamers.
If you’re in need of a more powerful laptop, then look no further as the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme has a 2.6 GHz Intel Core i7 processor combined with a 16GB DDR4 RAM and 512GB SSD. It’s therefore got loads of memory and programmers or gamers alike won’t experience any lagging with it.
Although the screen is pretty large, it’s still a slim and lightweight device making it easily portable. The layout of the keyboard is also well thought out for such a slim laptop, and it only weighs 3.8lbs. Its presentation still follows the classic sleek Lenovo ThinkPad design, with the signature red trim and branding.
The high-resolution display makes one of the best laptops for programming. The colors and details are of the highest quality. The performance of the graphics unit is also very impressive. It boasts a 4GB NVIDIA GeForce GPU which is ideal for programming. There are also plenty of ports for business users who need to connect to monitors, smartphones, or other peripherals.
The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme is also incredibly secure and durable. It has been tested to military-grade standards for both durability and security. It’s even been proven to withstand high altitudes, excessive humidity, and challenging temperatures. The security measures of the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme include a discreet TPM 2.0 chip and IntelvPro technology. All in all, the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme is a good all-round for programmers.
- Dazzle yourself & others; amazing audio; listens to your every word
- Supported Docking-ThinkPad Thunderbolt Workstation Dock (Docking station sold separately)
2. Apple MacBook Pro
The new Apple MacBook Pro provides a seamless experience to programmers with a number of new features based on previous customer feedback. These include the processor and image resolution on the retina display. The new model has several upgrades making it one of the best laptops for programming. It’s one of the most powerful and innovative machines on the market.
The Apple MacBook Pro also has a giant amount of storage between the 512GB SSD and 16GB of DDR4 RAM. This combined with the 9th generation processor is an incredible powerful configuration that can cope with all your programming needs. Some tweaks have also been made to the keyboard for better performance while typing. These include the addition of the Esc button and the means to prevent dust from stopping the keys from responding.
Programmers need to be able to type comfortably and analyze detailed images on the screen. The Apple MacBook Pro also boasts a strong graphics card. It’s been upgraded to an AMD Radeon Pro 5300M with a GDDR6 VRAM GPU. This is very useful and makes it one of these more important specifications in laptops for programming.
If you’re interested in the sound system it also has a six-speaker system along with force-canceling woofers. This is ideal for things like gaming as it really enhances your experience of the audio. It also has a decent battery life of up to 11 hours, so it’s ideal if you’re working on the go. This is the configuration you need to look for ideally when choosing laptops for programming. The combination of power, memory, and graphics is optimum.
- Ninth-generation 6-Core Intel Core i7 Processor
- Stunning 16-inch Retina Display with True Tone technology
- Touch Bar and Touch ID
- AMD Radeon Pro 5300M Graphics with GDDR6 memory
- Ultrafast SSD
3. MSI GP65 Leopard
The MSI GP65 Leopard is designed as a gaming laptop but its specs mean it’s also ideal for programming. It has incredibly accurate colors and high-resolution imaging making it the best screen for a laptop in this price range. The MSI range is known for its mid-tier gaming laptops, but the GP65 boasts the best display yet.
It’s not exactly a thin or light laptop, but it’s portable, weighing about 5lbs. It is, however, quite compact for its size due to the thin bezels around the screen. It’s pretty average as far as size goes for a gaming laptop of this level. There’s still room for plenty of ports to connect to of which the best include dedicated microphone and headphone jacks, and 4 USB ports, two of which are USB 3.2 Gen 2. It’s, therefore, very convenient for business use as well as gaming.
The keyboard is good quality as well which is important on laptops for programming as it involves a lot of typing. The keys offer good traveling, spacing, and a customizable backlight per key. The touchpad is also smooth and accurate. All in all, it’s a good laptop for spending a long time typing.
The main appeal of the MSI GP65 Leopard is the quality of the display. Its DELTAE2000 score is an impressive 1.6 which rivals top-end laptops for gaming. Viewing angles are also excellent and it’s easy to see the screen with the light coming from various directions. Its matter finish helps to prevent glare and the backlighting is strong enough to combat sunlight and other bright lights. Overall, it’s an ideal laptop for programming. There are many display, graphics, and typing features that would be greatly appreciated by gamers and programmers alike.
- 15.6" FHD (1920x1080) 120Hz IPS-Level NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti 6G GDDR6
- Core i7-10750H 2. 6 - 5. 0GHz Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201(2*2 ax)
- 512GB NVMe SSD 16GB (8G*2)DDR4 2666MHz 2 Sockets Max Memory 64GB
- USB 3 2 Gen2 Type C *1 USB 3 2 Gen1 *2 Steel Series per-Key RGB with Anti-Ghost key+ silver lining 720p HD Webcam
- Win 10 Multi-language Giant Speakers 3W*2 6 cell (51Wh) Li-Ion 230W
4. Dell G5 5590
The Dell G5 5590 is another mid-range gaming laptop that is also suitable for programming due to its impressive specifications. The 8th Gen Intel Core i7 processor means powerful performance and you’ll also have plenty of storage with 1 TB SATA and 256 GB SSD.
It’s also great for business use because it has several ports to connect devices using the Thunderbolt 3 multi-use port, featuring a USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type C port. It also boasts high transfer speeds for both files and display.
One of its key features is the thermal engineering behind the cooling system. The Dell G5 5590 has a dual-fan system ensuring this powerful laptop never overheats. This is displayed proudly as innovative technology. There’s even a small clear window you can look through to see this at work.
NVIDIA graphics are also included making it perfect for both gaming and programming. The Dell G5 5590 also has a long-lasting battery which may bump up the price a little, but it’s well worth it. The aim of Dell was to provide better performing components to put together a better laptop overall, and this seems to have worked.
By ditching the unnecessary frills, Dell has managed to focus on what’s really important regarding performance. The Dell configuration system can sometimes vary so it’s a good idea to check out what they’ve got on offer at the time. You don’t want to miss a deal on one of the best laptops for programming.
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5. Lenovo Yoga
The latest Lenovo Yoga 710-15 is an ultraportable, reasonably priced 2-in-1. It only weighs in at just over 4lbs and for a 15” laptop, it’s pretty sleek with minimal bezels around the screen. It’s convertible nature also means it’s easy to use on the go. Busy programmers can take it wherever they need to work, and it can be flipped at any time for convenience.
The specifications are also great for programming. It boasts a 7th generation processor with plenty of SSD card memory and RAM. It also has a functioning touch screen that delivers fast performance. Lenovo has also come up with a way to address the problem of unreliable WiFi connections. The Lenovo Yoga 710-15 has an internal antenna that integrates into the hinge and covering a larger area. This means a stronger and more stable signal.
It’s a very flexible device and there are four ways in which you can use it. These are laptop, stand, tent, or table. However you choose to work, you’ll be able to find a comfortable position. If you need to change to a different position this is quick as easy, and could even boost your productivity. The more comfortable you are at work, the more likely you’ll be able to focus on what you need to do.
- 7th Gen Intel Core i5-7200U (2. 5GHz, 3M Cache, Turbo up to 3. 10 GHz, Dual Core, Four Threads), 8 GB DDR4 memory, 256 GB Solid State Drive, Intel HD Graphics 620.
- 15. 6" Full HD 1920 x 1080 10-point multitouch screen; 360-degree flip-and-fold design; LED backlight.
- Weighs 4. 45 lbs. and measures 0. 7" thin; Ultraportable design, omitting the DVD/CD drive for compact form factor. 4-cell lithium-polymer battery.
- Fingerprint reader, HD webcam with two microphones; WiFi 802. 11 ac; Bluetooth 4. 1; USB 3. 0; Headphone/microphone combo jack; 2 x JBL stereo speakers with Dolby Audio Premium.
- Windows 10 Home, 8 hour battery life.
Laptop vs. Desktop for Programming
There has been much debate over whether laptops or desktops are better for writing code. To more information about this topic, watch this video:
Conclusion
These are some of the best laptops for programming on the market at the moment. Whether you’re a professional programmer or just starting out, look for laptops with similar specs to ensure they meet the requirements you need to do your best work.