Whether you are a beginner or a professional programmer, a reliable and adequately spec’d laptop is necessary for you. It will not only help you to compile the codes faster but to make your projects productive. As you know the field of software and technology is evolving more rapidly than ever hence, the programmers need to write codes that powers the technology and are easily executable. On the other hand, Artificial intelligence and automated commands are improving day by day so the need for faster hardware has been increased. Software developers need to install a number of programs / IDEs to work on to and if they work with large Datasets, a good Ram and high internal storage is essential. A good display screen and a comfortable keyboard is also crucial as you’ll most probably be looking at your screen for hours and writing a lot of code.
The question that arises here is how to choose the best laptop for programming? Because the market is saturated with different laptop brands and models, so choosing the most suitable one is quite difficult. Bear in mind that not all programming laptops are expensive, hence people who are running tight on a budget can afford them too. This article is the right resource from where you can get the best laptop recommendation for programming in 2021. We have covered eight such laptops, so it’s time to read on and pick one according to your needs.
Product Name | Specifications | Rating | Check Price | |
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 | Screen size: 15.6” | |||
 | Screen size: 15.6” | |||
 | Screen size: 15.6” |
Apple MacBook Pro Latest
New Apple MacBook Pro with its stunning 16” display and fast speed comes first on our list because it has plenty of RAM and a powerful processor. If you are an iOS developer, you’ll need the Macbook to write/compile your codes and test your applications.
Improved Thermal Design
Apple understands the importance of proper heat dissipation that’s why it has improved this process, making the processor run faster. There is a significant increase in airflow( 28%) which along with an advanced cooling system makes your device work smoothly during heavy workloads.
Thunderbolt 3
What a programmer most specifically looks at in a laptop is its speed. Here is another exciting feature of the MacBook Pro, a thunderbolt port that can easily be used for external hard drives. Its latest version is thunderbolt 3 which can only be found in modern laptops and can increase the speed by up to 40 Gbps
Retina Display
The 16” Retina display of MacBook Pro comes in a range of very high resolution by which you can see 25% more colors. Moreover, the graphic card can read and compile the codes fastly thus making it the topmost choice of programmers.
- Extended battery life
- Quite and comfortable keyboard
- Better performance due to improved airflow
- Bigger display
- USB-C port
- Slightly heavier
Microsoft Surface Pro 7
Microsoft Surface Pro 7 is best-in-class laptop with the versatility of a studio and tablet, so you can type and touch as per your convenience. It will also help your apps to simulate on different screen sizes and a long battery life gives you the freedom to code for anywhere even away from a power socket.
Versatility
Microsoft surface pro 7 is a 2-in-1 laptop which means you can easily switch from laptop-to-tablet and vice versa. It enables you to use your precious time in completing your projects while traveling.
Eye-friendly display
Microsoft Surface Pro has a bright screen with a higher resolution which can display more lines of codes and better-looking text thus, help the graphics developers to read them easily. In addition, due to the ambient light sensing, the brightness is automatically adjusted when you use it in the dark.
Fast charging
Being a programmer, you know the value of time, thus a fast-charging laptop can save you precious time and offers you hassle-free working. As programming or coding is a time taking process and you need to run your laptop for a long time, Surface Pro 7 is best for you. It takes around 40-50 minutes to charge 50% of the battery.
- Strong and sturdy frame
- Bright screen with outstanding color balance
- Instant charging
- Strong processor
- Lightweight
- Separate price of keyboard and surface pen
Dell Inspiron 15
Dell Inspiron is a rugged machine which inspires coders to convert their imagination into reality. Its beautiful design and impressive features make it one of the most demanding laptops.
Thin and lightweight design
It is considered one of the thinnest and lightweight designs that is furnished with modern features. A programmer can easily take this laptop anywhere to accomplish his/her tasks.
H-class processor
A programming laptop should have a powerful processor so that you can easily run all the programs you use to code. For example, if you are an Android Developer, you need to install heavy software like Android Studio and Emulator on your laptop and for this, the Dell Inspiron is the best choice. The H-class processor of this laptop is highly responsive and powerful enough to perform multitasking.
Maximum productivity
For professionals who want maximum output and productivity of their work, Dell Inspiron is a perfect fit. Its 256GB SSD enables it to run all the difficult operations and gives super-fast output to the user.
- Great for the price
- Quick navigation between web pages
- Lightweight
- Slim and sleek design
- Fast processing
- Not very long battery timings
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon
The latest-gen 8 Thinkpad is considered one of the best laptops for programming in 2021 because of its ability to compile the codes fastly. You can install software that is usually required to code like Visual studio, Sublime text, Netbeans, etc. on this laptop as its 8GB RAM can run these heavy softwares efficiently.
Purposeful design
When you look for a laptop with easy to handle design and shape, Lenovo 8th gen can be the best choice. it allows you to spend hours working on it.
Robust software security
Why I consider this laptop superior to regular laptops is its higher security. A young or a professional programmer never wants their data to be exposed or hacked so this would be the best choice for them.
Holistic performance
Thinkpad X1 is structured with Intel Core I3 10510 processor which makes this laptop deliver fast performance. A coder will definitely prefer a laptop with fast speed and strong endurance.
- Fast charging
- Outstanding battery life
- Excellent resolution
- Highly responsive keyboard
- Smooth touchpad
- Quite costly
ASUS VivoBook 15
It is stylish looking, has 8GB storage and its battery can last for 2-3 hours. This beautifully designed laptop is packed with many outclass features that a programmer looks for.
Ergolift design
As a programmer has to spend hours in front of the computer, a comfortable typing position is necessary. By keeping your comfort in mind, ASUS has engineered this masterpiece with an Ergolift hinge. Now you can tilt the keyboard in any position you want.
Nano edge display
Well, ASUS brings good news for graphics programmers by introducing Nano edge display in its Vivobook which makes their multi-tasking convenient and gives extra viewing comfort.
Full-size keyboard
A coder has to do a lot of typing work because creating and running codes takes too much time. A full-sized keyboard is the necessary part of your laptop on which you can freely move your fingers and enjoy hassle-free working.
- Decent Backlit keyboard
- Fast fingerprint reader
- Pre-installed Windows 10
- Lightweight plastic frame
- Affordable price
- The touchpad is a bit too sensitive
- Average display
HP Pavilion 15
HP is one of the oldest computer manufacturers and it’s a reliable brand. This laptop is perfect for web and basic mobile apps development projects. Its larger display, outstanding performance, and advanced technology make it a decent laptop for programming.
Multi-core technology
The performance improvement can be get by the multi-core processor of the laptop. This is what a programmer must consider before buying a coding laptop. This laptop model by HP has many cores that work separately to give outclass outcomes.
Compact design
A compact laptop can be used repeatedly anywhere you want. Most of the modern laptops are aesthetically beautiful but delicate too by which you can’t take them everywhere but the HP Pavilion laptop keeps you worry-free in this regard.
Faster performance
After performing many tests on the HP Pavilion laptop, we came to know that its stunning performance is super fast thus considered the best choice for web and mobile app developers.
- Instant responsiveness
- Improved multitasking
- Easy to customize
- Lighter than traditional models
- Latest features
- Fan gets loud after some time
LG Gram
The 17 inches screen size is big enough to show you all of your work in a good way. Moreover, LG Gram Laptop is equipped with many latest features that are required to meet your needs.
Tough metal body
Unlike other laptops that come with a plastic body, the LG Gram laptop has a robust metal frame by which you can use it anywhere. You can keep it with you as long as you want and you will never regret your purchase.
Fingerprint recognition
Fingerprint touch is necessary to keep your device safe and secure thus, LG has equipped this beautiful model with a super-sensitive fingerprint touch.
Impressive screen size
The reason you prefer a laptop over a tablet is the screen size because a large glossy display can grab your attention quickly. You can easily see the output of your commands over the screen and enjoy continuous working.
- Fingerprint reader for security
- Thunderbolt 3 Transfer, Charge and Display at Once
- Smooth trackpad
- Good keyboard visibility
- Fantastic battery life
- Poor after sales support and driver support
Huawei MateBook X Pro
Huawei MateBook X Pro is the most underrated yet perfect combination of power, portability, processing, and comfort. Its fantastic keyboard and sleek and slim design are specifically made for the programmers who have to work 24/7 to accomplish their tasks.
Ultra-slim
The reason we call it ultra-slim is its weight which is only 2.93 Ibs. This little workhorse is full of power and functionality and gives you 40% more performance than its predecessor.
One-touch power button
How quick it is to log-in to your computer within seconds. Matebook X comes with this magical power button which is hypersensitive to your touch and gives you fast output over touching.
High-resolution display
A laptop with a super high-resolution display like the Huawei MateBook X Pro doesn’t hurt your eyes. Moreover, its impressive visuals and extra pixels make it one of the brilliant electronic machines. It is the best choice for graphics developers or programmers who want their screen to display better colors and contrast.
- Sensitive fingerprint touch
- Better performance
- Well equipped with modern features
- Efficient storage
- Easy to carry
- Battery life could be better
Buying guide
Here are the things that you should consider before buying a programming laptop:
Processor
The quad-core processor or the processor with multiple cores are the best for loading the codes and compiling your projects fastly. Laptops powered by Intel i5 or i7 processor work best for programmers.
RAM
RAM is the 2nd thing a programmer needs to consider because the more RAM your laptop will have, the more efficiently it will work. It should be 8GB or more to run the programs and give you high performance.
Hard Drive or Solid State drive
A laptop with SSD is better than HDD especially if you are purchasing it for programming. The reason behind preferring SDD is that it is faster than HDD and found mostly in high-quality modern laptops. The recommended SSD for a programming laptop is 256GB or more.
Battery life
If your laptop is equipped with a powerful and long-lasting battery, it will help you in many ways. firstly, you will not be bound to work near to the electrical outlet and second, you can take your laptop anywhere like a park or a café, etc. You can work in these places and get new ideas because some people feel it boring to stay alone in the room and work.
Conclusion
We have done extensive research and found these high spec’d laptops best for programming in 2021. Remember that not all of these are expensive instead some are mid-priced but furnished with the necessary features for programming like Lenovo X1 Carbon and Huawei Matebook X Pro.
Similarly, software developers who need to work with large Datasets and need a lot of processing speed can pick Apple MacBook Pro which is expensive though but can carry serious coding jobs. We hope after reading this article, you will be able to get a complete idea about the latest programming laptops and pick the one according to your requirements.
