Best Laptops for Programming Students 2018
Finding the best laptop for programming is not an easy task. As best laptop for coding requires power, performance, and ability to be work. There are a significant number of notebooks for programming available in the market right now, some of them are expensive and some are budget friendly. It all depends on what you really need to code on the go. So, what are the best laptops for programming and coding you should look for?
Here is our comprehensive guide to help programming students as well as developers to answer all your questions and help you to find out best laptop for coding and programming.
But, before you proceed further with list of best laptops for developers 2018, you need to check few important things –
Important things to consider before buying a laptop for programming
When you are looking for a laptop for programming then the price tag is not enough. There are many things you should check. Here are some recommendations you should consider before buying a programmers laptop:
Processor – When looking for the best laptop for programming, considering the power of CPU is extremely important. As you have to manage heavy programming task, you need a laptop Intel i7 quad-core processor. If you don’t want an Intel processor, you can get a laptop that has a newer AMD processor. If you are beginner programmer and have a limited budget the laptop with an i5 processor will get the job done.
Display – Unlike with a graphic design laptop, you’ll need a laptop with high resolution (i.e. 1920 x 1080) for programming and coding work. A laptop with IPS panel is mostly preferred over TN boards. For convenient use, a 15-inch screen size is ideal for programming and coding.
Graphics Card – For most programming purposes, the graphics card isn’t terribly important. A laptop with 2GB dedicated graphics are enough for programming and gaming but if you are in gaming development then you need powerful dedicated graphics card such as Nvidia.
RAM and Storage – More is the RAM and hard drive, more programs you’ll be able to run simultaneously. For programming, we recommend at least 8 GB of RAM for programming laptop. 12GB+ RAM is preferred if you’re in gaming development. For best coding laptop, we recommend the capacity of at least 1 TB HDD or 256 GB SSD.
Battery Life – Battery is another crucial factor to consider when you’re buying a laptop for programming and gaming. As a programmer, you have to spend a lot of time in coding, then you need a day-long battery life. As an ideal programming laptop, it should have 12-14 hours of battery life so that you don’t need to spend most of your time near an electrical outlet.
So those are the things you need to know before look for the best laptop for programming and coding. We hope you might have got all your doubts cleared now. If you are ready, let’s start with list of best laptops for programming and coding 2018.
Top 8 Best Laptops For Programming
1. ASUS ZenBook UX550VE-DB71T – Most Recommended Laptop for Coding
ASUS ZenBook is the best option in our list of best laptops for programming for those who are looking for a powerful machine with a thin and lightweight design. The ASUS ZenBook UX550 comes with sleek 4 lbs matte black aluminum body and tons of power for far less than high-end competitors like the 15-inch MacBook Pro. It is actually a gaming laptop with powerful hardware performance which makes it also suitable for programming and coding.
It is powered by 7th generation Intel i7-7700HQ quad-core processor with 16GB of DDR4 RAM to handle your multitasking. The laptop is also featured with 512GB of SSD and a 4GB dedicated graphics processor in the form of NVidia GeForce GTX 1050 TI. With a 15.6-inch backlit touchscreen LED display, it delivers HD resolution. Apart from this, the laptop offers a long lasting battery life of up to 14 hours allows you to work without worrying about its charging. Overall, ASUS ZenBook is a perfect programming laptop for hard-core graphics programmers and avid gamers.
| Hardware Specifications of ASUS ZenBook UX550VE-DB71T Laptop | |
| Processor | 7th Generation Intel i7-7700HQ Quad Core Processor (Turbo up to 3.8GHz) |
| RAM | 16GB DDR4 |
| Storage | 512GB SSD |
| Display | 15.6″ FHD IPS (1920 x 1080) Touchscreen Display |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 TI 4GB Graphics |
| Operating System | Windows 10 |
| Battery Life | Up to 14 hours |
| Weight | 4 lbs |
2. Acer Aspire E15 – Best Budget Laptop for Programming
Whether it’s graphic designing, programming or gaming, the Acer Aspire E15 all-rounder and best affordable laptop available in the market. It is the best selling and most recommended laptop for students on Amazon. It is powered by the latest 8th generation Intel Core i5 processor which make it capable of handling intense computations associated with programming. The laptop has 8GB of RAM, 256GB of SSD and powerful NVidia GeForce MX150 2GB DDR5 graphics card.
The laptop comes with a 15.6-Inch full HD display widescreen LED IPS display which gives you plenty of screen real estate to code complex applications. The Acer Aspire E15 runs on Windows 10 which makes it suitable for programmers and developers. It also has an extra RAM slot that you can expand according to your need. Apart from that its 12 hours of battery life is a huge plus. All these features make the Acer Aspire E15 best budget laptop for programming 2018.
| Hardware Specifications of Acer Aspire E E5-576G-81GD Laptop | |
| Processor | 8th Generation Intel Core i7-8550U Processor (Turbo Up to 4.0GHz) |
| RAM | 8GB DDR4 |
| Storage | 256GB SSD |
| Display | 15.6″ FHD IPS (1920 x 1080) Display |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce MX150 with 2GB memory |
| Operating System | Windows 10 Home |
| Battery Life | Up to 15 hours |
| Weight | 5.27 lbs |
3. Dell XPS 15 Best Laptops for Game Developers
This 15-inch coding beast is excellent for programmers in terms of portability and performance. The Dell XPS 15-inch laptop comes with a solid well constructed portable design. It comes with an Intel Core i7 quad-core processor paired with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of Solid state drive. The design is not different as of Dell XPS 13 and its build quality is great although it’s designed with silver color aluminum chassis which gives it a premium touch. Dell is claiming that it is the only laptop with 100% minimum Adobe RGB display which makes it an ideal laptop for game developers and graphics programmers.
The laptop sports three thunderbolt multi-use port and two USB 3.0 ports that allow you to connect to multiple devices. The laptop also comes with a standard backlit keyboard, so you can do programming even in low-light or no-light rooms. Overall, the Dell XPS9560 is perfectly fit for your every need and hence it is one of the best laptops for programming and developers.
| Hardware Specifications of Dell XPS9560-7001SLV-PUS Ultrabook | |
| Processor | 7th Generation Intel Core i7-7700HQ Quad Core Processor (Up to 3.8GHz) |
| RAM | 16GB DDR4 |
| Storage | 512GB SSD |
| Display | 15.6-inch 4K Ultra HD (3840 x 2160) InfinityEdge touch display |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 with 4GB GDDR5 |
| Operating System | Windows 10 Home |
| Battery Life | Up to 10-hours |
| Weight | 3.9 pounds |
Dell Inspiron i5577-5335BLK-PUS is another great laptop for programming. It comes with Intel Core i7-7700HQ Quad Core processor paired with 8GB of RAM, 1TB HDD + 128GB SSD drive and GTX 1050 graphics card. It has 15.6-inch FHD (1920 x 1080) IPS display. This laptop is best for game developers and graphics programmers. Click here to see full details.
4. Apple 15″ MacBook Pro Best Programming Laptop For Apple Developers
Although MacBook Pro is an expensive choice but if you are a true MacBook lover and want to take your programming experience to the next level then this Apple 15 MacBook Pro would be a great choice for you. This is the newest version of Apple MacBook Pro that comes with high-performance processors and cutting-edge graphics.
It is powered by 7th-Generation Intel quad-core i7 processor paired with the 16GB of RAM and 256GB of SSD. The Apple MacBook Pro 15 features a 15.4-inch IPS Retina display, and the screen resolution is 2880×1800 that give you a better viewing angle on the outdoor usage. As it runs on MacOS Sierra, it means you get a smoother performance no matter what. The only down part of this laptop is that it sports only USB-C ports. You need to buy an additional USB-C SD reader to connect your SD card. But it does provide solid performance for coding and other needs.
| Hardware Specifications of Apple 15″ MacBook Pro | |
| Processor | 7th-Generation Intel Quad Core i7 Processor 2.8GHz |
| RAM | 16GB 2133MHz LPDDR3 |
| Storage | 256GB SSD |
| Display | 15.4″ FHD Retina (2880×1800) Display |
| Graphics | Radeon Pro 555 with 2GB memory |
| Operating System | MacOS Sierra |
| Battery Life | Up to 12-hours |
| Weight | 6.4 lbs |
5. Apple MacBook Air 13 Best Mac for Programming Students
MacBook Air is yet another powerful programming laptop from Apple developers. If you just want to stick with MacBook but have a limited budget, then MacBook Air is perfect for you. It has unibody design which weighs only around 3 lbs. It is a perfect laptop for programming students who are looking for the productivity and portability at the same time.
It is equipped with 1.8 GHz Intel Core i5 dual-core processor, 8GB of RAM and 128GB of SSD which is powerful enough to run all your coding software and emulators easily. The laptop comes with 13.3-inch screen retina display gives you plenty of screen real estate to code complex applications. The laptop has two USB 3.0 ports and one Thunderbolt 2 port which makes it a complete package for programming and development. In our list, t is one of the best laptops for programming you can buy at affordable price.
| Hardware Specifications of Apple MacBook Air 13.3″ Laptop | |
| Processor | Intel Core i5 1.8 GHz Dual-core Processor |
| RAM | 8GB of 1600 MHz LPDDR3 RAM |
| Storage | 128GB SSD |
| Display | 13.3” Full HD (1440 x 900) Retina Display |
| Graphics | Integrated Intel HD Graphics 6000 |
| Operating System | macOS Sierra |
| Battery Life | Up to 12 hours |
| Weight | 2.96 lbs |
6. Acer Swift 3 Latest Version
The Acer Swift 3 is another mid-range laptop available in the market with powerful features. The laptop comes with latest 8th generation Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB RAM and 256GB of SSD. The configuration points to a laptop that is suitable for beginner programmers. It also comes with Intel HD graphics 620 which make it an ideal laptop for programming students.
This Acer Swift 3 model has 15.6-Inch full HD IPS display with 1920 x 1080 resolution which gives you clarity from wide viewing angles. It also comes with a backlit keyboard which lets you get stuff done whether its day or night. The battery delivers 10 hours of runtime, and the Windows 10 operating system helps to improve workflow and increase productivity. All-in-all, this affordable laptop is extremely well equipped for programmers and developers.
| Hardware Specifications of Acer Swift 3 Laptop | |
| Processor | 8th Generation Intel Core i5-8250U Processor (Up to 3.4GHz |
| RAM | 8GB DDR4 |
| Storage | 256GB SSD |
| Display | 15.6″ Full HD (1920 x 1080) widescreen IPS display |
| Graphics | Intel HD Graphics 620 |
| Operating System | Windows 10 Home |
| Battery Life | Up to 10 hours |
| Weight | 4.63 lbs |
Recommended Read – Best High-Performance Gaming Laptops Under $1500
7. HP Pavilion 15″ Notebook
We are including this laptop in this list because we are satisfied with its high-end performance. This HP Pavilion series laptop comes with latest 8th generation Intel Core i7 processor with clock speed of 1.8GHz. With NVIDIA GeForce 940MX graphics, this machine is capable of giving quality results. It has 5GB of DDR4 RAM and 256GB of solid state drive so you can store and retrieve information quickly.
The laptop has 15.6-inch full HD display with 1920 x 1080 resolution. With IPS display, the screen is clearly visible from any angle with a clear image. The laptop sports full backlit keyboard which is designed for comfort and especially useful for the long hours needed to programming codes. It is portable and allows you to work from anywhere. With its long battery life, you can stay productive for long hours. Hence it is a good laptop for coding and developers as well.
| Hardware Specifications of HP Pavilion 15″ Notebook | |
| Processor | 8th Generation Intel Core i7-8550U Processor (Turbo up to 4.0GHz) |
| RAM | 8GB DDR4 |
| Storage | 256GB SSD |
| Display | 15.6″ FHD IPS (1920 x 1080) Display |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce 940MX 4GB |
| Operating System | Windows 10 Home |
| Battery Life | Up to 11 hours |
| Weight | 4.67 lbs |
8. ASUS VivoBook Pro N705UD-EH76 Ultrabook
This ASUS Vivobook Pro is a powerful gaming laptop with premium and sleek design that double as some of the best laptops for programming. If you are looking for a laptop with a mixture of aesthetic brilliance and value for money in terms of performance, this ASUS Vivobook is the best choice for you. It is powered by 7th generation Intel Core i7 processor paired with 16GB of RAM which is good enough to handle multitasking for you.
For storage, the laptop comes with faster SSD of 512GB. Speaking of the keyboard, it is excellent one considering 15-inch lightweight ultrabook. It runs on the latest Windows 10 operating system which makes it compatible with all type of programming software applications. The other features include 1 x USB Type-C, 2 x USB 3.1, HDMI and a built-in card reader which makes it a complete package for in all ways.
| Hardware Specifications of ASUS VivoBook Pro N705UD-EH76 Ultrabook | |
| Processor | 7th Generation Intel Core i7-7700HQ 2.8GHz (Turbo up to 3.8GHz) Quad-Core Processor |
| RAM | 16GB DDR4 |
| Storage | 512GB SSD |
| Display | 15.6” Full HD (1920×1080) Display |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 4GB |
| Operating System | Windows 10 |
| Battery Life | Up to 11 hours |
| Weight | 5 lbs |
Picking the one ‘best laptop for programming’ would be unviable. It all depends on your own experience and usage whether a machine is best fit for you or not. With a premium display, HD graphics, fast processor, it perfectly sums up what best laptops for programming should offer.
We think our short review of programming laptops will help you to find the best machine. If you still need any suggestions or guidance related to the laptops, feel free to ask and leave a comment below.