Programmers use different kinds of laptops that can handle complex tasks quickly and have powerful, easy-to-use keyboards that make them comfortable. But which laptops are best for them? Let’s explore here.
Whether a beginner or pro-level developer (programmer), you need a laptop with seamless operations, durable build quality, fast performance, and an easy-to-use keyboard. Bright screen resolution is one of the priority features for many screen users. Preferably, you’d need a minimum of 16GB of RAM to start and a fast CPU that can compile and test your code faster. For example, a game developer would need a laptop with dedicated Nvidia or AMD graphics processors instead of integrated graphics that come with most general laptops. GPUs can reduce the load on the main processor and can work faster with graphical content creation either in games or other graphic works like video, image editing, etc.
Different tests have been performed on multiple laptops for programmers in terms of device specs, battery life, speed and performance, screen and picture quality, weight, dimensions, and overall designs over the range of Apple, Windows, and Chrome laptops.
1. Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch,2023
Specification:
| CPU | Apple M2 Pro 10-Core – M2 Max 12-Core |
| Graphics | Integrated 16-Core – 30-core GPU |
| RAM | Up to 96GB |
| Screen | 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR display |
| Storage | Up to 8 TB |
Reasons to Buy
- Almost 20 hours of battery life
- The best quality screen on the laptop
- New M2 Pro and M2 Max chips
Reasons not to buy
- Small screen for many users
- Expensive for a low-budget
Brief Details:
Apple’s 14-inch MacBook Pro is the best choice for creative and complex coding and mathematical tasks. Its M2 Pro or M2 Max-powered processors are very powerful and equally have awesome battery life. The XDR display is best for some simulation kind of work, as it has 1600 nits of brightness. The SD card slot, HDMI port, and three Thunderbolt 4 ports for necessary peripherals.
Along with the above specs, its stunning screen, excellent speakers, and built-in microphones make it a workstation for programmers. In every aspect, the MacBook Pro 14-inch is the top choice for all kinds of programmers. However, if your overall tasks do not include many advanced-level complex tasks, then for a medium workload, MacBook Air (M1 or M2) is best for you.
2. Dell XPS 15 (9530) – 2023
Specifications:
| CPU | Intel Core i7-12700H |
| Graphics | Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 Ti Mobile |
| RAM | 16GB DDR5 |
| Screen | 15.6-inch 3.5K (3,456 x 2,160p), 60Hz, OLED, 400 nits, non-touch |
| Storage | 1TB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD |
Reasons to buy
- Long battery life and OLED Touch screen
- GeForce RTX 40 Series GPUs
- Great Build quality
Reasons not to Buy
- Not suitable for complex games
- Expensive for beginners
- 720p Webcam
- USB-C ports only
Brief Details:
The solidly built device, with Nvidia GeForce RTX 40 Series silicon GPUs and 13th generation model, keeps its predecessor’s (Dell XPS 15 2022) premium-metal-and-carbon-fiber design, and gorgeous edge-to-edge display makes it potential for the best performance. Dell XPS 15 is one the best laptops for a range of users, including programmers, DevOps, UI/UX designers, and business users. Another flagship in this series is the Dell XPS 17 (9730), with a 17-inch 4k touch-display option and four Thunderbolt ports.
Dell XPS 15 is not cheap as its prices start at £1,999 / $2,299 for a notebook with a high-resolution screen. However, it’s more affordable than a MacBook. Its OLED displays have 16:10 aspect ratios, which deliver extra vertical space. Its Thunderbolt ports and an SD card slot make it unique, but there’s no HDMI output and no full-size USB connectivity.
3. HP Spectre x360 14 (2024)
Specifications:
| CPU | Intel Core Ultra 7 155H |
| Graphics | Intel Arc Graphics |
| RAM | 32GB DDR5 7,467MHz RAM |
| Screen | 14-inch 2880×1800 16:10 120Hz OLED display |
| Storage | 2TB NVMe Micron SSD |
| Ports | Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports x2, USB-A port, combo audio port |
| Networking | Wi-Fi 6E AX211 (2×2) and Bluetooth 5.3 |
Reasons to buy
- OLED Display unit with quad speakers
- Intel Arc GPU for best performance
- Great Build quality with metal chassis
Reasons not to Buy
- Not suitable for complex games
- GPU upgrades not offered
- Limited ports selection
Brief Details:
If you want processing power akin to the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M32023), behold the HP Spectre x360 14 (2024). It offers a better user experience because of its 120Hz 2.8 OLED display measuring 2,880×1,800 pixels, ample keyboard, and extensive touchpad. It has a 4K webcam, Wi-fi 7, and several ports, including two USB-C/Thunderbolt 4s plus a 2-in-1 convertible, i.e., tablet and screen modes. It also supports pen input for handwriting. You can have a flavor of Intel core Ultra 5 or Ultra 7 CPU and a battery life of up to 11 hours of light use.
The display HP now puts in laptops has changed from earlier models with a square 3:2 screen to a more versatile 16:10 aspect ratio screen. The HP Spectre x360 14 is among the few laptops with onboard graphics that I’d recommend, even for a price of nearly $2000. Its initial cost was £1,099 in the UK and AU$2,039 in Australia.
4. Alienware m17 R5 AMD
Specifications:
| CPU | Octa-core AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX 3.3GHz (4.9GHz boost), 16 threads |
| Graphics | 12GB AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT (discrete), AMD Radeon 680M (integrated) |
| RAM | 32GB DDR5 @ 4800MHz |
| Screen | 17.3” 3840 x 2160, 120Hz, 3ms refresh |
| Storage | 1TB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD |
Reasons to buy
- Awesome performance
- Large screen for multiple tasks
- Sharp design with clever cooling technology
Reasons not to Buy
- AMD processors are quite expensive
- Limited battery on graphics and gaming
- Heavy and bulky chassis
Brief Details:
Programmers like to work on large screens, which Alienware m17 R5 AMD provides with high-end specs for all kinds of programming and coding tasks. Its high-resolution (3840 x 2160 pixels) screen makes it very sharp, too. Its clever cooling paths and well-laid ports make it great for quality build. Its keyboard is great but missing a numpad.
The downside is its weight, but it is a 17-inch display with solid build quality and an unspectacular battery life. For $3,650, You can equip it with an impressive 64GB of RAM, a 4TB M.2 NVMe SSD, a 480Hz FHD (1920 x 1080) display, and a powerful Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti graphics card.
Its high-resolution display, with a 120Hz refresh rate, 3-millisecond response time, and 332 to 435 nits, makes it sharp for bright visuals. Thus, the powerful processor and GPU combo make this a dual threat for video and photo editing applications and high-performing programming and coding tasks.
5. Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme
Specifications:
| CPU | Intel Core i7-12800H (six P-cores, eight E-cores) |
| Graphics | 12GB AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT (discrete), AMD Radeon 680M (integrated) |
| RAM | 16GB 4,800 MHz DDR5 (2 DIMMs) |
| Screen | 16-inch 3840×2400 IPS touchscreen (283 PPI) |
| Storage | 1TB NVMe SSD |
| Ports | 2x Thunderbolt 4, 2x 5Gbps USB-A, SD card reader, HDMI 2.1, headphones |
Reasons to buy
- Great keyboard, screen, and trackpad
- Better port selection compared to Dell XPS 15 and Apple’s MacBook Pros
- Faster Nvidia GPU options
- 165 Hz 4k Display
Reasons not to Buy
- Little hot and load compared to gaming laptops
- No OLED Screen
- Resolution downgrade within a few years.
Brief Details:
If you have an unstoppable workload related to complex tasks and programming, Lenovo’s ThinkPad X1 Extreme is one of the programmer-friendly laptops.
The X1 Extreme has a solid graphics card, robust carbon fiber, and an aluminum build. It comes with Intel’s 12th-generation Alder Lake CPUs but sticks to the same RTX 3000-series GPUs from Nvidia and similar storage and memory configurations.
The X1 Extreme offers reasonable upgrade options, including DDR5 RAM slots and dual M.2 SSD slots. Its 165 Hz and 4K 16-inch 3840×2400 IPS touchscreen (283 PPI) provides up to 557 nits peak brightness. It is one of the best laptops I recommend for programmers and developers, but it is not as much made for high graphics as other gaming-specific laptops.
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Final thoughts:
Summarizing, all of the above laptops are top-notch laptops for programmers working on multiple languages and tools. However, beginner programmers can work on any business laptop with at least 8GB of RAM and 256GB of hard drive. Even when working on .NET web applications, I used Lenovo Thinkpad 4th generation laptops with 256GB of SSD drive and 8GB of RAM, which also worked perfectly for me. So, it is all up to the project’s requirements, how much of a specifications-based laptop is good for you. Therefore, you must spend some money to perform your daily programming and coding or simulation tasks better.
