Software Developer

7 Laptops That Are a Software Developer’s Dream-Come-True

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There are about 26.4 million software developers in the world, and they are all probably looking for the best laptop or computer to do their work on.

If you’re one of the millions of software developers, you want to make sure that you do your research on the best laptops for programming. They can get pretty expensive, so you should ensure that you make a good purchase.

Thankfully, we have you covered. If you want somewhere to start your research, make sure you keep reading!

1. Dell XPS 15

A good starting place for programming laptops is the Dell XPS 15. It came out in 2020 and has the newest 10th generation Intel core processor. Depending on what laptop you choose, you could have an i5 or i7 processor.

This computer comes with a Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 graphics card, which should be enough for your programming software and even some light gaming. It isn’t the strongest graphics card out there, but this is what helps make this laptop a little bit cheaper than other ones out there.

This is a very thin and light laptop, which makes it perfect for when you need to carry it around or work remotely. Even though it’s thin, there is still plenty of room in it for all of the hardware that needs to help your computer run quickly. Even though it’s thin and lightweight, it also still has the standard 15.6-inch laptop screen.

This display comes with a very high resolution, which can be very useful for programmers. It has an FHD+ screen as well, with a resolution of 1920×1200.

You can buy this computer with a minimum of 256GB or a maximum of 1TB SSD. This requirement will depend on your programming needs.

2. HP 15-dy1036nr 15-inch Laptop

HP also gives Dell a run for their money with their 15-inch laptop which is great for those who are on a budget.

This laptop may be one of the cheaper ones on the list, but it’s still a powerful laptop. It comes with a 10th generation Intel Core i5-1035G1 quad-core processor.

It also has 8GB of RAM, which should enough to run most programs quickly.

One thing that makes this laptop unique is that it doesn’t have a dedicated graphics card. Instead, it uses integrated graphics from Intel, which should be just enough for doing some programming and light gaming.

The display has 1080p which should help you to see all of your code. In addition to that, it also comes with an anti-glaring coating on the top which can let you work indoors or outdoors.

While the keyboard is comfortable to type on, it doesn’t have any backlight. This makes it difficult to see the keys in the dark, but it also has a number pad on the side if that helps to make up for it.

3. Microsoft Surface Pro X

Microsoft has recently gotten into making their own laptops as well, and one of their more popular ones is the Microsoft Surface Pro X.

This laptop also doubles as a tablet, so it’s like a 2-in-1 device.

The screen is about 13 inches, and it has a touch screen. However, if you want a more precise touch, you can also purchase their stylus.  It’s a very thin laptop, and it’s only 7.3 mm thick. It’s also easy to carry around with you because it only weighs about 1.7 pounds (when you detach the keyboard).

However, the screen is crystal clear to be able to see all of your programmings. It has a resolution of 2880 x 1920. It also comes with a processor different from Intel: Microsoft’s S1Q processor.

Unfortunately, the storage on this laptop/tablet doesn’t offer a lot of space. The smallest amount you could get is 128GB, and the max amount you could get is 512GB of SSD.

4. Apple MacBook Pro 16

For those who don’t like Windows as much, the Apple MacBook Pro is also one of the best laptops for programming.

Apple prides itself on using the highest quality of materials to build their laptops, which is also why they’re one of the pricier options on the list. However, since they are made with good materials, they are built to last you a long time.

The laptop that would be perfect for programmers is actually the Apple MacBook Pro 16. Like all the previous versions, this one is sleek, slender, and has a nice minimalist design to it.

Screen

The screen is 16-inches, and the MacBook is actually the only laptop that has that size of a screen. The Retina display has Two Tone Technology in it as well, making it perfect for any type of programmer.

The resolution of the screen is also higher, with a size of 3072×1920 pixel resolution. With this resolution, you’ll have a great image quality that will also look crisp.

Processor, Storage, RAM

In addition to a great screen, this laptop also comes with an Intel Core i7 processor. This should be strong enough to do almost all of your programming. On top of that, it also comes with 512GB of SSD storage as the minimum on this laptop.

For RAM, you’ll get to enjoy 16GB of it paired with the strong processor. With these two, it’ll be a while before your laptop starts to slow down.

Portability

This laptop does weigh a little bit more than some other ones at 4.3 pounds. However, it’s supposed to be durable, so you can still take it wherever you want.

Keyboard

For programmers, the keyboard might be one of the more essential things in a laptop, and Apple didn’t forget about you.

The Butterfly switches that you’ll normally find on other MacBooks are replaced by the Scissor. This makes sure that even if dust is between your keys, your keys still work.

They also increased the key travel distance will still making sure that the MacBook is still thin and sleek.

They also added on an Escape key and shortened the Touch Bar, which should make programmers very happy.

5. Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Extreme

The Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Extreme is also one of Lenovo’s best programming laptop.

It’s good quality and has all kinds of great features, like 512GB of SSD storage and 16GB of RAM.

There is plenty of info available on this computer, but one of the best things is the 14-inch display that has a bezel-less style. This means that you’ll be able to connect more monitors to your laptop to have a multiple-screen working experience.

This is also a thin and cheap alternative to other more expensive options out there.

The laptop is also very portable. The battery life will last you about eleven hours before you need to find an outlet and recharge it. Once you do plug it in, it also recharges very quickly.

This laptop does come with an 8th generation Intel Core i5 processor, but this should be enough to get you through the day.

6. Huawei MateBook 13

The Huawei MateBook 13 is a great, well-rounded laptop that runs on Windows 10.

It may not be as popular as other name brands out there since Hauwei originally manufactured cell phones. However, now they’re coming back with a laptop that is great for programs.

You can choose either an Intel i5 or i7 processor for your 13-inch screen laptop.

It comes with either 256GB of SSD or 512 GB of SSD, depending on your needs. This computer also comes with about 8GB of RAM.

7. Acer Aspire 5

Lastly, you could also go with the Acer Aspire 5. This laptop is around $600 depending on where you look, but it is also strong enough to handle a little bit of gaming once you finish your programming.

In this laptop, you’ll find the Nvidia GeForce MX250 DDR5 graphics card paired with a 10th generation Intel Core i5 processor. As if it couldn’t get powerful enough, you’ll also have 8GB of RAM, which should be enough to handle everything you need.

However, the best part of this laptop is the keyboard. It has backlit keys, and they’re actually nice keys to type on.

Discover More of the Best Laptops for Programming

These are only a few of the best laptops for programming, but there are many more of them out there.

With new technology and updates coming out all the time for laptops, it can be exhausting to try and keep up with all of it. To make sure that you have the most time to program, we’ll keep up with it for you!

If you want to stay informed on what’s new in laptops, make sure that you explore our website to find more articles just like this one!