7 Best Laptops for Developers to Buy in 2024 – Reviews

Like no war can militate without weapons, web development or software development is not possible without the best laptop. For your information, when we are discussing the best laptops for developers, the three main things should not be denied: Processor, SSD Storage, and RAM. The system must have a multiprocessing unit with at least generation VI and core i5 or more. The SSD is recommended rather than HDD because it is a lot faster and could be modified at your convenience.

Besides these three important specifications, the graphics and keyboard of any laptop also need to be considered. When we sink into the computer’s technology, we find more and more advancements. It is good to find out the latest and modified version but that can also put an extra cost to you. So as a buyer, you will need to measure all the aspects before buying the best laptop for you as a developer.

However, this is not meant to discourage you because this article surely provides you the best laptops for developers that are available in the market today. The detailed review of these best products will help you to find your piece that fits into your puzzle according to needs and requirements.

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1. Microsoft Surface Pro X

Best laptop for programming

The Surface Pro X by Microsoft is actually a 13 inches touch screen (2880×1920 resolution) tablet with dual functions. This two in one laptop is preferred because the touch screen tablet has long battery timings, fast and fun to use, enables windows or chrome shortcuts and overall makes your work easier as compared to the traditional laptops. However, it costs more and is not recommended for rough use.

Technically, Surface Pro X has the SQI processor that comes with the latest version of chipset “snapdragon 855”—which is specifically designed by Microsoft and emanates in tablet laptops mostly. It is ARM-based latest technology with advanced clocked GPU or central processing unit cores. Overall, the performance of that processor is similar to Core i5 by Intel – 8th generation. This processor is a good deal for the purpose of developing, gaming and coding etc.

In terms of telecommunication, Pro X has Long term evolution (LTE) connection which is ordinary connectivity designed for broadband wireless communication in cell phones and tablets. It is a better communication system than CDMA, GSM because it transfers the data as large packets enabling the average high speed. This makes you comfortable if you want to travel along with your laptop.

Other than that, Pro X is thin and light in weight and the display is just perfect for daily use and makes it portable to use. It is approximately 7.3 mm in thickness and weighs only 1.7 pounds. The display is lavishing and attracts most of the users.

However, the laptop is not so affordable as it is available for $999 but the price may extend to $1999 if you want the keyboard connectivity and go for 128 GB storage option. For your feasibility, we have listed some of the best laptops under $600 if you are looking for mid-range laptops.

Overall, Microsoft Pro X is setup for those that are looking for a laptop with not only good processing but a good appearance as well. The two in one mode and lightweight make it portable for students especially, those who carry laptops on a daily basis and can avail the note service in taking lectures or reading articles.

2. Apple MacBook Air

Best laptop for coding

The MacBook Air by Apple is the best choice when it comes to appearance, visuals, and display as it comes with the resolution display of 2560×1600 pixels. It is a go-to laptop for many people as it is light in weight and has very aesthetic and decent looks. Moreover, the 13 inches display comes with an IPS retina display which is the latest high pixel density display by Apple. This impressive wide-angle display is launched to make the fonts and pictures more clearly to the audience even at the distance.

As mentioned before, solid-slate drive storage (SSD) is one of the major factors which need to be considered before buying a laptop for developing. It is typically used for the maintenance of stored data in your laptop and helps in keeping it permanently. The MacBook Air comes with the newest SSD technology that ranges from 124 GB to 1TB storage plus 8GB memory, which is a good choice. However, a more than 1TB SSD is recommended for gamers with a high budget.

The MacBook Air comes with a mac operating system rather than Windows, as all the typical Apple gadgets do. The macOS is the second most widely used operating system in laptops featuring a good user interface. Compared with Windows, macOS is more clean and simple with good security. However, the pros and cons of both operating systems depend on the user and individual preferences.

Moreover, discussing the processor MacBook comes with core i5 by Intel which is a pronounced processor with great performance, graphics, and design. The one in all core i5 is recommended for most of the tasks like programming, developing, coding, and even gaming. However, there is a better processor core i7 but core i5 is more budget-friendly and suitable for developing.

Generally, MacBook weighs 2.75 pounds in total and has 15 mm thickness along with an in-built keyboard. The visuals are appealing to the buyers and especially to the brand-oriented people. The overall graphics make the device easy to operate, use, and translocate.

In summary, the MacBook is a perfect choice for brand-oriented developers or Apple lovers. However, the ones who are currently using Windows also would not regret switching to MacBook because of the best processor and good storage. Also, the age of the MacBook makes it the best!

3. HP Spectre x360 15T

Laptop for programming

The Hewlett Packard shortly as HP is an American company that manufactures laptops worldwide. However, the reputation of HP’s laptops has not always been the best but the newest HP’s have raised the value and design to gain good customer feedback. HP spectre is one of those raised or fined laptops that have launched this year to deliver the best quality and performance in general.

HP Spectre x 360 15 T is actually getting what you have paid for! It comes with an incredible 15 inches 4 K display with 3840 x 2160 pixels resolution that is exactly “four times” to the typical HD display with 1920 x 1080 pixels resolution. The sharp resolution and detailed graphics with high power features are making this laptop convenient for gamers and software developers because the high resolution is a new path to a superior work area. Hence, it is recommended to go for a 4k display instead of HDMI.

Proceeding to the discussion about processors, HP will not make you regret the choice as it comes with the second latest core processor by Intel “i7” and 9th generation. If you are a software developer then you already know that it is great news! The Core i7 processor is generally faster than core i5 because it has a higher base clock speed which means that it requires more power and ultimately generates more heat. Overall, the Core i7 processor is recommended for multitasking, gaming, coding, and developing.

If you are certainly looking for graphics, then the Spectre x 360 is definitely all that you need because it comes with an in-built NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 graphic card that has the advanced graphic performance. This version is faster than the previous one GTX 1050 and has the ability to hit up to 60 fps at the resolution of 1080 p. It is recommended for gamers and computer scientists because of its performance and affordability.

In addition to that, the system has 16 GB RAM and solid-state drive storage SSD that ranges up to 1 TB NVMe which enables the device to maintain and store a bulk amount of data in it. However, the laptop is not that lightweight (5 pounds), thin (20mm thick) or portable but has a touch and foldable screen option in it which makes it attractive.

This laptop is an innovative switching deal for mac users this year because it features a powerful system, good performance, storage capacity, battery timing, and touch option as well that makes it better than MacBook Pro. However, the unit is a little expensive to some people but unquestionable when you go for advanced options the price range also exceeds.

4. Lenovo Thinkpad X1

Best laptop for developers

The ThinkPad laptops by Lenovo (Chinese multinational company) are exclusively intended for professionals use and business purposes. In this regard, it is designed to have a strong quality and performance featuring advanced technology. The specification that makes ThinkPad stand out of all is TrackPoint which enables an easy cursor movement on the screen contributing to fast and quick response.

The performance of a system is determined by its Random-access memory (RAM) which is used to store and manage data temporarily when your computer is working. It is directly related to the speed of computers so professionals always look for more RAM i.e. at least 16 GB. Fortunately, ThinkPad X1 comes with 64 GB RAM that is for professional creators and extreme use. So this laptop is overkilling for gaming, developing, coding, and multitasking with its great performance.

Another main feature that counts for the performance of a laptop is its processor because a good processor is quicker in service and has a fast clock speed that inclusively generates more power in a good price tag. The X1 comes with a Core i7 processor by Intel and 8th generation that makes it best suited for computer scientists, gamers and professionals because it makes the system great for multitasking, live streaming, and much more.

Besides that, ThinkPad also did not compromise on the display as it comes with NVIDIA GTX 1050 graphic card and 16.6 inches 4k display unit. These graphics are advanced than HDMI and provide the sharper resolution and detailed visuals which makes the whole product a boundless option to switch your previous laptop with!

This spectacular laptop is a perfect choice for professionals because it has the best performance, storage capacity, and display. So whoever focuses on graphics and performance quality rather than the appearance of a laptop, the ThinkPad X1 is a great option for them.

5. Asus Chromebook Flip C436F/C436FA

Good laptops for programming

The Chromebooks are intended to run a system that is lighter in weight and able to do productive tasks. These systems are designed with light computing so are good for browsing, surfing streaming videos, etc. These are not considered for professional use but are recommended for study purposes or some teenage computer-related activities. These are budget-friendly choices with attractive visuals, display, size, and colors. So measuring ChromeBook at the scale of professional-use is incorrect.

The system has Intel UHD graphics which is good for modern or advanced gaming like witcher 3, dishonored 2, etc. This graphic system is better when compared with the GT 730 card which has 60 to 80 fps approximately with 1920 x 1080 resolution on 14 inches LED display with a touch system.

If you are finding an affordable laptop with maximum specifications like storage options, SSD, touch screen, Backlit keyboard, and such other advanced features then ChromeBook is the only option in the market because other laptops with such features are expensive. This is because ChromeBooks are not designed for professional use but are intended for normal users. Asus ChromeBook Flip is one of the uncommon laptops that offers you great power, storage options, and other premium features at a comparatively low price tag.

Overall, chromebook has 10th generation core i3 and i5 processors with three storage options that are 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB that makes it good in performance. So considering all in one it is a good deal for students and young users.

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6. Dell XPS 15 (2023)

Best laptop for software development

XPS 15 by Dell is considered as one of the best laptops for programming and computing stuff, overall. It is a package of advanced and modified technical features into a thin compacted device that is lightweight, attractive, and portable to translocate around.

If you are concerned about the graphics of your laptop, then you may look onto XPS 15. It has a NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Ti graphic card with innovative and advanced graphic performance. This is a modified version and is quicker than the previous one which was GTX 1050 because it has an estimated 60 fps at the resolution of 1080 p. This makes it good in performance and a great choice for computer scientists.

Besides the discrete graphics, the system has core i5 and core i7 processor with 10th generation. This is the latest generation with a good processing unit which contributes to greater performance. Also, it makes the system faster in use by increasing the clock speed of the processor. Overall, it is categorized as a food processing system for developers.

Unexpectedly, the XPS 15 also introduces the SSD storage with the range of 256 GB to 1 TB that is great for storing data on your laptop and keeping it permanently without any additional power.

In summary, the XPS 15 is counted because of its performance and the latest generation along with a good processor. However, there is room for advancement in graphic technology.

7. Huawei MateBook 13

Best laptop for programming and design

As we all know, Huawei is a Chinese brand known for smartphone production typically but this time we are discussing the new laptop launched by Huawei as “MateBook 13” which is considered as the best laptop because of its great performance, portability, decent features, and price tag. It reflects the high-end specifications, good processing, with cool looks.

Mate Book 13 has a core i5 processor by Intel which is a marked processor that performed greatly. Intel Core i5 processing unit is suggested for multitasking, programming, developing, coding, and even gaming. The MateBook also comes with a Core i7 that is one step forward in the processing unit. You might be thinking of core i9 which is the latest processor to date, but it is generally not recommended to go for a core i9 laptop because these are expensive and not very advanced. Intel Core i5 and core i7 are good enough for developers.

Besides processing, MateBook 13 has 8 GB RAM and a large capacity to store files in SSD range from 256 GB to 512 GB. In addition, it features 13 inches display, UHD graphics. All of it is settled in 2.8lbs weight which makes the device easier to carry along.

Another focal feature that cannot be repudiated is the Quick pocket charger which works like a beast and charges the device so fast that after 15 minutes of charging you can continuously work for 2.5 hours which is a great deal.

Get rid of your battery related issues and get your Huawei Mate Book 13 now that features the best portable fast charger. Also, the laptop has an ideal performance, portability, and visuals for developers.

FAQs

What kind of processor is best in laptops for developers?

The best laptops generally assert the core i5 and core i7 processor which provides great performance. The number of cores is directly related to the speed of the device.

Why is Solid State Drive important for internal storage on a laptop?

An SSD is a significant component that needs to be considered for developers especially because it ensures the performance and storage of your laptop.

Does one need expensive laptops for developing or programming?

The price tag is not a factor to consider first before buying a laptop but it is necessary to make sure that you are getting those specifications for which you are paying.

Conclusion

There are thousands of laptops available in the market today which are designed with different targets and features. When it comes to developers, the main consideration is the processor, storage, and graphics of the laptop. This article has explained the seven top laptops for developing under different price ranges.

Amongst these foremost mentioned best laptops for developers our three most favorite pickups are the following:

• Microsoft Surface Pro X is a two in one setup with a good processor, great performance, and best visuals making it a deal for all.
• Apple MacBook Air is a perfect selection for brand-oriented developers that features the latest processor with good performance.
• HP Spectre x360 15T features a powerful system with great performance, large storage capacity, best battery timings, and other portable options.

In summary, before buying a laptop you must go through all these products and their description to select the best laptop this year for developing.

Take a look at these products from the same price range, that are available right now on Amazon: