How to choose the right laptop for programming

Choosing a laptop suitable for programming is not an easy task.

It's easy to get confused by looking at a variety of options. The market offers many different models, and each has a specific set of characteristics.

You can write code on almost any laptop. However, your productivity will increase when using the tool that is most suitable for the type of tasks performed.

There are different types of development, and each of them has its own tool. Thus, there is no single solution that suits everyone at the same time.

When writing the article, I proceeded from the following:

• You are a web developer
  
• Your laptop is your primary development tool.
  

Here are some considerations that might help you when buying a new laptop.

Translated to Alconost

Mobility

The laptop can be selected in any shape and size. Decide how light and portable it should be.

If you don’t have to move around often, then pay attention to 15-inch laptops. They have the best features and enough screen space for multitasking.

If you work in several places or travel a lot, then 13- or 14-inch laptops are your choice. They are lighter and the battery lasts longer.

If you do not buy a laptop "two in one", the touch screen does not justify the additional cost of it. I would not recommend purchasing a laptop with a touch screen.

Display

The laptop display is one of its most important components, especially for programmers. If you are developing, you spend a lot of time in front of the screen. You need to pay attention to details.

The screen resolution of most budget laptops is 1366 x 768, which in my opinion is a very mediocre resolution. The screen space of such a display is not enough for multitasking. Well, the text will not be clear enough for reading.

On the other hand, a 4k display is too much, especially considering that its presence will significantly increase both the cost of a laptop and battery consumption.

In any case, do not buy a laptop with a resolution of less than Full HD 1920 x 1080 (1080p). If you need to pay a little extra for 1080p resolution, do it.

Also make sure that the display has sufficient viewing angles, the screen should not function as a mirror!

Processor

Laptop CPU has a huge impact on your performance, so do not try to save on it. There are various types of processors with different characteristics that you should pay attention to. The most significant characteristics are: cache size, number of cores, frequency and TDP (heat sink requirements).

In general, an Intel core i5 or i7 processor with a frequency of 3GHz or more will suit most.

RAM

I do not think that you can seriously engage in programming on a laptop with RAM less than 4GB. My recommendations on the minimum amount of RAM - 8GB. And even this may not be enough with the advent of Electron applications that use a large amount of RAM. If you can afford it, invest in 16GB of RAM.

Type and amount of memory

Acquiring SSDs should practically become your number one priority. This will give you a significant increase in performance over a standard hard drive. Any operation will be performed much faster with SSD, including loading the operating system, compiling code, launching applications, loading projects.

The recommended minimum SSD capacity is 256GB. If you have enough funds, then a 512GB or 1TB SSD is the best option. If the price matters, then purchase an SSD with a smaller volume on which your operating system will be located, as well as your applications and the most frequently used documents (such as project files). Everything else - for example, music and video - will be stored on a larger hard drive.

Keyboard

You cannot afford to compromise on the quality of the keyboard, since it is on it that you will type the code day and night. I prefer laptops with a compact keyboard.

It is very important to carefully test the keyboard before purchasing. Make sure the keys are convenient and comfortable to press. A backlit keyboard is a useful thing if you plan to work often in poorly lit rooms.

Nutrition

A good battery may not matter much to you if you are mostly near a power outlet. However, you should be interested in battery life of 6 hours or more.

Do not count on the battery life indicated by the manufacturer. Read descriptions on trustworthy websites, see what real users write on forums and reviews.

operating system

Choosing an operating system will pretty much determine which laptop you get. There are a number of options available to Windows users; if you prefer macOS, you are limited to one manufacturer.



Linux can be installed on most laptops, but it is better to purchase one that is officially supported by Linux. Some vendors, such as Dell and System 76 , offer high-quality Linux products. I recommend first of all to pay attention to these options.

Otherwise, do your research to make sure that your laptop matches well with your preferred Linux distribution.

Discrete or integrated graphics card?

The presence of a discrete graphics card does not play a big role for writing code. Buy a laptop with a built-in video card, and spend the money you saved on an SSD or better processor.

It is interesting to know what factors you consider most important when choosing a laptop for programming and how it affects your daily work. Share in the comments!


About the translator

Translation of the article was done in Alconost.

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