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If you're looking to get a laptop for programming and don't know where to start, we can help you with that, but first, let's go through what we're looking for in a coding laptop. Preferably, you'd want a good amount of RAM—16GB to start—and a competent CPU that'll allow you to compile and test your code faster. Plenty of screen space is never bad, and a comfortable keyboard is almost a must, as you'll likely be typing for extended periods. If you want to work on multiple displays, you'llwant a good port selection, so you don't need to get a dongle or dock. For working on the go, build, portability, and battery life will also be major factors. This article has a few picks to get you started, and hopefully, you can narrow your search and get the best laptop for your needs. The list is a little short for now, but it'll grow as we review more models.
We've bought and tested over 105laptops. Below, you'll find our recommendations for the best laptops for coding you can buy. You can also see our recommendations for the best laptops, the best business laptops, and the best Windows laptops.
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Best Laptop For Programming
Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M3, 2023) 12
School
8.8
Gaming
7.4
Multimedia
8.5
Workstation
9.0
Business
8.5
Size
14"Typing Quality
8.0
Touchpad
9.2
Geekbench 5 (Synthetics)
9.6
Battery Life (Web Browsing)
15.5 hrsPerformance Over Time
10
See all our test results
The best laptop for codingwe've tested is the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M3, 2023). This premiumworkstation has a sturdy all-aluminum build, a compact design, andall-day battery life. You can get thismodel with a base M3,M3Pro, or M3 Max SoC, so you can choose depending on your budget and how demanding your workload is. The Pro and Maxchips havea very capable GPU, which is great for game development or anyone requiring high graphical horsepower. The downside is that you'll pay for the GPU performance even if you don't need it.
In addition to its amazing performance, this laptop provides a great user experience with its sharp Mini LED display, spacious keyboard, and gigantic, easy-to-use haptic touchpad. Its port selection is excellent, allowing you to connect peripherals and external displays easily. If you prefer more screen space over portability, get the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M3, 2023) instead. It's essentially the same device, just bigger and with better-sounding speakers. The only difference is that the base M3 chip isn't available on the 16-inch. Also, it's more expensive.
The Dell XPS 15 (2023) is an excellent alternative if you need or prefer Windows. It's also a premium model that provides a great user experience. Spec-wise, you can get up to an Intel 13th Gen H-series Core i9 and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 discrete GPU. These CPUs and GPUs can easily handle demanding workloads. Memory and storage max out at 64GB and 8TB, respectively, and they're user-replaceable. There are a few tradeoffs: it has a bad 720p webcam and fewer ports, and its keyboard gets uncomfortably hot under load.
See our review
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Best Upper Mid-Range Laptop For Programming
Framework Laptop 13 (2023) 15
School
8.1
Gaming
6.8
Multimedia
7.8
Workstation
8.5
Business
8.3
Size
13.5"Typing Quality
7.5
Touchpad
7.3
Geekbench 5 (Synthetics)
9.4
Battery Life (Web Browsing)
10.4 hrsPerformance Over Time
9.5
See all our test results
If you don't need the processing power of a workstation like the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M3, 2023) and prefer something more portable, check out the Framework Laptop 13 (2023). This 13-inch Windows ultraportablehas a nice 3:2 display, a spacious keyboard, and a modular port system that lets you swap out the ports on the fly.Its design lets you easily replace any component in the laptop, so you can upgrade the CPU when a newer one is available or add more RAM and storage to suit your needs. You can even get the laptop without an operating system if you want to install a custom OS like Ubuntu or Pop! OS. Its AMD Ryzen CPU can handle fairly demanding tasks and doesn't throttle under load, though the keyboard gets a little toasty.This laptop is available with Intel 13th Gen CPUs; however, we can't speak to its performance and battery life since we didn't test it. You can only get the Framework Laptop on Framework's website.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is also a great option if you prefer macOS. It's very portable for a 15-inch model, and its battery lasts through a full workday. It has a sharp, brightdisplay—not Mini LED like the MacBook Pro, unfortunately—and a comfortable, spacious keyboard. Its M2 SoC isfast enough for most programmers, and you won't have todeal with fan noise since it'sa fanless device. The main drawback is its limited port selection, as it's still limited to two USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 ports with support for one external display. If portability is more important, you might also want to consider the Apple MacBook Air 13 (2022). It's the same laptop as the 15-inch MacBook Air but with a 13.6-inch display. It has a longer battery life and is $200 USD cheaper. The keyboard gets a bit hotter under load, which is expected due to its smaller chassis, and the speakers don't sound quite as full as its15-inch sibling.
See our review
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Best Mid-Range Laptop For Programming
Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1 (2023) 11
School
8.0
Gaming
6.2
Multimedia
7.5
Workstation
7.8
Business
8.1
Size
16"Typing Quality
7.5
Touchpad
8.8
Geekbench 5 (Synthetics)
8.4
Battery Life (Web Browsing)
10.3 hrsPerformance Over Time
8.1
See all our test results
The best laptop for developers we've tested in the mid-range tier is the Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1 (2023). It sports a large 16-inch display, so you get plenty of room to see your codes, and since it's a 2-in-1, you can flip the screen around and use it as a tablet. Sporting a full-aluminum chassis, it feels surprisingly well-built for a laptop in its class, and it isn't overly bulkyfor a 16-inch model, making iteasy to carry around. The battery lasts around 10 hours of light use and charges over USB-C.
You can get this laptop with an AMD Ryzen 5 7530U or Ryzen 7 7730U CPU; both perform well and are suitable for programming. We recommend getting a model with 16GB of RAM since the memory isn't user-upgradeable. The keyboard feels a little mushy but is still comfortable to type on for extended periods, and the touchpad is large and responsive. The port selection is excellent, thoughthere's no Thunderbolt 4 support since it's an AMD system.
See our review
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Best Budget Laptop For Programming
Acer Swift 3 14 (2020) 2
School
7.8
Gaming
6.0
Multimedia
7.3
Workstation
7.4
Business
7.3
Size
14"Typing Quality
7.0
Touchpad
6.8
Geekbench 5 (Synthetics)
8.1
Battery Life (Web Browsing)
13.8 hrsPerformance Over Time
8.6
See all our test results
Our best budget pick is the Acer Swift 3 14 (2020). This 14-inch ultraportable is easy to carry, and its battery lasts nearly 14 hours of light use. For under $600, you can get a model with an Intel 11th GenCore i7 CPU, 8GB of memory, and 512GB of storage. You can get a model with more RAM (up to 16GB) if you're willing to pay more; just remember that the memory isn't user-upgradeable. Performance-wise, the Intel 11th Gen Core i7 is a few years old now, but it still performs well and can handle light coding. Thermal throttling is minimal under load, and the laptop doesn't get overly hot or loud.
This laptop provides a good user experience. Its1080p IPS display looks sharp and provides just enough room for light multitasking. It doesn't get very bright, so visibility can be an issue in well-lit settings. As for the keyboard and touchpad, the former feels a little cramped but decent to type on, and the latter is small but reasonably responsive. There's a fingerprint sensor built into the power button for quick logins. Its USB-C port supports Thunderbolt 4, allowing you to transfer files quickly and connect two 4k @ 60Hz displays with a single cable.
See our review
Recent Updates
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Feb 28, 2024: Minor text edits for clarity. No changes in product picks.
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Feb 01, 2024: Replaced the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M2, 2023) with the M3 model. Replaced the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) with the Framework Laptop 13 (2023) because the Framework has better performance, port selection, battery life, and serviceability.
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Jan 04, 2024: Small text changes to improve readability and clarity. No change in recommendations.
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Nov 24, 2023: Minor text changes to add information about the new M3 MacBook Pros. No change in recommendations.
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Oct 27, 2023: Verified that all picks are valid and available. Replaced the Apple MacBook Air 13 (2022) with the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) because the 15-inch model provides more screen space and doesn't get as hot under load.
All Reviews
Our recommendations above are what we think are currently the best laptops for programmingto buy. We factor in the price (a cheaper laptop wins over a pricier one if the difference isn't worth it), feedback from our visitors, and availability (no laptops that are difficult to find or almost out of stock everywhere).
If you prefer to make your own decision, here's the list of all of our laptopreviews. Keep in mind that most laptops are available in various configurations, and the table only shows the results of the model we tested, so it's best to see the full review for information about other variants.
