Always Coding? Here Are 5 Best Laptops For Programming To Buy In 2023
Laptops are excellent companions for programmers, and every coder relies heavily on their machine every day. Likewise, it’s only fair to purchase a laptop that best suits your coding needs every now and then. This list contains our picks of the best laptops for programming that you should get in 2023.
Professional programmers depend on their laptop/machine for almost everything and would be in trouble if that machine broke down. Hence, you should own a laptop that won’t let you down when you most require it. However, there are some things that you should keep in mind while choosing the best laptops for programming.
5 Best Laptops for programming in 2023
Note: Laptops mentioned in this list aren’t in any order of preference.
1. MacBook Air M1: Best mid-range laptop
It’s 2023, and the two-year-old MacBook Air M1 is still an extremely relevant machine for programming. It’s an incredibly thin and light machine with a great display and long-lasting battery life. Apart from that, the M1 chip is still quite powerful, and you can rely on it to withstand heavy workflows and multiple projects efficiently.
Moreover, you get a great set of speakers and an excellent headphone jack with a DAC, so you wouldn’t have to worry about the audio. It also houses two Thunderbolt ports to connect to an external display whenever you require it. The MacBook Air M1 is a suitable choice for the best laptops for programming because it’s a budget-friendly laptop for professionals with incredible performance.
| Processor & Graphics | Apple M1 |
| RAM | 8 GB |
| SSD | 256 GB |
| HDD | N.A. |
| Display | 13.3-inch Retina Display |
| Battery | Up to 18 hours |
| O.S. | macOS Ventura |
| Weight | 2.8 pounds (or 1.25 kg) |
2. Samsung Galaxy Book2 Pro 360: All-rounder Windows laptop
First up, the Galaxy Book2 Pro is an excellent media device that does well for programming all day and offers rock-solid performance. It houses a 15.6-inch 1080p AMOLED display which is astounding for long-viewing hours. Apart from that, it has a tremendous 12th-gen Intel Core i7 CPU that can handle almost anything you throw at it.
You can also convert it into a tablet and use the included S-Pen for creative tasks. The Galaxy Book2 Pro is ideal for programmers mainly for its excellent performance, great battery, decent keyboard, and Thunderbolt ports. Overall, it’s conveniently among the best laptops for programming in 2023.
| Processor & Graphics | Intel 12th Generation Core i7 1260P Evo platform with Iris Xe graphics |
| RAM | 16 GB |
| SSD | 1 TB |
| HDD | N.A. |
| Display | 15.6-inch 1080p AMOLED panel touchscreen display |
| Battery | Up to 21 hours (advertised) |
| O.S. | Windows 11 Home |
| Weight | 3.06 pounds (or 1.38 kg) |
3. Acer Aspire 5 A515-57: Best budget laptop
Finally, the Acer Aspire 5 makes it to the list of the best laptops for programmers. The budget-friendly Aspire 5 checks most boxes and is an ideal laptop choice for everyday programmers. You get a lot of value for the price, including adequate performance and battery life.
The Aspire 5 houses a 12th-generation Intel Core i5 CPU, which can complete everyday tasks. Moreover, the large FHD display with an IPS panel will ensure excellent color accuracy, which is essential to consider for long viewing hours. All in all, you get a solid package for the price, which is excellent for intermediate programmers on a budget.
| Processor & Graphics | Intel 12th Generation Core i5 1235U with Iris Xe graphics |
| RAM | 8 GB |
| SSD | 512 GB |
| HDD | N.A. |
| Display | 15.6-inch 1080p IPS panel display |
| Battery | Up to 5 hours (advertised) |
| O.S. | Windows 11 Home |
| Weight | 3.88 pounds (or 1.75 kg) |
4. ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 (2022): Best Windows laptop for multiple usage patterns
Next up, the infamous ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 makes it to the list of the best laptops for programming. While it may seem like any other gaming laptop, there’s much more to it than it seems. G14 is an all-rounder package with excellent performance, great battery life, and a color-accurate display.
Housing a Ryzen 9 6900HS and AMD Radeon 6800S graphics, it is a powerhouse that can handle anything you throw at it. Likewise, you can use the performance not just for your machine-learning models but also for occasional gaming. On top of it all, it only weighs 3.64 pounds or 1.65 kg, making it highly portable. During sales, you can get a $200 discount on the current price, so be sure to wait if you can.
| Processor & Graphics | AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS with AMD Radeon RX 6800S graphics |
| RAM | 16 GB (upgradable to 40 GB) |
| SSD | 1 TB (upgradable) |
| HDD | N.A. |
| Display | 14-inch 1600p IPS panel display with 120Hz refresh rate and 100% sRGB |
| Battery | 76 Wh battery lasting up to 8 hours |
| OS | Windows 11 Home |
| Weight | 3.64 pounds (or 1.65 kg) |
5. Apple MacBook Air M2: overall best laptop for programming
The MacBook Air M2, the latest MacBook Air, is the most popular device for many user types. Likewise, it’s easily among the best laptops for programming in 2023. You get a solid package with adequate performance, an excellent display, and all-day battery life for a competitive price compared to relevant Windows machines.
The M2 Air is one of the few laptops that offer adequate performance, an excellent keyboard, long-lasting battery life, and exceptionally lightweight. It’s a great choice if you’re a programmer and couldn’t go wrong with it. To save some money, you can even opt for refurbished M1 MacBooks to get the most out of what you pay.
| Processor & Graphics | Apple M2 |
| RAM | 8 GB |
| SSD | 256 GB |
| HDD | N.A. |
| Display | 13.6-inch 2560 x 1664 Retina Display |
| Battery | Up to 21 hours (advertised) |
| O.S. | macOS Ventura |
| Weight | 2.77 pounds (or 1.22 kg) |
Things to remember about laptops for programming
While you can pick up any laptop and start programming on it, some factors will improve your experience.
Keyboard: While programming, you interact the most with a laptop’s keyboard. Hence, an ideal laptop for programming should have a keyboard that doesn’t have much flex and has decent per-key travel.
Display: If you tend to stare at a screen continuously, it better be of excellent quality. An ideal laptop should have a display that has high brightness, high color accuracy, and an IPS/OLED panel, so you don’t hurt your eyes.
Ports: The average user often lets the ports on a workstation laptop go unnoticed. If you’re buying a laptop for work, it must have essential ports like USB-C ports (including Thunderbolt) to connect external displays, which most programmers prefer.
Portability: If you’re programming, you wouldn’t need a laptop that weighs a lot but instead has adequate performance (even for your AI and ML projects) and is easy to carry around.
Which laptop can help you the best?
Anyone can indeed code on any laptop there is, but why not pick the best that lets you enjoy the process? Although OEMs don’t manufacture customized laptops for coding, they still make ones best suited for programmers. If you’re having trouble choosing one, we recommend going for the MacBook Air M2 for the best overall experience or the ASUS Zephyrus G14 if you also want it for casual gaming. However, the Acer Aspire 5 is the best choice for programmers on a budget.
Like this list? Check out the best laptops for graphic design in 2023.
