Most people love computers, and computer programmers are no exception. When they need to work on their computers, they always ask themselves whether to buy a new desktop or laptop for programming purposes.
In this post, I will help you find the best Desktop and laptop that suit your programming needs. You will also learn to choose between them based on features, price, and performance.
Things to consider before buying a desktop vs. laptop for programming
Before you buy a laptop for programming, you need to consider what you need it for and what you’re willing to spend.
If you’re a college student or planning on using your laptop for schoolwork, you’ll definitely want a laptop with plenty of processing power and good battery life.
If you’re a professional or entrepreneur who needs to take notes, have access to many files, and use more than one program, you may need a laptop with a more powerful processor.
In general, the following are the specs you’ll want to look for in a laptop to make sure it’s a good fit for you:
Processor
This is the main component in your laptop that controls all the processes going on in your computer.
You may need a more powerful processor, depending on the kind of programs you use.
CPU
CPU stands for Central Processing Unit, which your processor uses to run the applications you install on your computer.
For example, if you use Microsoft Word to write papers, you’ll likely want a CPU with at least a quad-core processor.
RAM
RAM stands for Random Access Memory, the temporary storage space your computer needs to run certain programs.
RAM is measured in gigabytes (GB). For example, 8GB means you’ll have 8GB of RAM, and 16GB means you’ll have 16GB of RAM.
For everyday computing, you don’t need a lot of RAM, but if you’re planning on doing more complex tasks like programming or designing, you may want to look for a model with at least 8GB of RAM.
Hard Drive
A hard drive is a permanent storage space where you’ll store all the files and data you need on your computer.
There are several hard drives, but the most common is the internal hard drive, which is built into your computer.
Internal hard drives are typically the size of a thumb drive and can hold anywhere from 20GB to over 1TB of data.
Look for a larger hard drive if you plan on storing a large amount of music or movies on your laptop.
However, you may only need a small hard drive if you mainly use your laptop for school or work.
Solid State Drives (SSD)
An SSD is similar to a hard drive in that it’s a storage space, but it’s much faster.
They don’t have a spinning platter like traditional hard drives and don’t have moving parts.
Because of these differences, SSDs are significantly faster than a standard hard drive and will last longer.
But because SSDs don’t have moving parts, they’re not as reliable as traditional hard drives, so you should only buy one if you do lots of video editing or gaming on your laptop.
Product#1
Lenovo Newest Ideapad 3 Laptop, 15.6″ HD Touchscreen, 11th Gen Intel Core i3-1115G4 Processor
- Solid build quality
- Sleek design and good handling
- Excellent battery life
- Quiet operating system
- Good screen resolution and color quality
- Works with all kinds of peripherals and devices
- Good value for money
- No DVD drive
- No SD Card reader
Product Descriptio or review
It’s a dual-core processor, and the battery life is quite good. There are plenty of ports, and it has a decent screen. The Ideapad 3 is priced competitively, and it’s one of the few laptops with a touchscreen. It’s also very compact, which is great for traveling. The only real issue was the need for a backlit keyboard, but it’s not a dealbreaker for me.
Producr#2
MSI Stealth 15M Gaming Laptop: 15.6″ 144Hz FHD 1080p Display
- Great battery life; you can use it for up to 15 hours on a single charge
- Solid build quality
- Very easy to pair with Xbox One; plug the optical and USB cables into the console
- Controls and dials are simple to use
- Not happy with the microphone quality
Product Description or review
The Ryzen 3 3350U quad-core mobile processor combined with 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD means you can run several programs and surf the web simultaneously without worrying about the computer slowing down.
You will be able to use the laptop for several years before needing to upgrade the hard drive or RAM.
The laptop has a large display, which is great for watching movies and playing games. The display’s resolution is also great for viewing images and watching videos.
The laptop is also equipped with a backlit keyboard, which is essential for using the laptop in bright environments.
The speakers on the laptop are very good, and the audio quality is comparable to the more expensive laptops.
The only issue I had was that the laptop came with a low-capacity battery, so I recommend purchasing an extra battery for longer use.
Overall, this is a very good laptop, and I recommend it to anyone who needs a laptop for school, college, or work.
Product#3
Newest Acer Aspire 5 15.6″ FHD Laptop Computer Ryzen 3 3350U Quad-Core Mobile Processor 16GB RAM 512GB SSD
- Full-featured
- Affordable
- Large display screen
- Fingerprint reader
- USB Type-C port
- Convenient features
- Heavy
Product Description or review
You’ll notice that the screen is very thin, and it’s comfortable to use even while typing on the keyboard.
It comes with an Intel Core i5-8250U processor, which is plenty powerful for everyday tasks. There’s 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD, which is great for storing large files.
The keyboard is responsive and comfortable to type on, and the touchpad is smooth and responsive.
The keyboard is backlit, so it’s easy to see in the dark. The battery life is good, too – you’ll get a full day of usage out of this laptop.
This Acer laptop is of great value.
The only drawback is that it doesn’t come with a webcam.
Product#4
Lenovo Chromebook S330 Laptop, 14-Inch FHD Display, MediaTek MT8173C, 4GB RAM, 64GB Storage, Chrome OS
- Lightweight and portable
- Long battery life
- Affordable
- Very easy to use
- Durable; made of premium quality material
- Excellent value for money
- Very affordable
- Does not include any memory card
- Poor keyboard; the touchpad is also poor
- No screen protector
Product Description or review
Lenovo's Chromebook is a very well-known brand, and for a good reason. They make some of the best laptops, and the S330 is no exception.
While it's not the first Chromebook available, it's the best one, so we're giving it our highest recommendation.
The S330 is made from metal and plastic, but it's not too heavy, and at just 3.3 pounds, it's much lighter than the average laptop.
It's also sleek and looks like a premium laptop. There's a nice silver finish to it, with rounded edges.
It's slimmer than the Samsung Chromebook Plus, but it's still very compact and lightweight.
You'll get a 15.6-inch HD display, which is nice and bright. The screen is also great for reading and viewing videos.
The keyboard is responsive and has a nice design.
The trackpad is also smooth and responsive; the touchpad is larger than most laptops.
It's got a lot of ports, and a full-size USB-C port is included. You can connect to a monitor with VGA, HDMI and DisplayPort.
There's also a full-size SD card slot and a microSD card slot.
The laptop also has a headphone jack, and there's a built-in speaker, too.
Speaking of speakers, there are two of them, and they're loud. You'll be able to hear them from across the room.