Jenna Inouye | 06 Jun, 2023

10 Best Laptops for Programming in 2024 [Expert Picks]

Laptops for programming are great for convenience. With the right one, you can code from practically anywhere at any time, even at your favorite cafe — or on a plane! And with the right specifications, you can compile and test your code, even if you’re working on a video game.

But with so many options available, it can be challenging to choose the right one. We’ve found the 10 best laptops for programming in 2024, including the latest MacBooks running Apple silicon chips and Windows machines running 12th-generation Intel chips (or the AMD equivalent).

Below, you’ll find a handy buying guide to help you choose the right machine for you. As a bonus, we’ve included our top contenders for the best computer for coding, including recommendations for various use cases, preferences, and budgets.

Let’s get right to it!

Featured Laptops for Programming [Editor’s Picks]

The Importance of a Good Laptop for Programming

While it’s possible to use older laptops for programming, assuming they have enough RAM and decent overall specifications, most programmers want coding computers with enough processing power to compile and test their code efficiently.

Good laptops for coding will need to be very powerful for some programmers to handle intensive projects like game development.

Key Factors When Choosing a Laptop for Programming

Processor

Aim for 10th-gen Intel processors and up (or the AMD equivalent), and look for multi-core processors, as more cores mean more processing power. If you want to use a MacBook as a laptop for coding, M1 and M2 chips offer more than enough processing power, even at the base model.

RAM

We don’t recommend less than 8GB with Windows, but 16GB is the sweet spot. You can also upgrade to more for heavier workloads and multitasking. MacBooks running Apple silicon can get by on the default of 8GB for most use cases.

Graphics Card

Programmers won’t always need a discrete (separate) graphics card/video card/GPU. Integrated GPUs like Intel UHD graphics, Intel Iris Xe graphics, or AMD Radeon graphics are enough for general coding. The same goes for Macs with graphics cores integrated into their M1/M2 chips.

If you work on graphically intense projects, you’ll probably want a discrete GPU. At a minimum, we recommend the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30XX series (or the AMD equivalent).

Display

If you value portability, choose a laptop with an 11-13 inch screen (though we wouldn’t recommend less than 13”). To avoid eye strain and have more screen real estate, aim for 15” and up. You should also aim for a minimum of Full HD (FHD) 1080p, or 1920 x 1080 pixels.

Storage

We wouldn’t recommend below 512GB. If you need more storage, you can always expand to cloud or external storage solutions. 

Battery Life

If you know you’ll be on the move, then the best laptops for coding should offer you enough juice to last you through the day. This may be less important to you if you don’t think you’ll spend prolonged periods away from a power socket. 

Other Considerations When Choosing a Coding Laptop

  • Build Quality and Durability: Choose a machine that is durable enough for your needs!
  • Price and Value for Money: It can be tempting to spend more, but only do so if you can comfortably afford it.
  • Portability and Weight: If you want to bring travel with your laptop, choose a small and lightweight model.
  • Keyboard and Touchpad: The best laptops for software development will offer comfortable touchpads and keyboards. Subpar keyboards and touchpads will feel cheap and may ruin your experience while causing issues with ergonomics.

The 10 Best Programming Laptops in 2024: Our Top Recommendations

Laptop

Description

Specifications

MacBook Pro 16” M2

The best laptop for coding overall

  • Screen Size: 16.2”
  • Processor: Apple M2 Pro or M2 Max
  • GPU: Integrated GPU cores
  • RAM: 16GB or 32GB, up to 96GB
  • Battery Life: Up to 22h
  • Weight: ~4.7lbs

Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3i Gen 7

Best mid-range coding laptop

  • Screen Size: 15.6”
  • Processor:
      • Intel Core i5-12500
      • Intel Core i7-12700
      • AMD R5-5600H
      • AMD R5-6600H
  • GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 or 3050Ti
  • RAM: 8GB Upgradeable to 16GB
  • Battery Life: Up to ~3h
  • Weight: 5.1lbs

MacBook Pro 13” M2

Best balance between power and portability

  • Screen Size: 13.3”
  • Processor: Apple M2
  • GPU: Integrated GPU cores
  • RAM: 8GB, up to 24GB
  • Battery Life: Up to 17h
  • Weight: 3lbs

Microsoft Surface Laptop 5

Best for Windows users

  • Screen Size: 13.5” or 15”
  • Processor:
      • Intel Core i5-1235U Evo
      • Intel i7-1255U Evo
  • GPU: Intel Iris Xe Graphics
  • RAM: 8GB or 16GB, up to 32GB
  • Battery Life: Up to 17h
  • Weight
    • 13.5”: ~2.8lbs
    • 15”: 3.44lbs

HP Spectre x360 16”

Best 2-in-1 convertible

  • Screen Size: 16” touchscreen
  • Processor: Intel Core i7-12700H Evo
  • GPU: Intel Iris Xe Graphics
  • RAM: 16GB
  • Battery Life: Up to 17h
  • Weight: 4.45lbs

MacBook Air 13” M2

Best for portability

  • Screen Size: 13.6”
  • Processor: Apple M2
  • GPU: Integrated GPU Cores
  • RAM: 8GB up to 24GB
  • Battery Life: Up to 15h

Dell XPS 13 9320

Best Windows ultraportable

  • Screen Size: 13.4’
  • Processor
  • Intel Core i5-1230U
      • Intel Core i7 1250U
  • GPU: Intel Iris Xe Graphics
  • RAM: 8GB, 16GB, 32GB
  • Battery Life: ~7 hours
  • Weight: 2.59lbs+

Razer Blade 17

Best for gamers + Best large display

  • Screen Size: 17.3”
  • Processor: Intel Core i7-12800H
  • GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060, 3070Ti, 3080Ti
  • RAM: 16GB DDR5, user upgradeable to 64GB
  • Battery Life: Up to 2.5-3h
  • Weight: 5.50lbs

MacBook Pro 14” M2

A more portable MacBook Pro running M2 Pro/Max

  • Screen Size: 14.2”
  • Processor: Apple M2 Pro or M2 Max
  • GPU: Integrated GPU Cores
  • RAM: 16GB, 32GB, up to 96GB
  • Battery Life: Up to 12h
  • Weight: ~3.5lbs

LG Gram 17

An ultraportable laptop with a large display

  • Screen Size: 17”
  • Processor: Intel Core i7-1260P
  • GPU: Intel Iris Xe Graphics
  • RAM: 16GB DDR5
  • Battery Life: Up to 17h
  • Weight: 2.98lbs

1. MacBook Pro 16” M2 - The Best Laptop for Coding Overall

Check Price

Key Specifications

Size: 14.01 x 9.77 x 0.66 inches

Display: 

  • 16.2” Liquid Retina XDR
  • 3456x2234 px at 254 PPI (pixels per inch)
  • P3 wide color
  • Adaptive refresh rates (up to 120Hz)

Operating System: macOS Ventura

Processor: Apple M2 Pro or M2 Max

Graphics Card: Integrated; 19 GPU cores (upgradeable to 30) or 38 GPU cores

RAM/Memory: 16GB or 32GB, upgradeable to 64GB with M2 Max and 96GB with the M2 Max with 38 GPU cores

Storage: 512GB or 1TB SSD; configurable as 1TB, 2TB, 4TB, 8TB

Numpad: None

Battery Life: Reported up to 15h wireless web and 22h Apple TV app playback

Weight: 4.7-4.8lbs

Why we chose this laptop:

The recently released 16” M2 Pro and M2 Max MacBook Pro is our choice for the best coding laptop overall.

This machine is definitely up there in price, but it’s incredibly powerful, has a glorious display, and comes in two powerful models. It’s also upgradeable to an insane 96GB of RAM and 8TB of storage, but unless you’ll be doing some extremely heavy work, the base M2 Pro model is more than enough.

One of the things we like most is that it’s loaded with ports, including HDMI and SDXC. And if you’re worried about being able to run Windows, you’ll be glad to know that running Windows 11 on Parallels is now officially supported.

Pros

  • Amazing battery life
  • Highly configurable (at greater cost)
  • Beautiful display
  • Tons of screen real estate
  • Incredibly powerful
  • Plenty of ports
  • Supports multiple external displays

Cons

  • Expensive
  • No numpad
  • Can feel bulky due to its size

2. Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3i Gen 7 - Best Mid-Range Coding Laptop

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Key Specifications

Size: 14.13 x 9.83 x 0.98 inches

Display: 15.6” FHD IPS at 120Hz

Operating System: Windows 11 Home

Processor:

  • Intel Core i5-12500H
  • Intel Core i7-12700H
  • AMD R5-5600H
  • AMD R5-6600H

Graphics Card: Integrated + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 or 3050Ti

RAM/Memory: 8GB; user-upgradeable up to 16GB DDR4-3200MHz

Storage: 512GB SSD

Numpad: Yes

Battery Life: Reported up to ~3 hours when not gaming

Weight: 5.1lbs

Why we chose this laptop:

The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3i is one of the best laptops for IT professionals. It’s relatively affordable, configurable, and the RAM is user-upgradeable, which is good as it only has 8GB built in.

This laptop also has a discrete GPU that allows for gaming and other graphically-intense tasks. It even has a numpad to make coding easier, though Lenovo has made compromises on battery life and portability.

Pros

  • Relatively affordable
  • Has a numpad
  • Plenty of screen real estate
  • Configurable
  • Discrete GPU

Cons

  • Only 8GB RAM by default
  • Subpar battery life
  • On the heavy side

3. MacBook Pro 13” M2 - Best Balance Between Power and Portability

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Key Specifications

Size: 11.97 x 8.36 x 11.97 inches

Display:

  • 13.3” Retina display
  • 2560x1600 at 227 PPI
  • P3 Wide Color

Operating System: macOS

Processor: Apple M2

Graphics Card: 10 integrated GPU cores

RAM/Memory: 8GB configurable to 16GB or 24GB

Storage: 256GB or 512GB SSD, configurable to 1TB or 2TB

Numpad: None

Battery Life: Reported up to 17h wireless web and 20h Apple TV app playback

Weight: 3.0lbs

Why we chose this laptop:

Users looking for the perfect mix between portability and power might enjoy the 13” MacBook Pro M2. This model is lightweight, offers amazing battery life, and provides enough power to do what you need. It’s also configurable with more RAM and storage if necessary.

This model has a slightly smaller display compared to the M2 MacBook Air, but it does have built-in cooling fans to ensure your machine runs optimally, no matter the workload.

Pros

  • Powerful
  • Configurable
  • Portable
  • Excellent battery life
  • Built-in fans for cooling give this model an advantage over the MacBook Air

Cons

  • Few ports
  • No numpad
  • 720p webcam
  • Only supports 1 additional external display

4. Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 - Best for Windows Users

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Key Specifications

Size:

  • 13.5”: 12.1 x 8.8 x .57 inches
  • 15”: 13.4 x 9.6 x .58 inches

Display

  • 13.5” PixelSense 2256x1504 pixels at 201PPI, touchscreen, sRGB color-calibrated display
  • 15” PixelSense 2496x1664 pixels at 201PPI, touchscreen, sRGB color-calibrated display

Operating System: Windows 11 Home

Processor:

  • 13.5” Model: 12th Gen Intel Core i5-1235U Evo or i7-1255U Evo
  • 15” Model: 12th Gen Intel i7-1255U Evo

Graphics Card: Integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics

RAM/Memory:

  • 13.5” Model: 8GB or 16GB
  • 15” Model: 8GB or 16GB, upgradeable to 32GB

Storage: Removable SSDs

  • 13.5”: 256GB or 512GB
  • 15”: 256GB, 512GB, 1TB

Numpad: None

Battery Life: Reported 17-18h depending on usage

Weight:

  • 13.5”: 2.80-2.86lbs
  • 15”: 3.44lbs

Why we chose this laptop:

The most recent iteration of the Microsoft Surface Laptop comes in two sizes: 13.5” or 15”. Both feature a beautiful touchscreen display and integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics, and you’ll also have powerful 12th-generation Intel Evo chips within.

We included this laptop as it is incredibly portable and features amazing battery longevity. It’s a great choice if you don’t need a discrete GPU.

Pros

  • Amazing battery life
  • 2 sizes to choose from
  • Powerful 12th-gen Intel CPUs
  • Lightweight and portable

Cons

  • Few ports
  • Camera 720p only
  • No discrete GPU

5. HP Spectre x360 16” - Best 2-in-1 Convertible

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Key Specifications

Size: 14.09 x 9.66 x 0.78 inches

Display:

  • 16” touchscreen IPS
  • 3072 x 1920 pixels (3K+) 

Operating System: Windows 11 Home

Processor: Intel Core i7-12700H Evo

Graphics Card: Integrated Intel Iris Xe Graphics

RAM/Memory: 16GB

Storage: 512GB SSD upgradeable to 2TB

Numpad: None

Battery Life: Reported up to 17h depending on use

Weight: 4.45lbs

Why we chose this laptop:

The HP Spectre x360 16” is in contention for the best software development laptop thanks to its powerful specifications. This machine stands out on our list thanks to its touchscreen and included stylus. If you’re looking for versatility, this laptop is one to consider.

The HP Spectre x360 also wins if you value battery life, with up to 17h of juice depending on usage. You also get a powerful 12th-gen i7 CPU and 16GB of RAM. The only drawback with this laptop is a lack of a discrete GPU, but that only matters if you need one.

Pros

  • Plenty of ports
  • Comes with a stylus
  • Convertible
  • Beautiful display
  • Powerful
  • Great battery life

Cons

  • No discrete GPU
  • No numpad

6. MacBook Air 13” M2 - Best for Portability

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Key Specifications

Size: 11.97 x 8.46 x 0.44 inches

Display:

  • 13.6” Liquid Retina display
  • 2560 x 1664 pixels at 224 PPI
  • P3 Wide Color

Operating System: macOS

Processor: Apple M2

Graphics Card: 8 or 10-core integrated GPU

RAM/Memory: 8GB configurable to 16GB or 24GB

Storage: 256GB or 512GB SSD, configurable to 512GB, 1TB, or 2TB

Numpad: None

Battery Life: Reported up to 15h wireless web and 18h Apple TV app playback

Weight: 2.7lbs

Why we chose this laptop:

The MacBook Air M2 features an updated design that takes away the taper that Air clamshells featured in the past.

This model has a slightly larger display, a better webcam, and even more power than the previous M1 model. It’s the ultimate ultraportable, thanks to its amazing battery life and lightweight design.

Pros

  • Extremely lightweight and portable
  • Amazing battery life
  • Configurable
  • Powerful
  • Beautiful display
  • MagSafe 3 charging port
  • 1080p webcam

Cons

  • No numpad
  • Midnight colorway is a fingerprint magnet
  • Few ports
  • No built-in cooling fans to prevent thermal throttling
  • Only supports one external display

7. Dell XPS 13 9320 - Best Windows Ultraportable

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Key Specifications

Size: 11.63 x 7.86 x 0.55 inches

Display:

  • 13.4” FHD+ 1920x1200 pixels 60Hz Non-Touch
  • 13.4” FHD+ 1920x1200 pixels 60Hz Touchscreen
  • 13.4” 4K 3456x2160 pixels Touchscreen

Operating System: Windows 11 Home or Pro; You may find a model with Ubuntu Linux 20.04 LTS

Processor: 12th-Gen Intel Core i5 1230U; 12th-Gen Intel Core i7 1250U

Graphics Card: Intel Iris Xe Graphics

RAM/Memory: 8GB, 16GB, 32GB

Storage: 512GB, 1TB, 2TB SSD

Numpad: None

Battery Life: Around ~7 hours

Weight: 2.59lbs starting

Why we chose this laptop:

For a laptop in the same segment as the MacBook Air, the Dell XPS 13 does a lot right. It’s a nifty Windows ultraportable, though its battery life doesn’t quite touch the MacBook Air’s. Nevertheless, this laptop is worth a look, especially with its beautiful display options.

Pros

  • Lightweight, small, portable
  • Comes in touch or non-touch
  • Powerful
  • Configurable

Cons

  • Battery life is so-so
  • Few ports
  • 720p webcam
  • No discrete GPU

8. Razer Blade 17 - Best for Gamers + Best Large Display

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Key Specifications

Size: 15.55 x 10.24 x 0.78 inches

Display: 17.3” QHD (2K) 2560x1440 pixels

  • 160Hz, sRGB 100%, IPS, 3ms
  • 240Hz, DC-P3 100%, 6ms

Operating System: Windows 11 Home

Processor: 12th-Gen Intel Core i7-12800H

Graphics Card: Integrated + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060, 3070Ti, or 3080Ti

RAM/Memory: 16GB DDR5, user upgradeable to 64GB

Storage: 1TB, up to 2TB

Numpad: None

Battery Life: 2.5-3h

Weight: 5.50lbs

Why we chose this laptop:

The Razer Blade 17 is in contention for best laptop for software development if you want a larger display. Not only will you get a 17.3” screen, you’ll also get it in QHD (2K) resolution.

You also get the choice between the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060, 3070ti, and 3080ti, giving you all the graphics power you need. With so much power, you should expect this machine to be battery-hungry, so plan to be near a power socket for prolonged use.

Pros

  • Extremely powerful
  • Tons of ports
  • Beautiful display
  • Great for gaming and game devs
  • DDR5 RAM

Cons

  • Battery life is quite short, around 3h
  • DDR5 RAM expensive to upgrade
  • No numpad on a laptop this size

9. MacBook Pro 14” M2 - A More Portable MacBook Pro Running M2 Pro/Max

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Key Specifications

Size: 12.31 x 8.71 x 0.61 inches

Display:

  • 14.2” Liquid Retina XDR
  • 3024x1964 pixels at 254 PPI
  • P3 wide color
  • Adaptive refresh rates (up to 120Hz)

Operating System: macOS Ventura

Processor: Apple M2 Pro or M2 Max

Graphics Card: Integrated; 16-core, 19-core, or 30-core; configurable to 38-core

RAM/Memory: 16GB or 32GB, upgradeable to 64GB with M2 Max and 96GB with the M2 Max with 38 GPU cores

Storage: 512GB or 1TB SSD; configurable as 1TB, 2TB, 4TB, 8TB

Numpad: None

Battery Life: Reported up to 12h wireless web and 18h Apple TV app playback

Weight: 3.5-3.6lbs

Why we chose this laptop:

The updated 14” MacBook Pro is essentially the smaller version of the 16” model. It’s still incredibly powerful and offers many of the same specifications and configurations as its bigger brother, while remaining more portable and lightweight.

It would be remiss of us not to include this machine on this list, as it’s certainly in contention for the best computer for coding.

Pros

  • Smaller, more portable version of the 16” model
  • More affordable than the 16” model
  • Amazing display
  • Incredibly powerful
  • Plenty of ports
  • Supports multiple external displays

Cons

  • Still expensive
  • No numpad

10. LG Gram 17 - An Ultraportable Laptop with a Large Display

Check Price

Key Specifications

Size: 14.91 x 10.9 x 0.7 inches

Display: 17” WQXGA 2560 x 1600 IPS, 99% DCI-P3

Operating System: Windows 11 Home

Processor: 12th Gen Intel Core i7-1260P

Graphics Card: Intel Iris Xe Graphics

RAM/Memory: 16GB DDR5

Storage: 1TB

Numpad: Yes

Battery Life: Reported up to 17~ hours

Weight: 2.98lbs

Why we chose this laptop:

The LG Gram 17 is a massive machine. At 17”, it has screen real estate to rival the Razer Blade 17, without the massive price tag to match.

For programmers who don’t do a ton of graphically-intensive tasks, the LG Gram 17 is a fantastic machine, especially considering that it’s a mere 3lbs!

Pros

  • Amazing battery life
  • Beautiful display
  • Has a numpad
  • Super lightweight for its size!
  • Affordable considering the specs and display size

Cons

  • No discrete GPU

Which Coding Laptop Should You Choose?

The right coding laptop for you depends on your specific needs. However, we do have a few recommendations:

Want to find the best laptop for cyber-security? Check out:

The Best Laptops for Hacking

Conclusion

The best laptops for programming are those that suit your needs best. Remember that you don’t have to buy the most expensive or the most powerful machines for programming unless you really need the beefed-up specifications.

But if you want the best of the best, the MacBook Pro 16” is the one to beat — and if you want to code and game on a larger screen, we recommend the Razer Blade 17.

If you’re still unsure which model to buy, decide what you’ll need your machine for most, then take another look at our buying guide above!

Want to learn how to code? Check out:

The Best Coding Apps in 2024

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What Is the Best Laptop for Programming?

Some may only need a mid-range laptop, while others need extremely powerful machines featuring topped-out specifications and discrete GPUs. If you want the best overall programming laptop, check out the MacBook Pro 16” M2 (Pro/Max).

2. Do You Need a Powerful Laptop for Programming?

Not necessarily. Most mid-range laptops are capable of programming and compiling code efficiently. If you plan on working on game development or need to compile a ton of code, you might want a more powerful machine.

3. Which Laptop Processor Is Best for Programming?

Programmers benefit most from the newest higher-end processors available. Any multicore Intel processor 8th gen+ (or AMD equivalent) will work for those looking to spend less. Apple fans can rejoice as Apple silicon (M1, M2) also works great for coding.

4. What Laptop Screen Size Is Best for Programming?

This largely depends on personal preference. Larger displays mean more screen real estate, letting you display more content while reducing the strain on your eyes. However, if portability is significant, laptops with 11-13-inch displays can work well.

5. How Much RAM Do I Need for Programming?

4GB can be enough for basic programming, but we don't recommend going below 16GB if you want to multitask efficiently. 8GB is the lowest we would recommend for Windows users. For Mac users on Apple silicon, 8GB is fine, thanks to macOS-optimized M1/M2 chips, but more won’t hurt!

6. Which Laptop for Programming Is Best for You?

As you choose the best computer for programming for your specific situation, always remember to consider what you intend to use your laptop for. Don’t just think of what coding projects you’ll work on, but also consider things like general usage, multitasking, and other use cases. If you’d prefer to just get the latest and greatest, check out the MacBook Pro 16” M2 (Pro/Max).

 

By Jenna Inouye

Jenna Inouye currently works at Google and has been a full-stack developer for two decades, specializing in web application design and development. She is a tech expert with a B.S. in Information & Computer Science and MCITP certification. For the last eight years, she has worked as a news and feature writer focusing on technology and finance, with bylines in Udemy, SVG, The Gamer, Productivity Spot, and Spreadsheet Point.

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