Coding isn't just algorithms and syntax. It's also about finding the perfect laptop that becomes a coder's best ally. Whether it's for developing complex software or crafting simple scripts, the right laptop can turn hours of coding into an absolute delight. While any laptop can do the job, getting a screen with good viewing angles, good brightness levels, and higher contrast is always recommended.
Moreover, the screen size also drastically improves the coding experience. With a bigger screen, a large portion of the code becomes visible without scrolling down, and the text will also be sharper if the resolution is higher. This guide dives into the world of laptops tailored for coding, helping enthusiasts and professionals alike to choose their ideal partners in the digital creative process.
When selecting a laptop for coding, consider factors like:
- Processor Performance: A fast CPU ensures smooth and efficient coding sessions.
- Battery Life: A long-lasting battery allows for extended hours of development without interruption.
- Keyboard Comfort: A comfortable and responsive keyboard is crucial for long coding hours.
In addition to the right laptop, ensuring a streamlined workflow might also involve choosing the right accessories. Consider adding a fast gaming mouse for an enhanced coding experience.
Game ZXC's Picks for the Best Laptops for Coding in 2024
ASUS Zenbook 14 Flip OLED Laptop
ASUS Zenbook 14 Flip is an affordable and power-efficient laptop that brings an OLED display for enthusiasts. Its color accuracy and contrast are unparalleled and the configuration boasts the latest Core i7 1360P CPU with integrated Iris Xe graphics. It's incredibly thin and lightweight to carry around easily and has 360 degree ergolift hinge.
- Operating System
- Windows 11 Home
- CPU
- Intel Core i7 1360P
- GPU
- Intel Iris Xe Graphics
- Storage
- 1TB SSD
- Display (Size, Resolution)
- 14", 2880x1800p
- Brand
- Asus
- RAM
- 16GB LDDR5
- Network
- WiFi 6E
- Model
- UP3404VA-DS74T
- Display type
- OLED
- Outstanding OLED panel with incredibly high contrast
- Can have up to 550 nits of brightness through HDR support
- Powerful yet power-efficient i7 processor
- 14-inch display may be a little too small for some
Asus Zenbook 14 Flip laptop has an outstanding display, featuring an OLED panel that not only provides exceptional contrast but also boasts a high resolution. Compared to the traditional 1080p, its 1800p resolution is far superior in providing sharper and vivid details. Every numeric digit and alphabet will be clearer on the screen, whether the background is light or dark. The OLED panel has a NanoEdge touchscreen feature too, letting users operate it with their fingers.
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All they need is to flip the screen to the other side via the 360-degree hinge and the laptop will be converted into a tablet mode, increasing productivity. The configuration includes the Raptor Lake Core i7 1360P CPU, bringing a 12-core, 16-thread configuration, and Intel Iris Xe GPU onboard to suffice for most workloads. It's definitely not suitable for complex graphically intensive operations, but users can feel free to test its capability in tasks like photo editing.
LG gram 16-inch Lightweight Laptop
LG Gram 16 is probably one of the lightest laptops out there despite featuring a 16-inch display. It uses the latest Core Ultra 7 processor based on the Meteor Lake architecture to bring plenty of cores and threads without consuming much power. With 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage space, it's an ideal machine for students and office workers.
- Operating System
- Windows 11 Home
- CPU
- Intel Core Ultra 7 155H
- GPU
- Intel ARC Graphics
- Storage
- 512GB SSD
- Display (Size, Resolution)
- 16", 2560x1600p
- Brand
- LG
- RAM
- 16GB DDR5
- Model
- Gram 16
- Display type
- IPS
- Incredibly lightweight for easy portability
- Wide color gamut and QHD+ resolution for vivid picture quality
- Uses the latest and more power-efficient Meteor Lake CPU
- No HDR support
- Might require storage upgrade
LG Gram 16 has an advantage over most laptops when it comes to coding as it has a slightly bigger screen and uses the latest Meteor Lake chip to execute the code quickly. Doesn't matter how complex the code is, the LG Gram's Core Ultra 7 155H processor has the capability to process the code in a fraction of a second to display the final result. Furthermore, its IPS display is fantastic with low-glare properties that not only produce accurate colors via a color gamut of 99% DCI-P3 but won't hurt the eyes in the long run.
The laptop is incredibly light as well, weighing just over 1kg, and is less than 0.7 inches thick. With 16GB RAM, 512GB storage space, and the latest connectivity features, including WiFi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, and multiple fast USB ports, it has all the bells and whistles required for coding as well as day-to-day workloads.
HP Victus 15
With a decent Intel Core i5 12th-generation processor and a GTX 1650 GPU powering it, the Victus 15 isn't the fastest laptop, but it does offer decent pricing, a 144Hz display, and a healthy slew of ports.
- Operating System
- Windows 11
- CPU
- Intel Core i5-12450H
- GPU
- GTX 1650
- Storage
- 512 GB NVMe SSD
- Battery
- 52.5 WHr
- Display (Size, Resolution)
- 15.6", 1080p, 144 Hz
- Camera
- 720p
- Colors
- Mica Silver
- Memory
- 8 GB DDR4 3200 MHz
- Ports
- 1 USB Type-C, 2 USB Type-A, Ethernet, HDMI 2.1, SD Card Reader
- Weight
- 5.06 lbs
- Brand
- HP
- Sufficient connectivity options for versatile use
- Compact and sturdy design, suitable for on-the-go coding
- Limited RAM for more intensive programming tasks
- 8GB DDR4 RAM might require upgrading for advanced coding
The HP Victus 15 stands out as the best entry-level laptop for coding, making it a prime choice for emerging developers and coding enthusiasts. Its 12th Gen Intel Core i5 processor alongside the NVIDIA GTX 1650 GPU provides a balanced performance for coding and light gaming. With its 15.6-inch 1080p 144Hz display, users can expect clear and smooth visuals, enhancing the coding experience.
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While it offers great value, there are aspects where the HP Victus 15 may fall short. The 8 GB DDR4 RAM and 512 GB SSD storage, which may cause issues in max-intensity coding environments, might require upgrading in the future. Yet, the laptop's robust build and versatile connectivity options make it an ideal laptop for beginners, justifying its position as the top entry-level choice for coding.
ASUS VivoBook 16X
ASUS Vivobook 16X features an unusual 3.2K resolution but has a fantastic OLED panel to provide true blacks and crisp visuals for gaming and content creation. With a powerful CPU-GPU combo, the laptop is ready to take on any task without breaking a sweat while being pretty lightweight for easy portability.
- Operating System
- Windows 11 Home
- CPU
- Intel Core i9 13900H
- GPU
- Nvidia Geforce RTX 4060
- Storage
- 1TB PCI-E 3.0 SSD
- Display (Size, Resolution)
- 3.2K 600 Nit OLED Display
- Brand
- Asus
- RAM
- 32GB DDR5 (2 x 16GB)
- Model
- K3605VV-ES96
- Display type
- OLED
- Powerful configuration for all types of intensive tasks
- OLED panel with HDR support
- A high 3.2K resolution for sharper images
- Consumes a lot of power
- Not ideal for users who just intend to code
Coding and gaming can go hand in hand if the laptop is the Asus Vivobook 16X. It's essentially a machine for enthusiasts who work during the daytime and game at night. Powered by the latest Raptor Lake i9 CPU, and the Geforce RTX 4060 GPU, which is one of the best budget GPUs out there, running advanced programs like Unreal Engine or Unity, which incorporates both coding and 3D rendering, won't be a hassle anymore. Furthermore, this configuration is quite sufficient for gaming on ultra settings.
However, due to its high 3.2K resolution, it's advised to keep settings down in video games but this doesn't apply to coding programs. Whether users are coding in Python, Java, or C, its big 16-inch display with a 3200x2000p resolution will be crisp and clear to display every letter and numeral with incredibly high contrast. This becomes possible through the OLED panel, which in this case, also supports HDR, letting users bump the brightness all the way up to 550 nits.
SAMSUNG Galaxy Book3
SAMSUNG Galaxy Book3 is a decently powerful laptop for multitasking and gaming. With its AMOLED display, the color accuracy and the vividness of the details come out to be incredibly good. Through its high-end Core i7 processor and the latest Ada-based budget GPU, it is able to carry out intensive CPU and GPU operations while maintaining a good battery life.
- Operating System
- Windows 11
- CPU
- Intel Core i7 13700H
- GPU
- Nvidia Geforce RTX 4050
- Storage
- 1TB SSD
- Display (Size, Resolution)
- 16", 2880x1800p
- Brand
- Samsung
- RAM
- 16GB
- Model
- Galaxy Book3
- Display type
- AMOLED
- Provides crisp and clear image quality through AMOLED display
- Boasts a potent CPU-GPU combo
- Has a high resolution for more clarity
- Pricey for its configuration. Mostly due to its AMOLED display
A regular OLED screen suffers from low brightness levels, making it unsuitable for well-lit rooms or outdoors. Of course, some laptops feature HDR support to bump up the brightness a bit more, but AMOLED displays are inherently better in the brightness levels and are generally more power-efficient due to using a TFT array. The Samsung Galaxy Book3 is, therefore, a premium choice for coders, giving them a 16-inch display boasting a 3K resolution for making every code line crystal clear.
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It's also impressively compact and lightweight for easy portability. This is despite the fact that it uses a dedicated RTX 4050 GPU, which is sufficient even for game development or gaming. The 13th gen Core i7 13700H, 16GB RAM, and 1TB SSD storage complete its configuration, making it adequate for intensive operations without being too power-hungry.
Acer Aspire 3 A315-24P-R7VH Slim Laptop
The Aspire 3 is another fantastic choice for those looking for a budget machine for college and home use. Acer Aspire 3 A315-24P-R7VH features a 15.6-inch screen with one of the most potent CPUs - the AMD Ryzen 3 7320U. It also has 8GB RAM and 128GB of storage, which should be enough for general and casual gamers users. It weighs 3.92 pounds and measures14.29 x 0.74 x 9.35 inches.
- Operating System
- Windows 11 S
- CPU
- Ryzen 3
- GPU
- AMD Radeon Graphics
- Storage
- 128GB
- Brand
- Acer
- RAM
- 8 GB
- Boasts a quad core APU with iGPU onboard
- Dirt-cheap price
- IPS display for good viewing angles
- Lackluster picture quality
- Configuration not suitable for intensive workloads
- Just 128GB of storage space won't be sufficient for most users
The Acer Aspire 3 provides a basic starter pack for coders. A regular 15.6" display, a quad-core CPU, 8GB RAM, and 128GB storage space is what users will get with this ultra-budget laptop. Costing just $300, it can fit almost everyone's budget and is ready to handle various popular coding platforms. It's surely not an ideal choice for game development apps, but popular coding programs like Notepad++, Visual Studio Code, PyCharm, and similar code editors will have no problem running on this machine.
It's powered by a power-efficient Ryzen 3 7320U processor, which provides 4-cores and 8-threads, and an entry-level Radeon 610M iGPU to handle the visuals on the screen. The screen itself is pretty fine for most needs but isn't recommended for color grading. The viewing angles are good, and the resolution is 1080p for having every element on the screen crisp and clear. Users who are on a very tight budget can go for this one, but it's recommended to upgrade the storage drive as 128GB storage capacity won't cut it when it comes to storing a good amount of data.
How to Choose the Best Laptop for Coding
Choosing the right laptop for coding involves understanding key factors that directly impact programming efficiency and comfort. Consider the following aspects for choosing the perfect laptop for coding.
Processor Performance
The heart of a coding laptop lies in its processor. A robust CPU not only speeds up development tasks but also allows seamless multitasking. Whether compiling code or running complex algorithms, a powerful processor ensures a lag-free and efficient coding experience.
Battery Life
For coders who prefer to work on-the-go or in varied locations, battery life becomes a critical factor. A laptop that can last for extended hours without needing a charge offers the freedom to code anywhere without the constraint of being near a power outlet.
Keyboard Comfort
Given the hours spent typing, the comfort of the laptop’s keyboard is crucial. A responsive and ergonomically designed keyboard can greatly reduce fatigue and increase coding speed, making it an essential consideration for any coding enthusiast or professional.
FAQ
Q: What makes a laptop good for coding?
Laptops for coding excel with fast processors, comfortable keyboards, and long battery life, crucial for efficient and prolonged programming sessions.
Q: Do coding laptops need a lot of RAM?
Adequate RAM, typically 8GB or more, is important in coding laptops for smooth operation, especially when running multiple programs or large codebases.
Q: Do gaming laptops work for coding?
Gaming laptops, with their high-performance specs, are excellent for coding, especially for resource-intensive tasks like game development or machine learning.