Which laptop is the best for programming in 2022?

If you are a programmer who often works remotely, you must have searched for the best laptops for programming at least once. Due to the global pandemic, almost all IT employees work from home at least a couple days of the week. It’s not only programmers, though - almost all industries and jobs shifted to remote online work.

At the end of 2020, less than a year after the global pandemic started, the global PC market has grown by almost 13%.

For this reason, we decided to focus this article around one topic - finding the best laptop for programming in 2022. In our search we gathered information from different sources - forums, articles, and social networks. We are especially proud to say that we consulted our professors to hear what their laptop of choice is.

Without further ado, let’s get down to business.

What to look for

Programming isn’t the easiest job out there, and in order for you to be the most effective, you need a device that is better than average. When you’re choosing the best laptop for software development or programming, there are several key things to consider. First of all, you are going to need a laptop with an excellent processor because you need a lot of power. The best laptops will come with the newest generation processors from Intel, AMD, or Apple. For power, you also need fast and large RAM, especially when you are running and testing your codes. The RAM must be of size 8 GB or more if you want to multitask hassle-free.

The next thing to consider is speed - if you want to save time when accessing projects or files, you need a fast SSD. Finally, you must not forget about comfort, as you are going to be spending at least a third of your day using your laptop. We need to consider both the keyboard and the display. The keyboard needs to be responsive and comfortable for typing, and the display needs to be high-resolution and easy on the eyes. It’s important to note that, if you are working in game development, you are going to need a laptop with a good graphics card so you can run and test games.

The best laptops for programming

HP Spectre x360 (2021)

SPECIFICATIONS

• CPU: 11th-generation Intel Core i5 – i7
• Graphics: Intel Iris Xe Graphics
• RAM: 8GB – 16GB
• Screen: 13.3" FHD (1920 x 1080) IPS BrightView micro-edge WLED-backlit multitouch – 13.3" diagonal 4K (3840 x 2160) UWVA BrightView micro-edge AMOLED multitouch
• Storage: 256GB – 2TB SSD

OVERVIEW

It seems like HP can not go wrong with these high-end laptops. Their Spectre line was always known as stunning and powerful. So, when we say that the Spectre x360 is a next-level device, it means that HP have outdone themselves. This laptop has a 11th generation Intel Core processor and an Intel Iris Xe graphics card. The battery life is said to be about 11 hours, which is very impressive. The SSD is more than satisfactory at 2TB, and the screen is multi-touch and high-res. Additionally, the Spectre x360 might be the most beautiful laptop currently on the market. Its gem cut design, thin and elegant design contribute to the wow-factor.

This laptop might even be more powerful than you need it to be! There are virtually no downsides to it. If you opt for this model, you will no doubt have the best laptop for programming in 2022.

Google Pixelbook Go

SPECIFICATIONS

• CPU: Intel Core m3 - Intel Core i7
• Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 615
• RAM: 8GB - 16GB
• Screen: 13.3-inch Full HD (1,920 x 1,080) or 4K LCD touchscreen
• Storage: 128GB - 256GB eMMC

OVERVIEW

This is the best Chromebook money can buy, and if you are looking for a laptop for software development, this is a perfect choice for you. The Google Pixelbook Go is famous for its 11-hour battery life, an amazing touchscreen and one of the best keyboards you can find on a laptop. This is especially important for all of you who code for hours and hours each day. All things considered, the specifications of this laptop make its performance on par with all other high-end laptops. However, its biggest downside is its OS, since it runs only on Chrome OS. Nevertheless, for most programmers, but especially web developers, this won’t be a problem. If needed, you can install Linux on it and make it even more versatile.

MacBook Pro 14-inch (2021)

SPECIFICATIONS

• CPU: Apple M1 Pro 8-core – M1 Max 10-core
• Graphics: Integrated 14-core – 32-core GPU
• RAM: Up to 64GB
• Screen: 14-inch Liquid Retina XDR display
• Storage: Up to 8TB

OVERVIEW

Let’s get one thing out of the way - everyone knows that you can’t go wrong with a MacBook. This laptop offers a brilliant performance that is amazing for both creative overflows and programming in general. The MacBook Pro 14-inch probably has the best screen on the market, which is an extremely important feature to have. Most people use their laptops for at least 8 hours a day, so this might be a deal breaker. Of course, all specifications are up to par with the best of the best, not to mention the 64GB RAM and M1 Max breathtakingly powerful CPU. If you like working on iOS and Apple devices, then this is undoubtedly the best laptop for you.

Dell XPS 15 (2020)

PERFORMANCE

• CPU: 10th-generation Intel Core i5 – i7
• Graphics: Intel Iris Plus Graphics - Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 Ti
• RAM: 8GB – 64GB
• Screen: 15.6" FHD+ (1920 x 1200) IPS - UHD+ (3840 x 2400)
• Storage: 256GB – 1TB SSD

OVERVIEW

This is probably the best laptop Dell has to offer, and the competition is far from easy. If you like a large screen, the XPS 15 is definitely the laptop for you. Apart from a stunning design, this laptop has some of the most powerful components you can find. This laptop not only looks, but also feels like a premium laptop for programming, and it’s easy to carry around as well.

Apart from an excellent processor, this laptop has an amazing graphics card from Nvidia which makes it perfect for everyone who works in the gaming industry. Additionally, similar to other high-end laptops, the XPS 15 has an excellent battery life that enables you to work the entire day without charging it.

MacBook Pro 16-inch (2021)

PERFORMANCE

• CPU: Apple M1 Pro 10-core – M1 Max 10-core
• Graphics: Integrated 16-core – 32-core GPU
• RAM: Up to 64GB
• Screen: 16.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR display
• Storage: Up to 8TB

OVERVIEW

Yet another MacBook on this list, but to no surprise. Everyone expects the best from Apple, but this laptop might as well be the best programming laptop money can buy. It’s biggest downside is its price - however, if you’ve got a big budget, this is a no brainer.

The MacBook Pro 16-inch is perfect for all programmers who rank PCs above everything else. With a screen this big, you might forget you’re using a laptop! Of course, this laptop runs on iOS, so you might need to consider this if you work mostly on Windows.

Apart from an extremely long battery life, this laptop offers the powerful M1 Pro or M1 Max CPUs. RAM and graphics card are also incredible, and all these specifications together make this laptop powerful beyond imagination.

The best laptops according to Reddit

We all know there isn’t a real discussion on the internet if you can’t find it on Reddit. So, we simply had to search through various subreddits and find some interesting, and possibly cheaper solutions for you. This is a common theme on Reddit - finding the best laptop you possibly can for a lower price. Most people also wanted their laptops to be light and portable. So, let’s take a look at what Redditors have to say.

Surface Pro 6 (i5 8GBs)

A lot of computer engineering students recommended this particular laptop for programming. The common opinion is that it is fast, easily portable, and has a good battery life. For most people, this laptop might be just enough value for the price.

MSI Prestige 15 A10SC

This laptop is popular on Reddit for its price. It seems like this laptop can work just fine on any coding project. It’s specifications are good - nothing amazing, but not bad either. If you’re on a tight budget, and on a non-gaming project, this might be the choice for you.

Dell XPS 15 (7590 OLED)

An interesting choice that we quite like - another Dell XPS 15 laptop, similar to the one from our list. This, however, is a cheaper version, but not a lot has been lost unless you are looking for an extremely powerful laptop. This laptop still offers good performance and it looks pretty neat.

Lenovo X1 Extreme Gen 2

This Lenovo laptop is popular among Redditors for being very upgradable, thus making it suitable for everyone’s pocket. Most people say that the performance is good and that the screen is pretty decent.

HP Spectre 15 x360 (2020)

Another laptop that is similar to the one that’s on our list, just a year older. The 2020 version of HP Spectre 15 x360 looks elegant, has excellent performance and a good battery life. The screen is also said to be just perfect for programming. If you have a decent budget but still don’t want to spend too much money on a laptop, this is a great option for you.

Expert opinion - What our instructors have to say