Best Cheap Laptops for Programming
**Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from Qualifying Purchases.
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- HP Specter x360 (New Generation) * a new 2-in-1 powerhouse
- Huawei MateBook 13 * high-performance notebook PC for programming
- Microsoft Surface Book 2 * a 2-in-1 for programming
- Huawei MateBook X Pro
- ASUS VivoBook * low budget
- HP Omen 15-ce024nf * laptop pc to program and play
- Asus VivoBook * a powerful and slim notebook
- Acer Swift 3 * best value for money
- Apple MacBook Pro 15
HP Spectre x360 13t Touch Laptop i7-8550U Quad Core,16GB RAM,512GB SSD,13.3" IPS FHD Touch, Gorilla Glass, Win 10 Pro Pre-Installed by HP, Dark Ash Silver, 3 YRS McAfee Internet Security Antivirus
CPU : Intel Core i5 – i7 | Graphics : Intel UHD Graphics 620 | RAM : 8 GB – 16 GB | Screen : 13.3-inch Full HD (1920 x 1080) – UHD (3840 x 2160) touch screen | Storage : 256 GB – 2 TB PCIe SSD
The HP Specter range has always been composed of breathtaking devices. So when you say that the 2022 Specter x360 takes things to another level, that should mean something. Not only is it one of the most beautiful laptops on the market today – with its beautifully crafted design and sleek profile, but it’s also a rugged computer inside.
HP has equipped it with powerful Intel Whiskey Lake processors and long battery life, which means you get one of the best laptops on the market without hesitation. As such, it’s also the best laptop for programming right now.
Huawei Matebook 13 Signature Edn. Laptop - 13" 2K Touch, 8th Gen i5, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB SSD, Office 365 Personal 1-Year, Silver(Us Warranty)
PORTABILITY, PERFORMANCE AND EXCEPTIONAL PRICE
CPU: Intel Core i5 – i7 8th generation | Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 620, Nvidia GeForce MX150 2GB GDDR5 | RAM: 8 GB | Screen: 13 inches 1440p (2,160 x 1,440) | Storage: SSD 256GB to 512GB | Weight: 1.3 kg | Operating system: Windows 10
The Huawei MateBook 13 is our choice for the best laptop for programming right now. Huawei has entered the telephony market with its excellent range of handsets at competitive prices and now is again the case with laptops: this laptop has excellent specifications for coding work.
For a (relatively) modest price, you get all the power of a Core i5 or Core i7 chip, a sharp, bright, high-resolution 13-inch display, and a massive amount of SSD storage. Apple (and other high-end manufacturers) looks like thieves. In addition, it is super portable and weighs only 1.3 kg and is less than 1.5 cm thick. It’s worth taking a look at before considering anything else.
Microsoft Surface Book 2 13.5"(Intel Core i5, 8GB RAM, 256 GB)
4 used from $561.62
THE WORLD’S MOST POWERFUL 2 IN 1 NOTEBOOK
Processor: Intel Core i5-7300U – Intel Core i7-8650U 1.9 GHz | Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 620; Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 (2GB GDDR5 VRAM) | RAM: 8 GB – 16 GB | Screen: PixelSense 3000 x 2000 (267 dpi) screen, 3: 2 format | Storage: 256 GB – 1 TB SSD
Surface Book 2 is an excellent choice for all coders in 2022 because Microsoft has designed one of the world’s most powerful 2 in 1 notebook. Surface Book 2 has very powerful components to handle just about anything you want, including light games during your downtime.
If you’re looking for a larger screen, there’s a 15-inch model, which also features more powerful components, but at a higher price.
Huawei MateBook X Pro Signature Edition Thin & Light Laptop, 13.9" 3K Touch, 8th Gen i5-8250U, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB SSD, 3:2 Aspect ratio, Office 365 Personal Included, Mystic Silver - Mach-W19B
PORTABILITY, PERFORMANCE AND EXCEPTIONAL PRICE
Processor: Intel Core i5 – i7 8th generation | Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 620, Nvidia GeForce MX150 2GB GDDR5 | RAM: 8 GB – 16 GB | Screen: 3K 13.9 inches (3,000 x 2,080) | Storage: 512 GB SSD
The Huawei MateBook X Pro is our choice for the best laptop for programming right now. Huawei has entered the telephony market with its excellent range of smartphones at competitive prices, and now it’s back to laptops: this laptop has good features for coding work.
For a (relatively) modest retail price, you get all the power of a Core i5 or Core i7 chip, a sharp, bright, high-resolution 13.9-inch display, and a large SSD storage capacity. In addition, it is super portable and weighs only 1.3 kg and is less than 1.5 cm thick. It’s worth taking a look at before considering anything else.
ASUS VivoBook 15 Thin and Light Laptop, 15.6” FHD, Intel Core i3-8145U CPU, 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD, Windows 10 in S Mode, F512FA-AB34, Slate Gray
2 used from $379.00
| Processor | Intel Core i3-8145U 8th Generation (Turbo up to 3.9 GHz) |
| RAM | 8GB DDR4 RAM (expandable) |
| Storage space | 128 GB SSD |
| Graphic | Intel UHD Graphics 620 |
| Viewing | 15.6-inch Full HD anti-glare screen, 1920 x 1080 resolution |
| Operating system | Windows 10 Home 64 bit |
| Battery | 5 hours |
| Weight | 1.67 kg |
ASUS VivoBook is the best option in our list of the best laptops for programming for people on a tight budget. This laptop is the cheapest on the list does not compromise performance. It is powered by the latest 8th generation Intel Core i5-8250U quad-core processor and has 8GB of RAM to support all your multitasking.
Although it does not come with dedicated graphics, Intel’s integrated UHD 620 graphics card does the excellent job of managing programming and casual gaming. It has a bright and sparkling 15.6-inch 1080p screen that is anti-glare and it can get enough light and black to encode comfortably from anywhere and in any lighting condition.
The only drawback of this laptop is, the keyboard of this laptop is not backlit, but it is comfortable to type and it also has the numeric keypad, just in case you’re interested. All required ports and slots are lined up on both sides of the laptop, making the ASUS VivoBook the complete package for programmers.
HP Omen Gaming - 15.6" FHD - i7-7700HQ - NVIDIA GTX 1050 - 8GB - 1TB HDD
| Processor | Intel Core i7-7700U 2.5 GHz Quad-Core Core Processor (Turbo up to 3.4 GHz) |
| RAM | 8 GB of DDR4 RAM |
| Storage space | 1 TB HDD |
| Graphic | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti 4GB |
| Viewing | 15.6-inch WLED anti-reflective IPS anti-glare IPS display, 1920 x 1080 resolution |
| Operating system | Windows 10 Home 64 bit |
| Battery | Up to 3 hours |
| Weight | 2.56 kg |
Whether it’s programming or gaming, the HP Omen 15-ce024nf is a versatile affordable laptop that can handle almost anything you throw at it. It is currently the best-selling notebook and it is also touted as the best laptop in the 2022 student list on Amazon.
This laptop provides enough power for game development and graphics programming. It is powered by the latest 8th generation Intel Core i5 quad-core processor that is combined with 8GB of RAM and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 4GB video memory.
It also has 256GB of SSD storage, making it the best high-performance notebook for programming and games. The HP Omen 15-ce024nf also has a very good keyboard with backlit touch keys.
| All these features make the HP Omen 15-ce024nf our best notebook choice for the 2022 lineup. |
ASUS VivoBook S15 15.6” Slim and Portable Laptop, Intel Core i5-8250U Processor (up to 3.4Ghz), 8GB DDR4, 256GB SSD, NanoEdge Bezel, Silver Blue with Yellow Trim, S530UA-DB51-YL
| Processor | Intel Core i5-8250 U 2.5 GHz quad-core processor (Turbo up to 3.5 GHz) |
| RAM | 8 GB of DDR4 RAM |
| Storage space | 256 GB SSD |
| Graphic | Intel UHD 620 Graphics |
| Viewing | Full HD 15.6-inch anti-glare display, 1920 x 1080 resolution |
| Operating system | Windows 10 64-bit |
| Battery | Up to 8 hours |
| Weight | 2.3 kg |
The Asus VivoBook is actually a gaming laptop with powerful and powerful hardware that we also think is suitable for programming and coding. From build quality to performance, Asus has really done a great job of making this laptop perfect in every way.
It is powered by an Intel i7 quad-core processor combined with 8GB of RAM to handle all your multitasking and for storage, this laptop has 256GB of lightning-fast SSD. This laptop for programming also has an Intel UHD 620 Graphics cards.
This high-end laptop can run all your programming software quite easily and you can also play all the latest games on this laptop. Apart from that, it’s also a very smart and ergonomic laptop. Its dual intelligent fan design provides robust cooling to keep this laptop always at normal temperatures during gameplay and heavy multitasking.
With a 15.6-inch Full HD anti-glare display, a backlit keyboard, and a long-lasting battery, the Asus VivoBook is very popular among all other competitors in the same price range. Therefore, it is here in our best list of best laptops for programming and coding.
Acer Swift 3, 8th Gen Intel Core i5-8250U, NVIDIA GeForce MX150, 14" Full HD, 8GB LPDDR3, 256GB SSD, SF314-52G-55WQ
| Processor | Intel Core i5-8250U 1.6 GHz Quad-Core Processor 8th Generation (Turbo up to 3.4 GHz) |
| RAM | 8 GB of RAM LPDDR3 |
| Storage space | 256 GB SSD |
| Graphic | Nvidia GeForce MX150 2GB DDR5 VRAM |
| Viewing | 14-inch Full HD IPS widescreen, 1920 x 1080 resolution |
| Operating system | Windows 10 Home 64 bit |
| Battery | Up to 10 hours |
| Weight | 800 grams |
Acer has recently updated its series of Swift notebooks with the new Intel 8th generation processors and a slightly new design. The new design adds a more professional look to the laptop, and its shiny silver finished aluminium frame gives it an attractive look and feels good in the hands.
The performance of this laptop is also excellent. It has an 8th generation Intel Core i5 quad-core processor and 8GB of RAM for multitasking. It also has an Nvidia GeForce MX150 graphics card, which makes this notebook suitable for game developers and heavy multitasking.
The icing on the cake, the Acer Swift 3 also comes with a backlit keyboard – lit which is ergonomically designed to provide a more comfortable typing experience. Even its display is pleasing to the eyes, and it is programmed to reduce eye strain.
So, overall, the new Acer Swift 3 is a complete performance notebook for developers, and it is among the few laptops that come with all the latest set of hardware specifications also with a relatively affordable price.
New Apple MacBook Pro (15-inch, 16GB RAM, 256GB Storage) - Space Gray
| Processor | Intel Core i7 2.8GHz Quad-core 7th Generation Kaby Lake Processor (Turbo boost up to 3.8GHz) |
| RAM | 16 GB 2133MHz RAM |
| Storage space | 256 GB SSD |
| Graphic | AMD Radeon Pro 555 2GB Graphics |
| Viewing | 15.4-inch Retina display with a resolution of 2880 x 1800 pixels |
| Operating System | macOS Sierra |
| Battery | 10 hours |
| Weight | 1.8 kg |
For all Swift and Objective C programmers, MacBook Pro is the best laptop for programming apps and games for iOS and macOS.
It is powered by the Kaby Lake i7 quad-core processor with 16GB RAM and dedicated AMD Radeon Pro 555 graphics. Together, it produces enough performance to launch all your local servers, code editors, Safari browser with 15 tabs and still you’ll have enough room to open other programs and run them simultaneously!
Impressive is not it?
This is because macOS Sierra is perfectly tuned with the hardware of this laptop which ensures smoother performance. For storage, this laptop provides a 256 GB SSD that should be sufficient for most programmer requirements.
Know Before Buying A Laptop For Programming
Programming is a wide niche, and there are a lot of programming languages that you can use to code. Thus, a programmer’s laptop must be properly configured to efficiently run all programming language compilers, interpreters, local servers, and code editors.
But, what should be the ideal configuration of a laptop that will be used specifically for “programming”? or what are the essential things that all programmers should know before buying the laptop for coding and programming?
Well, here they are …
# 1 What is the best operating system for developers?
When it comes to coding and development, Microsoft Windows and Apple macOS are the most used operating systems for years. The most preferred OS for the programmer’s notebook is – ‘ Microsoft Windows ‘ because it supports most programming languages and also MacBooks are more expensive than Windows laptops, so not everyone can afford it.
Linux is also a great option for Python, Ruby on Rails and PHP developers, but Windows also supports them. So, overall, Windows is the preferred operating system for all programmers and developers, but for Apple developers, the Mac is a must.
# 2 Choosing the processor of a laptop for programming –
“CPU aka processor is the brain of every computer,” and if you develop a website or mobile application, you will definitely need a laptop with a powerful processor to run all those demanding programs that you use to code and execute code.
We believe that Intel i5-based laptops will meet the needs of most programmers, but if you’re into something intensive like game development or graphics programming, we recommend Intel-based notebooks. i7.
For beginners in programming and low budget buyers, even laptops with Intel i3 will do the job but try to buy an Intel i5 laptop for programming if you can, just to get a device to the test from the future.
# 3 How much RAM should your computer have to run your code?
This does not mean that you should spend all your hard earned money to get the most RAM on your computer. But, it is always good to have more RAM on a laptop to efficiently run local servers, compilers, a code editor and a web browser simultaneously.
We recommend at least 8GB of RAM to program but again, if you are in game development or graphics programming, you will need 12 or 16 GB of RAM.
# 4 HDD or SSD on a laptop for programmers?
Keep it simple and straightforward, hard drives are slower (but fully usable), so they are mostly found on cheaper laptops and SSDs are faster (much faster) than hard drives that are mostly in laptops over 500. If we are talking about laptops for specific programming, then SSDs are really beneficial for programmers.
They significantly reduce the startup time of a laptop, and it also allows you to quickly load your previously saved project to continue working where you left off.
Most laptops with hard drives offer 1 TB of storage, while laptops with SSDs in the same price range offer significantly less storage (256 GB or 512 GB) compared to hard drives.
So if you want incredibly fast storage and you can work with less space, opt for the SSD and if you want more storage space that runs at lower speeds, but reasonably good, use the hard drive. Simple!
Apart from these 4 important things, a programmer’s laptop should also have a comfortable keyboard and a good display (recommended by IPS) to reduce eye strain during long night coding sessions. A good life span and a lightweight design will also be a huge advantage in a laptop for programming.
Conclusion
These are the best laptops for programming we believe are handpicked by our team of laptop professionals keeping in mind all the requirements of programmers. Thanks to all the programmers on our team because their opinions helped us a lot in understanding and choosing the best laptops to program and code for you.
We hope that our extensive research and hard work (over 35 hours), which we have put in place to complete this guide, will help you purchase the best laptop for programming for your needs.
