Table of contents:
2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44
The main characteristics and models that you should take a closer look at.
To work with code, a programmer needs a quality tool, which is often a laptop. But how do you choose the right model if you have just entered the industry and do not fully understand what challenges you will face? Let's try to give general recommendations that will simplify the choice of a laptop for programming.
What to look for
Display and keyboard
Every day, a developer writes hundreds of lines of small code, so the screen and keyboard are the most important factors when choosing. A 13-inch display won't be enough. The aspect ratio is also important: laptops with 16: 10 or 3: 2 screens can fit more lines.
For long-term work with the keyboard, the backlight, the large size of the keys and the travel depth of at least 1.3 mm are useful. However, the question of convenience is always subjective, so it is worth printing a couple of paragraphs of text on a laptop before buying.
It is also important to avoid atypical layouts. For example, on Razer laptops manufactured before 2020, the right Shift is shallow and located behind the arrow block, which makes it difficult to type quickly.
Some development environments like PhpStorm and IntelliJ often use the F1 – F12 buttons. In modern laptops, they are also used as hotkeys for adjusting brightness, volume, and other settings. It is important that they can be switched to functional mode for use in development.
Dimensions and weight
Choosing a laptop, the programmer is guided by the issues of convenience and portability. And while a large screen and keyboard are extremely important, keep in mind that you will probably have to carry all of this with you.
Laptops weighing more than 2 kg are inconvenient for constant carrying. It is also worth taking a closer look at the models that are charged via USB Type ‑ C. Chargers of this type are found everywhere, which will allow you not to carry a bulky adapter with you.
Operating system
If you need a tool for iOS programming, the MacBook is the only right choice. Also, Apple products are suitable for development for Linux-servers, since macOS is based on the Unix kernel. This means that the code running on the laptop will run on the server without any problems.
In addition, a huge number of programs have been made for macOS aimed at web development, which is also an important plus. Finally, optimized fonts allow MacBooks to display more lines of code than Windows laptops of the same screen height.
However, sometimes Apple devices do not provide the required level of performance, and work tasks do not require a specific operating system. Then it makes sense to choose among Windows laptops: some of them are not only more powerful than MacBooks, but also equipped with a better keyboard and a rich set of ports.
Processor and memory
For a programmer, the speed of code compilation is important, and this determines the requirements for the processor. It should provide high performance in Turbo Boost mode, that is, a short-term increase in frequencies. The performance of a single core is also important, since many development tasks do not involve multithreading.
Compiling the code puts a load on the CPU for short periods of time, between which the laptop runs less intensively. Therefore, the cooling system and constant power are not as important here as in video processing and 3D modeling. Also, many developers do not need a powerful graphics card, although in some areas, such as machine learning, things are different.
But you need a lot of memory for programming. This is especially true of RAM, which is spent on development environments and running the written code.8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of permanent memory is the absolute minimum, below which you should not go below.
Moreover, in a number of tasks, a developer needs a colossal amount of RAM and ROM, for example, for analyzing big data. And although these are special cases, it is better to choose models with sufficient memory.
Battery and charging
Battery life is one of the most important parameters in notebooks. When choosing, many look at the capacity of the battery and, based on it, estimate how long the device will last until it is discharged. But this is not quite the right approach.
The autonomy of a laptop depends not only on the capacity of the battery, but also on the consumption of resources by the internal components. Ultrabooks use energy efficient processors and video adapters. This is why the MacBook Air with a 50 Wh battery can last up to 12 hours of active screen, while the MacBook Pro 13 with 58 Wh only lasts about 9 hours.
As we said, notebooks with USB Type-C charging are the best solution in terms of versatility and portability. However, the USB Power Delivery standard has its drawbacks, such as the inability to transfer more than 100W of power, which limits performance.
If your tasks require large computing resources, you will have to choose among models with bulky adapters and inconvenient charging connector. It should also be borne in mind that the performance of Windows laptops drops when running on battery power, while MacBooks deliver similar power both from the mains and from the battery.
Which laptop to buy for programming
Apple MacBook Pro 16 ″
Pros: Crisp 16: 10 Retina display, macOS, industry-leading touchpad, redesigned keyboard.
Cons: short key travel of 1 mm, lack of physical keys F1 – F12, impossibility to independently replace the SSD soldered on the motherboard.
Huawei MateBook X Pro
Pros: High-definition 3: 2 aspect ratio screen, great keyboard and touchpad, 16GB RAM, 1TB internal storage, Intel Core i7-10510u processor with high performance single core and Turbo Boost.
Cons: a web-camera built into the keyboard, inconvenient for video calls.
DELL XPS 15
Pros: high-quality assembly, small size, excellent screen, very powerful Intel H.
Cons: 4K display is only available in older configurations.
Honor MAGICBOOK PRO
Pros: large screen, comfortable keyboard, good performance, low price.
Cons: 8 GB of RAM, a webcam built into the keyboard, inconvenient for video calls.
Lenovo ThinkPad E14
Pros: Great keyboard, 16GB of RAM, Intel Core i7-10510u processor with high performance single core and Turbo Boost, rich set of ports.
Cons: Not the best display quality.
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro 15.6 ″
Pros: large screen, decent hardware, comfortable keyboard.
Cons: Not the most efficient cooling solution for a 15 laptop.
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15
Pros: Large 3: 2 aspect ratio screen with many lines of code excellent keyboard and touchpad.
Cons: proprietary charging.
Recommended:
6 reasons to learn programming if you're not a programmer
Writing code will be useful for both the designer and the plumber. This is freedom of creativity, training for the mind and an additional bonus for any position
Which Xiaomi laptop to choose: a guide to current models
The life hacker examines in detail the advantages and disadvantages of the current laptops of the Chinese brand: versions of Xiaomi Mi Notebook and models of the Air line, Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro and GTX Edition, as well as the most powerful - Xiaomi Mi Gaming Laptop
Which inexpensive laptop should you choose?
Choosing the right models. This question was submitted by our reader. You can also ask your question to Lifehacker - if it is interesting, we will definitely answer. Hello Lifehacker! Please advise which laptop to buy. You need it for distance learning, office programs and in your free time you want to stick to The Sims 4.
How to choose a laptop and get it right
To pick a great laptop, first decide why you need it. Life hacker will tell you about important details and typical mistakes
How to choose a budget gaming laptop
Find out what should be a budget laptop that can handle modern games without problems at medium-high graphics settings