If you are a programmer, you probably have already figured out that you need to look for a specific set of specs when buying a new laptop. Regular laptops are suitable for general work, but may not necessarily be suitable for programming needs. Programmers need to run a lot of code at a given time. Sometimes, multiple background programs may be run as well as you type in lines of code. This requires a laptop that is a bit more powerful than average. So, if you are an aspiring programmer, read below for the specs you need to look for:
Buy the Best Processor Available
Programmers should really invest in a top-notch workstation. So go for the best processors currently available in the market. For now, that is the Intel Core i7 processor. Laptops with i7 can vary in price from as low as $600 to as high as $1,200. It depends on what other specs are available as well. Most budget-range laptops for programmers come with Core i5 processors, which is not bad either. However, i7 is what you really need to future-proof your computer. When buying, choose the latest 6th generation Core processors released in late 2015 (or 7th gen if available). Keep in mind that the more cores there are, the better. A laptop with a quad-core i7 processor is truly the best for hardcore programmers.
Get RAM, RAM, and More RAM
Programmers need fast computers. The only way to invest in this is to get as much RAM as possible. Buy a computer with at least 8GB of RAM. However, 16GB RAM would be the ideal for a programmer. If you are willing to pay well over $2,000 for a laptop, you can opt for 64GB of RAM. The more RAM you have available, the better operations will be.
Choose an SSD over an HDD
This is a tricky spec to choose between. Solid State Drives (SSDs) are superbly faster than traditional Hard Disk Drives (HDDs). SSDs are common in gaming computers. Nowadays, you can find even budget computers with SSDs in them. As SSDs perform faster, programmers are encouraged to buy laptops with SSDs. However, SSDs come with limited storage capacity. HDDs, on the other hand, can offer storage up to 1TB. So it will be a question of speed versus storage. If you can get the speed you need with RAM, it will be fine to choose an HDD. Otherwise, choose external storage and go with an SSD.
Look for Multiple Monitor Support
You will need to hook up multiple monitors as you write code that requires constant testing. So, make sure the laptop you buy can be hooked up to multiple screens. Laptops generally aren’t hooked onto external monitors. But some laptops do come with HDMI ports to do exactly that. So, when investing in a programming laptop, make sure it offers multiple monitor support.
Once you have covered the above specs, you will be ready to get yourself a good programming laptop. But don’t forget to overlook other features as well, such as keyboard comfort.
Hi Emily, I cannot even decide which point is the most important, I think that all carry equal weight. Fast processing and heavy ram, monitor versatility, and a fast SSD.
Hi,
Very well described and all above mentioned specs very helpful actually to find the right one……!!
Thanks once again for this informative Post…!
So… Which the best one, man?
Awesome article, really helpful for those who are looking to buy new Laptops.
I believe this configuration can also be used for Gaming . I had a Macbook 2014 model and afetr a year I upgraded, the HDD to SSD and performance was phenomenal.
Would like to know which of these specs are most important as having to buy a pc with all these configurations will definitely cost a lot but having one will surely be beneficial for regular and programming work. Thanks for this useful info.
#benstrends
The Intel Core i7 processor is old now you need to update the article with latest processor available in the market which is Intel Core i9