The 4 Best Laptops For Programming - Spring 2024 Reviews

The best laptop for coding we've tested is the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M3, 2023). This premium workstation has a sturdy all-aluminum build, a compact design, and all-day battery life. You can get this model with a base M3, M3 Pro, or M3 Max SoC, so you can choose depending on your budget and how demanding your workload is. The Pro and Max chips have a very capable GPU, which is great for game development or anyone requiring high graphical horsepower. The downside is that you'll pay for the GPU performance even if you don't need it.

In addition to its amazing performance, this laptop provides a great user experience with its sharp Mini LED display, spacious keyboard, and gigantic, easy-to-use haptic touchpad. Its port selection is excellent, allowing you to connect peripherals and external displays easily. If you prefer more screen space over portability, get the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M3, 2023) instead. It's essentially the same device, just bigger and with better-sounding speakers. The only difference is that the base M3 chip isn't available on the 16-inch. Also, it's more expensive.

The Dell XPS 15 (2023) is an excellent alternative if you need or prefer Windows. It's also a premium model that provides a great user experience. Spec-wise, you can get up to an Intel 13th Gen H-series Core i9 and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 discrete GPU. These CPUs and GPUs can easily handle demanding workloads. Memory and storage max out at 64GB and 8TB, respectively, and they're user-replaceable. There are a few tradeoffs: it has a bad 720p webcam and fewer ports, and its keyboard gets uncomfortably hot under load. A quick FYI: Dell has discontinued the XPS 15 and replaced it with a 14-inch model sporting the same design as the Dell XPS 13 Plus (2022); however, you can still get the XPS 15 through Dell. Plus, it's often on sale.

If you don't need the processing power of a workstation like the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M3, 2023) and prefer something more portable, check out the HP Spectre x360 14 (2024). This ultraportable feels very well built and provides a greater user experience with its 120Hz 2.8k OLED display, spacious keyboard, and large haptic touchpad. It also has an excellent 4k webcam, Wi-Fi 7, and a decent port selection that includes two USB-C/Thunderbolt 4s. Plus, since this is a 2-in-1 convertible, you can flip the screen around and use it as a tablet. The display supports pen input if you want to take handwritten notes, though you may have to buy the pen separately, depending on the retailer. You can configure it with an Intel Core Ultra 5 or Ultra 7 CPU; both perform well with minimal throttling under load. Battery life is excellent at around 11 hours of light use. You can get this laptop from HP if you have trouble finding it elsewhere.

The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is also a great option if you prefer macOS. Before we get into the details, know that Apple has discontinued this M2-equipped model and replaced it with an M3 version, so you can only get the M2 through marketplaces, third-party sellers, and Apple's refurbished section. Regardless of which you choose, the design is exactly the same, so you get the same sleek design, as the differences are mainly internal. Upgrades on the M3 model include a slightly faster M3 SoC, hardware-accelerated ray tracing, AV1 decoding, Wi-Fi 6E, and support for two external displays (with the laptop closed). Oh, there's also a new, more smudge-resistant coating on the M3 Midnight model. Unfortunately, the RAM and storage aren't user-replaceable, and while its external display support has improved, the port selection remains the same, with only two USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 ports and a MagSafe charging port.

The best laptop for developers we've tested in the mid-range tier is the Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1 (2023). It sports a large 16-inch display, so you get plenty of room to see your codes, and since it's a 2-in-1, you can flip the screen around and use it as a tablet. Sporting a full-aluminum chassis, it feels surprisingly well-built for a laptop in its class, and it isn't overly bulky for a 16-inch model, making it easy to carry around. The battery lasts around 10 hours of light use and charges over USB-C.

You can get this laptop with an AMD Ryzen 5 7530U or Ryzen 7 7730U CPU; both perform well and are suitable for programming. We recommend getting a model with 16GB of RAM since the memory isn't user-upgradeable. The keyboard feels a little mushy but is still comfortable to type on for extended periods, and the touchpad is large and responsive. The port selection is excellent, though there's no Thunderbolt 4 support since it's an AMD system.

Our best budget pick is the Acer Swift 3 14 (2020). This 14-inch ultraportable is easy to carry, and its battery lasts nearly 14 hours of light use. For under $600, you can get a model with an Intel 11th Gen Core i7 CPU, 8GB of memory, and 512GB of storage. You can get a model with more RAM (up to 16GB) if you're willing to pay more; just remember that the memory isn't user-upgradeable. Performance-wise, the Intel 11th Gen Core i7 is a few years old now, but it still performs well and can handle light coding. Thermal throttling is minimal under load, and the laptop doesn't get overly hot or loud.

This laptop provides a good user experience. Its 1080p IPS display looks sharp and provides just enough room for light multitasking. It doesn't get very bright, so visibility can be an issue in well-lit settings. As for the keyboard and touchpad, the former feels a little cramped but decent to type on, and the latter is small but reasonably responsive. There's a fingerprint sensor built into the power button for quick logins. Its USB-C port supports Thunderbolt 4, allowing you to transfer files quickly and connect two 4k @ 60Hz displays with a single cable.