If you’ve just started your journey as a programmer, you’re in the market for a good-quality programming laptop.
Generally, programming doesn’t require a high-end laptop that will cost you a fortune. You can get all the necessary specs needed for programming on budget-friendly laptops.
There has also been a consensus that Mac laptops are one of the best for programming. You may even have asked yourself, is Macbook pro good for programming?
This article will give you an insight on good cheap Laptops and other programming must-haves that will make your programming work easier.
Good Budget-Friendly Laptops
Below is a list of laptops for programming you can acquire for less than $500.
The MacBook Pro presents two top-range features that make you code like a pro. These two features are processor (i7) and RAM (16GB), which make it stand out as an ideal laptop for programming.
The Intel Core i7 gets you lots of processing power for your programming work. The 16GB RAM enables you to switch between your programming software without affecting the speed or performance of the laptop.
In addition, you will enjoy a 256GB SSD to store your programming work.
When programming, one likely thing is that your laptop will remain open and functional for long hours. As a result, your laptop is likely to overheat. The Asus is built to reduce power draw on the battery, reducing heat production.
This laptop will serve all your programming needs since it has an AMD Ryzen 5 processor and 8GB of RAM. You will also have a 512GB SSD to store your Programming work.
One important factor when programming is screen resolution. Screen resolutions such as 1366 x 768 have less pixel count, thus making it hard to view your coded work well enough, even on a big screen.
The 2021 Gateway solves this problem for programmers since it has an FHD screen resolution (1920 x 1080). With this screen, you’ll be able to write and read code on a screen that has a high pixel count. This laptop display is also enhanced by a Rad-eon Vega 8 Graphics card, meaning you get a clear and crisp display.
Typically, getting this enhanced screen resolution on a laptop will cost you some extra bucks, but this laptop provides this feature for less money.
In addition, the laptop has an AMD Ry zen 5-3450U that is better than Intel’s i5- 1035G1) processor. The result is enough processing power for your programming projects. In addition, the laptop has 8GB of RAM and 256GB SSD, which means you get all the necessary specs for your programming work.
If you’re a programmer who is always on the go and require a laptop that is easy to carry around, then the Acer Spin 5 laptop is ideal. Its 13.3-inch screen can fit in most small backpacks and isn’t bulky to carry around.
Apart from an advantage with mobility, this laptop will perform quite well for any programming work. It has an Intel Core i5 processor clocking at 2.30GHz and 8GB RAM. You’ll also have 256GB of hard disk space to store your programming projects.
Programming work demands that you spend long hours with your laptop. And because of this, you might experience eye strain. The 2020 Lenovo IdeaPad brings you a laptop with a 17.3’’ screen that reduces this eye strain.
With this laptop, you won’t struggle to write a line of code on your computer. You will also easily catch those slight mistakes in your code because they are visible on your HD laptop screen.
Other features include an Intel Core i5 processor, an 8GB RAM, and a 256GB SSD. All these features meet the basic spec requirement for a good programming computer.
Final Thoughts And Other Programming Essentials
After acquiring your programming laptop, you might want to add on its capabilities to boost your programming capabilities further. This is possible by purchasing extra hardware and components that make programming easy. Some of these must-haves for programming include;
- An ergonomic keyboard reduces wrist strain as you code for long hours.
- An extra screen. Depending on the nature of programming, you might need to compare your code with other code on a separate screen, especially if you are learning to code.
- Extra RAM. If you are having an issue with lag in opening programming software, adding an extra RAM stick may help.
- Extra storage space. You may have a lot of projects and fill up your storage. In this case, consider adding more disk space to your laptop. As you do this, consider SSD instead of HDD.
- Operating system. With time your operating system may become obsolete, and you will need to install a new OS with new programming features.
