Laptop Buying Guide

If you are looking for the best laptop for programming in 2016, you are in the right page because we will tell you which are, among many, the best laptops for coding and programming that you can get in 2016.
To help you better, we will also give you few examples of tablets and desktops for programming.
Are there any special laptops or other gadgets made just for coding or programming purposes? The answer is no, but before you buy a laptop or any other gadget, primarily for programming or coding purposes, there are certain things you have to consider so that you will end up buying the most optimal product tailored for your needs.
The best programming laptops and other products must have certain minimum specifications to run a compiler efficiently. You need to be more careful if you are into graphic based programming because in addition to other important features, you must make sure that your laptop or desktop has a dedicated graphic card for better rendering of your program. This is very important if you are a game developer.

Minimum requirements of laptops/tablets or desktops primarily used for coding or game developing

  • At least Intel i5 or AMD A10 processor
  • At least 8GB of RAM, 12GB+ preferably
  • Dedicated graphics card with at least 2GB memory is very important for coding games
  • At least 500 GB HDD. Better, if it has hybrid dual disk drive with at least some SSD
  • We strongly recommend Antivirus to protect your computer!

Below you will find some of the latest and highest rated gadgets that are suitable for programming/coding for software developers and game developers in 2016. Since it is assumed that you are a student, we have kept the budget in mind and made sure the recommended programming laptops, desktops and tablets are affordable and priced reasonably . Please watch the video below before you proceed. It is really helpful!

Laptops/Tablets/Desktops For Programmers, coders and developers

LAPTOPProcessor | RAM | GPU StoragePrice
Lenovo Z70Intel i7 | 8GB | GTX 840M | 1TB+8GB SSDUnder $1000
Acer AspireIntel i5 | 8GB | GTX 940MX | 256GB SSDUnder $600
ASUS K501UWIntel i7 | 8GB | GTX 960M | 512GB SSDUnder $900
Dell InspironIntel i5 | 8GB | GTX 960M | 256 GB SSDUnder $800
HP 2-in-1Intel i5 | 8GB | Integrated | 128GB SSDUnder $700
MacBookYOU CAN CHOOSEDEPENDS
TABLETProcessor | RAM | GPU StoragePrice
Surface 3 &  4YOU CAN CHOOSE DEPENDS
DESKTOPProcessor | RAM | GPU StoragePrice
 Acer Aspire Intel i5 | 16GB | GTX 745 | 2TB  Under $700
 Dell XPS Intel i7 | 16GB | GTX 745 | 1TB Under $1000

Now Let’s review each of the products listed in the table. Lets start with the programming laptops! If you want to skip the laptops and read the review of tablet or desktop only go directly to:

Lenovo Z70 (80FG00DBUS) – Optimal laptop for programming under $1000-2016

If you do not mind carrying around a 17 inch laptop, this powerhouse is a solid option for programmers and developers. This machine is equipped with lots of advanced features, making it one of the best laptops for coding.
Hybrid disk drive with 8GB SSD and 1TB traditional HDD, 8GB RAM, 2GB GTX 840M graphic card from NVIDIA, and fifth generation Intel i7 processor that clocks in at 2.4GHz are the important features of this laptop that assures smooth coding for programmers. Weight is little over 6.5 lbs and the screen size is 17.3 inches. Yes, it is not so portable, but it can make your life easier at study table or work table.
This laptop has the latest Windows 10 installed. Price is well below $1000, and it is worth every penny!

Acer Aspire E 15 – Cheap coding laptop under $600-2016


Although we recommend a higher end product for programmers, we understand that it all comes down to YOUR budget. For coders who are on a tight budget, Acer Aspire E 15  just promises to be their best friend for years to come. Acer Aspire E 15 can be purchased for cheap price of under $600. It probably is the cheapest programming laptop you can ever get in the market today.We get emails all the time asking if there are the best laptops for programming under $500. 
It comes with 4GB dedicated GTX series graphic card, 256GB of SSD storage, 8GB RAM, windows 10 operating system, and has 15.6 inch screen size, which is full high definition. Acer Aspire E 15 is the pride of Acer with decent battery life of over 10 hours. Since it weighs about 5 lbs, you can carry it around in your backpack without breaking your back. 
These advanced features make the Acer Aspire E 15 a good choice for coding and at the same time costs much less than the others. Highly recommended if you are looking for a cheaper laptop for coding in 2016! By the way, this is one of the best selling laptop as of July 2016 and we are not surprised!

ASUS K501UW– Top class laptop for game developers and programmers under $900 in 2016



Image Credit: Amazon

 ASUS K501UW comes with turbocharged 6th generation Intel i7 processor in addition to the latest GTX series graphic card (960M), 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD storage and 15.6 inch FHD screen. It has backlit full size keyboard for low light coding environment. It can be turned into a workstation laptop strictly for developing and programming purpose.
In addition, this laptop have other things to offer for developers and programmers. It comes with the dual fan cooling system and IceCool technology to keep it cool at all times. Both features help achieve lag free, smooth running of the moving parts in the laptop which in absence can annoy developers and programmers with overheating issues.
We recommend this laptop for any programmers and we strongly recommend this programming laptop for game coders.

Dell i7559-763- Superb laptop for programmers and great for game developers-2016

If your preference is a mediocre screen, then this is something you might want to consider buying for coding purposes. This Inspiron can be purchased for under $800 and has all the features you will need for programming.
It comes with 8GB DDR3L, 256GB SSD, 6th generation Intel i7 quad core processor (2.3GHz), 4GB GTX 960M graphics card from NVIDIA and latest windows 10 OS. This newer introduction from Dell comes with FHD 15.6 inch IPS screen with anti-glare technology. All in all, this is a good choice for developers because of it has all the hardwares required for programming. What we love most about this Dell 7000 is its unbelievably affordable price of under $800 despite having all the latest hardwares installed in the device. This stylish Dell 7000 series is strongly recommended for students!

HP Pavilion 13-s128nr- Best tablet for Programmers

HP Pavilion 13-s128nr is one of  “the best” HP laptop/tablet for programming. t is cheaper as well for those looking for  a budget laptop under $700. This HP laptop will do the job just fine with its loaded features. HP Pavilion 13-s128nr comes with 13.3 inch FHD screen, 8GB RAM, Intel i5 processor and has 128GB SSD.
Besides being stylish and portable, this is a 2 in 1 hybrid laptop that can be used as both tablet and laptop. That is why we claimed this laptop as the best tablet for programming in the title above. The screen is touchscreen, of course. It has Windows 10 OS preinstalled. Price is mediocre with the price tag of just under $700. It is great for beginners and students due to its portability and sleek design.

Apple MacBooks- Different versions- Best MAC for programming-2016

It is not a mystery that a vast number of programmers prefer MAC OS X over windows OS or Linux and not to mention certain coding can only be done on Mac OS. Due to the increasing popularity of MacBooks these days, having both Windows laptop and MacBook makes reasonable sense. Prices can vary a lot between different versions of MacBooks. MacBooks with wider screens and retina display tends to cost more although they have similar hardware. We lobby 13.3 inch MacBook with retina display. Try to get more RAM and disk space rather than the bigger screen size if you have extra bucks to spend. 
Now, as a bonus, we will give you 2 examples  of the best desktops for programming and one example of a decent tablet which a developer might find handy. 

Surface 3 and Surface pro 4: Best tablets for programming 2016

There are many programmers out there who takes portability very seriously. If you are one of those, then Surface 3 or Surface 4 Pro would be your optimal choice. Tablet for programming doesn’t sound right because using a tablet for coding does not sound so easy. But, with the help of a keyboard dock station, you can actually use a tablet for coding. Surface 3 and Surface 4 pro will be your best bet in that case. Just make sure to get the right configuration with enough storage RAM and storage. Use the spec recommendations provided above.
Acer Aspire Desktop- Cheap and best desktop for programming-2016
The Acer Aspire desktop would a great choice for developers and coders. This desktop comes with Windows 10 OS, 16GB RAM, GTX 745 graphics card and 2TB of storage. Just the right configuration you would need! This desktop is pretty affordable with a price tag of just under $700. A very good deal!

Dell XPS x8900- Another top desktop for coding-2016

Dell is the king of desktops and this desktop is one of its great product. Fortunately, this desktop is an optimal choice for coders like yourself!
This particular version of Dell XPS comes with Intel i7 processor, windows 10 OS, 16GB RAM, NVIDIA GTX 745 graphics card and 1TB of storage.
Price is not too bad as its priced less than $1000. A decent and cheap desktop you should seriously consider for your coding works!

Comments

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