Choosing a laptop is fraught with many difficulties. There are more than a dozen models on the market that suit one or another customer according to the specified characteristics, so it’s time to get lost.
A laptop for a programmer is no exception. And if it is important for you to buy the best device, then, undoubtedly, you will have to thoroughly deal with all the pros and cons.
What to look for?
Before we examine in detail how and which laptop to choose, we need to briefly determine the main factors that would affect the acquisition. Firstly, it’s worth understanding what tasks the device needs. Programmers are different. Someone needs to work with resource-intensive programs, someone programs simple applications for phones and can even cost a netbook.
Next, you have to decide on the size. Some programmers, choosing a laptop for work, want it to be also small in size, so that on the way from home and back not to waste time and manage their projects.
Next, you need to understand which screen is needed. If you were working with graphics, then this factor would be key for you. Color reproduction in this case should be as accurate as possible. If you are a programmer, then it is best to bet on screen sizes. Also, one should not forget about the autonomy of the device.
The rest of the time will have to be devoted to studying the characteristics. Typically, a laptop for a programmer is chosen by the programmer himself, so questions regarding specifications do not arise. These people know a lot about devices. You will also have to read reviews and decide on the manufacturer.
Companies
Speaking of manufacturers. It is impossible to say specifically that Apple or Asus is perfect for you. In addition, opinions always differ, and the cost of devices plays an important role. However, there are manufacturers who make laptops for work or study. They are not gaming, not multimedia, but not completely missing.
So, Apple cannot be attributed to such, which, in principle, can boast only the huge cost of a laptop. Although some users who are used to working with the "apple" operating system may argue with this statement. In addition, “MacBooks” like to choose girls who can easily carry this device everywhere with them.
And yet, if cost is one of the key points for you, then choosing Apple products is definitely not for you. Drop out from the list of candidates and the company Acer. About 7-8 years ago, she could boast of decent options, but now from this manufacturer less and less truly worthy models come.
Unsuccessful can be considered Packard Bell. Reading the reviews about him, you can immediately notice that too often complaints sound about the assembly, the quality of the materials and, in general, the manufacturer’s attitude to the devices. Although the expensive segment has no such problems, of course. Toshiba also does not stand out for something successful and worthwhile. Therefore, it is better to go past the products of this manufacturer.
Partners
The most successful choice for the programmer will be Asus, Lenovo, MSI and Dell. By the way, these same manufacturers occupy leading positions in the production of gaming laptops. Therefore, creating a powerful device is not a problem for them. Some models may not be so cheap, but the build quality and hardware are worth it.
These companies have entire lines that are represented by devices of compact sizes, but with good “stuffing”. Although many believe that these are gaming laptops, the opinion is erroneous. Indeed, in this case, you need a cooling stand cooler for a laptop, which makes the device less mobile. Models for programmers usually do not overheat as much as gaming laptops do.
Company Examples
Perhaps this information does not solve your question in choosing a laptop. But the fact remains. There are many companies that develop software and, in principle, are engaged in programming. There are fewer world leaders, of course, but they also exist, and they are often talked about. So, their experience in using a working device is different from each other. Therefore, it is interesting to know what stands in the offices of Bill Gates or the late Steve Jobs.
In the latter case, the answer is obvious. It is unlikely that the "apple" company puts models for its employees from Asus or Lenovo. But at Google, they prefer desktop computers.
But there is information that there are laptops. So, more often there are either "apple" MacBooks, or the famous thin ThinkPad models from Lenovo. At Mark Zuckerberg in the office of Facebook, things are almost standard. MacBooks are installed here, connected to an external DELL monitor. Microsoft believes that the ideal laptop for a programmer is a powerful workstation from HP and DELL.
Dimensions and dimensions
As we said earlier, it’s important to first decide if you need a laptop in principle. Or a desktop PC is right for you . It is better to give preference to the second option. If you still need to move with a laptop from home to work, then you need to decide on the dimensions.
Girls usually prefer the MacBooks. This option is light and quite productive, but very expensive. If you look at something cheaper, but of a similar format, it is better to choose a ThinkPad from Lenovo.
If a young person who is able to wear heavier devices needs a laptop for a programmer, then the choice becomes many times wider. Then you can look at models with a weight of up to three kilograms. Screen size should also be chosen solely from your preference. Some users consider the ideal laptop with a diagonal of 13 inches. Others categorically state that less than 17 inches is not worth the display and choose.
Specifications
We proceed directly to the characteristics of the device. Most knowledgeable people argue that the best laptops for programmers should not have a powerful graphics card. Of course, she must cope with the tasks, but it is not necessary to choose a gaming accelerator. He, in principle, is useless, and he will have to overpay for it heavily.
But the processor should not be the last. Now most advised to pay attention to the Intel Core i7. Although AMD-based systems have also worked pretty well. In addition, they are many times cheaper relative to the top options from the "blue" company. By the way, if in choosing with a processor you can give preference to both Intel and find products from AMD, then the graphics card is best from NVidia.
Next, we look at the operating system. It is important that it be at least 4 GB - this is the very minimum, which in no case can not be overcome. If we talk about real indicators, the best models are those with 8 or 16 GB of RAM. These laptops definitely deserve attention.
Next, we look at the autonomy of the device. All current gaming models practically work only from the network. Therefore, they definitely will not work if you want to play new-fashioned toys and work at the same time. A laptop for work should be kept without recharge for at least 4 hours. And given the fact that over time, the battery runs out, and the battery life becomes less, it is better to immediately take such models that will last more than 6-8 hours.
And finally, it is important to pay attention to the hard drive. Now more often in laptops is HDD. Better, of course, to look for models with SSDs. If you can’t, then after the purchase you can replace the hard disk drive with a high-speed one, and leave the old one as an external drive for files and garbage. The volume is also, in principle, individual. Although, as practice shows and programmers themselves say, less than 500 GB is not recommended.
Models
Even if you know all the popular brands of laptops, it is unlikely to help you make a quick choice. It is best to go to Yandex.Market, indicate all the parameters you need, up to weight, dimensions and autonomy, and only then consider suitable options. We, in turn, will also present the best laptop models from different manufacturers, which are definitely suitable for programmers.
Apple Options
In fact, if you need a laptop for a web programmer, you can buy almost any model from Apple. Above, we already mentioned this device and talked about the fact that it is not suitable for everyone because of the pricing policy of the company. However, if you have the means to buy, then why not. MacBook Pro 15 is presented in a huge variety. So you can find options based on various processors, with different amounts of RAM and other characteristics.
The most successful option is a model with Core i7, whose frequency is 2.7 GHz. There are four cores inside. The type of video card here is discrete and built-in. AMD Radeon Pro 455 is responsible for the latter option. A good mobile card, which, although it doesn’t pull on the ultra-settings of the game, will definitely cope with the work tasks. And in your free time it will provide an opportunity to defuse the situation in an online shooter.
The amount of video memory - 2 GB, of course, it is better to choose a little more, but this is definitely enough for everyday tasks, in particular for programming. The main advantage of this model is the presence of a hard drive type SSD, the volume of which is 512 GB. All the necessary wireless technology is.
Good and appearance in this model. The touchpad is very convenient, which allows you to comfortably use the device on the road. He is large and quickly responds to commands. Although the keyboard is compact, it has a dedicated unit with arrows, which programmers “pray” for. Moreover, the left / right keys are increased in size, which is quite unusual, but very convenient. The keyboard also has a backlight.
The display size is 15.4 inches, the resolution is excellent - 2880x1800, as well as the quality of the TFT IPS matrix. The operating memory inside the whole 16 GB, which will best affect the work. Her type is DDR3L.
Also important for the programmer are the dimensions of the laptop. The model weighs only 1.8 kilograms. Moreover, the dimensions are also small - 350x241x15 mm. The peculiarity of the case is that it is made of metal, which means it is durable, and nothing will break off from it over time, as is the case with plastic. Autonomy of 10 hours in general will be a great gift for lovers of travel and work on the road.
Option from ASUS
ZenBook Pro UX501VW is a great laptop for a programmer. Although its value is on a par with the "apple" option. It differs in attractive appearance. It weighs 2 kilograms, the dimensions are practically no different from the "MacBook". Autonomy is slightly less - up to 6 hours.
The trump card is a 15.6-inch screen with a resolution of 3840x2160. Powered by a quad-core Core i7 with a frequency of 2.6 GHz. RAM - 16 GB, there is a discrete graphics card NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M, which in principle will cope with any gaming projects. The only thing that can fail is the cooling system. The disk is installed with a capacity of 512 GB.
HP Option
Unlike the previous two, this model is half the price. HP ProBook 450 G4 received a simpler chip dual-core Core i5 7200U with a frequency of 2.5 GHz. RAM is 8 GB. The discrete NVIDIA GeForce 930MX card is less productive than the models in previous laptops, although it will do just fine with working programs.
Inside, there is a 1 TB HDD, which, as you remember, can be replaced with a high-speed SSD. The model also weighs 2 kilograms, battery life for 12 hours, which, of course, is very nice. The screen is slightly worse due to lower resolution, although this will be enough for programmers - 1920x1080.
Option from DELL
This company presents a laptop for a programmer for only 30-35 thousand rubles, which, of course, is very profitable. DELL INSPIRON 5558 runs on the Intel Core i5 5200U with a frequency of 2.2 GHz and two cores. 8 GB of RAM, 1 TB of HDD type HDD. But this model is slightly heavier - 2.3 kilograms, but autonomy, on the contrary, is less - up to seven hours.
Buyers consider this option the most budgetary and successful, and indeed the entire INSPIRON line is good. Models are suitable for working with office programs and more time-consuming software.
Option from Lenovo
The legendary Lenovo THINKPAD Edge E550 is also one of the budget options for compact laptops. It is productive, fast and light. It has several modifications. One of them runs Intel Core i7 5500U with a frequency of 2.4 GHz and two cores. RAM is represented here 8 GB, although it is possible to expand to 16 GB. AMD Radeon R7 M265 graphics card.
Inside works like HDD type 1 TB. Weight - 2.3 kilograms, small dimensions. Autonomy of work of 9 hours. The arrow block on the keyboard is highlighted, the touchpad is compact and has additional functions that are not usually found in laptops. There is a red button in the middle of the keyboard - a trackpoint.
Option from MSI
Well, concluding our conversation on how to choose a laptop for the programmer, it is worth contacting the MSI company, which produces not only good gaming options, but also good working models. The MSI GL62 6QD is a mid-range model between gaming and work. It may not appeal to some players, but it is perfect for programmers and graphic editors.
Powered by a quad-core Core i5 with a frequency of 2.3 GHz. RAM here 4 or 8 GB. You can expand it to 16 GB. HDD type HDD is also available in versions from 500 GB to 1 TB. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950M graphics card copes with all the tasks. The screen is as good as the resolution. Although the weight is 2.3 kilograms, the dimensions are slightly larger than in previously reviewed models.