You can't have anything less than the best if you're coding all day; speed and comfort are critical to completing the job efficiently. The best coding laptops include fast processors and at least 16GB of RAM to ensure smooth operation while developing software and compiling code. A great keyboard also does wonders for your speed and accuracy, and it's worth getting a laptop with responsive keys to make your typing a pleasant experience.
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Lag is the one thing that gamers hate above all else. Here's how to find out what's causing your lag and how to fix it.Testing laptops is one of our specialties at Pocket-lint, and we review the best MacBooks and Windows models from brands like HP and Samsung to see what they offer and if they're worth recommending. We have hands-on experience with all the laptops on this list, with our team using them as essential tools for work and play in their busy lives.
Best coding laptops: Our favorite picks
Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch (M3, 2023)
The new champ
The 2023 Apple MacBook Pro M3 offers impressive speed and efficiency and includes a comfortable keyboard for a pleasant all-day typing experience.
- Very powerful
- Fantastic build quality
- Efficient
- Pricey
- Might be too small for some users
Apple's latest MacBook Pro Max is more about evolution than revolution, with an unchanged aluminium chassis now available in Space Black and the usual Space Grey. There's no need to change the winning formula, and the sleek design is as solid as they come and features Apple's Magic Keyboard scissor switches for all-day typing comfort. Connecting headphones, mice, and other peripherals is easy with MagSafe, HDMI, 3.5mm audio, three Thunderbolt 4s, and a memory card reader.
Apple MacBook Pro (M3 Pro/Max, 2023) review: Is Space Black worth the upgrade?
The MacBook Pro is more powerful than ever, and looks better than ever in striking Space Black. Should you buy it though?The biggest change in the new MacBook is the M3 Max chip with a 14-core CPU, a 30-core GPU, and 36GB of RAM. Its fantastic power is enough to take on any task while still being more efficient than most of its rivals. Looking at the (3024 x 1964) 14.2-inch Mini LED Liquid Retina XDR display is a joy, and it has a fast 120Hz refresh rate and an excellent 1,600 nits of brightness for smooth and vivid graphics.
Apple's 14-inch MacBook Pro Max might be pricey, but it's worth every cent for its blistering power and efficiency. It also tops our list because it can develop Windows, iOS, or macOS apps thanks to Xcode compatibility, which isn't supported by Microsoft devices. Some coders might prefer the bigger 16-inch version, but the 14-inch offers the best balance when you factor in its portability.
Dell XPS 17 (2023)
All-day luxury display
The Dell XPS 17 is perfect for people wanting a large, clear display to work on every day, and it adds outstanding power and top-notch build-quality for an all-round luxury experience.
- 17-inch 4K touchscreen
- 4TB storage
- Powerful
- Heavy
- Not the best battery life
Some developers prefer having as much space as possible to see their work clearly and work in comfort. Dell's XPS 17 is a joy to behold and is suitable as a workstation replacement with a massive 17-inch 4K touchscreen powered by the Nvidia RTX 4080. It's perfect for watching movies and other content, and the anti-reflective finish makes it ideal for developers who hate unnecessary glare while working. There's no shortage of processing power, and the Intel Core i9-13900H with 64GB of RAM will handle the most demanding apps and multitasking.
Dell XPS 17 (2023) review: Go big or go home
Dell sticks to familiar roads for its flagship 17-inch style laptop.Everything about the XPS 17 screams quality, and the sturdy 374 x 248 x 19.5mm aluminium housing and soft carbon fiber around the keyboard give it a premium feel, and make it comfortable for long working hours. You get a whopping 4TB of storage space to handle most media libraries and backups, and there's an SD card reader to transfer data from cameras and dashcams. Connectivity is limited to four Thunderbolt 4-compatible USB-Cs and a 3.5mm audio port, and Dell includes a USB-A and HDMI adapter to attach external drives and monitors.
Massive, powerful laptops with high-end graphics cards like the Dell XPS 17 can't avoid being heavy and tend to have mediocre battery life. Most buyers don't mind because of the outstanding power and fantastic display. It's not cheap but justifies its hefty price as a do-all laptop that works as a business beast, multimedia machine, or gaming laptop.
Acer Swift Edge 16 (2023)
Slim and light design
The Acer Swift Edge 16 is slim and lightweight enough to carry on the road and offers fantastic value when you factor in its OLED display and capable performance.
- Thin and light - very portable
- 16-inch OLED display
- Amazing value
- Slight flex
- Average battery life
Acer's Swift Edge is one of the most practical 16-inch laptops you can get because of its amazingly lightweight design. Its slimline 13 x 358 x 246mm aluminium housing weighs just 1.23kg, and is perfect for working in coffee shops or planes, and it's tough enough to withstand the odd bump. Graphics are courtesy of a 16-inch 3.2K (3200 x 2000) OLED display offering rich colors and a speedy 120Hz refresh rate despite having integrated graphics.
Acer Swift Edge 16 (2023) review: One of the thinnest and lightest 16-inch laptops you can buy
Acer's big-screen, lightweight laptop offers plenty to like at a competitive price.One of the reasons for the sleek design is the 8-core AMD Ryzen 7 7840U CPU, designed specifically for laptops. Its performance surpasses current-gen Intel i7s and will run most apps when paired with 16GB of RAM and a decent 1TB SSD, which should be enough for most users. For a slimline laptop, there's a surprising number of ports with an HDMI, two USB-Cs, two USB-As, and 3.5mm audio. You can also use the MicroSD card reader to expand your memory if you need more space.
This laptop is perfect for on-the-go users who often travel or visit clients because of its portable design, and it's reasonably priced too. The lightweight design isn't perfect, and there's slight screen flex, and battery life could be better. Overall, it's still a worthwhile consideration for developers, but it won't double as a gaming laptop because of its integrated graphics.
Apple MacBook Air 15 (M2, 2023)
All-day battery
The Apple MacBook Air M2 might be overshadowed by its newer M3 sibling, but it's still one of the best coding laptops because of its 15.3-inch display and perfect balance of performance and efficiency.
- Superb battery life
- Six speakers
- Great performance
- Notch isn't for everyone
- Storage can't be upgraded
The 2023 MacBook Air M2 is a jack-of-all-trades laptop that scores where it counts, offering the perfect balance of style, performance and efficiency. The eight-core M2 chip with a 10-core GPU is the star of the show and offers a smooth and flawless experience when paired with 16GB of unifying memory. Storage options vary between 256GB and 2TB, and it's worth paying for more than you require because there's no upgrading the soldered-on SSD later.
Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (M2, 2023) review: Bigger is better
I've switched to working on the 15-inch MacBook Air with M2 chip that launched at WWDC. Is bigger better? Here are my thoughts.Quality is top-notch with a sturdy-yet-lightweight 1.53kg aluminium case measuring 237.6 x 340.4 x 11.5mm in Midnight, Starlight, Space Gray, and Silver. The 15.3-inch (2880 x 1864) Liquid Retina is versatile for work or play, and there's a decent port selection, including two Thunderbolt 3-compatible USB-C ports, MagSafe 3, and a 3.5mm audio port. The little things matter, and the MacBook Air M2 has an impressive six-speaker sound system for movies and games. Battery life is excellent considering its high performance and high-resolution display and its 18 hours is enough for a full day's work and then some.
Apple's MacBook Air M2 ticks most boxes and provides a premium user experience in a lightweight and portable design. It's powerful enough to run most of the tasks you'll throw at it and lasts for long trips with its excellent battery life. The memory isn't upgradeable, and the infamous notch isn't for everyone. It's still a fantastic coding laptop despite these minor drawbacks, and you might be able to find some sweet deals after the introduction of the M3.
Acer Swift X 14
Portable performance
The Acer Swift X 14 is the best choice for on-the-go buyers because it has a small, but tough aluminium chassis and adequate performance for most tasks.
- Compact and lightweight
- OLED display
- Decent GPU
- Average battery life
- Loud fans
Digital nomads and other on-the-go buyers prefer compact, lightweight laptops for mobile productivity. The Acer Swift X 14 is one of the best options because its classy 18mm thick full aluminium housing weighs just 1.55 kg. It also has a simple yet elegant design with the right amount of travel and soft actuation on its backlit clicky style keys. There's a generous port selection for a compact laptop, with an HDMI, two Thunderbolt 4-compatible USB-Cs, a pair of USB-As, and a MicroSD slot to back up photos and videos.
Acer Swift X 14 review: Powerful, portable and stylish
This do-everything laptop melds style with performance, but it's not without compromise.Dynamite comes in small packages, and the Acer Swift X 14 will work for coding and most productivity apps with an Intel Core i7-13700H CPU with 16GB of RAM. It can also handle light gaming with an RTX 4050 GPU and has enough space for most users with a 1TB SSD. The 14.5-inch (2880 x 1800) OLED display offers vibrant colors with a wide 16:10 aspect ratio to increase the viewing area and a 120Hz refresh rate for smoother gaming performance.
Acer's Swift X 14 is the way to go if you're looking for the perfect balance of power and portability to take on the road or to business meetings. It hasn't got the best battery life, and the fans can get noisy, but it makes up for it with an intuitive keyboard and decent graphics card to earn its place on this list.
Razer Blade 16
A graphics powerhouse
The Razer Blade 16 offers high-performance computing with the best components, and includes an innovative dual-mode mini-LED display that can switch between FHD and 4K.
- Power to handle any task
- Top-of-the-range GPU
- Innovative dual-mode display
- Premium pricing
- No Ethernet
The Razer Blade 16 is an innovative gaming powerhouse capable of handling the most demanding apps and intense gaming graphics. It's an unashamedly premium product offering fantastic build quality from its sturdy 22 x 355 x 244mm aluminium chassis that contributes to its hefty 2.45kg weight. The chunky black chassis is fairly discrete compared to other gaming laptops, with a firm, responsive keyboard and per-key RGB lighting. Connectivity is average with three USB-As, an HDMI 2.1, a USB-C, and 3.5mm audio to connect headsets or computer speakers.
Razer Blade 16 review: It's going to cost you...
The Razer Blade 16 brings together power, performance and one of the best displays we've seen on a gaming laptop. But it doesn't come cheap...This laptop offers incredible performance with Intel's i9-12950HX CPU and 32GB of RAM, and it can easily handle game development and other demanding apps. It's still a gaming laptop at heart, and the RTX 4090 can play any title at high settings. The 16-inch dual-mode Mini LED display is unique because it can switch between 4K UHD for watching content and FHD at 240Hz for competitive gaming. You'll never run out of space with 2TB of storage, and it can easily be expanded with the SD slot.
There's no getting around the Blade 16's steep price, and it's for those willing to pay for uncompromising performance in a tough package. It's worth it if you have the cash for the ultimate graphics laptop in a practical and easy-to-carry size.
Samsung Galaxy Book 3 Pro
Style and substance
Samsung's Galaxy Book 3 Pro has a slim and stylish aluminium chassis with decent performance and the best sound quality in its class.
- Fantastic sound
- Vibrant display
- Stylish and practical design
- Average battery life
- Not as powerful as some of our other picks
A crisp display with immaculate colors can make a world of difference to your concentration levels and decrease fatigue if you work all day on your laptop. Samsung's Galaxy Book 3 Pro is the perfect choice, with a vivid 16-inch 3K AMOLED display with a fast 120Hz refresh rate to keep things smooth. Its practical size is perfect for work or play, and the minimalist 355.4 x 250.4 x 12.5mm and 1.56kg aluminium housing in Graphite or Beige oozes class and includes a full-size backlit keyboard with a numpad.
Samsung Galaxy Book 3 Pro review: Thin, light and ready to delight
Samsung's new Galaxy Book is slim, lightweight and spacious but how does it perform? We've been trying it out.The Galaxy Book3 Pro won't match some of the do-all powerhouse laptops on this list, and its Intel i5 1340P with 16GB of RAM is enough for web development and other light to medium tasks. Its 1TB of storage is about average and gets the job done. The port selection isn't bad either, with two USB-As, an HDMI, 3.5mm audio, a microSD card reader, and a USB-C port. This is the laptop to get if you enjoy music and value sound quality because the AKG system with two 5W subwoofers and a pair of 2W speakers offers exceptional clarity and bass compared to most rivals.
There aren't many better options if you're looking for a balance of style and substance, because the Galaxy Book3 Pro has a stunning exterior and display accompanied by capable performance and the best sound in its class. You can't have everything, and the average battery life and premium pricing do little to mitigate its overall value.
HP Victus 16 (AMD, 2023)
Victus value
The HP Victus is perfect for budget-conscious buyers, because it offers capable mid-range performance, a versatile size, and great battery life for a low price.
- Solid mid-range gaming performance is a plus
- Lots of upgrade options
- Decent battery life
- Low screen resolution and brightness
- Only one USB-C port
Buyers looking for the best bang for their buck can check out the HP Victus 16, offering capable mid-range performance for a wallet-friendly price. While it's technically an entry-level gaming laptop with an RTX 4060 GPU, the Victus 16 is versatile enough to run most coding apps and productivity software thanks to its AMD Ryzen 5 7640HS CPU with 16GB of RAM. The 512GB SSD is expected, considering the price and will suffice for most work apps.
HP Victus 16 (AMD, 2023) review: Strong performance at a competitive price
Positioned as HP's 'mainstream' gaming laptop, the Victus 16 brings a lot to the table for a reasonable cost.In design, the Victus 16 is quite bulky compared to similarly-sized rivals on this list, measuring 23.9 x 369 x 259mm and weighing 2.35kg. Its heft gives it a solid and durable feel, and its size is ideal for various ports, like three USB-As, Ethernet, HDMI 2.1, and a USB-C to connect portable monitors or external drives. The 16.1-inch FHD display isn't the brightest, but has enough screen space for most tasks, and a fast 144Hz refresh rate for gaming, movies or sports.
Laptops in this price range usually make compromises to stay competitive, and the Victus 16's average display and chunky design are a small price to pay considering its all-round performance and light gaming capabilities. Its superior battery life clinches the deal because you can get a full working day out of it when you're visiting clients or working on the road.
Which coding laptop is the best?
The Apple MacBook Pro Max is the best coding laptop because it's incredibly efficient despite being powerful enough to run the most demanding apps. Dell's XPS is the best option for buyers looking for a large, clear display to work on, and a powerful graphics card for games and media. The Acer Swift Edge 16 offers the best value because of its slim and lightweight design combined with impressive power and a wide port selection.
Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch (M3, 2023)
How did we choose the best coding laptop?
We've tested countless laptops, tablets, and other devices this year and picked the ones we think are best for coding based on their performance, design, and value.
All the models listed here include the latest CPUs and can easily handle most software, with the premium models listed as the best in their classes and suitable for heavy workloads and multitasking.
Design is another crucial consideration, and we try to accommodate everyone's requirements with a variety of quality laptops with different sizes and display types. They are all suitable for daily use and have practical features and connectivity options, making them easy to use.
Most buying decisions are based on value, and it's always a consideration when we pick the best products. The premium models might be pricey, but they can justify their cost with outstanding performance or design. Our mid-range and budget picks punch above their weight and deserve some attention for their great value.
Which laptop brand is best for coding?
Many laptops are great for coding, but the MacBook Pro is the best.
What is the best budget laptop for programming?
The HP Victus 16 is the best budget laptop for programming.
How much RAM do I need for programming?
It depends on the software you're running, but 16GB should be enough for most programmers.