The 5 best laptops for programming of 2023

You don’t need a laptop with staggering specs to write code. The best laptops for programming maximize functionality in a few key areas that matter most.

The factors to look out for are RAM, CPU threads, screen resolution if you don’t intend to have external monitors, and battery life if you want to code on the go. A solid keyboard is also a plus if you don’t want to purchase an external keyboard.

RAM, or Random Access Memory, is kind of like the short-term memory of your laptop. The more RAM you have, the more programs you’ll be able to run at once without experiencing lagging. 

The CPU, or Central Processing Unit, processes and executes instructions. You don’t need the most powerful CPU to write code, but having more threads/cores is always helpful.

Also: The 23 best laptop deals right now

The screen resolution, battery life, keyboard, and weight of the laptop you choose come after the RAM and CPU in importance. If you plan to use the laptop for video editing or design work, you could prioritize the graphics card as well; if you have to attend video calls, a good webcam and mic are essential. 

Here are the best laptops for programming. 

Pros
  • Customizable to how much CPU and RAM you need
  • The upper limits of how much RAM and CPU you can have are staggering
  • Liquid Retina display
  • Now compatible with 8K displays
Cons
  • Availability for new M2 Pro and M2 Max models starts on Jan. 24

Tech specs: RAM: Up to 96 GB with M2 Max chip | CPU: Up to 12 cores | Battery life: Up to 22 hour

On Jan. 17, Apple announced its new MacBook Pro with top-notch processing power that expands the capabilities of previous models. It also includes 8K display support for the first time. The new Apple M2 Pro chip has up to 32 GB of unified memory, up to 12-core CPU, and up to 19-core GPU. The new Apple M2 Max chip has up to 96 GB unified memory, up to 12-core CPU, and up to 38-core GPU.

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The best early Black Friday deals on gaming laptops and accessories at Amazon

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Razer via Amazon


Looking to upgrade your gaming laptop or give one as a gift this holiday season? Then you won’t want to miss these unbeatable Black Friday gaming laptop and accessory deals at Amazon.


Top products in this article

Razer Blade 13 Ultrabook (Intel Core i7, 16 GB RAM, 512 GB SSD), $1,400 (reduced from $2,000)


Gaming laptops typically cost a bit more than standard productivity laptops, but many retailers are offering large discounts on top-rated models right now as part of early Black Friday sales. Amazon currently has deep discounts available on popular gaming laptops from Acer, Asus, Dell and more. 

Keep reading to find the best early Black Friday deals on gaming laptops and accessories.

Best early Black Friday gaming laptop deals

Shop the best Black Friday gaming laptop deals available now at Amazon. 

15.6″ Acer Predator Helios 300 gaming laptop: Save $500

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Best Buy


The Acer Predator Helios 300 features a fast 12th generation Core i7 processor and a NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 graphics card. The laptop offers a 3ms overdrive response time for high-performance gaming. Right now, you can score this top-rated gaming laptop for $500 off. 

15.6″ Acer Predator Helios 300 gaming laptop, $1,000 (reduced from $1,500)


17.3″ Asus TUF F17 gaming laptop: Save $200

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Amazon


This 17.3-inch gaming laptop features a Intel Core i5 processor and a NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 graphics card. The laptop is built with self-cleaning dual fans with anti-dust technology to prevent laptop overheating. It also features a RGB backlit keyboard.

One verified buyer on Amazon called this the best laptop they’ve ever owned: “I now am a major fan of Asus. This laptop is so fast almost as much as my PC build which has an i7-10700K and 3060ti. If you[‘re] looking for an affordable deal and good investment that performs well for most games plus browsing, look no further. ” 

17.3″ Asus TUF F17 gaming laptop, $788 (reduced from $900)


13.3″ Razer Blade 13 Ultrabook gaming laptop: $1,400

Razer Blade 13

Razer via Amazon


Razer’s gaming laptops aren’t cheap, but this Amazon deal knocks a whopping $600 off the Razer

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Best laptops for coding & programming 2022

Programming is a demanding and often relentless job that requires the right equipment – so we’ve picked out the best laptops for coding so you can concentrate on the task at hand.

Choosing the best laptops for programming isn’t as simple as buying the priciest machine you can find. It’s got to have the right kind of components, for starters: it’s vital to have a powerful processor that can handle coding, compiling, test environments and virtual machines, and you’ll also need at least 16GB of memory, with 32GB preferable.

Elsewhere, the best laptops for coding should have a fast SSD to ensure that files and apps load quickly. And, if you regularly work on the road, you’ll need good battery life too.

There are more crucial considerations. If you’re a programmer, then you’ll probably spend hours looking at this laptop, so it’s important to have a high-quality display – it’ll render your code crisply and help avoid eye strain. And you’re going to be doing loads of typing on your new laptop, so a crisp, comfortable keyboard is essential.

Those are certainly the critical areas if you’re on the hunt for the best laptop for programming, but they’re not the only things you should consider. You’ll need a thin, light and sturdy device if you work out of the office, and check that it’s got enough ports for all of your peripherals. Happily, there are plenty of laptops that tick these boxes at all kinds of budgets, and we’ve rounded the best of them below.

And before we get started, you may have noticed we’re using the terms pretty interchangeably here as both coders and programmers need the same things out of a laptop, but there are some key differences when it comes to coding vs programming, so check out our explainer article too.


MacBook Pro M1 16-inch laptop

(Image credit: Future)

The best laptop for coding and programming.

Specifications

CPU: Apple M1 Pro chip 10-core

GPU: Integrated 16-core GPU

RAM: 16GB, 32GB, 64GB

Storage: 512GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB, 8TB

Screen size: 16-inch Liquid Retina XDR 3456 x 2234 display

Weight: 4.7 lbs (2.1kg)

Dimensions:

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