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 developers can get in 2016.
Similarly, if you landed in this page looking for the best tablets or desktops for programming, we will help you with that as well.
Are there any special laptops or other gadgets made just for coding or programming purposes? The answer is no, but before buying a laptop or any other gadget, primarily for programming or coding purposes, there are certain things a programmer has to consider to make sure the most optimal product tailored for programming ends up in the desk.
The best programming laptops and other devices must have certain minimum specifications to run a compiler efficiently. You need to be more careful if you are into the graphic based programming (game development for example) because in addition to the 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.
I (the writer) am not a professional coder, but in the past, I have had the opportunity to learn Java programming and a graphic based visual programming called Alice. My personal experience tells me that without a well built computer, you WILL encounter many problems like the device taking a lot of time to open up the console, making loud noises, overheating and many times you will end up re-starting the computer because it just stops functioning. Thus having minimum required specs on a laptop is very important when they are going to be used primarily to write codes.
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. SSDs are much better and faster than HDDs.
We strongly recommend Norton™ 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. Whether you are a student or a professional, 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!
Let’s start with the quick overlook of the products that we will review in the table below:
Laptops/Tablets/Desktops For Programmers, coders and developers
Programming Laptops
Processor | RAM | GPU | Storage
Price
Dell i7559*
Intel® i7 | 8GB | GTX 960M | 1TB+8GB SSD
Under $1000
Acer Aspire†
Intel® i5 | 8GB | GTX 940MX | 256GB SSD
Under $600
ASUS K501UW
Intel® i7 | 8GB | GTX 960M | 512GB SSD
Under $900
Dell Inspiron
Intel® i5 | 8GB | GTX 960M | 256 GB SSD
Under $800
HP 2-in-1
Intel® i5 | 8GB | Integrated | 128GB SSD
Under $700
Lenovo IdeaPad 510
Intel® i5 | 12GB | GTX 940Mx | 1TB HDD
Under $800
ASUS ZenBook
Intel® i7 | 12GB | GTX 940M | 512GB SSD
Under $1300
ASUS ROG G752VS¹
Intel® i7 | 32GB | GTX 1070 | 1TB+256 SSD
Under $2500
MacBook
YOU CAN CHOOSE
DEPENDS
Programming Tablets
Processor | RAM | GPU | Storage
Price
Surface 3 & 4
YOU CAN CHOOSE
DEPENDS
iPad Pro 12.9″
A9X | Custom | 128GB SSD
Under $1000
Programming Desktops
Processor | RAM | GPU | Storage
Price
Acer Aspire
Intel® i5 | 16GB | GTX 745 | 2TB
Under $700
Dell XPS
Intel® i7 | 16GB | GTX 745 | 1TB
Under $1000
ASUS oculus Certified¹
Intel® i7 | 16GB | GTX 980 | 1TB+256 SSD
Under $2000
*Editor recommended | †CHEAPEST but quite decent laptop (must look) | ¹These are VR ready devices and are recommended for VR related programming.
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:
Tablet
Desktop
Dell i7559 – Best laptop for programming under $1000-2016
The dell i7559 has just the right combination of specs required for programmers and developers. This machine is equipped with lots of advanced features, making it one of the best laptops for coding, including game development, thanks to the 4GB GPU installed in the Dell i7559.
Hybrid disk drive with 8GB SSD and 1TB traditional HDD, 8GB RAM, 4GB GTX 960M graphic card from NVIDIA, and 6th generation Intel i7 processor (QUAD CORE: 6700hq) that clocks in at 2.6GHz are the important features of this laptop that assures smooth coding.
That spec combination will have enough power for programming, including game developments.
You can get the upgraded version with extra RAM and extra SSD on the hybrid drive for additional cost, or upgrade the RAM and SSD by yourself to make this laptop more powerful and efficient. However, you might want to do that only if you need more power.
This laptop weighs under 5 lbs and has a FHD screen that is 15.6 inches wide. Yes, it is portable, and can make your life easier at the study or work table.
This is our first choice when it comes to buying the best laptop for programming!
Price & More Details – Dell i7559
Acer Aspire E 15 – Cheap coding laptop under $600-2016
We get emails all the time asking if there are any top laptops for programming under $500. We simply tell them, there are but they should carefully look at what Acer Aspire E15 has to offer!
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, the Acer Aspire E 15 just promises to be their best friend for years to come.
The Acer Aspire E 15 can be purchased for a cheap price of under $600. It probably is the cheapest programming laptop you can ever get in the market today.
It comes with a 2GB dedicated GTX series graphic card, 256GB of SSD storage, 8GB RAM, windows 10 operating system, and has a 15.6 inch screen, which is full high definition.
The Acer Aspire E 15 has a 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 September 2016 and we are not surprised!
Price & Details – Acer Aspire E15
ASUS K501UW– Best laptop for game developers under $900 in 2016
This laptop is good for any programming language, but if you are a game developer, the ASUS K501UW is a product you should seriously consider buying and the reasons are obvious. It is probably the cheapest gaming laptop by ASUS so far and it comes with the features that are beyond your imaginations.
The ASUS K501UW comes with a turbocharged 6th generation Intel i7 processor in addition to powerful GTX series graphic card (960M), 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD storage and a 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 has 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.
Check Price of ASUS K501UW
Dell i7559-763- Best laptop for programming and coding games-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!
SEE MORE DETAILS OF DELL I7559-763
HP Pavilion 13-s128nr- Best 2-in-1 hybrid laptop for Programmers Under $700
The HP Pavilion 13-s128nr is one of “the best” HP laptop/tablet for programming. It is cheaper as well for those looking for a budget laptop. This HP laptop will do the job just fine with its loaded features. HP Pavilion 13-s128nr comes with a 13.3 inch FHD screen, 8GB RAM, Intel i5 processor and has 128GB SSD storage.
Besides being stylish and portable, this is a 2 in 1 hybrid laptop that can be used as both tablet and laptop. The screen is touch enabled, of course. It has Windows 10 OS preinstalled.
Price is mediocre with a price tag of just under $700. The HP Pavilion 13 is a top laptop for programming, especially for students due to its portability and affordability.
SEE MORE DETAILS OF HP PAVILION 13
Lenovo IdeaPad 510- Great laptop for programming -2016
Then Lenovo IdeaPad 510 is another solid option for the folks who are looking for the best laptop for programming.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 510 does not cost a fortune and at the same time it has all the required specs for programming.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 510 comes with an Intel i7 processor along with 12GB RAM and NVIDIA GTX 940Mx graphic card. Just the right specs a coder will need for a budget price!
The Lenovo IdeaPad 510 has a full size keyboard which helps programmers to use the keyboard shortcuts more effectively. It has a 15.6″ Full-HD display and weighs just under 5 pounds.
If you are just starting out your career in programming or are a computer science student, the Lenovo IdeaPad 510 is really worth considering!
Price & More Details – Lenovo IdeaPad 510
ASUS ZenBook UX303UB- 13.3 inch portable laptop for programming
If portability is your main concern, you can use this laptop for coding. The ASUS ZenBook UX303UB is a lightweight laptop with a 13.3″ QHD screen. The design is spectacular with a shiny look.
On the performance side, this ultrabook comes with Intel i7 processor in combination with 12GB RAM and 512GB SSD. As we mentioned in the beginning, having a SSD storage is preferred because they are fast, less noisy and less vulnerable to mechanical failures.
The ASUS ZenBook UX303UB has a discrete GPU; NVIDIA GTX 940M, assuring any type of programming projects as easy as 123.
It has a backlit keyboard but lacks the numerical pad. That is pretty standard in a portable 13 inch laptops but we want you to be aware of that fact. It weighs about 3 pounds only. Whether you are a student or a professional, the ASUS ZenBook UX303UB has just the right specs to handle your inputs!
Price & More Details – ASUS ZenBook UX303UB
ASUS ROG G752VS – Best VR ready 17 inch laptop for programming
Truth is, in the near future, virtual reality is going to wipe out the current technology, games and other things. As a programmer, you know that better than anyone else.
Getting a laptop where you can code VR related languages just makes sense, especially if you already are a true professional developer.
The ASUS ROG G752VS is basically a gaming laptop but a programmer can take full advantage of this device at no extra cost. You might want to get this laptop if sky is your limit when it comes to your career.
This ridiculously powerful laptop comes with overclocked Intel i7 processor with tremendous power. It has 32GB RAM and a tremendously powerful GTX 1070 GPU with 8GB of its own memory. It has a 17.3″ Full-HD screen and a hybrid storage of 1TB HDD and 256GB SSD.
If you ever wanted to step into the virtual reality programming, look no further as this is the best laptop so far for VR programming!
Price & More Details – ASUS ROG G752VS
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 is basically a common 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 recommend 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. You can shop MacBooks here. Good luck finding the best Mac for programming.
Now, we will give you 3 examples of the best desktops for programming and 2 examples of the decent tablets for programming.
Surface 3 and Surface pro 4: Best tablets for programming 2016
There are many programmers out there who take portability very seriously. If you are one of them, then a Surface 3 or a 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.
Shop Surface 3 and Surface 4 Pro!
iPad Pro 12.9″ – Top tablet for programming
iPad pro is the latest tablet from Apple Inc. and it is a really good tablet for programming when attached to a user friendly keyboard case.
Although a 32GB version of iPad pro is available on the market, for programming we recommend at least 128GB of storage for obvious reasons.
The screen resolution is spectacular and its processing speed and graphic processor is much better than the previous iPads.
This is one of the best tablet for coding! You might want to get a portable user friendly keyboard dock to use this tablet effectively to write codes.
Price & More Details – iPad Pro 12.9″
Now, lets look at 3 of the best desktops for programming.
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!
See more details of Acer Aspire
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 the 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 it’s priced less than $1000. This is a decent and cheap desktop you should seriously consider buying for your coding works!
More Details – Dell XPS
ASUS G20CB – Best desktop for virtual reality gaming – 2016
The ASUS G20CB is sold as a VR ready gaming desktop but if you want to pursue your programming career in virtual reality field, having this desktop will only make your life easier.
This VR ready gaming desktop comes with a powerful quad core Intel i7 processor along with 16GB RAM and GTX 980 GPU.
This top desktop for programming comes with a hybrid storage of 1TB HDD plus 256GB SSD. This desktop is less prone to overheating issues and coding will be much smoother on this desktop.
The ASUS G20CB comes with a keyboard and mouse but you will have to buy the monitor separately.
This desktop costs under $2000 and it will be money well spent to buy this desktop for programming. Highly recommended for VR programming!
Price & More Details – ASUS G20CB
You will need a monitor for these desktops and we suggest you to read our monitor recommendation.
Conclusion
Above mentioned computers are our programming laptop/desktop/tablet recommendations.
This article was written to help you find the best tablets, best desktops and the best laptops for programming students, established coders and the developers.
Once again, the general guideline is that you should be looking for a gadget with 8GB or higher RAM, at least 500GB of hard drive, comes with a dedicated graphic card and has a powerful processor (i5/A10 or better).
Also, installing Linux OS is very popular among the programmers. Ubuntu could be your starting point if you like running Linux based operating system.
You can code any language like Java, C, C++, C#, objective-C, perl, Ruby, Python, Visual Basic .NET etc on the products we listed. You can start hereif you like to do your own research and find other brands not mentioned here like ASUS, Sony, Alienware etc.
Any feedback to this article will be highly appreciated. Please share this post about the best laptops for programming, the best tablets for coding and the best desktops for developers!
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