The 4 Best Laptops For Programming - Fall 2023 Reviews

The best laptop for programming we've tested is the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023). This high-end mobile workstation has a sturdy all-aluminum build, a portable, compact design, and incredible all-day battery life. You can get the newest model with an M2 Pro or Max SoC, which have enough processing power to handle even the most challenging workloads. These chips also include a very capable GPU, which is great for game development or any industry requiring high graphical horsepower. The downside is that you'll pay for the graphical performance even if you don't need it.

The overall user experience is excellent. You get a sharp Mini LED display, a spacious, tactile keyboard, and a gigantic, easy-to-use haptic touchpad. Ports include three USB-C/Thunderbolt 4 ports and an HDMI, so you can easily connect external monitors and peripherals. If you want more screen space and don't mind paying more, you can get the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023). It's the same device but with better-sounding speakers and a slightly longer battery life.

The Dell XPS 15 (2023) is a good alternative if you need or prefer Windows. It's also a premium model that provides a great user experience. Spec-wise, you can get up to an Intel 13th Gen H-series Core i9 and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 discrete GPU. These CPUs and GPUs can easily handle demanding workloads. Memory and storage max out at 64GB and 8TB, respectively, and they're user-replaceable. There are a few tradeoffs: it has a bad 720p webcam and fewer ports, and its keyboard gets uncomfortably hot under load.

If you don't need the processing power of a mobile workstation like the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) and would rather go with an ultraportable, get the Apple MacBook Air 13 (2022) instead. It's incredibly thin and light, and its battery lasts easily through a full workday. It has a nice, sharp display—not Mini LED like the MacBook Pro, unfortunately—and a great keyboard. Additionally, its M2 SoC is more than fast enough for most programmers. The main drawback is its limited port selection, as it's still limited to two USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 ports with support for one external display.

A larger alternative would be the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023). It's the same laptop as the 13-inch MacBook Air but with a 15.3-inch display and better speakers. It's still very portable for a 15-inch laptop, and while its battery life isn't quite as good, it still lasts comfortably through a typical 8-hour workday. However, it's $200 USD more expensive than the 13-inch model, and once you start upgrading the RAM and SSD, the price gets very close to that of the MacBook Pro 14.

On the Windows side, we recommend the Acer Swift 14 2023. It has a wider port selection with support for multiple external displays, and its 13th-gen H-series CPUs perform significantly better in heavily multi-threaded workloads. The keyboard and touchpad aren't as good, though. Also, unlike the MacBook Air, it has fans to cool the internals. They don't get very loud but are audible nonetheless. In short, the Swift 14 performs better, but the MacBook Air provides a better user experience overall.

The best laptop for developers we've tested in the mid-range tier is the Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1 (2023). It sports a large 16-inch display, so you get plenty of room to see your codes, and since it's a 2-in-1, you can flip the screen around and use it as a tablet. It feels surprisingly well-built for a laptop in its class and isn't too cumbersome for a 16-inch model. The battery lasts around 10 hours of light use and charges over USB-C.

You can get this laptop with an AMD Ryzen 5 7530U or Ryzen 7 7730U CPU; both perform well and are suitable for programming. The memory isn't user-upgradeable, so getting the maximum 16GB upfront is best. The keyboard feels a little mushy but is still comfortable to type on for extended periods, and the touchpad is large and responsive. The port selection is excellent, but sadly, there's no Thunderbolt 4 support since it's an AMD system.

Our best budget pick is the Acer Swift 3 14 (2020). This 14-inch ultraportable is easy to carry, and its battery lasts nearly 14 hours of light use. For under $600, you can get a model with an Intel 11th Gen. Core i7 CPU, 8GB of memory, and 512GB of storage. You can get up to 16GB of RAM if you're willing to pay more; just remember that the memory isn't user-upgradeable.

Its 1080p IPS display looks sharp and provides just enough room for light multitasking; however, it doesn't get very bright, so it isn't ideal for well-lit rooms or outdoors in broad daylight. As for the keyboard and touchpad, the former feels a little cramped but decent to type on, and the latter is small but reasonably responsive. Ports include two USB-As, one USB-C/Thunderbolt 4, a full-size HDMI, and a headphone jack.