Best programming laptops in 2023

If you’re looking for a new laptop for some serious programming then these are the ones to get, whether you want Mac, Windows or Chrome OS.

The best programming laptops can handle a workload over and above what’s generally expected from a standard PC. Gone are the days of programmers having to sit in front of a huge desktop PC with a bunch of high-end monitors; some still do, but a powerful laptop with a high-res display provides a portable workstation that can go anywhere you go. The best laptops for the job let you code anywhere, at any time.

Buying a laptop for programming is a different beast from buying one for playing games or for regular enterprise use. Programmers don’t always need masses of horsepower, especially in the beginning, but there’s no getting away from it being a resource-intensive task. As with any reason to buy a laptop there is no one size that fits all users. We’ve compiled a list of the best laptops for veteran and beginner programmers with a mix of Windows, macOS, and ChromeOS.

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Best overall: MacBook Pro 16-inch

Ah, Apple’s MacBook Pro. If ever there was a staple of software development in recent years it’s this. You see MacBook Pros everywhere at developer events, even those presented by Google and Microsoft. Why is that? Because it’s the perfect tool for the job. And with the advent of the M1 and M2 series of processors, Apple has made it even harder to recommend a competitor. It’s not just about looking fancy in Starbucks while you work.

The MacBook Pro was a top laptop for writing code, just as it’s one of the best creator laptops, before the M1 processors ever arrived. But Apple’s jump to using ARM power in its Mac hardware has made for significant gains. It delivers incredible CPU performance, strong GPU performance, and exceptional power efficiency, which in turn leads to fantastic battery life. More importantly, Apple doesn’t suffer from the same compatibility woes with legacy software as you might find on a Windows laptop powered by ARM.

Perhaps the only real negatives to basing your programming on a 16-inch MacBook Pro are the price and lack of upgradeability. What you buy from Apple is pretty much what you’re living with, but conversely, you have options to spec this up to the powerhouse of your dreams. If you have the budget you can get up to 8TB of SSD storage and 32GB or 64GB of unified memory depending on whether you go for the M1 Pro or the M1 Max. Both offer a 10-core CPU, but the M1 Max has double the GPU cores and memory bandwidth.

The MacBook Pro comes in two sizes, but for programming we recommend the 16-inch model over the 14-inch model purely for that additional screen real estate. The laptop doesn’t have that much larger of a footprint than the 14-inch model for what you gain in usability. It has a Liquid Retina XDR panel in both instances and both have the same superb ProMotion variable refresh rate up to 120Hz. And that additional little bit of size and pound in weight nets you up to four hours of extra battery life. You’ll be able to leave home for the day without a charger safe in the knowledge you’ll still have power left when it’s time to call it a day.

Apple’s move to ARM didn’t sacrifice its commitment to Thunderbolt connectivity, either. The MacBook Pro 16-inch comes with three Thunderbolt 4 ports, joined by HDMI, a full-sized SD card slot, and even a headphone jack. Thunderbolt 4 is perfect for expanding connectivity with powerful docking stations and also hooking up external high-resolution displays, perfect for the home or office.

There’s also the small matter of macOS to consider, and it’s perhaps even more important than the hardware for software development. macOS has traditionally been welcoming to software development, sitting in a happy middle ground between Linux and Windows. Of course, if you want to develop for the Mac or for iOS devices you need a Mac, which sucks, but it’s also the only platform that allows you to build for macOS, Linux, and Windows simultaneously, as well as Android on the mobile front. If you want to target all platforms, you’ll want a MacBook Pro 16-inch.

Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch (2021)

The 16-inch MacBook Pro is all-around the best laptop to buy if you’re looking to do some programming, especially in its unique position of being able to develop for all available platforms. It’s powerful, it has a gorgeous display, and the battery life won’t leave you wanting.

CPU

M1 Pro/M1 Max

Memory

Up to 64GB

Operating System

macOS

GPU

Up to 32-core

See at Best Buy See at Amazon

Best with Windows: Dell XPS 15 (9520)

If you like the idea of the MacBook Pro being the best laptop for programming, but you’d really rather stick with Windows, the Dell XPS 15 is the perfect alternative. In many ways it’s the MacBook Pro of Windows, blending exquisite design with stunning build quality and blistering performance. But without the fruit logo on the lid, it’s more understated. Wrap the whole package together, and you have the top Windows laptop for programming.

The XPS 15 isn’t the largest XPS laptop Dell makes, but it’s still the one to get. All you really get with the larger 17-inch model is a bigger screen and a higher price. By virtue of its super-slim bezels, the XPS 15 is not nearly as large as the 15-inch laptops you may be used to from years past. The chassis is about the size of most 14-inch laptops, so you get a larger screen and a smaller footprint as well as weighing at about 4.31 pounds (1.96kg).

Dell has plenty of options when it comes to specs but, unlike many smaller laptops, you have the freedom to upgrade them yourself. If your initial budget only stretches to 16GB of RAM, that’s fine. When the time is right you can upgrade that to 32GB yourself. Programmers will usually be looking for a lot of RAM, and on the XPS 15 you don’t have to cough up for it all upfront. The same goes for the storage, with Dell using standard PCIe SSDs that you can upgrade yourself whenever you need to.

The rest of the hardware is no slouch, either. Dell updated the XPS 15 to use Intel’s latest 12th Gen processors, starting at the Core i5 and going all the way up to the Core i9-12900HK with 14-cores. For GPU power there are two options from NVIDIA on top of the Intel integrated graphics, with either the RTX 3050 or RTX 3050 Ti available. For what’s basically an Ultrabook, this is seriously impressive, and you’re in good hands whether you’re looking for GPU acceleration or doing a little gaming when you’re done working.

Likewise, your coding adventures will look amazing on the 15.6-inch display. It’s available in three different resolutions including FHD+, 3,5K OLED, and UHD+, all with a 16:10 aspect ratio for extra screen space. In his Dell XPS 15 (9520) review, Editor-in-Chief Rich Woods notes that “[Dell’s] non-OLED screens are so good that you won’t even see much of a difference.” Keep that in mind when choosing a display, as even the FHD+ screen is stunning. One thing to note is that the higher resolution displays also come with a larger battery and as such, weigh more than the base model. But you’re hardly going to be toting around a concrete block.

Rounding out the finery, Dell not only supports Windows Hello biometric security, but the latest connectivity with Thunderbolt 4 as well as USB-C 3.2, both with power delivery. Where the Dell stands apart from Apple’s M1-powered, Thunderbolt-supporting MacBooks is the ability to hook up an external GPU (eGPU). The GPU in the XPS 15 is pretty good, but if you need serious horsepower when at your desk, an eGPU over Thunderbolt 4 will allow you to add something quite mad like an RTX 3080 Ti if you wish.

Dell XPS 15

Want to go with a Windows laptop for your programming venture? Dell’s XPS 15 (9520) is an impressive mix of style, power, and display, with plenty of configuration options available.

CPU

Up to Intel Core i9-12900HK

Memory

Up to 64GB DDR5

Operating System

Windows 11

GPU

Up to Nvidia RTX 3050 Ti

See at Dell See at Amazon See at Best Buy

Best 13-inch: Dell XPS 13 Plus (9320)

Dell XPS 13 Plus (9320)

When writing code on a laptop, a large display is definitely a benefit, but there will be plenty of people out there who just don’t want a large laptop. Fortunately, the Dell XPS 13 Plus (9320) exists to offer everything a compact laptop enthusiast could want. This is, after all, a continuation of the laptop that pioneered squeezing a 13-inch display into an 11-inch chassis. To this day it’s still the one of the best 13-inch laptop you can get.

The all-new XPS 13 Plus that debuted at CES 2022 is here with Intel’s 12th Gen processors and a unique design that integrates a haptic touchpad into the seamless palmrest. In his Dell XPS 13 Plus review, Editor-in-Chief Rich Woods noted that “using the Dell XPS 13 Plus feels like living in the future.”

The XPS 13 Plus doesn’t come with dedicated graphics in any configuration but does have Intel Iris Xe available on all models. Likewise, all configurations come with PCIe SSDs, and while Dell tops out at 2TB the SSD can be upgraded at any time if you need more storage. The RAM isn’t upgradeable, but you can get 32GB inside if you wish, which should be plenty.

The display, despite being only 13.3-inches, is glorious on the XPS 13 Plus. You can get an FHD+ panel if you wish, or you can go big with a 3.5K OLED or a UHD+ IPS touch. Resolution and color accuracy aren’t necessarily the most important factors in a laptop for writing code, but why not make it as pleasant to look at as possible? There’s plenty to be said for getting a high-resolution display to look at text all day. Everything is just crisper and clearer.

Despite its diminutive size, the XPS 13 does not miss out on the connectivity front. Any accessories you might want to hook up, including external displays, can be over one of the two Thunderbolt 4 ports. With a good dock, you can turn this tiny laptop into a full desktop, or even hook up an eGPU to get the ultimate performance. You can’t really take one of those on the road with you, but if your work requires a powerful GPU at any time, you at least have the option when you’re at a desk.

Dell XPS 13 Plus

Those who want to remain as mobile as possible should check out the Dell XPS 13 Plus. Its futuristic design makes it one of the more unique picks in this list, and it has the the display and performance to make your workday as easy as possible.

CPU

Up to Intel Core i7-1260P

Memory

Up to 32GB LPDDR5

Operating System

Windows 11 or Ubuntu 22.04 LTS

GPU

Intel Iris Xe

$1649.99 at Best Buy See at Dell See at Amazon

Best Chromebook: HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook

Programming? On a Chromebook? Absolutely! Google’s ChromeOS has advanced by leaps and bounds in recent years, and if you’ve ever dismissed it just as a fancy browser that runs on cheap laptops, it’s time to see what 2023 ChromeOS looks like. Yes, most Chromebooks are still affordable laptops, but that’s also one element that makes them attractive, particularly to beginner programmers. You could spend a significant amount less on the best Chromebooks compared to a Windows laptop or a MacBook, and still write all the same code. The HP Elite Dragonfly is not an affordable Chromebook, but it is the absolute best of the best right now. In a world where Google has killed the Pixelbook line, HP has taken over the crown for Chromebooks targeted at professional and enterprise buyers.

Inside the HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook, you’ll find a 12th Gen Intel Core i3, i5 or i7 processor with Intel Iris Xe integrated graphics, up to 32GB of RAM, and up to a 512GB PCIe SSD for storage. On a Windows laptop, this spec sheet would be ample but nothing outstanding, but ChromeOS handles its business much differently from other operating systems. Most storage and apps are web-based, but even so, you can still upgrade an SSD on a Chromebook. You should still get as much RAM as your budget allows for, especially if you’re going to be writing code. It also has the first haptic touchpad on any Chromebook, which is something you’ll use once and never want to be without again.

The secret sauce for programmers on ChromeOS is the Linux development environment. It’s essentially a tightly integrated virtual machine, similar in some regards to WSL on Windows, but it provides you with a full Linux installation on top of and integrated with ChromeOS. There are limitations still, but you can use GUI applications, install dependencies, and even use some of the top code editors like Microsoft Visual Studio Code. Google even has its own dedicated tutorials on setting up a Chromebook for development, but essentially if you’re familiar with Linux, you’re good to go.

The final piece of the puzzle is the display. With Thunderbolt 4 built-in you can hook up to high-resolution external displays with ease, but for on-the-go use, the HP Elite Dragonfly is one of the best on this list. Not so much for the resolution, but more for the aspect ratio. It’s a 3:2 display, which means while you lose a little on the horizontal, you gain a lot on the vertical. And for writing lots of lines of code, vertical space is extremely useful.

HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook

$1256

$2165

Save $909

HP’s Elite Dragonfly Chromebook might surprise you with what it’s capable of when it comes to programming. It’s built exceptionally well, the screen is gorgeous, and it’s powerful enough to handle your workflow.

CPU

Up to Intel Core i7-1265U

Memory

Up to 32GB

Operating System

ChromeOS

GPU

Intel Iris Xe

$1256 at HP

Best budget: HP Pavilion Aero 13

Programming can be a resource-intensive task and professionals will certainly want the absolute most they can get their hands on. But that same sentiment should apply whatever the budget, and especially if you’re just starting out you don’t want to be throwing thousands at a laptop that’s probably overkill for your needs. Enter the HP Pavilion Aero 13, a laptop that proves beyond doubt that buying on a tighter budget doesn’t have to mean too many compromises. Editor-in-Chief Rich Woods said in his HP Pavilion Aero 13 review that “hands down, it’s the best you can get for the price.”

Part of the serious bang for the buck you get from this laptop is down to AMD. Generally speaking, AMD-powered laptops are still priced lower than Intel-powered alternatives. That used to come with some performance sacrifices, but the more recent laptop Ryzen processors have been superb. The Pavilion Aero 13 packs a Ryzen 5 or Ryzen 7 5000 series chip in a couple of different specs. One is a 6-core, 12-thread version, the other has 8 cores and 16 threads. That’s extremely impressive from a mid-range laptop and packs a serious multi-core performance punch to be exploited. AMD’s integrated graphics are no slouch, either.

Even the base model of the HP Pavilion Aero 13 is a really capable laptop and there are a few options you can choose from. You can get it with either 8GB or 16GB of RAM and up to 1TB of SSD storage, with 256GB being the entry point. Even the display isn’t very budget-like, with a 16:10 aspect ratio for increased vertical space. And you’re not stuck with some horrid low resolution, either, you can get it as a 1920×1200 panel or a delightfully crisp 2560×1600. Laptops much more expensive than this don’t come as well-equipped.

They also don’t come as well-made in some cases. The HP Pavilion Aero 13 is extremely light, but it doesn’t use plastic. Instead, the chassis is magnesium, so you get premium materials and build without the heft in your bag. As well as being strong enough to take some heavy use. As you might expect it’s also pretty slim at just 17mm, so it really does tick all the boxes.

It’s well-equipped on the outside, too, which is essential for the on-the-go programmer. After all, you never know when you’re going to need to hook up an external display or a drive or other miscellaneous accessories. The only thing you don’t get is Thunderbolt 4, which is to be expected on an AMD-powered laptop. You do have USB-A and USB-C, though, as well as HDMI 2.0, a headphone jack, and even a Windows Hello-friendly fingerprint scanner.

HP Pavilion Aero 13

Starting out with programming and don’t want to overspend on a new laptop? HP’s Pavilion Aero 13 should be your first choice. It’s affordable, yet it has some impressive specs and features that you simply won’t find on other laptops in its price range.

CPU

AMD Ryzen 5 or Ryzen 7

Memory

Up to 16GB DDR4

Operating System

Windows 11

GPU

AMD Radeon Vega integrated graphics

See at HP See at Amazon

Best value: MacBook Air

It’s not a misprint, the MacBook Air really is our value pick for budding programmers. The key is to differentiate value from price. Something can be expensive but also great value, and that’s exactly what the MacBook Air is in this case. And at the heart of that is the Apple M2 processor. Lots of people sing its praises for a multitude of reasons, but they’re usually all accurate. For the price of the MacBook Air, there’s not a whole lot out there that can truly outperform it.

At the top of this list sits the 16-inch MacBook Pro and the reasons to get a MacBook Air for programming are very similar. Apple’s switch to custom ARM processors has given new life to the MacBook family and real performance gains over Intel or AMD-powered Windows machines at similar price points. The MacBook Air is also one of the first Apple laptops to come with the second generation Apple Silicon processor, the M2.

That means inside a MacBook Air you’re getting an 8-core CPU with either an 8-core or 10-core GPU and Apple’s 16-core Neural Engine. Memory is naturally not upgradeable so the 8GB, 16GB or 24GB you choose at purchase is all you get, but even with only 8GB, the MacBook Air is a surprisingly strong performer. One of the additional benefits of the Air over the MacBook Pro is being more power-efficient. So while the battery is physically smaller, you can expect similar longevity and certainly more than you’d likely expect on a comparably priced Windows machine.

Storage can be specified up to an expensive 2TB, or you can use the combined Thunderbolt 3/USB 4.0 ports to hook up some fast external storage instead. This is definitely more in keeping with the value theme. The more expensive MacBooks do get the latest generation Thunderbolt 4, but in most instances, you’d be hard-pushed to see real-world differences using ‘only’ Thunderbolt 3. The one that might matter is that you can only use it to hook up one external display on the MacBook Air.

Everything else that makes a MacBook stand out is also here. The Air has always been a gorgeously slim laptop and the current model comes in three different colors and weighs less than three pounds. To this day it remains one of the absolute best laptops to toss in a bag and take anywhere because you barely notice it’s there. The display is 13.3-inches and has a 2560×1600 in resolution, so it’s razor-sharp and your eyes will feel nothing but joy staring at code all day on it.

And of course, macOS is every bit as important here as it is on the MacBook Pro. If you’re wanting to get into Apple development, you need a Mac, and this is definitely a more affordable option than a MacBook Pro. Just like its sibling, it’s a perfect development tool for iOS and Android, Windows, macOS, and Linux as well as the likes of web development, Python, or any other language you want to throw at it.

Apple MacBook Air (2022)

Apple’s MacBook Air with M2 chip is super light and portable but delivers outstanding performance and battery life. The display is gorgeous, the keyboard is comfortable, and it has a huge toughpad. All wins for programmers on the go.

CPU

Apple M2

Memory

Up to 24GB

Operating System

macOS

GPU

8-core or 10-core

$1199 at Amazon $1199 at Best Buy $1199 at Apple

Best 2-in-1: Microsoft Surface Pro 9

Surface Pro 9

Generally speaking, most programmers won’t be looking for a tablet for their work. However, the Microsoft Surface Pro 9 is no ordinary tablet. The Surface Pro defined the 2-in-1 category and to this day continues to set the bar. The Surface Pro 8 was the biggest update in some years, bringing with it not only a revamped design but the kind of performance inside that once we could only dream of seeing in a device without a keyboard. The Surface Pro 9 is a continuation of this design, and now comes in both Intel and Qualcomm variants, with the latter also boasting 5G connectivity. The biggest drawback remains the same, though. Microsoft still doesn’t bundle the keyboard with the Surface Pro 9, so it’s an essential extra purchase.

The Surface Pro 9 is still the one to get if you’re looking for a highly portable 2-in-1 machine. For starters, the display truly is the best ever on a Surface Pro. It’s now 13 inches, but still has that 3:2 aspect ratio that’s perfect for code writing with its increased vertical space. Both versions of the Surface Pro 9 also have a 120Hz refresh rate, so everything is silky smooth. Once you see it you can’t go back to a 60Hz panel.

Internal hardare is just as impressive. Microsoft managed to squeeze up to a 12th Gen Intel Core i7-1265U inside the Surface Pro 9, which for a tablet is no small feat. This is paired with up to 32GB of RAM (16GB on the Qualcomm version) and up to 1TB of PCIe SSD storage, which is also removable. The onboard graphics are OK with Intel Iris Xe in play, but Microsoft finally added Thunderbolt to the Surface Pro 9. This 13-inch tablet can sit hooked up to a dock or an eGPU and truly be your everything machine at home and on the road. The Qualcomm version is limited to the Adreno 8CX Gen 3 graphics.

It’s not cheap, but then Surface Pro has never been about affordability. It’s about setting the bar and the Surface Pro 9 continues to do that. It’s more portable than basically any laptop on the market while being just as powerful. And Microsoft even put the buttons back on the top where they belong, so it’s easier to live with every day.

Surface Pro 9 (Wi-Fi)

The Surface Pro 9’s 12th Gen Intel Core CPUs, gorgeous display, and portable design will no doubt appeal to programmers who crave the added versatility of a 2-in-1.

Storage

Up to 1TB (removable)

CPU

Upto Intel Core i7-1265U

Memory

Up to 32GB

Operating System

Windows 11

$999.99 at Best Buy See at Amazon

Best for GPU power: Razer Blade 14

Sometimes you just want as much horsepower as you can possibly get inside a laptop. That’s as true for programming as it is for gaming. When it comes to balancing raw performance with being portable and just good to use, the Razer Blade 14 ticks all the boxes. It set a new performance standard for 14-inch laptops when it launched, and to this day it’s almost untouchable in its class, in no small part down to having the option for a ridiculously powerful RTX 3080 Ti laptop GPU inside.

The RTX 3080 Ti would normally only be found in much larger gaming laptops, but through wizardry and a little clever design, Razer managed to cram one inside a 14-inch Razer Blade. It gets warm when pushed, but not dangerously hot thanks to innovative cooling, and it’s quite literally all the GPU power you could need in a laptop whether for professional purposes or smashing out some high-quality gaming when you’re done for the day.

The Blade 14 is also the first Razer laptop to use an AMD Ryzen processor and as you might expect it goes for the top of the tree. Specifically, you get the 8-core, 16-thread Ryzen 9 6900HX paired with 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD. As far as 14-inch laptops go it can’t be beaten, and even the display is impressive with both a 1440p resolution and a 165Hz refresh rate, as well as a 1080p 144Hz panel available.

All this power does mean that battery life takes a hit, but then, you would expect such a thing buying a laptop with this kind of GPU inside. This is the tradeoff for having something absurdly powerful, perhaps if you’re diving into the world of CUDA or machine learning. NVIDIA also offers its professional Studio drivers in place of the gaming-focused GeForce drivers which might be more useful to you. And of course, if you go ahead and put Linux on one of these, you’ll be able to take advantage of GPU passthrough to any Windows VMs you set up.

Razer is often thought of like the Apple of the Windows world. It’s a fair comparison. Razer isn’t known for sitting still and is constantly trying to push the boundaries of what’s possible in its hardware. It also listens to its customers, many of whom had been asking for a Ryzen-powered laptop for a good while. It isn’t cheap, but if you’re in the market for something with truly mindblowing power in a small form factor, this is the one.

Source: Razer

Razer Blade 14 (2022)

Want insane performance in a 14-inch laptop? Razer’s Blade 14 injects desktop-class power into a portable and sleek chassis, topped off by a gorgeous display, comfy keyboard, and huge touchpad.

CPU

AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX

Memory

16GB

Operating System

Windows 11

GPU

Up to Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti

See at Amazon See at Razer See at Best Buy

Choosing the right programming laptop

These are all the best laptops for programming, and there’s a great selection, including laptops under $1,000. Whichever platform you prefer using to code and whichever platform you want to build for, there’s something for you. But the best of the bunch is definitely the 16-inch MacBook Pro. It’s not great that you still can only build for Mac and more importantly, iOS, on a Mac, but those are the breaks. Fortunately, it’s every bit as good to program for other platforms on as it is for Apple’s own, so it covers all the bases. And with the move to the ARM-powered M1, you’re really getting something special.

Windows and even Chromebook users aren’t left out in the cold. Far from it. Windows is more desirable than ever to use for development work thanks to tools like WSL and WSA and has stellar choices like the Dell XPS 15 in its stable. ChromeOS is an affordable way to get into writing code with the added benefit of having a full Linux development environment that can be enabled with the click of a button. The HP Elite Dragonfly is the best example right now of how far Chromebooks have come, with performance rivaling Windows alternatives.