Best laptops for programming in 2023

The best laptops for programming won’t magically transform you into the next Larry Page, nor will they drape you in the wealth, success, and sweater collection of Bill Gates. Annoyingly, inspiration remains a result of humans and not machines, and usually, it’s some other human, and they post on Stack Overflow.

However, that doesn’t mean your choice of device is irrelevant. A lackluster laptop can place hurdles in the way of even the most competent of programmers. Whether you’re developing software, mobile apps, games, or for the web, the right laptop can do one thing above all — maximize your productivity.

We’ve compiled a selection of machines to help you achieve just that: maximum productivity for the task at hand. Whether you’re looking to cut down the time you spend compiling code or kick-start a new hobby, say “Hello, World!” to our selection of the best laptops for programming. Thanks to Apple releasing the beast that is the M2 chipset, things are about to change around here. I think the M2-powered MacBook Pro just put a skylight in. 

Quick List

Best Overall

In a time where internet speculation is rife, bringing out a product that stacks up to people's expectations is a burdensome task. However, as Steve Jobs once said, "People don't know what they want until you show it to them." And, with the reveal of Apple's new range of MacBook Pro laptops, anybody looking for a portable programming powerhouse can consider themselves very much shown.

The M1 Pro chip housed within might play second fiddle to the M1 Max, but when it comes to performance it's up there with the best laptops available. Our benchmark testing saw the MacBook Pro 14 dominate, with its 10-core processor demolishing the scores of top-tier Intel and AMD-powered laptops. Configurations also allow up to 64GB of RAM, 8TB of lightning-fast SSD storage, a 16-core Neural Engine, and a 32-core GPU. If your programming needs require some serious performance, there are few mountains that the MacBook Pro 14 can't get you to the top of.

As is customary for Apple products, if it sounds out of this world then the price tag is going to be also. Although the MacBook Pro 14 has a $1,999 base price, more powerful configurations can push that number up to an eye-watering $5,899. While the real crown jewel in the MacBook Pro 14 is the M1 Pro chip, several other improvements may help to soften that price for you. The most notable of which is the 14-hour battery life, a dazzling 14-inch display, a fantastic keyboard and improved port selection that includes a full HDMI port and an SDXC card reader.

See our full MacBook Pro 14 review.

Best all-around laptop for programming

Dell’s XPS 13 currently tops our list as one of the best laptops available. The runaway success of the 13-inch powerhouse has been something to behold, but the rest of the XPS family isn’t too far behind. The XPS 15 OLED is one of those family members, and it’s yet another extraordinary machine. Stacked with powerful components, the XPS 15 OLED is all gas and no brakes for tackling just about any computer-related task.

Configurations allow the XPS 15 OLED to be outfitted with an 8-core 11th Gen Intel Core i9-11900H CPU and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 Ti GPU. Pair this with up to 64GB of RAM and a 2TB SSD and you have a machine that can cover the entire spectrum of programming needs. Everything from machine learning to games development is workable with a laptop this powerful, but it will set you back a pretty penny.

You can shave down the price for the XPS 15 OLED by opting for an FHD+ panel instead of the OLED or UHD+ options. It may also improve the battery life of the laptop as our review model, fitted with the 3.5K OLED panel, managed just 6 hours and 58 minutes of uptime during testing. If battery life isn’t so important and your budget can stretch to it, the Dell XPS 15 OLED could be your programming platform of choice for years to come.

See our full Dell XPS 15 OLED (2021) review.

The best 2-in-1 laptop for programming

Balancing form and function is hard, but you wouldn’t think so looking at the HP Spectre x360 14. Call me skeptical, but any laptop that looks this good leads me to wonder what it’s trying to distract you from. However, this laptop is far more than a pretty face.

Under the hood, the Spectre x360 14 sports an 11th Gen Intel Tiger Lake CPU with integrated Iris Xe graphics. This kind of power, especially when paired with up to 16GB of RAM and 1TB of SSD storage, makes the Spectre an easy recommendation for anyone looking for a laptop that packs a punch for programmers. If you enjoy working away from a desk, there’s even more good news, as the Spectre x360 14 impressed us with a battery life of over 12 hours in testing.

The Spectre’s 2-in-1 design is a benefit to anybody looking to develop apps with mobile devices in mind. With a quick fold, the vivid, edge-to-edge 13.5-inch panel becomes an impressive touchscreen tablet. This is great for quickly showing off a prototype or getting a feel for how your project works in real-time. HP’s laptop also impresses with a comfortable keyboard and a generously sized touchpad.

See our full HP Spectre x360 14 review.

The best business laptop for programming

Lenovo’s ThinkPad X1 Carbon has been a favorite of ours for some time -- we awarded it a rare 5-star rating on its original launch in 2018. It was the best business laptop on the market, and Lenovo has done well to maintain that standard with each new iteration. Now in its 9th Generation, the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon is hitting those 5-star peaks again thanks to some improvements to its processor, display and battery life.

The ThinkPad X1 Carbon keeps all the things that made the original ThinkPad so great and tweaks it to near perfection. A best-in-class keyboard, a durable lightweight chassis, a generous supply of ports, and a great aesthetic all make a reappearance. New to this revision is a powerful 11th Gen Intel Core CPU with Iris Xe graphics, a new 16:10 14-inch display, and an improved battery life which blew past the 15-hour mark in our tests.

Configurations also allow for up to 32GB of RAM and 1TB of SSD storage, and what results is the best ThinkPad X1 Carbon to date. More still, you get a very competent machine for programmers of all branches to make use of. Its impressive battery can keep you working on the move, and you’ll be able to code in comfort for hours thanks to one of the best laptop keyboards available.

See our full Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (Gen 9) review.

The best Apple M1 laptop for programming

Apple’s ARM-based M1 chips are a game-changer, and the M1 MacBook Pro is a fantastic device for practically any computing task, programming included. A few compatibility issues remain for developers running programs on the ARM-based M1 chips. However, with each month, more and more of these issues are resolved. Emulators, virtual machines, and homebrew support have all seen significant improvements over the last year, making the newer Apple devices more and more compelling.

While you will be constrained to a maximum of 16GB of RAM, this is more than enough to perform most tasks, especially when paired with the awesome eight-core CPU. The M1 Chip catapults Apple’s MacBook ahead of the pack, delivering performance that leaves contemporaries, like the Dell XPS 13, behind. Also, the M1 Chips thermal efficiency and MacBook Pro’s active cooling system ensure you can take advantage of this power for longer, without worrying about wear and tear damage under the hood.

While setting up Windows on an M1 MacBook is a bit more in-depth than simply using Boot Camp, it is still possible to do using Windows on ARM. However, the M1 MacBook remains a fantastic platform with no need for a secondary boot if you’re a web developer, or someone looking to develop for Apple platforms. 

See our full Apple MacBook Pro (13-inch, M1, 2020) review.

The best sub-$500 laptop for programming

If you’re a student, or interested in learning how to program, you don’t need the most expensive or high-end laptop to get started. The Acer Aspire 5 is an Intel-powered laptop that will have you covered for the basics while leaving you plenty of room to grow. Even better, with the right configuration, you can pick it up for a fraction of the price compared with other laptops on our list.

Our review featured an Acer Aspire 5 outfitted with a 10th Gen Intel Core i5 CPU, and while it got the job done, this is where the low cost of this laptop makes itself apparent. While you’ll still be able to program, anything CPU-intensive or requiring 3D rendering may become a struggle because of the slower clock speeds and integrated Intel UHD GPU. The laptop is available with up to 8GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD, which is more than enough to start off with.

If you need it now, and you need it on a tight budget, the Acer Aspire 5 is worth looking into. It gives you everything you need to get programming — just don’t expect blazing speeds. It’s fine for light work and will suit beginners well enough, though for larger projects it may end up becoming a drag on your productivity. If you can afford it, aim a little higher. However, if your back is against the wall, the Acer Aspire 5 is one of the best laptops for under $500 currently available.

See our full Acer Aspire 5 review.

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