Are you an IT professional that's looking for the best laptop for programming and coding on? If so, then you've come to the right place, here is a list of the very best laptops for programming on. If you're after a laptop for programming on in 2018, let us take you through the very best choices with this in-depth list.
When looking for the best laptop for programming, you'll have a certain set of criteria that the device will need to meet, as well as features it will need to have. For example, you're going to need plenty of processing power in a laptop for programming, so that it can compile and run your code as fast as possible. Thankfully, modern laptop processors come with plenty of cores and high clock speeds, which certainly makes looking for the best laptop for programming easier.
You'll also want plenty of RAM. We'd recommend at least 8GB - if you're running complex code, and you'll need a large hard drive. If a laptop also comes with a solid state drive (SSD), that's even better, as it will help with the overall speed of your programming and coding - especially if you regularly rebuild the code you write with minor changes.
Having a dedicated graphics card isn't essential for a laptop for programming, unless you are coding graphically-intensive games that you then want to test out. Modern Intel processors come with integrated graphics capabilities that are powerful enough for pretty much all programming tasks.
So, without further ado, here's our list of the best laptops for programming in 2018.
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1. Toshiba Portege Z30-C-138
The best laptop for programming
CPU: 2.5GHz Intel Core i7-6500U | Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 520 | RAM: 16GB | Screen: 13.3-inch, 1920 x 1080 pixels | Storage: 512GB SSD
- Exceptional connectivity
- Up to 11 hours battery life
- Doesn't have the best input peripherals
- Not much else wrong here

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2. Lenovo ThinkPad E470
A brilliant portable laptop for programming
CPU: 2.7GHz Intel Core i7-7500U | Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 620 | RAM: 16GB | Screen: 14-inch, 1920 x 1080 pixels | Storage: 256GB SSD
- Outstanding value for money
- Discrete graphics card
- No high capacity battery option
- No Displayport
Lenovo took an existing form factor and refined it to deliver the new 2016-2017 ThinkPad E470. Powered by the 7th generation Intel Core processors, this particular SKU has a 14-inch FHD anti-glare display, powered by a discrete Nvidia Geforce 940MX 2GB GPU. Equipped with a spill resistant keyboard, a TrackPoint and a 3+2 buttons click pad, the E470 has more than enough ports and expansion capabilities to keep the average user happy.
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3. HP 255 G5
A great mid-range laptop for programming
CPU: AMD A6-7310 | Graphics: AMD Radeon R4 | RAM: 4GB | Screen: 15.6-inch, 1366 x 768 pixels | Storage: 1TB HDD
- 3 year Next business day onsite warranty
- Very affordable price
- Low resolution
- Bloatware

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4. Apple Macbook Pro with touchbar
The best Macbook Pro ever, now with touchbar
CPU: Dual-core Intel Core i5 – i7 | Graphics: Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640 – 650 | RAM: 8GB – 16GB | Screen: 13.3-inch, (2,560 x 1,600) IPS | Storage: 256GB – 1TB PCIe 3.0 SSD
- The best Macbook Pro ever
- Super fast performance
- Expensive
- Disappointing battery life
See more like this: The best Macs and Macbooks 2017

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5. Microsoft Surface Pro
A great hybrid for programming
CPU: 2.5GHz Intel Core i7-7660U | Graphics: Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640 | RAM: 16GB | Screen: 12.3-inch, 2,736 x 1,824 PixelSense display | Storage: 512GB SSD | Connectivity: 802.11ac Wi-Fi; Bluetooth 4.1 | Camera: 8MP rear-facing, 5MP front-facing | Weight: 1.73 pounds | Size: 11.5 x 7.93 x 0.33 inches (W x D x H)
- Hugely improved battery life
- Much better Surface Pen
- Surface Pen pulled from package
- Only Core i7 can challenge A10X

6. Asus Chromebook Flip
A premium but affordable Chromebook
CPU: Intel Pentium 4405Y – Intel Core m3-6Y30 | Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 515 | RAM: 4GB | Screen: 12.5-inch, FHD (1,920 x 1,080) LED backlit anti-glare | Storage: 32GB – 64GB eMMC
- Gorgeous screen
- Elegant tablet mode
- Tactile keyboard
- ChromeOS isn't as developed as Windows or macOS

7. Microsoft Surface Book 2 (13.5-inch)
The most powerful 2-in-1 laptop in the world
CPU: Intel Core i5-7300U - Intel Core i7-8650U 1.9GHz | Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 620; Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 (2GB GDDR5 VRAM) | RAM: 8GB – 16GB | Screen: 3,000 x 2,000 (267 ppi) PixelSense display, 3:2 aspect ratio | Storage: 256GB – 1TB SSD
- Very good battery life
- Powerful
- Pricey
- No Surface Pen included

8. Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch 2016
A great performer with an excellent screen
CPU: 2.6GHz Intel Core i7 quad-core | Graphics: Radeon Pro 450 with 2GB RAM | RAM: 16GB | Screen: 15.4-inch, 2880 x 1800 pixels | Storage: 256GB SSD
- Updated design is jaw-dropping
- Great battery life
- Limited appeal of Touch Bar
- No SD card slot
9. Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga 260
For those looking for a convertible for programming
CPU: 2.5GHz Intel Core i7-6500U | Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 520 | RAM: 8GB | Screen: 12.5-inch, 1920 x 1080 pixels | Storage: 512GB SSD
- Tried and trusted form factor
- Stylus
- Could be a tad lighter

10. Dell Latitude E5480
A solid performer backed by Dell's quality aftersales
CPU: 2.8GHz Intel Core i5-7440H | Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 630 | RAM: 8GB | Screen: 14-inch, 1920 x 1080 | Storage: 256GB SSD
- Impressive performance levels
- Strong on connectivity
- Not cheap for higher-end configurations