What is the best laptop for programming students? That’s a question I get asked a lot on Quora. Many people have different reasons for why they’d want to use a certain type of laptop. Some want a portable, lightweight laptop, while others need a heavy-duty desktop replacement.
To answer my own question, I did some investigating and came up with two main groups of people who might want to use a laptop for their programming assignments. One group would be someone who works remotely a lot (like at home or in a cubicle) and needs a laptop that can be easily transported. The other group would be someone who doesn’t work remotely but needs a lightweight laptop to do his job from the comfort of his home office. For these types of people, the best laptop for them would be one that is easy to use, has long battery life and the right portability.
For those students who work from home, a desktop replacement would be perfect. They don’t want to carry around a heavy-duty laptop that might not be able to meet their needs. But for those students who are taking remote assignments where they’ll likely be doing an excessive amount of typing, there may not be enough power on the unit for their needs. So they’ll want a laptop that’s light enough to carry around and one that can offer them plenty of portability.
The weight of a computer (in pounds) and the battery life are the other two major factors that come into play when looking at laptops. Laptops vary in weight depending on how many applications they’re loaded with. Think of it this way: the lighter a laptop is, the easier it will be for you to move it from place to place. Portability is also important. If you have a larger screen, you don’t want one that’s too heavy to carry around, because you will have to put extra effort into moving it around. The best type of laptops usually weigh no more than five pounds total.
If you’re looking for portability, look for units that offer at least six hours of battery life. But if you’re a student, you don’t want to do heavy typing and taking advantage of the speed capabilities of your laptop. Most students use their laptops as more of a writing device, so you don’t want one that will only last an hour or two before you have to recharge it again. Portability is just as important as weight. Don’t forget to consider the amount of memory the unit has and whether it has USB ports. You don’t want to plug the unit in while you’re away from home or just want to quickly get things done.
When considering price and durability, think about the outside construction of the unit. Some models are made of durable plastics, while others are made out of aluminum. The best ones usually have solid aluminum outer casings and rubberized interior compartments for stability. They’re also often available with a variety of different sized battery cells, so you can choose a laptop that has enough power for your needs. Many laptops also have built-in flash memory cards and hard drives, which can be helpful depending on what programs you use the most.
If you’re a serious student, you’ll likely need some kind of external hard drive. In addition to storing data, these devices can be used for copying documents, pop over to these guys programs, images, etc. You’ll also want to consider the space and speed of the disks and how much data can be stored on them. Although many laptops have at least 16GB of storage, you’ll want to make sure that yours has enough room for future needs as well.
Finally, make sure that your laptop fits your lifestyle. If you travel a lot, make sure that the unit is lightweight and easy to carry in bags or backpacks. Also, check out the portability of the laptops you’re considering, as well as battery life and durability. Be sure to do all the research you can before you buy your own laptop so that you end up with the best one for your needs. With a little time and research, you’ll have a laptop perfect for you.