In BPO
Choosing a laptop suitable for programming is not an easy task. It's easy to get confused looking at the various options. The market offers many different models, and each has a certain set of characteristics.
Management
You can write code on almost any laptop. However, your productivity will increase when you use the tool that best suits the type of work you do.
There are different types of development, and each of them has its own tool. Thus, there is no single solution that suits everyone at the same time.
Here are some considerations that may help you when buying a new laptop.
Mobility
The laptop can be of any shape and size. Decide how light and portable it needs to be.
If you do not have to move often, then you should pay attention to 15-inch laptops. They have better performance and screen space, enough for multitasking.
If you work in several places or travel a lot, then 13- or 14-inch laptops are your choice. They are lighter and the battery will last longer.
Unless you're buying a 2-in-1 laptop, a touchscreen isn't worth the extra expense. I wouldn't recommend getting a touch screen laptop.
Display
The laptop display is one of the most important parts, especially for programmers. If you're a developer, you spend a lot of time in front of a screen. You need to pay attention to details.
The screen resolution of most budget laptops is 1366 x 768, which in my opinion is a very mediocre resolution. The screen space of such a display is not enough for multitasking. Well, the text will not be clear enough to read.
On the other hand, a 4K display is too much, especially considering that its presence will significantly increase both the cost of the laptop and the battery drain.
In any case, do not buy a laptop with a resolution less than Full HD 1920 x 1080 (1080p). If you have to pay a little extra for 1080p resolution, do it.
Also make sure that the display has sufficient viewing angles, the screen should not act as a mirror!
Processor (CPU)
The laptop CPU has a huge impact on your performance, so don't try to save money on it. There are different types of processors with different characteristics that you should pay attention to. The most significant characteristics are: cache size, number of cores, frequency and TDP (heat dissipation requirements).
In general, an Intel core i5 or i7 processor at 3GHz or more will suit most.
RAM
I don't think you can seriously do programming on a laptop with less than 4GB of RAM. My recommendation for the minimum amount of RAM is 8GB. And even this may not be enough with the advent of Electron applications that use a lot of RAM. If you can afford it, invest in 16GB of RAM.
Type and amount of memory
Getting an SSD should practically become your number one priority. This will give you a significant performance boost over a standard hard drive. Any operation will be performed significantly faster with an SSD, including booting the operating system, compiling code, launching applications, loading projects.
The recommended minimum SSD size is 256GB. If you have enough funds, then a 512GB or 1TB SSD is the best option. If price matters, get a smaller SSD that will house your operating system as well as your applications and most frequently used documents (such as design files). Everything else, such as music and videos, will be stored on a larger hard drive.
Keyboard
You can't afford to compromise on the quality of the keyboard, as it's where you'll be typing your code day and night. I prefer laptops with compact keyboards.
It is very important to thoroughly test the keyboard before buying. Make sure the keys are well positioned and easy to press. The backlit keyboard is a useful feature if you plan to frequently work in poorly lit rooms.
Energy saving
A good battery may not matter much to you if you are mostly close to an outlet. However, you should be interested in battery life of 6 hours or more.
Do not rely on the battery life specified by the manufacturer. Read descriptions on trustworthy websites, see what real users are saying in forums and reviews.
Operating system
The choice of operating system will largely determine which laptop you purchase. Windows users have a range of options available, but if you prefer macOS, you're limited to one manufacturer.
Linux can be installed on most laptops, but it's best to get one that's officially supported by Linux. Some vendors, such as Dell and System 76, offer high quality products with Linux preinstalled. I recommend that you first of all pay attention to these options.
Otherwise, do your research to make sure the laptop you choose works well with your preferred Linux distribution.
Discrete or integrated graphics card?
The presence of a discrete graphics card does not play a big role in writing code. Buy a laptop with integrated graphics and spend the money you save on an SSD or a better processor.
It's interesting to know what factors you consider the most important when choosing a laptop for programming and how this affects your daily work. Share in the comments!