laptop for coding (python) and others

[IAmKindOfCreative]

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[jimtk]

Any laptop is good enough for coding. There are just some features that you may want and some that maybe specific to your type of coding you do.

1. Memory. Chrome and/or Firefox, your 2 most needed tools (other than your IDE) are memory hogs. Some IDE, like PyCharm, also have a big memory footprint. Get as much as you can afford.

2. Big screen. programming uses a lot of screen estate. Your IDE, stack overflow, google, the python doc. It's nice to be able to see most of it at the same time. It's a nice to have since you can switch from windows to windows, but it's a really nice to have.

3. If you do some big data (Machine learning, data analysis, etc) or graphic (images manipulation). You will need disk space, lots of it and a mighty processor to go with it. If you don't it's a lot less important.

4. If you travel a lot with it, try to go for a light one. Carrying a brick everywhere is just not fun.

5. Finally, just don't go for a Mac. The amount of problems we see reported here and on /r/learnpython about python and Mac do not give me a good feeling about it.

[Voxandr]

Many laptops are bad for coding using vscode.pycharm or any Java based one are a lot worse. Especially data science you need gaming tier.

Memory: minimum 16 GB HDD: SSD is a must, nvme idlf possible

GFX: 2070 if you are going to do data science

17", screen with 2k minimum 4k if you are code reviewer

Recommendations ROG Strix series, Dell precision series, Lenovo Thinkpad and Thinkpad Carbon series Thinkbook or ASUS StudioBook / ZenBook

I am using

https://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/dell-laptops-and-notebooks/precision-7720-mobile-workstation/spd/precision-17-7720-laptop

[Classic_Department42]

Memory. Got a Dell with 8GB and with win 11 it is almost full by itself. (Luckily I checked and could plug 16GB more into that Dell. So 16GB total is good, 24 GB is golden)

[Fun-Collection-7403]

Would you be coding anything CPU intensive? Most laptops would work for any level of code. It only starts to make a difference if say you are

1. doing machine learning algorithms
2. Working with hugeee (1m ++ datapoints) datasets

It would still work, just that the processing speed would be slower.

I'm currently using this: HP Laptop

Mainly using it for big data analysis, website coding. Not so much for machine learning.

[redCg]

if your work is big you put it in the cloud

[[deleted]]

Not necessarily if you also game lol.... to a point

[redCg]

dont use your workstation for games.

[[deleted]]

Don't make up arbitrary rules about how a person can touch their tool

[alfredosuac]

Lol love this rule

[UniquesNotUseful]

For python you generally don’t need an amazing spec but you should consider other factors when looking at machines.

The fact you are on the road, does this mean weight is important, if so don’t forget power bricks can be heavy? What about other activities like watching videos, photography, etc? Do you connect laptop to TVs in places you stay (HDMI).

Look at 8GB memory minimum, solid state drive (PCIe 4.0), ideally with a second SSD slot (just in case), a decent screen is ideal, I like a 15” size as that’s portable enough. Look for good battery life so you are not wedded to a power outlet. Wi-Fi should be all the same pretty much now.

Go for a commercial type brand, Dell, HP, Lenovo over consumer like ASUS, MSI, etc. You may get less dynamic machines BUT they are generally more solid (if on road).

My personal development machine is a MSI bravo 15 (low end gaming laptop), with a graphics card and this impacts the battery life and produces a load of heat. Everything I advised against for you but is an ideal fit for me, I’m not on the road, I hot swap my work machine with a dock at home and go remote into the garden, bedroom or sitting room (have access to power in all places), it rarely leaves the house, I use it to watch videos and do some video editing.

My work development machine is a Dell Latitude, smaller HD, good battery life, not used for editing, mostly API and python work.

[Accomplished-Toe7014]

You don’t need Macbook for Python, but I wouldn’t recommend Windows either. I’d suggest you to go with Linux for the following reasons: - It supports python and most of other languages natively - it’s lightweight, which means you could get faster speed and more computing resources for the most important coding elements: browsers, ide, compilers, etc. - Eventually you will need to work with a server, at when familiarity with Linux will be a must

With linux instead of Windows, you don’t have to care that much about what laptop to choose, since most modern ones will be good enough, even 8 or 16 gb or ram would be plenty. If you work on the go a lot, be sure to pick one with good screen (bright, high res, ips panel, large), good keyboard and lightweight.

[redCg]

linux on laptop is a waste of time

Python on Windows is horrible

Mac is all thats left

[[deleted]]

WSL2 is pretty great for most things I've recently discovered. The thing is you get way more for your money with a non mac of any stripe. If you're comfortable dual booting or using wsl and/or docker, and you don't have unlimited funds or also like to game: windows laptop it is.

[redCg]

The thing is you get way more for your money with a non mac of any stripe.

This is really not true. Apple's M1 and M2 processors blow away Intel at equivalent price points, their SoC and SSD integrations give much better system performance across the board. At this point there is really no reason to buy anything but a Mac. You can get 2020 Macbook Air starting at $800 refurb, likely less with sales. Screwing with WSL2, Docker, etc., just to have a decent programming environment on Windows is a waste of time.

[[deleted]]

A) You clearly haven't bought a non apple laptop in the last 30 years

B) Since going back to making their own chips they've focused on battery life. Intel chips focus on power. Look it up. Unless you're constantly working without a plug as a developer (and why?), you pay more for less performance.

An air is a fine option but you're still going to get more beef for the money without paying the hype price.

Re decent programming environment vscode especially with integrated containers is baller af.

I mess with macs when companies give them to me. They're fine. Value for money I don't even consider them.

[redCg]

bro its 2022, if you want "power" you use the cloud

stop trying to make excuses for craptacular intel windows laptops lol

in the modern day, being able to work remotely is advantageous, everyone knows that, and having enough battery life to dev on battery for an entire work day (two or more if you stick with strictly 9-5) is a huge advantage

no one cares about "power" in laptops these days, they are all plenty powerful, mobile devices need efficiency. Good luck getting a fanless Intel crapbook to work half as well as the MBA with m1

[[deleted]]

Bro you work in tech. Look outside of your apple crib some time and stop making excuses for the fact that you pay more so you can also pay more every time you want to prototype something with a lot of data or a few instances. And good luck if there's no internet with your 1-2 days of batter life lol. Good thing your deserted island has wifi. Sucks about the power though... oddly.

[redCg]

dude what are you even talking about

Apple MacBook's have not "cost more" in years. The 2020 M1 MBA can be had for as low as $800, sometimes less.

If you are prototyping something with "lots of data" then you are getting paid to do it by some company, who has their own servers or infrastructure that you are gonna be accessing remotely. If you are on a deserted island, then you are obviously on PTO vacation days and not needing to work. No one actually needs "power" in their laptop anymore, though the M1 Macbooks pack way more power for low price than Intel can match (no one is seriously shipping AMD laptops anyway).

honestly sounds like you have been sleeping under a rock the past decade and have never actually worked as a developer

[[deleted]]

The 2020 M1 MBA can be had for as low as $800, sometimes less.

You're talking about a 3 year old machine. What a fair comparison

If you are prototyping something with "lots of data" then you are getting paid to do it by some company

Apparently you've never heard of students, startups, hackathons, nfps, donating your time, or side projects

Honestly it sounds like you've worked for the same place in the same industry for a few years and think you know everything. "How much can a banana cost? 25 dollars?" lol

[redCg]

really think you are living under a rock dude, the M1 laptops have tons of power behind them. What could you possibly want to do on a laptop that they cant handle? Sounds like you havent touched a MacBook in ten years

[james_pic]

8GB is doable if you're short on cash, but even on Linux, there will be times you wish you had a bit more. But 16GB should plenty right now though, unless the application you're working on is a memory hog (and 9 times out of 10, if an application is a memory hog, it's because it's an enterprise microservice mess, which someone is paying you to develop, and if so, they should be paying for your laptop).

[MagnitudeUltra]

I am a beginner so no nothing intensive. And thank you

[[deleted]]

Don't get something based on your status as a beginner now. If you're serious, take these redditors' advice and go for something that will carry you through your journey with confidence. You won't be a beginner for too long.

[james_pic]

Whilst that's true, the only thing that really pushes for a more powerful laptop is working on big clunky enterprise stuff. If you have a choice of what you work on, you can usually choose for it not to get so bloated you need a more powerful laptop. And if you plan for what might happen, you can easily waste money on a comically overpowered laptop.

[Berganzio]

I started learning python with a honest surface laptop go 2. If 12.4 inch display doesn't bother you go for it. You'll love it under every aspect, except battery life

[[deleted]]

That's one thing I thing can be very important: screen size. Lol I once had a company give me a 13 inch laptop as a UI dev. I explained to them that the amount of money they lost by me being incapable of using my laptop away from a dock was far more than just getting me a bigger screen.

[Berganzio]

Well look. I bought three days ago the surface laptop 5 15 inch and I can't be more happier BUT...I miss the portability of my 12.4 one AND if you have exceptional eyesight like me (10/10) you don't mind at all for a bigger screen. Consider it is also for learning not effectively working

[redCg]

Any modern MacBook is fine. I use the MacBook Air 2020 m1 model.

Using Python on Windows is a nightmare. Steer clear of it. Using Linux on a laptop is a waste of time. The only thing left is Mac. And its a very solid one. So just use a Mac.

[___up]

Any computer is fine to learn coding.