If you are searching for the best laptops for software engineering students 2021 then you are in the right place. As a software developer, your first step is to choose the best laptops. In this buying guide, I have tried my best to provide you the best laptops which are suitable for you according to the particular needs of the users.
A software engineer needs a laptop with enough RAM and a high-end processor, to function smoothly. Below is the list of the best laptops for software engineering students, which meet your requirements.
How to choose the Best Laptops For Software Engineering Students?
Processor: On of the most important parts of a laptop is its processor. If the processor is faster than you will get high performance. If your processor is slow then it will take much time to load applications. So, the most important thing is that while buying a laptop you should focus first on the processor.
Go for i5 if your budget is limited or else you can go for i7 or i8 if you are on a high budget. Software Engineers can also opt for i5 as they don’t need to run any high-end software.
RAM: To do smooth working experience and to handle heavy software you need a good RAM. And again if your budget is limited you should go for 8GB RAM and if you high budget you should go for 12GB or 16GB RAM.
Graphics Card: For Normal computational purpose normal graphics card is enough. But if you use high-end software then you should go for a dedicated graphics card.
Storage: Nowadays many laptops come with SSD and HDD storage. Choose the storage that depends on your budget. If you need faster storage then go for SSD and if you need more storage then go for HDD.
Display: Again of you are on a low budget go for a 15-inch display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels and if you are on a high budget then go for a 17inch display. All depends on your need and budget.
WebCam and Ports: A HD webcam and a good comfortable trackpad and keyboard are essential when it comes to software engineers.
Battery life: As a software engineer, you need to study and work on the move. Look for a laptop that has battery life for more than 6 hours.
These points will help you to choose the best laptops for software engineering students 2021.
My Top Picks Best Laptops For Software Engineering Students:
1. Dell XPS 15 9560
The Dell XPS 15 is the larger version of the Dell XPS 13. It is mostly designed for work-oriented activities.
Dell XPS 15 is loaded with the Intel i7 processor and Nvidia 1050 graphic card. The weight is 4.26lbs and its 0.86 inches tall. It is one of the best and powerful laptop for software engineers. With this powerful processor and features, it can run all heavy software. It is also backed with 16GB RAM needed for the multitasking purpose. It provides 8hours of long battery backup.
The XPS 15 comes with 512GB SSD storage which performs quite fast. The read and write speed of the laptop are 3000 MB, 1550 MB respectively.
Speaking about the display of this laptop, it has an IPS panel that can display 4K content.
All the ports required for connectivity are present in this device.
One of the major problems is its thermal limitation. If you push this device a little hard it will hit the thermal throttle.
- The virtually border less display maximizes screen space by accommodating a 15.6 Inches Display inside a laptop closer to the size of a 14 inches, thanks to a bezel measuring just 5.7 millimeters
- Beautiful from any angle: The anti reflective screen combined with superior 400 nit brightness frees you to enjoy your entertainment outdoors. Plus, the IPS panel provides a wider viewing angle, so you can share your screen without missing a thing
- With the UltraSharp 4K Ultra HD display (3840 x 2160), you can see each detail of every pixel without needing to zoom in. You can edit images with pinpoint accuracy without worrying about blurriness or jagged lines
[su_box title=”Specs Recap”]Screen Size: 15.6 Inches.
Processor: Intel Core i7-7700HQ.
Graphics Card: GTX 1050 4GB (dedicated).
Storage: 512GB SSD.
RAM: 16GB DDR4 RAM.
Weight: 4.26 lbs.
[/su_box]
2. Apple MacBook Pro (Best Laptops For Software Engineering Students)
We already know that Apple products are good in terms of performance. But, if you are on very tight budget then this laptop is not for. I have also listed some of the best affordable laptops for software engineering students. So, you don’t need to worry.
Speaking about the design of this laptop, it is a 15.4-inch IPS panel that displays a definition of 2,880 x 1,800 Px. It has a brightness rate of 480 cd / m² and a contrast ratio of 1050: 1. Its Retina display does really stand out from other notebooks. It has amazing color accuracy and viewing angle.
Apple MacBook Pro comes with 512GB SSD and 16GB DDR3 memory and one of the major disadvantages is that you can’t upgrade any of them. But, still it enough for students.
Speaking about the performance of this device, you will be getting 16% faster performance in a single core and 19% performance in multi-core. Heavy Software can be rendered easily in this device without any worry.
This can also be perfect gaming because of the presence of Radeon Pro 560 dedicated graphics card. Graphics related can also be done smoothly and this laptop is also capable of editing 4K videos without lag.
While performing the hardcore task the fan makes much noise. But on the other hand, it makes the system cool.
There are 4 USB ports on this laptop and all 4 of them are USB Type-C. It also has a giant trackpad probably could be the same size as Galaxy S9 or Google Pixel. It also has a butterfly keyboard.
And lastly, speaking about the battery of this device, while doing graphics related work we can expect battery backup up to 8-10 hours.
- Apple-designed M1 chip for a giant leap in CPU, GPU, and machine learning performance
- Get more done with up to 20 hours of battery life, the longest ever in a Mac
- 8-core CPU delivers up to 2.8x faster performance to fly through workflows quicker than ever
- 8-core GPU with up to 5x faster graphics for graphics-intensive apps and games
- 16-core Neural Engine for advanced machine learning
- 8GB of unified memory so everything you do is fast and fluid
- Superfast SSD storage launches apps and opens files in an instant
- Active cooling system sustains incredible performance
- 13.3-inch Retina display with 500 nits of brightness for vibrant colors and incredible image detail
- FaceTime HD camera with advanced image signal processor for clearer, sharper video ca
[su_box title=”Specs Recap”]Screen Size: 15 Inches.
Processor: Intel Core i7 (7th Gen).
Graphics card: Radeon Pro 560 (dedicated).
Storage: 512GB SSD.
Weight: 6.4 lbs.
RAM: 16GB DDR3 RAM.
[/su_box]
3. ASUS N580VD-DB74T VIVOBOOK
The N580VD VivoBook is a slim laptop with a brushed metal lid that provides extra protection to scratches.
The weight and thickness of this vivobook is 5.1 pound and 0.8 inch respectively. This laptop can be easily tucked in the backpack by any law student. So, I say it is one of the most portable laptop for software engineers.
It is loaded with Intel Core i7-7700HQ Processor and NVIDIA GTX 1050 GPU. It is also backed with 512GB SSD and 16GB DDR4 RAM.
N580VD also has a backlit keyboard that works beautifully in low-light scenarios. The front-mounted stereo speakers of this device deliver audio which is 320% louder compared to similarly-sized devices.
Speaking about the connectivity of this device, it is loaded with a USB 3.0 port, an Ethernet jack, a USB 3.1 Type-C port and an HDMI-out on its left and a headphone jack, dual USB 2.0 ports, and an SD memory reader in the right side for hassle-free compatibility across an array of displays, peripherals, and projectors.
- Powerful 7th Generation Intel Core i7-7700HQ 2.8GHz (Turbo up to 3.8GHz) Quad Core Processor with improved media engine for smooth and uninterrupted 4K UHD playback or encoding
- 15.6 Full HD 178° Wide view touch display and GTX 1050 4GB discrete graphics for flawless visuals and mainstream gaming; 16GB DDR4 2400MHz RAM and high-speed 512GB M.2 SSD
- Slim 15 wide, 0.8 thin and portable footprint; Ergonomic backlit keyboard with fingerprint sensor; Hyper Cool, Dual-Copper and dual-fan cooling system
- Comprehensive connections with USB 3.1 Type-C (Gen1), USB 3.1 Type-A, USB 2.0, HDMI, & headphone/mic ports for every device ; Battery : 47WHrs, 3S1P, 3-cell Li-ion
- Durable & long-lasting lithium polymer battery with fast charging technology that charges up to 60% capacity in just 49 minutes
- Max Memory: 16
[su_box title=”Specs Recap:” style=”glass” radius=”5″]Processor: Intel Core i7-7700HQ
RAM: 16GB RAM
Hard Disk: 500 GB SSD
Graphics: GeForce GTX 1050,
Weight: 5 Pounds
Screen Size: 15.6-inch
Battery Life: Upto 6.5 Hours[/su_box]
4. MSI GS65 Stealth THIN-051
The MSI GS65 is a narrowly designed bezel display laptop. It is a 15.6 inch sleek Full HD Laptop.
The device is loaded with 8th generation Intel Core i7, 16 GB of RAM, and a 256 GB SSD storage. It is also backed with a dedicated Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 graphics card with 8 GB.
Its backlit and customizable RGB keyboard makes it an amazing laptop. All the ports required for connectivity are present in this device.
Despite being thinner than a dime, it will run smoothly any software that you need for your business. Moreover, it will provide you 8 hours of long battery life.
- Display: 15.6 FHD, 4.9mm Ultra Thin Bezel Anti-Glare Wide View Angle 144Hz 7ms 72% NTSC 1920x1080 16:9 | Operating System: Windows 10
- Processor: New Intel Core i7-8750H 2.2 - 4.1GHz (6 Cores)
- Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX1060 6G GDDR5
- RAM: 16GB (8G*2) DDR4 2400MHz, 2 Sockets; Max Memory 32GB | Storage: 256GB SSD NVMe (PCIE Gen3x4)
- Special Features: Ultra Thin Bezel | VR Ready | Steel series Per Key RGB Customizable Keyboard | Thunderbolt 3 Ready
- Max Memory: 32 GB
- AC adapter: 180W Slim adap
[su_box title=”Specs Recap:” style=”glass” radius=”5″]Processor: Intel Core i7-8750H Processor
RAM: 16GB RAM
Hard Disk: 256GB Nvme SSD
Graphics: Dedicated, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050Ti
Operating System: Windows 10
Display: 15,6 inch, 1920X1080, IPS
Weight: 4.14 Pounds
Battery Life: Upto 8 Hours[/su_box]
5. ACER ASPIRE E15
The Acer Aspire E15 is a great all in one laptop. Acer E15 is a great option for software engineers, looking for a budget laptop to start developing. Acer Aspire E 15 may be the best option for you if your budget is below 600$.
The Aspire E 15 comes with amazing features and configuration which are top laptops for software engineers.
This laptop comes with 8th Generation Intel Core i5-8250U processor which clocked up to 3.4GHz. This laptop is also backed with 8GB of dual-channel RAM which will help anyone to do multitasking.
It also has storage of 256GB of SSD storage space which may not be enough for everyone.
It is also loaded with 2GB of NVIDIA GeForce MX150 dedicated graphics. Speaking about the display, it has got 15.6 inches of full HD widescreen LED-lit IPS display and with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels.
The amazing feature of this laptop is that it provides you up to 15 hours of battery backup on a single charge. The Software Engineers can develop the whole day without needing to charge.
It is also backed up with the Acer True Harmony audio system which will give you a better experience while watching movies and listening to music.
Based on all these specifications, we can say that this laptop is overall a good budget laptop for software engineers and students.
- 8th Generation Intel Core i3 8130U Processor 2.2 GHz (Up to 3.2GHz)
- 15.6 inches Full HD (1920 x 1080) widescreen LED lit Display
- 6GB Dual Channel Memory, 1TB HDD and 8x DVD
- Up to 13.5 Hours of battery life
- Windows 10 Home. Operating System Architecture 64-bit
- TIP: try a battery pin-hole reset procedure, a different AC adapter, or pressing the key combination FN + F6 to make sure the system is outputting the video to the notebooks internal disp
[su_box title=”Specs Recap:” style=”glass” radius=”5″]Processor: (8th Gen) Intel Core i5-8250U Processor
RAM: 8GB RAM
Hard Disk: 256GB SSD
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce MX150 2GB
Operating System: Windows 10
Display: 15.6 Inch Full HD Widescreen LED-lit IPS Display
Weight: 5.27 Pounds
Battery Life: Upto 15 Hours[/su_box]
6. Lenovo Legion Y7000 Gaming Laptop
Lenovo Legion is a Y series laptop by Lenovo. This laptop is especially for gaming purposes as it also comes with a high specification. As it has high specifications you can use it for any other purposes also. It is also the best laptops for software engineering students.
Speaking about the display, it has 15.6 inches of full HD Anti-Glare LED Backlight display with IPS technology.
It is backed with a full-size backlit keyboard which will help you to perform the operation even in the low light.
The laptop is pre-loaded with the Windows 10 operating system.
This laptop is powered with a 2.2GHz Intel Core i7-8750H processor with turbo boost technology up to 4.1GHz.It is backed with mammoth 16GB of DDR4 RAM which is powerful enough to handle all heavy software and provides a smooth working experience.
Speaking about the graphics of this laptop, the laptop is loaded with 6GB of NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 dedicated graphics card.
The laptop has storage of 256GB of SSD and 1TB of HDD which is more than enough.
The laptop provides 5 hours of decent battery backup as it has -Cell 57WH Lithium Polymer battery.
Apart from all these specifications, the laptop has Harman Audio with Dolby Premium speakers which deliver superior sound quality.
However, there’s still no doubt that the Lenovo Legion Y7000 Gaming Laptop deserves its lofty spot on the best laptops for software engineering students 2021 list.
All the ports required for connectivity are present in this device.
[su_box title=”Specs Recap”]Screen Size: 15.6 Inches.
Storage: 256GB SSD + 1TB HDD.
RAM: 16GB DDR4 RAM.
Processor: (8th Gen) Intel Core i7-8750H Processor.
Graphics card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 6GB.
Operating System: Windiws 10
Weight: 9.15 lbs[/su_box]
- POWERFUL GAMING LAPTOP: The Lenovo Legion Y7000 gaming laptop comes with an Intel Core i7-8750H Processor, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Discrete Graphics, 16 GB DDR4 RAM, 1 TB HDD + 128GB PCIe SSD and more.
- PRACTICAL PORTABILITY: At 1.1 inch thin and only 5.2 pounds, the Legion Y7000 gaming laptop was redesigned to deliver the ideal balance between epic gaming performance and practical portability
- FHD DISPLAY: Featuring bezels that are only 0.3 inches thin, the Y7000 Laptop rocks a 15.6 FHD display, 300 nits of brightness, and brings your games to life
- BACKLIT KEYBOARD: Legion Y7000 is equipped with a full-sized, white backlit and high-response keyboard and number pad to your hands with 1.7 mm of key travel for the most ergonomic and comfortable gaming experience
- 60 FPS AND BEYOND: Lenovo gaming laptop comes specced with the latest generation Intel processors, NVIDIA discrete graphics, DDR4 memory and more, all optimally cooled via a reengineered dual-channel cooling system
- Harman speakers with Dolby Atmos for Gam
7. Apple MacBook Air
The Apple Macbook is also one of the best laptops for software engineering students. No doubt that Apple products are good in terms of specification and quality.
It has 13.3 inches LED-backlit native display with 1440×900 pixel screen resolution.
MacBook Air is also loaded with 1.8 GHz Intel dual-core processor with a Turbo-boost of 2.9 GHz. It is also backed with 5th Generation Intel Core i5 processor with 128 GB Solid State Drive (SSD) storage.
The Apple MacBook Air has Intel HD Graphics 6000 to level up the videos and images for the making of your class presentation.
The weight of this device is 2.96 pounds. You can also have a high-quality face video conferencing session with 720p Facetime HD Webcam.
All the ports required for connectivity are present in this device. It is also backed with Bluetooth 4.0 and Dual mics.
Moreover, it provides 12 hours of long battery life.
[su_box title=”Specs”]Screen Size: 13.3-inch.
Processor: 1.6GHz Intel Core i5-8210Y (dual-core, 4 threads, 4MB cache, up to 3.6GHz)
Graphics Card:Intel UHD Graphics 617.
Storage: 256GB PCIe SSD
RAM: 8GB
Weight: 2.75 lbs.
[/su_box]
- Apple-designed M1 chip for a giant leap in CPU, GPU, and machine learning performance
- Go longer than ever with up to 18 hours of battery life
- 8-core CPU delivers up to 3.5x faster performance to tackle projects faster than ever
- Up to eight GPU cores with up to 5x faster graphics for graphics-intensive apps and games
- 16-core Neural Engine for advanced machine learning
- 8GB of unified memory so everything you do is fast and fluid
- Superfast SSD storage launches apps and opens files in an instant
- Fanless design for silent operation
- 13.3-inch Retina display with P3 wide color for vibrant images and incredible detail
- FaceTime HD camera with advanced image signal processor for clearer, sharper video ca
8. Microsoft Surface Book 2
It is one of the best laptops for software engineering students. One can run any project or software runs smoothly. You can grab all those benefits of the Surface Pro + a dedicated graphics card with the Surface Book 2.
Performance: The performance of Microsoft Surface Book 2 is on a whole different level. Its full power might be in fact too much for software engineers. It can support a CPU up to an 8th generation Quad Core i7 processor with 4.2 GHz for clock speed which can also be paired with 16GB DDR4 RAM and a 1TB SSD for storage.
The PCIe NVMe based SSD which is x17 faster than a regular spinning HDD.
The GFX is a 10th generation card and it is very powerful. You have to choose in that: GTX 1060 and GTX 1050.
Display and Design: You can buy 15” with the 1060GTX or buy the cheaper 13.5” with the 1050GTX. Both models have very high resolution. The battery runs perhaps 9-10 hours. This is because of the very high power of CPU and GPU.
Microsoft Surface Book 2 is entirely made of aluminum and a convertible laptop for software engineers.
[su_box title=”Specs Recap”]Screen Size: 13.5-inch, 2256 x 1504 PixelSense touch display.
Processor: 8th-gen Intel Core i5-i7.
Graphics Card: Intel UHD Graphics 620.
Storage: 128GB – 1TB SSD.
RAM: 8GB – 16GB.
[/su_box]
- Microsoft Surface Book 2 Features a 8th generation Intel Quad Core i7 Processor, 256 GB of storage, 16 GB RAM, and up to 17 hours of video playback
- Enhanced Graphics performance with NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 discrete GPU w/6GB GDDR5 Graphics Memory
- The fastest Surface Book yet, with 4x more power
- Vibrant PixelSense Display: Now available with a new 15 touchscreen
- Four versatile modes of use and new USB C port; Contrast ratio: 160
9. The ZenBook Pro 15 UX580GE-XB74T
The ZenBook Pro 15 (UX580GE-XB74T) is a high-end performance laptop from Asus that’s aimed at power users. This laptop also has a dual-screen mode.
A powerful and stylish laptop well suited for Software Engineers.
The laptop is backed with Intel Core i9-8950HK (clocked @ 2.9- 4.8 GHz) and 4GB of GDDR5 Nvidia GTX 1050 Ti.
The amazing feature of this laptop is that it has one of the best color gamut coverage. It will produce amazing stunning images with color accuracy because of the 100 percent RGB and SRGB color coverage. The next best feature of this laptop is that its 83 percent screen to body ratio makes its 4K touch panel almost bezel-less.
Software Engineers will not have any complaints about their multitasking issues because of the presence of 512GB NVMe SSD and 16GB of RAM.
The thickness and weight of this laptop are 18.9mm and 4.14 pounds.
Better yet, it also gets our vote as among the best laptops for software engineering students 2021, especially from a value perspective
Moreover, the laptop provides a 9-hour battery life.
All the required ports required for connectivity are provided.
[su_box title=”Specs Recap”]Screen Size: 15 Inches.
Storage: 512 GB NVMe SSD.
RAM: 16GB DDR4 RAM.
Processor: 8th Gen Intel Core i9-8950HK 2.9 GHz.
Graphics card: NVIDIA GTX 1050 Ti GPU with 4GB of GDDR5 memory.
Operating System: Windiws 10
Weight: 4.14 lbs[/su_box]
- 8th Generation Intel Core i7-8750H Processor (12M Cache, up to 4.1 GHz, 6 cores)
- Fast storage and memory featuring 2TB PCIE NVME SSD Upgrade with 16GB DDR4 RAM with NVidia GTX 1050 4GB
- 16GB DDR4 system memory for intense multitasking and gaming. DDR4 Ram smoothly run your graphics-heavy PC games
- Sleek 4 lbs aluminum body for comfortable portability. Built-in fingerprint reader with one-touch login via Windows Hello feature
- Extensive connectivity with HDMI, 1x HDMI 2x USB3.1-Type C(Gen2) with Thunderbolt 2x USB 3.0 1x Micro SD Card Rea
10. HP Spectre x360 – Best Laptops For Software Engineering Students
HP Spectre x360 is 2-in-1 convertible laptop with a 4K display. It is a dark ash color aluminum finished chassis and gold HP logo on the lid which makes it classy and attractive in terms of looks.
X360 comes with 15.6-inch 4K UHD IPS eDP micro-edge BrightView WLED-backlit display with a resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels. It is also loaded with a 4K UHD resolution display.
Speaking about the configuration of the laptop, this laptop has 8th Generation Intel Core i7-8550U processor. Its clock frequency is 4.0GHz. The graphics on this laptop are driven by the 2GB of NVIDIA GeForce MX150 dedicated graphics card.
The laptop is backed with 16GB of RAM and a faster 512GB of SSD drive. It will help you to handle heavy multitasking and provide you smooth work experience.
Speaking about the connectivity, the laptop has 1 x Thunderbolt 3, 1 x USB 3.1 Type-C Gen 1, 1 x HDMI, and 1 x headphone/microphone jack.
Apart from this, the laptop is integrated with the Bang & Olufsen audio system which will provide you an amazing experience while watching movies or listening to music.
[su_box title=”Specs Recap”]Screen Size: 15.6 Inches.
Storage: 512GB SSD.
RAM: 16GB RAM.
Processor: (8th Gen) Intel Core i7-8550U Processor
Graphics card: NVIDIA GeForce MX150 2GB.
Operating System: Windiws 10
Weight: 4.4 lbs[/su_box]
- Newly Launched HP Spectre x360 13T Cutting Edge GEM CUT Design - 10TH GENERATION QUAD CORE CPU: Intel Core i7-1065G7 (1.3 GHz, up to 3.9 GHz, 8 MB cache, 4 cores) four-way processing 1.30 GHz to 3.9 GHz with 8 MB SmartCache, high-efficiency performance with Intel Turbo Boost Technology WINDOWS 10 HOME 64 BIT PRE INSTALLED BY HP, NEW Features - Web Cam Kill Switch, Mic Mute Key, Fingerprint reader
- UNMATCHED AUDIO PERFORMANCE with QUAD Bang & Olufsen speakers: The partnership between Bang & Olufsen and HP brings premium sound to your personal computing device. With HP Quad Speakers, HP Audio Boost, and custom tuning by the experts at Bang & Olufsen, entertainment comes to life with sound you can feel.
- SUPERIOR SPEED and NETWORKING: Fast Data Access with 512 GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX 201 (2x2) and Bluetooth 5 Combo. Security management Mic Mute key; Webcam kill switch, 1 headphone/microphone combo; 1 USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A (HP Sleep and Charge); 2 USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C with Thunderbolt 3 (40 Gb/s signaling rate, Power Delivery 3.0, DisplayPort 1.4, HP Sleep and Charge)
- IMPRESSIVE HD PANEL with HD Active Stylus Pen and Thunderbolt Support: Experience exceptional colors and clarity with 13.3 Full HD touch screen (Resolution: 1920 x 1080) for hands-on control and IPS technology for wide viewing angles. 13.3 diagonal FHD IPS micro-edge WLED-backlit touch screen with NBT, HP Active Stylus Pen, USB-C port, Thunderbolt support & SD card reader
- 16GB SDRAM(ONBAORD), Bang & Olufsen Quad Speakers, HP Audio Boost, Fingerprint Reader, ALSO includes a Super Sleek, Super cool, 64GB ULTRA SLIM Tech Warehouse LLC USB Flash drive. A speedy little performer with a great look! Please see picture illustrations for more informat
Conclusion:
After doing hard research, my laptop expert team has found these best laptops for software engineering students 2021.
All those above information are collected from the internet. I hope that this laptop buying guide of the best laptops for software engineering students will help you out to choose the best one for you
Also Read: Best USB Mic for Podcasting