The answer is a straightaway no, you don’t need a laptop for programming that comes with top-notch configurations when it comes to only executing a simple code. However, things get serious when programming platforms like android studio, unity, or other engines that are hungry for specs to execute your applications. These Software are loaded up with tons of features to assemble a program for you and drain most of your laptop’s energy.
This is where you will need a laptop that is up to the mark. Again it depends on the nature of the framework also. The heavier the IDE, emulator, and virtual machine, the much powerful laptop is required for execution.
Either way, here are the hardware requirements for different programming languages that may vary depending on the complexity of a language:
How Powerful A Laptop Must Be To Handle Programming or Coding?
Here are the short hardware recommendations for java, C++, and Python coding:
Java:
| CPU | Pentium 2 266 MHz at minimum (i3 processor recommended) |
| RAM | 4GB DDR4 minimum (8GB can do much better) |
| Free space | 126 MB required |
These are the laptop’s hardware requirements for java 8 and above versions. The Java code will be executed smoothly on such configurations and if you can go higher than that, it’s much better.
C++:
| CPU | 200MHz or faster |
| RAM | 32MB or better |
| Free space | 20MB only |
C++ is not a complex programming language and a laptop from any era can handle it with ease.
Python:
| CPU | Intel i5 processor or similar |
| RAM | 4GB – 8GB is recommended |
| Free space | 15GB – 20GB must be available on your laptop |
Python requires a few powerful configurations because handling this language can be a little complicated for your laptop.
My Take on These Programming Languages
The answer to the query of whether you need a powerful laptop for programming lies in the above system requirements. It clearly indicates that it’s not necessary to spend thousands of dollars on a laptop for programming. I personally have an HP Probook and I use it for building basic web applications using WordPress using HTML, CSS, and Javascript and it’s doing great for me. It has 8GB RAM, a processor with 1.9GHz speed, and enough space for storing my data. Whereas it’s also able to run code of android studio and visual studio but on 8GB RAM it does struggle sometimes with the execution of the apps. The Java, C++, and Python programming is no big deal for it.
So what if you’re a professional programmer and you need a laptop for developing the whole system on some specific framework?
If I was in your shoes, I would go straight for the following upgrades.
How To Upgrade Your Laptop For Programming?
If you have an old school laptop, there are only a few upgrades required. Your RAM and storage components need to level up. The processor isn’t our priority because it’s hard to get it done easily.
Upgrading RAM
A 2GB or 4GB RAM isn’t going to get us anywhere in case of dealing with Software like an android studio or visual studio. Your laptop gets laggy when you install these applications on your notebook to the point where you can’t do basic tasks on your system. That needs to be changed.
I personally would recommend you to go with the 12GB RAM because most of the coding environments require a minimum of 8GB memory. A little above this mark can keep your laptop smooth when performing other tasks alongside programming. Make sure your RAM is from the latest generation(DDR4 or DDR5).
Upgrade Storage
Older Hard drives suck I know but it’s time to change that on your laptop. Here’s what you can do:
Buy a new SSD and install it on your laptop because they are comparatively faster than HDDs. It will benefit your laptop to boot up faster and startup your programs in a blink of an eye.
OR
You can also make the storage hybrid. In this case, your HDD stays and you can add an SSD on top of that. What you can do is remove your DVD room from your laptop and replace that with your HDD. Whereas, filling the HDD’s spot with the SSD and installing a fresh operating system.
This way, you get fast speed and big storage at the same time. Your programming or coding needs are also fulfilled.
Conclusion
So do you need a powerful laptop for programming now? Your answer is, of course, a big NO because it’s not always necessary to have a beast to execute a simple code. But yes, if your laptop is below average, you can give it a quick upgrade that will not only benefit your programming or coding but will also stand out in performing other tasks.
I hope the answer to your query is clear to you now. If you have any other questions, ask them because I will answer them for you in no time.
Thank you!
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