A lot of people think that you don’t need a powerful laptop for Web Development.
I mean, how much power would it require to develop something that runs on a browser?
Obviously, this mentality isn’t and considering the fact that Web Developers would be using apps like Photoshop, Dreamweaver or Sketchapp to Web Design, you do require a powerful system to get your work done efficiently.
If you look at this list of Gaming Laptops mentioned in this article, you would notice that most of the laptops cost over $1000, and most people think that investing something like this on a laptop for Web Dev isn’t worth it.
To be honest, you can get your work done on a laptop or desktop that is 3-5 years old; however the render time required for your design would suck a lot of blood.
Hence why, I’ve listed Top 5 Laptops for Web Development so that you spend most of your time on creative ideas and designs, rather than on render times.
Are you ready?
Let’s get started!
4 Things to Consider while buying Laptop for Web Development
1. Processor
What a lot of people don’t know is that “Processors meant for laptops are comparatively slower than PC counterparts.”
For e.g., a desktop processor like Intel Core i3-8100 has similar or better performance compared to laptop processor like Intel Core i5-8300H.
Technically, laptop processors are underpowered so as to offer better battery life and reduce heating.
That’s why, in this article I’ve only listed laptops that have Intel Core i5 processor or higher.
Because it will help you have optimum performance and reduce render times.
2. RAM
Couple of years ago 4GB was the recommended RAM storage for any desktop or laptop; however, in 2018 the minimum RAM you should look for in a laptop is 8GB that too DDR4 version.
Most laptop’s these days come with DDR4 RAM, hence you don’t have to worry about it and in this laptop I’ve only listed laptop with DDR4 RAM module.
3. Graphics Card
Comparing to a gaming laptop, you do not need a powerful Graphics Card for Web Development, yet having a laptop with Graphics Card is essential.
That’s because, a Graphics Card takes off most of the load from CPU and offers lower render times because the graphical calculations are handled by the GPU itself.
Ideally, a laptop with Intel’s UHD 620 graphics or Nvidia’s MX150 would suffice.
4. Storage
SSD is not new but popular storage option currently. It’s because of advancement of technology and depreciation in price of SSDs.
Currently SSDs are available in two types: a 2.5” SATA based SSD and a newer and efficient NVMe M.2 SSD.
The latter one is a bit pricier but faster compared to traditional SATA based SSD; however, both of them are faster than a traditional mechanical-drive based Hard Disk.
5 Best Laptop for Web Development
1. Acer Swift 3
When you’re thinking of buying a laptop, Acer isn’t the brand that comes to your mind first. Although Acer is a pioneer is building price efficient laptops that are cheap and powerful too.
With Swift 3 series, Acer has aimed to manufacture laptops that are not only price efficient and powerful but also look appealing looks wise.
It is a laptop that comes with extremely power efficient Intel Core i5-8250U and 8GB RAM with Nvidia’s MX150 graphics card.
It’s extremely lightweight at 3.75 pounds and it’s build entirely out of metal, hence for the price you get a premium looking and premium feeling laptop.
2. Asus Vivobook F510UA
To be honest, this is my most favorite laptop in this list, that’s because it is a 15.6” laptop that comes in a 14” frame and weighs around 3.7 pounds.
This is similar to above Acer Swift 3, but it was a 14” laptop.
Not only that, the Asus Vivobook F510UA is priced lower than Acer Swift 3 and offers better performance for the price.
On the specifications front, it comes with 15.6” Full HD Screen, whereas on the storage front Asus offers 128GB SSD along with 1TB of HDD Storage.
This laptop is powered by Intel Core i5-8250U processor coupled with 8GB DDR4 RAM and comes with USB-C port.
Whereas, the graphics department is handled by Intel’s UHD 620 graphics.
3. Acer Aspire E 15
The Aspire series is the breadwinner series for the brand because it includes laptops that are cheap in price but offer optimum performance for the price.
Compared to Acer Swift 3, the Acer Aspire E 15 isn’t stylish looking, but what matters is on the inside.
For the price it comes with Intel Core i5-8250U processor that is coupled with 8GB RAM and 256GB of SSD storage.
Even for the price, you get a Full-HD screen and a full-sized keyboard with inclusion of number pad.
4. HP Pavilion 15
This is another laptop in our list that comes with a full-sized keyboard, which beneficial for people who want quick access to keys.
Other than that, this laptop for HP also has touchscreen capabilities, however the only downfall is that it comes with 1366×768 resolution rather than Full-HD resolution.
For the price, the HP Pavilion 15 is sleek and modern looking that weighs just around 4.5 pounds.
On the specification front, it comes with Intel Core i5-8250U processor, coupled with 8GB DDR4 RAM and 2TB HDD along with Intel UHD 620 graphics.
5. Asus Zenbook UX331
If budget isn’t your main concern but weight it, then it doesn’t get any better than Asus Zenbook UX331.
Weighing at around 2.5lbs, this is the kind of laptop or ultrabook as most people call it that wouldn’t even feel like it’s in your bag.
It comes with 13.3” screen and just like the other laptops in this list comes with Intel Core i5-8250U processor and 8GB DDR4 RAM.
Additionally it comes with preinstalled with Windows 10, Backlit Keyboard, Fingerprint Sensor, 256GB M.2 slot SSD and Intel’s UHD 620 Graphics.
I hope this article was able to help you choose the best laptop for web development projects.
If it did, please don’t forget to share it on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter.
Thank You!