Best Cheap Laptops for Learning to Code (2021)

you’re just starting to learn how to program, you don’t need to invest a fortune in a good programming laptop.

Instead, you can opt for a cheaper laptop that will still do its job well, and upgrade it in a few years if you need to. And we have a list of the best cheap laptops to learn programming to get you started!

The truth is that if you also want to play the latest games on your laptop during your coding breaks, you will find some great options on the market.

If you want to program games, it’s a bit more complicated if you have a small budget – but we have options for you! Just browse through our list and you are sure to find a cheap laptop that is perfect for your needs.

Below is a list of the best and cheapest laptops to learn programming in 2021. We just give them in the table below, with their main features, but if you want to know all the details, we also have complete tests below.

Note to self: Our blog receives commissions for purchases made through the links in this article.

Now, if you want to know more about each of the above products, read on! We consider them the best and cheapest laptops to learn programming and list them from the cheapest to the most expensive at the time of writing.

ASUS VivoBook 15

The Asus notebook, at the time of writing the cheapest on our list, is a good choice for those who want to learn programming on a budget.

It does not have a dedicated graphics card If you plan to develop games or other applications that require a dedicated GPU, consider the models below.

But for general coding, the VivoBook 15 is a very good notebook. It features a fast processor – Intel Core i5-1035G1 (up to 3.6 GHz), and 8 GB of RAM. It also has a 512GB SSD, which is a fast and ideal storage device.

This is obviously not the best option, but it would be a very good start for writing and compiling code. However, it could use a RAM upgrade to be even faster. It wouldn’t be too expensive either!

In terms of size, this is a regular 15.6 laptop with Full HD resolution and a good screen-to-body ratio of 88%. The images are sharp and beautiful, and the colors are vibrant and natural.

As a bonus – since you’ll be typing a lot – VivoBook 15 has an ergonomic backlit keyboard. This makes the keys softer and easier to press, saving hours of typing time.

It also has many gates: USB 2.0, USB 3.2 and a USB-C. It also has a built-in HDMI port in case you want to connect another display.

The battery drains quite quickly during intensive tasks…. but if you’re just writing, you can expect it to last a few hours.

All in all, it’s a solid laptop that offers decent programming performance and, most importantly, it’s very economical, light and portable.

Click here to check prices on Amazon.

HP Business

We’re not in the field of dedicated GPUs yet, but we’re looking at a model that offers a little more power compared to the ASUS notebook above.

This HP professional notebook (which can easily be used to learn programming) runs on a slightly better processor, the i7-1065G7 (up to 3.9 GHz), but also offers more RAM right out of the box: 16GB.

These are already better specifications that give you more options when coding, including extra speed so you don’t have to look at the screen and wait too long.

It offers a similar storage capacity – 512GB on an SSD, which also adds to the overall speed.

One of the biggest shortcomings is the screen resolution: The 15.6-inch screen only supports HD resolution (1366x768px). But the picture is still sharp and, unless you need Full HD, it’s the CONS you’ll have to put up with instead of the other PROS.

The screen is also touch sensitive, so that’s a bonus too.

In terms of connectivity, it offers several connection options, as well as a card reader. It has one native HDMI port, two USB 3.1 ports and one USB C port.

With a 41 watt battery, this laptop can work for several hours on a single charge…., but we still recommend always having a charger nearby.

It’s very portable and lightweight, and it looks great…. So if you have a slightly bigger budget and don’t mind HD resolution, this might be the best choice.

Click here to check prices on Amazon.

Lenovo Legion 5

Lenovo is my favorite brand for cheap but quality laptops. You will be very pleased with our discovery today. It also marks our entry into the dedicated GPU space.

This means that these laptops can handle coding when developing video games or other applications that rely on a dedicated GPU.

In this case, we are talking about the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660Ti GPU, which remains a very solid graphics card option, even if it is not one of the latest models on the market.

In terms of processing power, you get a really powerful AMD Ryzen 7 4800H processor (beating the i7-10750H, for example, as shown here). It also has 16GB of RAM and 512GB of SSD.

I know Intel processors are generally preferred, but trust us on this: You won’t regret buying a laptop with the Ryzen 7 4800H – it’s lightning fast!

As a gaming laptop it has some advantages that come in handy if you want to learn programming.

First of all, the 15.6-inch display supports FullHD resolution (1920 x 1080 pixels), but it also has a refresh rate of 144 Hz, which allows for smoother screen movements.

The white backlit keyboard is also very nice to touch, accurate and comfortable even during long sessions.

It also offers a variety of ports, including four USB 3 and one USB-C, as well as an HDMI port. This should be more than enough for any additional devices you might need.

It’s a bit bulky, but that’s because it has an advanced cooling system – so you’re covered when it comes to very high temperatures. All in all, a very cheap laptop to learn programming, that can easily handle game design if that’s what you plan to do.

Click here to check prices on Amazon.

Acer Predator Helios 300 – Editor’s Choice

Now we come to a model that offers a much better dedicated graphics card, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060. It is overclockable, has 6GB of dedicated RAM and is one of the best options available today.

Acer has paired it with an Intel Core i7-10750H processor (hexacore, up to 5 GHz) and 16 GB of RAM, as well as 512 GB of SSD storage

In other words: You get a truly powerful laptop that can handle your programming adventures with ease, whether you want to tackle games or less resource-intensive programs.

The 15.6-inch screen has a refresh rate of 144 Hz and a response time of 3 ms, which is very nice. Images are crisp, colors are sharp, and you’ll have no reason to complain about the screen quality.

In terms of connectivity, it has one USB-C port (which supports charging), three USB-3 ports, one HDMI port and one miniDP port.

It has a robust battery that lasts about 6 hours with regular use. We think it’s the best option when it comes to learning code – a robust device that offers everything you need.

Click here to check prices on Amazon.

MSI GP75

If you want a bigger laptop that also has a lot to offer in terms of performance, then you’ll be really happy with this model.

This is a 17.3″ laptop, which I think is more suited to coding – but with this size it does lose some portability. So if you plan on traveling a lot, the regular 15.6-inch model recommended above is a better choice.

But if you plan on spending most of your time in one place, a great exhibit is more than welcome, trust me!

In this case, you get 17.3 inches of pure joy, a Full HD display and a 144Hz refresh rate.

MSI’s GP75 has many more benefits for you. Besides the large screen, it is powered by an Intel Core i7-10750H processor, 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD.

You get a slightly less powerful GPU (compared to the previous model), but that’s normal considering the size and price range. Despite this, the GTX 1660Ti GPU is a robust graphics card that can handle most tasks with ease.

All in all, it’s a fast, robust laptop with a big screen – just what you need for programming. Sure, it could have done with a better GPU and even more memory, but for now we’re in the budget category, and that’s what we can get.

And it’s a lot, you’ll see! It also has the usual USB-C port, as well as 3 USB-3 ports, an HDMI port and a mini-DP … all of which add enough extra features to keep you happy.

Click here to check prices on Amazon.

How to choose the best laptop for learning code

1. the processor is extremely important

Probably the most important element when looking at a laptop to learn programming is the processor.

It represents the processing power of your machine, and you want it to be as powerful as possible to compile and execute your code as quickly as possible.

Without a decent processor, most of your time will be wasted waiting instead of working, and that’s counterproductive.

You’ll need at least an Intel i5 processor, but the i7 and similar processors are a better choice now, and they last longer.

2. You need fast memory

SSDs are no longer a novelty, but there is still a very large percentage of people who don’t own them or don’t consider them a must.

But because the SSD is much faster than a traditional hard drive it becomes an extremely important feature of the laptop you’ll be using for programming, as you’ll be frequently switching between files, saving and copying, and restoring. And SSDs offer the best speeds available today.

Unless you really need a lot of storage, you won’t need a huge SSD (because they are expensive). 512GB is usually more than enough to get you started, but most notebook models offer easy upgrade options if you want to add more.

3. RAM is also important

While a ton of RAM does not automatically mean a better computer for those learning to program, it is still very important because it contains the information you need to run your programs.

But even 8GB laptops can easily handle most programming tasks, although 16GB or more is preferable. The good news is that we can keep costs very low in this area, while still getting decent RAM.

4. The graphics processor is only important in certain cases

A dedicated graphics card is not required for the laptop you use for programming, unless of course you plan to develop games or other software that requires a dedicated GPU.

But for most coding tasks, the GPU is not very important. This is also a good thing, as laptops with dedicated graphics cards tend to be more expensive.

However, we have options with both in case you want more power and functionality when it comes to using your laptop for other purposes as well.

5. Functions usually missing

Most people only look at the features and performance of their device when they decide to buy a laptop, but you should also pay attention to a few other details that we have taken into account when selecting the recommended laptops from the list above.

First of all, the screen size is extremely important – we don’t think you should choose a screen smaller than 15.6 inches, because you need a bigger screen to keep your eyes happy and healthy.

Also worth mentioning is the comfort offered by a sturdy and wide keyboard and a high-quality screen with bright colors and anti-reflection coating.

Normally : The bigger your budget, the better the laptop, but sometimes the price is also affected by the screen size – so keep that in mind.

While we always recommend a laptop with a larger screen – 17 inches – we understand that these are more difficult to carry. So if the screen size is smaller, you also get more value for your money in terms of performance.

Remember: You also need to feel comfortable writing code and testing programs, because you’ll spend hours in front of a screen, and comfort is essential to being productive!

Conclusion

You have the best choice, so now you can choose what you like best.

We think the Acer Predator Helios 300 is the best choice on our list, but if you don’t need a dedicated GPU, you can keep the cost even lower with one of the first two products we recommend.

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