As a programmer, the laptop you choose is a crucial investment. That’s why the question arises: “Are gaming laptops good for programming?”
It’s important to consider the requirements of programming before choosing a laptop. Gaming laptops, with their high-grade components, can handle heavy-duty games and tasks, making them suitable for programming as well.
Additionally, these laptops often come with great RAM, which is essential for handling hardware-intensive tasks. So, if you’re in the market for a laptop that can handle both gaming and programming, a gaming laptop might be a great choice.
When it comes to their screens, they are large, and for programming, you would need larger screens for better understanding.
What are the requirements of a laptop for programming?
These points must have prompted you to wonder are gaming laptops good for programming.
There are some basic features and specifications that are a must when it comes to the requirements of a laptop to be used for programming.
RAM
For coding, RAM in abundance is required. If you are a Java programmer, you’ll need more RAM than the ones who do programming in python. A preferred programming RAM range should be no less than 16 GB.
If the RAM is less than this, you may experience a slowdown, and you may find difficulty working on larger files.
CPU
As we all know that the CPU is the brain of the computer/laptop, and it must handle all the tasks and functions of the laptop.
For programming, it’s essential to have a quad-core or an octa-core processor so that your programs can run smoothly. However, for both gaming and programming, it is recommended to have an Intel i5 processor.
Display
A resolution of 1920x1080p is recommended for programming. However, it also depends on the type of coding you want to do.
If your project or task requires graphics or videos of high resolution, then you should consider a solution above 1080p.
A 14” screen size is better for programming as sometimes the programmers have to split the screen into two for better understanding.
Storage
For programming, the recommended storage size is 256 GB SSD. This storage size is quite helpful for faster booting.
Keyboard
A keyboard with good durability and critical press is recommended for programmers. It’s because they have to type faster while programming.
The separate numeric keypad is ideal for programmers as it helps them find the keys easily while programming. Considering these points, you must have got to know are gaming laptops good for programming?
Why can a gaming laptop be considered for programming as well?
Below mentioned are all the features that a gaming laptop has:
- Processor
- RAM
- GPU
- Cooling system
- Display
- Keyboard
These points will lead you to decide are gaming laptops good for programming?
To deal with larger files and big tasks, a high processor is required to handle the computational workload.
If you have chosen a gaming laptop and think it’s ideal for programming as well, then it’s recommended to look for a quad-core or six-core processor.
Regarding the RAM, a gaming laptop has a minimum of 16 GB of RAM. Larger RAM is a plus point as it helps in dealing with multiple programs at a time.
You must have heard that a good gaming laptop has a great GPU. A graphic card is the only thing that distinguishes a gaming laptop from others.
However, a programming laptop also uses GPU for computational workloads. If your computer has fast and dedicated graphics, it will eventually help you with gaming and programming. So are gaming laptops good for programming? Yes!
Gaming laptops produce heat, and that is the reason they have inbuilt fans to cool down the system.
Similarly, programming is also not an easy task or something that gets done in an hour or so. Hence the cooling system of programming laptops is similar to what gaming laptops have, and that’s where you would get to know are gaming laptops good for programming?
A larger display is a plus when it comes to gaming or programming. It’s because gaming also requires sufficient screen size, whereas programming requires good screen size too.
Mostly the programmers split the screen for their ease hence larger screen size is a plus. A backlit keyboard helps you in the dark, so even if you are playing in the dark, this backlit keyboard will be a plus for you.
Also, this keyboard is essential for programming purposes too. It helps in easy typing.
Drawbacks of using a gaming laptop for programming:
While we have discussed all the pros of using a gaming laptop for programming, they aren’t free of drawbacks either.
It would help if you remembered that gaming laptops aren’t manageable in the pockets. It’s because of the extra inbuilt features in the gaming laptops that make them expensive in comparison.
You have an option of cheap gaming laptops as well, but one thing should not be forgotten, and that is to use a cheap gaming laptop for programming.
It can affect the health of your laptop as the burden will be extra. Programming needs high-performance machines that can cater to various needs at the same time.
Cheap laptops with fewer graphics and processors are a big no for gaming and programming.
Another drawback is that gaming laptops don’t have good battery health in most of the models.
They have a shorter battery backup in comparison to others. These laptops consume a lot of power while playing high-end games.
So if you decide to do gaming and programming both on this laptop, you might end up charging the computer now and then.
Also, gaming laptops are a bit noisy compared to other laptops. It’s because they consume a lot of power, and therefore it puts pressure on the sensors of the fan resulting in making a buzzing sound due to high speed.
Usually, it’s because the powerful cooling fans in these gaming laptops bring down the temperature timely, and hence the noise is more than usual.
Considering these points, what would you decide? Are gaming laptops good for programming?
Conclusion:
Gaming laptops have some of the most advanced features, and their features and specifications are also of high-end quality.
The reason is that gaming laptops require extra processing, extra power, and extra graphics to run.
However, a programming laptop has similar features to a gaming laptop. Programming also requires vast space, a fast processor, and extra power.
It’s a fact that a gaming laptop can be used for programming purposes when you don’t have any other option. Gaming laptops have their cons when they are used for programming.
So you have to make a wise investment according to your needs. Hence, it would help if you had gotten your answer to the question, are gaming laptops good for programming by going through this article?
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