

#Design and code which mac to get portable
The new MacBook Air is also as portable as ever, with a seriously lightweight design that makes it easy to carry around with you - and perfect for programmers who do a lot of travelling. When we reviewed this laptop, we found the power of the M1 chip speeds up the time it takes to compile code – which will have a big impact on your workflow.
#Design and code which mac to get pro
While the 14-inch MacBook Pro (also on this list) is more powerful, the thinner and lighter (and more affordable) MacBook Air now comes with the same Apple-made M1 chip as the the Pro, which means it's no slouch when it comes to programming.īest of all, the new MacBook Air is the same price as the previous model, so you're getting a noticeable boost in performance and battery life for no extra money! To find out more about why we gave this laptop 5/5 stars, read our MacBook Pro 14-inch reviewĪfter a much-needed refresh, the MacBook Air (M1, 2020) brought a number of great updates that make it one of the best laptops for programming.

The smaller size doesn't mean it misses out on the new design elements Apple added to the 16-inch model, as it comes with the same amount of ports, including an SD card slot, an HDMI port, and three Thunderbolt 4 ports. So, if you want an incredibly powerful laptop for programming, but want something that's easily portable, then you can pick this laptop without sacrificing performance. It's powered by a choice of either the M1 Pro or M1 Max Apple chips, which are the same that come with the 16-inch model, and that means it offers a similar level of performance to the bigger laptop. So, the 14-inch MacBook Pro is a great choice for anyone who wants a powerful laptop for programming on that's also more easily portable. While some coders may find having a larger 16-inch or 17-inch screen on their laptop makes programming more comfortable, other people may find those laptops too big and bulky to easily carry around. Want to know more? Read our in-depth MacBook Pro 16-inch review. The improved keyboard is another massive boost to this laptop's coding ability, as it's the incredible battery life that will allow you to keep coding throughout the day without needing to plug it in. The large 16-inch screen is gorgeous, and makes looking at pages of code comfortable, and the ProMotion adaptive refresh rate means scrolling through code is smooth and responsive. We were incredibly impressed with how xCode performed on the MacBook Pro 16-inch, so if you're a developer who specialises in Mac or iOS apps, then this is a brilliant choice. Not only does the MacBook Pro 16-inch compile code quickly, it's powerful enough to run you code in test environments, including emulated devices that allow you to see how your game or program works on a variety of products.

Replacing the Intel-powered model from 2019, the MacBook Pro 16-inch (2021) comes with a choice of Apple's powerful M1 Pro or M1 Max chips, and these make short work of compiling and running even the most complex code. A 16:10 aspect ratio screen, which an increasing number of laptops now come with, can also make a difference, as it's taller than the standard widescreen aspect ratio of 16:9, which means you can see more of your code on screen without needing to scroll up and down.Īpple's large MacBook Pro 16-inch is the best laptop for programming money can buy right now. A large screen with a high resolution is also preferable, as it will mean working on the laptop will be more comfortable. So, what makes a good laptop for programming? They should have a modern processor and a decent amount of RAM, ideally 16GB. That means less waiting around, and more time taking on other projects.Ī powerful laptop can also help emulate various other devices, which is handy for testing how your app runs on smartphones and tablets, for example, and if you're a game developer, having a powerful laptop with a graphics card means you can test out your creation without having to swap machines. The more powerful the laptop, the faster it'll be at compiling and testing code, and this can drastically speed up your workflow. While you don't always need a powerful laptop for coding on, investing in a laptop with cutting-edge components can still be very beneficial. These days, many of us are splitting our work lives between the office and home, and that means laptops have become more essential than ever before, allowing you to easily work pretty much anywhere.
