Microsoft has put in significant efforts in improving its Surface laptop models. From the easily portable Surface Go to the versatile Surface Pro, Microsoft has enhanced these series and made them worth your money. There is also a wide variety of them you can choose from.
So, is the Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 good for programming? The Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 is an excellent option for programming. In fact, it has some of the most user-friendly features for programming. Besides, this laptop boasts some of the most powerful components and can handle almost everything you throw at it. Whether it is programming or gaming, this mini-beast will manage it effectively.
When considering a laptop for programming, it’s vital to make sure the laptop is capable of doing what’s expected and in this case, able to run the development tools that programmers use. Tools such as integrated development environments (IDE) provide the programmer with a workspace to write their code.
The Surface Laptop 3 is a good fit for programming. It will be more effective for you, especially if you are a full-stack JavaScript web developer who uses GitHub, Node.js, and VS Code. This laptop has excellent features that will run programs perfectly and smoothly. It boasts of a 10th generation full-keyboard with a battery life of over 13 hours.
The Surface Laptop 3 is also an excellent pick for programmers who aren’t trying to spend too much on a reliable machine. Furthermore, it has an amazing screen resolution that is high enough to run programming software. To learn more about this laptop, you should find out whether it is suitable for app programmers and students developers.
As much as the Surface Laptop 3 is good for programming, it could be challenging to use it for app development. App developers sometimes run their Android Studio with multiple emulators, a feature the Surface Laptop 3 could struggle with. It is important to note that the laptop in question isn’t a large device. As an app developer, you already know that it is very challenging to design large-scale apps in a limited space.
Furthermore, the emulators used in app development need more power than the standard JavaScript framework or HTML page. This is the main reason why the Surface Laptop 3 isn’t an excellent pick for app development. Similarly, if you are looking to do high resource usage work or handle a type of video editing, the Surface Laptop 3 could be a letdown.
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Instead, it would help if you went for a more powerful model like the Surface Laptop Go model with bigger RAM. Getting your hands on this sophisticated model could be costly because it retails at $899. Nonetheless, it is worth the money because it gives you a massive 8GB RAM with a drive of 256GB. It is also important to note that the CPU doesn’t change.
Moving on, the Surface Laptop 3 is perfect for student developers. App developers might experience challenges using this laptop, but student developers will find it quite effective. It is fast enough for minor development projects and will be helpful in various student projects. Its battery is stable since it can last for a long time, primarily when used for light duties like basic student programming.
Its software is designed to operate a single workplace, something that student developers commonly use. The Surface Laptop 3 is designed for average app development programs that don’t demand excessive storage and memory. It isn’t trying to be your sophisticated design tool or your ultra-modern gaming machine, but a reliable computer you can use for programming.
Its portability also makes it an excellent pick for student developers. It also has unique features like a full-sized keyboard, a touch screen display, a relatively strong CPU, and a fingerprint login. Its strong CPU can handle almost any kind of app it encounters. Therefore, if you are a student developer, you should consider getting the Surface Laptop 3 for your programming and app development.
Is the Surface Pro Good for Programming?
Compared to the Surface Laptop 3, the Surface Pro has a stronger CPU and bigger memory. It has excellent performance capabilities that can take on almost any task. These features make Surface Pro a good option for various purposes.
The Surface Pro laptop is excellent for programming as it has power processing capability and sufficient amounts of RAM memory. Easily allowing it to cope with the demands of programming software and seamlessly work on multiple tasks using it’s enhanced multi-tasking capabilities.
It is the ultimate programming laptop that could quickly edge out even the best laptops. Surface Pro, an updated version of the old Microsoft Surface, is a perfect programmer laptop with a better life and processing ability. It also has a different and more attractive look.
However, this machine doesn’t come with the Type Cover or the Surface Pen. If you want them, you will have to buy them separately. The main reasons why Surface Pro is suitable for programming are its design and performance.
For any programming laptop, performance is a significant factor to consider. Surface Pro has a 12.3-inch PixelSense display that could reach levels of 2730×1820 HD. It also has a 3:2 aspect ratio that is perfect for programming purposes. Thanks to its excellent performance, the Surface Pro can multitask and handle a wide range of other essential duties simultaneously.
You can play games, browse, and edit photos and videos using this programming beast. With 16GB of RAM and an 8th generation Core i7 processor, the Surface Pro handles every task smoothly and efficiently.
In fact, it is one of the best laptops when it comes to performance. It is equipped with the latest and improved Kaby Lake Refresh processors. This powerful feature gives Surface Pro an edge over other laptops with similar models.
Furthermore, it has an excellent battery life that can last for several hours. When fully charged, the battery will offer you 9 hours of coding without power interruption. This allows you to focus and work for longer. The Surface Pro laptop also has an exciting Windows Hello facial recognition feature.
This technology is highly accurate and fast every time you use it. To make it even more exciting, this beast comes directly from Microsoft, meaning it has no bloatware. This is refreshing for any programmer looking to get the best out of their laptops.
Another factor that makes Surface Pro good for programming is its design. In terms of structure, the Surface Pro is almost identical to its sibling. It has the same overall design, the same size, and the same number and position of slots. The only difference is that Surface Pro has a matte black finish.
Generally, this laptop is well-built and very attractive. It is so good that you would choose it only for its appearance! However, except that it is good-looking, it doesn’t add so much from the previous version. This is probably the only disappointing fact about this beauty. Therefore, if you have an older version of this series, you don’t have to get a new model because the difference is minimal.
Nonetheless, the Surface Pro remains one of the best programming laptops on the market. The fact that it does not have a USB-C port takes nothing from it. However, if you are looking for expansion and extra speed, you will have to get another Surface Dock accessory. On a positive note, the display of this laptop is slightly better than that of the older Microsoft Surface.
Its black color is more profound, with other colors being more immersive. This will guarantee you an excellent coding experience, especially for programmers that stare at their screens for long hours. You can get this laptop at an outlet near you at pocket-friendly prices.
What Should I Consider When Buying a Laptop for Programming?
The process of choosing a laptop for programming can be challenging. Many programmers get confused when researching the many available options. With the advancement in technology, many laptop models can be used for programming.
Some of the factors you should consider when buying a laptop for programming are mobility, processing power, display, storage type and capacity, and the keyboard. These factors play an essential role in the functioning of a laptop. Given that programming is a complex process that demands large memory, you should get a computer with these features.
Mobility is one of the most critical factors you should consider. Laptops come in a wide range of sizes and shapes. Therefore, you should know how portable your computer should be. When a laptop is portable, it can be easily carried from one point to another.
If you won’t be carrying the laptop around and intend to station it at a particular working area, you can consider getting a 15-inch laptop. Such laptops have more screen space and improved specs for multitasking. On the other hand, if you travel a lot or work in different locations, a 13-inch will be an ideal pick. These laptops are portable and have longer battery life.
Another essential factor you should consider is the processing power. Programming demands a powerful laptop that processes information quickly. It is important to note that the CPU plays an essential role in determining a laptop’s processing speed. Different processors have different specifications that define a laptop’s performance. Therefore, considering these specs is crucial in choosing a laptop with the best processing power.
Some of the most important specs to consider include the number of cores, cache size, thermal design power, and frequency. Generally, a good Intel Core i5 processor with a frequency of about 3GHz will work well. You can get a laptop with better specs if you intend to use it for more complex programming.
You should also consider the display capabilities of a laptop before buying one. The screen of a laptop is one of its most crucial features, especially for programmers. The process of developing apps involves spending long hours in front of the screen. A good screen makes it easy to pay attention even to the smallest of details.
Mostly, laptops have a 1366 × 768 display, which is not good enough, to be honest. This level of display can’t sustain the demanding screen estate for multitasking. Furthermore, it will produce poor and sketchy texts, making them hard to read. This is why you should get a laptop with excellent displays capabilities.
It is also important to consider the storage type and capacity when buying a laptop for programming. When it comes to storage type, getting a solid-state drive should be your first priority. An SSD will give you more performance improvements over an average hard drive. With an SSD, every operation will be faster. Operations like compiling code, booting up the operating system, loading projects, and launching apps will be quicker.
The recommended size of an SSD is 256GB, which is typically the baseline. However, if you fancy a better version, you can get a 512GB or 1TB SSD. If you don’t want to spend a lot on an SSD, you can get a smaller one that’s cheaper. In cheaper SSDs, the OS lives alongside your applications. Documents like project files will frequently access it. This gives you the freedom to rest your remaining files in a large external hard drive.
When it comes to programming, the keyboard is very important. You can compromise on your keyboard quality since you use it to key in various codes throughout the day. It is recommended that you go for laptops with a relatively compact keyboard layout. Before buying a laptop, you should try out its keyboard and test if it will work for you.
Make sure that the keyboard keys are easy to reach and comfortable to press on. If you intend to work in low-light conditions, you should get a back-lit keyboard. This will help you see the buttons clearly while you work on your codes.
Wrap Up
The Surface Laptop 3 is an excellent laptop for programming. It has incredible features that make the coding process more accessible and straightforward. However, you could experience some challenges when using it for app development. This is because the app development process demands certain features that the Surface Laptop 3 doesn’t have.
Similarly, the Surface Pro laptop is suitable for programming. This laptop has a faster processing speed that is necessary for programming. Furthermore, it has a quicker programming speed for easier processing. When buying a laptop for programming, there are several factors you should consider. Some of them include mobility, processing power, display, storage type and capacity, and the keyboard.
