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Interchangeably people misuse programming and coding, and it is understandable because they are almost the same. However, programming is more demanding and time-consuming than coding, and that’s why you need a laptop that handles programming well, even if it’s on a budget. Without further ado, we introduce you to the best cheap laptop for programming, with our overall best being, the ✅ASUS VivoBook 15.
Best Cheap Laptop For Programming Comparison Table
Click the images to get any of the best cheap laptops for programming on Amazon.
| S/N | Product | Image | Specifications |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ASUS VivoBook 15 Thin and Light Laptop |   | CPU-Intel i3-1005G1 GPU-Intel UHD Graphics SCREEN SIZE/RESOLUTION-15.6 inches/1920*1080p RAM-8 GB DDR4 HARD DRIVE-128 GB Flash Memory Solid State WEIGHT-3.75 pounds |
| 2 | Acer Aspire 5 A515-46-R14K |   | CPU-AMD Ryzen 3 3350U GPU-AMD Integrated SCREEN SIZE/RESOLUTION-15.6 inches/1920*1080p RAM-4 GB DDR4 HARD DRIVE-128 GB SSD WEIGHT-3.96 pounds |
| 3 | Lenovo Chromebook S330 |   | CPU-MediaTek MTK8173C Processor GPU-Intel SCREEN SIZE/RESOLUTION-14 inches/1920*1080p RAM-4 GB LPDDR3 HARD DRIVE-64 GB Flash Memory Solid State WEIGHT-3.3 pounds |
| 4 | 2020 Newest Acer Aspire 5 Slim Laptop |   | CPU-AMD Ryzen 3 3200U GPU-AMD Radeon Vega 3 Mobile Graphics SCREEN SIZE/RESOLUTION-15.6 inches/1920*1080p RAM-8 GB DDR4 HARD DRIVE-256GB PCIe SSD WEIGHT-3.97 pounds |
| 5 | Lenovo - IdeaPad 3 |   | CPU-Intel Core i3-1005G1 GPU-Intel UHD Graphics SCREEN SIZE/RESOLUTION-15.6 inches/1920*1080p RAM-8 GB DDR4 HARD DRIVE-256 GB SSD WEIGHT-4.08 pounds |
| 6 | HP Chromebook 14 |   | CPU-Intel Celeron Processor N3350 GPU-Intel HD Graphics 500 SCREEN SIZE/RESOLUTION-14 inch/1920*1080p RAM-4 GB DDR4 HARD DRIVE-32 GB eMMC WEIGHT-3.58 pounds |
| 7 | New HP 15.6" HD |   | CPU-Intel Core i3-1005G1 GPU-Intel UHD Graphics SCREEN SIZE/RESOLUTION-15.6 inches/1920*1080p RAM-8 GB DDR4 HARD DRIVE-128GB SSD WEIGHT-4.4 pounds |
Best Cheap Laptop For Programming
Programming is a well-thought-out procedure that involves coding.
And in case you are more interested in coding, the best cheap laptop for coding should help.
However, let’s just run you through what coding is.
Coding is simply writing and translating codes from human to machine language using languages like Java and Python.
In other words, coding is making human languages understandable to a machine because machines can’t comprehend these human languages without an assist from a coder.
More so, coding is a smaller piece of the puzzle in a larger picture called programming.
Understandably, coding isn’t programming but a part of programming.
So what’s programming?.
Programming is an execution of software programs that also involves detecting errors in a code and fixing it.
It involves creating an application and making it run smoothly.
For instance, a programmer created this web interface you are reading this article off.
You can also call them software developers.
They create the web page and online text you use to interact with your device.
However, don’t confuse them with web developers that create applications on your mobile or devices to make interacting with a website page easier with more favorable options.
An example would be your Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook app.
Regardless, both aspects involve programming, and they take time to learn.
So, in a nutshell, programming deals with analyses, generating, profiling, and algorithms.
Why Buy A Cheap Laptop For Programming
Obviously, off the top of your head, when the question above posed in front of you, the answer would be saving money, buying less, and getting more.
However, there are many more benefits in addition to saving money and getting more value for less.
LIMITLESS CREATIVITY AT AN AFFORDABLE PRICE
Ideally, the knowledge of programming grants you access to create the way you want.
However, it also gives you the best of both worlds, in terms of art and science.
Before creating software, you have already imagined what the user’s interface would look like, which is art in itself, while the translation of human languages, analysis of algorithms, and more is science.
Also, the canvas or experimental platform is your affordable laptop at your disposal.
Consequentially, this gives you the room to create, fail, learn, broaden your skillset or practice, and it all comes at a cheap rate.
REMOTE JOB
The beauty of working from anywhere and anytime is yet to be rivaled by any working condition, and becoming a programmer can offer this reality.
Additionally, programming affords you the ability to become a problem solver at the comfort of your home or anywhere of your choice.
More so, programmers are sought-after and well-paid professionals.
SPECS FOR A CHEAP LAPTOP FOR PROGRAMMING
RAM
As usual, most operations on a laptop would require at least 8 GB of RAM.
In the same light, programming is no different.
However, this is a minimum requirement.
Ideally, a 16 GB would work best with programming.
However, buying on a budget means you will have to settle with an 8 GB.
That would lead us to the CPU.
CPU
To execute a software program, you need a lot of speed from your processor, and it would be best to go with an Intel i7 or i8 with a 9th or 8th generation.
However, on a budget-friendly or cheap laptop for programming, you’ll find an Intel i5 or i3 CPU, which is equally not bad, either.
SCREEN SIZE/RESOLUTION
Contrary to what you might know programming, works better with resolutions in full HD.
WHY?.
Programming demands a lot of focus on the screen.
That means the programmer will need clear visuals to work effectively, and you can find this in a full HD or 4k resolution screen.
Most cheap laptops for programming would come with full HD, while 4k would next to impossible to come by.
GPU
Specifically, graphics is down to the programmer involved, depending on if the programmer is developing gaming software or a website.
The laptop would require a standard graphics card capable of handling and testing your program for gaming software.
Likewise, a website would require a graphics processor that can handle minimal graphics use.
SOME WORDS FOR YOU
Finally, all the required specs for programming, are in the end, determined by the programmer.
However, since we are talking cheap, then that is a limitation.
Regardless you can find a laptop that sorts your programming needs on a budget.
Top Favorites for the Best Cheap Laptop for Programming
1. ASUS VivoBook 15 Thin and Light Laptop Best Cheap Laptop For Programming
Affordable, thin, and light are a couple of adjectives to describe Asus Vivobook.
However, there’s a lot more this aesthetic laptop can offer.
DISPLAY
Firstly, it starts by offering you a platform to hold your meetings from anywhere in the world.
The laptop does this by having a webcam at the top.
Plus, the tiniest of details wouldn’t pass you by as visuals come in full HD.
Furthermore, it provides enough room to see more with a standing display screen of 15.6 inches.
Preferentially you can always work in the dark with backlit features available for low light situations.
Also, it comes with a buttonless touchpad and a numeric number pad.
OTHER FEATURES
Inclusive, the keyboard has an impressive 1.4 mm key-travel distance, and the touchpad brings security to you using the fingerprint sensor available.
Then the design features a frameless four-way Nano Edge display.
Plus, the laptop has an 88% screen-to-body ratio.
PROCESSOR/STORAGE
Again it’s time to program your best work on budget using the Latest 10th Gen Intel Core i3-1005G1, which has a clock speed of 3.4 GHz.
Likewise, it features Intel UHD Graphics.
It has a 128 GB Flash Memory Solid State for the hard drive and an 8 GB DDR4 RAM.
WEIGHT/STORAGE
It weighs 3.75 pounds.
Lastly, it has USB 3.2 Type-C, USB 3.2 Type-A, USB 2.0, and HDMI; Gigabit Wi-Fi 5 available.
WHO SHOULD GET THIS?
It is for a programmer who would do a lot of web design.
PROS
- Fingerprint sensor.
- Backlit features.
- Lightweight.
CONS
- Subpar viewing angles.
OUR WORD
It’s arguably the best budget laptop you can buy.
Buy it now on Amazon via the image link above.
2. Acer Aspire 5 A515-46-R14K
Although the laptop doesn’t use a frameless four-way design, it offers clear viewing and is covered in a silver chassis.
DISPLAY
Like our previous laptop, this one can also keep you connected to the world via a webcam at the top.
Also, if it’s all about details for you, you won’t be let down by this laptop as visuals come in full HD.
Plus, the visuals project on a 15.6-inch display screen.
Also, working in the dark wouldn’t be much of a hassle with its backlit features available.
In addition to that, it has a buttonless touchpad and a number pad.
OTHER FEATURES
Inclusive with the touchpad is a fingerprint reader and a display with an 82.58% screen-to-body ratio.
It also has an aspect ratio of 16.9, and Alexa is also available to help you navigate through this laptop.
PROCESSOR/STORAGE
Furthermore, the laptop offers a powerful CPU by AMD Ryzen 3 3350U that delivers at a clock speed of 3.5 GHz.
On the other hand, the graphics are by AMD Integrated.
Even more, the storage is packed with 128 GB SSD for the hard drive and a RAM of 4 GB DDR4.
WEIGHT/CONNECTIVITY
It weighs 3.96 pounds.
Plus, it offers 3-USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 ports.
WHO SHOULD GET THIS
If you use CSS a lot, this laptop can help you see all the colors better with its color accuracy.
PROS
- There’s an additional slot for SSD.
- Also, the Ryzen chip is overclockable if you want to.
- The screen is very sharp, and it has high contrast.
CONS
- Not enough RAM space.
OUR WORD
You can get this and solve all code errors using CSS.
Buy it now on Amazon via the image link above.
3. Lenovo Chromebook S330 Best Cheap Laptop For Programming
The Lenovo Chromebook is probably the cheapest laptop on this list.
More so, it has a long-lasting battery.
Thereby giving you enough time to complete essential tasks.
DISPLAY
It combines visuals and sound using the webcam at the top and 2W speakers in a collaborative effort to bring you quality sounds and visuals.
However, it doesn’t stop there.
You can see it all clearly as it offers visuals for the display screen at full HD resolution, and the screen size stands at 14 inches.
More so, it offers a standard keyboard with a buttonless touchpad.
OTHER FEATURES
Also, it offers built-in virus protection.
PROCESSOR/STORAGE
The processor is by MediaTek MTK8173C Processor with a clock speed of up to 2.1 GHz, and the graphics are by Intel.
More so, it combines flash storage at 64 GB Flash Memory Solid State for the hard drive and 4 GB LPDDR3 for the RA.
WEIGHT/CONNECTIVITY
It weighs 3.3 pounds.
Plus, it features a USB 3.0 port and one HDMI port for wired connections.
WHO SHOULD GET THIS?
If you are on a tight budget and need a programming laptop, this should suffice.
PROS
- Strong battery life.
- Easy to use.
- USB-C can charge in both directions.
CONS
- The camera and sound quality could be better.
- Limited connectivity ports.
OUR WORD
It is affordable and offers a strong battery life.
Buy it now on Amazon via the image link above.
4. 2020 Newest Acer Aspire 5 Slim Laptop
Pleasing on the eyes and slim, the Acer Aspire 5 is in a class of its own.
DISPLAY
It can cater to your video chat needs via its HD webcam at the top.
More so, it focuses on giving impressive visual quality fit for a programmer in full HD and offering wide angles with its IPS panel available.
Then it goes to back the visuals with display screen fit for full HD standing a 15.6 inches.
But that’s not all.
It offers backlit features and a buttonless touchpad plus a numeric keypad.
OTHER FEATURES
Its processor features True machine intelligence that learns and adapts to your everyday life.
It also comes with Ghost Manta accessories consisting of a USB extension cord and a mouse pad.
PROCESSOR/STORAGE
It has an AMD Ryzen 3 3200U CPU with a clock speed of up to 3.5 GHz.
Meanwhile, the graphics are powered by AMD Radeon Vega 3 Mobile Graphics.
Then, it combines 256GB PCIe SSD for the hard drive and 8 GB DDR4 for RAM.
WEIGHT/CONNECTIVITY
It weighs 3.97 pounds.
Also, it offers a USB 3.1 Gen 1 Port, 2 – USB 2.0 Ports, HDMI Port with HDCP support.
WHO SHOULD GET THIS?
A graphics card of this nature could allow you to code gaming software and test them.
PROS
- Upgradable SSD.
- Fast boot-up.
- The screen quality is excellent.
CONS
- The sound is low.
OUR WORD
You can use this to test run some of your gaming software.
Buy it now on Amazon via the image link above.
5. Lenovo – IdeaPad 3 Best Cheap Laptop For Programming
Lenovo comes in again on our list.
So you know this would offer strong battery life.
DISPLAY
It offers visuals in full HD from its 15.6-inch display screen.
What’s more?.
It has a full island-style keyboard with a buttonless touchpad and a numeric keypad.
It also comes with a Webcam.
OTHER FEATURES
It comes with Dolby Audio Stereo speakers.
Hence, you can enjoy quality music while you work.
PROCESSOR/STORAGE
It has a 10th Generation Intel Core i3-1005G1 processor with up to 3.6 GHz.
Also, it features Intel UHD Graphics.
It has 256 GB SSD for the hard drive and 8 GB DDR4 for the RAM.
WEIGHT/CONNECTIVITY
Also, it weighs 4.08 pounds.
For connectivity, it has 2-USB 3.0, USB 2.0, HDMI, headphones.
WHO SHOULD GET THIS?
It’s best for anyone looking for a laptop with long-lasting battery life.
PROS
- Extremely fast boot up.
- Strong battery life.
- It has good browsing speed.
CONS
- The panel is not so impressive.
OUR WORD
Its graphics card can support a test run of gaming software.
Buy it now on Amazon via the image link above.
6. HP Chromebook 14
Beautiful in white and a lot more to offer for a very affordable price.
DISPLAY
First off, there’s a webcam at the top to keep you connected via video chat and full HD visuals to ensure you don’t miss any code.
Also, the visuals are on a 14-inch display screen.
Then, it has a standard keyboard with a buttonless touchpad.
OTHER FEATURES
Furthermore, it offers a 178 % viewing angle, and audio is by B&O (Bang and Olufsen).
PROCESSOR/STORAGE
The processor is an Intel Celeron Processor N3350 with a clock speed of up to 2.4 GHz.
Also, the graphics are by Intel HD Graphics 500.
Plus, the storage for the hard drive offers 32 GB eMMC, and the RAM is a 4 GB DDR4.
WEIGHT/CONNECTIVITY
It weighs 3.58 pounds, and it has 2-USB 2.0 ports for connectivity.
WHO SHOULD GET THIS?
It is a very affordable laptop, although not the cheapest on this list.
So if you prefer, this is all for grabs.
PROS
- Easy to use.
- Fast loading.
- Sturdy build.
CONS
- No numeric side buttons.
OUR WORD
It is affordable, and it is limited, so hurry now.
Buy it now on Amazon via the image link above.
7. New HP 15.6″ HD Best Cheap Laptop For Programming
To close the list, we have HP again.
However, this time in black color.
DISPLAY
It has an HP TrueVision HD webcam at the top.
Then it offers visuals in HD, but it still has a 15.6-inch display screen.
Also, it offers a keyboard and a buttonless touchpad with a numeric keypad.
OTHER FEATURES
It comes with a touchscreen interface and HD audio.
PROCESSOR/STORAGE
Its processor is by 10th Generation Intel Core i3-1005G1 with a clock speed of up to 3.4 GHz.
In addition to that, it has Intel UHD Graphics.
Then, it has 128GB SSD for the hard drive and 8 GB DDR4 for RAM.
WEIGHT/CONNECTIVITY
It weighs 4.4 pounds.
Furthermore, it has Bluetooth 4.2, 1 HDMI 1.4, 1 USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-C, 2 USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A ports for connectivity.
WHO SHOULD GET THIS?
If you don’t mind programming in HD, then this is for you.
PROS
- RAM is upgradable to 16 GB.
- Also, it has an internal disk drive.
- Lastly, it offers super-fast downloads.
CONS
- Loud Fan noise.
OUR WORD
Regardless of the visuals coming in HD, it is still a good laptop.
Buy it now on Amazon via the image link above.
Final Verdict For The Best Cheap Laptop For Programming
To wrap up, every laptop on this list is affordable.
However, cheap is a relative word.
Therefore, we covered different price ranges that can be considered affordable, including the ✅ASUS VivoBook 15.
So click the link above to get one that best suits your budget.
