Laptop for Web Development; Top Specifications to Watch Out For.

It is usually said that a bad workman blames his tools, as a web developer you should be serving quality projects to your clients just the way they like it. After reading this post, the next time you need to get yourself a work laptop, you have absolutely no reason not to get one that would produce the kind of result you need.

Getting a laptop for web development is quite different from buying a laptop for other purposes so you need to take note of certain specifications and carefully determine if it is a perfect fit or not. Here are a few specifications to watch out for and they are not arranged in any particular other.

Storage Drive (SSD over HHD)

With technological advancements, laptops are swiftly moving from traditional to modernized storage drives which are more efficient and durable. You might be stuck in between choosing a laptop with either a Solid State Drive (SSD) or Hard Disk Drive (HDD) storage as they both have their advantages and disadvantages. When buying a laptop for web development, we suggest that you go for one with SSD storage, although they cost more but are very valuable because they generate less heat, no noise, use less power, perform better and are generally more reliable.

Battery

This might not be something to worry about if you do not have issues with power supply. However, if you are in regions like Nigeria, a sustainable battery is a very important specification because in some cases you enjoy a constant supply of electricity at your work station but might need to work from another location that suffers in the area of uninterrupted power supply. Before buying a laptop, you should ask users of that specific product about the battery life and other relevant information about the laptop as you do not want to rely solely on what has been stated by the manufacturer; you could just be left in a fix. It is preferable to consider a laptop with a battery that lasts for a minimum of 4-5 hours.

Operating System

This is about the most important part of any computer, let’s call it the blood of the computer system. It manages the software, hardware, processes, memory of the computer and lets you communicate with the computer without having to understand its complexity. The 3 most popular operating systems are Windows, MacOS, and Linus; programmers use them based on what they find suitable for their activities. Furthermore, Windows is mostly used because of its affordability status compared to the other two.

Keyboard

For some developers, this might not pose a problem because you can easily get an external keyboard (wired or wireless keyboard), yet you could still save yourself the extra cost. As a web developer, you need a keyboard that you can effortlessly puncture and access all the keys within a close reach since it is expected that you will be generating and inputting a large volume of codes. If you will be working at night most times, it is preferable to get a keyboard with light features.

Portability

You don’t want a laptop that will be a challenge each time you need to work away from your work station. Your laptop is your most important tool as a developer so you must be able to move around with it. You also need one that is big enough to show long lines of codes with a high resolution for your designs. We think 13-14 inches laptops is the perfect fit for you, it is neither too big nor small. However, at your workstation you could have a much larger computer to make your work easy and help you visualise the details in each project you are working on.

RAM

When it comes to the Random Access Memory (RAM), a laptop for web development needs nothing short of 8GB as you will probably be running heavy applications at the same time and you do not want a super slow machine that keeps freezing when you need it to take action.

Your laptop is an investment and might be used for a considerably long period so when you get the opportunity to buy a laptop, ensure you get a durable one which will be both convenient to use and effectively get your work done; a hitch-free machine.