Desktop vs. Laptop - Which Is Better For Programming?

If I had to pick just one computer...

Which is better for programming, a desktop or a laptop? I’ve coded on both laptop and a desktop and I will say that my opinion now squarely sits with the…

LAPTOP!

Now, there is a particular reason why.

Laptops and desktops are both very powerful. It’s to the point where for for most programming tasks, you don’t gain much from having a top of the line machine.

So why would a laptop be more useful for me for coding?

The answer is simple. My laptop goes with me everywhere. That is a big deal.

A bigger deal than you might think. You see, any time inspiration strikes me, I can crack open my laptop and start coding. That happens often.

The best computer is the one you have with you!

Even an extra 15–30 minutes of coding on something interesting to me is more deliberate practice than most programmers do in a given day. So that advantage starts to pile up.

Oh, and this weird little portability thing has made me so much extra money that I could pay for ten laptops with the extra work it’s allowed.

For example, at various times I’ve had clients for contracting work paying thousands of dollars to work on mobile apps, websites, online stores, etc. Billing an extra chunk of time at a coffee shop, airport, or even sitting on my couch more than pays for the laptop.

The other thing that makes a laptop a winner for me is I still can hook up giant monitors, external mouse and keyboard, and pretty much whatever else I need to it. That makes the experience feel like a desktop when I’m working at my desk, and a laptop when I’m at a coffee shop or on the road.

So, I use a laptop and I love it. I haven’t had a proper desktop computer as a daily driver in years and outside of PC gaming, I don’t miss it.

-Brian