Mobile Developer Laptops
Mobile app development is another category in frontend software development. Laptops for mobile app development require high specs similar to gaming laptops. So you can consider buying gaming laptops for mobile app development.
In app development, developers run mobile emulators. So, they need lots of RAM, storage and processor power. Let us discuss different aspects to consider while buying a laptop for mobile app development.
Display - Full HD display is recommended. If you are getting a good deal with amazing specs but HD display, you can consider that laptop for mobile app development. Size of display is personal preference.
Processor - Processors Intel i5 11th gen or above, Intel i7 10th Gen or above are recommended. For AMD, go for AMD Ryzen 5 or above gen processors. Check CPU benchmarks to get an idea of the processor power.
RAM - More RAM is recommended. 16GB of RAM is minimum but go for 24GB or 32GB of RAM if you can extend the budget. Emulators use a lot of RAM while running in Android Studio or XCode.
Storage - At least 512GB of SSD storage is recommended. Emulators and IDE's take most of the space. If you have many emulators downloaded, they will use many GB’s of storage.
Graphic Card - Graphic card is optional. Most of the emulators run on processor graphics but if you are developing graphic intensive apps, you should consider this option. Game development requires a graphic card, but normal mobile app development doesn't require it.
Above are a few points to note while buying a laptop for mobile app development. Keeping the above points in mind, I listed a few laptops which should be added to your laptop buying list.
The best laptop for mobile app development in 2024. A MacBook Pro laptop with an M3 chip is more than enough for developers. Going with a 32GB of RAM model is good but not needed.
People who want to develop apps for iOS devices, a MacBook is needed because XCode will not run on non-mac laptops.
Another MacBook option for mobile app development. Above model is 2023 model and this is 2021 model with M1 Pro chip, 16GB RAM and 512GB SSD. Even 3 years old(at the time of this post) the M1 Pro chip has more power than the M3 Chip.
CPU benchmarks of this laptop's AMD Ryzen 7 7730U processor are similar to the Apple’s M3 chip. One of the best slim laptops for mobile app development. Specs to consider are its 16 Inch Full HD touchscreen, 16GB of RAM and 512GB PCIe SSD.
A slim business laptop for mobile app development. AMD Ryzen 7 5800HS Processor, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD storage and AMD Radeon Graphics are the features to consider. If you travel alot and have to work on the go, consider this laptop.
One of the best laptops under $500 for mobile app development(at the time of writing this article). Features a 15.6 Inch Full HD display, AMD Ryzen 5 7530U processor, 16GB RAM and 512GB SSD storage. This model has other configuration options of 24GB RAM and 1TB SSD for under $550(at the time of this post).
Thin gaming laptop for app development. Features 15.6 Inch Full HD 144Hz display, Intel Core i5-13420H processor, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD storage, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 graphics and backlit keyboard. Basically gaming laptops are thick but this model is thin which can be the best option for developers who travel and work simultaneously.
Best value laptop for app development. Comes with 32GB of RAM, 8 core AMD Ryzen 7 5700U processor, 1TB SSD storage, 15.6 Inch Full HD display are the best specs to consider for its offered price.
6-Core AMD Ryzen 5 5500U processor, 16GB RAM, 512gb PCIe SSD and Full HD display. Other features to consider are Fast charge and up to 9.5 Hours of battery life.
Conclusion
Powerful processors, more RAM and more storage are required for better mobile app development experience. 16GB RAM and 512GB SSD storage are basic requirements to consider. iOS mobile app development requires an apple computer, so choose a macbook pro with at least 16GB of RAM.