In this day and age we live in, we're more connected than we've ever been as human species. If you think about it, just 60-70 years ago, the world was a very different place. As some of my elders have called it, the 'good ol' days', where things were simple. Realistically, sure, it was 'simpler', because everyday life now is pretty complex if you think about it. With the advent of technology's rapid evolution from flip phones to basically super computers in your pocket, from huge PC setups to a super sleek laptop capable of 10x the performance. It's safe to say we're pretty cozy at the moment.
But with the complexities of everyday life both online and offline, we're met with huge amounts of individualized data accessible somewhere. Tracking user data, understanding demographics and sorting through massive data sets to fully understand the end consumer can make or break businesses, governments, and organizations. And who do we call to help manage all this data? Well with the help of data scientists of course. Data scientists take advantage of scientific methodology with a combination of algorithms and machine learning to gain knowledge and insights.
With this understanding of data science, scientists can make sense of these data sets using techniques from mathematics, computer science, statistics and information science. You've probably heard terms like 'big data', 'data mining' and 'machine learning' quite often these days. Well, that's what data scientists deal with. It's a broad generalization, but you get what I mean.
Well, if you were reading this, I'd hope you had some interest in pursing a career as a data scientist, handling data analysis for big businesses and organizations. With that being said, we're going to be highlighting some of the very best laptops for data science to get you well equipped to handle the largest data sets around. But before we get to that, we're going to have to take a moment to better understand what kind of specs you're going to need for data analysis and data science.
Minimum System Requirements
These above specs are going to be the standard in our search for the best laptop for data science. The specs are flexible depending on the overall feature set and price, but for the most part, we'll be sticking to having at least these specs or better. Before we get into the nitty and gritty of the specifics of the laptop, we're going to have to figure out the right operating system most suited for you.
Operating System
This is a question that has many polarizing answers depending on who you ask. Some are more comfortable with the familiar Windows 10 OS, while some may prefer Apple's macOS offerings. Either way, you're going to be well equipped to handle vast data sets as well as setting up machine learning and algorithms. Windows 10 will most probably be the choice for many a data scientist due to its familiarity, versatility, and consistent security updates.
Windows has never looked better than it does with Windows 10 with the updated visuals and UI, while retaining the functionality most users are accustomed to with Windows. But there are users these days that grew up solely with the Apple laptop lineup and macOS, and for those users I'd wholly recommend finding an Apple laptop like the Apple MacBook Pro 15 or MacBook Air. macOS has a distinctive look, Apple-exclusive features and dependable security.
The OS the best laptop for data science will be equipped is just one part of the equation. You're going to want to pay attention to the more pertaining specs to fully optimize deep learning and data analysis on your laptop. For that, we're going to highlight some of the biggest indicators of performance when it comes to data analysis.
Display
First up, we're going to be talking about the display and resolution the best laptops for data science should have. While it isn't 'essential' for the daily processes of data science, it sure does make a difference to you. We're going to recommended finding at least a HD display with a resolution of 1280 x 720. There aren't that many around, but this is to familiarize you with what specs to look for. Check out the below stated recommended system requirements to get a better understanding of what exactly to look for.
Processor
Next up is going to be a very important spec for any laptop; the processor. The processor handles basically every task you could imagine on your laptop. From managing daily applications, web browsers, watching videos, using image editing programs to handling big spreadsheets, data sets, program loading, etc. Since it's so important, and being a data scientist isn't exactly a cake walk, you're going to want to invest a little extra in the processor department.
What this means is older, lower-powered dual-core processors are out of the question. A dual-core processor is sufficient for everyday tasks like web browsing, streaming videos, etc., but really, you're going to want a quad-core or more. With that in mind, we're going to recommend a Intel Core i5 base spec, no older than the 8th Generation lineup. This would equate to something like the 9th Gen Intel Core i5-9300H.
RAM/ Storage
The processor isn't the only indicator of performance however. Two other important supporting specs are going to be the RAM and storage capacities the laptop has. for data scientists dealing with deep learning and data analytics, you're going to want to find a proper RAM/storage setup. That being said, we're going to recommend finding at least a 8GB RAM capacity to handle all your big data and data science needs. In reality, 8GB RAM isn't that much RAM to work with. If you were just getting into data science and learning it, it should be more than sufficient. Otherwise, opt for higher capacities of RAM like 16 GB RAM or 32GB RAM capacities.
For the storage, you're going to want to keep in mind how much you're actually going to need. If you were the type to mostly deal with your data on cloud-based platforms, this shouldn't bee too much of a problem. But if you wanted to keep things local, we're going to recommend finding at least a 256GB SSD to manage your files, data sets, and more. A 256GB SSD is pretty much the standard when it comes to storage capacities, and honestly, over time, you're probably going to need some extra storage. But for now, it should serve well as a base in our search for the best laptop for data science.
That's pretty much most of the specs you're going to need to keep in mind during your search. But if you wanted to take things up a notch, checkout the recommended system requirements to see what an optimized data scientist laptop looks like.
Recommended System Requirements
Now we know what to look for as a base spec sheet, let's go through what we'd recommend to get the best performance out of your dat science laptop. Mainly, we're going to try to optimize the computing power to be as efficient as possible for the power hungry programs and languages that data scientists deal with on a daily.
Display
First up, we're going to be talking about the display resolution and size for data analysis. Our recommendation is going to be the industry standard, a Full HD display with a 1920 x 1080 resolution. This should be the display the best laptops for data analysis will have due to the popularity and availability of the display panel. With a Full HD display, you're going to get a clear, vibrant, sharp image on your laptop screen no matter what you're doing. Be it when you're using Python programming language, Excel spreadsheets, or even just general browsing on social media.
In regards to the screen size, this is a more flexible spec as it's dependent on what your preferences are. Do you want a beastly, towering gaming laptop display best to handle your data scientist tasks, or would you prefer a smaller, more portable 13 / 14-inch display to bring around daily. It's basically up to you but I'd advise against getting any smaller than a 13-inch display solely as these laptops tend to remove too much to accommodate a smaller form factor.
Processor
Again, the processor is basically the most important determiner of any laptop's performance capability. With that in mind, we're going to recommend you find a laptop with a Intel Core i7 processor from at least the 8th Generation lineup. This is because over time, your processor is going to work harder and harder as you get into more complex algorithms, processes, and bigger data sets. It's best to future proof your laptop for data scientists solely as it make your purchase more worthwhile. A Core i7 processor will also help to negate any unwanted crashes, freezes, and lag.
For those with a tighter budget, I'd recommend finding a laptop with a 10th Gen Intel Core i5 processor as these are relatively affordable, while giving you great computing power for the money. Otherwise though, try to stick to the Intel Core i7 lineup for optimal performance.
RAM/ Storage
The RAM and storage are important parts of a laptop because it's performance directly affects the end user. You'll find that for data scientists, RAM is one of the biggest bottle necks which means it wouldn't hurt to invest in a little extra to get you that piece of mind. You're going to need a good capacity, and as such we're going to recommend you find a laptop with a 16 GB RAM capacity. While this is a relatively high RAM variant, if you can afford it, getting more than 16 GB will ensure you are not interrupted as you're managing big data sets, and will also help with multitasking and load times/ start up times.
For the storage, you're going to want to find at least a 512GB SSD to make sure you don't run out of storage space. A 512GB SSD should be considered the standard as you're going to eventually need that extra bit of storage. Not only will your files from your work as a data scientist take up space, but you'll also need it to store any personal files, pictures, videos, games, etc. It's never a bad thing to have a little extra storage space on your hard drive. You'll be glad you did after a couple of years, that's for sure.
GPU
Now normally, you wouldn't need a powerful GPU to handle data science software, but for those looking to use the laptop for parallel computing, you're going to need that extra GPU firepower. There are plentiful of applications for parallel computing like climate and weather readings, astrophysics simulations, crypto currencies, etc. If not though, you can opt out of finding a powerful GPU and you could settle with any number of integrated graphic units like the Intel UHD graphics, AMD Radeon Pro, Intel Iris Plus graphics, etc.
But if you knew for a fact you're going to need a GPU, consider investing in a powerful discrete GPU like an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060, etc. For a more budget friendly option, you're met with a bunch of great mid-range GPUs like the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti or NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650.
Other Features To Look For
Battery Life
The first feature that greatly impacts your daily usage patterns is going to be the battery life. Not only is a long battery useful for those hours long coding sessions, but it will also get you running data analysis more portably.
While data science is most probably done best at a workstation, at the very least you have the option to code on the road. Besides that, having a long lasting battery will also be beneficial for you in terms of not needing to charge back up as often.
This small perk, while it might seem inconsequential, truly does give users that peace of mind you just can't get otherwise. It's the small things that count, you know?
Extra Accessories
By extra accessories, I mean basically anything else you could need for data science. This could be varied, depending on the user and depending on their workstyle and preferences. Some accessories that you should consider would include things like a Bluetooth mouse, keyboard, external SSD, etc. I would recommend finding an external SSD to basically anybody since it's just a great gadget to have.
There are a number of great peripherals at affordable prices which is bound to make your overall experience that much easier. Not to mention those who are in the data science field will more than likely need to connect to multiple displays at a time, which is much easier to do with an external mouse and keyboard. Having a few display adaptors like HDMI, Thunderbolt USB-C DisplayPort should be pretty useful too.
Gaming Laptop For Data Science?
You know what, I'm gonna say it, a gaming laptop is a great option for those looking for a laptop for data science. While yes, some users may not be able to take advantage of GPU like from the NVIDIA GeForce GTX or AMD Radeon Pro lineup, the rest of the specs on a gaming laptop will more than likely be pretty powerful.
With the abundance of gaming laptop brands right now, you're bound to find some affordable, powerful machines that'll serve well for data science. These laptops come with a great setup including an up to date, powerful Intel Core i7 processor (most cases), a great GPU, and substantial RAM and storage capacities.
Plus, if you were the type of data scientist to be into gaming too, it's a no brainer. Consider it for your search if you were looking for a pretty affordable all-round performer.
Now that we've gone through most of the things to look for in the best laptops for data science, let's get into the search to find the right high-end laptop for you!
Best Laptops For Data Science
1. Apple MacBook Pro 13
Our first laptop we're featuring on the list is the laptop of choice for many coders and scientists, the Apple MacBook Pro. This variant of the MacBook Pro 13 is undoubtedly a high-end model with an accompanying high price but is worth the money for a laptop that'll last. First thing you'll notice about the MacBook Pro is the 13.3-inch Retina display which has some great on-board display tech to create a better viewing experience. Some of these features include True Tone technology to match the color balance to your surroundings, a P3 wide color gamut and 500 nits of brightness.
The MacBook Pro continues it's impressive spec sheet with the internals. The Apple MacBook Pro features a 10th Gen Intel Core i5 processor, 16GB RAM and a sizable 512GB solid state drive. For the graphical performance, the MacBook Pro relies on an Intel Iris Plus graphics GPU which should be pretty capable for some light gaming and design work. This a great option for those in data science due to it's versatility and performance, along with Apple's ecosystem of software and hardware.
The MacBook Pro also comes with a few more great Apple-centric features to sweeten deal. Some of these features include a scissor backlit keyboard, Touch ID, Touch Bar, 4x USB Type-C Thunderbolt 3 ports, and up to 10 hours of battery life.
2. Dell XPS 15
The next laptop on the list is going to be another great high-end laptop with an admirable spec sheet and design language. None other than the Dell XPS 15, this laptop has a lot to offer users with speedy performance and a distinct look. First off, you're going to notice the sleek, minimal design language throughout the laptop chassis with the carbon fiber palm rest contrasted by the silver color scheme. Another great feature on the Dell XPS 15 has got to be the 15.6-inch Full HD+ InfinityEdge display which they claim is a 5% larger screen in a 5.6% smaller body. Either way, the display on the Dell XPS 15 is surely a looker.
But this laptop isn't all looks and no function as the accompanying specs are equally as impressive as the aesthetic. Starting things off, the laptop comes with a 10th Generation Intel Core i7-10750H processor, 16GB DDR4 RAM and a standard 512GB SSD storage capacity. A pretty great setup considering you get an Intel Core i7 processor, plentiful RAM and SSD storage + a great design. But of course, for all of these features you can expect a pretty hefty price tag. The laptop also comes with an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Ti for its graphical performance, making for an ideal companion for the 'gamer' data analyst.
A few great extras the laptop comes with includes DisplayHDR400 & Dolby Vision support, backlit keyboard, Windows 10 Home, quad-speaker setup, and up to 12 hours of battery life. This is definitely one of the best laptops we've featured so far thanks to the impressive internals and stunning good looks. The only caveat really is that high, high price point.
3. MacBook Air
Another great high-end Apple laptop, the Apple MacBook Air comes packed with a great array of specs and features for less than the pricier MacBook Pro lineup. The laptop of choice for many university students and working professionals, the MacBook Air is well suited for heavy use and is super portable. This laptop weighs in at just 2.8lbs, making it one of the lightest laptops on the list. On the display, the MacBook Air features a 13.3-inch Retina display which has a 2560 x 1600 native resolution. The MacBook Air also features a P3 wide color gamut, 500 nits of brightness and True Tone technology.
Under the hood, the MacBook Air has some pretty heavy hitting specs for its size. The laptop comes with Apple's latest attempt at a processor, the Apple M1 Chip, 8 gigs of RAM and 256GB SSD storage. A pretty great setup to take on some huge data sets comfortably with a great spec sheet. You definitely could use a little more than 8 RAM, but for newcomers to the data science field shouldn't have too many problems with this machine.
The MacBook Air has some other great on-board features that makes it standard. Some of these features include Touch ID, Wi-Fi 6 support, macOS 11 Big Sir, backlit keyboard, 2x USB Type-C Thunderbolt ports, and up to 18 hours of battery life.
4. Lenovo ThinkPad P15s
The next laptop on our list takes a different approach to their spec sheet thanks to its genre of laptops, workstation laptops. Workstation laptops are typically used for intensive design software like AutoCAD, SketchUp, etc. but translates well for data science users thanks to the impressive internals. This laptop is the Lenovo ThinkPad P15s which at a first glance, you can tell this is a laptop built for the working professional. The Lenovo ThinkPad P15s features an industrial, black look with with defined squared edges. On the display, the laptop comes with a 15.6-inch Full HD LED backlit display which isn't too much to write home about, but gets the job done.
Where the laptop truly starts to shine is with its stellar internals spec sheet. The most important spec, the processor, is a 10th Gen Intel Core i7-10510U which has a base frequency of 1.8GHz, and scales up to a max of 4.9GHz. The Core i7 processor is supported by a staggering 40 gigs of memory and a sizable 1TB solid state drive. In terms of raw performance, the Lenovo ThinkPad P15s has to range up there as one of the very best on this list. If you were keen on Lenovo's hardware but were put off by the price, you should check out the Lenovo IdeaPad laptop lineup. What the Lenovo IdeaPad lacks in the flashy bells and whistles of a premium laptop, it makes up for dependable internals at a steep discount. Just a recommendation.
The laptop comes packed with a few more great features including a fingerprint reader, backlit keyboard, weighs 3.86lbs, Windows 10 Pro and up to 8 hours of battery power. All in all, the ThinkPad P15s truly is for the 'serious' worker, so if you wanted a properly decked out laptop fit to handle all data science needs, this should be it.
5. Acer Aspire Laptop
The next entry to the list takes things a bit differently, bringing stellar specs to the table with a great price tag that makes this a top contender as the best value for money laptop for data scientists. Take a look at the spec sheet and the price, and you'll get what I mean. To start things off, the Acer Aspire laptop comes with a 15.6-inch FHD anti-glare display with up to 220 nits brightness. Other than the slim bezels on the display, the Acer Aspire has a simple black and silver color scheme which lends itself towards the 'minimalist' aesthetic. Not a bad thing, but might be too simple for some users.
Under the hood is where the laptop really starts to impress. The first spec you'll notice is going to be the AMD Ryzen 5-3500U processor which has a 2.10GHz base frequency, which has a max clock speed of 3.70GHz. Not the best but still a pretty capable processor all things considered. But the laptop also comes with great supporting specs consisting of a 16GB memory capacity and a generous 1TB SSD storage space. The laptop also comes with AMD Radeon Vega 8 integrated graphics which should be more than capable of some light gaming and handling design software.
The laptop has a few more features that make it stand out including Windows 10 Home, a full array of ports including: 1 x USB-A 3.1 (Gen 1), 2x USB 2.0, 1 x HDMI, Wi-Fi 5, a wireless mouse and mousepad included, and up to 12 hours of battery life. The Acer Aspire has a lot to offer those on a tighter budget with a great spec sheet and overall value for money package. If you want one of the best spec sheets with an affordable price tag, this is the right laptop for you.
Conclusion
And that's it folks, those are all of the very best laptops for data science money can buy. But after going through all this, we're going to have to pick just one as the best of the best.
This time around, our winner has got to be the Acer Aspire!
The Acer Aspire does a lot of things right, and while it may be lacking in terms of pizzazz, it makes up for with dependable performance and a jaw-droppingly low price. There's a lot to love about this laptop but that price tag makes things so much sweeter.
