Aside from academic endeavors, writing can be a way for anyone to have a creative outlet or it can be a means to earn a living. There are writers that still write using the traditional method of pen and paper. Then, there are writers that use the venerable typewriter but with the advent of computers, writers suddenly had a new medium to record their thoughts and ideas. A computer or a laptop does not make one into a better writer. After all, like the pen and paper, these are just tools used by the writer to get the job done.
What would be the best laptop for writers or bloggers?
When using a laptop, in terms of writing and editing, a writer will generally have the same capabilities of a full-sized desktop computer. This is because both can have the same type of software or writing application installed. Aside from the software, there are two main differences between the two. The first one is fairly obvious; a laptop can be carried, while the desktop cannot. The second is power supply, although this can be considered to be minor because both can be plugged in directly to a power outlet but the laptop operating life is limited when it is unplugged.
So, what would make the best laptop for a writer?
A suitable laptop for any writer to consider might be one that is lightweight, yet sturdy, for it to be easily carried around. Another consideration would be the keyboards, a wide keyboard that is comfortable for greater ease in typing and having a backlit keyboard lets the writer to write even in low lighted areas. Laptop for writers does not need a large screen or high definition screen. But the screen size can sometimes affect the keyboard size. It is a relatively simple matter to adjust the font size on screen to make the texts easier to read.
A laptop with a good processor combined with high-end RAM to get the most optimum performance is necessary. It must be capable of installing the programs required for writing. A laptop with a comfortable palm rest with a lot of room might be desirable, especially when writing for long periods. When operating on battery, laptops that can last through the day on a light workload without recharging would be best. Writers tend to let their machines run idle most of the time, with the occasional burst of activity as inspiration kicks in or as the deadline looms in the horizon.
A writer does not need any specialized software like the one used by graphic designers or video editors installed unless it is really required. Therefore, a laptop with a high performance graphics processor and video card is not necessary. Also, writers should look at laptops that have SSD. Most laptops use the hard disk drive (HDD), which has slow data transfer rates and is more likely to fail because it has moving parts. Solid state drives are more reliable, produce less heat, low power requirements, and transfers data much faster.
10 Best Laptops for Writers Reviews
Below are brief specifications, customer reviews of 10 laptops which have features that can be acceptable for laptop for writers.
1. HP Chromebook 14 Inch Laptop
The HP Chromebook 14 Inch Laptop is a lightweight laptop with a 14-inch (1366×768 pixels) LED-lit Screen. It has the NVIDIA Tegra K1 1 GHz Processor, a 2 GB DDR3L SDRAM, 16 GB Solid-State Drive (SSD), and uses the Chrome OS to provide a fast, secure Internet experience.
Pros
- Lightweight
- Long battery life, up to 8 hours
Cons
- Not compatible with all printers
- Cannot install standard MS Office software
2. ASUS ZenBook UX303UA 13.3-Inch FHD Touchscreen Laptop
The ASUS ZenBook UX303UA has 13.3 inches (1920 x 1080 resolution) IPS LED backlit display. It is powered by a 6th generation Intel Core i5 6200U, 8 GB DDR RAM, and 256 GB SSD Storage. This laptop has the Windows 10 OS preinstalled.
Pros
- fast performance
- Very light
- Long battery life (6-7 hours)
Cons
- Delete key is next to Power button
- Touchpad issues
- Weak or flimsy hinge
3. Apple MMGF2LL/A MacBook Air 13.3-Inch Laptop
Apple’s MacBook Air is an ultra-thin, lightweight laptop with 13.3-Inch (1440 x 900 resolution) LED-backlit Glossy Widescreen Display. It has a 1.6 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 that can be Turbo Boost up to 2.7 GHz. It has 4 GB LPDDR3 RAM, 128 GB DDR3 SDRAM, and the Intel HD Graphics 6000. It uses the Mac OS X
Pros
- Long battery life (up 12 hours)
- Very portable, convenient to carry around
Cons
- A bit pricey for its range
- Has limited connectivity without adapters
4. Acer Aspire One Cloudbook, 11-Inch HD
The Acer Aspire One Cloudbook has an 11.6-Inch HD Screen (1366 x 768 resolution). It has a 1.6 GHz Intel Celeron N3050 processor, 2 GB DDR3L SDRAM, 32 GB Internal Storage. The laptop has the Windows 10 OS preinstalled.
Pros
- Automatic cloud storage capability
- Long battery life (8 hours), Fast recharge
Cons
- Non-expandable RAM and internal storage
- Slow performance
- Cramped keyboard
5. ASUS K501UX 15.6-inch Laptop
The ASUS K501UX laptop has a 15-inch Matte FHD (1920 by 1080 resolution) display. It has the 2.5 GHz 6th generation Intel Core i7-6500U Processor, 8 GB RAM, 256GB SSD hard drive, and an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950M 2GB Graphics Card. It has the Windows 10 OS.
Pros
- Powerful
- Great battery life
- Slim, lightweight
- Backlit keyboard
Cons
- Annoying Touchpad
- Unnecessary software
Other best laptops for writers to consider checking out are found below, along with a few specifications to compare with.
6. Microsoft Surface Book
- 5-Inch PixelSense touchscreen display (3000 x 2000 resolution)
- 6 GHz Core M Family processor
- 16 GB LPDDR3 RAM
- 512 GB SDRAM
7. Dell Inspiron 11 3000 Series
- 6-Inch screen (1366 x 768 resolution)
- 16 GHz Celeron N2830 processor
- 4 GB DDR3 RAM
- 500 GB SATA SDRAM
8. Apple MacBook Pro
- 3″ LED-Backlit IPS Retina Display (2560 x 1600 Native Resolution)
- 7 GHz Intel Core i5 processor
- 8 GB LPDDR3 RAM
- 128 GB DDR3 SDRAM
9. Apple MacBook Air
- 6-Inch LED-backlit Glossy Widescreen Display (1366 x 768 resolution)
- 6 GHz Intel Core i5 processor
- 4 GB LPDDR3 RAM
- 128 DDR3 SDRAM
10. ASUS Transformer Book Chi
- 5-Inch Display (1920 x 1080 resolution)
- Core M-5Y10 processor
- 4 GB DDR3 RAM
- 128 GB FLASH MEMORY SOLID STATE
These are just some of the laptops best for writers. You can also do your research online and make your own list. You can also purchase any of these and try it yourself.