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Just like gamers or photographers, professional writers, bloggers, and journalists need specific functions from their laptops. And while it’s true we mostly spend our time bashing out documents on our keyboards and scouring the web, we’d like to do so in comfort with and with the finest model we can get our hands on, both at home and whilst travelling.
However, identifying your fit is an art, especially when you find yourself in a store being guided towards the most expensive models that are simply overkill in terms of what a writer needs. This buying guide and ranking will illuminate which specs to look for, whether you're on a budget of £300 or £500 or happy to invest more. And you won't have to brave the shops!
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Table of Contents
There are thousands of different models on the market today, as you may have already seen whilst scrolling, but knowing which features to identify as a writer will narrow this down somewhat. Here, we’ll look at the keyboard, screen size, battery life, performance and storage.
Let’s start at the logical first step, the keyboard. There are a couple of writer-specific features to consider here that not every general laptop article will highlight, so think about where, when, and how you type whilst weighing them up.
If you’re new to writing or just haven’t heard of the term, then let us introduce ‘travel distance’. This is going to majorly affect your ability to hit your top typing speeds, and there are two options to choose from – ‘high’ keys or ‘slim’ keys.
Whilst some people prefer the tactile feel of larger, high keys, they are becoming rarer and rarer due to manufacturers creating slimmer and thinner devices with every upgrade.
This is good new for writers, as due to their shorter distance to travel, slim are considered quicker, so they're a solid choice when it comes to powering through your word count before a looming deadline hits.
Being a writer is often about inspiration, the likes of which can hit you at any time, and in any place – which sometimes means in the dark, or when working late. While it would be possible to punch your words into the notes on your phone, we all know it’s not quite the same.
Therefore, we’d recommend looking for a keyboard with a backlight. This way, should a flurry of ideas come just as you lay your head (as it often does), you’ll be able to pick the laptop up and let 'em flow.
The size of the screen will also determine the size of the keyboard, and while a bigger keyboard is generally better, there will be a trade-off if portability is high on your requirements.
You’re probably thinking we'll discuss the specs of the screen here, but if you’re buying this thing to write, then we'd recommending focusing solely on the size.
We think a great size is to aim for is around 13 inches, however, an inch either side is still manageable. While 11 inch sizes mean better portability, their keyboards can feel cramped.
On the other end of the spectrum, laptops with screens of 15 inches and over are too heavy and bulky for those that want to get about, however, you could consider them if you plan to do a lot of your writing at home.
We’ll keep this short and sweet: the more the better. We'd advise going for a laptop with at least 10 hours of battery life, which should provide you enough for a day of writing and even a couple of cheeky episodes of Friends before bed.
If you’re looking for a Windows computer, we'd better mention that they're notorious for their lower battery life, simply because their operating systems consume a lot of power.
The most you’re likely to get from them is around 8-10 hours, although if you're willing to pay a little more, some of the more expensive models can top this.
We could get into CPU’s (central processing units), but it’s rather long-winded and not massively important for writers.
However, we will say this. Chromebooks and Apple laptops all run smoothly thanks to processors that easily run their operating systems, so you won't have to worry about the CPU if you purchase one of those models.
If you’re going for Windows, watch for Celeron or Pentium processors as they can struggle to load multiple programs whilst running their operating systems. In order to avoid those excruciating loading times on the web and your writing programme, look for Intel Core i5 or above coupled with a higher RAM, which we'll get into below.
Last but not least, storage. While you’ll find cheaper models that run 2 GB of RAM, these unfortunately won’t run the operating systems seamlessly – and that’s before you even open your word documents.
4 GB is an adequate benchmark if you’re running operating systems other than Windows, or if on Windows you stick to the essentials and refrain from a lot of multitasking.
However, Windows laptops with 4 GB could still be prone to sluggishness later on down the line, so if you're adamant on this operating system or would like a little more from a Chromebook or Apple, go for 8 GB instead. As an aside, anything more is considered overkill, and will be very costly.
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Price | Key features | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Apple Macbook Air | £999.00 High Mid | Probably the Best Laptop Keyboard Ever Created | ||
2 | Pixelbook Go | £829.00 High Mid | One of the Best Google Laptop Feature Just Became More Accessible | ||
3 | Asus Chromebook Flip|C434 | £565.46 Mid | A Laptop With an Excellent Quality to Price Ratio | ||
4 | Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 | £899.00 High Mid | For Those Who Want to Use Windows Without Any Trouble | ||
5 | Asus Chromebook|C223 | £199.00 Low | The Best Budget Option on the Market | ||
6 | Microsoft Surface Go | £609.98 Mid | A Tablet That Has the Power and Functionality of a Laptop | ||
7 | Acer Aspire 5|A515-54 | £599.99 Mid | A Mid-Range Laptop With a Keyboard to Keep You on the Right Track | ||
8 | HP Spectre x360 | £1,199.99 High | Powerful Performance and Portability From a 2-in-1 Hybrid | ||
9 | HP Stream|14-cm0042na | £295.95 Low Mid | An Economical Option With a Reliable Keyboard | ||
10 | Lenovo IdeaPad|S145 | £299.99 Low Mid | An Entry-Level Laptop That's Durable and Built for Everyday Tasks |
If it's good enough for J.K. Rowling and reams of other authors, then surely it's good enough for us! The MacBook Air provides the ultimate trilogy of essential features all packed into one: top-class keyboard, ultra-long battery life and extreme portability. What more could a writer want?
The CPU, RAM and operating system work flawlessly and will run smoothly for the best part of a decade, as long as you frequently update when required. This laptop really is the crème de la crème when it comes to laptops for writers, and for that reason, it takes our number 1 spot!
This product has an excellent 'hush' keyboard that which was only previously used on Google's more expensive Chromebooks. However, they've brought it down to this affordable range so the rest of us are allowed ultimate comfort for those long sessions bashing the keys into the night.
Additionally, the outstanding battery life of up to 12 hours is just unheard of for most electronic devices, and charging the battery for just 20 minutes means in another 2 hours use – ideal if you're a writer who likes to get about a lot. This is surely the best Chromebook option without breaking the £1,000 mark.
With a design that could easily see this laptop in Asus' higher Zenbook range, we can't think of another laptop that looks as chic in this price range. But fortunately, it's not all looks. The display is formidable, and although it's 14" you'd be hard-pressed to find a more compact laptop at this size.
Built for day-to-day convenience, it specialises in web browsing and word processing, which to us sounds like it's absolutely built with writers in mind. Furthermore, it has a respectable battery life and fingerprint recognition so you know your files will be safe.
Sleek, stylish and lightweight, this is a fantastic piece of kit produced by Windows. It guarantees great speed, powerful performance and complete typing comfort when sitting down and waxing lyrical on this baby.
Additionally, the great battery life should see you through those sessions when you've really entered the flow state and time is just flying by. Plus, working on a laptop created by the same people that also designed the operating system is always going to have its advantages!
The cheapest in the article, this laptop is compact, lightweight and gives you the capability to work on your great British novel for a whopping 10 hours at a time, something no other in this price bracket does. Plus, it has a full-size keyboard with a tiny travel distance of 1.5 mm so you'll reach your top typing speed quick-sharp.
Its CPU and RAM aren't the best out there, but they're more than enough to ensure that this laptop runs smoothly while you're running a Chrome OS operating system. Also, it charges using a USB-C port, so it will get a full tank pretty rapidly, with some reviewers even claiming it can be done in an hour!
Like the HP Spectre, this product can be either a laptop or tablet. Unlike the HP, though, this is a tablet that turns into a laptop, instead of the other way around. While this may put some people off, that shouldn't be the case. It runs on a full Windows operating system, so has just as much power as the 'real' thing.
It is, however, slightly smaller than what may be considered ideal, which could lead to a crowded keyboard, particularly if you have larger hands. Also, battery life is a little shorter than we would like, but considering its size and capabilities, it is quite impressive.
This Acer Aspire is an excellent middle-of-the-way laptop for writers. Firstly it has a chiclet keyboard, which gives the keys slightly more space between each other and therefore lowers the chances of the user hitting the wrong keys.
Again, this laptop is on the larger side so would fare best if you're using it in a home office, as it'd probably take up most of the table in Starbucks sadly. Also, be wary of the 4 GB RAM and Windows 10 combination, it can work, you just have to be conscious of not asking too much from the device.
This 2-in-1 laptop allows you to switch between laptop and tablet seamlessly due to the cutting-edge design. It has 8 GB of RAM and an impressive Intel Core i5 processor that'll easily move the Windows 10 operating system along smoothly – regardless of how many programs or windows you have open.
You'll also get a respectable 13 hours of battery life and even a bonus sleeve and stylus, just in case you fancy taking real notes on the tablet once in a while. There's a lot to love about this laptop, more than we could ever fit into this section. If you have the money we're sure you'll be more than happy.
This lightweight HP Stream is another brilliant laptop for those looking to keep the cost down. Reviewers note how solid the keyboard feels, with no problems when typing fast. Pair this with enough performance for basic productivity and you've no excuse to not get that article, essay, or novel finished on time.
Additionally, this system also comes with a 1-year free subscription to Office 365 (Microsoft Word, Excel etc.) and 1 TB cloud storage, both handy additions to anyone working from their computer. We're a bit disappointed in the fact that keyboard is missing backlighting though, which could limit your times of use.
Kicking us off is the IdeaPad S145 from Lenovo. This laptop is a fantastic entry-level computer that's built to last thanks to a durable frame and engineering. The advert hits the nail on the head: built for everyday tasks, so web browsing and word documents should well be within its capabilities.
The specs aren't completely ideal, though. Its CPU and RAM storage are a little short, particularly considering it's running a Windows operating system, however, if you keep things simple with a couple of tabs and programs you should be okay. It would also be better suited to working from home due to the size.
Keep your new laptop safe on the voyage to the coffee shop and stay comfortable and organised whilst you pen your prose with our related buying guides!
So that was our comprehensive guide to finding the best laptop for writers. We hope that you've found our guide and recommendations useful – remember, check out the keys, screen, battery life, and the processor, and you'll be away. We'd be happy to accept a little note of acknowledgement in your forthcoming novel, for the record!
Author: Lewis Clark
No. 1: Apple|Macbook Air
No. 2: Google|Pixelbook Go
No. 3: Asus|Chromebook Flip|C434
No. 4: Microsoft|Surface Laptop 3
No. 5: Asus|Chromebook|C223
View Full RankingThe descriptions of each product are referenced from content available on manufacturer, brand, and e-commerce sites.
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