11 Top Picks
4 Reviewers
50 Hours of Research
20 Options Considered
The field of data science involves more than just collecting data. As a data scientist, you need to analyze the data you collect to generate insights and predict future trends in your specific study. The field requires specialized tools, including the best laptop for data science.
By getting a powerful laptop for data science, you will avoid struggling while trying to analyze data.
3 Top Laptops for Data Science
1. [Best Overall]
4.9/5
The laptop has enough space that lets me analyze and edit data efficiently. It also has a powerful processor and graphics card for boosted processing speed and high graphics rendering capabilities.
2. [Best For The Money] [Windows 11 Pro] HP 15 15.6" FHD Business Laptop
4.8/5
Its high-end features are what attracted me to it. It has a powerful processor, which gives me a productivity boost in data science. Besides, it has high memory and storage capacity, giving me a lag-free operation.
3. [Best Memory Capacity] LG Gram 17Z90P Laptop
4.7/5
This is a high-end black laptop with features I find crucial for data science. The laptop has a powerful Intel Evo 11th gen Core i7 processor with high processing power, ensuring I run commands efficiently.
The best laptop for data science ensures fast processing speed and smooth and fast running of your algorithms. These laptops also allow you to port your files between different devices efficiently.
In this review, I have covered the best laptops for data science. I factored in all essentials you need in a data science laptop, including multi-touch capabilities, powerful GPU, CPU, etc. Read through to learn more.
Best Laptop for Data Science - My Top Picks!
The following list has the best laptops for data science.
- Apple MacBook Pro
- [Windows 11 Pro] HP 15 15.6" FHD Business Laptop
- LG Gram 17Z90P Laptop
- ASUS ROG Strix G17 (2021) Gaming Laptop
- Lenovo Yoga C740-14 FHD Touch Laptop
- Flagship Dell Inspiron 14 5406 2-in-1 Laptop Computer
- Apple MacBook Air with Apple M1 Chip
- ASUS VivoBook 15 S513 Thin and Light Laptop
- MSI GE66 Raider 11UH-227 15.6" Gaming Notebook
- MSI GS Series - 15.6" 300 Hz Laptop
- Dell G3 15 3500
Best Laptop for Data Science Reviews
[Best Overall]
4.9/5
ASUS ROG Strix G17 (2021) Gaming Laptop is an ideal laptop I would ever consider for data science. The laptop has enough space that lets me analyze and edit data efficiently. It also has a powerful processor and graphics card for boosted processing speed and high graphics rendering capabilities. All of these improve my performance and enhance my productivity.
ASUS ROG Strix G17 (2021) Gaming Laptop Features
ASUS ROG Strix G17 (2021) Gaming Laptop features are listed below.
The laptop has 17.3 inches, giving me enough space for data set analysis, comparison, and editing when undertaking my data science projects.
It features an IPS screen with wide viewing angles and accurate color reproduction for accurate detailing and data interpretation in my data science projects.
It has a Full HD resolution, 1920 x 1080 pixels, which guarantees me quality visuals for my data science projects.
The laptop has NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 GPU with quality graphics rendering, ensuring I have better visual interpretation and judgment.
It has 16GB DDR4 memory, high enough to let me run multiple assignments simultaneously without lag.
The 1TB PCIe NVMe SSD storage space is enough to store my files and data sets for my data science projects.
It features the 5th Gen AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX CPU with a high processing speed of up to 4.5 GHz, ensuring I finish my projects within time.
It is compatible with Bluetooth and 802.11ax WiFi wireless connectivity, allowing me to share files with other devices efficiently.
Pros
Cons
[Best For The Money]
4.8/5
[Windows 11 Pro] HP 15 15.6" FHD Business Laptop is a premium spruce blue laptop for data science. Its high-end features are what attracted me to it. This business laptop has a powerful processor, which gives me a productivity boost in data science. Besides, it has high memory and storage capacity, giving me a lag-free operation. I also loved the fact that it has a 15.6 inches screen, ensuring I analyze, compare, and edit my data sets efficiently.
[Windows 11 Pro] HP 15 15.6" FHD Business Laptop Features
[Windows 11 Pro] HP 15 15.6" FHD Business Laptop has the following features.
The laptop has a 15.6 inches screen, which gives me enough space for my data science projects.
Its processor, Hexa-Core AMD Ryzen 5 5500U, has a high processing speed of up to 4.0GHz, giving me speedy and smooth operations.
The 32GB DDR4 RAM lets me run multiple data science tasks simultaneously without lag for enhanced performance.
It has 2TB PCIe SSD storage, ensuring I save my data sets and files in bulk.
It is compatible with 802.11AC WiFi and Bluetooth 4.2 wireless connectivity, ensuring I share files with other devices efficiently.
It has one HDMI 1.4b, one USB Type-C hub, and two USB-A that let me connect it with external devices for file sharing.
It features an anti-glare display that reduces eye strain, caring for my well-being.
It features AMD Radeon Graphics with stellar graphics rendering performance.
It supports Windows 11 Professional Operating System that lets me access the latest and most advanced accessibility features for quality data science.
Pros
Cons
[Best Memory Capacity]
4.7/5
The LG Gram 17Z90P Laptop is a high-end black laptop with features I find crucial for data science. The laptop has a powerful Intel Evo 11th gen Core i7 processor with high processing power, ensuring I run commands efficiently. Besides, it has a high memory capacity that lets me carry on multiple activities without lag and a large storage capacity for file storage. This 17-inch laptop's display offers ample space for my data science projects.
LG Gram 17Z90P Laptop features
LG Gram 17Z90P Laptop has the following features.
The laptop has a 17 inches screen that gives me enough space to carry out my data analysis, comparison, and editing.
It features an IPS screen with wide viewing angles and accurate color reproduction, ensuring I get clear visuals.
It is ultra-lightweight, which allows me to carry it around.
The laptop has a high 2560 x 1600 screen resolution for a vivid display, ensuring my accurate visual data judgment.
It features the 11th gen Core i7 processor with a high processing speed that lets me run data science projects first within the time limits allocated, enhancing my productivity.
The 16GB memory lets me run multiple data science projects without lag.
The 2TB SSD storage space lets me bulk save my files and data sets.
It has two USB-C, one HDMI, and one USB-A, allowing me to connect it to external devices.
Pros
Cons
4.6/5
Apple MacBook Pro is a space gray laptop with features designed for data science. Several features of this laptop amazed me. It is 16 inches with 16GB memory and a high 1TB storage. What else would I want of a laptop for data science?
2019 Apple MacBook Pro Features
Here are the 2019 Apple MacBook Pro features I particularly liked.
The laptop has a 16 inches screen giving me enough room for data science.
It has a powerful 2.3GHz Intel Core i9, ninth generation 8 cores processor that delivers high processing speed allowing me to finish my data science projects fast.
It has 16GB RAM that allows me to host several tasks simultaneously without slowing down.
It has a powerful graphics card (AMD Radeon Pro 5500M Graphics) for quality graphics rendering, ensuring I get precise and accurate details on data sets.
The laptop has four Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports that let me connect it with other external devices for files and data sets transfer.
It has 1TB storage that lets me save the files and data sets I use for my data science projects
It features P3 wide color gamut that generates real-life visuals for accurate data interpretation.
It is only 4.3 lbs which enhances portability.
Pros
Cons
Lenovo Yoga C740-14 FHD Touch Laptop is a premium Windows 10 laptop I would recommend for data science. The laptop has high-end features that boost performance. One of the features that caught my attention is its powerful 10th gen i5-10210U processor that delivers high processing power, ensuring this i5 laptop runs my activities smoothly within a short time. Besides, its high memory capacity lets me run multiple applications simultaneously without experiencing lag.
Lenovo Yoga C740-14 FHD Touch Laptop Features
Lenovo Yoga C740-14 FHD Touch Laptop has the following features.
The laptop has 8GB RAM, ensuring I run several functions simultaneously without lag.
It has 256GB SSD storage space for saving my files and data sets.
It has a 14 inches screen that offers enough space, ensuring I undertake my data science project efficiently.
The laptop has a high 1920 x 1080 pixels screen resolution, giving me quality visuals for precise data analysis and interpretation.
It has one USB 3.0 type A port and two USB 3.1 type C ports that lets me connect it to external devices.
It has a fingerprint reader that presents an easy way to sign in to my laptop.
The laptop is compatible with 802.11ac WiFi and BlueTooth wireless connectivity, allowing me to share data and files between devices.
It has an average weight of 3.10 lbs. It is, therefore, lightweight, ensuring I carry it around conveniently.
Pros
Cons
Flagship Dell Inspiron 14 5406 2-in-1 Laptop is a high-performing laptop with features ideal for data science. Several features this touchscreen laptop integrates attracted my attention. First, it has a powerful Intel Quad-Core i7-1165G7 processor that delivers high processing speed for enhanced productivity. Secondly, it has high memory and storage capacity, ensuring I have smooth operations. Its space is also enough, hence I can freely multitask and compare different datasets simultaneously.
Flagship Dell Inspiron 14 5406 2-in-1 Laptop features
Flagship Dell Inspiron 14 5406 2-in-1 Laptop features are listed below.
It has a 14 inches screen, offering me enough space for data science.
It has a touchscreen display that I find helpful in navigation and control.
The laptop has the Quad-Core i7-1165G7 processor with high processing speed, ensuring I complete my data science projects fast.
It has 8GB DDR4 RAM allowing me to run multiple tasks without lag.
It also has 512GB PCIe SSD storage that lets me store my files and data.
It supports two USB 3.2 Gen 1, one USB 3.2 Type-C, and one HDMI 1.4USB-C port, allowing me to connect it to external devices.
The laptop has a fingerprint reader that ensures I sign in to my laptop easily.
It has an average weight of 3.39 lbs, that is lightweight, allowing me to carry it around more efficiently.
Pros
Cons
Apple MacBook Air with Apple M1 Chip is a 13-inch laptop for data science. It has an 8-core processor that facilitates the efficient running of my data science projects. It also has an 8-core graphics card that ensures quality graphics rendering, ensuring I achieve accurate visual data analysis. One outstanding feature of this MacBook is its powerful battery. It can last up to 20 hours, ensuring I run uninterrupted data science tasks even in power cuts.
Apple MacBook Air with Apple M1 Chip features
Apple MacBook Air with Apple M1 Chip features is listed below.
It has a 13.3 inches screen allowing me to undertake my data science tasks.
It features a 16-core neural engine, ensuring I get advanced machine learning features.
Its powerful processor delivers four times faster the normal performance, ensuring I finish my projects faster.
The laptop supports Mac OS with easy accessibility features, enhancing my experience.
It has a powerful battery of up to 20 hours of life, ensuring I continue with my data science projects even after I move to areas with limited or no power outlets.
It has 8GB RAM, ensuring I run multiple background tasks without experiencing lags.
It also has 256 GB of storage space, ensuring I store my files and data and retrieve them easily anytime I need them.
Pros
Cons
ASUS VivoBook 15 S513 Thin and Light Laptop is a 15.6 inches laptop with features best suited for data science. This thin laptop has a powerful AMD Ryzen 7 5700U Processor with high processing power, ensuring I run my data science projects efficiently. It also has high memory and storage capacities ensuring I run smooth operations and store my files and data sets.
ASUS VivoBook 15 S513 Thin and Light Laptop features
ASUS VivoBook 15 S513 Thin and Light Laptop features are listed below.
The laptop has a 15.6 inches screen offering enough space for my data science projects.
It has 16GB DDR4 RAM that lets me run multiple tasks simultaneously without experiencing lag.
It also has a 1TB PCIe SSD storage capacity that lets me store my files and data sets.
The fingerprint sensor lets me sign in to my laptop faster.
It is a Full HD laptop with 1920 x 1080 pixels screen resolution for quality visual display.
It features a powerful AMD Ryzen 7 5700U processor that lets me run my project fast.
It supports USB 3.2 type-C, USB 3.2 type-A, USB 2.0, and HDMI ports, allowing me to connect it to external devices.
The laptop is compatible with WiFi 5 and BlueTooth wireless connectivity technologies, letting me share files and data wirelessly.
Pros
Cons
MSI GE66 Raider 11UH-227 15.6" Gaming Notebook is a titanium blue laptop with essential features for data science. This 32GB RAM laptop has a powerful CPU and GPU that ensures I have smooth data science operations. Besides, its large memory and storage capacity makes my data science activities run smoothly.
MSI GE66 Raider 11UH-227 15.6" Gaming Notebook features
MSI GE66 Raider 11UH-227 15.6" Gaming Notebook features are listed below.
It has a 15.6 inches screen that gives me enough space for my data science tasks.
It features a powerful Intel Core i9-11980 processor that gives me high processing speed for data science.
It has a high 32GB RAM that allows me to run multiple tasks simultaneously without lag.
It has 2TB SSD storage allowing me to save files and data.
It has a high screen resolution of 3840 x 2160, ensuring I get high visual quality.
The laptop has NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 GPU for quality graphics rendering.
It is compatible with Bluetooth and WiFi wireless connectivity allowing me to share files efficiently.
Pros
Cons
4.0/5
MSI GS Series - 15.6" 300 Hz Laptop is a 15.6 inches screen ideal for data science. It has a powerful processor Intel Core i9 11th Gen 11900H with a high processing speed of up to 2.50 GHz, which lets me carry out my data science tasks. It also has a powerful graphics card that guarantees quality graphics rendering, ensuring I get better visual analysis for my data science projects.
MSI GS Series - 15.6" 300 Hz Laptop features
MSI GS Series - 15.6" 300 Hz Laptop features are listed below.
It has a 15.6 inches screen, ensuring I get enough space for my data science projects.
It has a high 300 Hz refresh rate that allows me to run activities without screen tearing or stuttering.
It has a powerful Intel Core i9 11th Gen 11900H processor for boosted performance, enhancing my productivity.
The 32 GB DDR4 RAM ensures I run multiple tasks simultaneously without lag.
It has a 1 TB NVMe SSD storage allowing me to store data and files.
The laptop has a NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 graphics card that generates quality visual rendering for my data science projects.
It has a 1920 x 1080 screen resolution for a vivid and clear display.
It features an anti-glare screen that prevents eye strain for my well-being.
The laptop supports one HDMI, one Thunderbolt 4, one USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C, and three USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports for
Pros
Cons
3.9/5
Dell G3 15 3500 laptop is a 15.6 inches laptop ideal for data science. Its ample space was an added advantage to me. One feature that made me fall in love with it is its powerful processor. It features the latest Intel Core i7-10750H 10th Gen, ensuring smooth and fast operations without lag. Another feature that attracted my attention is its powerful graphics processing unit. It has Nvidia Geforce GTX 1650 Ti 4GB GDDR6 that delivers quality graphics performance for precise data analysis. It lets me compare, edit, and analyze different datasets more efficiently to boost performance.
Dell Gaming G3 15 3500 features
Here are some of the Dell Gaming G3 15 3500 laptop features I loved.
The laptop has a 15.6 inches screen that offers me enough space for data sets analysis and multitasking.
It has a powerful Intel Core i7-10750H 10th Gen processor that eliminates lag and enhances smooth and fast operations when I undertake my projects.
The laptop has 16GB DDR4 memory, allowing me to perform multiple operations simultaneously without experiencing lag.
It has 512 GB SSD storage that gives me ample space to store my data sets.
It features an IPS screen with accurate color reproduction and wide viewing angles, giving me the best conditions for my data science projects.
It features an anti-glare display that reduces eye strain, catering to my well-being.
The laptop is compatible with WiFi wireless connectivity, allowing me to share my files and data sets between different devices.
It has three USB ports that let me connect it to other devices and facilitate files and data sets sharing.
Pros
Cons
Best Laptop for Data Science Buying Guide
As a data scientist, I need a powerful laptop because of the nature of the tasks I need to handle. In most cases, I have to simultaneously manipulate massive datasets of huge spaces. I also have to rely on my laptop to run complex algorithms on the datasets I collect. I also need to build a predictive model for my data and generate hypotheses for data changes. All these on one laptop can cause my laptop to lag or have some other serious problems if they are not the right ones.
Therefore, before I bought the laptop I use for data science, I considered the following factors to ensure the best performance as far as data science is concerned. These considerations ensure efficient machine learning, data analysis, data processing, deep learning, and artificial intelligence in a laptop. The factors are as listed below.
RAM
RAM is always an aspect of interest in laptops that perform large amounts of operations at high rates. Data science is no different. I usually have large data sets that I need to work on simultaneously. Luckily, my laptop has a large RAM capacity that prevents lag or slow down when carrying out data analysis and other operations. The high memory capacity of my laptop also allows me to operate on a cloud-based system, boosting my performance and enhancing my productivity.
For efficient and smooth data science operations, 16GB of memory capacity should be good. Anything below this capacity can slow down operations, affecting productivity.
Central Processing Unit (CPU)
The CPU is among the essential considerations for a laptop for data science. It handles all commands and instructions and simultaneously processes results for multiple data analysis tasks. It, therefore, needs to be powerful to increase your productivity. I went for an eight-core CPU for my laptop, although a six-core one is also good for data science.
Another factor I considered as far as the CPU is concerned is CPU generation. A newer generation CPU is ideal for data science rather than the outdated one. The latest generation CPU is also a must-have when learning about cloud-based options or AWS. Therefore, the ideal CPU option is an Intel Core processor i5 or 7th generation.
Display Resolution
Data science needs better visualization and understanding of data for effectiveness. That's why the display quality, including the screen resolution, matters a lot in a laptop for data science. When considering a laptop to purchase for my data science assignments, I ensured that the laptop had at least 1080 pixels display resolution with a 1,920 x 1,080 pixels screen resolution. This way, I was able to visualize data efficiently and was able to understand and analyze my data sets effectively.
The ability to master every detail and pattern in my data sets, thanks to the high 1080 pixels display resolution, allowed me to carry out precise data analysis, enhancing my productivity. Laptops with 4k resolution (3840 x 2160 pixel screen resolution) or 8k (7,680 x 4,320 pixels screen resolution) laptops, will improve data science.
Storage
Data science involves many data, information, and files that occupy large amounts of space. I knew this before I purchased the laptop I use for data science. The large space on my laptop allows me to save all the datasets I work on. An SSD storage is ideal for a data science laptop and should have at least 256 GB of space. However, my laptop features HDD storage with 512GB of storage space. I haven't experienced any problems so far, which made me conclude that 512 GB HDD storage space is also not bad for laptops for data science. With it, I can quickly access and retrieve my files and data sets anytime I need them.
Keyboard
Data science needs a laptop with a reliable keyboard to ease operations. When choosing a laptop for data science, I reviewed several of them to check for the reliability of their keyboards. I noticed some that give under pressure and failed to respond when I tried to key in characters. Other keyboards that I avoided were those that failed to fit enough characters. These keyboards are vulnerable to typos, a major constraint in data science analysis. I finally settled for an ergonomic backlit keyboard with well-fit characters. This keyboard responds well whenever I key in characters, ensuring I have a smooth data analysis process. It also has chiclet-style keys that make typing easier and more effective.
Graphics Processing Unit (GPU)
The graphics side of a laptop is also crucial when doing data science analysis. The latest graphics are the ideal options for laptops for data science. Note that many processors have four to 700 processing cores, while a few have up to 2000 processing cores or even more.
NVIDIA is outstanding in GPU quality. They have designed the CUDA parallel computing platform specifically for data science laptops. This platform is able to learn and cope with the parallel computing power needed in the data science field. I, therefore, recommend NVIDIA graphics cards whenever considering a laptop for data science. An AMD graphics card is also good for a data science laptop. However, I tried to avoid intel HD cards as they are not fit for data science.
Specifically, the laptop I use for data science has a powerful NVIDIA graphics card (GeForce GTX 1070 or Radeon RX 580). It lets me visualize data more efficiently to boost my performance and increase productivity.
Battery Life
Data science is time-consuming work that needs lots of time. Therefore, I need a robust and powerful battery with longer life to support the prolonged working sessions. I sometimes have to travel to different locations to collect data or for data analysis purposes. Given that I rely on my laptop for data analysis, I'll have to carry it with me. The problem comes from power cuts and lack of power outlets in some areas I visit. To ensure my travel laptop doesn't run out of power while I collect data, I ensured it has a long-life battery that can run for hours without draining off. This way, I can work remotely, boosting my productivity.
An ideal laptop for data science should have at least eight hours of battery life to support prolonged working sessions.
Touchpad
Data science is all about smooth and effortless operations. Otherwise, problems may arise while going about data analysis processes. A touchpad is a key element of interest as far as data science is concerned. The laptop for data science needs to have a good touchpad to avoid problems.
My data science laptop, specifically, has a good touchpad. This touchpad is responsive and accurate, allowing me to have precise operations. Thus, I can freely work with different data sets efficiently, enhancing my data science analysis and productivity.
Connectivity Ports
As I had pointed out earlier, data science involves the coordination of many data sets. Therefore, different devices will be involved when analyzing the different data sets. That's why a laptop with several connectivity ports is needed for data science. The connectivity ports, both input, and output, allow me to connect external devices that feed in or exchange different data sets during data analysis.
While there are many input and output connectivity port options, HDMI, USB-C, Thunderbolt, and Ethernet are the most essential.
Connectivity
In addition to the input and output ports, wireless connectivity is crucial for data science laptops. As I had pointed out earlier, data science involves the exchange and transfer of data between different devices. Therefore, my ideal laptop for data science is the one that supports Bluetooth wireless connectivity. This laptop should also be compatible with WiFi connectivity. These two options let me transfer data sets from my laptop to other devices and vice versa, ensuring efficient data analysis.
Screen Size
While laptops come in different sizes, it is always good to consider ones with larger screens. The enlarged screen allows for effective data analysis, editing, comparisons, and multitasking.
My laptop for data science has a large space, 15.6 inches, specifically. This large screen offers me enough space I need to work with different data sets. It also gives me ample space to work with data science software, enhancing the quality of my work.
The best laptop for data analysis should have at least 15.6 inches screen. This way, working with charts and other data analysis tools can be effortless.
Weight
For convenience, no one would wish to have a bulky laptop. The same applies to the ideal laptop for data science. I travel a lot for data collection and analysis, thus, I need to carry my laptop with me as I shift from location to location. Therefore, you need a compact and lightweight laptop for portability.
FAQs
Do I Need a Powerful Laptop for Data Science?
Data science involves large datasets. Therefore, you'll need a powerful laptop to run your projects smoothly. You'll need a virtual OS with at least 8GB of RAM. You also need a powerful processor and GPU.
How Much RAM Do I Need in Laptops for Data Science?
For effective data science, I need at least 16GB of RAM. The high memory capacity allows me to run multiple tasks without lag. However, 8 GB RAM is also not bad for data science.
Should I Use a Laptop for Data Analysis?
Yes, a laptop is ideal for data science. However, the laptop should have a powerful GPU and CPU. The Radeon RX 580 or GeForce GTX 1070 processor is ideal for data science.
