Which are the best laptops for freelancers?

For most people, gone are the days of being tethered to an office desk because that is where the computer lives.

Today, we have premium smartphones, tablets, and of course ultra-portable that are not only powerful but long-lasting. It used to be o frustrating settling into your favorite coffee shop to complete a project, only to discover 12% battery left on your laptop and your charger is at home!

But which laptop should you buy?  There are many factors to consider when choosing a new laptop. You need to look at the size, battery life, weight, operating system, memory, and hard drive size. Not to mention connectivity options, the number of ports, and the type of work you will be doing.

As always, ensure that the hardware you buy matches your personal taste and your comfort. It is after all the tool that you will use daily if it to write your essay or edit videos or play games,  so its best to walk into a store and actually use a range of laptops until you find one that is a good fit for you.

I have put together a list of five of the best laptops a freelancer should consider.

Dell Chromebook 3180

If you’re on a tight budget but still want quality specs, then this Dell Chromebook is for you. The Dell Chromebook has a tough, drop-proof body that can withstand most bumps when you transport it to different places.

It also offers a sealed keyboard to prevent most spills and splashes from causing serious damage. A nice touch and a great place to start!

Acer Aspire S 13

In the USA, Acer doesn’t seem to be a popular model for some reason – I loved my Acer in South Africa and the Acer range are a solid option for freelancers on a budget.

This Acer Aspire S 13 offers a ton of functionality including two USB ports, HDMI, Type-C, fast processors, and battery life close to 10-hours. Business News Daily’s ‘Best Laptops’ post notes how the Acer Aspire is also equipped with one of the most comfortable keyboards – perfect for long days of coding or writing.

Lenovo ThinkPad T470

If you’re the type of freelancer who works from home often (and away from most available sockets), then the Lenovo ThinkPad might be a great choice. The ThinkPad is equipped with an optimal 6-cell battery that fuels your laptop for more than 13 hours, without compromising its CPU performance.

Apple MacBook Pro

The MacBook Pro has an impressive spec sheet. Brilliant Retina Display, Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640, Ultrafast SSD, Up to 10 hours of battery life, Two Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports, and a 2. 3 GHz Dual-core Intel Core i5 processor – which is more than what most freelancers need. However, if your job requires you to run a ton of intensive programs.

Asus ZenBook

There are plenty of laptops in the ZenBook series, including the Classic, Pro and Ultrabook, which all have one thing in common: powerful specs close to that of the Dell XPS (8th gen, Intel Core i7 and eight-hour battery life)

It’s 1080p display is used by freelancers who have a focus on graphic and need to have a clear display. Being able to tell different shades of color apart is critical for designers, videographers and game developers.

ZenBooks are also built with an ultra-slim body, making them compact and easy to carry around.

So in summary:

A report by Porch claims that the number of contracted workers far exceeds the number of full-time employees in big companies like Google, Facebook and Amazon.

The tech industry relies heavily on these freelance workers to fill gaps in skills and save costs, and with so many freelancers out there, the competition is undoubtedly tough. ‘How to Hire Tech Talent’ by Yoss reveals how there is a demand for a number of freelance tech roles right now for the most talented individuals, which can range from jobs in data science to software engineering.

Remote working is a major trend to provide a flexible working environment to really talented people who can work from anywhere in the world. While building multiple skill sets is the secret to any successful freelancing career, owning some of the best equipment is going to make a huge difference.

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