Everyone likes a different keyboard, and if you type a lot, it’s most likely that you already have a few laptops in your mind. We agree when people come to us saying that it’s hard to find a perfect laptop for writers in 2023, instead of having to use external keyboards most of the time.
Luckily for you, in this post, you will find the best laptops we recommend for writers, but also the things you should look out in order to find the next best laptop for writers.
Recommendations for March 2023
- Dell XPS 13 – Infinity Edge Display
- Apple MacBook Pro 16-Inch – i9 Processor
- Asus ZenBook 15 – Amazon All Around
- Apple MacBook Pro 13 – Small And Portable
- Microsoft Surface Pro 7– Reliable 2-in-1 Laptop
- Lenovo 100E – Best Laptop For Writer On A Budget
- Microsoft Surface Book 3 – Ideal For Handwriting
- Apple MacBook Air – Portable and Powerful
- Hp 15 – Backlit Touchscreen
- Acer Aspire E15 – Backlit Keyboard
Best Laptops For Writers In 2023
Lenovo 100E – Best Laptop For Writer On A Budget
One thing that writers also do, yet nobody realizes it is that they read a lot. Sometimes, even as much as they write.
Whether it’s for proofreading purposes or simply educational purposes, it’s something that is of a high value for writers.
Not only this laptop can serve as a good portable workstation, but it also features a touchpad that makes things easier, depending on the tasks.
No matter if you keep a Lenovo 100E Chromebook Flip on your desk all day, or you travel through the down from coffee shop to coffee shop, it’s a very lightweight laptop that is very versatile.
It only weighs 2.7 pounds and it isn’t very big, so carrying it around on your back won’t even make you feel that it’s there with you. You probably won’t notice it’s there in the first place because its just that light.
For digital nomads who earn living writing yet traveling around, not only this is a perfect laptop for their combination, yet it offers way more than just what a writer can expect. The body is made from metal which increases the durability too.
One thing that goes really well with a laptop that has a comfortable keyboard and is a lightweight is a long lasting battery.
Luckily for all users, Lenovo 100E Chromebook comes with a great battery life that can last up to 10 hours on a single charge.
Therefore, you won’t have to sit next to the outlet and be restricted by a cable. Working online or offline has never been simpler.
Considering the price, this type of battery is really surprising to see in such a model.
Lenovo 100E Chromebook Flip has a USB type-C ports and one USB 3.0 port which maximizes performance on the high-speed external devices.
Along with that, there’s a built-in reader for microSD cards of all types, for faster and simpler data photo transferring.
Wireless connection is improved to a next-generation version for achieving best speeds a fiber internet offers around the world to the users.
And with a built-in HD camera, you’ll be able to virtually be present to any conference calls, no matter where you are.
Lenovo 100E Chromebook Flip is all about performance and it shows it through its configuration, design, and a way of serving to its users.
Recommended configuration for Lenovo 100E Chromebook
CPU: MediaTek MT8173C Processor | Graphics: Powervr GX6250 | RAM: 4GB RAM | Screen: 11.6″ HD (1366 X 768) Display | Storage: 32GB eMMC | Operating System: Chrome OS | Battery Life: 10 hours| Weight: 2.7 lbs
Apple MacBook Pro 16-Inch – i9 Processor
Apple is always taking things further, and now, they’ve introduced a smart way to be more productive, multitask better, and get more work done in less time.The touch Bar is a great addition that will give you everything you need always within a reach.
As a writer, this might be something very useful as it has a word suggestion feature.This doesn’t only speeds up the process but also suggests maybe even better words to use, no matter the subject and a type of document.
Whatever you’re working with, you can flip it, tap it, hold it, or even slide it, with super ease.The latest Apple innovation features a butterfly mechanism that is 4 times more stable and reliable than any other traditional mechanism.
For writers, this means a lot. Although there are some critics related to the keyboard, we really think it’s a great fit for any writer. There’s a needed time to get used to it, but once you do – it’ll be the best keyboard you’ve used in your life.
The keyboard is accompanied by a large trackpad that offers reliable precision at any given time, which won’t recognize your palms when you’re typing.
A screen that is easy on the eyes is something most writers require. It’s not the hours writers spend writing and reading, but it’s the screen that actually can get your eyes tired. With a Retina display, you can forget about that.
It offers eye-opening performance in combination with Intel Iris graphics. True Tone technology is just another feature Apple has introduced in order to give the best possible screen for the MacBook Pro users.
Now, you can read & write for as many hours as you need to, without getting tired, having dry eyes, and any other problem.
When you need to take it a step further, you’ll be able to do it with the help of one of the strongest MacBook laptops on the market.
The MacBook Pro is equipped with an Intel Core i9 processor, AMD Radeon Pro 5500M graphic card, and 16 GB of RAM, and an ultrafast SSD storage.
The The MacBook Pro Pro is all about giving the users more power, performance, and a professional way to do their work. Not to mention that even space gray finish really gives a more powerful and sleek look.
Recommended configuration for Apple MacBook Pro 16-Inch
CPU: Intel Core i9 processor with Turbo Boost up to 4.8GHz | Graphics: AMD Radeon Pro 5500M| RAM: 16 GB | Screen: 16.0-inch (diagonal) LED-back display with IPS technology; 3072×1920 native resolution| Storage: 1TB SSD| Operating System: MAC OS | Battery Life: 11 hours | Weight: 4.3 pounds
Asus ZenBook 15 – Amazon All Around
Asus created a specific keyboard for ZenBook 15that stretches from edge to edge. It’s literally stretching to the edge, leaving only about 2 mm bezel on each side.
They’ve gone even step further to make the keyboard thinner including a faster travel time. In fact, it’s 28% slimmer than any other previous Asus laptop keyboard.
As writers know, the better key travel balance is, the more comfortable keyboard will be to type on. You’ll be glad to hear that the ZenBook 15 has an impressive key travel of 0.8 mm.
That’s not too thin, yet not too thick – providing the best speed and accuracy when you need it the most.
As mentioned earlier, Asus ZenBook 15 is completely made out of aluminum (actually premium aerospace-grade aluminum) which gives the best combination ever.
It features a high durability and lightest body possible. The whole laptop weighs only about 2 lbs which is amazing, considering that the metal is used instead of robust plastic.
Along with such design, Asus has introduced their brand new cooling design which uses a liquid-crystal-polymer fan which is really thin, yet powerful.
There’s also a copper alloy heat pipe that helps take away the heat when you need it the most. Needless to say, the temperature of the laptop doesn’t rise above the average recommended levels.
When you aren’t a big fan of storing everything in the cloud or on a physical flash drive, yet keeping everything on your laptop – fingerprint sensor is there to help you out.
It will keep all your data secure, no matter where you leave your laptop. Even in the case of losing the laptop, your data won’t be accessed by anyone, only you.
A single touch is all it takes you to unlock your laptop and get on with your work, which also offers a greater speed improvement for Windows log-in.
The Asus ZenBook 15is really powerful, but when you see the battery life on this laptop, you’ll be surprised.
Not only the battery can last up to 8 hours, but the re-charging is really quick. Even though the laptop has a really thin chassis, the powerful 40Wh lithium battery is placed thanks to the wise design structure.
Once your battery drains out, you will be able to charge it up to 60% in under 50 minutes. Leaving a laptop for a break on a charger will leave you with a full battery to keep your work going at any time.
Recommended configuration for Asus ZenBook 15
CPU: Intel Core i7-10510U| Graphics:NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650| RAM: 16GB RAM | Screen: 13.3-Inch 1920×1080 display| Storage: 512GB SSD| Operating System: Windows 10 Pro| Battery Life: up to 8 hours | Weight: 2.6 lbs
Apple MacBook Pro 13 – Small And Portable
MacBook was originally created after a MacBook Air, and even though MacBook Air is still being produced, the MacBook took its own path.
Now, the MacBook pro 13 is one of the thinnest laptops which still didn’t have to sacrifice any part of a full-size laptop experience.
Apple engineers did a really great job creating even more powerful laptops inside the thinner body. It might sound too good to be true, but there it is!
Surprisingly, the MacBook Pro 13 is only 13 mm thin and weighs only about 2 lbs. It’s worth mentioning that the MacBook was the first laptop Apple introduced color variations which makes it even more attractive.
If you love the MacBook Pro keyboard, well MacBook Pro 13 is the first laptop that ever had the refined butterfly mechanism keyboard.
It’s a comfortable and a full-sized keyboard which give a pretty great mechanism that any writer will love. Even though some people complain about the keyboard, we believe it takes time to get used to it.
Nothing more and nothing less than that, since the keyboard is thinner, yet more precise.
We experienced a faster typing rate with better precision, but we had to get used to the keyboard at first and get comfortable with it.
In order to achieve the MacBook’s thin size, Apple had to remove all ports and leave the users with a single USB-C port.
It’s definitely not the greatest thing about this laptop, but the versatility USB-C port offers is good enough for regular use.
You can connect chargers, displays, storage, and any other devices using a single port, which is cool. However, if you want them at the same time – you’ll need to look into external gadgets to help yourself out.
In order to have a full control over your device and everything you do on your laptop, Apple has introduced an improved wireless and Bluetooth connectivity.
Apple featured services such as iCloud, AirDrop, AirPlay, Wireless Audio, Hot Spot, and a few others which will help you get most out of your internet connection.
As writers ourselves, we find it very useful to have such options available which allow us to transfer files, connect to the web in seconds, organize data and keep track of everything in such a simple way.
Also, creating a backup has never been easier thanks to the super-smooth Mac OS.
Recommended Configuration For MacBook Pro 13
CPU: Intel Core i5-8th Gen| Graphics: Intel Iris Plus 645| RAM: 8GB RAM | Screen: 13.3-inch 2560×1600 LED_Backlit Retina display| Storage: 256GB SSD| Operating System: iOS| Battery Life: up to 10 hours | Weight: 3.02 lbs
Microsoft Surface Pro 7- Reliable 2-in-1 Laptop
Even though to experience the fullest versatility of Microsoft SurfacePro 7, you’d have to purchase a keyboard and even a pen additionally – it’s one of the most versatile 2 in 1 laptops on the market.
It can be used for almost anything you can think of, including writing.
At first, it might look like a tablet, but once you realize what’s inside – you understand that it’s actually a really powerful little beast.
We’ve tested Microsoft SurfacePro 7 with a keyboard, and we were impressed by the precision and responsiveness it offers. It’s definitely a heaven for writers who love working from a number of locations.
Along with the versatility of Microsoft SurfacePro 7, a battery that lasts for a day is a really great combination.
Even though this 2 in 1 laptop is really thin, it still features a big and powerful battery that can last up to an incredible 14 hours on a single charge.
You can literally go anywhere offline and write as long as you want, without being restricted to a plug or a charger. It’s a laptop that adapts to you and your needs, without you having to make your plans and schedules around its battery life.
Believe it or not, Microsoft managed to put some of the world’s most powerful components inside such thin body case along with a large battery.
Microsoft SurfacePro 7 features an Intel i5 processor 16 GB of RAM, and a 1 TB solid state drive which is upgradeable.
Combine it with its dimensions, and you get a really powerful laptop that can perform very well and handle even the most demanding tasks at any given time.
Whether you’re simply a writer, or love to get into music, video, or photo editing – SurfacePro 7 is an ideal laptop to have.
To enjoy the SurfacePro 7 to the fullest, there are at least 3 modes you can use. And can you guess what is the best thing?
You can switch between each mode in just a few seconds.
There is a laptop mode which we suggest when you need to focus to the fullest and write a lot, studio mode is ideal for drawing, using the Surface Pen, and tablet mode is ideal for reading or entertainment.
This literally allows the users to take advantage of their SurfacePro 7 and use it their way. There are very few limitations.
Recommended configuration for Microsoft Surface Pro 7
CPU: Core i7-1065G7 processor | Graphics: Iris Plus 940 graphics card | RAM: 16 GB| Screen: 12.3-inch, 2736 x 1824 (267 PPI) touchscreen | Storage: 1 TB SSD | Operating System: Windows 10 Home | Battery Life: 10.5 hours | Weight: 1.74 pounds
Apple MacBook Air – Portable and Powerful
With its Intel Core i5 CPU, 8GB RAM, and 512 GB SSD, the MacBook Air accomplishes more than just writing tasks. The outstanding performance proves that this device has been designed with an emphasis on performance and portability.
The MacBook Air is lighter and slimmer than its predecessors making it a top pick for writers in different areas. The fast and effective trackpad is easy to use during all writing stages.
This laptop weighs less than three pounds and a battery life of up to 12 hours, the portability on this device is in it’s own class. Whether you are writing a book or blog posts and you need to work away from the power source, the MacBook Air gives you the freedom.
Besides its ergonomic design, the backlit keyboard ensures that working in an area with low ambient light won’t be a struggle. The MacOS features the tools to get your creative juices dripping since you wont need to start looking for writing software.
The keyboard features the recreated butterfly mechanism that offers higher stability compared to the traditional mechanisms. While it will take some time to get used to the keyboard if you are a newcomer to MacBooks, the experience is worth it.
The display is simply outstanding thanks to the Retina Display technology and the True Tone technology incorporated in this device. Build with a solid aluminum frame, this laptop lasts long while giving you reliable service.
Recommended configuration for Apple MacBook Air
CPU: Intel Core i5, Turbo Boost | Graphics: Intel Iris Plus Graphics | RAM: 8GB RAM | Screen: 13.3-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit Retina display with IPS technology; 2560 x1600 native resolution| Storage: 512 GB SSD | Operating System: MAC OS| Battery Life:12 hours | Weight: 2.8 lbs
Microsoft Surface Book 3 – Ideal For Handwriting
The Surface Book 3 has been hailed as one of the top laptops for writers out there thanks to its 10th Gen Intel Core i7 processor that is enhanced with Turbo Boost Technology. Multitasking on this device is a breeze since it has 32 GB of RAM and a dedicated L3 cache for better speeds and efficiency.
Since writers spend a considerable amount of time looking at the screen, this laptop’s 260 PPI provides high contrast and resolution. In addition, comfort is ensured by the true-to-life color features and minimal glare.
The detachable design means you can use it as a tablet and the pen makes it easy to make handwritten notes. If you want to maximize the tactile keyboard, just attach the screen to the dock for a better typing experience.
Recommended configuration for Microsoft Surface Book 3
CPU: Quad-core 10th Gen Intel Core i7 | Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 | RAM: 32GB | Screen: 15″ Touchscreen with pen input | Storage: 2TB SSD| Operating System: | Battery Life: 17.5 hours
Dell XPS 13 – Infinity Edge Display
Dell XPS 13 is an embodiment of revolutionary approach by Dell in their ultrabook line of laptops with premium features. Besides its sleek design, it packs powerful configurations. The laptop has a 13-inch FHD display with appealing ergonomics with the borderless Infinity Edge Display Technology.
It features a chiclet-style keyboard and although it has short strokes, the feedback remains tactile and satisfactory. With pressure sensitive keys, typing speed improves substantially making it one of the best choices for lengthy writing projects. Besides, soft finish on the palm rest complements the carbon fiber base for easy typing.
The 10th gen Intel Core i7 processor works well with the 16 GB RAM for a seamless performance. Having multiple browser tabs open on the background while using MS Word feels easy and natural.
Its battery can last up to 12 hours under constant usage which is great if you intend to write on the go. With a storage capacity of 256 GB SSD, you can accomplish more computing tasks with ease on this laptop.
Recommended configuration for Dell XPS 13
CPU: 10th Gen Intel Core i7-10710U processor | Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics| RAM: 16 GB RAM | Screen: 13.3” FHD (1920 x 1080) InfinityEdge Touch Display | Storage: 256 GB SSD| Operating System: Windows 10 Home | Battery Life: 12 hours | Weight: 5.69 pounds lbs
Hp 15 – Backlit Touchscreen
If most of what you will be doing with a laptop revolves around writing and editing documents, you don’t need extra-powerful processors and fancy graphics. However, the laptop has to be powerful enough to handle the tasks seamlessly.
The HP 15 comes with an Intel Core i5 processor and 16 GB of RAM to provide and exceeds the computing needs of a writer. The 15.6-inch display features a flagship FHD technology for a great writing experience. At this size, the Hp 15 provides sufficient real estate for editing documents.
With a mid-range pricing, this laptop is great for writers looking for a device with real value for money. The keyboard is designed with the writer in mind and it offers comfortable key-travel distance.
Recommended configuration for Hp 15
CPU: 10th Gen Intel Core i5-1035G1, quad-core, 1.0 GHz Base frequency, up to 3.6 GHz | Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics | RAM: 16 GB RAM| Screen: 15.6-Inch diagonal HD SVA bright View micro-edge WLED-backlit touchscreen display (1366 x 768) | Storage: 512 GB SSD | Operating System: Windows 10 | Battery Life: 6 hours| Weight: 3.74 lbs
Acer Aspire E15 – Backlit Keyboard
This laptop comes with a 15.6-inch FHD display with great viewing angles and an anti-glare screen for the best comfort. This machine has the 8th Generation Intel Core i3 processor coupled to an 6 GB DDR4 RAM. Its performance is smooth and doesn’t struggle when running multiple operations all at once.
The palm rest area is designed to provide a comfortable typing experience which is a great feature when writing for long hours. The keys are backlit for good feedback and each of them has a slight curvature for enhanced convenience when typing.
With a battery life of about 13.5 hours and the lighter, slimmer build, this laptop has high portability for writers on the go.
Recommended configuration for Acer Aspire E15
CPU:Intel Core i3 8130U Processor 2.2 GHz (Up to 3.2GHz) | Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 620| RAM:6 GB RAM | Screen: 15.6 inches Full HD (1920 x 1080) widescreen LED lit Display| Storage: 1 TB HDD | Operating System: Windows 10 | Battery Life: 13.5 hours | Weight: 5.27 lbs
Picking The best laptops for Writers In 2023
Comfortable Keyboard
When you’re a writer who spends many hours behind a laptop doing the writing work, the first thing you’ll look into is the keyboard to be able to do your work comfortably in any situation. From our tests, the most important things to look for are keys size, material, and a travel size.
Quality Size & Resolution
By our last research, we realized that about 68% of writers love working remotely and they are more likely to work from different locations than in the office. Also, writers spend approximately 4-6 hours a day typing, even sometimes even more (during nights).
A quality screen with a great resolution, and a compact size make it easier to do your work anywhere, without a worry on your mind. Even working outside under the bright sun won’t be a problem.
Increased Connectivity
As a writer, you might want to use different gadgets to help yourself out, and for example, one of them is an external keyboard.
When you’re at home, why not help yourself out with a true mechanical keyboard. On the other hand, you’ll have many ports available for different flash drives.
Long Battery life
Whether you’re working from the office, home, or a coffee shop, a battery life is something everyone wants to be on the point. The longer the battery life, the better and longer you can do your writing work without being restricted by the wires.
And as our research showed, many writers change their location for a better inspiration and productivity flow. That’s why battery life is a crucial factor for any writer.
Form / Design
If you’re a traveler, having a durable design and a laptop form that is reliable and durable will keep your work protected, and provide you a way to do your work in a reliable way, along with a great portability so you can take your work on a go at any given time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is A Chromebook A Good Option For Writer?
While most people don’t really like Chrome OS due to many different reasons, we believe that Chrome OS is a great OS for writers, and Chromebooks are a perfect option if you are trying to keep things simple, or are on a tighter budget. Chrome OS is an OS from Google which means that it’s optimized to work really well with all Google Apps and many software that writers constantly use.
How Powerful Does My Laptop Needs To Be If I’m A Writer?
As a writer, you might not need the high-end laptops with the most powerful configuration, but don’t trick yourself thinking that you can settle for a low-end configuration laptop. You will still need to process documents which can sometimes be long and big, and also probably use a few software, multi-task, research, and have many tabs open in your browser which all requires resources from the configuration.
Is Touch Screen Worth The Extra Money If You Are A Writer?
Usually, writers depend more on a trackpad or a mouse rather than a touchscreen. It’s always easier to use a multi-gesture trackpad than try point a thing in a document full of text on your screen (no matter how big your laptop screen is). Therefore, if you’re on a tight budget, we recommend you to forget about the touchscreen feature and focus on other more important things.
Which MacBook is best for writers?
Most Macbooks were designed to be comfortable, convenient, and very reliable. However one Macbook stands out from the rest. Undeniably, the best Macbook for writers is the Apple MacBook Pro 16.
Asides from the long battery life, impressive design, quality display and resolution, and the standard ergonomic keyboard, the Apple Macbook Pro 16 has made one huge innovation or should I say reversion which made it really good for writers.
I’m talking about Apple’s butterfly keyboard. An innovation so bad that an Apple user filed a class action lawsuit against the company. The keys were counterproductive to writing and we’re glad that Apple has “fixed” their mistake.
The new MacBook Pro 16 ditched the butterfly keys making it easier and more convenient to type in. The keyboard is now more responsive and you can actually feel yourself typing which is a big help for people who are used to mechanical keyboards.
Which laptop has the best keyboard for typing?
The best of these laptops is the MacBook Pro 16 which removed the catastrophic butterfly keyboard and returned to their more popular and convenient scissor keyboard.
The MacBook Pro 16’s scissor keyboard might be very comfortable and easy to use but the Dell XPS 13 keyboard just beats it barely.
This is because the XPS 13 new keyboard features a 19% larger trackpad for the convenience of its writers as well as having 9% larger keys as well. Being a 13 inch laptop, it’s hard for people to type on especially if they have big hands.
This small innovation of increasing the keyboard by a bit helps people type much faster and much more comfortably as well. The laptop also has an inbuilt fingerprint reader which enhances your typing experience as well.
The keyboard is also edge to edge as well which significantly maximizes the space of the 13 inch laptop.
Another candidate for the best keyboard is the Dell XPS 15 which is basically a larger and more powerful version of the Dell XPS 13. This is why we only have one Dell XPS on our list because these two laptops are very similar and although they bring great value, they’re very identical in what they do.
Long story short if you want a laptop with an amazing keyboard go for the Macbook Pro 16, Dell XPS 13, or the Dell XPS 15. They’re all amazing choices.
Which laptop is best for freelancing?
We have 3 candidates for this. The first being the Macbook Pro 16 because of its powerful specs and its convenient features.
The second one is the Microsoft Surface Pro 7 for its portability and power. Not to mention that it allows you to use the surface pen to write actual handwritten notes which some people find to be more comfortable than a keyboard.
Lastly, we have the Dell XPS series. Both the Dell XPS 13 and 15 have good overall specs, battery life, and comfortable keyboards. Of course they also have their impressive 360 display which helps you adjust the display to fit the best possible view.
Resources
1. Avram Piltch, 5 Things to Look For in Your Next NoteBook Keyboard, Laptop Mag
2.Jack Schofield, Are there any laptops with decent keyboards?, The Guardian