Bioinformatics needs a solid computer; you can’t risk going with a dud. That’s why finding the best laptop for bioinformatics is genuinely a challenge.
It would help if you had a laptop with good power to make the best out of your everyday workload.
We’ve gone through hundreds of laptops and have come up with a few selected ones that are great for bioinformatics.
Let’s not waste more time and jump into this year’s best notebooks for bioinformatics.
| IMAGE | PRODUCT | SPECIFICATIONS | PRICE |
|---|---|---|---|
EDITOR’S CHOICE
 | Dell XPS 15 |
| View On AmazonRead Reviews |
RUNNER UP
 | MacBook Pro 13 |
| View on AmazonRead Reviews |
BUDGET PICK
 | Surface Pro 7 |
| View on AmazonRead Reviews |
Best Laptops For Bioinformatics
1. Dell XPS 15 – Editor’s Choice
Our choice for the best laptop for bioinformatics is the Dell XPS 15.
The Dell XPS 15 is, by far, the best Windows laptop out there for bioinformatics and almost anything. This Dell laptop is perfect if you’re looking for a complete Windows machine that doesn’t settle on many fronts.
Being a premium laptop, the Dell XPS 15 comes with an excellent design language. It is made of aluminum and premium plastic which use the laptop’s extended durability.
Even though this laptop comes with a 15.6-inch screen, Dell has reduced the overall laptop size to that of a 14-inch laptop. This is because of the super-thin infinity edge display.
The display here comes with a 4K resolution. This is a very high-resolution display, and you will be hard-pressed to find individual pixels when setting it from an average distance.
The picture quality is excellent, and you will love using this display for data analysis, media consumption, browsing the web, and other everyday tasks. In addition to the superb display, it doubles up as a touchscreen, giving you a wholesome Windows experience.
The screen also supports 100% of the RGB color gamut and has a maximum brightness of 500 nits.
An Intel Core i7 processor powers this Dell laptop. This is a Hexa core processor, and it comes with a maximum clock speed of 4.5 GHz. An intelligent memory cache of 12 MB will surely come in handy when you’re working with Office docs and other applications.
The memory department in this laptop is complete with a couple of 8 GB RAM sticks. This memory is overkill for bioinformatics, but it does give you a superior user experience overall.
The laptop comes with a 1TB PCIe solid-state drive. The solid-state drive gives you both speed and the storage you need for your bioinformatics needs. As a user, you will be very happy with such a solid-state drive in place, and we have to thank Dell for that.
For bioinformatics, you need an excellent keyboard at your hands. The keyboard is an excellent one to type on and gives you a pleasant typing experience. The keys have deep travel for a laptop and are also backlit, which is nice.
There is also a fingerprint reader, which makes logging into a user profile much easier. Having inbuilt security also gives you the option to encrypt your work which is a pretty good thing to have.
The laptop comes with a horde of connectivity options. We get all the essential ports we need, and the laptop also supports high-speed internet via 802.11AC Wi-Fi. There is also support for Bluetooth 5.0, which is super fast and gives you much better connectivity compared to its previous versions.
The Dell XPS 15 is a high-performance laptop. Even with a super high-resolution display, the Dell laptop lasts more than eight hours with a regular workload. The 6-cell 97 WHr battery does well and provides exceptional battery life.
Overall, the Dell XPS 15 is an excellent laptop. It brings a fantastic display, a brilliant processor, and a stunning battery life to the table, making it the best laptop for bioinformatics.
- Amazing display
- Beast of a processor
- Exceptional battery life
- Slightly expensive
2. MacBook Pro 13 – Runner Up
The MacBook Pro 13” is the best Mac for bioinformatics.
We could have gone for the 16-inch MacBook Pro, but it is way too expensive, and you can get much more done with this 13-inch model for a more affordable price.
When portability and performance are essential to your everyday needs, you need a laptop that will not disappoint you on both fronts. This MacBook Pro is one such laptop that brings both to the table and does well.
With a weight of under 3 lbs, you can easily take this laptop anywhere without worrying about extra baggage. The laptop also encourages working while you’re traveling, thanks to its excellent battery life.
The laptop lasts 10 to 12 hours with a light load. If you’re going to do something intensive, expect the laptop to stay with you for at least 6 to 8 hours which is still pretty good.
The display is one of the best features of this MacBook Pro, and we have to say that this is one of the best screens you will find in a 13.3-inch laptop, period. With retina resolution, this display packs millions and millions of pixels and gives excellent image quality.
The MacBook Pro comes with a Touch Bar and a touch ID, both of which are incredible innovations in the world of laptops. The Touch Bar replaces the traditional function keys and brings in contextual menus. Touch ID allows you to log in with a single touch and provides encryption all over the operating system.
An Intel Core i5 processor powers the laptop with a base frequency of 2.4 GHz. This is a quad-core processor from the eighth generation of Intel chips and can you clock to upwards of 4 GHz with the help of Turbo boost.
The laptop comes with 8 GB of memory which is more than enough for most bioinformatics enthusiasts. This memory gives you the ability to multitask without having to compromise on system performance. You won’t be able to upgrade RAM later on your Mac, so be sure to get the right amount of RAM during the purchase.
The lack of a dedicated graphics card on the MacBook Pro is something to note. In our opinion, it comes with an Intel Iris Plus graphics 655, which is a pretty good integrated graphics card. It will handle your graphics needs, and you can even play some light games without any issues.
There is a 256 GB solid-state drive for storage purposes. Apple’s solid-state drives are the best in the industry and give you unbeatable speeds when it comes to reading and writing. You will thoroughly enjoy this SSD, and there is no going back.
The MacBook Pro comes with four thunderbolts 3.0 ports. The ports are versatile and allow you to transfer data, charge your laptop, connect to external monitors, and much more. However, the lack of other Type-A ports might disappoint those who need to get adapters.
Overall, the MacBook Pro is, without a doubt, the best Mac for bioinformatics. It brings all the essential features you need daily and is an outstanding performer without breaking the bank.
- Wonderful Display
- Solid build
- Excellent overall performance
- Thunderbolt 3.0 ports
3. Surface Pro 7 – Budget Pick
Surface Pro 7 is the best convertible laptop when it comes to bioinformatics.
With a 12.3″ screen, this convertible laptop brings the best of Microsoft windows to the user. Many hybrid laptops do not do well in tablet mode. The Surface Pro 7 excels in tablet mode in a way that people will call it a tablet more than a laptop.
The display comes with what Microsoft calls the pixel sense resolution. This resolution has 3200 x 1800 pixels. Being one of the most pixel-dense displays, this one delivers excellent picture quality, and it’s perfect for those who want the best media consumption experience.
With a weight of 1.7 lbs, this is the lightest laptop you can get your hands on. Whether you are a bioinformatics student or you work on bioinformatics, this is the most portable laptop you can get.
A 10th-generation Intel core i5 processor powers the laptop. This is a quad-core processor, and it comes with a maximum clock speed of 3.7 GHz. This processor gives the laptop ample ability to handle all your everyday work without any issues.
There are 8 GB of RAM that takes care of your multitasking needs. You can handle several applications side-by-side without bringing down the laptop’s performance. The laptop also comes with a 256 GB solid-state drive for storage. It is super fast and improves the laptop’s performance in every way possible.
The touchscreen on this laptop is very responsive. It is the main reason why this laptop excels as a tablet and gives you a wholesome windows browsing experience.
The keyboard on this laptop is a bit different from the other keyboards you have seen. It comes with a Cleaning fabric, which is soft to the touch and gives a pleasant typing experience. Though you might miss a regular keyboard, this one helps with portability and simultaneously completes the job.
The laptop does not come with a discrete graphics card. The Intel UHD graphics card is the integrated GPU here, and it does a perfect job when it comes to taking care of your everyday graphics needs.
The laptop gives a battery life of 10.5 hours with a regular workload. This perfect battery life will provide you with an entire day of use without a recharge. Heavy use might bring this number down, but it still has a laptop with good battery life.
The Microsoft surface pro seven is an excellent two-in-one laptop, and for the price, it gives you an outstanding computing experience. This laptop is a solid choice for bioinformatics if you prefer this form factor or a regular laptop.
- Gorgeous display
- Awesome battery life
- Excellent desgin
- Keyboard is not traditional
Related Read: Best Laptops For Biomedical Engineering Students
What To Look For In The Best Laptop For Bioinformatics?
You can go and find a laptop that is best suited for your needs concerning bioinformatics.
But before that, you need to make sure that you have an idea of what it is to get a laptop for bioinformatics.
Here are some of the most important aspects of a laptop you should check before you get your laptop.
Display
If you are into bioinformatics, you will be analyzing data for long hours. Sitting long hours in front of a laptop requires a good display that won’t damage your eyes.
This also means that you can’t go for a lower resolution screen as it will take a toll on your eyes. Go for a laptop with a display with at least a full HD resolution.
You have an advantage if you can afford a QHD or 4K resolution display.
The display size depends on your work needs. If portability is way above screen real estate, you will be happy with a 13.3-inch laptop. If you need a bigger screen no matter what, then a 15.6 inch Will fit perfectly into your everyday lifestyle.
Also, ensure the laptop screen has an IPS panel underneath it. The presence of an IPS panel will bring a ton of advantages that you don’t get in TN or VA panels.
Input System
The keyboard on your laptop is essential as we will deal with a lot of data.
You will benefit from a tactile keyboard that gives you enough feedback. A near-mechanical keyboard-like experience will improve your typing speed and accuracy.
We are having a dedicated number that will surely come in handy.
Backlighting on your keyboard is a must, as it allows you to work even in super dark situations. Ensure the backlighting doesn’t bleed over the keys, as it could do more damage than good.
The trackpad on your laptop should be pretty good. It should have Windows gestures support and accurately capture all your hits without missing any.
Processing Power
Your laptop needs to have a decent bit of processing power regarding bioinformatics.
You can’t go wrong with a laptop that has an Intel Core i5 or an i7 processor at its helm. If you can get one of these processes from reason generations, you can be well assured that they can handle all your clocks without any issues.
The processor must have a decent base frequency, allowing it to handle most of your everyday work without boosting its clocking speed, which can affect your performance.
When it comes to memory, you will be fine if your laptop comes with 8 GB of RAM. Some users might be able to manage it with just 4 GB of RAM, but we do not recommend it as you might run out of memory in a few years.
8 GB is the optimum amount of memory with which you can work freely without worrying about performance. You can also go for more memory if you can afford it and if you need it.
Storage And Graphics
If you are dealing with massive datasets, you must have enough storage on your laptop. You will most likely be fine with a 256 GB solid-state drive.
You can also go for 512 GB solid-state drives or one TB solid-state drive if you need them.
More than this space, the fact that you are going with a solid-state drive is more important. The SSD allows you to do more things at a pace that will not slow down your performance.
Having an SSD brings you excellent booting-up speeds, quick application loading, and other performance improvements all over the board.
Let’s talk about the graphics situation.
You do not need a dedicated graphics card for bioinformatics. But having one will certainly not hurt anyone.
Bioinformatics can be handled with ease with an integrated Intel UHD graphics card. If you can afford it, a discrete graphics card with a dedicated memory of 2 GB or more will surely come in handy and make things easier.
Battery Life
The battery life is key when selecting your next laptop for bioinformatics.
It would help if you had a laptop that would not die on you for an entire day. Getting all-day battery life on a laptop also depends upon your style and nature of work.
It would be best if you got your laptop working for an entire day, at least with a light load. With a regular load, you should last for at least six hours, giving you ample time to find a charging point.
Conclusion
That brings us to the end of this article.
We have tried our best to justify the models chosen as the best laptops for informatics and have given reasons to back it up.
If you have any criticism, concerns, or feedback regarding the article, you can always reach us by using the contact page.
We are open to new ideas and comments, so please feel free to use the standard section below and give us your thoughts. We would love to hear from you.