The 5 Best Laptops For Network Engineer in March 2023

Most present laptops can run their network. But, as a network engineer, you will need a small, light laptop that will always be at hand during working hours and when you have a rest far away.

So, what are the best laptops for network engineers? You need to consider all aspects and make a rating of the best laptops for a coder. There will be a wide range of prices since the financial capabilities of all engineers are different.

In this article, Toro Bravo Inc will consider which model is suitable for beginners and professionals. Each model presented here is the best in its segment.

What is the best laptop for network engineer? If you are asking this question, you should take a closer look at the following laptop models from our rating.

#1. HP Spectre x360 - Best For Cooling System

Important Specifications

• CPU: Intel Core i7-1065G7;

• RAM capacity: 16GB DDR4;

• GPU: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 Ti GPU;

• Storage device: 512GB SSD;

• Battery life: 10 hours;

• Weight: 2.80 pounds.

Product's Highlights

This HP Specter x360 offers an Intel Core i7-1065G7 with four cores, operating at frequencies up to 3900 MHz.

Moreover, the laptop remains completely quiet, and the temperature does not rise above 64 degrees. It's thanks to the processor that drops the frequencies to 1500 MHz and lower, while the video-core cuts the clock frequency by 20-25%.

We have before us a thin and light stylish laptop with excellent characteristics. You will have a high-resolution screen, one of the most productive CPUs among the 15-watt models based on the Skylake architecture.

A 512 GB drive makes a significant fraction of the performance. With its help, you can enjoy the performance of the OS and applications. At the same time, you can store many personal files without carrying an external hard drive with you.

The HP Specter x360 13-4103ur boasts a spacious and fast solid-state drive and impressive battery life. But the glossy screen reflects everything in front of it, making it difficult to perceive the image.

Furthermore, the processor reduces its performance to avoid overheating. On the whole, this fact partially spoils the positive impression on this device.

What We Like

• Powerful processor

• Quiet and cool

• Stylish design

• High-resolution screen

• Much storage

Things to Consider

• Glossy screen

#2. Acer Predator 300 - Best For Multiple Connections

Important Specifications

• CPU: Intel Core i7;

• RAM capacity: 16GB DDR4;

• GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060;

• Storage device: 256GB SSD;

• Battery life: 7 hours;

• Weight: 5.95 pounds.

Product's Highlights

The Predator Helios 300 versions come with either an Intel core i7-11800H. If you need a laptop not only for games but also for working in resource-intensive programs, you should purchase a model with Core i7 for the network.

In terms of connections, the laptop is more than enough for the vast majority of tasks. On the left, it has a Kensington Lock, RJ-45 network port with support for speeds up to 2.5 Gb/s, a pair of USB 3.1 Gen 1, and a combo headphone/microphone jack.

On the right, there is a dedicated Mini DisplayPort, HDMI 2.0, another USB 3.1 Gen 1, and USB-C, also version 3.1 Gen 1. The wireless connections go with Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0.

But, the Acer Predator Helios 300 is probably not the favorite pick for those looking for a lightweight laptop. This powerful machine weighs up to 5.95 pounds, the heaviest on our list.

Despite losing in compactness, the Helios 300 won out in cooling efficiency and stability. Additional bonuses are a more user-friendly design and a full-size keyboard.

What We Like

• The latest core i7

• Large screen

• High-resolution display

• Much storage

Things to Consider

• Short-life battery

• Heavy design

#3. Lenovo ThinkPad E15 - Best For Budget

Important Specifications

• CPU: Intel Core i5-10210U;

• RAM capacity: 16GB DDR4;

• GPU: Intel UHD 620;

• Storage devices: 512 SSD;

• Battery life: 11 hours;

• Weight: ‎3.75 pounds.

Product's Highlights

ThinkPad E15 comes with the Intel Core i5-10210U is a quad-core Comet Lake processor capable of clocking at 1.6 to 4.2 GHz.

The short-term power limit of the tested laptop is 25W for 30 seconds. After the specified time, consumption is limited to 15 watts.

As you can see, the processor does not degrade performance while on battery power. But these characteristics are not the strongest pros of the ThinkPad E15.

Its advantages are related to memory and storage. The test laptop received 16GB of RAM and a storage capacity of 512GB.

Synthetic tests show results that are quite typical for this processor and ordinary office tasks. Working on the computer turned out to be expectedly comfortable.

If you are planning to create a family tree, you will be completely satisfied with this bundle. It allows you to work with documents, a browser, mail, and other not very difficult tasks on the network with ease.

ThinkPad E-series laptops come for not only office tasks but also simple games. However, the cooling system in the ThinkPad E15 was experiencing serious problems, resulting in scorching hotness.

What We Like

• Productive performance;

• Sturdy design;

• Much storage.

Things to Consider

• The cooling system heats up quickly.

#4. MacBook Pro 13 Retina 2020 - Best For Much Storage

Important Specifications

• CPU: Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i5;

• RAM capacity: 16GB DDR4;

• Display characteristics: Retina display;

• GPU: Intel Iris Plus ;

• Storage device: 1TB SSD;

• Battery life: 10 hours;

• Weight: 3.1 pounds.

Product's Highlights

The basis of the laptop that came to us for the test is a quad-core Intel Core i5-1038NG7 processor. It comes with a base frequency of 2 GHz; the Turbo Boost mode can increase it up to 3.8 GHz.

This processor has a 6MB L3 cache and a TDP of 28W. The Intel Iris Plus Graphics integrates into the processor. There is no discrete graphics in the 13-inch MacBook Pro.

Now you can see how much darker the MacBook Pro's screen is. The anti-glare features of the screen are so perfect that even direct reflection from bright lights does not interfere too much.

The SSD in the 1TB model surpasses any typical laptop owner's needs. As you know, the larger the storage capacity, the faster the data transfer speed.

Overall, Macbook Pro 13 is the best laptop of Apple inventions. It is a true all-rounder for every task, including networking.

Network engineers need a Unix laptop for networking, and Apple's BSD Unix has a well-integrated networking stack.

Other laptops are cheaper, but they are suitable for Windows. You have to download either Linux or BSD Unix, and the integration is rarely complete. There's always some driver missing or not working correctly.

The only weak point of the 13-inch MacBook Pro is gaming. It will do with something completely basic, like Civilization 6 on "minimal" or Sims 4 in "laptop mode." But modern titles with advanced 3D graphics on a laptop will go with very weak FPS.

What We Like

• High-performance chipset

• Anti-glare screen;

• Long battery life;

• Much storage.

Things to Consider

• Not for gaming.

#5. MSI GF65 9SD004 - Best For Data-Transfer Speed

Important Specifications

• CPU: Intel Core i7-9750H;

• RAM capacity: 16GB DDR4;

• GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX1660Ti;

• Storage devices: 512GB SSD;

• Battery life: 7 hours;

• Weight: ‎4.1 pounds.

Product's Highlights

The new GF65 replaces GF63 with an Nvidia Turing graphics card, a more passive cooling system, and a faster wireless adapter. The same appearance, but the performance is higher.

MSI decided not to change the thin bezel design and left it as it is. It is available in configurations with Core i5-9300H and Core i7-9750H processors and multiple 1080p displays.

Instead of Intel 9462 (BT 4.2), the laptop now has a slightly more advanced Intel 9560 wireless adapter supporting Bluetooth 5.0 and 2x2 MIMO antennas. Data transfer rates can be up to 4 times faster if your router supports 802.11ac.

But, it is worth noting such an important point as the high noise levels under load, small loops behind moving objects on display, and irregular port layouts.

What We Like

• More massive cooling system;

• A faster wireless adapter

• Sturdy design;

• Multi-function.

Things to Consider

• High noise levels.

You can refer to this video about the best laptops for network engineers.