What qualities must a laptop possess to make the best laptop for data science student? A data scientist’s needs cannot be met by a regular laptop used for everyday computing tasks. They need a laptop with advanced specifications.
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Best Laptop For Data Scientist
A data scientist’s job is to process through a momentous amount of data and then analyze this data. It requires complex softwares and tools to achieve this purpose. An expansive memory size and high performing processor are other requirements that a data scientist’s laptop should fulfill.
- The RAM size of a data scientist’s laptop should be no less than 8GB. 16GB of RAM size would be a better fit to process machine learning algorithm and compute faster.
- An Intel UHD Graphics GPU is a must as most deep learning libraries function on the CUDA processor which can only compile on Intel processing units. Any other GPU will restrict a data scientist from writing high level code.
- The Intel Core i7 processor works best in terms of processing. Any less than Intel Core i5 7th Gen would affect his/her performance.
- Storage size should ideally be between 1TB HDD and 256GB SSD.
- A Linux OS would be a good fit for a developer. Windows and MAC enable you to run Linux on a startup software or as a virtual machine, so the OS should not be a problem.
The Comparison Made Below Attempts To Find The Best Laptop For Data Science Students
1. HP 17.3 Inch HD+ High-Performance Laptop
The 2018 HP High-Performance Laptop runs on Windows 10 OS and 8th Gen Intel Core i5-8250U quad-core processor. Its RAM size is 16GB and its storage size is a spacious 256GB SSD + 1TB HDD. Its graphic processor is Intel UHD Graphics 620. The laptop weighs 5.42 lbs and consists of a 17.3” HD display screen.
2. TOSHIBA Tecra 15.6" HD Laptop Computer
The Toshiba Tecra Business Laptop Computer runs on Windows 10 Professional 64-bit OS and 8th Gen Intel Core i7-8550U quad core processor. It boasts of a RAM size of 16GB DDR and storage space of 512GB SSD. The display screen is a 15.6” HD screen. The graphic processor is Intel UHD Graphics 620. The laptop weighs about 5lbs.
The system protects against data theft by utilizing a fingerprint reader and Trusted Platform Module. It also provides a security lock slot which can be used to secure the PC to a desk.
3. Lenovo Built Laptop PC 17.3" HD+ Display
The Lenovo Built Business Laptop uses a Windows 10 OS and a 7th Gen Intel Core i5 7200U dual core CPU. RAM size available is 12GB DDR.
It offers hard drive storage space of 1TB. The display screen is 17” and fully HD with a resolution of 1600×900. It weighs 5.51lbs. The graphics processor used is Intel UHD Graphics 620.
Best Offer
There is no doubt that the Toshiba Tecra 15.6” HD Business Laptor Computer wins the title for the best laptops for data science among the three compared.
Its 8th Gen Intel Core i7-8550U quad core processor is way ahead of the Intel Core i5 processors offered by the Lenovo and HP models. It makes multitasking a breeze and a data scientist does not have to worry about the system hanging while he is in the middle of analyzing a particularly grueling data set.
Again, the 16GB RAM size that the Toshiba Tecra makes available makes computing much faster than HP’s meagre 8GB RAM and Lenovo’s 12GB RAM size. Toshiba’s 512GB SSD hard-drive space steals a march over the 256GB SSD storage space the HP laptop offers and the 1TB offered by Lenovo.
Toshiba Tecra’s screen size is much smaller at 15.6” but this makes up for its lighter weight amounting to 5lbs in comparison to the other laptops.
All three variants run the same graphics processor i.e Intel UHD Graphics 620. A data scientist would have benefitted from a more tech-heavy alternative. The fingerprint reader and TPM are other complimentary features that seal the Toshiba Tecra Business Laptop Computer’s position as the best laptop available in the market for data science purposes.
Best Laptop for Scientific Computing
Scientific Computing such as big data analysis, processing machine learning algorithms and software design needs a laptop with powerful specifications and good battery life at the same time.
A Linux OS is a mandatory requirement but since it can run on any other OS, the system need not possess a Linux OS right off the box. An Intel Core quad core i7 CPU would aid the data scientist in operating faster.
Students who are in the field of scientific computing would like ease of portability, so the screen size should ideally be 13-14” and the laptop should be lightweight so it can be carried around the campus with ease. A capable graphics processor would help. It should be durable and sturdy so it doesn’t get damaged due to rough use.
The laptop will be subject to a lot of typing, so it must have a high quality keyboard to withstand the strain. A minimum of 256GB SSD hard-disk space would be required to adequately meet the data storage needs of scientific computing.
Good battery life and an extensive warranty period will make the laptop more appealing. 16GB RAM space would enable smooth multi-tasking and further add to the qualities of an able laptop for data scientist.
Conclusion
Taking all the above into consideration, the Toshiba Tecra 15.6” HD Business Laptop Computer stands out from its competition. Its specification heavy system will enable the complex applications required for scientific computing to run with ease.
The Intel Core quad core i7 CPU will speed up the computing process and 16GB DDR RAM size will help the data science student/professional run multiple applications at once without any fear of the machine hanging.
Toshiba’s 15.6” screen size and 5lbs weight makes carrying it around easy. Its 512GB SSD storage space is sufficient for anyone’s scientific computing requirements. The Lenovo and HP laptops are well-performing laptops in their own right but the Toshiba Tecra Business is a class apart, with no doubt one of the best computer for data analysis.