Being a doctor can be quite stressful. It is even more daunting when you have to do everything manually. That is why you need the best laptop for doctors to help you boost your productivity by getting more done quickly.
However, you are probably too busy and have no time to shop around or to find out which model is the best for you. You don’t have to worry. We have done the heavy lifting and compiled a list of laptops we think will be the best fit for your job.
Our Top Laptops for Doctors
After doing enough research, comparing specs and prices, reading customer reviews and talking to experts, we have identified the following laptops to be the best options for doctors who want to get more done faster.
Best Overall Laptop for Doctors: Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon
Lenovo hardly disappoints with its ThinkPad line up. The ThinkPad X1 Carbon for instance, packs a contenting blend of features that guarantee a productivity boost for any doctor. It sports alluring aesthetics, sleek design, powerful performance and all the storage space you will ever need.
Behind the laptop’s unrivaled performance is a 6th Gen Intel Core i7 Processor. This coupled with 16GB of RAM will ensure the laptop breezes through any software you are using. You will also enjoy fast browsing speeds when doing your medical research, streaming video tutorials or teleconferencing.
There is 1TB of SSD storage for securely storing your files while significantly boosting the laptop’s overall performance. With this kind of storage you can download as many tools as you need, store important medical files and hospital records without bottlenecking the performance speed.
If you are looking for a quality display in your laptop, you will readily welcome the 14-inch Full HD screen. While it might be smaller for your liking, it is strikingly detailed with rich natural colors and satisfying clarity. You will be able to view or watch detailed medical procedures without straining your eyes.
The screen’s 2560 x 1440 resolution is further enhanced by the Intel UHD Graphics 620. You’d think that integrated graphics are demeaning for such a robust laptop. However, after using it for a while, you will quickly realize that the soldered Intel Graphics card is quite a performer.
Dedicated graphics would, of course, be much better but we don’t think this is a compromise to draw a frown. In fact, the lack of dedicated graphics is responsible for the noticeably long battery life. You will be able to work with your laptop for long hours without carrying your charger everywhere you go.
What We Like
- Solid rugged build for added durability
- High-resolution display for viewing detailed medical content
- Plenty of connectivity options for sharing files between your laptop and other devices
- Adequate storage for storing large files without affecting performance
- Impressive Intel Core i7 processor and 16GB of RAM for running advanced medical tools
What We Don’t Like
- The lack of dedicated graphics makes it unfit for doctors looking for more powerful displays
- It is a bit bulky thus unsuitable for doctors who move a lot
- Long Battery Life
- ThinkPad Precision Keyboard
- Integrated Fingerprint Reader
Best Laptop for Doctors for the Money: Acer Aspire E15
If you are looking for a laptop that strikes the best balance between price and practicality, we recommend the Acer Aspire E15. Although it is significantly cheaper, this Acer model packs a few features that are better than those of the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon.
For instance, it has a bigger screen, more battery time and dedicated graphics. Here is how to choose the best between the two. If you are after staggering storage space, faster performance, quality display and a nice design, go with the ThinkPad X1 Carbon.
On the other hand, if you want a bigger screen, longer battery life and better graphics performance for a cheaper price, the Aspire 15 will be a great choice. Considering that it has only 8GB of RAM, you might not get the same performance speeds compared to the Lenovo model.
However, with an Intel Core i7 CPU that clocks 1.8Ghz, there is still plenty of performance potential to be tapped. The 2GB NVIDIA GeForce MX150 gives a match needed performance boost for doctors who might need to do graphic-intensive tasks on their laptops.
There is also 8GB of dual-channel memory and 256GB SSD storage for additional performance power.
You can get up to 15 hours of battery life on light tasks. However, with discrete graphics, the battery life will deteriorate over time especially when used for long hours. Despite this, the battery can still last longer than that of ThinkPad X1 Carbon.
This is partly because the GeForce MX150 is an entry level graphics card and might not be as hard on the battery.
What We Like
- The long battery life will let work for many hours without carrying the charger around
- The dedicated graphics bring much needed performance boost for graphic-intensive tasks
- Solid build quality
- Enough storage space for storing everything you need for your work.
What We Don’t Like
- Too heavy to be carried around all day
- The display is a bit disappointed
- 8th Generation Intel Core i7-8550U Processor (Up to 4.0GHz)
- 15.6" Full HD (1920 x 1080) widescreen LED-lit IPS Display
- 8GB Dual Channel Memory & 256GB SSD. Adapter: 65 Watts
Best Cheap Laptop for Doctors: Lenovo Yoga 730
The first two laptops we recommend are for doctors who are willing to invest more for better performance. However, if you are on a budget and looking for a laptop that won’t choke your productivity, we think the convertible Lenovo Yoga 730 will put a smile on your face.
You will have to stomach a few subtle compromises. Nothing serious enough to cripple your work. We compared this model with the Acer Aspire E15 and realized that they share quite a number of features despite its significantly lower price tag. You will get the same screen size, RAM and SSD storage.
On the flipside, you will be getting a shorter battery life, less powerful processor and integrated instead of discrete graphics. These are not deal-breaking compromises if you don’t plan on subjecting the laptop to hardcore tasks or gaming.
You can still get up to 8 hours of battery life which is 1 hour more than what the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon affords.
While the Intel UHD Graphics 620 is not discrete, it still provides palpable performance boost for the display. Coupled with the 1920×1080 resolution, you will be able to view clearer images and videos on the 15.6-inch screen. While this is not the best IPS display ever put on a laptop, it’s not one to look down upon either.
There are few peripheral connections you might find useful. They include thunderbolt-based USB ports, HDMI and SD card reader. The laptop also comes with a fingerprint reader for more security.
The keyboard is comfortable to use with well-spaced keys and a responsive trackpad. If you type most of the time while in the hospital, this laptop will not disappoint.
What We Like
- A 2-in-1 design for more flexible usage
- Long battery life means you can leave your charger behind when going to the hospital
- Comes with a comfortable backlit keyboard for speedy typing even in dim areas
- It is budget-friendly making it a good fit for doctors on a budget
What We Don’t Like
- Troublesome Wi-Fi connectivity
- Has issues with flickering screen
- Brand New in box. The product ships with all relevant accessories
Best Laptop for Doctors for Portability: LG Gram
If you commute daily, move around a lot or just want a laptop you can use on the go, you will appreciate the portable LG Gram. Weighing only 2.4 pounds, you will hardly feel the weight of this laptop when stowed away in a bag.
If you buy it for its portability, you will also fall for the beautiful chassis, huge screen, impressive processor and sufficient storage. You’d expect a 15.6-inch laptop to have more weight under the hood. However, the LG gram got our attention for striking a sweet balance between size and portability.
In most cases, you’d have to sacrifice one to get the other. Yet, this laptop gives you both. With the 1.8GHz Intel Core i7-8565U and 16GB of RAM, you will finally have a lightweight laptop that will find hardcore tasks and notorious medical software a piece of cake.
There is only 256GB SSD storage which is way lower than that of our top recommendation, the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon. However, if you don’t plan on storing really large files, this should not be a big problem.
What We Like
- Lightweight making it a good option for doctors who commute
- Long battery life so you won’t have to carry your charger when going to the hospital
- Impressive performance from the Intel Core i7 processor and 16GB of RAM
- Comfortable backlit keyboard for speedy typing
- Huge display with minimal bezels
What We Don’t Like
- Short battery life
- Not a good option for doctors on a budget
- Ultra-light weight laptop weighing just under 2.5 lbs.
- Long-lasting 72Wh Battery for up to 18.5 hours* Battery Life (*Mobile mark 2014 standard)
- 15.6 inch Full HD IPS touchscreen display w/Ultra-Slim Bezel
What to Consider When Buying The Best Laptops for Doctors
The best laptops for doctors pack a powerful processor, sufficient storage space, high-resolution display and long battery life. Below are features to keep in mind when buying your next laptop.
Processor
There are a few performance-intensive software you need to boost your productivity as a doctor. This may include hospital management tools such athenaOne for Medical billing and eClinicalWorks for health records. To run this software, you need a sturdy processor.
In this case we recommend at least an Intel Core i5 or AMD Ryzen 5. While you might have some luck with Core i3 processors, they are painfully slow and may do more harm than good to your productivity. If you do graphic-intensive tasks like radiology or neurology, you will need a more powerful processor, preferably the Intel Core i7.
Graphics
Like mentioned above, graphic-intensive tasks like radiology will largely depend on not only the processor but also the GPU. In this case, you need dedicated graphic cards. However, if you do basic tasks like browsing, reading or watching videos, you will be fine with integrated Intel HD graphics.
Don’t blow your budget with powerful discrete graphics if you don’t need them. In fact, as a doctor, you might not since the hospital already got computers that are compliant with standard medical requirements.
RAM
The Random Access Memory temporarily stores data of currently running programs. This way, the processor can easily access these data without having to retrieve it from the hard drive.
This helps to make the processing much faster. In this case, more RAM almost certainly means a faster processor.
For medical and personal tasks, we recommend you don’t go lower than 8GB RAM or higher than 16GB. A 32GB RAM would be an overkill while a 4GB one would make the laptop unbearably slow.
Depending on the kind of tasks you do, we recommend you with either 8GB or 16GB RAM.
Storage
As a doctor, you probably have a lot of important data and files to store. For this reason, you need a laptop that can securely keep all your stuff without crippling performance.
Basically, when it comes to storage you have two options; HDD or SSD. Hard disk drives represent the old school way of storing data. Although they mostly provide more storage than SSDs and less expensive, they can make the laptop slower and also produce a lot of heat and noise since they have moving parts.
Solid state drives on the other hand don’t have any moving parts. They are faster, less noisy with minimal heat production. However, laptops that come with this kind of storage are expensive and some doctors may not afford them.
Battery Life
Battery life will vary depending on the amount of work and how long you use your laptop. Whichever the case, you always strive to get longer battery time. This is important since as a doctor, you are busy and won’t have time to charge your laptop while you work.
You should buy a laptop that can last you the entire work day without the need for recharging. Also carrying your charger in addition to all the other stuff you need for work can be clumsy.
That is why you need a laptop that you take to work without worrying about the charger. You will be able to get more done, finisH meetings without the battery draining and even have some surplus power to use when you get back home.
Weight
Obviously you move around a lot. This can be within the hospital, when going to work, when travelling or attending conferences. You don’t want a bulky laptop to weigh you down. A lightweight and portable laptop will help save space on your bag since they don’t take up a lot of real estate.
This is especially important if you move around on foot. A bulky laptop will not only drag you down but also possibly mess with your posture.
Conclusion
As a doctor, getting a laptop is very important since you have a lot of data and information to store and a ton of research to do. However, deciding to buy a laptop is the easy part, buying the best laptop for doctors is the hard part.
Lucky for you, this guide is filled with helpful recommendations to get you on the right path to buying your perfect laptop.
