First Impressions
Looking for a laptops for programming? The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 12.4 Intel i5 comes in at $599.99 and has earned 4.4 stars across 1,445 Amazon reviews. That's enough data to take its #1 ranking (out of 37) seriously. That #1 spot didn't come by accident - the combination of rating, review volume, and price-to-value ratio puts the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 12.4 Intel i5 ahead of every other laptops for programming we track.
Chassis & Build
Build quality at $599.99 should include some metal elements (lid or palm rest) and minimal flex.
The Numbers
- Brand: Microsoft
- Price: $599.99 (well below the $929.38 category average)
- Amazon rating: 4.4 of 5.0
- Reviews: 1,445
- Category rank: #1 of 37 in laptops for programming
- Cheaper in category: 12 products
- Higher-rated in category: 19 products
- More-reviewed in category: 0 products
From the Reviews
A 4.4-star average from 1,445 buyers means most are happy, but a meaningful slice - roughly 15-20% - has at least some complaint. The pattern in the negative reviews matters more than the average itself.
For context, the average rating across all 37 laptops for programming options we track is 4.1 stars, so this product is meaningfully above average.
Holding the #1 Spot
Holding #1 in the laptops for programming category means this product wins on the metric we use to rank - a blend of star rating, review volume, and price. The closest challenger is the Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 13.5 Intel i7 at $799.99 with 4.4 stars from 1,243 reviews. It's a close second on most metrics.
Higher-rated options in this category:
- KAIGERR Gaming Laptop - $386.99, 5.0★ (15 reviews) · Better on both axes
- Lenovo 16 FHD Business Laptop - $1499.99, 5.0★ (8 reviews) · Higher rated
- Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen 7 - $949.99, 5.0★ (7 reviews) · Higher rated
If rating alone is your filter, the highest-rated option in this category is the KAIGERR Gaming Laptop at 5.0★. If pure price is the filter, the cheapest is the Lenovo ThinkPad T460 Business at $182.61.
Should You Buy It?
Probably yes , with a caveat. The rating is strong and the price is reasonable. Just confirm the specific features you care about - connectivity, switches, ports, whatever - match what's listed.
Best fit for:
- Budget shoppers who want functional laptops for programming without overspending
- First-time buyers who want a safe, well-vetted choice without doing extensive research
Bottom Line
9.2/10
Our #1 in laptops for programming. If you're not already committed to a different model, start here.