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The purpose of this thread is to discuss your favorite laptop and why, especially for uses of software development. While I know this is a highly subjective topic and one that depends on user preference... That's fine, I'm looking for opinions here. I currently run a Toshiba Satellite on Windows 7 and I'm happy with it but in case it were to die or something happened to it... Or I just want to upgrade, what should I get next and why? My dad and I have been Toshiba users for a long time but I saw some of the newer Toshibas in Staples the other day and I was not impressed. The specs were great for the price but the build-quality has gone downhill big time. Talk about cheap plastic... It wasn't even finished!
That got me thinking... Does anyone use a Surface for coding? What about a MacBook Air? Personally, I value larger screens because I use my laptop as a desktop replacement (I know it really doesn't matter with external monitors, but still, I like to go to coffee shops a lot).
While on the subject, those of you who do use Mac; Can you get it to run Windows and perform as if it were a PC by partitioning the drive and booting off of it or do you actually code on a virtual machine?
Last but not least, what is your opinion on video cards and coding? Do you do development which requires some serious graphics power or do you code on a pretty basic machine?
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I don't - can't stick the things. So I use a desktop.
The screen's too small, the keyboard is too cramped, and touchpad is annoying.
Yes, you can cure that with external monitors, external keyboard, external mouse ... but then you've got a desktop that cost a lot more, is harder to upgrade, and takes more space on the desk! 
If I regularly had to code out of the office, then maybe I'd learn to live with it. But I don't. Out of office, I do email, maybe some simple correspondence. And I have a tablet for that which is more portable than a lappie anyway.
Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay...
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really? even with all the things sticking out of it, it still takes up less space than a desktop.
i've got an acer 2-in-1 (folds all the way over back into a tablet).
but it's mounted on my piano stand (combo piano and development stand thingy)
It's got hdmi to my 60" tv, audio to my stereo, an HD portrait monitor for coding, a coding keyboard and lightweight media keyboard (in addition to the lame built in one) - both wireless, wireless mouse, and 4 midi devices hanging off it (2 keyboards, drumset, midi pedals).
soooo that takes 2 usb hubs, but i at least don't stub my toe on the dang desktop.
rig[^]
i've upgraded the programming keyboard since the pic to a smaller (yet same weight, slightly less CLACKY but still a little clacky)
it's mounted on the side opposite where i sit on my left. can't really see it in the pic. which is kind of the point.
all the usb hub hell is behind the piano hidden in the stand. As is the midi cable HELL. And power cable HELL. And audio cable HELL.
Really, as long as you don't need a high power display card for games (I mean, I am a computer programmer of music junk. I don't have time for games)
well, not much need for a desktop, cuz that's the only real "card" that goes inside any more.
and I like to use average hardware so people using my code aren't goin "what?? do i need a supercomputer to run your program? it's DOG SLOW..."
honestly, seems to me desktops are kinda goin the way of the dodo what with bluetooth, usb3, wifi, etc.
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None...
In fact I do not understand 99% of the people who use laptop while sitting next to the very same table for years...
I'm using monstrous desktops, with the ability to run several virtual machines. Using larger monitors than any of the common laptops have...
A much more flexible access to the hardware parts, to fix/add/replace problems...No noise/vibration/heating under my fingers...
No way I take it home!!!
Skipper: We'll fix it.
Alex: Fix it? How you gonna fix this?
Skipper: Grit, spit and a whole lotta duct tape.
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Three reasons:
1) May not have a desk. I don't - I have the kitchen table.
2) May not have a stable home. When I bought my Laptop I was moving every 2-3 months and had to prepare University exams on the PC. Could not buy a desktop.
3) Working on the run or no Internet connection at home - In my case I didn't have any Internet connection (Italy, third world) so to be able to connect I was forced to go to the University. A laptop is the solution.
Now I have a fairly stalbe house with broadband Internet access so I'll be probably buying a desktop, still now both me and GF have only laptops. Also, one desk - one PC. Two desktop PC on a desk is nigh impossible and I don't have space for two desks. One of us will stick to laptops. Sice I'm the gamer and the developer I'm claiming that right.
GCS d--- s-/++ a- C++++ U+++ P- L- E-- W++ N++ o+ K- w+++ O? M-- V? PS+ PE- Y+ PGP t++ 5? X R++ tv-- b+ DI+++ D++ G e++>+++ h--- ++>+++ y+++* Weapons extension: ma- k++ F+2 X
If you think 'goto' is evil, try writing an Assembly program without JMP. -- TNCaver
When I was six, there were no ones and zeroes - only zeroes. And not all of them worked. -- Ravi Bhavnani
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Those are fair reasons, but I was more talking about work and not home (after all OP mentioned software development on laptop)...
At home I still have a desktop and a laptop - which is for the lady of the house... The desktop shared between all at day and saved for me at night...
Skipper: We'll fix it.
Alex: Fix it? How you gonna fix this?
Skipper: Grit, spit and a whole lotta duct tape.
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Work? I'd fight for my desktop with teeht and claws. But if I had to move often between contractors or factories I'd start using the desktop and sharing with the laptop and would end up with only the laptop. The keyboard depends on the model, ASUS has fair built in ones. External mouse is a must.
GCS d--- s-/++ a- C++++ U+++ P- L- E-- W++ N++ o+ K- w+++ O? M-- V? PS+ PE- Y+ PGP t++ 5? X R++ tv-- b+ DI+++ D++ G e++>+++ h--- ++>+++ y+++* Weapons extension: ma- k++ F+2 X
If you think 'goto' is evil, try writing an Assembly program without JMP. -- TNCaver
When I was six, there were no ones and zeroes - only zeroes. And not all of them worked. -- Ravi Bhavnani
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I switched to a laptop at work for development and regular office-type things, and have never looked back. It travels with me to meetings, where I can take notes when needed or continue working while topics I'm not involved with or concerned about are discussed, and it goes home with me where I can work from home, as I do once a week, and I don't have to use Remote Desktop of VNC to get to an office desktop so I can get to my code and docs; it's already with me.
If you think 'goto' is evil, try writing an Assembly program without JMP.
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How do I report a user for racist remarks?
Thanks.
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Check your targets before firing, Rambo.
Magari se guardassi da che nazionalità provengo... E si, ho tutto il diritto di definire il mio paese terzo mondo vista la pietosa condizione di libertà di stampa, corruzione politica e mancanza di infrastrutture, per non parlare del reddito comparato a quello mondiale e della pressione fiscale.
Just telling that I can say whenever I want that my country is third world given our ratings in freedom of press, political corruption and the lack of properly maintained infrastructures. Not to speak about our wages (I talked about them often, 70$/hour of coding are unheard, lucky to get 15 after 30 years of experience) and fiscal pressure.
GCS d--- s-/++ a- C++++ U+++ P- L- E-- W++ N++ o+ K- w+++ O? M-- V? PS+ PE- Y+ PGP t++ 5? X R++ tv-- b+ DI+++ D++ G e++>+++ h--- ++>+++ y+++* Weapons extension: ma- k++ F+2 X
If you think 'goto' is evil, try writing an Assembly program without JMP. -- TNCaver
When I was six, there were no ones and zeroes - only zeroes. And not all of them worked. -- Ravi Bhavnani
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I have a Sony Vaio Z series - had it for a while, it has 256GB SSD (64 x 4) memory - it was a good idea while my eyes could read the screen and it wasnt full - now I have to be carefull with Win 7 on it, its prone to spontaneous shutdowns ... I also have a MacBook Pro 15", I had a decent 2TB drive put in it, I've purchased Parallels, so, my hope is to 'absorb' the Windows 7 image from the Vaio into a Parallels session on the MacBook
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Asus. I love Asus notbeooks and netbooks, they are reliable and usually affordable. I've been lucky and got, 5 years ago, a Intel i7 HQ for a meager 600€ - the hard disk is fairly small though, only 320 GB but at that time I was running with a 4 GB EeePC and left behind a 120 GB P4 so it looked amazing. 4 GB of RAM are still enough... the graphic card is a dumb ATI, fairly powerful for a bufdget laptop (Skyrim runs fine if a bit underpowered) but with all the problems of ATI: OpenGL is unknown, drivers do not update (only the mainstream models have reliable updates, the budget ones end up in black screens). The screen is 15,6" and it's fine for me.
I develop with terrible graphic cards - GDI graphic is enough and Image Processing is forensic in nature, als it HAS to be completed in milliseconds so no fancy algorithms. Contrasts and gradients mainly.
GCS d--- s-/++ a- C++++ U+++ P- L- E-- W++ N++ o+ K- w+++ O? M-- V? PS+ PE- Y+ PGP t++ 5? X R++ tv-- b+ DI+++ D++ G e++>+++ h--- ++>+++ y+++* Weapons extension: ma- k++ F+2 X
If you think 'goto' is evil, try writing an Assembly program without JMP. -- TNCaver
When I was six, there were no ones and zeroes - only zeroes. And not all of them worked. -- Ravi Bhavnani
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I use a desktop. 30" and 24" monitors. I find laptop a pain with cramped keyboard and small monitor that means it useless to work on. Generally I need to be connected to work servers and as I'm at the same desk, the desktop is perfect.
For remote access work supplies a iPad and iPhone. If I'm not at work then I'm not on work time and therefore not working for the man. That's me time....
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I have two laptops - one 5 years old (still in perfect working condition) with an i7 2670QM, 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD, now used as a "desktop", and a much lighter laptop (i7 6500U, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD + 1TB SSD) that I bought a few months ago (used as a laptop). I find that having a laptop for development on the go (mostly application software) is very useful, and would not go back to a desktop. Naturally, if I needed multiple VMs etc., a desktop would probably be a better choice. 
Both my laptops were manufactured by HP, and I've had no problems with either.
If you have an important point to make, don't try to be subtle or clever. Use a pile driver. Hit the point once. Then come back and hit it again. Then hit it a third time - a tremendous whack.
--Winston Churchill
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I had an HP desktop and it was awful - unknown Korean mobo with cheapcrappy integrated graphics, terrible RAM mounted on it and an outdated processor, at the price of a far better PC.
That stubborn man that is my father single-handedly decided to buy it to replace mine and of course did not consult anyone.
GCS d--- s-/++ a- C++++ U+++ P- L- E-- W++ N++ o+ K- w+++ O? M-- V? PS+ PE- Y+ PGP t++ 5? X R++ tv-- b+ DI+++ D++ G e++>+++ h--- ++>+++ y+++* Weapons extension: ma- k++ F+2 X
If you think 'goto' is evil, try writing an Assembly program without JMP. -- TNCaver
When I was six, there were no ones and zeroes - only zeroes. And not all of them worked. -- Ravi Bhavnani
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den2k88 wrote: That stubborn man that is my father single-handedly decided to buy it to replace mine
Now I understand your avatar...
If you have an important point to make, don't try to be subtle or clever. Use a pile driver. Hit the point once. Then come back and hit it again. Then hit it a third time - a tremendous whack.
--Winston Churchill
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For .NET development I use a Lenovo Thinkpad E550 with 16GB RAM. It came with a hybrid drive, but I replaced it with a 500GB SSD so it runs fast enough now. The screen is a HiDPI one so it can sometimes have funny moments with legacy software and it doesn't have great contrast but it's usable. The trackpad is near useless though.
I'd had a few Dell machines and to be honest, they were even worse. The best laptop I owned (two of them in fact) we the old Sony Vaio's but they're long gone.
TheOnlyRealTodd wrote: While on the subject, those of you who do use Mac; Can you get it to run Windows and perform as if it were a PC by partitioning the drive and booting off of it or do you actually code on a virtual machine?
When I first got a Mac, I installed Parallels so the I could run Windows in a VM. It was okay, did everything I needed, but it wasn't long before I dumped it. The good thing about using a Mac is that it's encouraged me to look elsewhere, so .NET Core/ASP.NET 5, Java, NodeJS, Swift and Docker.. computing feels more exciting again like it did when I was a kid The quality of everything on my Mac is top-notch - build quality, screen, SSD (1TB), trackpad.. expensive but well worth the money in my opinion.
I came into this game for the action, the excitement. Go anywhere, travel light, get in, get out, wherever there's trouble, a man alone. Now they got the whole country sectioned off, you can't make a move without a form.
modified 31-Aug-21 21:01pm.
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You have my respect, you're the first respondent to actually answer the OP's questions. Thanks for being a reasonable and thoughtful mind.
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Thanks!
I came into this game for the action, the excitement. Go anywhere, travel light, get in, get out, wherever there's trouble, a man alone. Now they got the whole country sectioned off, you can't make a move without a form.
modified 31-Aug-21 21:01pm.
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I don't care so much about the manufacturer, but it should have these things:
- A strong CPU so that it will do for a while.
- Max. possible memory, no less. I guess I always wanted this from my first computer on.
- A good graphics chipset.
- Reasonable battery life for the next time I have to work in a clean room for hours.
- Efficient and silent cooling. My older notebook got hot as a stove and made as much noise as an idling jet turbine.
The language is JavaScript. that of Mordor, which I will not utter here
This is Javascript. If you put big wheels and a racing stripe on a golf cart, it's still a f***ing golf cart.
"I don't know, extraterrestrial?"
"You mean like from space?"
"No, from Canada."
If software development were a circus, we would all be the clowns.
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For work:
whatever they give me.
Home:
No laptop, I prefer to use 3 screens and laptops usually don't have that
Never liked laptops so I use them as little as possible.
Tom
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I use a MacBook with Parallels to a Win 10. It is basically awful. 
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Why don't you BootCamp? Or do you need the MacOS apps?
cheers
Chris Maunder
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I (occasionally) need MacOS apps and sometimes use Swift - I am thinking totally separate windows laptop for my next birthday present.
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Yeah, basically that's our relationship in a nutshell, luckily since I moved to my home things improved a lot - living together is tough, also we're very similar and THAT's why we fought a lot. Always respected and loved each other though.