I've generally used a MacBook Pro for development. Alas, my 2014 MBP is upgraded as far as it can go and it's starting to feel a little long in the tooth, particularly when I'm Windows + Visual Studio. It's time for an upgrade and, for the first time in decades, I have no idea what kind of machine to get. My HPs are all Linux boxes and wouldn't be powerful enough for my uses anyways.
I'm not fond of Touch Bar, so a MacBook Pro is no longer an option for me. I know that I can get MBP's without the Touch Bar, but won't have access to more powerful processors/faster RAM unless I give up my function keys. Frankly, you can pry those function keys out of my cold, dead hands...:)
Extremely dramatic rant aside, what kinds of machines do you use?
Hardware wise, you will get a 64bit machine so you can add more than 2 GB max RAM than the 32bit system can accommodate. Price matters and you can get a lot of hardware for under £500. Shop around for something with at least 8GB RAM and forget the Celeron Chips. Intel i5... minimum and Windows 10 Pro, maybe you can upgrade with an OS from MSDN if your firm has a subscription, and the retail is busting your sub £500 budget. Get something with backlit keyboards and don't ask me about SSD, it ain't gonna be your bottle neck any time soon. The rest should fall in place like HDD, Surface etc.
You are running Visual studio x3 instances and MS SQL Server service is running while you're debugging on Chrome and have x6 instances of Edge browser idling away on your second screen; or maybe not
I would recommend, depending on your budget, a Dell XPS 15 9560 (Last Years Model) which has a great price or the Dell XPS 15 9570. There are a lot of great things about this system.
1) 16gb RAM expandable to 32gb. (Which I have) Even aftermarket.
2) M2 SSD 500gb min. I have upgraded mine aftermarket to EVO 970 1tb.
3) 4k Touch Screen. The screen is beautiful to work on. Also has infinity edge (small bezel)
4) Backlit Keyboard.
5) 6+ hours runtime on battery which is great for an I7 Processor.
6) The processor is the desktop version not the nerfed mobile version. Last year it was a I7-7700HQ, This year it is I7-8750H, or if you want the i9-8950HK they have it to which is a beast in a laptop.
7) Not heavy and feels good in the hand.
8) I am running mine on the Dell Dock at the office and at home and have 2 4k monitors and a 1080 p running off it on the dock.
9) Last years model has an NVIDIA 1050 in it, this years has a 1050TI
Budget isn't a huge issue for me. Mind if I ask you a couple of questions about the Dell?
Do you like the touch screen? I thought that I would likely shy away from a touch screen as I didn't think I would use it, but all your advice makes a lot of sense to me, so I figure I should ask you.
And, what about the keyboards? I used to really dislike Dell keyboards, but the XPS seems like such a wonderfully put together line of computers that I suspect they have changed.
Thanks so much for your help! I've got to admit that I hadn't really looked into Dell, but I'm checking them out right now. It is much appreciated.
I don't use the touchscreen much, but it is nice to have if I am doing development and I want to simulate touching the website links and buttons. The 4k screen comes with the touch screen automatically.
The keyboard is fine, but I use a dock and plug in my Razor Mechanical keyboard when I am developing and programing. Otherwise the keyboard is great.
If you do go and get it and buy the dock, make sure you buy the bigger thunderbolt dock which charges the laptop with just the one connection.
Overall it is the best laptop for developing I have owned.
The one I recommend is the XPS 15 Touch on this page for $1899.00. If I were you, and you are good with computers, I would get the 16gb RAM and the 256gb M2. Then upgrade the Hard Drive to a Samsung EVO 970 500gb or 1tb which are pretty much the fastest drives available for the most part. If you are not that handy, then configure the system up with a larger hard drive.
Also make sure you are getting the 97WHr battery, not the smaller one.
What kind of machines do developers use?
Good day everyone!
I've generally used a MacBook Pro for development. Alas, my 2014 MBP is upgraded as far as it can go and it's starting to feel a little long in the tooth, particularly when I'm Windows + Visual Studio. It's time for an upgrade and, for the first time in decades, I have no idea what kind of machine to get. My HPs are all Linux boxes and wouldn't be powerful enough for my uses anyways.
I'm not fond of Touch Bar, so a MacBook Pro is no longer an option for me. I know that I can get MBP's without the Touch Bar, but won't have access to more powerful processors/faster RAM unless I give up my function keys. Frankly, you can pry those function keys out of my cold, dead hands...:)
Extremely dramatic rant aside, what kinds of machines do you use?
Hardware wise, you will get a 64bit machine so you can add more than 2 GB max RAM than the 32bit system can accommodate. Price matters and you can get a lot of hardware for under £500. Shop around for something with at least 8GB RAM and forget the Celeron Chips. Intel i5... minimum and Windows 10 Pro, maybe you can upgrade with an OS from MSDN if your firm has a subscription, and the retail is busting your sub £500 budget. Get something with backlit keyboards and don't ask me about SSD, it ain't gonna be your bottle neck any time soon. The rest should fall in place like HDD, Surface etc. You are running Visual studio x3 instances and MS SQL Server service is running while you're debugging on Chrome and have x6 instances of Edge browser idling away on your second screen; or maybe not
I would recommend, depending on your budget, a Dell XPS 15 9560 (Last Years Model) which has a great price or the Dell XPS 15 9570. There are a lot of great things about this system.
1) 16gb RAM expandable to 32gb. (Which I have) Even aftermarket.
2) M2 SSD 500gb min. I have upgraded mine aftermarket to EVO 970 1tb.
3) 4k Touch Screen. The screen is beautiful to work on. Also has infinity edge (small bezel)
4) Backlit Keyboard.
5) 6+ hours runtime on battery which is great for an I7 Processor.
6) The processor is the desktop version not the nerfed mobile version. Last year it was a I7-7700HQ, This year it is I7-8750H, or if you want the i9-8950HK they have it to which is a beast in a laptop.
7) Not heavy and feels good in the hand.
8) I am running mine on the Dell Dock at the office and at home and have 2 4k monitors and a 1080 p running off it on the dock.
9) Last years model has an NVIDIA 1050 in it, this years has a 1050TI
Outstanding machine for the money.
Thanks Charles!
Budget isn't a huge issue for me. Mind if I ask you a couple of questions about the Dell?
Do you like the touch screen? I thought that I would likely shy away from a touch screen as I didn't think I would use it, but all your advice makes a lot of sense to me, so I figure I should ask you.
And, what about the keyboards? I used to really dislike Dell keyboards, but the XPS seems like such a wonderfully put together line of computers that I suspect they have changed.
Thanks so much for your help! I've got to admit that I hadn't really looked into Dell, but I'm checking them out right now. It is much appreciated.
I don't use the touchscreen much, but it is nice to have if I am doing development and I want to simulate touching the website links and buttons. The 4k screen comes with the touch screen automatically.
The keyboard is fine, but I use a dock and plug in my Razor Mechanical keyboard when I am developing and programing. Otherwise the keyboard is great.
If you do go and get it and buy the dock, make sure you buy the bigger thunderbolt dock which charges the laptop with just the one connection.
Overall it is the best laptop for developing I have owned.
I'm on their site now and I'm quite amazed by the price. Seriously, thanks so much. I think we have a winner! I owe you...
Make sure you get the I7 and the one's that you can upgrade the ram, that way you can take it to 32gb. When you want.
Also if you live near a Micro Center they have them and their price is a bit better than dell site.
Dell XPS Touch 15
The one I recommend is the XPS 15 Touch on this page for $1899.00. If I were you, and you are good with computers, I would get the 16gb RAM and the 256gb M2. Then upgrade the Hard Drive to a Samsung EVO 970 500gb or 1tb which are pretty much the fastest drives available for the most part. If you are not that handy, then configure the system up with a larger hard drive.
Also make sure you are getting the 97WHr battery, not the smaller one.
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