Custom Laptops

[bogan]

In that case, see posts #1, 3, 7, 9, 11.

Perhaps spec what the minimum cpu for your 'dev work' is, will make it a lot easier for us to facilitate a custom solution for you... your other requirements of RAM and SSD are easy drop ins at a later date ofc.

[Gremlin]

Desktops have standards, ATX power supplies, PCI-E/PCI slots, 2.5/3.5/5.25 bays and so forth and look how much empty space there is inside the case. That's the cost of compatibility.

Laptops have a heavy requirement to be compact, so less compatibility more parts made to spec, to OEM, by manufacturers. Try finding free space inside a laptop?

Honestly, it's not worth it. Get an entry level i3 if you want, don't bother with consumer crap. Or get a netbook. Plenty available to suit needs.

eg, just completing a Lenovo X1 Carbon for a client. 256GB SSD wasn't enough (already has that in the current), so I'm upgrading to a 500GB. M.2 format meant two distributors had one option each...

[mashman]

Perhaps spec what the minimum cpu for your 'dev work' is, will make it a lot easier for us to facilitate a custom solution for you... your other requirements of RAM and SSD are easy drop ins at a later date ofc.

i7 minimum.

[Gremlin]

Jaysus, unless your work is heavily CPU bound I'd be thinking there were other limiting factors like an SSD. Depends where the operations are going/waiting etc.

Look at HP's Probook range. Business level without being super expensive...

[TheDemonLord]

Are AlienWare still making Lappies?

I remember a couple of Sexy i7 Lappies from them a while ago - but they were gamer ones (so you are paying a premium for dedicated Graphics)

[mashman]

Desktops have standards, ATX power supplies, PCI-E/PCI slots, 2.5/3.5/5.25 bays and so forth and look how much empty space there is inside the case. That's the cost of compatibility.

Laptops have a heavy requirement to be compact, so less compatibility more parts made to spec, to OEM, by manufacturers. Try finding free space inside a laptop?

Honestly, it's not worth it. Get an entry level i3 if you want, don't bother with consumer crap. Or get a netbook. Plenty available to suit needs.

eg, just completing a Lenovo X1 Carbon for a client. 256GB SSD wasn't enough (already has that in the current), so I'm upgrading to a 500GB. M.2 format meant two distributors had one option each...

Yeah I'd read about the form issues and thought that there must be some smart fuckers out there who've built a "generic" case. Wishful thinking it would seem. There was a place in the u.s. (Sagan or sommet similar) that have cases that take desktop processors, although heat was highlighted as a bit of an issue, so thought I'd chuck it out there to see if anyone's come across the mythical build it yourself laptop.

Might have to grab an old Alienware and go from there. Not what I wanted, but meh.

[mashman]

Jaysus, unless your work is heavily CPU bound I'd be thinking there were other limiting factors like an SSD. Depends where the operations are going/waiting etc.

Look at HP's Probook range. Business level without being super expensive...

I run Visual Studio, which should explain a lot lol... but yeah, there'll be lots of load testing and potentially CI iffen I can be arsed. I could setup a network of PC's, but they ain't very portable and my network is knowledge stopped 15 years ago. I'd throw in an SSD, but I'd rather have a dedicated "clean" machine and will be using my current i7 for other things.

I've currently got an HP, but it has disintegrated badly over the years and I'd worn most of the letters off it in about 3 months. I believe ASUS are well put together mind, but again, I haven't been looking at a new laptop, just building my own.

[bogan]

i7 minimum.

Not much room for custom there as the new ones are BGA (mobo soldered). You could go haswell and try for the cheapest G3 (or Ivy/G2) one then upgrade the processor.

Desktops have standards, ATX power supplies, PCI-E/PCI slots, 2.5/3.5/5.25 bays and so forth and look how much empty space there is inside the case. That's the cost of compatibility.

Laptops have a heavy requirement to be compact, so less compatibility more parts made to spec, to OEM, by manufacturers. Try finding free space inside a laptop?

Honestly, it's not worth it. Get an entry level i3 if you want, don't bother with consumer crap. Or get a netbook. Plenty available to suit needs.

eg, just completing a Lenovo X1 Carbon for a client. 256GB SSD wasn't enough (already has that in the current), so I'm upgrading to a 500GB. M.2 format meant two distributors had one option each...

Yeh that M.2 stuff is well slow to be coming out, and a little confusing with some being PCIE controlled and other sata.

[Ocean1]

There was a place in the u.s. (Sagan or sommet similar) that have cases that take desktop processors, although heat was highlighted as a bit of an issue,

And battery life. I had two "portable desktops", both reasonably bulletproof. Was a good option for what I was doing at the time.

[mashman]

Are AlienWare still making Lappies?

I remember a couple of Sexy i7 Lappies from them a while ago - but they were gamer ones (so you are paying a premium for dedicated Graphics)

Aye, fuckin expensive ones with way more frills than I need, a you say graphics, but superb build quality. Damned fine pieces of kit mind.

[TheDemonLord]

Aye, fuckin expensive ones with way more frills than I need, a you say graphics, but superb build quality. Damned fine pieces of kit mind.

Yeah - I have the problem that I like fast PCs, but when you get up to that level, they come with dedicated GPUs - it makes it hard to convince the boss that it won't be used for Gaming....

[mashman]

Not much room for custom there as the new ones are BGA (mobo soldered). You could go haswell and try for the cheapest G3 (or Ivy/G2) one then upgrade the processor.

Typical... looked at haswell and some barebone vendors, but they're expensive for what they are and I kind of grudge it like I did back in the day. the great thing about back in the day though, was that we knew the Dell rep from t' pub and he got us what we wanted. We weren't high end users, but he understood the reason for removing the mobile stuff and upping the other bits... especially as we were dealing with tens and tens of millions of rows.

[bogan]

I run Visual Studio, which should explain a lot lol...

VS isn't resource hungry at all. And it's pretty simple to get work done by the GPU. If you're getting modern, you should really look into that aspect of dev work.

[mashman]

And battery life. I had two "portable desktops", both reasonably bulletproof. Was a good option for what I was doing at the time.

I'm not too fussed about battery life given that it'll last about 30 seconds with all of the cores lit up like Blackpool illuminations. I did look at portable desktops, but the thought of going overseas with one of 'em doesn't really appeal... that and I'm a weakling.

[mashman]

VS isn't resource hungry at all. And it's pretty simple to get work done by the GPU. If you're getting modern, you should really look into that aspect of dev work.

For small apps mebee, but it has to fight with SQL Server for resources. I've not looked into the extra uses of GPU architecture... although an i7, SSD and a feckload of RAM should negate the need to farm off extra work onto any GPU's.