
Ask HN: Best linux laptop for developers - cobbzilla
So you&#x27;re disappointed by the new MacBooks, lots of us feel the same way, myself included.<p>So what&#x27;s the best, most high-powered Linux-supported laptop on the market today?<p>Ideal specs: quad-core cpu, 16GB+ RAM, 1TB+ SSD.
======
gordon_freeman
Similar Ask HN asked in the past.

Refer the links here:

[https://hn.algolia.com/?query=best%20linux%20laptop&sort=byP...](https://hn.algolia.com/?query=best%20linux%20laptop&sort=byPopularity&prefix&page=0&dateRange=all&type=story)

~~~
sirspudd
Most of those links are several months to several years old, up until you get
back to a link to this article, and your comment coming up first.

The fact they arent initially sorted by stagnation/date further invalidates
really breaking a sweat looking up this kind of thing.

~~~
martey
Algolia's default search is by popularity. Getting a search sorted by date is
literally one click:
[https://hn.algolia.com/?query=best%20linux%20laptop&sort=byD...](https://hn.algolia.com/?query=best%20linux%20laptop&sort=byDate&prefix&page=0&dateRange=all&type=story)

This question (or variations on it) has been asked several times in the past
few days.

~~~
grzm
It would be convenient if the UI would give feedback like that on the
submission page. Maybe some kind of plugin API or JavaScript tool? Same with
dupes. Not prevent you from posting, but just maybe asking Are you sure? Or
Have you seen this previous post?

------
sunnyps
I recently decided not to purchase expensive laptops any more. It's cheaper to
buy a good cheap laptop and a workstation than it is to buy a top of the line
laptop.

I bought a Dell Chromebook 13 after trying one out for a few days. I'll be
upgrading the SSD and installing Crouton (with Ubuntu/Debian) to run along
side ChromeOS. The benefit of this over installing a Linux distro by itself is
that ChromeOS has the right drivers for the hardware. As a result it can do
certain things like hardware video decoding which are poorly supported on
Linux.

Pros:

\- Cheap (~550 USD with promotions)

\- Core i3 + 8GB RAM (powerful enough for me)

\- Upgradable SSD

\- Excellent glass touchpad and keyboard

\- Matte 13.3 inch 1080p IPS display

\- 12+ hours battery life

\- Good build quality / materials (carbon fiber + magnesium alloy)

\- ChromeOS :-)

Cons:

\- Max display brightness is under 300 nits (somewhat countered by matte
display)

\- Default resolution of 1080p is too high for such a small screen, a smaller
scaled resolution (~720p) works better

\- Lower spec integrated graphics (HD 5500 not Iris Pro)

\- Lack of HiDPI screen

\- Proprietary charger

\- No USB-C, no display port (HDMI only), single USB 3.0 port (other port is
USB 2.0 only)

~~~
Godel_unicode
Out of curiosity, what would you use a stronger graphics card for on a
Chromebook? I thought all the video codec acceleration was on the CPU. Do you
use a lot of WebGL?

~~~
sunnyps
Gaming on Linux, maybe? A lot of games in my Steam library are Linux
compatible.

Re: video decode acceleration, ChromeOS on Broadwell should support GPU
accelerated h264/VP8 decode and hardware assisted h265/VP9 decode. (I might be
completely misinformed about this though.) I'm not really concerned about the
GPU performance with regard to video decode.

~~~
dogma1138
Can you actually use the gpu properly through curton?

~~~
sunnyps
There are two modes for X11 under Crouton: GPU accelerated output (called
"xorg" mode) and unaccelerated output to a chrome window (called "xiwi" mode).
Both seem to work fine based on my limited testing with Gnome on Debian Sid.

------
nfoz
Laptops are extremely subjective, so it's an awkward question.

If your primary concern is Linux support, then look to the places where you
can buy Linux laptops:

\- [https://system76.com](https://system76.com)

\- [https://puri.sm/](https://puri.sm/)

\- Dell "Developer Edition":
[http://www.dell.com/learn/us/en/555/campaigns/xps-linux-
lapt...](http://www.dell.com/learn/us/en/555/campaigns/xps-linux-laptop)

\- others??

For me, the primary metrics are: excellent keyboard, touchpad WITH buttons
(limited options nowadays), portable size/weight. It sounds like you're more
concerned with performance, so you probably need to be in the 14"\+ category.

~~~
kimburgess
The purism devices look fantastic. Does anyone have one and can recommend /
!recommend them?

~~~
dogma1138
They are overpriced, falsely marketed and are severely outdated.

~~~
berkeleynerd
I really like my Librem 13" ... it's very hard to find a system approaching
modern that runs flawlessly with no closed firmware required. Coreboot is
available for those willing to take on a fairly serious hack but it's not
shipping yet from what I can tell. I honestly don't think they deserve the
hate I see leveled at them. I needed a replacement and they provided it no
questions asked.

~~~
dogma1138
No hate, they just are marketed falsely and in all honesty they aren't any
more secure than any other device as long as you wipe it.

You can install coreboot on other machines, there will still be closed source
microcode in the CPU and closed firmware in some of the controllers.

And the hardware is simply out of date, you can get a dell xps 13 with more
modern hardware for the same price and in essence the same level of
assureance.

If you are worried about state level actors exploiting bugs or backdoors in
your hardware Librem isn't what is going to stop them.

------
OxO4
As a current Apple user with similar needs, I've been looking into
alternatives myself. The Lenovo ThinkPad P50 [1] is looking great. Can be
configured with a Xeon quad-core CPU, up to 64GB of ECC (!) RAM, 2 x 1TB PCIe-
NVMe SSD and an NVIDIA Quadro M2000M (performance similar to a GTX 960M or
950M [2]). I've been considering to get a Xeon/64GB non-ECC RAM/512GB PCIe-
NVMe SSD/Quadro M2000M configuration myself for around $2,600 (before taxes),
which is much cheaper than Apple's offerings.

The Dell Inspiron 7510 can be specced similarly [3] and looks also interesting
but apparently throttles the GPU under load [4], which is a huge no-go for me
(I had a laptop that throttled under load at some point and it was a pain).

[1]
[http://shop.lenovo.com/us/en/laptops/thinkpad/p-series/p50/](http://shop.lenovo.com/us/en/laptops/thinkpad/p-series/p50/)

[2] [http://www.notebookcheck.net/NVIDIA-
Quadro-M2000M.151581.0.h...](http://www.notebookcheck.net/NVIDIA-
Quadro-M2000M.151581.0.html)

[3]
[http://www.dell.com/us/business/p/precision-m7510-workstatio...](http://www.dell.com/us/business/p/precision-m7510-workstation/pd)

[4] [http://www.notebookcheck.net/Dell-Precision-7510-4K-IGZO-
Mob...](http://www.notebookcheck.net/Dell-Precision-7510-4K-IGZO-Mobile-
Workstation-Review.167586.0.html)

~~~
jrz53
You can find a code for Lenovo employee discounts if you Google around.

------
sirspudd
Anandtech run a periodical series of articles of the best laptops available at
present:

[http://www.anandtech.com/show/9798/best-
laptops](http://www.anandtech.com/show/9798/best-laptops)

as long as you run a modern distro, and they are intel throughout, it should
be relatively painless. Of course you have to do a little more background
checking once you settle on a machine you intend to buy, much like the Lenovo
Yoga 910/710 explicitly disabling ahci disk access and hence requiring a time
sink (on your part) in order to get that resolved.

I intend to grab either an XPS, a Precision or a Lenovo t560. The x1 carbon is
a very nice machine that most of my buddies (Linux people) gravitate too, but
I purchased one which appeared to have a CPU fault and would start exhibiting
visual artifacts (and instability) at 50 degrees Celsius, which does not
require much of a workload. Pegging the fan helped to a limited extent, but
chrome finds ways to skirt that.

I personally avoid discrete GPUs; Intel is good enough, I like running gnome
on wayland (today) and having card switching work correctly is both a time
sink and a maintenance burden best reserved for the devouted

~~~
sirspudd
Turns out the 910 works perfectly once you fix somes niggles with the wifi and
the i915 module.

[http://chaos-reins.com/2016-11-14-arch-yoga-910/](http://chaos-
reins.com/2016-11-14-arch-yoga-910/)

------
jakewins
Swapped from MBP Retina to the 2017 Lenovo X1 Carbon about six months ago,
could not be happier.

It weights massively less than the Retina did, looks slick as hell, got great
specs, half the price of a similarly specced MBP and good battery time. Linux
Mint runs without a hitch on the hardware.

[http://shop.lenovo.com/us/en/laptops/thinkpad/x-series/x1-ca...](http://shop.lenovo.com/us/en/laptops/thinkpad/x-series/x1-carbon/)

~~~
sandGorgon
i looked at the carbon when i was purchasing a xps 13. i saw that the xps was
much cheaper for the specs i wanted - i7 + QHD display.

both are very cool looking... but the recent lenovo spyware and the fact that
thinkpads still have hardware whitelists turned me off.

plus i got the 950 pro ssd on my xps 13 which is where the performance comes
from... not the cpu or ram anymore.

------
nadaviv
I'm very pleased with my Dell XPS 13 [0] (the 8GB ram, non-touch screen
version). They even have a developer edition [1] that comes pre-shipped with
Ubuntu, with Dell sending their fixes upstream (meaning that the vanilla
Ubuntu works great out-of-the-box).

The one annoying downside is the camera, which they had to locate below the
screen due to the uber-thin edges they have above it.

[0][http://www.dell.com/en-
us/shop/productdetails/xps-13-9343-la...](http://www.dell.com/en-
us/shop/productdetails/xps-13-9343-laptop) [1] [http://www.dell.com/en-
us/shop/productdetails/xps-13-linux](http://www.dell.com/en-
us/shop/productdetails/xps-13-linux)

~~~
dingaling
> The one annoying downside is the camera, which they had to locate below the
> screen

I think that might acutally work better for the receiving party, since the
sender will be looking 'eyes up' in relation to the camera, to see the video
window on the screen, rather than the usual 'eyes down' position.

~~~
sliken
Because the receiving party likes to look up your nose?

------
virtualwhys
Dell Precision: up to 64GB ram, 3 X SSD, top of the line mobile CPU/GPU, etc.
For lightweight MBP-like offering check out the 15" model[1]

Have been running Precisions for 7 years now on stripped down Fedora (minimal
install + tiling window manager and VirtualBox for Windows/Mac) and will
likely continue to do so for many years to come ;-)

[1]
[http://www.dell.com/us/business/p/precision-m5510-workstatio...](http://www.dell.com/us/business/p/precision-m5510-workstation/pd)

~~~
vladimir-y
Dell Precisions have always been decently made, heavy and solid laptops, but
now they got XPS models chassis...

~~~
virtualwhys
Right, still on an M4700 here. Was going to bite the bullet on the 5510 for
Dell's 35% off sale, but held off due to:

1) CPU clock speeds having stagnated

2) unsure about thermal issues with the ultra thin chassis

3) will it significantly outperform existing setup?

Ideally there will be 6-core mobile processors landing in the next year or so,
but likely will have to wait until 2019+

Would be nice to shed some weight with 5510 though, and the power adapter
would actually work on planes to boot (180W adapter draws too much).

~~~
majewsky
What makes you think Intel will do 6-core mobile processors anytime soon?
Their core count has been pretty constant at least since the introduction of
the Core i3/i5/i7 brands.

~~~
virtualwhys
"Ideally", thus, not happening soon enough for me as I'm going to upgrade
within a year.

According to this article[1] in mid-2018 Intel will release a 6-core mobile
processor.

[http://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/intel-cannon-lake-
lat...](http://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/intel-cannon-lake-
late-2017-coffee/)

------
ever1
I was also disappointed by these macbook pro, especially the path Apple is
taking toward power users. I searched for a laptop equivalent in quality and
performance to the macbook pro and I realised that it is not easy to find at
all.(I'm doing Machine Learning so I need compute power.)

If you consider the pro of the mbp:

    
    
      -performance : Overall perfs are great on 15", but other laptops are better, especially grahics (but for developpers ?)
       Maybe for cuda in ML. But think of external graphic cards with TB3. Memory big - :(
      -battery : big + for mbp, no competition.
      -screen : big + for retina and ecosystem adapted to it.
      -quality : big +, you can expect a 5y+ lifetime, the quality is amazing compared to the competition.
      -design : big +
      -connectivity: today it's a - for mbp. But in 2y ? Cleary we are switching to all-usbc devices. TB3 gives you such
       bandwidth that even external gpus are possible.
      -storage: big - for mbp, even if it is fast, too small.
    

So the conclusion is less immediate. If you have in mind that you can sell you
mbp with a good price even after 4y, you realise that it is a good investment.
For the same quality, screen, battery, perfs the competition have same price
or don't even offer an equivalent.

So for myself, as long as macos is poweruser friendly, I will stay with the
macbook pro, if it changes, I will move to Linux...with a mac :)

------
gntech
Since you are looking for high powered quad core, may I suggest Oryx Pro by
system76.
[https://system76.com/laptops/oryx](https://system76.com/laptops/oryx)

~~~
ProAm
This is my next laptop. Spec'd well, reasonably priced, good size.... Wish it
bad a longer battery but it will be docked most the time clams-shelled to my
external monitors.

------
reefoctopus
System76 maybe? They are expensive, but you'll likely be able to build exactly
what you want.

~~~
kxyvr
Unless something changed or I'm mistaken, I believe that System76 are just
rebranded Clevos ([http://www.clevo.com.tw/](http://www.clevo.com.tw/)). In
the U.S., Sager has the contract for distribution
([https://www.sagernotebook.com](https://www.sagernotebook.com)) and I believe
they're the ones who resell to people like System76, XoticPC, etc.

As far as these computers, I own and use a Sager NP7338 (Clevo W230SS) that I
purchased through XoticPC. Works perfectly great with Linux and Sager has been
pretty easy for me to contact directly and get replacement parts (a keyboard
so far.) Mechanical quality is only fair. Had some problems with the hinges,
which I ended up drilling out and putting in some bolts, but other than that
I've been extremely happy. I've three SSDs in a 13" computer with replaceable
batteries, so I've gotten plenty of good use.

~~~
wtallis
For a supposedly Linux-oriented vendor, System76 does less than you would
expect to pick open-source friendly components: they offer NVidia discrete GPU
options but not AMD, and use Intel WiFi instead of Qualcomm-Atheros. I wonder
how much effort they put into ensuring that the rest of the system works well
out of the box with Linux, especially where power management is concerned.

~~~
majewsky
Is Intel Wifi bad? All my notebooks use some sort of Centrino chipset and I've
never had trouble with it, although I recall friends having trouble with their
Atheros chipsets. (But that was nearly a decade ago...)

~~~
wtallis
Atheros 802.11n chipsets are the only WiFi devices that don't require any
proprietary drivers or firmware (since 2008). Consequently, they're the first
and sometimes only devices to benefit from new features added to the Linux
WiFi stack. Qualcomm-Atheros 802.11ac chipsets require closed-source firmware
like all 802.11ac chipsets, but the QCA firmware is actively maintained by
people who have source access under NDA, and they generally try to make sure
that the firmware exposes the functionality the open-source Linux driver
wants. Atheros and Qualcomm-Atheros chipsets are also the most common WiFi
chipsets with open-source drivers to find in routers and access points, so
those drivers get QA and widespread testing in both client and AP roles.

Intel WiFi is in a lower tier of support, where you can't count on having
access to the full capabilities of the hardware (eg. apparently power
management hasn't been working for quite some time, and AP mode is only
available on 2.4GHz). But at least Intel WiFi drivers are open-source, so it's
clearly a better choice than Broadcom.

------
ashwanidausodia
I am using dell xps 13. Although specs are nowhere near to your ideal specs
but it gets the job done. Arch Linux runs buttery smooth on it.

~~~
majewsky
To be fair, Arch Linux probably runs buttery smooth on a potato (given the
right choice of DE), so that's not much of a statement. :)

------
jaxbot
Chromebook plus Mosh over to a highly specced desktop. Best bang for your buck
if you can guarantee a fast, stable connection.

------
vladimir-y
Is there a problem to get any decently built laptop and put Linux on top of it
in your own? You can argue that it's better to get laptop with Linux pre
installed, but I don't 100% agree since Linux means freedom in choosing stuff
you need, so it's better to install distributive you like than default Ubuntu.
Also don't count much on the customer support when it comes to the Linux
laptops, it's common for Linux user to handle possible issues independently.
So I don't see a strong reason to get laptop with pre installed Linux limiting
yourself in other terms, such as accepting worse hardware and build quality
(since there are not a lot of Linux based laptops on the market, and so you
won't have many choices, so don't even compare for example system76 vs hp
x360) and limiting yourself by Ubuntu distributive.

~~~
ProAm
If you want to buy a laptop that almost certain to work out of the gates yes
the OPs question is perfectly valid. Can you take anylap top and get it to
work? Of course, its just a matter of how much time you want to invest, vs
investing that time in actually developing. Both is time spent well, however
only 1 will make you money.

~~~
sirspudd
Unfortunately it still feels cheaper to purchase a Windows laptop, and simply
scrape Windows off its boot.

I object to being gouged for opting to run a certain system. The amount of
invested time required to get modern Linux up on a non-psychotic (psycho like
the Yoga 910) is a solid investment to the required baseline of competence
required to be a Linux dev.

------
papercruncher
I have a Lenovo T460s running XUbuntu 16.04 and I'm extremely happy with it. I
have 20GB RAM and 512GB SSD and the WHQD screen (2560x1440). Very reliable,
current uptime with 4.4.0 kernel is 62 days. The only downside is somewhat
poor battery life. Under heavy utilization, I get 3-4 hours out of it.

------
sandGorgon
you cannot use the MacBook because you need a dual drive setup.

The only laptop that fits everything is the XPS 15 - you can have a hdd +ssd
and go upto 32gb ram.

you might find the precision 5510 (same as xps 15,with a cheaper graphics
card) to be better.

Another option is the Lenovo p50... but its not very common. But a great
machine.

------
icemelt8
I think the new Macbook Pro is awesome, say what you will, I can just imagine
myself during debugging pressing "step over, step into, and continue" on the
touch bar.

If you earn money through development, its only fair to buy the best product.

~~~
Godel_unicode
Not sure how this contributes to a discussion of Linux laptops, especially
when OP has specifically called out not liking the new Macs.

------
SteveNuts
I love my System76 Lemur.

Similar Macbook would have been $800 more, and I was able to configure it with
32GB Memory (which Macs still can't do).

I can run a full stack of services in VMs without breaking a sweat, it's
perfect for me.

------
confounded
Ubuntu on a T4*0 (14", rugged upgradability over slimness) has kept me happy
for years. It seems to be the most common Linux hardware, so tends to be well
supported.

\- Best keyboard you'll find on a laptop

\- Upto 32GB of RAM (T460)

\- Removable, hotswappable batteries

\- Desk docking is useful

\- Replace / upgrade whatever you like, yourself

\- If you want to save money, a 1-2 year old model will have specs similar to
the latest MBP and be going for $500 refurbished

\- They refuse to die. I have 7 year old ThinkPads on the latest Ubuntu LTS,
working like a dream as media servers, etc

\- They use Debian on ThinkPads on space stations!

\- No garish logos / aspirational consumer lifestyle marketing

~~~
aries1980
The recent T4x0 are not quad-core.

~~~
groks
[http://shop.lenovo.com/us/en/laptops/thinkpad/t-series/t460p...](http://shop.lenovo.com/us/en/laptops/thinkpad/t-series/t460p/)

~~~
aries1980
Nice, thanks!

------
mmusc
In my search for a powerful laptop I came across the ASUS ROG Strix line. They
have all the specs one expects plus gtx 10x graphics (there is a huge
generation leap from 9x to 10x so buying one of the more mainstream laptops
with a 9x cards does not feel right) Some of the models are slim enough and
its cheaper than its competitors with a similar price.

The only problem is that is way too flashy. Black and orange the the wasd keys
are also bright orange. Right now I'm pondering to ignore the looks and go for
it or wait for something cleaner to come out

------
mikkelam
I think the new razer blade stealth [1] is a really good alternative to a
macbook pro. It has all the hardware the macbook lacks and apparently the
trackpad is really good. It has all the ports you need and a really nice touch
screen as well.

The only thing that worries me is that the laptop is made by razer and as such
is targeted to gamers.

[1] [http://www.razerzone.com/gaming-systems/razer-blade-
stealth](http://www.razerzone.com/gaming-systems/razer-blade-stealth)

------
Mandatum
I've recently bought a Thinkpad 13 (base model & QHD screen) and manually
upgraded RAM to 32GB. All-in-all <$1000 with a 1920x1080 IPS screen. Battery
life isn't great (6 hrs) however everything else is.

------
ptio
I've got a 4th Gen Thinkpad X1 Carbon with Debian Testing. No issues.

------
g00gler
I was thinking of doing a kickstarter for a single run of aluminum laptops
when I need a new machine.

It bugs the hell out of me that I can't buy a non-apple metal computer.

~~~
Godel_unicode
Other than from Dell, System76, Asus, or HP you mean?

Edit: forgot Razer sells aluminum laptops as well

~~~
g00gler
Razer looks like exactly what I was looking for, I guess I could settle for a
14" screen. TBH I forgot about them.

I didn't see any Dell, System76, Asus or HP laptops that were all metal and on
par with a MacBook, only an Asus netbook.

------
cdevs
Asus i5, ubuntu, mainly for a CD-ROM and every port Apple has taken away - you
know like Ethernet. Bestbuy 350 on sale for 200 at some point.

------
urlwolf
Asus Q534UX looks pretty tempting. Metal body, nice specs. Unknown how well
it'd do witn linux though.

------
b01t
I have a Skull Canyon NUC(desktop) that I carry to work. Also a Thinkpad E460
if I'm travelling.

------
ljquintanilla
Dell XPS 13

------
patrik123
In my opinion system76.com does the best Linux laptops.

------
siphr
Lenovo Thinkpad series has been great for me.

------
supercoder
MacBook pro, the new ones look great.

------
lxsameer
Lenovo Thinkpad X or T series.

------
planteen
Asus ZenBook is nice

~~~
aries1980
4-core, as OP requested?

~~~
ohpauleez
The Zenbook line has dual and quad core machines, high-resolution screens, up
to 16Gb of RAM, aluminum bodies, the ports you want, a great touchpad (and
often touch screen), and an NVMe SSD. It's wonderfully supported by recent
Linux releases (4.4 and up).

I switched from a MBP to a Zenbook about seven months ago, running Ubuntu
16.04, without any issues.

This is the model I have: [https://www.asus.com/us/Notebooks/ASUS-ZenBook-Pro-
UX501VW/](https://www.asus.com/us/Notebooks/ASUS-ZenBook-Pro-UX501VW/)

~~~
aries1980
Didn't know they ship them with i7 hq CPUs, thanks!

------
walterbell
Lenovo T460p

------
Theodores
Since you want a desktop replacement and the desktop replacement is not up to
the job then you should consider getting a desktop.

Investigate the small form factor PCs, e.g. Intel NUC.

I was able to get 4Tb of super fast storage into a NUC by making my own SSHD
with bcache, a 256Gb SSD and a 4Tb laptop drive. It has a lower power i7 that
is no Xeon and a mere 16Gb of RAM but it is plenty fast enough for me. It has
plenty of NFS mounts, rsync scripts and version control things to always be up
to date. Sometimes I take it home with me, other times it just sits on my
desk.

I travel with a laptop or a Chromebook or nothing at all. I can work from
anywhere. I believe client server apps need testing on different boxes, by
using low end normal hardware I get the consumer experience, my 'above the
fold' is their 'above the fold'.

I imagine that a gaming rig style NUC might be more what you are after rather
than low power. With synergy keyboard/mouse sharing and plugging monitors into
the NUC rather than the laptop I get freedom from having to cable up every
time I get to my desk. Going home is quicker too.

I do have a bluetooth keyboard for phone/laptop/NUC so I can travel really
light and can leave all computers at home and still work effectively.
Obviously my laptop has a repository too.

So, if the NUC works for you then you might want to then look again at what
laptop you use on a day to day basis. In my case the laptop has been relegated
to a stay at home alternate dev environment. I don't bother lugging it around.

Instead I find myself carrying the Chromebook and my bluetooth keyboard/mouse.
I use DNS for mapping my dev domains as ChromeOS cannot map the local network
and see my NUC otherwise. I have all kinds of crouton things and remote
desktop things but I just use the browser for everything on the Chromebook and
may even get rid of the Ubuntu install. If I am on a train journey I can still
take the laptop I relegated to home if I really need terminal windows.

I can and do take the NUC home at weekends if I want to do linux things with
it to further improve its seamless integration or get it running lots of
interesting virtual machines etc.

Think again about what machines your customers use if you are building web
applications. With a remote dongle sized box doing your server side stuff you
can go for a tasty ultrabook that works well with linux. Make sure that the
wifi, mouse, touchscreen and the audio is going to work.

My laptop is some consumer Lenovo model, despite it being deaf to wifi and
with no ethernet, it compares very nicely to the posh Thinkpads my colleagues
use. The screen is nice and bright, it is touch screen and it even folds back
- yoga - they call it. The keys are lit up chicklets and there is just the one
trackpad. It now has 768Gb of SSDs. It does the job despite its consumer
roots.

Meanwhile, the corporate specced Thinkpads my non-Apple colleagues use have
slower SSDs or even spinning things, what appears to be two extra rows of
keys, six more mouse buttons than are needed, some nipple in the middle of the
keyboard and just a clumsy form factor with all kinds of dated port
connectors.

Despite the millions of extra keys none of them are backlit and the screens
can't be touched. People with these machines then plug in to a docking station
and use an external keyboard/mouse. I have a feeling that these guys really
should have gone for the consumer grade Lenovo rather than thinking they
needed some extra executive features.

Developers can be the same to end up with cumbersome beasts that may have the
specs you are after but are not nice to work with, e.g. over-Thinkpad-ised.

~~~
alexeiz
Yeah, that nipple on Thinkpad keyboards really bothers me. Why is there only
one? I have two hands, so I expect two conveniently placed nipples on each
side of the keyboard.

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agorabinary
These specs seem like overkill to me for some simple development work

~~~
JohnBooty
I didn't see where the original poster said "simple."

I have a laptop with similar specs and it's definitely taxed when running big
monolithic projects and (particularly) their big test suites.

Also, when buying a laptop, most people like to buy something that can last at
least a few years into the future...

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firat
Ask HN: Vim or Emacs?

