What laptop

[NorthWestPerm2Contr]

Looking for a laptop to work on plan B. Needs to have the following spec:

- fast for development, can run the latest visual studio very quickly.
- light weight and easy to transport. Don't mind 13-14 inch screen
- I am thinking windows 7 unless I can be convinced windows 8 would be better
- solid build quality I can use for years
- out of the box solution needed
- sharp high quality screen which isn't going to strain my eyes

Budget wise I have no idea as I see so many good deals around... Any suggestions welcome

[administrator]

Looking for a laptop to work on plan B. Needs to have the following spec:

- fast for development, can run the latest visual studio very quickly.
- light weight and easy to transport. Don't mind 13-14 inch screen
- I am thinking windows 7 unless I can be convinced windows 8 would be better
- solid build quality I can use for years
- out of the box solution needed

Budget wise I have no idea as I see so many good deals around... Any suggestions welcome

Moved out of General to save the silly comments! I got an Toshiba Ultrabook a while ago and it is a lovely machine, Win7 8GB RAM, 512MB SSD and it flies. You want 8GB RAM (at least) and SSD to make the machine fast enough IMO. I don't do Win development and have since moved over to Mac, if you have the budget then Macbook Pro - 15" though, 13" is just too cramped IMO. You can run Win7 on it but as you said you want out the box then...

Have just had a look at Ebuyer and has something happened in the last 12 months to shoot prices up? Mine is a better spec than this one and I swear I got it for about £500!

Toshiba Portege Z30-A-10P Ultrabook - Ultrabooks at ebuyer

Just looked at PC World and it is the same. Something has shot up in price since I last bought - makes the macs look reasonably priced... Waiting for the new ones to come out before I trade the 13 incher in for a 15... Hopefully someone will be able to help you out with something better shortly.

[eek]

Well you will be stuck with Windows 8 if you buy a modern new machine as unless you are really lucky the drivers just won't exist.

Depending on what you plan to do I would just buy the macbook and a copy of parallels to install windows on. It just works...

[TheFaQQer]

Moved out of General to save the silly comments! I got an Toshiba Ultrabook a while ago and it is a lovely machine, Win7 8GB RAM, 512MB SSD and it flies.

Sounds similar to the one that I bought for my mum, apart from hers has a hard drive rather than SSD.

[TheFaQQer]

Doesn't quite fit the "out of the box" as you'd probably have to install Windows yourself, but I'd look at somewhere like PC Specialist and build it myself.

I did it with my desktop machine, but haven't had them build a laptop for me yet.

[Crossroads]

Dell XPS 15 or if that is too big, the Lenovo Yoga 2 Pro. I have both. The 3200x1800 resolution is a huge help productivity-wise.

Both are available with I7 CPU's, both lightweight, the Lenovo is 13"-ish and a regularly run to work carrying it.

Windows 8 is fine, and both are touch enabled.

No issues with build quality so far, although I'd probably say the Lenovo is the better of the two.

[northernladuk]

Make sure you can give notice on it if you find something better while waiting for it.

[NorthWestPerm2Contr]

Dell XPS 15 or if that is too big, the Lenovo Yoga 2 Pro. I have both. The 3200x1800 resolution is a huge help productivity-wise.

Both are available with I7 CPU's, both lightweight, the Lenovo is 13"-ish and a regularly run to work carrying it.

Windows 8 is fine, and both are touch enabled.

No issues with build quality so far, although I'd probably say the Lenovo is the better of the two.

Really liking the Lenovo, seems exactly what I need. Only thing is it seems to cost 1200, would it not be worth going to 2000 and getting 400 back on the flat rate scheme?

[NorthWestPerm2Contr]

Make sure you can give notice on it if you find something better while waiting for it.

Already speaking to another agent....

[Crossroads]

Really liking the Lenovo, seems exactly what I need. Only thing is it seems to cost 1200, would it not be worth going to 2000 and getting 400 back on the flat rate scheme?

The good old FRS trap.

£1400 will put a bigger SSD in it.
£1512 with a 3 year warranty and accidental damage.

I'm sure you could find another £500 worth of accessories if you look hard enough!!!

Otherwise the default answer is a Mac