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Ask HN: Ultrabook for programming?

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Re: Ask HN: Ultrabook for programming?

#31

Post by reacweb »

oops wrote: post #22

What sort of software are you planning to write? e.g. apps, webdev, games, command-line utils, etc. In what language? Do you need to be able to code while offline? An iPad with the keyboard case could work, particularly if you'll always be online. You can just use it as a dumb terminal to ssh into a more powerful remote server. Another idea is the old MacBook Air 11". It doesn't meet your requirement of being a table…

I fully agree. A phablet, a bluetooth keyboard and a cloud hosting (I use scaleway) is enough for many kind of development (web, command line, ...). I am switching from emacs to vi mainly because of this setup.

Re: Ask HN: Ultrabook for programming?

#32

Post by fnl »

analog31 wrote: post #21

I kind of had the same idea, some time ago, and got an Asus T100 series with Bay Trail, 2 GB of RAM and 32 GB of flash. So it's one generation behind the devices you're talking about. The keyboard is detachable, so I can use the thing as a tablet. Battery life is great -- no problem charging it overnight and not worrying about charging during the day. In my case, I'm not a commercial developer, but I do "scientific p…

Have you considered getting something like a mobile beamer to get a bigger screen? Particularly if the ultra-book is already HD capable.

Yes, it would require a "free" wall, but maybe that's OK. A bigger problem might be power consumption. So overall likely not very viable, but maybe someone has some experience with this?

Re: Ask HN: Ultrabook for programming?

#33

Post by RossBencina »

tronje wrote: post #25

I'd recommend Lenovo laptops. I have a Thinkpad T460s, which is awesome. If you really want the tablet/laptop hybrid, maybe a Thinkpad X1 Yoga, or something from the 'regular' Yoga series will work for you. Yoga-series laptops start at around $500, whereas the premium X1 Yoga starts at something like $1.400 I believe. Edit: Linux support on Lenovo laptops is pretty good overall, and if you're a Windows person, they s…

> Linux support on Lenovo laptops is pretty good overall

T series and X series sure. I'm not sure that the same applies to Lenovo's consumer laptops. For example, some of last year's models initially only supported Windows, although a separate Linux BIOS was issued later.[0]

[0] http://www.pcworld.com/article/3139812/laptop-computers/afte...

Re: Ask HN: Ultrabook for programming?

#34

Post by fnl »

ptero wrote: post #30

Consider getting a good used system and budget for a new battery -- battery life on used laptops is a (loaded) coin toss. If you are price conscious you will likely get a better value than from a cheaper new one. On choosing the model for a portable -- IMO the #1 goal is to get one with physical characteristics that work for you (size, weight, monitor, keyboard, ability to be a tablet, etc.). CPU/Memory/storage is a…

Agreed; My favorite mobile option still are 13" notebooks, but that isn't exactly an Utra-book. But I do wonder if I could do with 11", sometimes at least.

Re: Ask HN: Ultrabook for programming?

#35

Post by throw2016 »

I'd suggest looking at the Asus Zenbook flip for a budget between $700-900. It has options for a 4k screen and i5 or i7. It plays in the same league as the HP Spectre 360 and Surface book but is cheaper.

Another option is the brand new Chromebook pros by Asus and Samsung at $499-$550 powered by the Skylake i3. These are higher quality Chromebooks than previously. The Samsung has a nice IPS 2400x1600 resolution. They are Chromebooks though.

Re: Ask HN: Ultrabook for programming?

#37

Post by tortasaur »

drKarl wrote: post #29
tronje wrote: post #25

I'd recommend Lenovo laptops. I have a Thinkpad T460s, which is awesome. If you really want the tablet/laptop hybrid, maybe a Thinkpad X1 Yoga, or something from the 'regular' Yoga series will work for you. Yoga-series laptops start at around $500, whereas the premium X1 Yoga starts at something like $1.400 I believe. Edit: Linux support on Lenovo laptops is pretty good overall, and if you're a Windows person, they s…

I saw the Yoga, but I wanted to spend around $250 or less on this. I have 2 laptops and a desktop which are great for programming, but I wouldn't want to risk bringing an expensive laptop to this trip, I want something portable and cheap in case I get robbed or something, with the convenience of a tablet when I just need to read an ebook or browse some webs, and the ability to do more advanced stuff with a keyboard a…

Maybe a Chromebook with Linux? Mine lasts around 9 hours, has a tablet mode, and was about $250-$300. Chromebooks really are the best bang for your buck for a Linux laptop IMO.

Re: Ask HN: Ultrabook for programming?

#38

Post by bostand »

cmdrfred wrote: post #13

On a extreme budget a Chromebook with crouton running Ubuntu has served me well. I use it mostly as a thin client for the server in my basement.

I second that!

Furthermore, the latest chromebooks from Asus and Samsung are a bit more expensive but have a touch screen and impressive battery life (15-25 hours)

Re: Ask HN: Ultrabook for programming?

#39

Post by wineisfine »

ptero wrote: post #30

Consider getting a good used system and budget for a new battery -- battery life on used laptops is a (loaded) coin toss. If you are price conscious you will likely get a better value than from a cheaper new one. On choosing the model for a portable -- IMO the #1 goal is to get one with physical characteristics that work for you (size, weight, monitor, keyboard, ability to be a tablet, etc.). CPU/Memory/storage is a…

That's very true, you have to 'connect' to the machine.

Re: Ask HN: Ultrabook for programming?

#40

Post by imaginenore »

analog31 wrote: post #21

I kind of had the same idea, some time ago, and got an Asus T100 series with Bay Trail, 2 GB of RAM and 32 GB of flash. So it's one generation behind the devices you're talking about. The keyboard is detachable, so I can use the thing as a tablet. Battery life is great -- no problem charging it overnight and not worrying about charging during the day. In my case, I'm not a commercial developer, but I do "scientific p…

2GB of RAM is barely enough for browsing, let alone for comfortable programming. 16GB should be the ideal minimum, 8Gb the absolute.
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