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Ask HN: Is there a developer laptop that does not suck and is not a Mac in 2022?

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Re: Ask HN: Is there a developer laptop that does not suck and is not a Mac in 2022?

#211

Post by als0 »

ur-whale wrote: post #145
zivkovicp wrote: post #137

Please excuse the long-winded answer... I have also given up on Apple, but mostly because I can't see the value in it anymore, otherwise my experience with them has been satisfactory (Intel CPU models). For the past few years I used a Microsoft Surface Pro because it seemed to have good build quality and high screen resolution, but despite this I have had to replace it as part of a recall due to a graphics hardware i…

> For 2022 I decided to buy a "gaming" laptop and switch to 100% Linux. I researched this option before opting for an LG gram. I might research it again soon. Would you care to share exactly what gaming laptop you picked?

If I may ask, what do you think of the LG Gram?

Re: Ask HN: Is there a developer laptop that does not suck and is not a Mac in 2022?

#212

Post by deepstack »

NorwegianDude wrote: post #174

You don't say where you are located, but unless you are in one of the few places where Dell doesn't offer on-site next business day support then XPS 13 is a great laptop. Their support is amazing: "We're not sure what is causing it, but we'll send someone to replace the whole motherboard tomorrow." "OH, your currently halfway across the world on a island? No problem, we'll be there tomorrow" I really don't understand…

* You don't say where you are located * I also would like to know the location. thepoet, would be good if you start commenting on this thread as it is on the front page of HN.

Re: Ask HN: Is there a developer laptop that does not suck and is not a Mac in 2022?

#213

Post by ClumsyPilot »

mort96 wrote: post #181
NorwegianDude wrote: post #174

You don't say where you are located, but unless you are in one of the few places where Dell doesn't offer on-site next business day support then XPS 13 is a great laptop. Their support is amazing: "We're not sure what is causing it, but we'll send someone to replace the whole motherboard tomorrow." "OH, your currently halfway across the world on a island? No problem, we'll be there tomorrow" I really don't understand…

I've had a couple XPS laptops over the years, one XPS 13 and one XPS 15. Both have had issues with their trackpads getting wonky. They would just increasingly ignore inputs and react incorrectly to my finger. The XPS 15 (the 2-in-1 model) would also sometimes just not go to sleep and cook itself in my bag, and its keyboard has keys which just break over time under normal use, and that's not covered under warranty. Yo…

> The XPS 15 (the 2-in-1 model) would also sometimes just not go to sleep and cook itself in my bag

happened to my XPS 15, Thats because they remives normal sleep mode and replaced it with always on standby. had to switch ti hybernation

Re: Ask HN: Is there a developer laptop that does not suck and is not a Mac in 2022?

#216

Post by tchaffee »

NorwegianDude wrote: post #174

You don't say where you are located, but unless you are in one of the few places where Dell doesn't offer on-site next business day support then XPS 13 is a great laptop. Their support is amazing: "We're not sure what is causing it, but we'll send someone to replace the whole motherboard tomorrow." "OH, your currently halfway across the world on a island? No problem, we'll be there tomorrow" I really don't understand…

My last Dell XPS sucked and the support sucked. I bought a top of the line XPS and within less than a year the battery was swollen. Same exact battery model they were still replacing for free on the previous laptop model, but when I called support I was out of luck. So I bought a new battery. And then within a few more months I started getting common the sticky key problem with several keys on my keyboard requiring a lot of pressure to work. Their build quality has gone way down. Strong avoid.

I switched to a gaming laptop and am still comparing brands before I decide who to recommend, but after a year I'm still really happy with the performance and build quality of my current one. Most seem built to take a beating. Which makes sense.

Re: Ask HN: Is there a developer laptop that does not suck and is not a Mac in 2022?

#218

Post by inawarminister »

ur-whale wrote: post #145
zivkovicp wrote: post #137

Please excuse the long-winded answer... I have also given up on Apple, but mostly because I can't see the value in it anymore, otherwise my experience with them has been satisfactory (Intel CPU models). For the past few years I used a Microsoft Surface Pro because it seemed to have good build quality and high screen resolution, but despite this I have had to replace it as part of a recall due to a graphics hardware i…

> For 2022 I decided to buy a "gaming" laptop and switch to 100% Linux. I researched this option before opting for an LG gram. I might research it again soon. Would you care to share exactly what gaming laptop you picked?

I've been using an Ideapad Gaming 3 laptop for a year now, zero issue with Pop-OS.

Re: Ask HN: Is there a developer laptop that does not suck and is not a Mac in 2022?

#219

Post by tchaffee »

cranium wrote: post #119

I'm a happy owner of a Dell Precision 5520 that is already 5 years old. It shipped with a Ubuntu LTS by default and I took a 3-year next day repair warranty that I used once for a swollen battery. I cannot express how happy I was to have my laptop repaired in less than an hour in my kitchen by a Dell certified technician. Given how dependent I am on my computer for work, if I had to send it I would have lost at least…

Dells used to be excellent and I have bought many over the years. My last XPS had several problems including a swollen battery in less than a year and a sticky keyboard which only got worse. Support was no help in either case. Their build quality and support has gone downhill. Strong avoid.

I'm currently experimenting with gaming laptops and am much happier with build quality and the great performance doesn't hurt either.

Re: Ask HN: Is there a developer laptop that does not suck and is not a Mac in 2022?

#220

Post by tchaffee »

z9znz wrote: post #165
Gatsky wrote: post #149

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not sure I want a new laptop where the battery swells up within 3 years.

This can happen to any device if there's a one-off manufacturing problem somewhere (esp in the battery). I don't see it very often, but I've seen it on a Surface Pro (the store display model!... I had to point it out to the staff and suggest they replace it before it caught fire and hurt a shopper), on my 2014 MBP after 4 years, and some other device I now forget about. Unless lots of people are reporting this for a…

Which is fine if they would replace it. But Dell no longer does so it's your cost if you get unlucky. Buyer beware. My keyboard also started sticking on my latest Dell. I won't even sell it to someone it's such a troublesome laptop.
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