Rent the cheapest server from Hetzner or equivalent, and get whatever laptop is capable of running ssh. (Which is all of them.)
Reminds me of working for about a year on an odroid. Of course ssh was no issue, but also Firefox was working quite well.
Ask HN: What is the cheapest laptop I can buy for development
51–60 of 63 posts
Re: Ask HN: What is the cheapest laptop I can buy for development
#52Any used business-line laptop: Lenovo Thinkpad, Dell Latitude, HP Probook/Elitebook. Please don't by a consumer-line laptop - they are terrible except of Macbook.
This. People usually say "get a used Thinkpad", but any of these laptops will also do. There are many options.
Re: Ask HN: What is the cheapest laptop I can buy for development
#53Sounds like a use case for a ChromeBook. You would have to check which Chromebooks let you install Linux. Also some of the cheaper Windows laptops would do. In my experience, they all let you install Linux. What is your maximum budget? You can get refurbished ones for less than $100. If you are willing to pay $200, you can even get new laptops with up to 15 inch screen size: https://www.productchart.com/laptops/for_l…
^ THIS!
I installed Linux on a cheap Chromebook and it was great. I ended up ditching the Chrome part altogether. Powerful enough, great screen and battery life.
Re: Ask HN: What is the cheapest laptop I can buy for development
#54Earlier quoted context omitted.
What the heck, why did get -1 ????
Complaining about -1 downvote is useless. Even if you post a perfectly good comment, someone could accidentally fat-fingered the downvote button (the buttons are small and very close to each other). Some people even downvote everything they disagree with regardless the quality of the comment itself.
yup, fatfinger in HN mobile happens to me too, and already forgot that here are downvotes, I just don't see them because have not enough upvotes
Re: Ask HN: What is the cheapest laptop I can buy for development
#55I’d say an older gen Thinkpad. They’re usually the best value for your money if you’re looking for a bargain. You can find sellers who might be willing to ship internationally on eBay. You also have to factor in taxes or levies your country may charge on electronic imports.
This is the same advice I'd give, but I'd also assume that the laptop is going to break within 2 years or so in a way that's worth just buying a new one (or another used one). Just an antidote, but that's about how long they last me.
Re: Ask HN: What is the cheapest laptop I can buy for development
#56HARDWARE SIDE: The cheapest will be to ... not buy laptop. You can go for 2 in 1 and use your Android phone (if you have one) or buy one. Any Android phone will do the job, but best look for one with USB3.1 (these will support display port on phones USB socket) as it carries video signal as well. Here you have phones released in 2021 and 2022 supporting it: https://www.gsmarena.com/results.php3?nYearMin=2021&sFreeTex…
Between the screen and accessories this ends up being way more expensive than any used laptop that WILL outperform it while being way more comfortable. Not to mention if you don't already have a capable phone and/or a bunch of accessories.
The worst part is this kind of setup is always finicky to use and harder to debug, which is the last thing you want in a developer machine.
Re: Ask HN: What is the cheapest laptop I can buy for development
#57Can't some HN folks just get together and send you $100 each so you can buy a great laptop? Happy to on my part...
Re: Ask HN: What is the cheapest laptop I can buy for development
#58Sounds like a use case for a ChromeBook. You would have to check which Chromebooks let you install Linux. Also some of the cheaper Windows laptops would do. In my experience, they all let you install Linux. What is your maximum budget? You can get refurbished ones for less than $100. If you are willing to pay $200, you can even get new laptops with up to 15 inch screen size: https://www.productchart.com/laptops/for_l…
^ THIS! I installed Linux on a cheap Chromebook and it was great. I ended up ditching the Chrome part altogether. Powerful enough, great screen and battery life.
what type chromebook ? what linux you installed
Re: Ask HN: What is the cheapest laptop I can buy for development
#59Can't some HN folks just get together and send you $100 each so you can buy a great laptop? Happy to on my part...
thanks , but no need you can collect and send your money to more needט folks
Re: Ask HN: What is the cheapest laptop I can buy for development
#60I just bought 12" ThinkPad x270 for $170. (i5 7gen, 8GB ram, 256 ssd). I'm very happy with it, it even has usb-c and works with my LG Ultrafine. Nice price to value ratio, I think the screen is the biggest downside, but that's only in comparison to my MacBook.
where did you buy it? what os you running on it?