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MacOS: check out the latest MacBook Air 13", the one just released - it has a new keyboard, better base disk configuration and it's cheaper than before. Window

by drej 7y ago

MacOS: check out the latest MacBook Air 13", the one just released - it has a new keyboard, better base disk configuration and it's cheaper than before. Windows: Dell XPS 13 has been the go-to laptop for years, they keep refreshing it, so make sure to get at least the 2019 model (which has a camera on the top of the screen, not the bottom), or ideally the 2020 model, which features a new keyboard and even smaller bezels (and a new, 16:10 screen). Windows runner up: look at Surface Pro 7 (x86) and Pro X (ARM), if the form factor, performance and ergonomics fit your needs, they might be preferable to the XPS 13. The Pro X is quite a wild card, since the compatibility is not quite there yet, but it's closer to a paper notebook than laptops or even the Pro 7. I would advise against anything smaller than 13", because it will be fairly suboptimal to type on.

Eldandan 7y ago
Oof! 16:10 display in a 13" chassis is tough to beat. Those extra vertical pixels make coding on it that much nicer. Way to go Dell! If only I could get 16:10 in a ThinkPad; I'm a sucker for their keyboards and trackpoint.
- duxup 7y ago
  Yeah that aspect ratio change is huge. Honestly, it's way overdue. The widescreen style laptop has some uses ... but it really is a pain for so many things.
threeseed 7y ago
Also the new MacBook Air is significantly faster: https://images.macrumors.com/t/xz5BJc9S6IZ0_9m5TUwd0AwNZmg=/1600x0/article-new/2020/03/geekbench-air-6c.jpg https://images.macrumors.com/t/xz5BJc9S6IZ0_9m5TUwd0AwNZmg=/...
Flockster 7y ago
The MacBook is 16:10 to, which I found very nice.
agloeregrets 7y ago
This is a great list but if they want something smaller than a 13 inch, I would add the surface go too. Seems like what they are asking for.
- drej 7y ago
  The Surface Go is an amazing device for work on the... go, but the ergonomics of the display and cramped keyboard make it suboptimal for any longer period of time (be it a coffee shop, your bed or anything like that). If you plan to work only at your desk, where you connect it to an external display (USB-C, ideally, to get both power and video) and external keyboard and only use it as a tablet otherwise, then sure, it would work well. But using it as a standalone machine would be rather inconvenient.
  - himlion 7y ago
    I've used it as such for extended periods of time during a long working holiday. Not ideal but it worked well enough, and the form factor is very portable indeed. The screen cover keyboard is a must though.
bluedino 7y ago
12" MacBook is quite a bit smaller than the 13" Macs.
- drej 7y ago
  True, but it's also quite a bit more discontinued :(
  - atrilumen 7y ago
    :(
- ianhowson 7y ago
  I carry a 12" in this role and it's great. Surprisingly long battery life, weighs nothing and, assuming you spend most of your time in an editor, fast enough. Downsides are (a) butterfly keyboard and (b) tiny screen. If you do anything that requires compilation, get something with a CPU fan like the new 13" Air. Get the 16GB model either way.
  - atrilumen 7y ago
    I loved mine (the original 12"), keyboard and all. Kept it with me all the time in a little sling bag... like a gun in holster. BANG! BANG! Rocked it til it broke, and I'm still missing it 3 years later. I guess I need a new one.
    - ianhowson 7y ago
      Hah. I'm trying to find a non-dorky way to clip it to my belt. It's my "hey I gotta go to a meeting and take notes but I don't want to mess up my desktop" laptop.
- roberte3 7y ago
  Also I killed 2 via running Jetbeans. (Client requirement not my choice...)
flanbiscuit 7y ago
I am currently typing this on my mid-2013 11" Macbook Air and it's still going strong. It's too bad that Apple is not making anymore 11" laptops anymore because I think it's exactly what OP wants. I had the same exact criteria when looking for a laptop and I work with similar technologies, but I've also done Android/Kotlin (using Android Studio) and C#/.NET (using full Visual Studio) with this laptop without any problems. I also play games via Steam (mostly indie games, not big AAA ones) on it. I have a bag¹ (side bag/satchel) that it fits perfectly into and makes it easy to carry around. It's been great taking this on vacation with me, super light. I am looking to upgrade though and the new 2020 Air does look good but with the modifications I want brings the price close to $1699 and I'm not ready to spend that yet ¹ https://www.scaramangashop.co.uk/mini-leather-satchel-11-inch.html https://www.scaramangashop.co.uk/mini-leather-satchel-11-inc... <-- bought it from this company but they don't make my exact bag anymore, but this is the closest except mine is the "portrait mode" of this edit: Forgot to add that I've also used Xcode on this in the past but I am not on Catalina yet so I have not touched Xcode in a while.
- tbrock 7y ago
  Dell makes garbage compared to Lenovo. Why not get an x390/x13 with that delicious keyboard?
  - leetcrew 7y ago
    bezels? it's not just aesthetics; thin bezels is a pretty important feature on an ultraportable imo, maximizes screen real estate for the space it takes up in your bag.
    - tbrock 7y ago
      What? No. They are already ultraportables. Once they are that small as a class of computer reliability and quality becomes important. God help you with support and returns if something goes wrong with your dell. I’ve been there before and it’s hell on earth.
- singerislonely 7y ago
theluketaylor 7y ago
The $100 core i5 upgrade on the latest Macbook Air in particular. It's a big bang for buck (especially by Apple standards) since it goes from 2 cores to 4 and adds boost clock headroom.
- skrtskrt 7y ago
  What about the $250 upgrade for i7 - worth it for $150 more than the i5? I'm going to be getting it and I want to have it for 4-5 years as I have with the 2015 MBA, getting the better processor seems like a decent future-proofing. I mostly develop in Python and Go, but I do want to get into Rust and I understand the compilation is demanding.
  - runjake 7y ago
    I would say not worth it. Very minimal ghz boost you probably won't notice and an additional 2MB (6->8mb) of L3 processor cache you probably won't notice.
  - theluketaylor 7y ago
    I haven't seen any benchmarks, but I doubt you'll get a big return going to the i7, certainly nowhere near the return on investment the dual core i3 to quad core i5 is. Macbook air is mostly going to thermally limited under sustained load anyway, so the i7 benefits are likely pretty limited.

by drej 7y ago

Eldandan 7y ago

Oof! 16:10 display in a 13" chassis is tough to beat. Those extra vertical pixels make coding on it that much nicer. Way to go Dell! If only I could get 16:10 in a ThinkPad; I'm a sucker for their keyboards and trackpoint.

duxup 7y ago
Yeah that aspect ratio change is huge. Honestly, it's way overdue. The widescreen style laptop has some uses ... but it really is a pain for so many things.

threeseed 7y ago

Also the new MacBook Air is significantly faster: https://images.macrumors.com/t/xz5BJc9S6IZ0_9m5TUwd0AwNZmg=/1600x0/article-new/2020/03/geekbench-air-6c.jpg https://images.macrumors.com/t/xz5BJc9S6IZ0_9m5TUwd0AwNZmg=/...

Flockster 7y ago

The MacBook is 16:10 to, which I found very nice.

agloeregrets 7y ago

This is a great list but if they want something smaller than a 13 inch, I would add the surface go too. Seems like what they are asking for.

drej 7y ago
The Surface Go is an amazing device for work on the... go, but the ergonomics of the display and cramped keyboard make it suboptimal for any longer period of time (be it a coffee shop, your bed or anything like that). If you plan to work only at your desk, where you connect it to an external display (USB-C, ideally, to get both power and video) and external keyboard and only use it as a tablet otherwise, then sure, it would work well. But using it as a standalone machine would be rather inconvenient.
- himlion 7y ago
  I've used it as such for extended periods of time during a long working holiday. Not ideal but it worked well enough, and the form factor is very portable indeed. The screen cover keyboard is a must though.

bluedino 7y ago

12" MacBook is quite a bit smaller than the 13" Macs.

drej 7y ago
True, but it's also quite a bit more discontinued :(
- atrilumen 7y ago
  :(
ianhowson 7y ago
I carry a 12" in this role and it's great. Surprisingly long battery life, weighs nothing and, assuming you spend most of your time in an editor, fast enough. Downsides are (a) butterfly keyboard and (b) tiny screen. If you do anything that requires compilation, get something with a CPU fan like the new 13" Air. Get the 16GB model either way.
- atrilumen 7y ago
  I loved mine (the original 12"), keyboard and all. Kept it with me all the time in a little sling bag... like a gun in holster. BANG! BANG! Rocked it til it broke, and I'm still missing it 3 years later. I guess I need a new one.
  - ianhowson 7y ago
    Hah. I'm trying to find a non-dorky way to clip it to my belt. It's my "hey I gotta go to a meeting and take notes but I don't want to mess up my desktop" laptop.
roberte3 7y ago
Also I killed 2 via running Jetbeans. (Client requirement not my choice...)

flanbiscuit 7y ago

I am currently typing this on my mid-2013 11" Macbook Air and it's still going strong. It's too bad that Apple is not making anymore 11" laptops anymore because I think it's exactly what OP wants. I had the same exact criteria when looking for a laptop and I work with similar technologies, but I've also done Android/Kotlin (using Android Studio) and C#/.NET (using full Visual Studio) with this laptop without any problems. I also play games via Steam (mostly indie games, not big AAA ones) on it. I have a bag¹ (side bag/satchel) that it fits perfectly into and makes it easy to carry around. It's been great taking this on vacation with me, super light. I am looking to upgrade though and the new 2020 Air does look good but with the modifications I want brings the price close to $1699 and I'm not ready to spend that yet ¹ https://www.scaramangashop.co.uk/mini-leather-satchel-11-inch.html https://www.scaramangashop.co.uk/mini-leather-satchel-11-inc... <-- bought it from this company but they don't make my exact bag anymore, but this is the closest except mine is the "portrait mode" of this edit: Forgot to add that I've also used Xcode on this in the past but I am not on Catalina yet so I have not touched Xcode in a while.

tbrock 7y ago
Dell makes garbage compared to Lenovo. Why not get an x390/x13 with that delicious keyboard?
- leetcrew 7y ago
  bezels? it's not just aesthetics; thin bezels is a pretty important feature on an ultraportable imo, maximizes screen real estate for the space it takes up in your bag.
  - tbrock 7y ago
    What? No. They are already ultraportables. Once they are that small as a class of computer reliability and quality becomes important. God help you with support and returns if something goes wrong with your dell. I’ve been there before and it’s hell on earth.
singerislonely 7y ago

theluketaylor 7y ago

The $100 core i5 upgrade on the latest Macbook Air in particular. It's a big bang for buck (especially by Apple standards) since it goes from 2 cores to 4 and adds boost clock headroom.

skrtskrt 7y ago
What about the $250 upgrade for i7 - worth it for $150 more than the i5? I'm going to be getting it and I want to have it for 4-5 years as I have with the 2015 MBA, getting the better processor seems like a decent future-proofing. I mostly develop in Python and Go, but I do want to get into Rust and I understand the compilation is demanding.
- runjake 7y ago
  I would say not worth it. Very minimal ghz boost you probably won't notice and an additional 2MB (6->8mb) of L3 processor cache you probably won't notice.
- theluketaylor 7y ago
  I haven't seen any benchmarks, but I doubt you'll get a big return going to the i7, certainly nowhere near the return on investment the dual core i3 to quad core i5 is. Macbook air is mostly going to thermally limited under sustained load anyway, so the i7 benefits are likely pretty limited.