10

I am a developer, I develop web and android applications. So for that I use tools like netbeans android studio Photoshop , git, Chrome with lots of tabs opened. Most of the time I need to keep them open all the time. I am planning to buy a new laptop. I know many people will suggest I must have a SSD, but after some research I have found that I can't afford a laptop with both SSD and the configuration I want, and I do not want to buy a macbook. After some research, I have sorted out some laptops. 

ASUS K555LN-5500U 5th Gen Core i7
Processor: Intel Core i7 5th Gen 5500U
2.40 GHz (3.00 GHz by Turbo Frequency) 4MB Cache
RAM: 8 GB  DDR3, HDD: 1 TB SATA
NVIDIA® GeForce® GT 840M with 2GB DDR3 VRAM
Display: 15.6" 16:9 HD (1366 X 768) LED


Dell Inspiron N5548 Intel Core i7 5th Gen
Processor: 5th Gen. Intel Core i7 5500U
2.40 GHz (3.00 GHz by Turbo Frequency) 4MB Cache
RAM: 8 GB  DDR3, HDD: 1 TB SATA
Display: 15.6" 16:9 HD (1366 X 768) LED

My question is will the above laptop serve my purpose? If they which one should I buy? Or are there any other laptop can serve my purpose?

Improve this question
3
  • What are the prices of the two machines and what is your budget?
    – SSumner
    Nov 6, 2015 at 20:17
  • both are same with little difference nearly 800 USD in my country
    – Mithun Sarker Shuvro
    Nov 6, 2015 at 20:24
  • Actually, can you edit this question to include detailed requirements, budget and where you need shipping to?
    – timuzhti
    Dec 8, 2015 at 1:06

3 Answers 3

Reset to default
6

No, I wouldn't buy either of those laptops, because the displays are too low-resolution for me to be able to work productively.

My minimum recommended specs for software development would be as follows:

  • Minimum $800 price point, preferably $1200 or more--I've bought a lot of laptops, and if you go any cheaper the manufacturers seriously have to start cutting corners and it really shows.
  • Full HD or better resolution (1920x1080)
  • 256 GB or larger SSD
  • 16 Gb RAM (or 8 GB upgradeable to 16 GB)
  • good keyboard, preferably with a numpad
  • good battery life
  • excellent touchpad (Macbook one is the best, maybe some PC touchpads have gotten better)

If you don't get an SSD right off the bat, budget to upgrade within a few months. The performance difference is unbelievable and you'll be able to be much more productive with an SSD. I'd even suggest upgrading to an SSD before upgrading your RAM to 16 GB.

I cannot recommend a specific model, but I can make a few general recommendations...

DO NOT BUY:

  • Toshiba
  • Anything less than $800 on sale

DO CONSIDER:

  • Macbook/Macbook Pro
  • Samsung
  • Dell
  • Asus
  • Lenovo Thinkpad
  • Preferably something $1200 or up

For software development, pretty much any modern graphics chip will be more than adequate.

Your resistance to buying a Macbook is understandable, but as a die-hard Windows power user since 1995, I have to grudgingly admit that the Mac touchpad is best-in-class, and the gestures and swiping left and right between full-screen apps is a huge productivity booster.

Improve this answer
2

The only difference between the two machines you have listed is a dedicated video card in the first one. Unless you are doing something that requires a video card (games come to mind, but there are other areas that would require it too), I'd go with the second.

An i7 CPU with 8 GB of RAM should be sufficient for your needs. The 1TB hard drive will give you plenty of space to work with as well. The 15.6" screen will put the machine on the large side for a laptop, but if you know that ahead of time you won't be surprised. This isn't going to be a light machine to carry around though.

The biggest difference - not hardware-wise - is the after purchase support of the machines. You'll need to compare warranties and how much you are willing to spend on a warranty between the two retailers.

Leaving out the warranty cost though, if you are not in need of a dedicated video card, go with the Dell.

Improve this answer
2

I would suggest to go with Lenovo Thinkpad (previously known as the IBM Thinkpad). It's worth with the price as its durable. I have one friend who's a developer and he used it for a long time even with less configuration than what you have described above.

I bought my MacBook Pro in 2010 and works fine so far. No issues at all. I am using it to develop websites and a couple of personal projects. I use almost the same applications as what you're using except the Android thing. Use GIT, Netbeans, Adobe suite, FTP, etc. If I want to buy a new laptop at this stage, I would definitely go with the Thinkpad.

My brother and good friend of mine had a Dell Inspiron, and they got f'ed up within a year.

Good luck with your search and purchase.

Improve this answer
2
  • Thanks for you suggestion . Do you have anything to say about my choices ?
    – Mithun Sarker Shuvro
    Nov 6, 2015 at 19:05
  • Both mostly looks identical. I would go for Dell. I do have my reason not going for Asus as I dont like the keybaord. But what I used for sometime was a old one. So I am not sure about new ones. They may be good as well.
    – vsoni
    Nov 6, 2015 at 19:25

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge that you have read and understand our privacy policy and code of conduct.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.