Programming Laptop: Macbook or Ultrabook?

[letsgetsilly]

I'm a contract software developer with a focus on .NET development in Windows using Visual Studio.

I need a laptop that will crush gigantic website projects in Visual Studio while running addons like ReSharper that can slow things down. This laptop will be also used for gaming and will need to travel, including riding in my backpack on my bike on most days. I'll need to work in airports, airplanes, and abroad. Budget: < $3k USD.

I've narrowed my choices down to Dells XPS 15 and Macbook Pro 15", although I don't have a great handle on the "best" ultrabooks available so feel free to recommend.

I'm primarily a Windows guy and I hesitate to pay the performance penalty of virtualizing Windows for my dev work on a Macbook. However, the hardware on the Mac looks better than the Dell, and I love using OSX. Also, having a dual system gives more opportunities for work.

If you have any opinions on which route I should take please let me know. I'm struggling to make a decision, and I'd like to have one made by today if possible.

Thanks in advance!

 

[TheStu]

You wouldn't have to virtualize Windows, you could just install it directly.

 

[smakme7757]

I don't know. Maybe it's just me, but this seems like an easy choice.

You are a Windows developer using a Microsoft IDE and working on the .NET platform. Using Windows as your primary OS is going to be the only way to work.

The XPS 15 seems to come in a few variants. If you pick one up with 16GB RAM, Intel i7 and a 256/500GB SSD, then you will have all the horse power you need for quite some time. Just make sure the laptop you buy has a nice keyboard. Nothing worse than writing code on a keyboard that makes your skin crawl.

I currently have a laptop with 16GB ram, 256GB SSD and Intel 4c/8t i7 and it runs Visual Studio 2013 with ReSharper without any problems, on Windows 8.1. Comparable to my desktop machine at home.

 

[Wabbitzzz]

Technically you don't need to have a virtual system running to use Windows on a Mac, you can just install it on it's own partition and run it right off the hard drive like you would do with a Windows PC.

However I would still get a Windows computer if I were you.

Just read used for gaming... yeah, definitely not a Mac.

 

[RossMAN]

Another vote for Windows, Dell Outlet + coupon = FTW

 

[TheStu]

Technically you don't need to have a virtual system running to use Windows on a Mac, you can just install it on it's own partition and run it right off the hard drive like you would do with a Windows PC.

However I would still get a Windows computer if I were you.

Just read used for gaming... yeah, definitely not a Mac.

Why not use it for gaming? On the first generation rMBP, Apple took a 660m, cut the RAM, and called it a 650m. It was (and is) a very capable gaming system.

OS X doesn't have as many games as Windows (by a wide margin, sure), but as you just said, that isn't a stumbling block. So if the 2 systems are mostly equal (the Dell has a higher res panel, the Mac has a faster CPU and SSD), and they both say they have the 750m, then what's the difference?

 

[gmaster456]

The Windows machine is an obvious choice. Get an i7 with 16gb of RAM and a big SSD and you'll be golden for a long time.