Reply to: Laptop for my LTD

[Pondlife]

As an iOS developer that needs test devices for each platform, yes.

Fair enough then. As you were.

[NibblyPig]

Oh the only reason for surface book or xps 13 compared to alienware etc. is the weight.

You can get a beefy 13" laptop that plays all the latest games from loads of vendors but it will weigh a metric beepton.

Annoying that MS won't tell you exactly what GPU or CPU you'll get because it makes it hard to choose what to go for.

[TheCyclingProgrammer]

Seriously?

As an iOS developer that needs test devices for each platform, yes.

[Pondlife]

Its really up to YourCo how it chooses to classify things as either expenses or assets so I would go with your accountant's advice on this. I used to classify all hardware as assets, including phones and such but now I tend to classify hardware below £1k as an expense and anything above as an asset. So the company phone, iPad and Apple Watch are expenses but my laptop is an asset.

It makes little different to the tax treatment overall as you offset the cost in your first year under the annual investment allowance. The accountings a bit more involved for assets as you have to account for depreciation (and add it back when calculating your CT bill) and handling the sale/write-off of the asset is a bit more involved compared to just an expense.

Seriously?

[MicrosoftBob]

Depends how it really squares up to the likes of Alienware for gaming on the move

It looks promising though

[NibblyPig]

XPS 13 refresh is out, it is very close to the surface book minus the discrete GPU, it also weighs 2.9lbs compared to the book's 3.5lbs.

If the discrete GPU is pants, I'll get an XPS, otherwise I'll get a surface book

[BigRed]

https://www.microsoft.com/surface/en...s/surface-book will be the only option once it is available

[NibblyPig]

Surface Book for me too now! Screw the XPS 13!

Well, probably.

It depends on what the GPU will be. They've made it very mysterious. If it's tulipe then I might not bother and XPS 13 will be back on the tables, cos it doesn't weigh as much. The Skylake GPU isn't really all that bad. Not planning on gaming anyway.

No release date in the UK though either. 26th October for the US, 14th November for Australia (apparently). UK? No idea.

[kevpuk]

Are surface pro's any good?

For me, the SP3 is a very decent device. Not cheap, but decently powerful (depending on which variant, I suppose) and more than capable of being my everyday machine.
Now ClientCo have landed one of their laptops on me for daily work, the SP3 is far preferable as a device to do the rest of my stuff on, whilst away from home.

[sociopath]

Surface Pro 4 or Surface Book for business or both with one for light work commuting to client office and other for heavy work at own office? Thought I'd ask for your thoughts since you are all IT gurus and I'm a humble engineer.

[NickNick]

But only if you require an expensive laptop "package" which must all come from the same VAT registered retailer and be on one invoice. So don't use Amazon marketplace.

So a base model Apple then? :O)

[SueEllen]

Apple...

Some people prefer thinkpads or high spec machines that could be used for gaming...

[SlipTheJab]

But only if you require an expensive laptop "package" which must all come from the same VAT registered retailer and be on one invoice. So don't use Amazon marketplace.

Apple...

[sociopath]

MyCo insisted on a Gigabyte P35K, as ability to play games was deemed a therapeutic use of downtime and facilitated a considerably better work ethic, from being recharged and relaxed......



But then, ClientCo required me to stop using own hardware, after 18 months, as there VM vendor went under and all were migrated back on to......Dell Latitude E6220 ......however, MyCo - being prudent - foresaw this woe and insisted on an i7 Surface Pro 3 to be used for note taking in meetings etc.



TL;DR = I have 2 lovely machines

Are surface pro's any good?

[SueEllen]

MyCo insisted on a Gigabyte P35K, as ability to play games was deemed a therapeutic use of downtime and facilitated a considerably better work ethic, from being recharged and relaxed......



But then, ClientCo required me to stop using own hardware, after 18 months, as there VM vendor went under and all were migrated back on to......Dell Latitude E6220 ......however, MyCo - being prudent - foresaw this woe and insisted on an i7 Surface Pro 3 to be used for note taking in meetings etc.



TL;DR = I have 2 lovely machines

What does your company's personnel do their training, correspondence and accounts on?

Surely for keeping your skill set up to date you need a decent laptop?