Minimum spec laptop for Visual Studio

**garethevans1986** · 5 July 2012, 11:35

Could you post the full spec of the 'top.

GE

**Bunk** · 5 July 2012, 11:37

Originally posted by JumpingIn View Post

I am looking to buy a laptop which I can comfortably lug around the world on the business trips which will take up 50% of my time, while is still powerful enough to be used as my main machine for VS2010 development work which will take up the other 50% of my time.

I figure on a 17" screen for all those development windows, and 8GB RAM

I had selected the Inspiron 17R from Dell, but their sales agent is telling me that I need to move to their Mobile Desktop range if I want to use for VS development - i.e. the M6600. By the time I add in the memory, this works out at more than double the price. I am not sure if the agent is just trying to upsell here.

Does anyone have any experience doing VS2010 or other development work on an Inspiron? Is it up to the job?

thanks in advance.

Have you seen a 6600 in the flesh? A dev at a previous client was given one and I'm not sure I'd want to 'comfortably lug' it anywhere other than my desk.

**JumpingIn** · 5 July 2012, 11:45

Inspiron spec

Originally posted by garethevans1986 View Post

Could you post the full spec of the 'top.

GE

The spec of the machine I had initially picked:
Inspiron 17R - N7110 Laptop
Processor: Intel Core i3-2350M (2.30Ghz, 3M cache)
Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium
6 GB Dual Channel DDR3 SDRAM 1333MHZ (2 DIMMs)
1 TB SATA Hard Drive (5400 RPM)
8X DVD+/-RW Drive
17.3 inch High Definition+ (1600 x 900) LED Display with TrueLife
Intel HD Graphics 3000 with up to 1.6GB Dynamic Video Memory
English Genuine Windows 7 SP1 Home Premium (64Bit OS)
Back Up Media Not Included
Wireless: Intel Centrino Wireless-N 1030 (1x2 b/g/n+ Bluetooth Combo Card)
LCD Back Cover : Diamond Black Cover [Switchable Lid]
6 Cell Primary Battery, 48W
Internal Qwerty Keyboard

**JumpingIn** · 5 July 2012, 11:49

Originally posted by Bunk View Post

Have you seen a 6600 in the flesh? A dev at a previous client was given one and I'm not sure I'd want to 'comfortably lug' it anywhere other than my desk.

Thanks for the warning - I haven´t seen one but was worried it might turn out to be a monster.

**Bunk** · 5 July 2012, 12:01

Originally posted by JumpingIn View Post

Thanks for the warning - I haven´t seen one but was worried it might turn out to be a monster.

I'm not sure it's much worse than any other 17" laptop but it is definitely a beast.

**d000hg** · 5 July 2012, 12:13

Any modern laptop will run VS just fine, even on 2-3Gb RAM.

**VectraMan** · 5 July 2012, 12:37

Originally posted by d000hg View Post

Any modern laptop will run VS just fine, even on 2-3Gb RAM.

VS2005 or 2008, yes. VS2010 is so slow it needs all the help it can get. 4GB isn't enough.

My 6GB i7 XPS15 works well with VS2010; much better than the 4GB 2x4 core Xeon Precision desktop with SSD I have at PermieCo. Of course when I say "well", I mean the random lock ups aren't quite so bad, the GUI isn't quite so unresponsive, and intellisense sometimes responds in 10 seconds instead of 30.

**Gentile** · 5 July 2012, 12:42

My last laptop (purchased 2008) was a Dell Inspiron 1545. It ran SQL Server alongside VS 2005, 2008 and 2010 comfortably. You can't buy that model any more since they're now outdated, but the spec for it is shown at the bottom of this page. As long as you've got at least 3GB RAM (advisable to have 6GB now), and you've got at least a set of dual core processors above 2Ghz (the Inspiron 1545 was a T4500 dual core at 2.33Ghz, and my current lappy is P6200 dual core 2.13Ghz), you should be fine running VS 2010.

**Willapp** · 5 July 2012, 13:30

Originally posted by VectraMan View Post

My 6GB i7 XPS15 works well with VS2010; much better than the 4GB 2x4 core Xeon Precision desktop with SSD I have at PermieCo. Of course when I say "well", I mean the random lock ups aren't quite so bad, the GUI isn't quite so unresponsive, and intellisense sometimes responds in 10 seconds instead of 30.

+1 for the XPS15. A 17" screen is great but doesn't exactly scream portability so depending on how often you plan to take it on the move I would consider a 15" as a viable option. Granted it's not as nice as using a 24" monitor, but for what you gain with 17" I don't think it's worth the extra weight/reduced battery life.

Mate of mine has just ordered this:
Dell XPS 15 which for £650 is a pretty decent spec and will definitely run VS2010 at an acceptable level.

I bought basically the same laptop a few months ago for nearly £900 so it's come down in price quite nicely...

Minimum spec laptop for Visual Studio