Netbook for Software Developer
October 20, 2010 9:56 AM Subscribe
I need a cheap netbook for a Windows .NET developer.
So here's the deal. I'd like to pay around $200-$250 for a new light sturdy netbook (ideally SSD) running Windows XP. I plan to install Office, Visual Studio Express edition and do coding on it. I'd like VS to not be excruciatingly slow.
So here's the deal. I'd like to pay around $200-$250 for a new light sturdy netbook (ideally SSD) running Windows XP. I plan to install Office, Visual Studio Express edition and do coding on it. I'd like VS to not be excruciatingly slow.
Performance really shouldn't be an issue for you. I am running an older Asus Eee PC 1000HA with Windows 7 Ultimate and Visual Studio 2010 Ultimate and it runs like a charm. It's my go-to device for development when I am traveling, as I physically can't open a normal sized laptop on an airplane but I can work on my netbook without a problem.
posted by Lokheed at 10:12 AM on October 20, 2010
posted by Lokheed at 10:12 AM on October 20, 2010
I'd reinforce what others are saying Re:screen space and resources. There are many, many uses a netbook is good for, Visual Studio isn't one of them. If the small form factor is not what is important to you then you should be able to put your money towards something better for your needs.
posted by Artw at 10:16 AM on October 20, 2010
posted by Artw at 10:16 AM on October 20, 2010
I've got a brand-new behemoth of a laptop, and it chugs often on VS2008. This might be somewhat tempered by the fact that I need to reference assemblies that are not local (I've run wireshark, and noticed that it downloads the assemblies over and over and over again), but in any case, just sitting here open on my machine it's consuming ~280MB of RAM.
I think your best case scenario may be to have a desktop/other faster machine that you RDP into for most of your development from your netbook.
posted by jangie at 10:18 AM on October 20, 2010
I think your best case scenario may be to have a desktop/other faster machine that you RDP into for most of your development from your netbook.
posted by jangie at 10:18 AM on October 20, 2010
FWIW, Remote Desktoping VS works far better than it has any right to. Of course, as soon as you're not networked you're in trouble there.
posted by Artw at 10:44 AM on October 20, 2010
posted by Artw at 10:44 AM on October 20, 2010
Besides the screen issue (and I think it is a huge issue) you have to rethink your price point. The cheapest SSD I could find on Google Shopping was ~$70 for 16GBs and that is way too small for OS + Office + Visual Studio.
posted by mmascolino at 12:50 PM on October 20, 2010
posted by mmascolino at 12:50 PM on October 20, 2010
You are not going to like coding in VS in a a 10inc netbook
posted by WizKid at 1:49 PM on October 20, 2010
posted by WizKid at 1:49 PM on October 20, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
If money an issue I'd be looking at no OS refurbs instead of netbooks. For $400 you can get a decent Lenovo.
posted by damn dirty ape at 10:11 AM on October 20, 2010