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Re:Windows Subsystem for Linux is out of beta by bradleyjg on Friday July 28, 2017 @08:43PM (#14878785)
Which laptop manufactures have you found to be as reliable and well put together as macbooks? I haven't had too much luck with dells or lenovos.
Re:Windows Subsystem for Linux is out of beta by sangd on Friday July 28, 2017 @09:05PM (#14878900)
I really like the Surface Pro. It's a very nice combo of a tablet & a laptop with lots of power like a laptop. I've used Dell's XPS & Inspiron models. They've last quite long. Their hardware does fail after 4+ years, but acceptable and replaceable and they're inexpensive to replace. I do own a Windows desktop with Xeon core, and it's very powerful PC. Its price is probably 1/4 of the Mac Pro. Definitely not HPs, they're bad computers, both laptops and desktop. Thinkpads are good, but I've never tried one after Lenovo took over.
Re:Windows Subsystem for Linux is out of beta by UnoriginalGuy on Friday July 28, 2017 @08:57PM (#14878848)
If you stick to the boring Thinkpads (T series and P series) they're fairly safe bets. Some of Dell's business grade laptops are also built like tanks. Neither company's consumer grade (read: cheap) I'd touch.

Microsoft makes good hardware, but you'll pay borderline "Apple Prices" for it.

Only big mistake Microsoft has made is trying to ship the Surface Laptop starting at $999 and topping out at $2199, with Windows 10 S, which you'll be able to "upgrade" "free" for a "limited time only." Meaning, when that promo runs out you may need to pay a $50 fee on your $999 Surface Laptop to get a full copy of Windows 10. To say that annoys me would be a huge understatement.

Re:Windows Subsystem for Linux is out of beta by phr4ts on Friday July 28, 2017 @09:26PM (#14878983)
Yes it's annoying but forgivable when you consider that MS's first priority with its Surface Line is to run a profitable tech demo rather than competing its own foremost customers - Dell, HP...
Re:Windows Subsystem for Linux is out of beta by TheSpiceIsLife on Saturday July 29, 2017 @12:27AM (#14879468)
A maxed out ThinkPad P71 is AU$13,250 (about US$10,000), but still no option for on site warranty (through the AU store anyway).
Re:Windows Subsystem for Linux is out of beta by Anechoic on Friday July 28, 2017 @10:11PM (#14879123)
If you stick to the boring Thinkpads (T series and P series)

Anecdotal, but two out of three T series Thinkpads has sudden motherboard failures. No problems with 3 MacBooks or 3 Inspirons. We're done buying Lenovo.

Re:Windows Subsystem for Linux is out of beta by zzalpha on Friday July 28, 2017 @11:05PM (#14879276)
Counter anecdata: My office is full of T and W series Lenovos. I myself have a first generation Carbon as my work machine. My personal machine was a T410 (and before that another T series) until I recently got a new Carbon.

Absolutely zero reports of problems. None.

Re:Windows Subsystem for Linux is out of beta by delhanty on Friday July 28, 2017 @10:56PM (#14879252)
For those considering MS Surface, be aware that, unlike Apple, support is limited to the country that you purchased the device in.

See this comment from 2 months ago on HN [1].

Because of that negative point, I'm now considering one of the Ubuntu Dell Precision models and would appreciate any experiences on HN of Dell and international support for business class laptops.

[1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14400873

Re:Windows Subsystem for Linux is out of beta by nailer on Saturday July 29, 2017 @06:24AM (#14880496)
Author of that comment here.

Still being sent back and forth between Microsoft UK and Microsoft US with an occasionally unusable laptop.

Re:Windows Subsystem for Linux is out of beta by mtl_usr on Saturday July 29, 2017 @09:40PM (#14883955)
Such a good way to attract pro users. The number of Apple store and their world-wide support is one of the reason I see a lot of pro users reluctant to buy something else than a MacBook.

This makes absolutely no sense since the only buyers of Surface products are as of now pretty much only "pro" users.

Re:Windows Subsystem for Linux is out of beta by kristianov on Friday July 28, 2017 @08:45PM (#14878792)
Surface Book and Surface Laptop are quite good.
Re:Windows Subsystem for Linux is out of beta by vvanders on Friday July 28, 2017 @09:45PM (#14879051)
+1 on Surface Book. Great build quality, good dev machine and decent gaming laptop as well.
Re:Windows Subsystem for Linux is out of beta by cgb223 on Friday July 28, 2017 @10:20PM (#14879152)
Was thinking about getting one for work, and gaming is a nice perk

What kind of specs/graphics/resolution do you get on that for games?

Re:Windows Subsystem for Linux is out of beta by vvanders on Friday July 28, 2017 @10:49PM (#14879230)
Just make sure to grab one with the discrete GPU(dGPU aka Performance Base). It's not going to be anything near a desktop(no laptop will) but I can run most things at 1080p pretty well and some of the lighter stuff(like Pyre) at 3Kx2k(native resolution).
Re:Windows Subsystem for Linux is out of beta by FiveDegrees on Saturday July 29, 2017 @01:03PM (#14882067)
I would strongly recommend the XPS 15 9560 over it, if you don't need it to be able to convert it to a tablet.

More performant, cheaper, better screen.

Re:Windows Subsystem for Linux is out of beta by reboog711 on Friday July 28, 2017 @08:50PM (#14878813)
Just wait 6 months or so after release....
Re:Windows Subsystem for Linux is out of beta by UnoriginalGuy on Friday July 28, 2017 @09:15PM (#14878939)
For what?

I own a Surface Pro 3 and a Surface Book. Both have only been improved through firmware updates after release. There was actually some pain points on the SP3 right around release that caused some headaches.

Re:Windows Subsystem for Linux is out of beta by reboog711 on Saturday July 29, 2017 @01:54PM (#14882266)
Generally the Surface products have a poor history of 'working' at launch. The reason for waiting is that the firmware improvements come out before you get the machine.

My Surface Book was a spotchy experience for the first 6 months or so. by month 6 it was running acceptably.

Re:Windows Subsystem for Linux is out of beta by m_mueller on Friday July 28, 2017 @08:55PM (#14878843)
Aren't they roughly the same price as Macbooks?
Re:Windows Subsystem for Linux is out of beta by UnoriginalGuy on Friday July 28, 2017 @09:13PM (#14878933)
There's no way to answer that without a bias.

It depends which Mac you feel is most comparable to the Surface Laptop, what value is placed on Touchbar (if any), what value is placed on a touchscreen (if any), how much value you place on a slightly faster integrated GPU or a slightly faster CPU (Macbook Pro 13" or Surface Laptop respectively), and numerous other metrics.

Broadly speaking I'd likely say, "similar," but there might also be a $200 saving buying the Surface Laptop relative to a similarly spec-ed Macbook Pro 13". I don't consider that a significant saving when we're discussion laptops costing over $1200, but the savings grow as price increases.

Re:Windows Subsystem for Linux is out of beta by mycall on Friday July 28, 2017 @10:27PM (#14879175)
I'd like to see 4 or 6 cores.
Re:Windows Subsystem for Linux is out of beta by petilon on Friday July 28, 2017 @09:05PM (#14878897)
I highly recommend Samsung ATIV Book 9. In my opinion they are better than macbooks. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06X19MJZZ/ref=psdc_13896615011_t3...
Re:Windows Subsystem for Linux is out of beta by zzalpha on Friday July 28, 2017 @11:08PM (#14879291)
If your willing to pay MacBook prices I'd give Lenovo another look. The latest Carbon is just... a perfect laptop as far as I'm concerned.
Re:Windows Subsystem for Linux is out of beta by matt_wulfeck on Saturday July 29, 2017 @12:09AM (#14879417)
It may be MacBook prices but they certainly don't offer Apple support. I'm never going to go through that hassle again.
Re:Windows Subsystem for Linux is out of beta by zzalpha on Saturday July 29, 2017 @01:32AM (#14879681)
Yeah, fair point. Fortunately I've only once ever had to get service for a Lenovo in the 10+ years I've owned one. But you're not wrong.
Re:Windows Subsystem for Linux is out of beta by duncan_bayne on Saturday July 29, 2017 @12:56AM (#14879562)
But sir, you did not purchase the extended accidental damage act of God fragile electronics warranty!