Work Laptop

Happy_Sloth

Hey there, 

I'm starting a new contract in September and i need a new Laptop/Windows Surface type device as i need to supply my own equipment. 

I need something reasonably powerful because im a developer but not excessively so. I don't have alot of spare money atm so i need to do this as cheaply as possible.  

• At least 8GB RAM 
• at least 128GB SSD
• i5 or better.  
• with Windows 10/11  

I bought my son a surface with roughly the spec i need in November 2020... for £659. 



I was horrified to find the SAME spec's is now £899... computers normally age pretty badly so you can normally get old spec machines quite cheaply.  How is it that it's got £250 more expensive in the last 2 years? even though there is now a newer model.  (the new model is incidentally is either out of stock or over £1200!) 

Anyone got any good ideas of a good laptop or Microsoft surface i can get? for around the £700 mark or less.

debitcardmayhem

Have a look here, there are many other sites offering Laptops https://www.box.co.uk/laptops/sort/1/refine/194216~212330$46562~144410

DullGreyGuy

How will you be accessing your clients systems?  

In the very few BYOD clients I know in my industry anyone accessing the systems off of their own equipment does so using a Citrix virtual machine and therefore the spec of your own device is broadly irrelevant. 

I didn't follow my own advice because I went out and bought a new Mac when the last client said you had to have your own device but personally if its just for work purposes and access is via Citrix or equiv then I'd be looking at a secondhand or a fairly basic machine. You can get above your requested specs for £400 via the Dell Outlet store for example.

Happy_Sloth

DullGreyGuy said:

How will you be accessing your clients systems?  

In the very few BYOD clients I know in my industry anyone accessing the systems off of their own equipment does so using a Citrix virtual machine and therefore the spec of your own device is broadly irrelevant. 

I didn't follow my own advice because I went out and bought a new Mac when the last client said you had to have your own device but personally if its just for work purposes and access is via Citrix or equiv then I'd be looking at a secondhand or a fairly basic machine. You can get above your requested specs for £400 via the Dell Outlet store for example.

This is a very good question,  i'll contact them i actually have an old laptop thats feeling it's age a little but if i am simply accessing a VM it might be good enough. 

outtatune

Plenty of refurbished Lenovos on ebay for a good price.

fiendishlyclever

If you must have a Microsoft brand laptop, check out their student pricing (assuming you know a student) although this could affect your ability to claim it as an allowable expense as the invoice will be in someone else's name...