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yertle38 t1_iw0t8h5 wrote

My xps13 screen flex went bad. Went from flakey to basically unusable at any angle. I was like 6 months out of warranty? I disassembled and found you couldn’t just replace the flex. A whole new screen was like $300. I found out I could renew my warranty/service period through Dell for half that cost. So I did that and had a technician out the next day. Not free, but I’m happy.

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cakez t1_iwn5r4k wrote

yeah i would not recommend an xps 13, it's basically a disaposable laptop. There's next to nothing that you can replace without changing whole pieces, the cooling is very bad and it's expensive...

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yertle38 t1_iwohr6p wrote

Got any suggestions? I want something portable, needs to be pretty fast for code dev, need at least 1 usb (C or A) while charging, don’t want hidpi (1920x1200 16:10 preferred, or taller), and can’t stand arrow keys not in an inverted T or no physical function keys. Basically I want an M1/2 MacBook Air but I need Windows for work.

I do most of my work on a desktop but also do a decent amount of work while traveling.

I’ve eyed newer Dell XPS. Microsoft Surface Laptop is always missing something key. Maybe a Razer Blade, but last time I checked there was no stock of the non-touchscreen trims.

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cakez t1_iwrl5yd wrote

Yes I do ! I was looking for something similar, a no nonsense windows laptop for work. I also tried the asus vivobook with an oled screen which I would not recommend (low build quality, glossy screen).

What I ended up with is an hp elitebook 840 g8 aero, it's not cheap, it has not the greatest specs but it has an extended warranty, very good build quality, is user servicable (RAM up to 64 gb, replacable nvme ssd). it has plenty of ports (hdmi, usb c and usb a, jack...) I have a 250 nits screen, which is not very bright (there is a 400 nits version), but it is a matte display and I don't like too bright displays anyway. So basically it is a well built pro boring laptop, exactly what I needed !

Oh and it is very silent, something important to me.

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yertle38 t1_iwzqj69 wrote

I’ll check it out. I don’t need HDMI or USB-A, and would rather have something slimmer. I really use a laptop as a standalone travel device, and not a substitute for a desktop. But I will totally check out the HP, and thanks for the advice!

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yertle38 t1_iwzqv6t wrote

16x9 screen might be the dealbreaker on this one. On a 13” screen I really appreciate more vertical real estate.

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