Windows Developer Laptops

With the Microsoft introduction of Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL), developing on a Windows laptop now becomes somewhat feasible.

If I were to pick my next laptop today, these would be my requirements:

• Regular laptop (no 2-in-1, convertible, etc.)
• 14" or 15" screen (no 13" ultrabooks, but if you like those go with the Dell XPS 13 9380)
• FHD (or higher) resolution (preferably non-touch, anti-glare, and IPS; bonus: OLED)
• At least one each: USB Type-A, USB Type-C (Thunderbolt preferred), and HDMI
• 8th gen. Intel i7 processor (or higher)
• No more than 4.5 lbs.
• At least 55 WHr battery
• Windows 10 Pro preferred (can upgrade to Windows 10 Pro for $99)
• Centered touchpad
• No numeric keypad on keyboard
• No red TrackPoint center button (common on Lenovo hardware)
• Webcam at top of screen (no 'nose cams' at base of screen)
• High-definition webcam (CMOS-based, not VGA)
• Less than $2,000

After some research, here are my top picks:

	Razer Blade 15 Base Model	LG gram 14 14Z980-A.AAS7U1	Lenovo IdeaPad 720s 81BD001PUS
Operating System	Windows 10 Home	Windows 10 Home	Windows 10 Home
Processor	8th gen. 6-core Intel i7-8750H 2.2/4.1 GHz	8th gen. 4-core Intel i7-8550U 1.8/4.0 GHz	8th gen. 4-core Intel i7-8550U 1.8/4.0 GHz
Memory	16GB DDR4 2667MHz	8GB DDR4 2400MHz	16GB DDR4 2400MHz
Hard Drive	128GB SSD + 1TB HDD	512GB M.2 SSD	512GB PCIe SSD
Battery	65 WHr	72 WHr	55 WHr
Weight	4.48 lb	2.19 lb	3.42 lb
Screen	15.6" FHD (1920x1080)	14.0" FHD (1920x1080) touch	14.0" FHD (1920x1080)
List Price	$1,600	$1,550	$1,410
Notes	concerns regarding product quality, heat and fan noise; OLED version coming soon!	overly-reflective screen; Windows 10 Pro upgrade voids warranty?	low brightness and reflective glossy screen, sharp edges
Review Score	4 out of 5	8 out of 10	4 out of 5

Notes:

1. Dell XPS 15 webcam is positioned at base of screen (which might get fixed in their new 2019 OLED version)

2. Huawei MateBook X Pro webcam is positioned under the keyboard

3. Gigabyte Aero 15-Y9 webcam is positioned at base of screen

4. Microsoft Surface Book 2 is a 2-in-1 and the cheapest 15" is $2,250. The Surface Laptop 2 has no USB-C.

5. Samsung Notebook 9 Pro 15" only has a 54 WHr battery, no Thunderbolt ports, and lackluster reviews

6. Yoga C730 AMOLED is a 2-in-1 and not currently marketed for the U.S.  Also, the Yoga S940 doesn't have an HDMI port.

7. HP Spectre x360 15 AMOLED weighs 4.85 lb.

8. HP ZBook 14u G5 has a 50 WHr battery

9. ASUS ZenBook Pro 15 has a VGA webcam

10. Huawei MateBook D 14" (Intel) weighs 5.13 lb.

11. Dell Latitude 7400 2-in-1 (available in March) is a 2-in-1 (obviously) but the specs look promising and the company says it will be the "first of many" Latitudes to be released in 2019 so keep an eye out...

12. Acer Swift 7 webcam is positioned under the keyboard

P.S. If you're interested in 17" laptops, check out the 3 lb. LG gram 17"

P.P.S. If you need a Thunderbolt 3 docking station, check out the highly rated CalDigit TS3 Plus