Cheap laptop for porgramming

[pilot_nate]

Hey all, just started school for programming/compSci, and I do some traveling for work. I have an old Acer laptop that needs some upgrading. Wondering what a god $300-400 good laptop would be for programming, and running several applications at once? Sub $300 would be great too!!

 

[rockie_]

HP laptop

its iGPU has 128 stream processors
http/www.cpu-world.com/CPUs/Puma/AMD-A6-Series%20A6-6310.html

 

[bliq]

I'm pretty certain this won't be a popular answer: Buy a chromebook (Im partial to the Acer C720), install chrbuntu on it. then you have a cheap, light laptop with a small SSD in it. It'll be relatively fast. and only cost $199.
http/blog.laptopmag.com/chrubuntu-transforms-199-acer-c7-chromebook-into-a-cheap-linux-laptop
http/liliputing.com/2013/12/acer-c270-chromebook-tested-ubuntu-bad-200.html

otherwise:

step 1: find and buy cheap laptop.
step 2: create restore media if laptop doesn't come with it.
step 3: download linux install media
step 4: replace hard drive with cheap $110 240GB SSD and reinstall Windows.
step 5: install linux in dual boot configuration.

good luck in your studies.

 

[Bolin]

I'm pretty certain this won't be a popular answer: Buy a chromebook (Im partial to the Acer C720), install chrbuntu on it. then you have a cheap, light laptop with a small SSD in it. It'll be relatively fast. and only cost $199.
http/blog.laptopmag.com/chrubuntu-transforms-199-acer-c7-chromebook-into-a-cheap-linux-laptop
http/liliputing.com/2013/12/acer-c270-chromebook-tested-ubuntu-bad-200.html

otherwise:

step 1: find and buy cheap laptop.
step 2: create restore media if laptop doesn't come with it.
step 3: download linux install media
step 4: replace hard drive with cheap $110 240GB SSD and reinstall Windows.
step 5: install linux in dual boot configuration.

good luck in your studies.

I agree

 

[JbrRo]

I suggest a chromebook. Many choices out there and Most of them will be able to handle coding.

 

[pilot_nate]

I'm pretty certain this won't be a popular answer: Buy a chromebook (Im partial to the Acer C720), install chrbuntu on it. then you have a cheap, light laptop with a small SSD in it. It'll be relatively fast. and only cost $199.
http/blog.laptopmag.com/chrubuntu-transforms-199-acer-c7-chromebook-into-a-cheap-linux-laptop
http/liliputing.com/2013/12/acer-c270-chromebook-tested-ubuntu-bad-200.html

otherwise:

step 1: find and buy cheap laptop.
step 2: create restore media if laptop doesn't come with it.
step 3: download linux install media
step 4: replace hard drive with cheap $110 240GB SSD and reinstall Windows.
step 5: install linux in dual boot configuration.

good luck in your studies.

Thanks!
Just one question, there is only 16GB SSD on it? would that be enough to install programs on it (i.e. SSH client, filezilla, etc)

 

[bliq]

chromebooks work almost completely in the cloud so there's not as much need for local storage but they do support external drives and many chromebooks have USB3. What some people do is slap the fastest SD card or flash drive in and use that for extra storage. as far as ssh client, that's almost always in the linux distro so don't worry about that- it's tiny anyways. filezilla? not sure exactly what that is- FTP? P2P? generally linux apps are far smaller than windows apps. not always but pretty often.

it's not perfect, it's definitely a compromise but the price is a big win. Just do your research on chrbuntu and see what things are or are not supported and decide if you can live with that.

in any case, one of the reasons I like the Acers is that I believe the SSD could be replaced if you wanted to. Not sure about the other chromebooks.

BTW, I was at Walmart a couple days ago and saw the Acer C720 on sale for $150. might want to check it out. I almost impulse bought it.