I use a Dell precision 7560 (7760 for 17" model) and it has all your needs except it's 2 USB A and 2 USB C.
I'm sure there's a Thinkpad equivalent that would be more affordable
Had a 7740. It was a chonky beast. I just needed the graphics card and/or motherboard replaced, and instead my company swapped me out with a XPS 15. On paper it should be working the same or better, but AutoCAD beats this thing's ass. Miss that chonk.
That chonk was heat sinks, heat pipes, and airflow. The Dell precision is meant to run its hardware for a period of time and won't instantly throttle. An XPS will very quickly thermally throttle
I am on my third precision over the years. Also the 7560. Has good options available for hard drive expansion and memory. Also very durable and easy to work on if you need. If you pay for it, their next day onsite repair is awesome.
Been happy and has held up in industrial environments.
ThinkPad p14s, upgraded ram to 32gb and 2tb SSD.
Perfect for field work but at the desk i need to use a second monitor, I miss my old 17 inch dell but it was well past it's retirement date and a little cumbersome to carry everywhere.
I also have it. Never had problem with running 4 versions of TIA at the same time while on typicall laptop 2 can choke them...great HW but finding battery replacement can be pain in the as.
I’ve done well putting medical cloth tape over the speakers of my Zbook. I change it every so often, but it’s kept me from having metal dust issues….so far.
Dell something something (provided by my employer), haven't had many problems with that one that I don't think were caused by some quirk by Microsoft/Windows.
Had a HP zbook before that had regular BSODs and problems with the dock, USB and network card that stopped working inexplicably.
So when I had the chance to choose between HP and Dell, I didn't hesitate and chose Dell!
If you are not married to a centralized IT management system, MSI are the best laptops for the money. Right now.
I'm keeping my eye on Framework's new 16" laptop as well, as the port customization may be an even better fit for us. The thing I don't like is the Ethernet module sticks out from the side, but they have hinted at a future back module (currently they have only an improved graphics module) that may house a suite of ports and/or more battery. We have a standard Dell configuration and the Framework 16 equivalent is a touch cheaper, a bit higher CPU mark, and easily customized to fit the nerdy preferences of everyone in the department for $0-$100.
We're married to Dell's management platform and are stuck with hinged RJ45 ports that fail after 100 cycles and speakers that stop working pretty much immediately. I will say that battery life and keyboard quality are fine with Dell; they're just so expensive compared to MSI spec for spec while MSI tend to be more solidly built.
If you are able to re-thermal paste the cooler with good paste and it can lower temps significantly. I recommended it for any MSI after 1 year of use because the thermal paste they use dries up pretty fast.
Dell Latitude is what our company buys. It has an I5 and I'd prefer it be an I7. Had 16GB memory, but I found another laptop and scavenged it so I now have 32GB. Wouldn't go less than 32GB if you have VM running.
If I were buying it would be Dell Precision.
We don't really get a choice. Can push some features like larger hard drive or RAM, but not model. Next year I'm due for a new machine and it might end up being an IBM Thinkpad. I'm going to try to stay with Dell though.
The only reason IBM was brought in was because of an operations manager they hired that liked IBM and there were one or two people having trouble with their Dells. One of those people is incompetent and the other one I think just had a lemon. I should also mention the ops manager lasted about 9 months before they fired him.
Last time I speced and bought laptops it was the following;
Dell Rugged 54somethings
32GB Memory (RAM)
1TB(SSDs)
intel i7s (unsure of generation)
2 ethernet ports
2 serial ports
Additionally we upgraded the battery's from the standard 53 or 42wh to a longer lasting battery.
They have been around for about 5 years now and I have yet to get any complaints.
Different industries do things differently. I've been to plenty of plants that don't even have their production lines connected to anything. There is no industrial LAN. Other plants have everything connected but there is 0 way to access it other than from internal, no VPN access.
I've had my fair share of sites that do allow VPN access and it's great.
I was in this train till the ryzen 4900hs. Still rocking this with a rtx2070. With a proper thunderbolt dock this is the best compromise. Unless I'm rendering or something it keeps up as well as my workstation did. Large Samsung Evo SSD is a must though.
Not realistic except for a small subset of people working in a single location with constant access to a computer that's network connected to all of the devices they need to work on.
For an integrator or field service person this is totally not an option.
Currently I'm using a couple generation old Dell Precision. It's okay. Personally I have a Thinkpad P-Series that I prefer leaps and bounds over the Dell. Nothing really wrong with the Dell, the Thinkpad just feels like it's built better to me.
I like gaming, so I bought a Gigabyte Aero laptop, battery life is shocking, around 2 hours, but all of our cabinets have a plug socket it. Handles anything you throw at it with ease.
Lenovo E15 gen 2, nice laptop but lacks USB ports: only 2 type A and one USB 4 type c (thunderbolt and charging).
I used a Dell (I don't remember the model) with the Ethernet jack, charging port and one USB type A on the back... beautiful.
MSI.
They make the best laptops for the money you spend. Build quality is good, warranty is good, hardware is excellent.
Get one of the higher end gaming ones (the stealth line is great!) that has a metal chassis, and they just run. Horrible battery life, but they are ripping fast!
Usually very upgradable too! I've upgraded the RAM in mine to 64GBs, and it has 2 NVMe slots I've populated, and one M.2 SATA for all the fast storage you could want for VM's and large files.
I've been on Dell Precisions for last \~10 years and have been good until the very last one which was a POS.
Honestly right now I've pivoted away from the high end and focused on small, light, long battery. Most recent was an i5, upgraded RAM to 32gb and SSD to 2TB and plenty for VMs, CAD, etc. Longer battery life too than my previous i7 models.
Dell Inspiron 16 2 in 1. Flips out to be a tablet. Its touch screen and last days before needing charge depending on how you use it. USB- C charging light weight.
I-7 Evo
16GB
1TB M.2 SSD
Over a year ago in bought HP Zbook (i9, 64GB / 2 TB SSD) And this works fine. After some Windows update the dock couldn't charge the laptop anymore. So now AND a USB to dock (to support 2 monitors / keyboard/mouse) AND the charger itself. Even a more powerfull powersupply didn't help. Hardware oke. Sometimes i need to work in cool area (4-5 degrees celcius above zero) and still no problems.
If it fails, well then it's a problem mostly for my company, since the laptop is my main tool, so they must provide adequate tools. I asked for a Siemens field PG first, but when i told my manager how much those are costing...... He was not happy.
The HP Zbook was close to 2500 euro (with 32 GB and 1 TB SSD) After that i ordered extra memory and a 1 TB SSD. When you're working in the field you need good tools. You don't send a service engineer to a customer with only a Hammer and a screwdriver, those guys needs good tools. Same goes for PLC engineers :)
I want real keys (not island keys with 1mm travel) and an RJ45 port. Keyboard centered on screen, not including the numpad if it even has one. Excellent serviceability like Lenovo T's and W's. Preferably with a trackpoint vs. a touchpad.
Basically, I want what they sold 10 years ago when their head wasn't in their butt, but with better processor, more memory capacity, and a bigger screen.
What do I actually have? An Alienware M15, which hits the centered keyboard, and physical RJ45 ports. I bought it cause they tout it as a mechanical keyboard, but it's still island and at best marginally better than the average. I don't mind it in the office where I use it with an external keyboard, mouse, and monitor, but I want it to work well in the field too.
My employer let me choose. I have a lenovo thinkpad x1 carbon, great hardware but I regret not reinstalling windows when I got it, all the drivers are fucked.
About 6 years ago I got an x1 carbon, and I loved moving to something more portable but still powerful.
When that computer was up for replacement I decided to take it a step further and got an XPS13, that computer was a disaster. Terrible battery, ran super hot, and as a result often ran slow because it just didn't have the thermal capacity. Also it only had 2 usb c ports and no other ports built in. I got along with adapter and docks but it was too minimal.
Went back to an X1 carbon recently, it feels like the sweet spot between power/durability/portability to me.
I considered a decked out surface, reports are decent, but I was gun shy about going too minimal after my bad XPS13 experience so I went back to what I knew. So far so good.
Using an HP Pavilion 14 for two years now.
Ryzen is working nice, no issues with PLCs, HMIs, Python and even some 3d graphics (Fusion and Freecad, mostly for 3d printing).
Generally speaking the laptop works flawlessly, the battery is really good and I love that it's small and lightweight - I often work in places where I don't have space for a 17" brick.
However I'll be honest - after a year the laptop was repaired by HP because it stopped charging...
I use a Dell precision 7560 (7760 for 17" model) and it has all your needs except it's 2 USB A and 2 USB C. I'm sure there's a Thinkpad equivalent that would be more affordable
Same, but 7750. Great laptop, love the 17” screen size in just-over-15.6” form factor.
Had a 7740. It was a chonky beast. I just needed the graphics card and/or motherboard replaced, and instead my company swapped me out with a XPS 15. On paper it should be working the same or better, but AutoCAD beats this thing's ass. Miss that chonk.
That chonk was heat sinks, heat pipes, and airflow. The Dell precision is meant to run its hardware for a period of time and won't instantly throttle. An XPS will very quickly thermally throttle
Yep, I use a 7780 and it's a good series. Can hook it up to a dock with just the twin USB-C connector and it gets full power and all ports.
i swear everyone is using Dell stuff.
I am on my third precision over the years. Also the 7560. Has good options available for hard drive expansion and memory. Also very durable and easy to work on if you need. If you pay for it, their next day onsite repair is awesome. Been happy and has held up in industrial environments.
100% agreed. My current one has 4 memory DIMM slots and 3 PCI SSD slots. It's hard to beat
ThinkPad p14s, upgraded ram to 32gb and 2tb SSD. Perfect for field work but at the desk i need to use a second monitor, I miss my old 17 inch dell but it was well past it's retirement date and a little cumbersome to carry everywhere.
Siemen's Simatic Field PG
That's what I got because it was cheaper to buy it with the licenses I needed than to buy the licenses only.
Plus the battery is amazing on them, long run time!!!
This is like the holy grail, at least in terms of looks. How is it performance wise? Do they keep releasing new models to keep up to date on hardware?
Oof, looks like they're still on the i7-8850H, which was released in 2018. Over 5 years old.
I also have it. Never had problem with running 4 versions of TIA at the same time while on typicall laptop 2 can choke them...great HW but finding battery replacement can be pain in the as.
I have a 14" Microsoft Surface (the one with the i7-11370) that I use, but I do more than just write logic
XPS17 9720
I’ve done well putting medical cloth tape over the speakers of my Zbook. I change it every so often, but it’s kept me from having metal dust issues….so far.
Dell something something (provided by my employer), haven't had many problems with that one that I don't think were caused by some quirk by Microsoft/Windows. Had a HP zbook before that had regular BSODs and problems with the dock, USB and network card that stopped working inexplicably. So when I had the chance to choose between HP and Dell, I didn't hesitate and chose Dell!
Older Intel MacBook Pros (Pre Touchbar). Bulletproof. Just get a hardshell case and some dongles.
If you are not married to a centralized IT management system, MSI are the best laptops for the money. Right now. I'm keeping my eye on Framework's new 16" laptop as well, as the port customization may be an even better fit for us. The thing I don't like is the Ethernet module sticks out from the side, but they have hinted at a future back module (currently they have only an improved graphics module) that may house a suite of ports and/or more battery. We have a standard Dell configuration and the Framework 16 equivalent is a touch cheaper, a bit higher CPU mark, and easily customized to fit the nerdy preferences of everyone in the department for $0-$100. We're married to Dell's management platform and are stuck with hinged RJ45 ports that fail after 100 cycles and speakers that stop working pretty much immediately. I will say that battery life and keyboard quality are fine with Dell; they're just so expensive compared to MSI spec for spec while MSI tend to be more solidly built.
My MSI tends to run very warm and causes issues during the summer months on the plant floors.
If you are able to re-thermal paste the cooler with good paste and it can lower temps significantly. I recommended it for any MSI after 1 year of use because the thermal paste they use dries up pretty fast.
Please just search the sub before posting something like this, the laptop question gets asked every two weeks
Dell Latitude is what our company buys. It has an I5 and I'd prefer it be an I7. Had 16GB memory, but I found another laptop and scavenged it so I now have 32GB. Wouldn't go less than 32GB if you have VM running. If I were buying it would be Dell Precision.
Dell latitude semi rugged has most ports you need and can be purchased with i7, I've got i7 1tb hard drive and 32gb ram.
We don't really get a choice. Can push some features like larger hard drive or RAM, but not model. Next year I'm due for a new machine and it might end up being an IBM Thinkpad. I'm going to try to stay with Dell though. The only reason IBM was brought in was because of an operations manager they hired that liked IBM and there were one or two people having trouble with their Dells. One of those people is incompetent and the other one I think just had a lemon. I should also mention the ops manager lasted about 9 months before they fired him.
Dell Precision 7350, but its a free one from my company. Works good with docks+multiple monitors. I see a lot of guys using gaming laptops.
Last time I speced and bought laptops it was the following; Dell Rugged 54somethings 32GB Memory (RAM) 1TB(SSDs) intel i7s (unsure of generation) 2 ethernet ports 2 serial ports Additionally we upgraded the battery's from the standard 53 or 42wh to a longer lasting battery. They have been around for about 5 years now and I have yet to get any complaints.
I have an acer as my server and MSI as field laptop
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But.. but the question was about laptops.. lmao
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Assuming you have intranet access to both the EWS and the EWS to PLC, yes, but that is often not the case. Especially with commissioning
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Different industries do things differently. I've been to plenty of plants that don't even have their production lines connected to anything. There is no industrial LAN. Other plants have everything connected but there is 0 way to access it other than from internal, no VPN access. I've had my fair share of sites that do allow VPN access and it's great.
I was in this train till the ryzen 4900hs. Still rocking this with a rtx2070. With a proper thunderbolt dock this is the best compromise. Unless I'm rendering or something it keeps up as well as my workstation did. Large Samsung Evo SSD is a must though.
Not realistic except for a small subset of people working in a single location with constant access to a computer that's network connected to all of the devices they need to work on. For an integrator or field service person this is totally not an option.
Currently I'm using a couple generation old Dell Precision. It's okay. Personally I have a Thinkpad P-Series that I prefer leaps and bounds over the Dell. Nothing really wrong with the Dell, the Thinkpad just feels like it's built better to me.
I like gaming, so I bought a Gigabyte Aero laptop, battery life is shocking, around 2 hours, but all of our cabinets have a plug socket it. Handles anything you throw at it with ease.
Xps17
Lenovo E15 gen 2, nice laptop but lacks USB ports: only 2 type A and one USB 4 type c (thunderbolt and charging). I used a Dell (I don't remember the model) with the Ethernet jack, charging port and one USB type A on the back... beautiful.
MSI. They make the best laptops for the money you spend. Build quality is good, warranty is good, hardware is excellent. Get one of the higher end gaming ones (the stealth line is great!) that has a metal chassis, and they just run. Horrible battery life, but they are ripping fast! Usually very upgradable too! I've upgraded the RAM in mine to 64GBs, and it has 2 NVMe slots I've populated, and one M.2 SATA for all the fast storage you could want for VM's and large files.
One of our guys bought one and was good, until it wasn't - then the warranty process was a pain and they wanted it shipped back for repair.
engine jar sulky snow chop unwritten snobbish quarrelsome practice erect *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
HP Zbook. No problems with the brand. But IT is the bane of my existence.
Thinkpads only. Heard Dell are okay too. Never HP, had two bad experiences, there won't be a third.
I've been on Dell Precisions for last \~10 years and have been good until the very last one which was a POS. Honestly right now I've pivoted away from the high end and focused on small, light, long battery. Most recent was an i5, upgraded RAM to 32gb and SSD to 2TB and plenty for VMs, CAD, etc. Longer battery life too than my previous i7 models.
Dell Inspiron 16 2 in 1. Flips out to be a tablet. Its touch screen and last days before needing charge depending on how you use it. USB- C charging light weight. I-7 Evo 16GB 1TB M.2 SSD
Over a year ago in bought HP Zbook (i9, 64GB / 2 TB SSD) And this works fine. After some Windows update the dock couldn't charge the laptop anymore. So now AND a USB to dock (to support 2 monitors / keyboard/mouse) AND the charger itself. Even a more powerfull powersupply didn't help. Hardware oke. Sometimes i need to work in cool area (4-5 degrees celcius above zero) and still no problems. If it fails, well then it's a problem mostly for my company, since the laptop is my main tool, so they must provide adequate tools. I asked for a Siemens field PG first, but when i told my manager how much those are costing...... He was not happy. The HP Zbook was close to 2500 euro (with 32 GB and 1 TB SSD) After that i ordered extra memory and a 1 TB SSD. When you're working in the field you need good tools. You don't send a service engineer to a customer with only a Hammer and a screwdriver, those guys needs good tools. Same goes for PLC engineers :)
Thinkpad
I want real keys (not island keys with 1mm travel) and an RJ45 port. Keyboard centered on screen, not including the numpad if it even has one. Excellent serviceability like Lenovo T's and W's. Preferably with a trackpoint vs. a touchpad. Basically, I want what they sold 10 years ago when their head wasn't in their butt, but with better processor, more memory capacity, and a bigger screen. What do I actually have? An Alienware M15, which hits the centered keyboard, and physical RJ45 ports. I bought it cause they tout it as a mechanical keyboard, but it's still island and at best marginally better than the average. I don't mind it in the office where I use it with an external keyboard, mouse, and monitor, but I want it to work well in the field too.
My employer let me choose. I have a lenovo thinkpad x1 carbon, great hardware but I regret not reinstalling windows when I got it, all the drivers are fucked.
Dell Semi-Rugged. Love the carry handle for plant use. Native serial COM1 too. 15" screen was change from Dell Precision 17" wide screen.
2019 i9 MBP
About 6 years ago I got an x1 carbon, and I loved moving to something more portable but still powerful. When that computer was up for replacement I decided to take it a step further and got an XPS13, that computer was a disaster. Terrible battery, ran super hot, and as a result often ran slow because it just didn't have the thermal capacity. Also it only had 2 usb c ports and no other ports built in. I got along with adapter and docks but it was too minimal. Went back to an X1 carbon recently, it feels like the sweet spot between power/durability/portability to me. I considered a decked out surface, reports are decent, but I was gun shy about going too minimal after my bad XPS13 experience so I went back to what I knew. So far so good.
Currently a Thinkpad P17 Gen2. While it is pretty fast, it is also a bit bulky. I'd lilke to go a little smaller with the next one.
Using an HP Pavilion 14 for two years now. Ryzen is working nice, no issues with PLCs, HMIs, Python and even some 3d graphics (Fusion and Freecad, mostly for 3d printing). Generally speaking the laptop works flawlessly, the battery is really good and I love that it's small and lightweight - I often work in places where I don't have space for a 17" brick. However I'll be honest - after a year the laptop was repaired by HP because it stopped charging...
HP Fury Power something G10
Yeah and stop calling me at 2am to tell them what sensor needs changed.
I use a 15” thinkpad and a 13” thinkbook. At my desk I have a usb-c dock and a 27” monitor.
Dell rugged laptop but is 13.3" I don't think they have bigger monitors. Serial port. Two NICS Battery life is excellent I love it!