What laptop do you use for your work and would you recommend it?

[RhythmNBooze]

I am a contractor and am starting a new contract soon where I will need to supply my own laptop.

I'm thinking a Microsoft Surface Pro or a Asus Zen Book but am interested in others too.

Which one do you use and would you recommend it?

I've been using an Apple MacBook Pro 15" for four years, just got a new one under the office replacement policy despite the old one being perfectly fine. Sturdy, fast as all get out, and doesn't piss me off all the time by running Windows at me.

The Surface Pro's look and feel great - they were what I'd choose if I had to - but now it appear they have terrible failure rates which you really don't want as a contractor. If going for a Windows machine I'd be looking at the high end of the Lenovo range.

Work uses high-end Dell XPS for the Windows people.

Or get a Mac and run Windows on it - gets you the hardware reliability and overall driver support, even in Windows.

That's really helpful SpoonBlender, unfortunately I just can't bring myself to buy anything by Apple .

I'll take a look at Lenovo as I don't know if my budget will stretch to a Dell.

When I was a contractor before that I was using my own MacBook/Air/Pro's for the decade before. One of the best things when you're solo is that you can restore your Mac backup onto any other Mac and carry on going. When you're invoicing by the hour it's so worth it.

Windows has got closer to that, but the sheer ease for someone who's not techie is incomparable.

I’ve got a nice big Dell

It’s fast, has a decent size keyboard and does everything I want it to

Had an Acer before that that wasn’t as good

Also had a Lenovo which was shit

Xpost, sorry. Budget wise, remember your livelihood is reliant on this machine working. Pay accordingly. Or buy two and work out how to get your stuff live on both. MS OneDrive is good for that. A USB stick with all your important stuff on is NOT NO NO DON'T DO THIS IT WILL GET LOST OR STOLEN sorry, I get a bit het up about that.

I've got a reconditioned Lenovo. It's only a couple of years old, but has hardly been used and is fast enough for me.

I can't remember where he gets them from, but I can ask!

I've got a surface pro and really like it but am now a bit worried about the failure comment?! I've had it 7 months...

Lenovo yoga. I don’t know a lot about technology but my work all have one of these rather than a desktop. Turns into a tablet and I love it.

Hmm, now I'm looking at the Lenovo Thinkpad which is what I have used in the past but the X1 Carbon version which is much lighter.

Doesn't matter what your budget is there's always something better for a couple of hundred more

I got an HP Envy a year ago (on sale at John Lewis) and I am delighted with it. Looks good even next to a Mac, handles graphics well, fast speed, reliable and light in weight store.hp.com/UKStore/Merch/Product.aspx?id=3ZV18EA&opt=ABU&sel=NTB&bid=DYN_BUNDLE_0002187_3ZV18EA_ABU&lang=en-GB&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI7oz4nISJ3gIVBp3tCh13BQEaEAQYAyABEgJrLvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds