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Ask HN: 4K on 13 or 15 inch?

3 points by getcrunk ↗ HN
I'm thinking of getting a new laptop (xps 15 1080p) but am curious about 4k and smaller screen size. I am a web developer and often have code editor and browser or docs open side by side. People say that 4k gives you more real estate but don't you also have to scale it to 200 percent just to see.

So my question is 1) is 4k worth it just for a programmer? (I know it's great for image quality and what not) 2) is 13 inch too small for side by side apps Or coding for long periods of time?

I've went to the stores and checked out the demos and a 13inch 4k looks fine but I can't be sure without installing actual apps and sitting with it for hours.

7 comments

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codeonfire
4K is worthless on a 15" screen. Text is too small and many UI components are unscalable on linux. I run at 1920. I had an Inspiron and it took some kernel hacking just to get 4K to work in Ubuntu (seems to be fixed now) Only good thing with 4K is you know the gpu will probably work with an external 4K tv or monitor.

Also Dells will run ass slow and won't charge the battery if it does not detect a genuine dell power adapter.

getcrunk
Hmm I didn't know that about dell. The only other similar laptops are the yoga 720 or the new zenbook pro. I don't trust Asus as a company (shitty motherboard on my first build) and the yoga is alot cheaper but has a significantly less bright screen. Any reccomendations
codeonfire
I like the dell except for the power adapter bs. Just don't lose the adapter. Otherwise I would probably get a MacBook Pro.
rbanffy
4K will give you more real estate, but, on a laptop and without proper scaling, you'll be watching if from low orbit.
CyberFonic
My eyes find 4k too small to read well even on a 15" display. So unless you have very good eyesight, you will probably run 1920 x 1080 or similar resolution. Personally, I prefer to use a pair of 23" screens to get enough screen-space.
megaman22
I miss 17" laptops. I wish I'd had the cash to buy one of the 17" macbook pros before they stopped making them.
stephenr
I have the last model 17" mbp that was made (late 2011) and even though I had the foresight to order it with an SSD upgrade, it's showing it's age.

For most tasks performance is ok (I assume ssd access is much faster in newer machines though) but it's a maintenance issue now.

I've had.. 3 mainboard replacements I think (failed discrete gpu). A swollen battery. Just had to replace one of the fans, and due to its age it's now a solely DIY option. Apple won't repair it for any amount of money and their authorised repairers can't order parts.

These days I think a multi-machine setup is more practical, (and with a wife & child I work a lot more from home now than I did 5 years ago) so my next machine will likely be a 4K iMac, with the 17" relegated to "definitely need a portable" duty.