Best Cheap Laptop for Using with VCDS

[guile]

i know best and cheap don't normally go together but we'll see how it goes...

and sorry if this has already been asked but i did a quick search and not much showed up "best VCDS laptop"...

basically i want a laptop for VCDS only. that way it doesn't matter if i loan it or leave it with my car etc. i have another laptop for home use so this really is VCDS use only...

so far i'm looking at a second hand lenovo 11" notepad; can't really justify a new one for minor use like this...

key points i'm think are:
- windows operating system
- 1 x usb port
- solid state drive for speed
- low memory for cost and don't need much storage
- light weight for resting on lap and transportation
- small size for sitting on lap between user and steering wheel
- long battery life for conveinece

any recommendations would be appreciated please...

[DV52]

guile: My suggestion (as a rank amateur) is to first decide which version of VCDS cable you will buy. And don't under any circumstances think about a clone - it's IP theft.

If you are intending to buy a 2nd hand HEX+USB cable then just about anything from Windows XP, 7,8 10 will do. I have a really, really old Dell D410 which I use.

If you are after a HEX V2, or HEX NET (my personal favorite), then the basic config is a 1.5 GHZ dual core processor with 1 Gb of RAM and Windows 7 or newer (Windows 7 through 10, but not RT) with an available USB 2.0 (or higher) port.

Not sure that a SSD drive is really necessary - CAN architecture isn't fast (500 Kbits/sec). But if you want a laptop with fast start-up, then of course SSD is very nice

I personally like to have 2 x USB ports - the second I use for a trackball mouse. Makes navigation in the awkward positions of holding a laptop with one hand and a mouse in the other much easier. I also use a Surface Pro and the pen is also particularly handy. But you can simply add a USB multi-port if you want (although these can tend to slip-out of the laptop connector in the awkward environment of a car)

Not sure that long battery life is important either. VCDS sessions don't tend to be that long in my experience and in any event, I use a 12 Volt Laptop charger with my machines if I'm at all concerned about laptop charge. I have had problems with earth loop current in an older laptop which used a cheap 240 Volt charger - so I tend to not use 240 volt chargers these days when I'm hooked-up with VCDS.

Rest of your specs look OK - to me!

Don

[guile]

thanks for the detailed response Don, i wasn't very clear in my first post but i was hoping for suggestions of particular brands and models that people are using and can recommend...

e.g. Lenovo Model XY or HP Model ZX for example...

i already have the HEX+CAN cable and have been using a Toshiba Portege M400 laptop with xp but i'm finding it very slow to operate. as per your post the main reason for the ssd was for quick start-up. i feel like i need to turn on my current laptop 10 minutes before i plan to use it, an exaggeration but i think you'll understand what i mean...

the laptop will always be on my lap so a second usb is not necessary and the long battery life is because when ever i need to use my current set-up i'm fed up with the battery being flat; which means it slows me down even more as i have to wait for the battery to charge...

[The_Hawk]

EDIT: while I was writing you posted! But the below still holds. Anything is fine. You may find that a abttery from eBay + an SSD from MSY will get you everything you want for very very little money.

Do you have the VCDS interface yet?

From what I understand HEX-NET doesn't actually need a computer, just anything with a WiFi conncetion and a web browser (which would include your Smartphone/Tablet). You can also plug it in with a USB cable if you want to use the full application. If you want just the USB version it's called HEX-V2 and is a little cheaper.

Note there a few limitations of using the WiFi connection (although not many):
Functions - Ross-Tech Wiki

Then there is the question of Enthusiast vs Pro (and the upgrade options available (if you have more than 10 VIN's you want to access).




As for computer... literally anything that can run Windows will be fine. I'm running it on my Surface Pro 3 under Windows 10, I'm also running it on my Mac (through Parallels) under Windows XP. Anything!

If you can get a cheap second hand PC, go for that. SSD will make it boot faster but that's about it.

[guile]

thanks chaps, i think i have enough info to make a decision...

i did consider upgrading my battery and swapping to ssd but then i thought i'm in similar money of a second hand laptop and it will still be old tech...

i have just agreed a second hand local purchase on the model below, i assume it should do the job adequately...

Lenovo Yoga 310 | 11" mini multimode laptop | Lenovo Australia

[The_Hawk]

New(er) is always nice and I'm sure that one will be more than fine!

As for the upgrade option:

eBay batter for sub $30 delivered:
Battery for Toshiba Portege M400-S4031 M400-S4032 M700-S7044V Tablet PC M200-102 | eBay

You can grab a 120GB SSD for $75 from MSY, sometimes less if there is something in the bargain bin (which there often is, I think I paid $50 for the last one). For older machines, even older SSDs are still massively faster than spinning disks. You can go even cheaper if you grab a refurbed or used SSD off eBay.

Of course, whole used machines are pretty damn cheap too (and are newer and more powerful... also probably smaller and lighter.

[guile]

thanks again mate, appreciate the info...

paying $170 for the Lenovo which supposedly is less than a year old, only 1.35 kg, 20mm thick and and 6 hour battery life...

actually looking forward to using it as that old brick i was using was so frustrating, booting up and even opening the software took forever...

I've replace batteries in laptops before but they never seam as good as when the laptop was new, unless I was just unlucky...

PS thanks for the smart phone connection suggestion, I did think of this but I want to graph the logging results in excel so I thought a laptop is the better option..

[guile]

well usually i prefer spending a few more dollar for a decent experience

i know what you mean mate, sounds like you've spent a lot of money on decent experiences in your time...