Erkka Pynnönen
Jul 27, 2017 · 2 min read

We’re currently revising the standard setup for our Fullstack JS developers, here’s what we’re leaning towards (and why) for comparison. Our projects are mainly based on Node.js, Angular, automated testing with 100% coverages, AWS/Heroku infra, Postgres/Redis/GraphDB… relatively cutting edge stuff in an enterprise environment.

MacBook Pro 13" or 15"
A decent lifespan, ICT approved and easy to maintain, Unix at the core which works for our needs. A Linux-based laptop would be a good option as well, but some of our corporate software don’t support it. Mobility-wise the 13" is ~3lbs/1.3kg and the 15" is ~4lbs/1.8kg. Not much of a difference unless you actually carry it everywhere, every day.

16GB RAM
We used to run with a standard set at 8GB, but virtual machines, Docker and what nots eat 8GB for breakfast, regardless of optimization attempts. 4GB doesn’t cut it anymore, 8 might be enough for lighter environments, but for us 16 is a must. Memory has been one of the main issues for us.

Cores — the more the better (and CPU stuff)
We’ve pretty much never had issues with the CPU, so it’s pretty much all the same whether we have an i5 or i7 inside. However, the amount of cores makes a difference when running builds and a ton of tests. We’re currently leaning towards the 15" MBP’s because they’re i7 4-cored, where as the 13"’s offer a newer series i5, but as a 2-core model.

Storage
SSD. Make it SSD. It’s one of the best things you can do. 256GB is the sweet spot, at least for us. 128GB doesn’t have enough overhead and if you need 512GB just for development, you might want to consider using network/external drives for some of your stuff.

Display(s)
Our usual setup has a reasonable external display, at least a FullHD. The laptop’s own display should be considered as well, but in everyday office or home office use people just have Slack/Rocket/Jira on the laptop display and all the work is done on the external display. Make sure it has enough quality to display the colors correctly and calibrate it if necessary, designers saying “it looks different on my computer” is a pain.

TL;DR
For JS development: MacBook Pro or a Linux laptop, SSD 256GB, 16GB, FullHD or better display, external display. Lots of memory and SSD are nice.

We also run a couple of .NET teams who are running Windows desktops, but I’m not that familiar with their current setups.

    Erkka Pynnönen

    Written by

    CTO @ Jiffel Music Group