Build for DevOps Programming (plenty o' Docker Containers)

[RKD]

Build for DevOps Programming (plenty o' Docker Containers)

Hi, I'm looking to make a big ol' laptop upgrade for a good few years, and I'd really appreciate your input!


Here's some context to help guide suggested recommendations:

• Physical
  • At least 15in so I'm not having to squint at 100% scaling.
  • Weight isn't much of an issue due to infrequent travel.
• Use-case
  • Primarily for software development work, with a focus on containerisation, virtual machines, and storage for ISOs.
  • Secondarily for media consumption (i.e., reading documentation, watching videos, what have you).
  • Tertiarily for editing 2k video footage (i.e., screen-recording guides to share).
• Nice-to-have
  • USB-C and/or ThunderBolt for ease of charging and all-in-one connectivity.
  • While colour accuracy isn't important, a decent enough display for streaming YouTube.
  • Within £1050 budget.

Here're the specs from the configurator which I thought suitable, if over-budget:

Chassis & Display
Lafite Series: 16" Matte WQXGA+ 240Hz N7 LED Widescreen (2560x1600)

Processor (CPU)
Intel® Core™ Ultra 7 16 Core Processor 155H (Up to 4.8 GHz) 24M Cache

Memory (RAM)
64GB PCS PRO SODIMM DDR5 4800MHz (2 x 32GB)

Graphics Card
Integrated Intel® Arc™ Graphics

1st M.2 SSD Drive
512GB SOLIDIGM P44 PRO GEN 4 M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD (up to 7000MB/sR, 4700MB/sW)

1st M.2 SSD Drive
1TB SAMSUNG 990 PRO M.2, PCIe 4.0 NVMe (up to 7450MB/R, 6900MB/W)

AC Adaptor
1 x 90W AC Adaptor

Power Cable
1 x 1.5 Metre Cloverleaf UK Power Cable

Battery
Lafité Pro Series Integrated 73WH Lithium Ion Battery

Sound Card
2 Channel High Definition Audio + MIC/Headphone Jack

Wireless Network Card
GIGABIT LAN & WIRELESS INTEL® Wi-Fi 6E AX211 + BT 5.3

USB/Thunderbolt Options
1 x THUNDERBOLT 4 + 1 x USB 3.2 (TYPE C) + 2 x USB-A 3.2

Keyboard Language
LAFITÉ PRO 16 SERIES BACKLIT UK KEYBOARD

Chassis
Clevo V560TU (Ultra 7-155H, QHD+ 240Hz N7, AX211, Blank KB)

Price: £1,147.00 including VAT and Delivery
Unique URL to re-configure: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/lafite-pro-16/dbv9sm4KFh/


Thank you for taking the time to look on my behalf,
Much appreciated.

 

[SpyderTracks]

I wouldn't buy now, new chassis have been announced for release in March, and the performance jump in both GPU and CPU is quite huge, not just from performance stance but from an efficiency stance also.

I would wait for the upcoming AMD chassis.

 

[RKD]

I wouldn't buy now, new chassis have been announced for release in March, and the performance jump in both GPU and CPU is quite huge, not just from performance stance but from an efficiency stance also.

I would wait for the upcoming AMD chassis.

Really appreciate the insight, thank you!

 

[crocsinsocks]

@SpyderTracks where are you seeing this announcement pls? Also if from Clevo, do you have an idea how long until PCS will be able to ship a model to end user. Thanks

 

[SpyderTracks]

@SpyderTracks where are you seeing this announcement pls? Also if from Clevo, do you have an idea how long until PCS will be able to ship a model to end user. Thanks

AMD and Intel have both announced their new chips and given release dates, new chassis have been demoed at CES.

PCS are a partner so will have stocks on release day

 

[crocsinsocks]

Aha yes I’m aware of this but unsure how confident I can be in the suggestion that new models will become available in March. Is there an exact date / an official announcement you could share or is this an assumption based on trends from previous years?

I’m particularly interested in the specifics of the new models not just the dates, which I’ve been unable to find any information on. I didn’t attend CES.. I’m especially curious about the successor to the V560TU/Lafite 16 and any other 16 models.

Assuming a like-for-like model from PCS, such as upgrading from the 155H to the 255H, the performance increase seems negligible. The RAM would still be DDR5, and the only notable upgrade is PCIe 5.0, which makes little sense, especially since I’m not interested in GPUs due to the increased weight/size and significant decrease in battery life and current PCIe 4.0 NVMe speeds are more than adequate for my needs, as I'm sure for most others. My main interests are the design style and the possibility of a larger battery in the new model.

I'm working under a time constraint and could accommodate some delays, though it's not ideal. Without specific details on the new models, I’m unable to make an informed decision. This is why I’m seeking tangible information. I’m not trying to dig unnecessarily. I’m aware that new models will very likely be released in the "nearish future." If you have any updates/insights into specific, that would be awesome - I'm still working out the minefield that is Clevo and other less known brands as to where any of this can be found. Generally, I agree with the logic of not spending £1k on tech that’s a year old if, in a few months, the same price could get you something newer, especially if you already have a functional and fast setup.

 

[RKD]

Spot-on, and same thoughts about the Lafite 16 (Clevo V560TU). Any comparitive information of the upcoming models would be super-appreciated, if available to share. 👍

 

[SpyderTracks]

Aha yes I’m aware of this but unsure how confident I can be in the suggestion that new models will become available in March. Is there an exact date / an official announcement you could share or is this an assumption based on trends from previous years?

It’s all in the official CES broadcasts, can watch them on YouTube for each customer

 

[crocsinsocks]

I can't find Clevo listed as an exhibitor at CES 2025. I've checked the exhibitor list, but there's no sign of them. See Exhibitors.

The same goes for CES on YT, no coverage featuring Clevo. See YouTube

This only adds to the confusion, making it seem like they weren't even there.

Beyond an unofficial leak about an X580, there's no concrete information on any new Clevo models.

With all this in mind, all I can conclude is that Clevo wasn't at CES, no official model information has been released and no launch dates confirmed. This makes me question whether any new models will be released by March as you seem to be the only source suggesting this. Perhaps, this was more a speculative comment?

Unless you can have something tangible to confirm otherwise (e.g. direct link to the YT video or press release), I have to assume that new models have yet to be announced meaning a March release seems very unlikely. All this said, I am new to the world of Clevo and information surrounding them generally seems immensely sparse. I'd appreciate any help you can provide in getting to the bottom of this even if the outcome is speculation. Thanks

 

[Ekans2011]

I can't find Clevo listed as an exhibitor at CES 2025. I've checked the exhibitor list, but there's no sign of them. See Exhibitors.

The same goes for CES on YT, no coverage featuring Clevo. See YouTube

This only adds to the confusion, making it seem like they weren't even there.

Beyond an unofficial leak about an X580, there's no concrete information on any new Clevo models.

With all this in mind, all I can conclude is that Clevo wasn't at CES, no official model information has been released and no launch dates confirmed. This makes me question whether any new models will be released by March as you seem to be the only source suggesting this. Perhaps, this was more a speculative comment?

Unless you can have something tangible to confirm otherwise (e.g. direct link to the YT video or press release), I have to assume that new models have yet to be announced meaning a March release seems very unlikely. All this said, I am new to the world of Clevo and information surrounding them generally seems immensely sparse. I'd appreciate any help you can provide in getting to the bottom of this even if the outcome is speculation. Thanks

I'd suggest reading this for further information.

The CES 2025 Thread

So, CES kicks off on Monday Linking to the livestreams for the big events should you want to watch them AMD - 11:00 Pacific Time / 17:00 UK Time Will be announcing new GPU's only up to the RX9070 XT, perhaps the 9950X3D CPU, likely new laptops, release expected before March, but not many...

www.pcspecialist.co.uk

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 50 Series Laptops

Powered by NVIDIA Blackwell.

www.nvidia.com

Nvidia introduces RTX 5090, RTX 5080, and RTX 5070 laptop GPUs

Portable gaming and productivity see a revamp.

www.tomshardware.com

 

[SpyderTracks]

I can't find Clevo listed as an exhibitor at CES 2025. I've checked the exhibitor list, but there's no sign of them. See Exhibitors.

The same goes for CES on YT, no coverage featuring Clevo. See YouTube

This only adds to the confusion, making it seem like they weren't even there.

Beyond an unofficial leak about an X580, there's no concrete information on any new Clevo models.

With all this in mind, all I can conclude is that Clevo wasn't at CES, no official model information has been released and no launch dates confirmed. This makes me question whether any new models will be released by March as you seem to be the only source suggesting this. Perhaps, this was more a speculative comment?

Unless you can have something tangible to confirm otherwise (e.g. direct link to the YT video or press release), I have to assume that new models have yet to be announced meaning a March release seems very unlikely. All this said, I am new to the world of Clevo and information surrounding them generally seems immensely sparse. I'd appreciate any help you can provide in getting to the bottom of this even if the outcome is speculation. Thanks

You won't find anything under Clevo or TongFang, those are the chassis manufacturers, they're then rebranded by SI's around the world, the actual product is an entirely different name.

A Mountain of Mobile CPUs: AMD's 2025 Fleet Features New Ryzen 9 X3D & AI Max+

At CES 2025, AMD served up a smorgasbord of new laptop processor lines: gamer-riffic X3D chips, a workstation-minded Ryzen AI Max family, and the new low-cost Ryzen 200 series.

uk.pcmag.com

AMD’s Novel Ryzen AI Max Chip For Copilot+ PCs Was A CES Showstopper

This chip cojoins existing AMD CPU and GPU architectures, along with a high speed memory interface, in an unprecedented way, compared to traditional X86 chip designs.

www.forbes.com

XMG Intros NEO 16 With Up To 24 GB NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 GPU, EVO Ultrabooks With AMD Strix "Ryzen AI 300" APUs

XMG has unveiled its NEO 16 laptop featuring Intel Arrow Lake-HX & up to NVIDIA's RTX 5090 24 GB GPU along with AMD-based EVO options.

wccftech.com

But custom chassis are always announced at CES, with release in March. Happens every year like clockwork. Maybe Clevo have sat it out this year, they have been tuning down little by little, they haven't done any high end laptops for a few years now

 

[crocsinsocks]

Awesome, thanks for this, guys.

I haven’t watched the entire 2-hour XMG video though I’ve read the links, the PCS post about CES 2025 and I’ve skimmed through the video. From what I can tell, all the provided links focus on the new GPUs, CPUs, or high-end laptops that include dedicated GPUs or those by the larger manufactures e.g. Lenovo, Dell, ... As for XMG, my understanding is that mainly offer GPU-based laptop models, aside from their EVO range, which is limited to 14/15" sizes. Their discussion of modular design suggests the possibility of custom chassis though no chassis details have been released, which might explain why I’ve struggled to find any information on this. Honestly, I would have thought it would be in Clevo/TongFang interst to provide their own marketing so that we’d all be aware of what’s coming across their entire range.

I suppose the key difference here is that these aren’t the type of laptops I or seemingly the op are looking for. The V560TU, is a non-GPU variant that still offers a significant amount of power. Its chassis is entirely different from GPU-based models due to its thinner dimensions, lighter weight, and significantly lower power consumption, 16" screen, all features that are high priorities for me.

So far, there’s still no information about these chassis in any of the content provided, with the closest reference being the EVO model.

Do you know if these types of chassis also tend to release in March like clockwork? And if so, is the timing consistent each year—early, mid, or late March? (My current plan is leaving the country end of March)..

Is this more a case of these models not being marketed because they lack the newest flashy GPU, given all the AI / gaming hype? Therefore, they are silently released alongside GPU models or are they being phased out entirely?

I know Clevo has attended CES in the past, so it’s a shame they weren’t present this year. I really appreciate what they do and have enjoyed following their progress over the years. Just to clarify, are you suggesting that Clevo might not be releasing a new range this year?

Thanks

 

[SpyderTracks]

Their discussion of modular design suggests the possibility of custom chassis though no chassis details have been released, which might explain why I’ve struggled to find any information on this. Honestly, I would have thought it would be in Clevo/TongFang interst to provide their own marketing so that we’d all be aware of what’s coming across their entire range.

That's not how it works.

PCS don't ever give any warning about their upcoming products, but they are a UK based SI, exactly the same as XMG, they stock the same chassis, just with different BIOS / component selections as with any SI.

So you just wait for March when the new chassis are listed.

Do you know if these types of chassis also tend to release in March like clockwork? And if so, is the timing consistent each year—early, mid, or late March? (My current plan is leaving the country end of March)..

It's the same every year, has been that way for a very long time.

Main new CPU / GPU's hit March after announcement at CES, then the next year is the mid cycle refresh. Same happens year after year.

Is this more a case of these models not being marketed because they lack the newest flashy GPU, given all the AI / gaming hype? Therefore, they are silently released alongside GPU models or are they being phased out entirely?

Likely due to NDA's. The upcoming business chassis on AMD's new AI Max architecture is brand spanking new, there will be NDA's usually until fairly shortly before release date.

I know Clevo has attended CES in the past, so it’s a shame they weren’t present this year. I really appreciate what they do and have enjoyed following their progress over the years. Just to clarify, are you suggesting that Clevo might not be releasing a new range this year?

Doesn't matter where you are in the world, all SI's pretty much stock the same Clevo and TongFang chassis, just different branding and component selection. Clevo have been losing ground to TongFang steadily for a few years now, and haven't competed at the high end for a good 6 or so years at this point.

 

[crocsinsocks]

That's not how it works.

PCS don't ever give any warning about their upcoming products, but they are a UK based SI, exactly the same as XMG, they stock the same chassis, just with different BIOS / component selections as with any SI.

So you just wait for March when the new chassis are listed.

I wasn’t sure if the modular design XMG is promoting was unique to them and potentially a step toward custom chassis, moving away from Clevo/TongFang. Outside of this, I understand that SIs operate as you described.

Likely due to NDA's. The upcoming business chassis on AMD's new AI Max architecture is brand spanking new, there will be NDA's usually until fairly shortly before release date.

Ah, okay! So this is why we don’t see the full range until release or close to it. Makes sense.

Clevo have never attended CES, only SI's with clevo products. All SI's use Clevo, but they've been losing out to TongFang steadily year on year for a while now.

Aha, I was going off some of the YT videos that mention Clevo and CES but you’re right, looking back these usually focus on the Clevo products that XMG is offering.

---

Thanks, I feel like I understand now why I can't see any info on the models I would be interested in. One thing, do you know when these usually drop in March? If it's toward the mid-to-late part of the month and there's a 4-6 day delivery lead at minimum, that might be too close and I'd have to order an older model regardless. Especially, if I get unlikely with a faulty machine, delivery delay, etc.. As I mentioned, I'm not too concerned about specs as the current is still plenty but a machine with a larger battery could be worth the wait. Bummer I can't know that now

Cheers !