SeeBeyond

Each option provides it's own negatives and positives. MySQL, as the text states, provides better speeds in conjunction with a caching method enabled. Which I do recommend enabling. Do note that whichever method you choose enable needs to be installed on your server. You plan to use Memcached so ensure it is installed. Because you appear to be using a shared host ask your hosting provider if it is enabled. If it is, then use it and also enable MySQL storage.

Short answer: Contabo VPS but looking into Google Cloud aswell I am really undecided on this actually. I tend to sporadically change them. I have never used the webhosts that come with my domain registrars. I weigh 1. Costs 2. Speed and that's mainly it. I used to be really hurting for cash when I started developing websites in junior high so I stuck with a cheap host for a very long time. But needing to host more sites for more people I eventually got my own VPS from Contabo and so far. They are ok. I would still like to find a more reputable and faster host so I can give my friends better service on my sites and forums. I am liking hosting WHM/cPanel myself so I don't think I would ever go back to shared hosting considering the volume I'm dealing with. So my answer wouldn't be any shared host. If anyone knows and good speedy VPSs PM me as I am still looking for better options. Honestly cPanel makes up 2/3 of my actual hosting costs haha. For other projects whether sites that require speed, or use other languages such as my personal CI Build server and node.js bots I find Google's cloud hosting to be useful especially with it's small free instances. A possible candidate once I have the necessary funds to buy their higher packages.

Subjective. I use Windows 10 on my MacBook via BootCamp, however I also have a Ubuntu partition for various development purposes. I definitely use Windows more though. I almost never touch my 50gb MacOS partition on my 1TB hard drive