Laptop Screen Size
Laptop Screen Size
(OP)
The engineering department at my company is finally starting to get laptop. I was wondering what people thoughts are on screen size. The laptops will mostly be used in the office with docking stations and two 24 in monitors. The primary reason to get laptops is to allow some flexibility in work locations, like working from home. The engineering staff does not travel much so weight is not a high priority. We run 2D CAD, RISA, other genral programs. My initial thought was 17 in screens, but my IT department thinks I am nuts and thinks we should get 15 in. My previous experience with "engineering" laptops was using 17 in screens. Any thoughts would be appreciated.





RE: Laptop Screen Size
TTFN
I can do absolutely anything. I'm an expert!
FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies forum1529: Translation Assistance for Engineers
RE: Laptop Screen Size
http://www.nceng.com.au/
"Programming today is a race between software engineers striving to build bigger and better idiot-proof programs, and the Universe trying to produce bigger and better idiots. So far, the Universe is winning."
RE: Laptop Screen Size
Cheers
Greg Locock
New here? Try reading these, they might help FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies http://eng-tips.com/market.cfm?
RE: Laptop Screen Size
TTFN
I can do absolutely anything. I'm an expert!
FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies forum1529: Translation Assistance for Engineers
RE: Laptop Screen Size
John R. Baker, P.E.
EX-Product 'Evangelist'
Irvine, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:
The secret of life is not finding someone to live with
It's finding someone you can't live without
RE: Laptop Screen Size
Dan - Owner
http://www.Hi-TecDesigns.com
RE: Laptop Screen Size
RE: Laptop Screen Size
I used to carry around a 4kg laptop in a backpack, screen size was one of the larger options at the time. My new backpack won't fit the older laptop, and to be honest I'd not be interested in carrying around the heavier gear now either. Your preference may vary, but I hate using laptop keyboards and I cannot imagine attempting to do drafting work on a touchpad.
The only caveat with the smaller laptop is to make sure that it still has decent graphics capability to run the big screens with design software, not all of them do.
RE: Laptop Screen Size
Professional and Structural Engineer (ME, NH)
American Concrete Industries
www.americanconcrete.com
RE: Laptop Screen Size
I agree with others I'd go with portability over 17" size. If you are used to a dual monitor setup it doesn't matter how big the laptop screen is you still won't like it very much. I'd be more focused on the performance specs of the laptop meeting your requirements so it works when plugged into the docking station.
RE: Laptop Screen Size
The 17" hasn't bothered my back much I have an O'gio Urban pack. This thing is awesome for travelling engineering nerds. Tons of pockets and thickly padded around the laptop itself.
RE: Laptop Screen Size
Professional and Structural Engineer (ME, NH)
American Concrete Industries
www.americanconcrete.com
RE: Laptop Screen Size
That being said, a 17" monitor is heavy to lug around back and forth and do recommend a 15". Make sure whichever laptop you get has the sidebar of numbers similar to a keyboard, there's nothing more annoying than trying to enter stuff into a spreadsheet and having to use the row at the top of the laptop.
RE: Laptop Screen Size
RE: Laptop Screen Size
RE: Laptop Screen Size
http://www.costco.com/Acer-Predator-15-Gaming-Lapt... which has 3GB graphics or http://www.costco.com/ASUS-ROG-GL552VW-Laptop-%7c-... which has 4GB graphics
TTFN
I can do absolutely anything. I'm an expert!
FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies forum1529: Translation Assistance for Engineers
RE: Laptop Screen Size
RE: Laptop Screen Size
RE: Laptop Screen Size
RE: Laptop Screen Size
RE: Laptop Screen Size
John R. Baker, P.E.
EX-Product 'Evangelist'
Irvine, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:
The secret of life is not finding someone to live with
It's finding someone you can't live without
RE: Laptop Screen Size
Already common, sort of; the Asus laptop cited above is a 4K, as are 6 others of the 39 laptops Costco sells only
TTFN
I can do absolutely anything. I'm an expert!
FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies forum1529: Translation Assistance for Engineers
RE: Laptop Screen Size
Professional and Structural Engineer (ME, NH)
American Concrete Industries
www.americanconcrete.com
RE: Laptop Screen Size
John R. Baker, P.E.
EX-Product 'Evangelist'
Irvine, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:
The secret of life is not finding someone to live with
It's finding someone you can't live without
RE: Laptop Screen Size
RE: Laptop Screen Size
Nowadays you'd have to take my dual 24" monitors away from my cold dead hands, though.
RE: Laptop Screen Size
Just be aware if you carry your docking station laptop on site in dirty environment somewhere make sure you cover the docking station pin outs on the bottom of the laptop with electrical tape. I had the problem with dust or whatever shorting out the laptop because the docking station on bottom is exposed.
RE: Laptop Screen Size
I must be an IPS screen (no TFT allowed) and 1200 line resolution is good, 1440 would be better.
You can always scale the display to show things the size that you want.
The crispness and clarity of a 1200 line IPS screen makes 15" more than usable.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
P.E. Metallurgy, Plymouth Tube
RE: Laptop Screen Size
RE: Laptop Screen Size
RE: Laptop Screen Size
Off topic comment: The most interesting venues where I've given demonstrations and presentations were in a fire department in Golden, CO and the "Hall of the Young Pioneers" in Kiev, Ukraine.
John R. Baker, P.E. (ret)
EX-Product 'Evangelist'
Irvine, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:
The secret of life is not finding someone to live with
It's finding someone you can't live without
RE: Laptop Screen Size