Laptop suggestions

[renzon]

Well my laptop took a dump over the weekend and now I am forced to fix it. That is not really the problem, the main issue is I just go a new hard drive installed 3months ago! Needless to say i'm in the market for something that can handle my workload. Currently I have a really "cheap" ACER laptop. Its only 2 years old and like I said on its 3rd hard drive. Do any of yall have any suggestions? If it was a perfect world I would ask for a tough book, but the boss already said he wont approve a 3k laptop. I don’t think I need anything too fancy, just something that can handle the usual Microsoft office tools, AutoCAD 2008, DNC for CNC programming, Master Cam, a program for our FANUC robot, and another programming program. DAMN! Maybe I do need something special? I must have a laptop since I connect to most of the machines to make changes/back up info and because my office is across the street from where anything I work on is. Well have at it what should I get?

 

[Rjeffery]

no mater what species of laptop/notebook you get, shoehorn in the largest amount of RAM memory it will hold. CADD needs it!

The best way to test something is to squeeze it, slowly, until it breaks!

 

[HGMorgan]

I've been running the Toshiba Satellite series for about seven years (2 different ones)and all over the world. The price is better than several other 'name' brands, you can pump up the RAM and it comes with a strong Nvidia graphics card. I'm running MS Office, CAD (CATIA), CAM, and Sonic Video Editing. Nothing is ever perfect, but they have been pretty bullet proof.

 

[MadMango]

Dell M90

"Art without engineering is dreaming; Engineering without art is calculating."

Have you read faq731-376 to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?

 

[GregLocock]

I bought a fairly cheap compaq, it runs about 60% as fast as desktop machines, for single threaded applications such as FEA, and running VBA macros. I did bring the ram up to 1.5 Gb.

Had it two years, it works very nicely.



Cheers

Greg Locock

SIGlease see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips.

 

[renzon]

The M90 looks nice! Does any one have a rugged laptop? The prices are way too high but are there any benefits in this line of work? I am afraid that the constant movement from building to building and process to process is what caused my laptop to crap out prematurely. Has anyone heard anything good about them? Are there good substitutions?

 

[renzon]

I forgot to add that I am in the market for the an upgrade on our FARO arm to use the 3D Laser Scanner. Which would then add geomagic to the list of programs and its blade qualitfy program. Things keep adding up and the chance of getting a laptop under 1k seems very unlikely.

 

[MadMango]

A substitution would be a good padded laptop bag, and remembering you are carrying a laptop. A simple neoprene sleeve can go a long ways.

"Art without engineering is dreaming; Engineering without art is calculating."

Have you read faq731-376 to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

The M6300 is a bit cheaper than the M90.

http://www.dell.com/content/products/productdetails.aspx/precn_m6300?c=us&l=en&s=bsd&cs=04

http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?c=us&cs=555&l=en&oc=MLB1311&s=biz

I doubt you will find a decent laptop for under $1K

 

[ctopher]

I also have the M90. Works great with ACAD 2008, but OK with SolidWorks. It doesn't have a good enough video card. I tried the upgrade of a video card, not much change.

Chris
SolidWorks/PDMWorks 08 3.1
AutoCAD 06/08
ctopher's home (updated Apr 30, 2008)

 

[renzon]

Well here is the bad news, they replaced the hard drive (under warranty) but still had to pay 400 in labor. Management said they would think about the new laptop but that they would like to continue using the current laptop. So we are throwing away good money to a useless computer. However, they are going to upgrade my RAM to 2 GB and the new hard rive is a little bigger but needless to say a new laptop specific to my needs would have been nice. I will keep you updated.

Thank you all for the suggestions.

Cheers

 

[beercia]

I have a Dell Precision M6300 with a CAD certified NVidia Quadro 1600M and Windows XP. When I was shoping for a new laptop from a Toshiba Satellite I considered the HP M90 but changed my mind to the Dell Precision due to cost considerations. I haven't regretted it so far. First computer that I get that all the keyboard keys actually work!

Carlos

 

[DRC1]

Second HGMorgan on the Toshibas I had one forever. Running AutoCad 2009 Office 2007 plus a host of other software. Has had its share of bumps & bangs. Second the good case (MadMango) also. After replacing the hard drive and the ram, you must have spent at least half of a new good laptop

 

[cranisch]

I am searching for a convertible that can even deal with mid-range calculations and minor needful cad operations. I've already found a few:

- IBM/Lenovo Thinkpad X61t
- Fujitsu Siemens Lifebooks T5010 and T1010
- HP Pavilion TX2550eg
- DELL Latitude XT
- mySN TSN120R

I know that there are a few above this price segment but I will not be able to push much more than $1600 through the budget. So are there any experiences with the mentioned ones? Or do you have further suggestions?

 

[ScottyUK]

Regarding the ruggedised laptops: I had one in a previous job. Not a bad machine for plant use where it gets wet, dropped, and the like but not something I would want to have to take on a trip with me. Keyboard isn't as nice as a normal laptop and it's generally not as refined as a big-name laptop.

No one has mentioned serial ports yet. Considering the number of things you need to connect to I would think that could be important. RS-232 - USB converters are often more trouble than they are worth: get one built in.


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If we learn from our mistakes I'm getting a great education!

 

[MikeHalloran]

I buy mostly used Thinkpads, all three of which are still operable. Newest one doesn't have a serial port; they just don't make 'em that way anymore.



Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA