fast reliable laptop for self employed person

Derekc26

Hi guys looking for advice on laptops if some1 could help me. I'm self employed architectural technician who uses my laptop on daily basis. My 1 now is good but is slow. Takes time to load drawings, is prone to crashing when working on large files(3d drawings etc). I was advised to get a computer suitable for computer programmers etc as they would be a lot faster with higher spec. My current laptop has proccessor speed of 1.61 hgz which is not very good. I require min 2.2 to run 3d software more efficiently.

Any advice where to go to get 1? I live in wexford. Advised to get Sony vaoi? Any opinions? Be willing to spend up to 7/800hundred if needed

mickdw

Derekc26 wrote: »

Hi guys looking for advice on laptops if some1 could help me. I'm self employed architectural technician who uses my laptop on daily basis. My 1 now is good but is slow. Takes time to load drawings, is prone to crashing when working on large files(3d drawings etc). I was advised to get a computer suitable for computer programmers etc as they would be a lot faster with higher spec. My current laptop has proccessor speed of 1.61 hgz which is not very good. I require min 2.2 to run 3d software more efficiently.

Any advice where to go to get 1? I live in wexford. Advised to get Sony vaoi? Any opinions? Be willing to spend up to 7/800hundred if needed

Good question. Will require similar myself as I hope to have a look at 3d / building modelling software over the coming year.
Have been using basic laptops up to now.

riclad

Get this one,
http://www.powercity.ie/?par=10-30-C551N1&pages=1&prod=C551N1&brands=TOSHIBA&image=
8gig ram,very fast cpu intel i5. 3.3ghz multi core cpu.
or another toshiba or hp laptop.
Buy in powercity ,or did electrical ,or pcworld whatever is nearest to you.
get an extended warranty if its avaidable.

in terms of reliability i prefer toshiba ,or HP ,
to sony laptops.

Derekc26

That 1 looks good. Could be an option. Probably should have said prefer 17inch screen if possible because laptop I have now has it and have found very handy.

Would toshiba be the most reliable laptop based on your experience.

riclad

GET a 17 inch hp,or toshiba laptop, with intel i5 cpu,
3ghz ,
8 gig ram.
re reliability its either hp or toshiba ,
THERES not much between them.

http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/laptops-netbooks/laptops

theres 2 or 3 17inch laptop,s in pc world, one hp 17inch,
one with i7 cpu, 10gig ram, 899 euros.

srsly78

For your cad stuff the only thing that really matters is the graphics card (yes even for 2d drawings). All the specs posted above are irrelevant really.

Laptops usually have crap graphics tho is the problem. A e500 desktop will outperform them all.

Don't get a laptop with "Intel HD graphics", make sure it has some amd or nvidia graphics. Problem with "gaming" laptops is they run very hot and usually melt after a year :pac:

5uspect

srsly78 wrote: »

For your cad stuff the only thing that really matters is the graphics card (yes even for 2d drawings). All the specs posted above are irrelevant really.

Laptops usually have crap graphics tho is the problem. A e500 desktop will outperform them all.

Don't get a laptop with "Intel HD graphics", make sure it has some amd or nvidia graphics.

Not really. They haven't said which 3D software. CAD packages like SolidWorks (or Creo or whatever PTC are calling that monstrosity nowadays) can be CPU and RAM intensive. They are also OpenGL based so you're better off with enterprise offerings like the quadro or FirePro chips. So unless you've got complex models then the GPU would only be heavily used for renders and the speed up they offer is not always needed unless you render more than a few stills.

The trade off with any workstation laptop is size. How mobile do you want to be? You can get some chunky yokes that are not really portable while a more midrange machine could meet most of your needs while still being light enough to lug around all day.

So what software and workflows do you have in mind?

riclad

YEAH , look for an amd,ati or nvidia sticker, logo ,on the laptop case,
cpu at least3 ghz, ram 8gig .
most laptops have basic onboard intel grahics card.
not good for 3d design programs

I have 1 dead laptop, it overheated ,the fan outlet was underneath ,
not at the side,
so i was blocking the cooling vent ,
when i used it . I realised it too late.
get one with side cooling vents .
i think 3d design needs alot of ram,to load in large graphics 3d models,
as well a a fast grahics card .
eg the files are large in size.
the design program will have recommended specs,
eg ram, cpu, 500meg grahics card etc

if you are just working in an office would it not be easier to buy a pc,
then you can put in whatever ram,
or grahics card you need ,
unless you need a laptop to carry around.

srsly78

Yes really. OpenGL uses your graphics card too. Quadro cards are a scam by the way :P (hint: just install a different driver and voila you have a quadro)

Any modern laptop has enough cpu (note: not a netbook with an "atom" processor), it will always come down to graphics as the bottleneck. The problem is many laptops have no graphics card at all, the "Intel HD" graphics is rubbish and can't even do hardware antialiasing (very important for cad).

riclad

I presume onboard grahics card has one advantage ,runs cooler than,ati,nvidia, uses less power,
less cooling = less fan noise,eg
my laptop is completely silent .

but INTEL grahics is of no use for 3d,cad design.

5uspect

Unless the OP is running massive assemblies with many millions of vertices to draw then a powerful GPU is not really needed. There shouldn't really be any view port issues even on Intel graphics. A few architectural renders will get done a few minutes slower on a CPU other than that everything should work fine.

From my own experience with many CAD packages and the OPs complaints mainly about loading times I don't see a GPU issue here. Most simulation modules (FEA, CFD etc) are CPU bound. The likes of Quadro and FirePro offer certification for the main CAD packages which may be desirable from a support perspective, but does he really need any powerhouse GPU?

I've seen engineering students complete pretty much the same course work on different hardware on various versions of Pro/E over the years. The only advantage with newer hardware is viewport performance with massive assemblies and rendering videos.

It looks like the OP is running a system starved of memory with probably a 5400 rpm hard drive and a slow CPU. Any half decent mid spec laptop with an i5 and an SSD will probably do a fantastic job. I would suggest that they look up a few benchmarks for their particular 3D software and see where the performance points are.

More importantly, think about ergonomics. You don't want to buy some monster with a crappy keyboard and poor screen. You'll just find yourself plugging in an external monitor, mouse and keyboard and then you're probably better off with a desktop. If you find yourself on the move a lot in locations where a mouse is not easily used you'll want a good responsive trackpad that lets you do everything you can with a muilti-button mouse in a 3D CAD package.

cormie

Just a suggestions, I'm also self employed and one of the important things when I was buying a laptop was to have a quick repair and support service, in the past I had to send off my laptop for about 2 weeks to the UK to get it repaired, since then I wanted to avoid having to do the same thing and the best solution was to go with Dell and their on site support and service (next day I think it is) and they also offer the accidental damage cover so you can get a replacement if anything happens it. These two are now a must when buying a laptop for me. I'm not aware of any other company other than Dell who provide this service.

srsly78

Nobody said a "powerhouse" graphics card, they just said make sure it has a basic one!! Intel HD graphics means none at all, the cpu takes up the slack (badly, with no AA).

Virtual

http://alienware.ie/Landings/laptops.aspx

These aren't exactly cheap at 1500 euro for the 17in model, but I can vouch that they are good for graphic design.
They also have another perk. While you are in warranty, an engineer will come to your house and resolve the issue. No shipping your laptop and waiting for weeks to be resolved.
And if you are self-employed you can deduct the cost of the laptop from your taxes.

bonzodog2

My 2 cents - make sure the base has an access panel to let you get to the fan to de-fluff it without having to completely dismantle it.

5uspect

srsly78 wrote: »

Nobody said a "powerhouse" graphics card, they just said make sure it has a basic one!! Intel HD graphics means none at all, the cpu takes up the slack (badly, with no AA).

Not all CAD packages support AA. Some are pretty ****ty by today's standards and are stuck in the past due to legacy reasons. Some won't even make much use of a GPU. So a discrete GPU (what I would call a powerhouse) would be wasted when an Intel chip would do the job.

kitchenkid

Having both PCs and laptops die on me, I suggest you always consider it "unreliable" and back-up constantly........

In my experience Dell (when in Ireland) were excellent, not sure about them now. Had a Sony Vaio which died after 13 months and basically no help from the shop. Toshiba laptop cheap and cheerful running great the last 9 months or so..........under warranty of course, yet when a CD got stuck in the drive, I would have had to pay as this was not covered - took out my trusty kitchen knives and persuaded CD out of drive - discovered the cause was the overly large gap between the CD holder and the frame of the laptop - easy to avoid the problem now.

beauf

Theres a lot of generalisation in this thread that may not be true. Many desktops don't have decent graphics at all, and some AMD and Nvidia are actually very poor.

I haven't done CAD in years, but when I did the big issue with cad and drawing packages is screen resolution, screen size, then getting drivers that work with your application. I would check out the user forums of the applications see what they are using. I think there are issues with the intel drivers. I generally have better luck with nVidia drivers than ATI drivers.

For me screen size and resolution gives you productivity more of a boost than simply speed. Also if was for work, I'd want a lot of RAM and SSD. I'd also want a couple of drives as a backup system. Keep the old laptop as backup. Also important would be to pay extra for a better support package with a 24 or a couple of days turnaround and repair. If there is a fault you might be without a machine for a while without a decent warranty.

I'd be looking for a 1920 full HD screen. I generally go a a dell, I've been pretty happy with them. But every one has their own preferences. Alienware might work, but they are out of the budget.

Skerries

I would look at these guys as you can configure your laptop to what you want including leaving out the os if you already have one

beauf

srsly78 wrote: »

....Don't get a laptop with "Intel HD graphics", make sure it has some amd or nvidia graphics. Problem with "gaming" laptops is they run very hot and usually melt after a year :pac:

I think a lot of the issue was that there flaws with the nVidia chipsets which was made fail faster by heat. So for a couple of years you have that happen everywhere. Especially in the high end mobile gfx cards. Effected every one, from HP, Dell to Apple.

That said you see some for sale that are 4+ yrs old, so some survived.

srsly78

Heh, my laptop with amd graphics card melted too. Yes the same known design flaw.

It was a Dell tho so they replaced the 2 year old laptop with a brand new one! I was pretty chuffed, until it got robbed a week later

Also watch out for laptops with nvidia "optimus" technology. This lets the graphics acceleration turn off when not needed, problem being it seems to be off all the time so lousy performance. Software bug, can be fixed easily by some tinkering - but many users are not aware of it.

beauf

I've never heard of AMD doing it. What model was it?

srsly78

Studio xps 1640 with amd mobile 4670 I think, this was back in 2011. Got it sent back for repair, they replaced motherboard they said - no change. Still overheated like crazy.

I think the problem was the laptop fan/cooling layout - not the actual graphics chip itself.

beauf

It does indeed for that model. Ouch.

riclad

LOOK at the 3d design program,
see recommended specs,ie grahics card 300meg,
get a laptop that has one.
LAPTOPS , fast graphics cards run hot, when using 3d, cad programs ,and tend to be noisey.
if the fan goes up to full speed.
whats the name of the 3d program you use.
it may only need a 128meg graphics card.
I know someone with a hp laptop, 6 years old ,ati grahics 128meg card.
its just used for music, fb, webrowsing.

hearny

Back to some recommendations.

Have a look at this, its slightly over budget but if you are vat registered you can contact them with a link to the laptop you are after, and your VAT number (you may need a tax clearance cert), they will set up an order ex. VAT:

http://www.saveonlaptops.co.uk/ACER-V3-772G-NX.M74EK.001_1431698.html

Make sure the versions of the programs that you have are Windows 8 compatible or you will need to upgrade.

As suggested above a desktop for the same budget should get you a much higher spec machine.

Another note a solid state drive will also be worth investing in, you could get one a little further down the road so the cost can be spread a bit.

If a 120GB drive would be enough:
http://www.dabs.ie/products/samsung-120gb-840-evo-series-sata-6gb-s-2-5--solid-state-drive-8WCF.html?q=840&src=16

if you need to move up to a 250GB you would need:
http://www.dabs.ie/products/samsung-250gb-840-evo-series-sata-6gb-s-2-5--solid-state-drive-8WCK.html?q=840&src=16

You could then get an enclosure for the hard drive in the machine and do regular backups to make sure your important data stays safe.

yoyo

Certainly avoid Sony Vaios, rubbish machines with questionable build quality. Wouldn't recommend Acer, Advent, Packard Bell either. Samsung are pretty good, as are Toshiba or Asus in my experience.

Nick

BionicRasher

I have found Lenovo to be great
Build quality is very good and they are reliable for proper work laptops.
Thinkpad T series are a great bit of kit

http://shop.lenovo.com/ie/en/laptops/thinkpad/t-series/t530/#techspecs

fionny

Everyone where I work has Lenovo Thinkpads and to be honest they are a great machine.

riclad

THE point of getting a pc vs laptop,
is you can put any graphics, card ,or any ram you need into it.
AS The need arises.
IF you use the pc , laptop for your work ,you can get tax credits on it.
ON a laptop, you can just put in more ram, or a larger harddrive.

Derekc26

thanks for all the responses guys, been going into a few local store to see what they actually have in stock etc,

seen this 1, any negatives guys? as I said im not very techie re computers etc

srsly78

Don't bother with "local shops" they do not offer good value.

www.pcspecialist.co.uk - this is the best deal for laptops