fujitsu has more video memory which is good for rendering

no it isn't.

Graphics cards only render in the sense that they display viewports. actual rendering is all cpu and ram.

daniel: you're doing yourself a real disservice by not looking for a core duo based notebook. you can upgrade ram and hard drive later if you need it, but at least get something with a current-gen cpu.

The Qosmio is a ripoff - it's a fashionable laptop, a show pony for those who want the latest gadgetry - worse than Sony.

Do yourself a favour and go and look for actual laptop workstations that will actually do the job properly and are set up to run graphics and CAD software.

I have an HP NW8240 that does an excellent job, and IBM and Dell have similar setups...

manamana, i'd think the same but to say the truth i am totally not impressed by the performance of them core duos.....a friend got a lenovo something and its much slower than my Pentium M 760

Same for the dual-core dell desktops. My 3 year old opteron station (granted, its an opteron) beats it by a large margin...

< Do yourself a favour and go and look for actual laptop workstations that will actually do the job properly and are set up to run graphics and CAD software.>
What configuration should I choose then?

daniel - here is a list from IBM outlining suitable configurations for different software applications. If you cant afford the respective workstations, then try and match them in other brands. IBM only seems to offer desktop solutions, whereas the NW8240 is in HP's workstation range.

Trace will be along shortly to recommend a Dell...:)

any opinions about Asus Laptops? http://usa.asus.com/products1.aspx?l1=5

Dell E1705

Duo 2.0 (that's a good upgrade)
17" Ultra Sharp (that's their best)
1 gig ram
80 gig 7200rpm hd (another good upgrade)
Geforce 7800 256mb (another good upgrade)
DVDR
Wireless
2yr onsite warranty (I'd upgrade to 3, but your call)

Total: $2154
Total (after $750 off +$2k laptops): $1404


That's a steal, imho. Upgrade to the M90 if money isn't an issue.

Ha! Just saw your post diabase! Yeah, yeah, I know. Maybe we should all just put together one post with our 'IBM is the best, Dell rocks, etc., etc.' and just keep posting it!

Honestly, though, I don't care about Dell's laptops so much. Their screens aren't as good as Sony's or Toshiba's, but their prices cannot be beat. That's the deal maker, at least to me. I've heard good things about IBMs for portable machines, but the reviews for the larger models are mediocre, and the aren't cheap. I do wish they'd update the design (black is good, but their cases look 5 years old).

$1404 is a smashing deal, though, don't you think?

IBM/Lenovo produce some of the best windows based notebooks around. I'd be careful when buying a 17" notebook, do you really want to carry that around wih you? My Friend has a 17" Powerbook and that is the smallest lightest 17" you can find and it is still quite difficult to carry around. I've seen fellow students lug their notebooks around and it aint pretty, lots of red faces.

Don't look at price as an overriding issue. look at the total cost and what you get for that amount, sometimes a premium price is woth it... you don't see ppl eating Maccie D's everyday for the sake of price (well i don't anyways). If you are a careless person have a look at what the enclosure is made from cheap plastic or carbon fibre?

Don't look at price as an overriding issue. look at the total cost and what you get for that amount, sometimes a premium price is worth it... you don't see ppl eating Maccie D's everyday for the sake of price (well i don't anyways). If you are a careless person have a look at what the enclosure is made from cheap plastic or carbon fibre?

Thanks for your comments, I'm now looking if Dell E1705 is available in my country.
Hei Pencebor, check out the Asus W1 Carbon !

read the reviews about the high end Asus. Great business computer, not good multimedia (and, I'd assume, 3D/PS, either), due to the screen. Nice machine, nonetheless.

Ah, Trace! I was right!

yup, of course. There should be a sticky thread that we can just edit so all those looking for the same thing can referrence one list, as it's essentially the same group of us posting the same thing.

I want to love Apples, just too many prohibitive factors (yet) - tech support, extra cash. Other than that, and if I didn't need to worry about tech support, then I'd go for one.

thg has a good writeup of a new(ish) hp portable that's actually supposed to be used as a workstation:

http://www.mobilityguru.com/2006/05/25/are_you_ready_for_hp/

yeah, that HP is MINE. Very good.

There is a huge sale on NW8240 ($995 off!!!) I was about to buy, but its not Duel Core??? its Pentium M which is worse than duel core, right?

go for the core duo if you are planning on rendering a lot, since it's faster... i't ike having 2 processors while the pentium m is a bit outdated... unless you think the price is that great i would still wait. new chips comming around the september timeframe and their may be sales on current stock. Usually Dell has the best bargains, but i'm not sure about the quality of their products no matter what trace says. they seem flakey whenever i see them in uni, but then i suppose if it isn't a long term machine then go for a cheaper one.

I need to get a new laptop in mid July for my job. I do lots of renderings (test renderings takes a while). Right now, I have Centrino machine with 64mb ATI card. I was thinking of Asus laptop (the quality of material is so good!) But Qosmio G20-120 looks good too, not so sure about the HP (pentium M)... So I guess, I will have to find Asus Laptop with core duo under $2100.

On a new but related tangent - I have to buy a new desktop workstation. What are the basic requirements for a CAD setup, and should I get dual processors?

d.

honestly i have not found the core duo's or the intel dual cores to be much better than Pentium M or P4 respectively. I think that technology has still a way to go before it matches up.

diabase, I would suggest you look up stations with dual AMD Opterons. They are a bit expensive but the performance knocks the socks out of any intel chips or AMD Athlons. I have mine for about 2 years now but it still eats the newer Pentium Dual cores in our office for breakfast!

thanks sameolddoctor....... will look into that.

respectfully, sameold, everything I've heard/seen disagrees with you. intel's pentium D is considerably behind the athlon X2, but it is faster (in most situations) than the P4. And the core duo is ALOT faster than the PM.

see here

also, regarding desktop workstations, intel has some new stuff coming. see here

manamana, sure these reviews read well, but my experience comes from the comparision of my opteron workstation with 2 dell xps stations that we just got (the dell stations have 2.8 ghz dual core)...these xps stations are really shitty and slow

dual processors are completely different from dual core, just so everyone is clear.

Dual processors are great for programs that take advantage of it (Final Render, VRay, Mental Ray, NOT standard Max renderings, unless with raytracing). They'll also be handy for certain other situations, but generally, unless you are doing rendering (After Effects can utilize dual processors) it would be over kill and a waste of money.

I am with mana. Everything I've read suggests the dual core laptops blow away the P4s and PMs laptops.


sameolddr - I just was unclear reading your post if you were comparing a dual processor to a dual core, which, if you are, is not a fair test. Compare a single processor/single core to a single processor/dual core.

Surprised that you don't like the XPS stations (they usually have pretty good stuff inside). There are a million factors to a computers performance, just make sure you are comparing apples to apples, so to speak.

well of course. now you're comparing a high end dual socket workstation to a gamer computer with intel's bottom end dual core. of course the opterons are going to be better.

but after july, intel will have the highest performing option at every price point, unless you're talking 4 sockets or more. Intel's been losing marketshare, and they're pricing low on the next gen stuff to get it back.