Which Laptop?
Spire_Jeff
Posts: 1,917
Which laptop are you using (if you use one) for NS4, TPD4, and Cafe Duet? I'm not really all that concerned with a serial port any longer as it has been quite a while since I have had to use one (and I think a USB serial adapter would work fine by now). It's getting to be about time to upgrade the laptop I have to something newer and faster. (10 minutes to compile code is getting annoying). I am also thinking that wide-screen is the way to go. I'm not sure if I can justify the cost difference (and weight) to go from a 15" to a 17", but I would like to hear opinions on the screen size and usability on job sites. Any laptops I should avoid? Anything I should definitely consider?
Thanks for any advice,
Jeff
P.S.
I was going to resurrect one of the old threads about laptops, but since they are a couple years old, I decided to start a new thread.
Thanks for any advice,
Jeff
P.S.
I was going to resurrect one of the old threads about laptops, but since they are a couple years old, I decided to start a new thread.
0
Comments
I'd recommend just upgrading the current laptop you're working with (getting a newer model.) I can say from experience that I don't care for the Sony Vaios, Toshibas, or Gateways. (Gateways because of the positioning of the CTRL key and the FN key.)
I'd recommend getting a Dell.
My 2nd desktop is a new Gateway 3.1 ghz with Vista.
My laptop is an old-skool IBM A21M PIII-800mega-hurts....
It actually does quite fine and it has the old DB9 serial port.
For my laptop I am currently using a Gateway M680, http://support.gateway.com/s/Mobile/Gateway/M680/3400467nv.shtml. I think it is a discontinued model, but it sports a wide screen display. Prior to the switch, I was using this one: http://support.gateway.com/s/Mobile/Gateway/600YG2/3501373nv.shtml. Now that I have gone wide, I don't think I would ever go back. My current resolution is 1440 x 900, which is as high as it will go. I like it because I can make everything fit on the screen. When I was running around with my old 15 inch screen, I had to get creative with the tool bars so as not to keep having to scroll right and left a lot, more so in TPD4 than NetLinx Studio. It's wider, obviously, but I don't think I gained very much weightwise, both about 8 lbs. I am still using the same backpack I have always had, and everything still feels about the same.
http://www.dell.com/content/products/productdetails.aspx/latit_d830?c=us&l=en&s=biz&cs=555
widescreen, 1680x1050 resolution, 1920x1200 was too small, this is nice and readable, and i TPDesign shows the biggest touchpanel completly, no scrolling needed
I like it
A product that I'm keeping an eye on is http://www.virtualbox.org/. It would probably be okay if you were to set up your WinXP image as a fresh install for VirtualBox usage only. I'm waiting until they can support a WinXP partition (ah lah BootCamp style) which would then give the option of virtual OR native. In the mean time, it save the whole WinXP filesystem to the Mac as a file - not something that you can boot from.
Back onto the laptop issue, I find that a high res LCD at your "home base" is worth it, particularly when your drivers can happily dual-screen it (not mirror). Documentation on one, code on the other. The Apple 23" Cinema Display (1920x1200) works fine in BootCamp, though the nVidia drivers are a bit cumbersome.
Yours,
Roger McLean
Swinburne University
My current job gave me a Vaio and I am really not happy with it.
I am pretty tempted by the T400 14.1" laptop.
I hated my Fujitsu so much that I gave it away. It was big, heavy, ran hot, had bad battery life, silly keyboard layout, dodgy preinstalled Windows image, the list goes on...
A couple of things to keep in mind:
-- There are USB - serial adaptors and there are USB - serial adaptors. Sending files to NetLinx control systems via many will not work.
-- Make sure you're happy with the keyboard layout before you commit to buying a laptop. Many laptops have home, end, page up, page down, etc. keys implemented as a function key combination - aaaarggh! I've remapped the right alt and ctrl keys on my machine to home and end which works well for me.
I also bought the docking station for it, which has VGA and DVI ports on it. You can use them both for dual monitors, so my workstation has 17" widescreen dual monitors (both 1440x900). This means I do all of my designs with TP4 on one screen and NS2 on the other, or TP4 on one screen and my graphics program on the other, and when I get out on site I don't find having only one screen frustrating.
I've been using my laptop since April and have rarely been so happy.
I will mention one thing though, one of the dell Vostro laptops (which I have not used) has a keypad on the right side of keyboard. I don't know anything about the reliability or quality of it, but having the keypad might be cool.
J
I use to use a Dell D810(?) and liked it for the most part even though I generally don't like most Dell products.
Paul
I've heard the new "E" series lose the serial port on the laptop, but the new docking station has dual DVI (versus DVI and VGA on the "D" series dock).
I am running the new Dell Latitude E6500 with a docking station and trusty Windows XP with 4 GB of memory. If you are running AMX, Crestr*n, and Photosop (and a bit torrent) all at the same time, this will definately handle it. The screen runs at 1920x1200 and is SUPER bright as is the backlit keyboard. The LED backlight is nice, but if you are a Photoshop/Graphics guy, it can be a bit of a pain. The color difference between it and my 2nd screen is crazy. The LED gives everything a blue tone. The attached .jpg is a picture I took of a window that is half on one screen and half on another. Nuts.
It does not have a serial port, but I have found a USB to Serial adapter that is working wonderfully. It's just a smidge smaller than the D series, so there's no benefit there.
The dock has 2 DVI outputs, serial port, and 2 of Dell's new video outputs. I don't think I could function without a dual monitor setup...so that is highly recommended.
I enjoy Acer products, and Vista really isn't so bad once you figure how how to tame it - especially for its crash control, which is especially important as a Designer and Software Developer; to have a program tie itself up is one thing, but to have the whole OS come falling to its knees because of it is infuriating. My only bone with this laptop is all the junk Acer pre-loaded to it for purchase - it doesn't exactly guzzle memory or anything like that, but I have to find one program in particular which is clashing with Microsoft Office 2008, and it's resisting me of course.
This is just my humble opinion, but I've been helping quite a few people lately in the purchase of laptops and have therefore been scaling out the market again, and I'm realizing that you'd have to really make a major mistake to get a piece of junk; the greater risk is paying too much or buying from a manufacturer with miserable support. As far as 17" screens go, they're nice, but noticeably larger in lugging around certainly a jump in price - for more power at a cheaper price, easier mobility and longer battery life, I'd buy a good $600-$800 15" model; if you do considerable design work and don't often have access to multiple screens, then a 17" might be in order, otherwise it's really just a subtle form of compensation...
Hope this helps.
The bigger the screen the better. Mine is 17" widescreen, and I still feel like I could use more ... so I have a second monitor at my office with an extended desktop. That arrangement is very nice for having docs open on one screen while working on the other.
Not sure if you planned on using the touchpad or not - just thought I'd bring it up.
Dell almost exclusively uses Alps now. This is honestly why I haven't upgraded beyond my Inspiron 8200 with C840 parts - even it came with an Alps pad, but the 8100 had a Synaptics pad and point, which are swappable.
My work Dell XPS M170 uses an Alps pad, but it's not the worst I've used. Sadly, I like having the pad and point and this model doesn't have the trackpoint.
I usually get about a year of use out of one before I have destroyed it, so I usually get the least expensive one that I can get by with. This one has 2GB of memory, 200GB drive,a Centrino Duo processor, an extended-use battery and a 15" wide-screen.
I generally look around in the store, then look online. When I bought this one, I purchased it online for in-store pickup. That way I don't have to deal with the nerd-herd screwing it up. Even when I buy one in the store I tell them that it must be in the factory-sealed carton and no, I don't want the free setup service.
Some people have suggested that I get a toughbook or whatever, but I really don't want one that lasts forever and just gets more and more out of date.
I have an old USB/Serial adapter that I bought back in the days when I had one of the original Palm Pilot PDAs. About the only thing that it chokes on is if I try to transfer a program to a master, it works fine for terminal sessions, setting up masters or even transferring TPD files.
I've always used either Compaq or HP laptops. One even lasted 18 months before it developed electrical issues.
1 - it comes with a downgrade to XP; i don't see the need for Vista right now. (actually: i don't want it).
2 - 15'4", 1680x1050 seems like the optimum. Larger screens (>= 17") make the laptop as a whole to big for my taste. (I carry it around a LOT).
3 - separate videocard with it's OWN memory. It's faster when you do graphic work (photo editing or CAD)
4 - processor speed is important, but any modern, >=2GHz C2D will do, in my opinion (this one is a 2,5GHz T9300)
5 - I would opt for a 7200rpm hd, especially with Vista or you'll have to wait a lot.... (this one has a 200GB, 7200rpm)
At the office i use a docking station with a 20" monitor, keyboard, mouse, etc.
I use a Sitecom CN104v2 USB serial device. My old laptop came with a serial port, but this didn't work very reliable after standby or sleep mode. The Sitecom device always worked with AMX.
Good luck with your choice,
Richard
I am running a Dell Latitude D830 with Vista Business on a Core 2 Duo @ 2.2 GHz and 2 GB of RAM, that I got in March. So far I have not had any complaints about the performance except at boot. From a cold boot it takes about 2 minutes for Vista to load all the apps and services. Kind of a pain since the touch pad (which I disable cuz I hate it) stays active until it is done. Even if I do get NS Studio open quickly, I still mess something up by bumping on the pad >:-(
So, if you go that way, I recommend Hibernate unless you really need to reboot.
I can second that going to Sleep or Hibernate is best for any laptop. Why shut it off unless you're not using it for several days or a weeks? I always put mine is sleep mode when I close the lid, and wake it up when I open it. Never had a problem . . . now for my Lattitude E1405 . . . it's just all screwy!
I just shut it down.
I'll use hibernate when going from the office to a job site, or one site to another, just to save startup time. My machine is getting a bit gray, and startups are real slow (even on XP). Too much junk loading, like SQL server and MS ActiveSync, but I do need that stuff.
when i open my lid, i press the on/off button, and it's there! i almost never reboot, only for windows updates