Laptop recommendation

p0opstlnksal0t · 02-04-2010, 07:00 PM

what exactly are you looking to do with this laptop in regards to movies and pictures? lightroom and other picture processing programs are not as memory and processor hungry (unless you get into some heavy graphics design. Now if you plan to encode video and high definition you will want to go with more processing and memory power. try to stick with a dedicated graphics card, some of the new chipsets with the i7 processors allow the gpu to shutdown when not in use and graphics are processed through the processor to conserve energy. Slickdeals had a nice 15 or 16" i7 with the 5xxx series dedicated graphics for like 999.00 this little rig is gorgeous and will run with the top dogs. there is also a nice Qosmio 18" with the i7 through tigerdirect for about 1200 after BCB. If you look hard enough you can catch some good deals on slickdeals. Picked up a 15.4" msi around christmas for 320.00 then added a 320gb 7200rpm hdd, 4 gb ram, and a t9300 processor. after i did some bios tweaking and hacks i was able to get this little guy overclocked to 3.3ghz and unlocked the graphics to 512mb... im also running the ram at 915mhz with fairly tight timings.

krypticide · 02-07-2010, 11:50 AM

The most processor intensive thing is photo editing and video processing. Lightroom is a bit sluggish for me right now, considering I'm running a low voltage mobile version of a 2.5 year old processor. I might do some MATLAB, but that's running off a server so that's not a big deal. Video encoding could definitely use some improvement.

I think I'm leaning toward the MBP for iMovie, and I think the screen will be okay since I'm okay with a narrower viewing angle since my head doesn't move THAT much. I still have the external for more accurate processing. While I enjoy Windows 7 and will miss the Aero Peek feature, I think having Spaces and multi-touch Expose will be equally useful. I just have to figure out how to run OneNote in Parallels...

p0opstlnksal0t · 02-07-2010, 09:02 PM

Mac are nice for what they are. you will get ok specs and nice fit and finish. You can however get equally nice fit and finish with some Windows rigs out there as well, with better specs for less money. Also you want to take into account which OS you like. I personally have issues with Mac as a power user which is always upgrading hardware to get every ounce of performance from each component Mac is not good for my needs. If your looking for the fit and finish of a mac but windows OS and really nice specs checkout a HP Envy 15" version.

icywarm · 02-07-2010, 09:17 PM

I notice you are a PhD candidate. Check out 'student' deals. You will likely qualify and it could shave big bucks off some Macs, well it does at our campus anyways. You can also get student version of software, where you will save serious $$$. I run windows 7-64bit (so I can use more than 3.5 GB RAM & Video RAM) Went with a little outfit called MSI, the LED LCD seems sharp and the colours pop. I am hoping to try a sypder on it soon. But generally happy with the little 15.4"

krypticide · 02-08-2010, 06:04 PM

I checked out the Envy 15 at Fry's, but didn't like the trackpad and the screen doesn't open wide enough. A pretty bad design for an otherwise smart-looking device...

Funny thing about academic pricing, at least with Apple, is that you still end up having cheaper prices on Amazon after factoring in sales tax...it's really annoying!

Which MSI are you using, icywarm? I've only recently heard of that brand (I'm guessing Taiwanese).

icywarm · 02-08-2010, 06:11 PM

I am using the cx600, plenty for everything I do. Seems good, just make sure you get the 64bit OS, I had to have the seller add it on or else i wouldn't have been able to use about 1 GB of the RAM. I like it generally, got it for $700ish with tax. Not a sexy apple or anything, but the screen folds flat, which I like when working with a group and the big keyboard with the number pad is a bonus for me. Intel Core 2 Duo and ATI graphics card, 2 year warranty and 500 GB HD. The build does not feel cheap, and I have no idea which country it is out of, but I needed to speak to a tech the first week about the 32-bit OS and they spoke English and were helpful and timely. Sure not the fastest monster machine, but i am fine spending 500-700 every 15 months and having an ok machine, I give the old tops to a school, but I am sure you could sell them too.

p0opstlnksal0t · 02-08-2010, 08:46 PM

if you end up with the msi check out the msiHq forums... you can probly pick up a modified bios and squeeze a nice 20-30% OC increase on your processor... i would honestly hold out for a quad with newer gen 5xxx series dedicated video... my little overclocked msi still struggles when encoding video

RioRico · 02-13-2010, 05:13 AM

I brought this up in another thread here [ https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/918399-post56.html ] - my main problem in choosing a media-processing superlaptop is the lack of good metrics. How can I tell if any specific n-core n-GHz n-RAM configuration will crunch audiovideo data with brutal efficiency? Gaming machines aren't the answer - I've tried, and suffered.

Note: I like superlaptops. I travel, but not by commercial air, so I'm not concerned about "lugging the beast around". My preferred machine would be fast, with onboard RAID, and I don't really care how much it weighs. Oh, my back cares a little, but I can always get that massaged, heh.

icywarm · 02-13-2010, 08:44 AM

This is something I believe Windows 7 does right. If you right-click on the My Computer Icon, you can get a windows experience number. From MS:

The Windows Experience Index measures the capability of your computer's hardware and software configuration and expresses this measurement as a number called a base score. A higher base score generally means that your computer will perform better and faster than a computer with a lower base score, especially when performing more advanced and resource-intensive tasks.

Each hardware component receives an individual subscore. Your computer's base score is determined by the lowest subscore. For example, if the lowest subscore of an individual hardware component is 2.6, then the base score is 2.6. The base score is not an average of the combined subscores. However, the subscores can give you a view of how the components that are most important to you will perform, and can help you decide which components to upgrade.

You can use the base score to buy programs and other software that are matched to your computer's base score. For example, if your computer has a base score of 3.3, then you can buy any software designed for this version of Windows that requires a computer with a base score of 3 or lower.

The scores currently range from 1.0 to 7.9. The Windows Experience Index is designed to accommodate advances in computer technology. As hardware speed and performance improve, higher score ranges will be enabled. The standards for each level of the index generally stay the same. However, in some cases, new tests might be developed that can result in lower scores

icywarm · 02-13-2010, 08:50 AM

Here is what mine looks like:

RioRico · 02-13-2010, 09:14 AM

That scoring could be somewhat useful. But I read in some thread here that, for instance, PhotoShop was written for single core processors and probably won't be rewritten for multicores anytime soon, so its performance is a function of raw processor speed, not the number of operations performed by all cores in parallel. Thus, with the same RAM, it would run faster on a 3GHz single-core machine than on a 2GHz quad-core which may get higher scores for summed speed and ops. What a pickle.

icywarm · 02-13-2010, 09:46 AM

That is changing with load balancing...John Nack on Adobe: 64-bit Adobe app performance white paper that issue was raised in 2006, it did take them 4 years to fix it, but it currently supports 4 or 8 core CPU with up to 4 GB ram per core if I remember correct... which... is only TAD bit faster than my computer!!!

02-13-2010, 08:50 AM	#25
icywarm Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Saskatchewan Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,278	Here is what mine looks like: Attached Images

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02-04-2010, 07:00 PM	#16
p0opstlnksal0t Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: houston Posts: 165	what exactly are you looking to do with this laptop in regards to movies and pictures? lightroom and other picture processing programs are not as memory and processor hungry (unless you get into some heavy graphics design. Now if you plan to encode video and high definition you will want to go with more processing and memory power. try to stick with a dedicated graphics card, some of the new chipsets with the i7 processors allow the gpu to shutdown when not in use and graphics are processed through the processor to conserve energy. Slickdeals had a nice 15 or 16" i7 with the 5xxx series dedicated graphics for like 999.00 this little rig is gorgeous and will run with the top dogs. there is also a nice Qosmio 18" with the i7 through tigerdirect for about 1200 after BCB. If you look hard enough you can catch some good deals on slickdeals. Picked up a 15.4" msi around christmas for 320.00 then added a 320gb 7200rpm hdd, 4 gb ram, and a t9300 processor. after i did some bios tweaking and hacks i was able to get this little guy overclocked to 3.3ghz and unlocked the graphics to 512mb... im also running the ram at 915mhz with fairly tight timings.

02-07-2010, 11:50 AM	#17
krypticide Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,079 Original Poster	The most processor intensive thing is photo editing and video processing. Lightroom is a bit sluggish for me right now, considering I'm running a low voltage mobile version of a 2.5 year old processor. I might do some MATLAB, but that's running off a server so that's not a big deal. Video encoding could definitely use some improvement. I think I'm leaning toward the MBP for iMovie, and I think the screen will be okay since I'm okay with a narrower viewing angle since my head doesn't move THAT much. I still have the external for more accurate processing. While I enjoy Windows 7 and will miss the Aero Peek feature, I think having Spaces and multi-touch Expose will be equally useful. I just have to figure out how to run OneNote in Parallels...

02-07-2010, 09:02 PM	#18
p0opstlnksal0t Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: houston Posts: 165	Mac are nice for what they are. you will get ok specs and nice fit and finish. You can however get equally nice fit and finish with some Windows rigs out there as well, with better specs for less money. Also you want to take into account which OS you like. I personally have issues with Mac as a power user which is always upgrading hardware to get every ounce of performance from each component Mac is not good for my needs. If your looking for the fit and finish of a mac but windows OS and really nice specs checkout a HP Envy 15" version.

02-07-2010, 09:17 PM	#19
icywarm Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Saskatchewan Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,278	I notice you are a PhD candidate. Check out 'student' deals. You will likely qualify and it could shave big bucks off some Macs, well it does at our campus anyways. You can also get student version of software, where you will save serious $$$. I run windows 7-64bit (so I can use more than 3.5 GB RAM & Video RAM) Went with a little outfit called MSI, the LED LCD seems sharp and the colours pop. I am hoping to try a sypder on it soon. But generally happy with the little 15.4"

02-08-2010, 06:04 PM	#20
krypticide Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,079 Original Poster	I checked out the Envy 15 at Fry's, but didn't like the trackpad and the screen doesn't open wide enough. A pretty bad design for an otherwise smart-looking device... Funny thing about academic pricing, at least with Apple, is that you still end up having cheaper prices on Amazon after factoring in sales tax...it's really annoying! Which MSI are you using, icywarm? I've only recently heard of that brand (I'm guessing Taiwanese).

02-08-2010, 06:11 PM	#21
icywarm Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Saskatchewan Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,278	I am using the cx600, plenty for everything I do. Seems good, just make sure you get the 64bit OS, I had to have the seller add it on or else i wouldn't have been able to use about 1 GB of the RAM. I like it generally, got it for $700ish with tax. Not a sexy apple or anything, but the screen folds flat, which I like when working with a group and the big keyboard with the number pad is a bonus for me. Intel Core 2 Duo and ATI graphics card, 2 year warranty and 500 GB HD. The build does not feel cheap, and I have no idea which country it is out of, but I needed to speak to a tech the first week about the 32-bit OS and they spoke English and were helpful and timely. Sure not the fastest monster machine, but i am fine spending 500-700 every 15 months and having an ok machine, I give the old tops to a school, but I am sure you could sell them too.

02-08-2010, 08:46 PM	#22
p0opstlnksal0t Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: houston Posts: 165	if you end up with the msi check out the msiHq forums... you can probly pick up a modified bios and squeeze a nice 20-30% OC increase on your processor... i would honestly hold out for a quad with newer gen 5xxx series dedicated video... my little overclocked msi still struggles when encoding video

02-13-2010, 05:13 AM	#23
RioRico Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Limbo, California Posts: 11,263	I brought this up in another thread here [ https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/918399-post56.html ] - my main problem in choosing a media-processing superlaptop is the lack of good metrics. How can I tell if any specific n-core n-GHz n-RAM configuration will crunch audiovideo data with brutal efficiency? Gaming machines aren't the answer - I've tried, and suffered. Note: I like superlaptops. I travel, but not by commercial air, so I'm not concerned about "lugging the beast around". My preferred machine would be fast, with onboard RAID, and I don't really care how much it weighs. Oh, my back cares a little, but I can always get that massaged, heh.

02-13-2010, 08:44 AM	#24
icywarm Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Saskatchewan Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,278	This is something I believe Windows 7 does right. If you right-click on the My Computer Icon, you can get a windows experience number. From MS: The Windows Experience Index measures the capability of your computer's hardware and software configuration and expresses this measurement as a number called a base score. A higher base score generally means that your computer will perform better and faster than a computer with a lower base score, especially when performing more advanced and resource-intensive tasks. Each hardware component receives an individual subscore. Your computer's base score is determined by the lowest subscore. For example, if the lowest subscore of an individual hardware component is 2.6, then the base score is 2.6. The base score is not an average of the combined subscores. However, the subscores can give you a view of how the components that are most important to you will perform, and can help you decide which components to upgrade. You can use the base score to buy programs and other software that are matched to your computer's base score. For example, if your computer has a base score of 3.3, then you can buy any software designed for this version of Windows that requires a computer with a base score of 3 or lower. The scores currently range from 1.0 to 7.9. The Windows Experience Index is designed to accommodate advances in computer technology. As hardware speed and performance improve, higher score ranges will be enabled. The standards for each level of the index generally stay the same. However, in some cases, new tests might be developed that can result in lower scores

02-13-2010, 09:14 AM	#26
RioRico Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Limbo, California Posts: 11,263	That scoring could be somewhat useful. But I read in some thread here that, for instance, PhotoShop was written for single core processors and probably won't be rewritten for multicores anytime soon, so its performance is a function of raw processor speed, not the number of operations performed by all cores in parallel. Thus, with the same RAM, it would run faster on a 3GHz single-core machine than on a 2GHz quad-core which may get higher scores for summed speed and ops. What a pickle.

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02-13-2010, 09:46 AM	#27
icywarm Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Saskatchewan Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,278	That is changing with load balancing...John Nack on Adobe: 64-bit Adobe app performance white paper that issue was raised in 2006, it did take them 4 years to fix it, but it currently supports 4 or 8 core CPU with up to 4 GB ram per core if I remember correct... which... is only TAD bit faster than my computer!!!