I need a Laptop, any advice?!

[Aspiring Visualizer!]

I'm looking to purchase a Laptop within the next few days or so (because my PC takes too long while I'm trying to model in Architectural Desktop.

 

I'm not 100% sure what to look for, should I wait for the Pentium 5/6?!

 

I found a Laptop on sale at Best Buy for $2199.99 (Canadian):

Sony VAIO Intel Pentium 4, 2.8 Ghz, 512 memory, 60GB hardrive, CD/DVD drive, 802.11g wireless LAN, 15.4" Widescreen

 

Would that be a good laptop for rendering in Desktop & rendering in Viz with?

 

Would it be fast (I'm very impatient!) (I'm also fairly new to the CG field so I don't quite know about rendering times etc. but I will be rendering fairly large files in the near future.

 

Which would be the best/ fastest laptop to buy?! Do any of you use laptops for CG work or mainly just PCs?? You can't put a dual processor in a laptop right? So I guess a PC would be better?

 

Thanks for your help

[isagreg]

I have HP zd7000 series (17" widescreen) and very happy with it. The prices are OK too. And also you can get either "ready" models or customize them.

Check it out:

http://www.shopping.hp.com/webapp/shopping/computer_series.do?series_name=zd7000_series&catLevel=2&category=notebooks/hp_pavilion&storeName=computer_store

[mbr]

You'll want to get more ram than that. Get at least a gig, and more if you can afford it (it gets costly beyond a gig for laptops).

 

Look at SOny's new 17" laptop, it's got an incredible screen and good specs. SHouldn't be much mroe than their regular ones.

[voltaire_ira]

indeed very nice!im using one also...zd7140us Pavilion.17" wide screen!

got it for $1500 plus $300 for the 3yr global warranty.

specs are:

p4 3.0ghz HT

512 ddram (upgradable to 2gigs)

60 gig HDD

cd writer/dvd combo

4 in 1 multimedia reader

802.11g

4 usbs, 1 firewire ports

64mb nvidia geforcefx go(this i'am quite disappointed)

it renders as fast as desktops, even using mentalray.

downside though, it gets very hot when rendering.

[isagreg]

To voltaire_ira

RE: "64mb nvidia geforcefx go(this i'am quite disappointed)"

 

Why are you disappointed? I have GeForce FX 5600 Go 64 Mb in my laptop but pretty happy with it. Does it give you a problem?

 

To mbr

RE: "Look at SOny's new 17" laptop, it's got an incredible screen and good specs. SHouldn't be much mroe than their regular ones."

 

Have you seen their prices?... Also I don't think that Centino-s are good for modeling/rendering.

BTW in HP zd7000 series there is a newer screen 17" WVA WSXGA+ @1680x1050. Coupled with GeForce FX 5700 Go 128 Mb would be nice choice.

[Wiggy]

I just ordered a laptop that I hope will be good.

 

Dell Inspiron 9100

Intel P4 3.2Ghz

512MB RAM

40GB HD

128MB Radeon 9700

15.4" WXGA

 

I got a really good price on it. But, the ram already takes up 2 slots so I'm hoping to replace the 2 256's with 2 512's (1GB chips ARE expensive as mbr said). I'll probably look to replace the 40GB with a nice 60-80GB 7200rpm, just for the speed increase, otherwise 40GB should be enough space.

[upshot]

I have an 9100 and have been very happy with it. It's by no means 'travel friendly' but, it renders like a champ. The ati 9700 makes for decent real-time work environment too.

 

The 7200 rpm 60gb drive is the kicker... One of the first of it's type if I'm not mistaken. It's sooo tiny!

[animart]

think in dell workstation M70