New laptop suggestions

[iceman]

My old Toshiba Satellite L650D is coming up to 3 years old, and I guess that's pretty ancient in technology standards these days.

I gave it a new lease of life about 12 months ago when I:
- Upgraded to win7 x64 instead of x32
- Upgraded to 8GB RAM instead of 4GB
- Installed a 128GB SSD as the primary C/D drive
- Removed the optical drive and put my old harddrive as a 2nd internal HDD
- Got a couple of 1TB external HDD's for more photo storage space

It was running out battery after an hour on the train, and that was my 2nd battery! So last week I bought a new longer life battery so at least I can get the whole train trip (and then some) without recharging (until it starts dying again).

I'm ok with it now, it works fine but am constantly running out of disk space (128GB SSD is never enough) and sick of transferring stuff to external HDD's.

Starting to think about a replacement laptop now. I'll have similar usage patterns - some astro software and the usual content creation/content browsing I do, and of course photo processing. I want LR and PS to run faster.

I want:
- 15" screen (as opposed to 17", too big for the train)
- SSD for the primary drive
- Another internal HDD for additional storage
- Min 8GB RAM
- Optical drive not needed
- Budget: $1500 give or take

I browsed through JB HIFI on the weekend and there's not much to choose from.
- There's lots of ultrabooks which aren't suitable - too light on the processor it seems.
- There's some horrible touch things I'm not interested in
- Then there's the usual laptops from Toshiba, Samsung, Acer, HP but they all have either small SSD's or no SSD.
- They all come with Win8, which I was thinking about avoiding.

Am I going to have to buy one with an internal HDD and then install a new SSD again?

Any suggestions?

I was planning on avoiding Win8 but if it's faster it might be worth installing it.

Thoughts?

[ZeroID]

I'd avoid Win 8 for at least a year so they can sort the bugs out and get some drivers. Win 7 is looking good at 64 bit.
The problem with the 15" screen lappies is that being designed for portabilty they are not well designed for processing. ie ok for Word and office stuff but for serious graphics processing they are slow, get hot and are power hungry. Aslo their form factor cam limit their connectivity capability and capacity to accept extra drives, ram etc. Quite often no optical drive.
I deploy hundreds per year where I work. The Analysts get big slabs with wide screens and numeric keypads, Sales get the smaller no numeric keypads as they just do documents and comms on theirs. Engineers get similar but emphasis on storage and connectivity with legacy extenders for products problem diagnosis and setup.
Lappies seem to have made it up into the terabyte HD sizes but SSD hasn't gotten there yet. I suspect you will require offline storage for a lot of stuff for a while yet. My new home PC has 2.25 Terabytes but I will still 'archive' older pix files to hot swap drives just to keep the HDs from clogging up. My intended practice is to work on a file collection, derive the output then archive off all the source files just in case I want to rework them one day.
Also remember if you have all your stuff on the lappie and it gets lost\damaged\stolen ..... :shrug:

Theres going to be a compromise somewhere.

[Barrykgerdes]

If you can't get a new Win 7 O/S

I haven't tried this on a Toshiba but it works on the Acer
Make a set of recovery disks and image of the old operating system.

Back up an image of the new operating system as well as make a set of recovery disks.

Use the old recovery disks on the new computer. This works with some systems but if it doesn't you still have the new recovery disks.

Barry

[Larryp]

Mike, I have a Toshiba Qosmio. Its a high spec machine, but no ssd. Would probably cover what you want if you had some external storage.

[Shiraz]

FWIW, after weeks of use on my early i7 I still find the Win8 interface to be annoying when using multiple applications, but it is certainly a lot faster than Win7/64. Interface is clearly designed for getting stuff rather than doing stuff - eg would really suit Facebook/newsfeed/entertainment users with touch screen machines.

A few minor "what the.??." moments, but overall, getting software/drivers etc to run was relatively painless - it seems to be basically Win7 under the bonnet (but with more security). Win8 turned out to be a worthwhile upgrade overall - the speed boost outweighs interface issues.

[pluto]

As you want to use it for astro stuff and lots of photo processing the key things to get are, obviously, a fast processor, lots of ram and a bright hires screen. If I had your budget I would get this: http://www.onlinecomputer.com.au/product_info.php?products_id=10859
I've been impressed with the quality of the recent Asus laptops I've seen plus that one has a nice 1920x1080 screen. It could be a bit big and heavy though, but I'm used to a 13". As for the drive I would just swap the optical for a 128gb Sammy 840pro for $150 (they might even do it for you if you asked).
I've bought from that shop before and had no troubles and as they're in Capitol Square near Chinatown their prices are VERY competitive. If you're ever in Sydney they have a great selection on display too.

[iceman]

Thanks - that one looks good.

I work in the CBD so might go for a walk and check out some in-store.

[h0ughy]

RB was introducing me to the benefits of visiting Costco. He was showing me some of the Specs for lappys there and the price – brand name products – very very interesting ;)

Personally I would go with battery life, drive size ,8gig memory and then screen size. If you get a graphics card with grunt then you can use an external monitor to work at home etc. I now have two corei5s with 1gig video and 8 gig ram, one has 500gig drive with a 38gig ssd and win 8 and the other has similar but with a 320 gig drive and no ssd and using win7. Both have 1 usb3 and two usb2 and are rated over 7 hours use. the yare 14" screens

1 gig external drives will always be a necessity but with the usb3 connection its not onerous.

[Octane]

Would you look at a MacBook Pro? :)

H

[iceman]

I love MacBook Pro's. I had one for work for about a year and as a piece of hardware it was great.

But so much of what I do now is on Windows and it would be quite a shift for me to go Mac now.

Plus, they'd be out of my budget and not as fast. :)

[dannat]

yes macbook pro & bootcamp it cross to the light side of the force

[hotspur]

I got a Lenovo E530 last year,would cover all the specs you require-its i7 newer one.

The touch pad is not as nice as my Toshy,and rattles like a cheap ute tray.But the machine has 'plenty of grunt' under the bonnet,good graphics card,nice keys,lots of storage room.Nice and light-never used it in a train-but its had some extend excursions to remote locations,and has not let me down.Was a bit sceptical after 3 toshy's going Lenovo,but might be worth a try if you buy online,was fairly cheap.

[pluto]

Has anyone here done this? Just curious as I looked at a MBP about 2 years ago when I got my current lappy. I love the hardware (except the mirror screens) and the 13" that I was looking at was actually priced pretty close to the Vaio I ended up with. BUT I read as much as I could find on running windows on a MBP and the consensus was that battery life was terrible. If this hadn't been an issue I would be typing this on a Mac... running Windows.
Anyone with experience?


P.S. in this case the equivalent (maybe a bit better screen) MBP (a 15" with retina) is over $1000 more expensive!!

[gbeal]

MBPro was my suggestion too, but only because Omaroo hasn't already given it a stir. LOL.
As an aside, my imaging computer attached to the pier is a desktop PC. I have on loan a slightly older SXVF-H9, and I wanted to hook it up to the PC, (running Windows 7, 64 bit). I spent two frustrating nights, and only managed the first night before cloud closed me down. The second night I could not get the camera recognised for love nor money, and many e mails later with Terry Platt (who is always really helpful) I still haven't got it working. "Unknown Device" is all it says.
Hooked it to my sons MacBookPro 13" with just Nebulosity and PHD installed (natively in OSX), and boot, away it went, nothing to do, no drivers etc to load, just plug and play.
OK, so I'm biased, but when this happens why not.
Gary

[DJT]

on Win8 would that be the "what the..??.." moment when you realise you havnt got a clue how to power off the laptop??? Am new adopter...:sadeyes:

[Phil Hart]

You want to make sure the monitor itself is a nice spec.. good viewing angles etc.

Hopefully Alex Cherney can chip in.. I know he found something he was happy with.

[Screwdriverone]

Hi Mike,

A quick search found this, you might be able to swap out the Bluray Combo for an SSD....

Interesting specs for $1533 inc GST. 16GB RAM, Dedicated 4GB graphics too....

Found it at www.pcmarket.com.au

Warranty: 24 months - Manufacturer Warranty by ASUS Australia
Prod. Code: ASUS-R501VZ-S4387H
Model: ASUS R501VZ-S4387H Intel Core i7-3630QM 2.4GHz Quad-Core Notebook with 15.6" FHD LED, 16GB RAM, 1TB HDD, nVidia GeForce GT 650M 4GB, BR-Combo, 802.11n, Bluetooth, Webcam & Windows 8 - 2YR

It certainly seems to tick all the RAM/Storage/Screen Size/Price boxes....?

Free Sydney Delivery.

I have no affiliation with this mob, simply using google as it should be used...:)

Cheers

Chris

[Screwdriverone]

Also,

If you want to go all silly, try this one for $2300 at http://www.mwave.com.au here (http://www.mwave.com.au/product/sku-ab48067-asus_g75vxt4153h_gaming_laptop_i7_3 630qm_cpu16gb_ramssdhddgtx670mxwin_ 8#detailTabs=tabOverview)

Has 256GB SSD AND a 1TB HDD in one, with 16GB RAM etc etc etc

ASUS G75VX-T4153H Gaming Laptop i7 3630QM CPU/16GB RAM/SSD+HDD/GTX670MX/Win 8

Bigger screen though and much more pricey, but has it all.

Just a thought :P

Chris

[Screwdriverone]

I may as well keep going, its a Toshiba Qosmio like Laurie has....seems this one is comparable to the Asus kick ass gaming one for $2300, although slightly cheaper and has 1.75TB of storage with a hybrid main drive that has a 750Gb/8GB SSD as well as another 1TB drive also.

A bit cheaper but still north of 2K, but everything is in the one box. AND its Win 7 home premium 64 bit....weeeeeeee!

http://www.mwave.com.au/product/sku-aa42487-toshiba_qosmio_x87000t_psplxa00t00e _173_core_i7_gtx670m_notebook#detai lTabs=tabSpecifications

seems this may be the price point for a dual SSD/HDD laptop it seems.

Hope this helps, I was in the groove....:)

Edit: a smaller spec, but 2TB toshiba similar type in Harvey Norman for $1692 here, includes a free support pack. http://www.harveynorman.com.au/toshiba-satellite-p870-05p-laptop.html

Cheers

Chris

[RB]

Chris I just bought the Qosmio PSPLXA-00T00E just last month, I got it for less than $1800 and I see it's already gone up by a few hundred.:shrug:
It's an awesome machine, nuff said.
Oh and the Nvidia 3D playback is 'unbelievable', not that I needed it but since it came with it, why not?
Not to mention the gorgeous red backlit keyboard.
Too bad it's too big for Mike's requirements, else I was going to suggest it too.

:thumbsup:

[pluto]

That's the same as the one I posted a link to, only $1359 at onlinecomputer.com.au
I agree it ticks all the boxes, quite a machine for that money. If I was looking for a new lappy I'd get that and a 256gb Samsung 840pro SSD for ~$300 and swap out the optical.

[Screwdriverone]

Wish I had the cashola for a beast like that too.... more important things to spend it on unfortunately.



Sorry Hugh, I didnt follow your link, just went off and did some searching myself, good to know we ended up in sort of the same place. Yep, very good price you have there for that model. Worth a long hard look. I saw a 240GB sandisk SSD drive at mwave for $185 while browsing around.

Its nice to be able to spend someone elses money :D

Cheers

Chris

[Logieberra]

+1 for bootcamp on Macbook Pro. Apple do sell refurbished on occassion, with 6mo interest free from GE...

[mithrandir]

When the question is "what's the biggest sledgehammer", Qosmio seems to be the answer, and has been for years. I've got one as do several other IISers. I could be tempted to replace the 450GB and 750GB SATA disks rather than upgrade. Say a ~250GB SSD and a 2TB SATA

[Tandum]

Get an iPad.

[Tandum]

Then RPD to a monster PC at home :)

[alexch]

Hi Mike,

I've got 13" Asus UX32VD with a very nice 1920x1080 IPS screen that calibrates very well and can be used for photo editing and colour work. I reckon the display is the most critical part for what we do and is worth spending a little extra dollars on. You can edit photos/videos on it and when you show it to someone, it looks as you want it to look.

I wanted a small laptop to fit into the camera bag and it had to be equipped with a dedicated CUDA capable graphics card (NVIDIA only) for video rendering/editing in Adobe suite of products. Asus was the only one that had a 13" model with dedicated graphics card. Even if you get a 15" model, your screen resolution is going to be the same and you don't really gain much by adding 2 inches. Also don't be fooled by ultrabook notion in the name the Intel I7 mobile CPU is very capable and none of my photo/video editing tools load it to 100%, owing to the CUDA-capable graphics card.

The laptop came with Intel i7 mobile (dual core), a HDD and 4 GB of ram (2GB soldered on the motherboard and 2 on a chip). I replaced the 2GB chip with 8GB and put Samsung 500GB SSD instead, bringing the total cost to about $1800.

Asus also have the 15" ultrabook in the lineup with the IPS screen, but make sure you take a look at the 13" as well.

Hope it helps,

Alex

[gregbradley]

Good thread. I am also considering a laptop upgrade as my HP i7 4GB RAM, 750gb HD lappie is starting to get very slow for some reason. I use Win 7 64 bit. It sometimes is faster.

Perhaps upgrading the RAM may help too.

If you get one can you let me know what you ended up getting and how its performing?

I could be wrong but I get the distinct impression laptops and computers in general have not moved forward very much at all since the i7 chip.
Usually there's some newest and latest that's an incentive to upgrade but I am either unaware of advances or there simply hasn't been much of one.

Win 8 seems to be Microsoft keeping themselves in touch with the market who is now used to iphone type interfaces. In fact the way its going it seems the laptops's days are numbered. Look at that new Samsung phone with an i7 chip and 13mp camera (no doubt the u-beaut Sony back illuminated stacked CMOS sensor which is totally state of the art). A powerful phone and online storage easy to get to me shows the trend away from laptops/desktops. Not there yet but moving in that direction.

Greg.

[iceman]

Excellent information, thanks everyone.

I'll do some shopping and keep you in the loop.

[MrB]

I got one of these for work early last year. It is a slightly earlier version (G75VW) though with the 3610QM CPU, 670M GPU and Win7 x64 Premium.
It is a great machine but far from practical as a portable option, it is HUGE and HEAVY. Battery run time is crazy short, but for work, that is not an issue as we got them(5 of) as (semi)portable desktop substitutes.

By the way, MSY has the model you linked to (G75VX-4153H) for $2099 and I'm sure some sweet talking could get it to $2k

[Colin_Fraser]

An observation.

Last week a member asked for suggestions on a new laptop and was largely ignored.
When Mike asks for the same, you "clicky" bunch clamber over each other with offers of help.

Sort of makes one feel you need to belong to a 'special elite member group' to get assistance.

I think you all could be a little less discriminating towards newer members

[pluto]

Once again, has anyone tried this recently?
Last time I checked people were complaining of terrible battery life. The consensus at the time was that it was due to the video drivers not switching to the on board video card and using the more power hungry nvidia card full-time. Obviously when running OSX on a MBP it switches automatically, same as on a Windows based lappy.
I understand why and it's fine that Apple don't put too much effort into the Windows drivers for their computers, why would they, but unless this issue has been fixed there's not much point buying a MBP to run Windows on.

I agree with Alex, I have a 13" and it's the perfect size, mine also has an I7, 8 gigs of RAM and a dedicated ATI video card so I don't consider it a compromise at all. The size doesn't really dictate how powerful a box is, just look at that crazy Alienware M11x, ugly but fast!

Also don't be affraid of Windows 8, I just put it on my lappy the other day and I don't know what all the fuss is about, everything works so far and it's fast and stable, though I never had any stability issues at all on Win 7 either. I do appreciate that there will inevitably be issues with some specific drivers until manufacturers get around to updating them. I did install a start menu but I don't mind the Metro thing, I might use it or I might not, either way it doesn't seem to use much resources or cause any lag when switching between it and the desktop.

[MrB]

Wow :rolleyes:
Tarring everyone with the same brush is a bit rich.
I didn't see the other request.

[naskies]

I've never been happy with BootCamp on a Mac laptop - a lot of little things just don't work, and you lose the finesse that you have with OS X on a MacBook. All the astro software that I use (DSS, PHD, Maxim, Stellarium, AlignMaster, EQMOD, ASCOM, etc) works fine under VMWare Fusion though :)



Are you referring to this thread (http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=104274)? Greenswale specifically asked about a Windows-based ultrabook.

Like many other IISers here (I assume), I don't know anything about the current range of Win8 ultrabooks on the market so I kept my trap shut. Mike asked a much broader question, and judging by the replies - many of us are more qualified to answer it.

I notice that you also failed to provide a helpful suggestion, but did denigrate the poster's choice of laptop... :question:

[Screwdriverone]

Good point Simon, like you, neither did I.

AND I certainly didn't clamber......

I simply used the "today's posts" button like I always do, happen to click on this thread, had a read, knew of a few good suppliers (as I am in the IT industry) , went and had a look, offered a few options and then got excited about spending someone else's money.

If I had read the other post, I probably would have done the same thing.

AS I OFTEN do to help out others, new or old.

So blow it out your proverbial, if you are referring to me.

Nothing "clicky" or discriminating about it!

Now that I have read it, seems you had the post pretty much covered Colin, along with the others that chimed in. So what's the problem?

Chris

[MrB]

Same for me, don't really have time to browse thru the sub-fora so I use the "New Posts" button and have a quick scan for anything that catches my interest.

Oh well... trolls will be trolls I suppose, keeps us entertained.

[Phil Hart]

I've been considering upgrading my Asus Netbook which was a budget (and weight) constrained compromise to take travelling last year. It can't even play 720HD video so it's a bit too much of a compromise now (but it was dirt cheap).

It seems the Asus UX32VD is not available in Australia (at least that's what Asus via Centre.com are saying). And PC Market (notebooks.com.au) are saying they have been replaced by the Vivobooks?

The UX31A (upgrade from older UX31) is close but does not have graphics processor and only 256GB SSD hard drive. It also annoyingly has a touchscreen display which is glossy so much more reflective for outdoor use than the matte screen of the UX32VD.

So the UX32VD sounds like a great option if you can get your hands on one..

Phil

[Phil Hart]

The ASUS ZENBOOK U500VZ ticks all the specs of Alex' UX32VD I think but 15" makes it larger and heavier and the price tag goes north as well.

[rat156]

Hi All,

OK, I'm a Mac zealot, but...

I run a Mac mini in the observatory to run the PMX and data acquisition software natively under OSX using The Sky X. I have to run windows (from the Bootcamp partition) under VMware to talk to the focuser. This setup works really well.

I have setup my laptop (older Macbook Pro) under a similar setup. The best thing about this is that you can setup multiple virtual machines to run various tasks, so you could run a Win7 machine, a Bootcamp machine and even a WinXP machine.

If I want to run my planetary camera (Firewire 800), I have to reboot the computer into Windows rather then run the VM, as the VM won't talk to FW accessories.

I do find that when I do this (hard boot to bootcamp) the battery life on the Macbook is appalling and it gets quite hot.

Cheers
Stuart

[graham.hobart]

I bought the Qosmio when my old toshiba started cracking up. An awesome machine but as mentioned it truly sucks on the battery life and the power cable is easily dislodged. Only bought it as the Wife keeps nicking my Macbook Pro!
Graz

[Phil Hart]

Have you made your decision on this Mike?

[iceman]

I had decided on the one Hugh linked to at onlinecomputer, the Asus 15". But the link is now dead, product doesn't exist now :(

I think this was a similar one, 17" though. http://www.onlinecomputer.com.au/product_info.php?products_id=10229

I hadn't bought yet but still planning on it soon.

Back to the drawing board now. Any new recommendations from anyone?

[iceman]

Getting really close to making a decision on a laptop soon. But it's been 6 months since this thread was created and no doubt new models are out now.

Touch-screen ultrabooks are now 'the thing' and it's hard to find a laptop without one. Originally I was against a touch-screen, but Tom Lowe (famous timescapes guy) swears by them and says 'you just don't know how good it is until you've used one'.

Any comments on that from people who have one?

The original specs I wanted are roughly the same as now:
I want:
- 13"-15" screen (as opposed to 17", too big for the train)
- SSD for the primary drive
- Another internal HDD for additional storage
- Min 8GB RAM, upgradable to 16 or 32gb.
- Optical drive not needed
- Budget: $1500 give or take - looks like I might need to go to $1800.

It looks like I'm not going to find one that has a good SSD and a good HDD - I'll probably have to switch out an optical drive after.

I'm resigned to Windows 8.1 now, which I guess is why a touchscreen 'might' be ok :)

Thanks for any input.

[michaellxv]

I don't have one, but i've lost count of the number of times I have tried to touch something on the screen of a now old laptop or even desktop screen :rofl:

[Phil Hart]

Bit more expensive, but I have my eye on an Acer Aspire S7:

http://www.scorptec.com.au/computer/51438-s7-392-74508g25tws

There's an equivalent Sony VAIO that has wider monitor gamut, but I think a half-decent IPS monitor on the S7 will be plenty good enough for me - hoping to check one out in person someday. But since I just bought a house all other purchases are on hold!

Phil

[killswitch]

If your after an Ultrabook, you wont find anything better than a Lenovo X1 Carbon (http://shopap.lenovo.com/au/en/laptops/thinkpad/x-series/x1-carbon/#tab-features_). The build quality and features is unmatched.

-Carbon fibre rollcage
-14" screen on 13" form factor
-Lightest ultrabook in the world(1.36kg)
-Rapid charge battery to 80% in 35mins
-Mil spec
-Windows 7 or 8
-3G (optional)

Base model starts at around $1500 and you can customise the specs to your needs. It goes a couple hundred cheaper when on sale or if you find a coupon.

[Barrykgerdes]

It depends mostly on what you want a computer for.

I have four laptop/notebooks of various ages. The latest is a Toshiba that now has win 8.1 on it, no touch screen I also have a touch screen on my Nexus (haven't turned it on in weeks)

The one that I use most (in bed with a mouse) is an Acer (el cheapo) with win 7 and that is only because the screen is cactus on my old Acer with XP
When I was in hospital 7 months ago I used one of those small notebooks with XP from a couple of years ago and found it ideal for the purpose. Particularly to use as light when my bed lamp did not work!

The new Toshiba gets virtually no use. It is a bit of a dog to use so I only use it for testing new programs.

My main use is for emails, forums (this and nzmeccano), Solitaire that I play while waiting for uploads / downloads and programs compiling in the background.


Barry

[Steffen]

Only if you want a Windows Ultrabook. The Macbook Air is lighter, faster and cheaper, and has much better battery life. But I think Mike is after a Windows laptop, so your suggestion is valid.

Cheers
Steffen.

[killswitch]

Yes the Macbook air is a good option if your after a 13" ultrabook.

The X1 has a 14" screen on a 13" body. Its got a higher res screen and anti-glare coating (useful when outdoors)

X1 is due for another hardware refresh soon so there should be a sale on before Christmas.

[Steffen]

If they move to the current generation of Intel chips (Haswell, HD5000) it should be nice performer and have better battery life.

Cheers
Steffen.

[acropolite]

+ 1 for Lenovo although I bought the Edge series in i7 Quad core. The only minus with my particular Lenovo is that the keys are black with grey lettering, not easy to use in darkness compared with my old Toshi and it's Silver keys with black. One plus with the Lenovo Edge that I got was that (of the 3 usb's) it had one USB2 port, which came in very handy as the SSAG isn't happy on USB3. Battery life is spectacular in comparison with my Old Toshi.

[siriuslyfuzzy]

I see some pretty flash laptops mentioned here ...so for a basic eq6 mount ....what specs will I need for a guide scope and laptop set up...?

by specs I mean ..hard drive .. ram ..speed etc

[mithrandir]

Mick, I can run PHD for guiding and Nebulosity for capture on an Acer notebook with 2GB RAM and Windows XP, and also run a planetarium program like CdC at the same time.
I would not want to try doing much image processing on it.

[siriuslyfuzzy]

yeah that's cool ..I can do processing on my desktop..cheers

[Astro_Bot]

Pardon me for tacking on to this thread, but I have a related question:

If the processing workflow is split with a first stage consisting of registering-aligning-stacking and a second stage consisting of denoising, sharpening, stretching, colour adjusting (and anyting else), then would the first stage hardware requirements be significantly less than the second? For example, could the first stage be done adequately during quiet time (a.k.a. daytime) when not imaging, using a modest laptop in the field?

(I've only mucked about with small images so far, and haven't got up to things like wavelet processing yet).