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Fast GHz CPU rather than more cores will help. Memory is cheap so get heaps, but above 3.5GB you need a 64bit OS (I use full Window 7 on mine). Storage, get a Solid State Drive (SSD) rather than a Hard Disc Drive (HDD) as SSD can be written to MUCH faster than HDD. Large SSD is essential, you will run out of space fast. USB 3 if possible (not all usb cams support it but you will be limiting yourself if your cam does and you only use it on usb2 ports. Don't have anything else installed or running if you want to get the best capture rate and limit dropped frames. I dedicated a laptop entirely to just capturing and its so much better once I reinstalled the system with just the minimal for capturing. Any compromise you make will limit your peformance, I got a thinkpad with 16GB ram, 3.2+GHZ i7, Windows 7, 320GB SSD + external SSD to transfer captures to and free up space quicker on longer sessions. I use a ZWO 120 MC and can get above 120 FPS reliably (I usually capture at 800x600 roughly, not full resolution, as my targets are small in the view anyway why waste FPS on capturing so much wasted space. I only capture full resolution for lunar mosaics.)
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