Powerful laptop
- Thread starter mgookin
- Start date
The laptop I use for my primary job and trading is a Dell Studio 15 with an i7-720m. I'm often running 2+ VMs and i have my trading platform and chat rooms on another virtual desktop (sysinternals desktops) and it doesn't break a sweat.
It's a reasonable size unlike those unholy 17"+ laptops. I have full 1920x1080 resolution and most importantly it comes in a wide array of colors.
It's a reasonable size unlike those unholy 17"+ laptops. I have full 1920x1080 resolution and most importantly it comes in a wide array of colors.
After deciding my time is worth more than I was spending, I stopped looking. I took the link from techbargains and ordered a Dell Vostro 3400 Core i3 2.4ghz w/ 2gb DDR3 1DIMM which means I can put another 2gb chip in there and have 4gb ram.
I'll try it out and if it works for this project I have going I'll be ordering some more
Two reasons I went this route:
They'll overnight it to me today (they call it Fast Track) and for $59 more I got an "Accidential Damage" warranty to protect against "...drops, spills,..." I collect astronomical data out in a swamp in the everglades in the middle of the night. Ya just never know if it might get a bit wet.
Total price with extra warranty coverage and overnight is $708.xx.
Plus they give me 21 days to make sure it interfaces with my instrumentation; that's been a big issue lately getting ports to talk to instruments and exporting data.
Thanks to everyone for the feedback. Assume the Vostro is good to go. If not I'll be on here badmouthing them
I'll try it out and if it works for this project I have going I'll be ordering some more
Two reasons I went this route:
They'll overnight it to me today (they call it Fast Track) and for $59 more I got an "Accidential Damage" warranty to protect against "...drops, spills,..." I collect astronomical data out in a swamp in the everglades in the middle of the night. Ya just never know if it might get a bit wet.
Total price with extra warranty coverage and overnight is $708.xx.
Plus they give me 21 days to make sure it interfaces with my instrumentation; that's been a big issue lately getting ports to talk to instruments and exporting data.
Thanks to everyone for the feedback. Assume the Vostro is good to go. If not I'll be on here badmouthing them
I just got an i3 laptop a couple of weeks ago. It's very fast. It's like it is running 4 CPUs at once!
I have the Vostro 3700. Nice machine but noise problems with CPU. Dell sending me a new one as we speak after they replaced everything in this one trying to fix it.
I3 is more than enough for me. I can barely get the CPU up to 10% with everything I can think of running. And oddly enough it's the CPU low powered state that creates the noise!
Quote from mgookin:
After deciding my time is worth more than I was spending, I stopped looking. I took the link from techbargains and ordered a Dell Vostro 3400 Core i3 2.4ghz w/ 2gb DDR3 1DIMM which means I can put another 2gb chip in there and have 4gb ram.
I'll try it out and if it works for this project I have going I'll be ordering some more
Two reasons I went this route:
They'll overnight it to me today (they call it Fast Track) and for $59 more I got an "Accidential Damage" warranty to protect against "...drops, spills,..." I collect astronomical data out in a swamp in the everglades in the middle of the night. Ya just never know if it might get a bit wet.
Total price with extra warranty coverage and overnight is $708.xx.
Plus they give me 21 days to make sure it interfaces with my instrumentation; that's been a big issue lately getting ports to talk to instruments and exporting data.
Thanks to everyone for the feedback. Assume the Vostro is good to go. If not I'll be on here badmouthing them
you dicked around for three week then ended up overnighting smthg less than half as awesome
Why is the most powerful laptop you can buy today still so much slower than the fast desktop? For example, the faster laptop you can buy today probably is only about 60% performance that of an i7-930 chip?
What are the limiting factors? Is it in power consumption? Is it in cooling?
Maybe if someone can put an i7-930 chip and the supporting circuits in a small pizza box for easy carrying... there might be a small niche market for it?
What are the limiting factors? Is it in power consumption? Is it in cooling?
Maybe if someone can put an i7-930 chip and the supporting circuits in a small pizza box for easy carrying... there might be a small niche market for it?
Quote from killthesunshine:
you dicked around for three week then ended up overnighting smthg less than half as awesome
Yes I dicked around for 3 weeks - admitted.
First reason for going with this system is Accidental Damage coverage. It is used in abnormal conditions.
Second reason is low power consumption and ability to handle large data sets. I accrue about 35,000 rows of data per hour to MS Excel and this system is x64 compatible. I get Win7 Ultimate x64 for free along with Office 2007 so it's going to run both of them and that's about all it will do as a dedicated system.
By Monday I should be all set with setting up and testing it to fit the intended function.
And Dell also said 21 days to return it if it does not suit my needs.
The i3 is a very low power cpu which operates competitively with the i7 which uses much more power (killing batteries sooner and generating heat).
Thanks to everyone who had input their opinions & suggestions.