Question:
Budget Notebook for architect
I'm a desktop user and a bit clueless as to how I'll get my first laptop. I'm from the Philippines,and one of my major considerations is if the brand has a service center here in our country. Performance is also important because I'll be using this mostly for work. Budget is very limited, so I'm expecting just the bare essentials in a good performing laptop.
Thanks in advance and hope you can help me.
General Questions
1) What is your budget?
$1000, could throw in a few hundreds if reasonable
2) What size notebook would you prefer?
c. Mainstream; 15" - 16" screen
3) What tasks will you be performing with the notebook?
Will be used mostly for work. I'm an architect so I use a lot of CAD, revit (maybe in the future), photoshop, sketchup. Will also use for net surfing, downloading, music and occasional movie watching.
4) Will you be taking the notebook with you to different places or leaving it on your desk?
Will use it during meetings with clients, but other than that, portability is not a big issue.
5) Will you be playing games on it; if so, which games?
Not really.
6) Are there any brands that you prefer or any you really don't like?
I prefer Dell because of the price, but I'm not sure if they have a service center here in the Philippines.
7) How many hours of battery life do you need?
3-4 hours
8) Do you mind buying online without seeing the notebook in person?
No
9) Please select your country's flag as a post icon and tell us what country are you buying this in?
I'm from the Philippines but I'll be asking my cousin from LA to buy one in the States and take it her with when she visits me here in Manila next month.
Screen Specifics
10) Would you prefer standard or widescreen?
widescreen
11) From the choices below, what screen resolutions would you prefer?
e. WSXGA+ - 1680x1050; Wider viewing version of SXGA, good for movie viewing or spreadsheets.
12) Do you want a glossy/reflective screen or a matte/non-glossy screen?
Prefer not glossy, not an issue though.
Build Quality and Design
13) Are the notebook's looks and stylishness important to you?
Yes, simple and professional
14) When are you buying this laptop and how long do you want this laptop to last?
This month if possible. I've heard about merom, and if it's worth the wait, then I can wait longer. Will use it for 4-5 years.
Notebook Components
15) How much hard drive space do you want; 40GB to 120GB?
80+++
16) Do you need an optical drive? If yes, a DVD-ROM, DVD-CD/RW or DVD-RW drive?
Yes, DVD-CD/RW
Answer:
Re: Budget Notebook for architect
if you can spend ~ $1300 get this:
DELL Inspiron E1705, 17" with WUXGA (1920x1200)
1 GIG DDR2 ram 667Mhz
100gig 7200 RPM Harddrive
Intel Core Duo T2500 2.0GHz
CD/DVD dual layer burner
..
...
also check out this post about DELL warranty overseas:
Answer:
Re: Budget Notebook for architect
Perhaps the Dell D820 with the Qaudro card.
Answer:
Re: Budget Notebook for architect
Thanks Zaz/teamkillahilla for the help.
I'm considering Dell D820/D620 and Inspiron e1505. The Nvidea option of e1705 is really nice, but 17" is a bit too big for me. I'm also looking at Acer Aspire 5670 Series. Is this ok for autocadding and photshopping?
Answer:
Re: Budget Notebook for architect
The Quadro cards in the Dells are optimzed for CAD. Photoshop tends to be more CPU and memory intensive than GPU unless you are doing really high end stuff.
Answer:
Re: Budget Notebook for architect
Hi guys.
My cousin just bought me an Acer Aspire 5102WLMi from Circuit City, with the same specs as the review on this site.
I feel satisfied about the purchase although I won't be able to see it until Tuesday next week. I'm excited!
What do you think? Would I be able to run autocad and photoshop decently on this laptop.
Answer:
Re: Budget Notebook for architect
As noted, Photoshop tends to be CPU and memory instensive than GPU. The Core Duo is faster than the Turion x2. I guess it will depend on what you are doing in CAD, but the ATI Radeon xPress 1100 on the 5102 is an integrated graphics card.
Answer:
Re: Budget Notebook for architect
I was a bit concerned about the graphic card so I called up my cousin and she said its ATI radeon mobility. Thanks for the help guys. Can't wait to try my first laptop.
Answer:
Re: Budget Notebook for architect
My cousin will arrive this Tuesday, together with my new laptop. But because of the recent events, they're gonna check-in the laptop together with the other baggages. :(