laptop For CAD

theboyrob · 11 Jun 2009 at 12:45

I am looking for a laptop for some good performance, mainly Solidworks 2009.

I currently use a desktop with a Q6600 and a 256mb Quadro card so would like similar performance if possible from a laptop. Looking to spend toweards the £1000 mark.

Thanks!

DB_SamX · 11 Jun 2009 at 13:12

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showpost.php?p=14230279&postcount=2

The Acer in my link might be ok and it has a nice big screen and lots of RAM. I wouldn't know how the processor and graphics card compare to your existing ones though.

I've had a laptop bought for CAD before. Biggest screen, RAM and graphics were might priority in that order.

alastair · 11 Jun 2009 at 20:05

Haven't used solidworks in years; but day to day Autocad with some large 2D / 3D files. I have tried gaming laptops and they just don't cut it from a dedicate perspective; but are suitable for a multi-use machines for a bit of gaming / CAD / and office etc.

Besides clock speed and a bundle of ram; you need a quad graphics card.

You can get an nvidia quattro in some of the better gaming machines, but they are +1.5k; dell precision are hard to beat on the price (and in the current climate I have heard of some bargins). There is also someone on ebay selling 3 year warrented dells from customer returns (based somewhere near newcastle).

I beleive the nvidia 770fx is based on a 9600GT (but with 4 processors as oposed to 1 on the 96), so it will be fair / ok with most games.

lay-z-boy · 11 Jun 2009 at 21:26

All of the dell precision laptops have quadro's and Latitude E6x00 have them too. Most of them are within budget.

Might be worth a look?

Emlyn_Dewar · 14 Jun 2009 at 11:50

Would you buy used at all?
The old Precision M6300s are pretty solid and can be got hold of relatively cheap now on the bay.
We have a few of them at work with the FX1700m, they run Solidworks/Autocad no bother.

alastair · 14 Jun 2009 at 21:39

I would generally not buy a second hand laptop. I'm looking for a new gaming machine, but as OC will not offer a 3 year warrenty, I am now looking at Kobalt for the exact same machine..... frustrating.

But if I was looking for a dell (I'm not), this guy in Newcastle has them at good prices with a full 3 year dell backed warrenty. I would want details of the warrenty, but if it stacked up, then no problems. A search in e-bay for £1000+ precisions will find his shop.

An old M70 Precision we have is still going strong (if a little slower then the current crop).