Help choosing the right laptop! (architecture school)

Mikey Schechner

Honorable
May 12, 2013
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10,510
I'm looking for help choosing the right laptop for architecture school next year. Since I pretty much don't know anything about computers, I was hoping you would!

I will be using programs such as autoCAD, Rhinoceros, Photoshop, Revit, Ecotect, and 3Ds Max Design.

These are all either CAD programs or 3D and rendering programs.

I am currently looking at 3 computer possibilites but would love suggestions!

1: Retina Macbook Pro - flash memory, 2.7ghz intel i7. ---- I'm also waiting to see if they come out with a haswell macbook pro. Basically maxed out MBP.

- Note: All of the programs will be used in windows, so I would have to run bootcamp. Do you think this would make the MBP inefficient and would it be pointless to get one? I really enjoy using apple OS, but is bootcamp crap since windows is not native?

2: MSI GT70 0NE-609US

- I know that this is a gaming notebook, do you think that this would be bad for the programs I need? - I would like to be able to play some games too, but I won't be playing very heavy games. Most likely portal, simcity, other strategy games, maybe the occasional bf3 (but I won't die if it is 30fps). Is this computer overkill?

3: MSI GT60 0NG-294US

- This is probably the closest computer I can find that's meant for my programs. But what is it about this computer that makes it good for these tasks? Could this computer run some games?

- Is there any use for Raid 0?

- Would it be best to upgrade to 32gb of ram? - What does this do opposed to 16 or 12?

- Is there anything else I should look at? Price is not very important at the moment, so I would feel fine upgrading the MSI's on xoticpc.com if need be.

Thank you so much for your help! :)

Cheers!
:pt1cable:
- Michael