Best laptop for AutoCAD, 3Dmax, Adobe CC

Charlilu

Estimable
Feb 26, 2015
5
0
4,510
Hi,

I really tried researching, but seem to just find lists of letters and numbers and no real answer! help!

I need a laptop that can handle the newest 3Dmax, as well as AutoCAD (for the most part just 2D) as well as Adobe - Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign.

My tech knowledge is zilch, so please stretch out abbreviations.
Autodesk website gives some hints, but frankly its all greek to me. I stumbled at the section where you choose between System Hardware and Graphics Hardware. aaaargh, both are important aren't they???

I would prefer a laptop to a workstation but would be interested in how they compare.

Basically I am looking to practice the software as I have recently learned AutoCAD and 3Dmax, with the aim of getting a job within Set Design in Exhibition/Event Industry. From that point it will have a sharp increase in use.

For all I know, when i get a job, the perfect computer will be provided. But for now i need a competent one of my own.

It would be nice if it didn't take a whole day for something to be rendered, though i know things can be outsourced to another machine.
and i read that you shouldn't prioritise this aspect over other features, which are more important.

So i imagine I need to give you more information to help you help me, fire away and ask me as i don't know what you need.

I am in the UK, England.

Will get back to you on budget.

I don't need top of the range, but maybe better than basic.

A decent screen size and resolution - like goldilocks here, not too small to work on or too big to transport. any advice from experience?

i have an external hard drive - will that help out with performance etc?


I hear Dell Precision is good.

Perhaps if someone can break down the specs of what I should need, incl the real-world difference in the options of each spec, it might give me a fighting chance to make my own decision, as model numbers of i.e. graphics cards mean nothing to me, and i don't know at what point something is too much or too little..
I imagine some video will be created in the animation of a Set Design presentation, but probably a few seconds to a minute long, at a guess.

As for operating system- Windows 7.5/8, is there one to avoid if possible?

Side question; lets say i had something big i wanted to render and my computer or office 'render farm' (whatever) was struggling, is there a company/website you can send it to to render fairly quickly? if not there should be.

Thank you for all and any help. Hope this isn't a headache to answer.
Charlilu
 
Solution
Budget is "all important" here, so do get back to us on that. It's very hard to get the best hardware specs for the buck, without knowing the buck amount.

As far as for what you are planning to do, my recommendation would be something with an i7 processor, at least 8 and preferably 16GB of RAM (Memory), a solid state drive (SSD) for the operating system and/or at least a 1TB secondary hard disk drive, whether internal or an external USB connected drive, for storage of large files, which you WILL have working with 3D and CAD applications.

On the graphics side of things, a workstation graphics adapter is nice, but they are expensive and don't generally provide much that a decent gaming GPU can't provide, so you should be fine with any...
Budget is "all important" here, so do get back to us on that. It's very hard to get the best hardware specs for the buck, without knowing the buck amount.

As far as for what you are planning to do, my recommendation would be something with an i7 processor, at least 8 and preferably 16GB of RAM (Memory), a solid state drive (SSD) for the operating system and/or at least a 1TB secondary hard disk drive, whether internal or an external USB connected drive, for storage of large files, which you WILL have working with 3D and CAD applications.

On the graphics side of things, a workstation graphics adapter is nice, but they are expensive and don't generally provide much that a decent gaming GPU can't provide, so you should be fine with any upper-medium to high end gaming graphics adapter and I would think anything starting with a GTX 860m and up would be suitable. Units with discreet workstation graphics adapters will likely run 200-500 dollars more than similarly equipped units that have gaming cards.
 
Solution

Charlilu

Estimable
Feb 26, 2015
5
0
4,510
Hi thanks very much for your reply.
I am still trying to digest it, but for now I can say, close to £1000 is preferable with £2000 being the max.
* incl VAT (20%) and any customs/import charges, also roughly 20% of value and delivery combined. Though I imagine I would only pay one or the other.
I can not be sure!

Thanks
:^)

 
This would be a good choice at £1399.00, although I can't seem to find out if the screen is an IPS panel or a TN. Everything about it is exceptional in terms of hardware requirements though. It has:

•17.3" Full HD 1920X1080 LED Screen
•Intel i7-4710MQ Quad Core CPU
•16GB DDR3 PC1600 Ram
•120GB SSD + 1TB 2.5in Hard Drive
•3GB Nvidia Geforce GTX 870M Graphics
•6 hours battery life

http://www.amazon.co.uk/4710MQ-Gaming-Laptop-Graphics-Windows/dp/B00CHMEDQ6/ref=sr_1_4?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1425055337&sr=1-4&keywords=laptop+gtx+870m#productDetails


The 870m would be capable of any kind of CAD or 3D rendering you want to throw at it. I'll keep my eye open for a unit with good workstation graphics and an IPS display just in case that unit is not to your liking.
 

Charlilu

Estimable
Feb 26, 2015
5
0
4,510
Hi
Many thanks for finding one, I am giving it a lot of thought, I will mostly just check out the retailer 'Anglian Internet' to make sure they are as good as their product, I was a bit unsure at first as it was through amazon. But otherwise it seems great.
- IPS is widescreen, right??

I also found it very helpful to use this, as a springboard into researching other possible candidates.
And wondered if you would be so kind as to give the following a once over to see how they would compare in your experienced eyes.
I find it a little difficult as each one organises the information differently, some more detailed than others.

I tried educating myself on SSDs, Hybrids etc, (and everything else the Dell guides could throw at me) and understand they are better than the others, but still not confident in this area tbh.

Then there is the i7-4710HQ (PC World) vs the i7-4710MQ (amazon)
Both are Quad core, which i assume the 'Q' stands for, is there really a difference?
so what does a 'U' mean? mind-boggled.

is a higher DDR number indicative of better quality?
like i say numbers and letters, and no meaning.


The touchscreen part is irrelevant but interesting. They just happened to have it in some I found.

-----------------------------------

http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/s_action/compare/10107139-10071503.html
----if this link doesn't work see bottom of message

http://www.dabs.com/products/msi-ge70-2pe-409uk-apache-pro-i7-4710hq-16gb-256gb-1tb-17-3--windows-8-1-9VK5.html?refs=499810000-503710000-479460000-487150000-51220000&src=3#

------------------------------------------------------

Is there a real diff between NVIDIA and AMD?
And since you highlighted the 870M, I know some i found are just below that at 860M and 845M .... how will that impact?


I found these (link below) after i studied the one you found, Im starting to think that they (Dell) aren't as good as the ones I found later (PC World etc) and probably the one you found.
But thought it worth including anyhow.

http://www.dell.com/uk/business/p/configuration-compare.aspx?returnURL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dell.com%2Fuk%2Fbusiness%2Fp%2Flaptops.aspx%3Fc%3Duk%26l%3Den%26s%3Dbsd%26~ck%3Dmn%23!facets%3D41105~0~4657357%26p%3D1#overrides=
------- if link doesn't work see below.



Just incase the link (which is a page comparing models) doesn't work properly, these are the individual pages: :

http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/laptops-netbooks/laptops/laptops/lenovo-y70-17-3-touchscreen-gaming-laptop-black-10107139-pdt.html#cat-0

http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/laptops-netbooks/laptops/laptops/lenovo-y70-17-3-touchscreen-gaming-laptop-black-10071503-pdt.html#cat-0

http://www.dell.com/uk/business/p/inspiron-17-7746-laptop/pd?oc=bn74604&model_id=inspiron-17-7746-laptop

http://www.dell.com/uk/business/p/inspiron-15-7548-laptop/pd?oc=bn75804&model_id=inspiron-15-7548-laptop


I really really appreciate your time and help in this.
thank you so much
Charlilu :pt1cable:
 
No IPS and TN are TYPES of LCD/LED panels. TN panels generally are cheaper, but in some cases have a faster response time, but viewing angles may not be great and color accuracy is usually not the absolute best.

IPS panels have more accurate color and good viewing angles, but might not be as fast as some TN panels, along with being more expensive. For gaming, TN panels are fine in my book but some people don't like the limited viewing angles.

For graphic artists and anybody who does graphic related work, you want an IPS panel. Gamers usually are fine with a TN, but some guys like to have both very accurate color and fast response times.
 

Charlilu

Estimable
Feb 26, 2015
5
0
4,510
Wow that's a great explanation, I guess MAC computers have IPS as I can see them properly at every angle, and most my laptops in past have been TN, judging by what you have said.

Well I don't know about the links I included in my last post, I will have to dig through and see if it specifies IPS.
Do you think the one you found is better than ones I looked at? Or is there good similarity, just wanted a few options to consider.

I will contact the Amazon seller about the IPS/TN question.

Thanks Sora aswell, I think NV is promoted more than AMD when I tried researching it, so quite happy to stick with that if you recommend it too, above AMD.

Thanks again guys.
 
It's highly doubtful that a business class laptop is going to have an IPS display. Those types of units are generally intended for running office and database applications and browsing. High end models potentially may, but I'd verify vigorously. I think the model I linked to is likely to be the best offering for the money. Consider that I spend hours per day doing this and have probably looked at the majority of what's out there, so that you don't have to. That doesn't mean that there are never units or offering that may slip through the cracks or be on special though.
 

Charlilu

Estimable
Feb 26, 2015
5
0
4,510
Hi

Sorry for delayed reply, my radio card on current laptop blew recently; the phone is literally a pain to reply on, and frankly hard to absorb techie stuff as i like to study it all.
Just found a cable to plug in.

Anyways cheers for the ace advice, really appreciate what you have taught me, 'teach a man to fish' as they say.

Found a few sites that configure laptops too, so will see how it all shapes up on the offerings table, alongside yours.
*Especially as I found out I can exclude the VAT from the budget, which wasn't what i originally thought.
Plus my AutoCAD and 3Ds MAX tutors still recommend the Quadro, but i will battle it out with them next week as I go on a refresh course.
Thanks a billion darkbreeze :^)

Charlii