Need Recomendations On Buying A Laptop

[intocomputing2]

I have a friend that is looking to purchase a laptop powerful enough to do some heavy processing. Can anyone recommend a system in particular? What kind of processor and how much Ram memory is recommended for a heavy loads of work?

Edited May 18, 2008 by intocomputing2

[shanenin]

You probably would want to find a laptop with a core2duo proc with at least 2gbs of ram

[intocomputing2]

You probably would want to find a laptop with a core2duo proc with at least 2gbs of ram

It's Core 2 Duo enough to work with satellite images? It's basically for processing satellite images, using programs like Arc gis and Erdas.

[shanenin]

It is the fastest current processor used in laptops. You may want to max the ram out.

[jcl]

It is the fastest current processor used in laptops.

Except for a handful of Core 2 Quad 'laptops' that you'd never want anywhere near your lap.

[intocomputing2]

I have a question are all the processors for laptops "Intel Centrino - Core 2 Duo inside" or are there several types of them? such as: Wolfdale, Yorkfield, Conroe, Kentsfield, Harpertown for the desktop?

[hitest]

My daughter is happy with her new macbook, it has a 2.4 GHz intel core duo processor with 2GB RAM, and a DVD/CD burner. Those specs should do you, if not then like shanenin said max out the RAM.

[jcl]

I have a question are all the processors for laptops "Intel Centrino - Core 2 Duo inside" or are there several types of them? such as: Wolfdale, Yorkfield, Conroe, Kentsfield, Harpertown for the desktop?

The mobile Core 2's are Merom (first generation) and Penryn (second generation). The next generation, based on Nehalem, is scheduled for late '08 or early '09.

There are also several generations of Centrino platform: Napa (first Core 2 generation), Santa Rosa (current generation), Montevina ("Centrino 2", scheduled for June), and Calpella (scheduled for mid-'09).

Edited May 20, 2008 by jcl

[intocomputing2]

I have a question are all the processors for laptops "Intel Centrino - Core 2 Duo inside" or are there several types of them? such as: Wolfdale, Yorkfield, Conroe, Kentsfield, Harpertown for the desktop?

The mobile Core 2's are Merom (first generation) and Penryn (second generation). The next generation, based on Nehalem, is scheduled for late '08 or early '09.

There are also several generations of Centrino platform: Napa (first Core 2 generation), Santa Rosa (current generation), Montevina ("Centrino 2", scheduled for June), and Calpella (scheduled for mid-'09).

Which processor from all the Core 2 Duos would you recommend? the system will be doing some heavy processing, as said before, it will be working with satellite images using software like Erdas and Arc gis, also I'm thinking the laptop would need at least 4 GB of RAM to work with these.

Edited May 20, 2008 by intocomputing2

[jcl]

Which processor from all the Core 2 Duos would you recommend?

It's not entirely obvious to me how the CPU would affect GISy-image-processy work. Based on absolutely no evidence whatsoever, I suspect that memory and disk performance would be more important than CPU performance; if that's the case, I think it would be worth, if possible, waiting a month or two for Montevina and its 1066 MT/s FSB, assuming that it makes a different in the real world, and seeing what CPUs are shipping with it.

Also, I have no idea what processors are on the market. I stopped paying attention a few years ago.

So, no recommendation.

the system will be doing some heavy processing, as said before, it will be working with satellite images using software like Erdas and Arc gis, also I'm thinking the laptop would need at least 4 GB of RAM to work with these.

4 GiB of RAM sounds about right.

Edited May 20, 2008 by jcl