My boss has agreed to replace my desktop HP workstation with a laptop/docking station so I can bring my work home and, essentially, work more. Yay? I need recommendations.
February 7, 2008 6:48 PM Subscribe
My boss has agreed to replace my desktop HP workstation with a laptop/docking station so I can bring my work home and, essentially, work more. Yay? I need recommendations.
I am a graphic and industrial designer, and it will be used primarily for Photoshop and Illustrator, with some 3D CAD software such as Pro/E and CoCreate Onespace. The 3D work is pretty small and simple stuff, and nothing that a regular consumer level video card can't handle.
It has to be fairly portable - I think a 15.4" is fine. Lots of horsepower and some nice design and features are desired. No brand preference.
I would easily go with the Dell XPS M1330 or M1530, but there doesn't seem to be a docking station that is fully compatible with them.
What do you recommend?
I am a graphic and industrial designer, and it will be used primarily for Photoshop and Illustrator, with some 3D CAD software such as Pro/E and CoCreate Onespace. The 3D work is pretty small and simple stuff, and nothing that a regular consumer level video card can't handle.
It has to be fairly portable - I think a 15.4" is fine. Lots of horsepower and some nice design and features are desired. No brand preference.
I would easily go with the Dell XPS M1330 or M1530, but there doesn't seem to be a docking station that is fully compatible with them.
What do you recommend?
I am a graphic and industrial designer, and it will be used primarily for Photoshop and Illustrator, with some 3D CAD software such as Pro/E and CoCreate Onespace.
Call me a stuck record, but...
posted by -harlequin- at 7:10 PM on February 7, 2008
Call me a stuck record, but...
posted by -harlequin- at 7:10 PM on February 7, 2008
So I use an HP Pavilion 6000z 15.4" widescreen with HP's Docking Station which can be had for around $100 if you look around, or cheaper.
I use a Matrox DualHead2Go Digital to push my laptop, when docked to two Dell UltraSharp 2007WFP displays which I got through their outlet store for about $360, but availability swings a lot.
The DualHead2Go does an incredibly decent job at giving me dual display on a laptop which functions solidly and is built very well. (And whose screen is gorgeous; you can use it while pushing out to the DualHead for three displays, effectively.)
The DualHead2Go Digital allows me to output at the monitor native res of 1680x1050 for each of them, which is important.
The DualHead is a bit pricey, but the non-digital can't do the widescreen at that size. The HP laptops are VERY capable and fast, the newer one would be the 6500t or 6700t or z. Make sure you get 2 GB of RAM for Vista and you're good to go.
Cheers.
posted by disillusioned at 12:15 AM on February 8, 2008 [1 favorite]
I use a Matrox DualHead2Go Digital to push my laptop, when docked to two Dell UltraSharp 2007WFP displays which I got through their outlet store for about $360, but availability swings a lot.
The DualHead2Go does an incredibly decent job at giving me dual display on a laptop which functions solidly and is built very well. (And whose screen is gorgeous; you can use it while pushing out to the DualHead for three displays, effectively.)
The DualHead2Go Digital allows me to output at the monitor native res of 1680x1050 for each of them, which is important.
The DualHead is a bit pricey, but the non-digital can't do the widescreen at that size. The HP laptops are VERY capable and fast, the newer one would be the 6500t or 6700t or z. Make sure you get 2 GB of RAM for Vista and you're good to go.
Cheers.
posted by disillusioned at 12:15 AM on February 8, 2008 [1 favorite]
Some things I like about HP's laptops:
Dual headphone jacks and SPDIF output
3 USB 2.0 ports
Firewire
An integrated SD-MS/Pro-MMC-XD memory card reader (a lifesaver if you do anything with a camera)
And the build quality is seriously nice. All the ports are on the side. The battery life is, eh, but could be better, but the screen is gorgeous and the keyboard is fully usable.
I don't work for them or anything, but we have 3 in the office, just tested 3 tablets and I've had experience with a bunch of others and they're all pretty awesome. Plus, my configuration is *very* nice, as it acts as a full desktop at work. Dual display and all. :-)
posted by disillusioned at 12:19 AM on February 8, 2008
Dual headphone jacks and SPDIF output
3 USB 2.0 ports
Firewire
An integrated SD-MS/Pro-MMC-XD memory card reader (a lifesaver if you do anything with a camera)
And the build quality is seriously nice. All the ports are on the side. The battery life is, eh, but could be better, but the screen is gorgeous and the keyboard is fully usable.
I don't work for them or anything, but we have 3 in the office, just tested 3 tablets and I've had experience with a bunch of others and they're all pretty awesome. Plus, my configuration is *very* nice, as it acts as a full desktop at work. Dual display and all. :-)
posted by disillusioned at 12:19 AM on February 8, 2008
posted by furtive at 5:15 AM on February 8, 2008
This thread is closed to new comments.
The docking station is particularly rugged, and I've not had a single problem with it, in more than 2-1/2 years of daily commuter use. Making a list of everything I like about it would be hard, but it's just one of those products that strikes me as having a lot of thought put into every aspect of its design. (E.g. the cable-lock port on the docking station, when inserted locks the computer into the dock...meaning you can use one cable to secure both your laptop and the dock to your desk. The posts that the computer locks down onto are very rugged and don't snap off if you're rough on it. It's just a lot of little things like that.)
posted by Kadin2048 at 7:00 PM on February 7, 2008