Need help fast please regarding laptop for cad

[killadoob]

Im looking for the same laptop, did you manage to find/choose something?

Yup that mecer one looks good. I think they are going with that. Sandy bride cpu and 8gb memory with free windows 7 64 bit . They do not offer free windows though.

 

[Pada]

The Mecer without Windows is an awesome option if your work place has a Microsoft Volume License agreement, because then you can get Windows 7 Enterprise edition on your laptop without wasting the DSP/OEM license

 

[Subways81]

From what I can see, it has no dedicated GPU which is a major requirement for CAD

GeForce GT-540M with 1GB DDR3 dedicated graphics

Sorry, reread and actually read this time

 

[Subways81]

Cant find a better deal!! Hows the Mecers on build quality?

 

[silentbee]

From what I can see, it has no dedicated GPU which is a major requirement for CAD

Definately.

 

[Subways81]

Definately.

I was mistaken, it seems like it does have a dedicated GPU, the GeForce GT540M 1GB which looks like quite a decent card

 

[Subways81]

or how would you decipher this

Embedded nVidia GeForce GT-540M with 1GB DDR3 dedicated graphics and nvidia optimus with Intel HD shared graphic

 

[silentbee]

Is it two cards? Integrated and dedicated? I see several laptops that now do that, allowing you to switch between for stamina or speed. I dunno. Anyhow a decent graphics card is essential.

 

[ponder]

or how would you decipher this

Embedded nVidia GeForce GT-540M with 1GB DDR3 dedicated graphics and nvidia optimus with Intel HD shared graphic

It has two GPU's. Under higher load the processing is offloaded from the Intel gpu to the nVidia gpu. While just surfing, reading email, using office apps etc the nVidia GPU is powered down. This feature is there to save power and battery life.

http://www.nvidia.com/object/optimus_technology.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nvidia_Optimus

 

[Subways81]

It has two GPU's. Under higher load the processing is offloaded from the Intel gpu to the nVidia gpu. While just surfing, reading email, using office apps etc the nVidia GPU is powered down. This feature is there to save power and battery life.

http://www.nvidia.com/object/optimus_technology.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nvidia_Optimus

Thanks, im thinking ill just uninstall the intel Driver so it permanently uses the proper GPU. Battery life on a 17" Full HD beasty isnt really a major concern for me.

 

[Subways81]

http://www.laptopdirect.co.za/laptop_specifications.php?laptop=42274

Bit more expensive, but the Nvidea GTX-460M wis well worth it. i7 2630QM, 8GB Ram, 500GB 7200rpm HDD, and BlueRay Writer for R11407.

 

[ponder]

Thanks, im thinking ill just uninstall the intel Driver so it permanently uses the proper GPU. Battery life on a 17" Full HD beasty isnt really a major concern for me.

I'm not sure you can do that as the nVidia GPU uses the Intel GPU to output the display. I have read that on some laptops there is a option in the BIOS to disable one of the GPUs but I can't recall which one it disables and not all laptops have this feature.

I don't really see the need to disable it though, it works kinda like a CPUs speedstep feature where it downclocks & powers off unused cores.

 

[Subways81]

I'm not sure you can do that as the nVidia GPU uses the Intel GPU to output the display. I have read that on some laptops there is a option in the BIOS to disable one of the GPUs but I can't recall which one it disables and not all laptops have this feature.

I don't really see the need to disable it though, it works kinda like a CPUs speedstep feature where it downclocks & powers off unused cores.

Thanks for the info, ill test it out when the mach gets here. Should be about a week.

 

[Rock Bottom Computers]

Also take it look at the MSI FX720
Laptop memory is relatively cheap so you could easily upgrade this.