5 Replies Latest reply: Nov 22, 2014 6:24 PM by okohm RSS

    mobile workstation needs

    okohm Community Member

      Hello all, Im new to the Adobe forum and have some questions regarding  mobile workstation needs.  I have grown very accustomed to using laptops and in the next month going to acquire a new machine.

       

      First off all, I dont want to offend those that use Macs, but I love Windows based systems.  I have used both, but I am the most comfortable with with win 7. 


      He is s a little background,  I have used Alienware MX17 and DELL MX17 XPS for  a few years, the Alienware crapped out a year or so ago  and the XPS is still running well, but Im finding its slow. I do a lot of post editing for others and a lot of my own images. My files are averaging 300MB + and sometimes up to a GB. I use mostly PSCS6 and some NIK software and a couple Alienskin plugins.

       

      I have all my files kept on ext drives, so my needs are to maximize performance and stability.

       

      I was thinking of another Alienware, but looking into EUROCOM , Malibal, Lenovo, HP, Origin, Sager.   My main concerns are fast processors :  Intel i7 extreme or the Xeon.  I want to max out the RAM at 34gb. I also know I need the best NVidia graphics , such as the 8800 SLI cards.

       

      If anyone has suggestions that I am not looking at, or help in deciding on a machine.  I am mostly concerned with customer service/ after purchase care, good construction, and last but not least, I like a nice , simple, elegant, black case. I know it will be a beefy machine, and I need 17" displays. 

       

       

      Thank you, for any help !!!

        • 1. Re: mobile workstation needs
          JJMack Community Member

          Its hard to find a laptop with a good display for image processing. Most laptops these days have a glossy TN LCD panels. IBM(Lenovo) had some laptop lith good displays but I have not looked at Laptops in years.

          • 2. Re: mobile workstation needs
            okohm Community Member

            Thank you JJMack, The ones Im looking at have back lit LED screens.  The machine Im using now has a decent LCD, its glossy and when I take my images over to print on a reg desktop workstation equipped with an older EIZO , the colours and dynamic range is fairly close, a couple adjustments.  I really miss the older Adobe PS programs, they came with a simple but pretty accurate feature to help with calibration. It was pretty darn close to the elaborate calibration software and devices.

             

            I think 2 of the above come with matte displays.

             

            All I know so far, is that it looks like I will be spending around 5 - 6 thousand and I want to get a good machine that will serve me well for 5-7 years:)

            • 3. Re: mobile workstation needs
              JJMack Community Member

              That is why I went with a refurbished Dell workstation for $2,500 I got  slow dual 6 core xeons processor 256 SSD, 500GB 10K RPM hard disk,  4TB external USB3 disk and 40GB of ECC RAM.  You pay through a bloody nose for a high end Laptop your take a real beaten

              • 4. Re: mobile workstation needs
                okohm Community Member

                So, no one has any opinions on EUROCOM workstations?  I guess here in the Adobe forum most use MACs

                • 5. Re: mobile workstation needs
                  okohm Community Member

                  Well, I thought Id update, just in case there is "anyone" that has been sitting on the edge of their seat.  (sure)

                  After a lot of "loving ridicule" from my Sons, I decided on the Eurocom.

                   

                  What I have now:

                  Dell XPS  MX 1730   Mobile Workstation

                  4GB RAM

                  2 X  512GB 800 series graphics

                  Intel core 2 Duo

                  2 x 750GB 7200 RPM Seagates HD

                  Win 7 home premium

                  BLAH, BLAH etc

                   

                  Coming next week:

                  EUROCOM Panther 5 Mobile Workstation

                  Intel i7 4660 Extreme

                  32GB RAM

                  Nvidia 8GB GTX 980M 1536 CUDA

                  2 x 1TB SSD Samsung EVO

                  Win 7 home Prem

                  BLAH, BLAH

                   

                  Now, Im hoping that Im not expecting too much of a difference in Photoshop  performance. I hope its not " Oh, this kinda faster".......  Im not expecting to have my "mind blown"  but I just hope I dont feel like I spent so much and get a mediocre experience.

                   

                  I should see a good amount of difference?

                   

                  Now a bit of backstory as to WHY Im being so extravagant.

                  Ive been living in a financial, physical, emotional and psychological HELL these last 5 years.....  Im finally seeing a bit of a light, got in some money, nothing outrageous, certainly nothing compared to what I used to make ( technically, poverty level, but an income, none the less)

                   

                  I have been dealing with second hand systems after my beloved Alienware died. So I felt since Ive been in the same clothes, nothing new to wear, tattered everything, I DESERVED this.   I just hope I made a good decision on the company. I care about "aftercare" a LOT. Since I tend to constantly buy the 1 in a billion whatever item that will be defective.