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Thread: Mobile Workstations

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    Hi guys, looks like in the near future I will be splitting my time evenly between "consulting" at my friends firm, working from home, and attending some graphics courses. I am going to be buying a screaming top of the line machine, and was thinking how nice it would be to just tote it along, and plug into available monitors. I know there is a hardware style of computer that supports this, mostly for network gaming parties. I don't know much about the machines though. Is there anything besides a smaller box that sets them apart? Anyone looked into this? And before anyone suggests it, I have thought about a laptop, and think I can get more bang for my buck with a pc. Thanks for any input.

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    Revit Arch. Wishlist Mgr. Wes Macaulay's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mobile Workstations

    I've got a company that builds a screaming P4 (non-mobile processor) 533 Mhx front side bus everything-flies laptop for about $2100 US. DVD, 15" high-res screen. The small form factor computers (like ShuttleX) are cool, but the laptop is still king for mobile workstation tasks.

    These guys purposely build laptops with desktop parts so you get performance, not battery life, but that's what we want anyway!

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    AUGI Addict hand471037's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mobile Workstations

    All of the 'gaming' lan party style cases aren't special, they are just small mini-towers in a 'caddy'.

    Like this:
    http://www.thinkgeek.com/computing/bags/37dc/

    There are 'mini-pc' cases that allow for very small pc's:
    http://www.thinkgeek.com/computing/handhelds/5fd7/

    But your best bet would probably be a laptop that is more PC than portable. There's metanoia's friend, and there are also companies like AlienWare that make high-end graphic laptops for video/gaming:
    http://www.alienware.com/system_pages/area-51m.aspx

    Also there are rumors that Apple might put it's new G5 chip into it's next generation laptops, making a laptop that will be much faster than a high-end dual-p4 with lots of battery life to boot! But since the applications you use probably don't run on Mac, this is moot.

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    Default Re: Mobile Workstations

    You know, when I was playing around with premierelast year, Alien Ware kept coming up in the forum discussions. Everyone seems to like them. I guess I am just worried that I will not get the same machine for the same price if I go laptop. I don't really need a laptop, I won't be using it out in the field, or on planes, or things like that. I am just going to have two spaces that I will be predominantly working in, and I hate going back and forth between two machines.

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    AUGI Addict christopher.zoog51272's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mobile Workstations

    I use a shuttle XPC SN41G2 as my home pc and it rocks. i have an ahtlon 2000+ but it takes up xp 2800+

    check it out: http://us.shuttle.com/specs2.asp?pro_id=284

    i love my little shoebox computer
    Chris
    SOM | New York

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    Default Re: Mobile Workstations

    Quote Originally Posted by czoog

    i love my little shoebox computer
    He is very cute (or is it a she?) The more I look, the harder it is becoming for me to decide on a machine. Anyone want to blow about 3 grand for me so I can blame someone else if I don't like it?

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    Revit Forum Manager Steve_Stafford's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mobile Workstations

    Send the money to...

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    Default Re: Mobile Workstations

    Hey Zoog, check this out:
    http://www.thinkgeek.com/computing/handhelds/5fd7/

    It's not AMD; which is bad, but it is P4. It's like the shuttle, but with a handle!

    Also, do you have cooling problems with that shuttle & AMD? My dual AMD tower at home sounds like a damn airplane because of all it's fans- those AMD's pump a ton of heat!

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    Autodesk Staff Brian's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mobile Workstations

    Tom's Hardware put together a review of 4 mini-PC systems this month including the Shuttle system mentioned earlier that is worth taking a look at.

    Here's the link: http://www.tomshardware.com/howto/20030722/index.html

    Regards,

    Brian

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    Default Re: Mobile Workstations

    Quote Originally Posted by Jeffrey McGrew
    Hey Zoog, check this out:
    http://www.thinkgeek.com/computing/handhelds/5fd7/

    It's not AMD; which is bad, but it is P4. It's like the shuttle, but with a handle!

    Also, do you have cooling problems with that shuttle & AMD? My dual AMD tower at home sounds like a damn airplane because of all it's fans- those AMD's pump a ton of heat!
    cool, i love the carbon fiber handle.

    About the heat, well i put this thing through the ringer. I also have a prototype hauppauge win-tv PVR 350 card (on board mpeg2 encoder chip) to record and pause live tv, stuffed in the pci slot, and a ATI Radeon 9000 pro 128 mb in the 8x AGP slot!!!! Plus I live in a house with no A/C so it's get put through a torture test, and so far so good No prblem with lock ups or anything. The ICE heatpipe technology really works.
    Chris
    SOM | New York

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