View Full Version : I need a work laptop (new). Help me out
It's time to get a new laptop. I don't know enough about computers to shop for myself, so I'm once again appealing to the hive mind. Please help me out.
- I'm done buying used computers. They do okay, but don't last long before they start slowing down.
- I currently have a Lenovo Thinkpad W520. It's fine for everything I do, but when I use Xactimate it slows down so much that I'm probably losing an hour or more a day in lag time.
Here are the system requirements for what I need to run. Probably isn't that much, but the rest of my computer about shuts down when I'm running it: https://www.xactware.com/en-us/solutions/claims-estimating/xactimate/system-requirements/
- EDIT: Battery life! My laptop now only lasts about an hour, definitely under two, while it is running off of the battery. If I can get something that'd give me four hours I'd be happy, six or more and I'd be ecstatic.
- I carry this out in the field with me so it needs to be durable, and if possible I'd like it to be reasonably light.
- I want a 10-key.
- Not interested in a Mac.
- I'm only conceptually interested in Linux. I'm not sure if most of my stuff will run on Linux, and even if it can, I quite literally do not have the time to find out how to do it.
- I hesitate to even put cost on the list. I want something great, but I don't want to pay a million dollars only to have it run like garbage in two years. If I'm going to spend the money, I'd like something that has some longevity to it. I'm only referring to usability. I care zero about having the latest-greatest-as soon as it comes out. I just want it to work well for as long as I can.
Please help me out with some options of what I should look at. Thank you.
thedave1164
04-27-2018, 06:30
Dell Outlet, get a Latitude with Intel i5, 8gb ram and SSD, 15" should get you 10 key.
Get the 3 year warranty and accident coverage
You might have to go to a Precision Mobile Workstation in order to get a discrete video card
CoGirl303
04-27-2018, 07:32
keep buying Microshit Winblows based garbage pc's and you'll keep getting junk that slows down and has issues.
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I think maybe I should be looking for gaming or video edit specs. I don't do either, but it sounds like that is the level of robust I'm looking for.
Dell Outlet, get a Latitude with Intel i5, 8gb ram and SSD, 15" should get you 10 key.
Get the 3 year warranty and accident coverage
You might have to go to a Precision Mobile Workstation in order to get a discrete video card
I want to say that I heard the Intel processors eat up battery life, but I'm not sure. Have you heard anything like that?
ACE2GOOD
04-27-2018, 08:50
I would recommend going with Dell. That is all we buy for our clients and they last about 5-6 years before you need to replace them. For the specs a software requires you should always go above that if you want better performance. Their recommendations are typically minimal to run the software and perform decently. If you put more resources towards it they will typically perform better. We usually recommend Intel i7 7700k if high performance is required. For graphics the Nvidia Quadros have been the most stable, ATI's have had crashing issues. For the model of graphics that is up to how much performance you are looking for. M2 SSD has the best performance as far as hard drives go. On the battery life I have not heard anything directly related to Intel. Most of it is due to all brands trying to make their computers lighter and smaller so they do that by putting in smaller batteries. We ordered a really beefy laptop for a client that does CAD work and the default config came with a 6 cell battery that would last maybe 4 hours so we had to "upgrade" to get an 8 cell battery to push the battery life up. All of the above really depends on how much performance you really need and want to pay for. We work with some companies that need these specs for CAD for best possible performance and then other clients that are fine with just a small SSD and an i5 that just deal with the standard performance.
I love my ASUS. I bought it back in 2012 for $429. Intel Core i5-3210M 2.5GHz, 4GB DDR3, 500GB HDD, DVDRW, 15.6" Display. I upgraded it to 8gb of RAM, and added a 1tb SSD drive (saves alot on battery drain).
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3924783&tab=7&SRCCODE=WEBLET03ORDER&cm_mmc=Email-_-WebletMain-_-WEBLET03ORDER-_-Deals
I've dropped it from kitchen counter, swore it broke but its fine. I've slammed the lid in a fit of rage HARD, swore i was going to need to replace it.... Nope! It books up fast still, for normal activities its more than fine for what i need. When i stitch those time lapse vidoes using lightroom, i have to leave it for 30 minutes and then come back. But ASUS gets my vote after this laptop.
Looking at the specs for Xactimate, you'll want a quad core processor, at least 4 Gb of ram (8 would be better, especially if you have other stuff running at the same time), and an SSD instead of a spinning drive (will improve both performance and battery life, as Xactimate uses about 30 GB of disk space for swap files). I'll +1 on Dell stuff. My 2009 Dell was a monster when it was new(about $1200, Core i7, midrange graphics), and is still pretty competent. I upgraded to a SSD a couple of years ago, and basically doubled the performance, while increasing battery life about 30%. The rest of the hardware has been rock solid.
Maybe something like this:
http://www.dell.com/en-us/work/shop/dell-laptops-and-notebooks/new-inspiron-13-7000-2-in-1/spd/inspiron-13-7375-2-in-1-laptop/cai137w10p1c1102d
thedave1164
04-27-2018, 09:32
I want to say that I heard the Intel processors eat up battery life, but I'm not sure. Have you heard anything like that?
Nope, as long as you stick with the mobile processors you are good to go, some of the speciality gamer laptops use desktop processors which do eat up the watts
We live in a disposable society. I seldom buy any windows based PC's anymore but if I did I'd buy the cheapest one that would suit my needs, keep it backed up regularly, and when it shits the bed or becomes too unserviceable just buy a different one.
I think the last one I bought was about seven or eight years ago. Probably paid about $250 for it and it's still chugging along. I fire it up once a year around tax time. Lol.
If you want robust, we use some sort of IBM computers at work. I think they're some sort of Think Pad or Lenovo or something. Not only are most of them probably eight or ten years old but they see use in the field on a regular basis and always being run outdoors, in the dust, in buildings where the temperatures regularly exceed 110 degrees, have been dropped multiple times, etc. and they just keep working for the most part. I think mine is running XP or Windows 7.
keep buying Microshit Winblows based garbage pc's and you'll keep getting junk that slows down and has issues.
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[ROFL1]
This, coming from one who struggles to connect a TV to an AV receiver.
[ROFL2]
JohnnyEgo
04-27-2018, 10:03
We run XM27, and it is an insane memory hog. It's not really designed to take advantage of a dedicated GPU, so it needs a fair amount of RAM to push those big cad files. I don't know if you are on a more current flavor that sorted those issues out. I'd mostly make sure it has a fast SSD and a large quantity of RAM. I'd also really watch the temp specs if you are going to use it for work. We field tested some Ipads and Surface Pros, and had real trouble with the Ipads out of their low temp range. Bad screen lag, miserable battery life, app failure, etc. We were running them in 19-27° weather, so typical winter freeze situation, and our techs had to leave them in their vans to warm up. Neither platform really liked ambient temperatures above 95° either.
The old classic Panasonic Toughbook is probably best of breed for field use, but it's built like a brick and traditionally has lagged behind in terms of graphic-intensive application performance. I really liked the Surface Pro, personally, temperature extremes aside. Can run either the tablet or laptop-based flavors of XM with no lag or processor issues, pretty light weight, and the monkeys haven't smashed one yet.
CoGirl303
04-27-2018, 10:06
[ROFL1]
This, coming from one who struggles to connect a TV to an AV receiver.
[ROFL2]
Apples to oranges. I know more about computers than I do about home audio/video and I knew next to nothing about older receivers not being compatible with newer tv's.
My 27" iMac has been going strong for 7 years. The only issue it has given me was the hard drive failing a year and a half ago. My 2012 macbook pro is 6 years old and still in mint condition working great.
I've never had any issues with updating, no grey screens of death, no component failure, no slowing down.
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Apples to oranges. I know more about computers than I do about home audio/video and I knew next to nothing about older receivers not being compatible with newer tv's.
My 27" iMac has been going strong for 7 years. The only issue it has given me was the hard drive failing a year and a half ago. My 2012 macbook pro is 6 years old and still in mint condition working great.
I've never had any issues with updating, no grey screens of death, no component failure, no slowing down.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
[ROFL1]
Apples to Apples when considering general lack of subject knowledge.
The OP said he needs to run Xactimate and provided a link to the requirements of said software.
First sentence of second paragraph in link states:
Xactimate and other Xactware products are not supported on Mac Operating Systems
Had you bothered to educate yourself on what the OP needed before spitting out your comment, you may have considered otherwise.
[ROFL2]
I went with a "low end" gaming laptop for my work laptop- it's very fast. Be aware that most laptops have a bunch of crap program apps pre-loaded on them. It's annoying!
thedave1164
04-27-2018, 10:40
These threads always go the same way LOL
CoGirl303
04-27-2018, 10:47
[ROFL1]
Apples to Apples when considering general lack of subject knowledge.
Had you bothered to...blah...blah...blah
I know what the OP said.
[emoji849] you can run bootcamp and do a dual os setup and run windows and mac os x or you can get VMWare Fusion and run Windows from a virtual environment and run Xactimate either way. [emoji41]
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thedave1164
04-27-2018, 10:48
I know what the OP said.
[emoji849] you can run bootcamp and do a dual os setup and run windows and mac os x or you can get VMWare Fusion and run Windows from a virtual environment and run Xactimate either way. [emoji41]
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
ROFLMAO
I'm currently running XM 28, but thinking of switching to XM One or whatever their newest version is. Allows both on and offline work, which I couldn't do with XM 27 when I was corporate.
I don't need something as rugged as Ray would, I'm really just moving from house to vehicle to house to bathroom. I like the idea of SSD hard drive for sure. I'll look at those Dells tonight. I really appreciate the input so far. As far as budget, I don't want to say that I don't have one, but I was anticipating having to spend well over $500. If I don't have to, that's okay to.
Your W520 was pretty much a beast back in the day, and if you are willing to jack it up a bit and put a fresh load of windows on there, it may be able to perform with xactimate again. To replace it today, that class of computer (Mobile Workstations) generally start about $1300 or so and go up from there.
You could consider adding a lot of RAM, 16GB or more, and it looks like the 8GB sticks are about $63 ea for $126 to go to 16GB.
https://www.amazon.com/Crucial-Single-PC3-12800-Unbuffered-204-Pin/dp/B006YG8X9Y/ref=sr_1_3/139-3359093-1869253?ie=UTF8&qid=1524851703&sr=8-3&keywords=crucial+ddr3+sodimm
Then add an SSD to rejuvenate your storage. $125 for the 500GB, $75 for the 256GB, look at how much you are using now to estimate your needs.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0784SLQM6/ref=twister_B07BBKMSST?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
Then with a fresh load of Windows, you should be back to rocking and rolling again (for a top of the line 7 year old mobile workstation.)
I can help you with installing/the fresh windows load/moving your data and applications back if you need it.
Just another option for your consideration...
The below is an example base W520... if you give me your model number I can find the exact specs of yours.
74530
-John
JohnnyEgo
04-27-2018, 12:08
I'm currently running XM 28, but thinking of switching to XM One or whatever their newest version is. Allows both on and offline work, which I couldn't do with XM 27 when I was corporate.
I don't need something as rugged as Ray would, I'm really just moving from house to vehicle to house to bathroom. I like the idea of SSD hard drive for sure. I'll look at those Dells tonight. I really appreciate the input so far. As far as budget, I don't want to say that I don't have one, but I was anticipating having to spend well over $500. If I don't have to, that's okay to.
The good news is that if you decide to go CAT, all the majors will just give you the laptop they want you to work off of. If you are seriously considering XM One, may want to look at a laptop with a touch screen, or preferably a digitizer, so you can make use of the simplified touch mode. I hear good things. Should be accomplishable on a $500-700 budget. You still probably want 8 Gig of RAM at a minimum if you are going to use the offline side of the app more. Or perhaps go to a more tablet-based system with integrated 4GLTE and work thin-client all the time. Would take a load off the processor, at the expense of competing for bandwidth on the local cell tower. I don't like that, because we are always competing for bandwidth from that one remaining cell tower with the locals and all the other first responders. But if you aren't working CAT, it's probably a viable option.
I'm probably going to go the workstation route.
My current laptop works great, just not while I'm running Xact. I didn't know this laptop was as old as it is, and am pretty impressed that it runs as well as it does. For something that lasts that long, I'll be glad to pony up the scratch.
I know what the OP said.
[emoji849] you can run bootcamp and do a dual os setup and run windows and mac os x or you can get VMWare Fusion and run Windows from a virtual environment and run Xactimate either way. [emoji41]
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[ROFL1]
You have obviously never attempted this with any CPU or graphics intensive software. Cute theory though.
Keep trying, you'll get there.
[ROFL2]
I know what the OP said.
[emoji849] you can run bootcamp and do a dual os setup and run windows and mac os x or you can get VMWare Fusion and run Windows from a virtual environment and run Xactimate either way. [emoji41]
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Running OS > running program to run another OS to run another program (which is resource intensive) > running another OS > running program = an insane amount of tolerance stacking and resource usage.
While fun in a lab environment, not the most practical thing for what Irving needs.
Running OS > running program to run another OS to run another program (which is resource intensive) > running another OS > running program = an insane amount of tolerance stacking and resource usage.
While fun in a lab environment, not the most practical thing for what Irving needs.
Eyes on your own papers!
EVERYONE MUST DO THERE OWN WORK!!
[ROFL2]
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0764HW117/?coliid=I2EELGF0C93GDO&colid=59XI6KUKV3MJ&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it
here's what I'm looking into for the same requirements.
BushMasterBoy
04-27-2018, 13:37
PM sent
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0764HW117/?coliid=I2EELGF0C93GDO&colid=59XI6KUKV3MJ&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it
here's what I'm looking into for the same requirements.
Let me know before you buy that.
thedave1164
04-27-2018, 13:41
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0764HW117/?coliid=I2EELGF0C93GDO&colid=59XI6KUKV3MJ&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it
here's what I'm looking into for the same requirements.
http://outlet.us.dell.com/ArbOnlineSales/Online/SecondaryInventorySearch.aspx?c=us&cs=28&l=en&s=dfb&sign=PXhcOSHtr1T4IOw%2fPR7UdUdQHRkKlkFm8bcpUeH%2fo zEyalBpfrs3K5CVaWe8CNocFDcRQgrDD7nAHCX86gP%2bss4IJ Gp1M49CO6FPNwQyZsH2pAHimcCdJMXt%2b1TtiMoHfZcH74HFL 91tt%2fLEPEZG4c88XFxvN0p6x9zmP2dthFN3Q3PPxZENKsh7j 7R1bBA5
that is what I would recommend instead and it has a 3 year warranty.
Inspirion's are fine for home use, but they are not built for commercial/business use.
I'm probably going to go the workstation route.
My current laptop works great, just not while I'm running Xact. I didn't know this laptop was as old as it is, and am pretty impressed that it runs as well as it does. For something that lasts that long, I'll be glad to pony up the scratch.
Your W520 probably has the Optimus feature of selectable graphics cards. You can use the motherboards Intel graphics when you want to conserve battery, and then switch to the discrete NVidia Quadro card when you want performance. Are you aware of that feature and if so are you confident that xactimate is working with the NVidia Quadro Discrete Graphics when it is running? It's possible that the drivers for the quadro aren't loaded properly, etc. Do you have a NVidia Control Panel in your task bar?
Lenovo's latest Mobile Workstation offerings include the P52s which might be a consideration for a new machine.
https://www3.lenovo.com/us/en/laptops/thinkpad/thinkpad-p/ThinkPad-P52s/p/22TP2WPP52S
They make both touch and non-touch versions of this device and generally you would want to pick one of their "topseller" configurations for best price/performance offerings...
74531
20LB0010US
20LB0027US (touch)
20LB0026US
20LB0028US (touch)
would all probably rock and roll.
-John
I know what the OP said.
[emoji849] you can run bootcamp and do a dual os setup and run windows and mac os x or you can get VMWare Fusion and run Windows from a virtual environment and run Xactimate either way. [emoji41]
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I could do that, just like I could bolt my 32' ladder to my 40' ladder in case I ever need a 70' ladder. But I'd probably just rent a lift.
http://outlet.us.dell.com/ArbOnlineSales/Online/SecondaryInventorySearch.aspx?c=us&cs=28&l=en&s=dfb&sign=PXhcOSHtr1T4IOw%2fPR7UdUdQHRkKlkFm8bcpUeH%2fo zEyalBpfrs3K5CVaWe8CNocFDcRQgrDD7nAHCX86gP%2bss4IJ Gp1M49CO6FPNwQyZsH2pAHimcCdJMXt%2b1TtiMoHfZcH74HFL 91tt%2fLEPEZG4c88XFxvN0p6x9zmP2dthFN3Q3PPxZENKsh7j 7R1bBA5
that is what I would recommend instead and it has a 3 year warranty.
Inspirion's are fine for home use, but they are not built for commercial/business use.
Nice but I forgot to add my one additional requirement is backlit keyboard.
JohnnyEgo
04-27-2018, 13:54
Let me know before you buy that.
That's reasonably similar to what we issue, although ours are Latitude series, which is the business-targeted model.
JohnnyEgo
04-27-2018, 13:56
I could do that, just like I could bolt my 32' ladder to my 40' ladder in case I ever need a 70' ladder. But I'd probably just rent a lift.
When I was in your shoes many, many years ago, I asked a wise old IA what he did when he ran out of ladder. He said he backed his pick-up truck up to the garage and put the ladder on the bumper. I thought that sounded like a good idea, so I backed my monster Chevy Express up to the property and lashed the base of my ladder to the roof rack. When my old boss found out what I was doing, he almost had a heart attack.
thedave1164
04-27-2018, 14:00
Nice but I forgot to add my one additional requirement is backlit keyboard.
http://outlet.us.dell.com/ArbOnlineSales/Online/SecondaryInventorySearch.aspx?c=us&cs=28&l=en&s=dfb&sign=PXhcOSHtr1T4IOw%2fPR7UdWEFvJb4QRiAUw6liPVQUcG Ovn51%2bReBHQnr4v%2bG22BSs%2fIKm2Ei2%2bdTPR4cwiMJ% 2f34NpUaKaJ6fyEEWirLGoBOTBH7GTWbxvc2K%2b3lrEzSugIc m194MiW0Bim80mXDTA15FRlxslfWEDpZQHs%2f6oNTtC81S0Ha 2EFROdArB3TwO
When I was in your shoes many, many years ago, I asked a wise old IA what he did when he ran out of ladder. He said he backed his pick-up truck up to the garage and put the ladder on the bumper. I thought that sounded like a good idea, so I backed my monster Chevy Express up to the property and lashed the base of my ladder to the roof rack. When my old boss found out what I was doing, he almost had a heart attack.
I've definitely used my roof rack as an anchor for my rope before. On more than one occasion actually.
CoGirl303
04-27-2018, 14:12
[ROFL1]
You have obviously never attempted this with any CPU or graphics intensive software. Cute theory though.
Keep trying, you'll get there.
[ROFL2]
Obviously I have or I wouldn't have commented, so you can stop patronizing me as if you know me, because you don't.
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Is this the W530 I'm thinking of from a couple years ago? Did you do any upgrades since then? If not, I bet you could add a pretty significant performance improvement by any combination of beefing up the RAM, swaping to a SSD, and buying a 3rd party new battery (there are several options that balance weight vs. uptime). Maybe for as little as another $200.
upgrade to 16GB ram ~$120 or 8GB for ~$60
SSD ~$50-150 depending
New batt ~$50-75
But I certainly understand the desire to buy something new too. I go through the same debate with myself each time.
(lol just realized that this was already suggested above and I missed it somehow)
It is the same one, and has treated me well. I will probably give this one to my kid.
Take quibbling to PMs, guys. It's derailing the thread.
I prefer HP Z-series on the professional workstation side, but the Dell Precisions are pretty close. When IBM built ThinkPads they were built like tanks. Now that Lenovo does it, I'd stay away. If you're using it for business I'd go no lower than with the vendor's enterprise-class systems (Dell Latitude/HP EliteBook/HP ProBook) as they're built to be worked hard and stand-up to it.
I could do that, just like I could bolt my 32' ladder to my 40' ladder in case I ever need a 70' ladder. But I'd probably just rent a lift.
Ladders are irrelevant when you have a mini van.
Running OS > running program to run another OS to run another program (which is resource intensive) > running another OS > running program = an insane amount of tolerance stacking and resource usage.
While fun in a lab environment, not the most practical thing for what Irving needs.
I'd agree for what I assume Irving needs is a graphic intensive app.
I run all my work stuff in a VM - VMware on my W540 4-core i7, 32GB, SSD + SATA drive for local storage for work. VirtualBox for personal stuff on the home machine (I can also port my vmdk's to VB if needed). Makes recovery so easy, and creating a backup after first setup that I can go back to if things go sideways is beneficial. Then again I also light up various OS' and simulators, etc. so running some kind of virtualization is a must.
Rucker61
04-27-2018, 17:39
I'm probably going to go the workstation route.
My current laptop works great, just not while I'm running Xact. I didn't know this laptop was as old as it is, and am pretty impressed that it runs as well as it does. For something that lasts that long, I'll be glad to pony up the scratch.
I'm running an HP Zbook 14u G5, with pretty much maxed out hardware - i78650u, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD, but I work for HP.
Your W520 probably has the Optimus feature of selectable graphics cards. You can use the motherboards Intel graphics when you want to conserve battery, and then switch to the discrete NVidia Quadro card when you want performance. Are you aware of that feature and if so are you confident that xactimate is working with the NVidia Quadro Discrete Graphics when it is running? It's possible that the drivers for the quadro aren't loaded properly, etc. Do you have a NVidia Control Panel in your task bar?
Lenovo's latest Mobile Workstation offerings include the P52s which might be a consideration for a new machine.
https://www3.lenovo.com/us/en/laptops/thinkpad/thinkpad-p/ThinkPad-P52s/p/22TP2WPP52S
They make both touch and non-touch versions of this device and generally you would want to pick one of their "topseller" configurations for best price/performance offerings...
74531
20LB0010US
20LB0027US (touch)
20LB0026US
20LB0028US (touch)
would all probably rock and roll.
-John
I missed this post earlier. I'm not aware of those features. I started using this machine with Xact just over a year ago and don't remember my frustrations being so great back then.
If you want to try and diagnose to see if that is or is not a factor in your xactimate performance, there are a few things you can try, however if you have a computer guy you trust you might be better off asking for their help.
I looked at the manual for your W520...
https://download.lenovo.com/pccbbs/mobiles_pdf/t520_t520i_w520_ug_en.pdf
And it sounds like the quickest test to see if you have the Optimus installed and enabled is to "Right-click on the desktop and select NVIDIA Control Panel. The NVIDIA Control Panel opens." If you do that, you are likely good to go, and the Optimus is not related to your xactimate performance issues.
If however the NVIDIA Control Panel is not an option, then there are a number of places you would need to check for potential problems. The easiest would be to right click on "my computer" (or sometimes just "computer") in Windows File Explorer, and go into device manager. Or you can use the start menu and search for "device manager."
In device manager, you should see something like this...
74540
On your computer, you should see something about Optimus, or NVIDIA, along with or in place of the Intel Display Adapter listed. (Yours will look different from mine, just pointing you to the area.)
If it's in there, but has a yellow exclamation point on it, or there are other things with yellow exclamation points, then it is possible you may need to update drivers.
https://pcsupport.lenovo.com/us/en/products/laptops-and-netbooks/thinkpad-w-series-laptops/thinkpad-w520/downloads
Now is the time to call in a favor from your computer guy, if you have one. :) If you don't I could try and help remotely, etc., if you wish.
You may be missing one or more drivers, etc. There are Lenovo tools on that support site I linked above that will scan your system to look for missing drivers like Lenovo System Update.
https://support.lenovo.com/us/en/solutions/ht003029
If everything looks good in device manager, then it may be your Power Settings, or BIOS.
From the manual I linked above, for the Optimus driver to switch to the discrete NVidia Graphics Card, it has to think it has the "power" to do that. Namely that it is plugged in and not running on battery, and that the Windows Power Settings are set in a way that do not limit performance in favor of saving the battery. To check your power saving settings, use the start button and search for "power saving" and go into that control panel and try and change your settings to settings that will allow the computer to perform at its highest power potential without any regard for power savings or battery savings.
If none of that works, and the device itself does not show in device manager, then we would have to check the BIOS of the computer and make sure it is not disabled there. There are some pages in the manual that describe this procedure as well.
Lastly, we should make sure before you go down this path that we identify exactly what model laptop you have just so we know what it should have. There's a chance it doesn't even have Optimus, although unlikely. If you look on the bottom of the laptop, potentially under the battery, you should be able to find the model number and/or serial number. If you will post that information I can double check the features that your notebook is supposed to have.
I'm about as far away from Thornton as one can get without leaving town, but if you want some help with this I would give it a go as I enjoy these sorts of things, and making computers work to their potentials. I'm typing to you on my 2008 built homebrew machine. Still does what I need it to do. :)
-John
PS. Edit to add, that you might start by checking your power saving settings, as that would explain the change in performance. Maybe as your battery got less and less powerful over time, you dialed down your performance settings in an attempt to conserve battery, and now the device is not (ever) engaging Optimus mode, and therefore xactimate is suffering. So start by checking that.
I'm running an HP Zbook 14u G5, with pretty much maxed out hardware - i78650u, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD, but I work for HP.
Sweet! I love the new chassis. Still waiting to get my hands on the new ZBook 14u and 15u G5s that I ordered so we can deploy them as our standard notebooks.
Looking forward to the new Thunderbolt dock in May.
If you want to try and diagnose to see if that is or is not a factor in your xactimate performance, there are a few things you can try, however if you have a computer guy you trust you might be better off asking for their help.
I looked at the manual for your W520...
https://download.lenovo.com/pccbbs/mobiles_pdf/t520_t520i_w520_ug_en.pdf
And it sounds like the quickest test to see if you have the Optimus installed and enabled is to "Right-click on the desktop and select NVIDIA Control Panel. The NVIDIA Control Panel opens." If you do that, you are likely good to go, and the Optimus is not related to your xactimate performance issues.
If however the NVIDIA Control Panel is not an option, then there are a number of places you would need to check for potential problems. The easiest would be to right click on "my computer" (or sometimes just "computer") in Windows File Explorer, and go into device manager. Or you can use the start menu and search for "device manager."
In device manager, you should see something like this...
74540
On your computer, you should see something about Optimus, or NVIDIA, along with or in place of the Intel Display Adapter listed. (Yours will look different from mine, just pointing you to the area.)
If it's in there, but has a yellow exclamation point on it, or there are other things with yellow exclamation points, then it is possible you may need to update drivers.
https://pcsupport.lenovo.com/us/en/products/laptops-and-netbooks/thinkpad-w-series-laptops/thinkpad-w520/downloads
Now is the time to call in a favor from your computer guy, if you have one. :) If you don't I could try and help remotely, etc., if you wish.
You may be missing one or more drivers, etc. There are Lenovo tools on that support site I linked above that will scan your system to look for missing drivers like Lenovo System Update.
https://support.lenovo.com/us/en/solutions/ht003029
If everything looks good in device manager, then it may be your Power Settings, or BIOS.
From the manual I linked above, for the Optimus driver to switch to the discrete NVidia Graphics Card, it has to think it has the "power" to do that. Namely that it is plugged in and not running on battery, and that the Windows Power Settings are set in a way that do not limit performance in favor of saving the battery. To check your power saving settings, use the start button and search for "power saving" and go into that control panel and try and change your settings to settings that will allow the computer to perform at its highest power potential without any regard for power savings or battery savings.
If none of that works, and the device itself does not show in device manager, then we would have to check the BIOS of the computer and make sure it is not disabled there. There are some pages in the manual that describe this procedure as well.
Lastly, we should make sure before you go down this path that we identify exactly what model laptop you have just so we know what it should have. There's a chance it doesn't even have Optimus, although unlikely. If you look on the bottom of the laptop, potentially under the battery, you should be able to find the model number and/or serial number. If you will post that information I can double check the features that your notebook is supposed to have.
I'm about as far away from Thornton as one can get without leaving town, but if you want some help with this I would give it a go as I enjoy these sorts of things, and making computers work to their potentials. I'm typing to you on my 2008 built homebrew machine. Still does what I need it to do. :)
-John
PS. Edit to add, that you might start by checking your power saving settings, as that would explain the change in performance. Maybe as your battery got less and less powerful over time, you dialed down your performance settings in an attempt to conserve battery, and now the device is not (ever) engaging Optimus mode, and therefore xactimate is suffering. So start by checking that.
I would take iego up on his offer, whether you want to get another laptop or not. Especially as you're saying you're feeling like you're getting different performance now vs. originally, I'm betting you can tweak settings and you might find you are in a better spot. He's on the money with what to look for. :)
Looking at old notes, I don't have the specific SN or anything anymore but I'm pretty sure this is the config, with a relatively vanilla build and driver load. The RAM in particular is probably killing you.
Unused? Comes with original box and fresh OS load
(NEW) IBM Lenovo Thinkpad W530
Intel Core i7 2760QM @2.4GHz
4GB RAM DDR3, DVD+/-RW
320GB 7200RPM HD
Win10 Pro
Multi-GPU: Intel HD 3000 + NV Quadro 1000M
1920x1080
802.11n WiFi, Gigabit Wired, SD Card Reader
170w PS
I'll have to check into that stuff this weekend when I've got some time to dig into it.
Working right now and I put two and two together. Everything is pretty functional until I open Google Maps and Xact at the same time; that's when everything comes to a screeching halt.
Grant H.
04-27-2018, 23:13
I run around with a Dell Latitude (I think e6540, it's in the truck... I'm being lazy) that has an I7, 16gb of ram, SSD, and (most importantly) 1920x1080 low glare for work. Lots of commonly available laptops have very glossy screens now (cheap screen panels), that SUCK for anything but indoors. Even in a car with some tinted windows, they SUCK!
Running the software suites required for my work, my laptop can't be a slouch.
We, my company, bought 4 of these 3 years ago, and they still continue to run like tops without any significant issues. Mine has had the original 256gb SSD swapped for a Samsung EVO 1TB SSD simply for more space.
In this age of technology, I would strongly suggest no less than 16gb of RAM, and make sure you get an SSD. It's faster, helps with battery life, and makes the laptop survive being in a vehicle much longer than a traditional spinning drive. One of my customers has 900+ trucks on the road here in CO, with a laptop in every single one of them. They have seen a significant drop in IT tickets for laptop issues since moving to SSD's for all their laptops.
Dell has it's own issues, but having a true docking station (like the Dell Pro2x), which very few do anymore, is a huge advantage for me given the movement back and forth between the house and the truck. Having dual 24" monitors, full sized keyboard and mouse, etc at home on my desk makes things much more manageable.
Probably time for a new battery anyway. Try to find a fresh OEM, the aftermarket batts are crap. You should also dial down the full charge setting to get more longevity from them.
Are you actively running anti-malware, etc?
The registry on windoze machines gets ugly over time, may be worth a cleanup or fresh reload if you don't have too many apps installed.
Iego, I know I changed something with the power settings when I was trying to diagnose my wifi constantly dropping this winter. I'll have to go through all that stuff and see what happens. I don't see any reason not to try and keep this computer running as well as possible, even if I get a new one.
As far as the work machines we were taking about earlier, do those come with touch screens now? My wife just bought a laptop and didn't even know it had a touch screen (our kid pointed it out). I don't have a burning desire for a touch screen, but have a feeling that I'll find that I like it if I start using one.
Windows 10 has made touch-screens much more common. If glare is going to be an issue, you don't want touch. A matte noon-touch would be easier to see in bright situations. I don't find much use for a touchscreen on systems that don't convert to tablets, but ymmv.
I replaced my mom's old notebook with an all-in-one with a bigger display. She was surprised to find out that it had a touch-screen.
There are a few models of the P52s that I posted earlier that have touch screens, and it looks like the delta in price from non-touch is only $30-40. Like Gman, my personal opinion is that touch is most useful with Windows 10 and tablet devices (using a stylus for note taking, etc.) If your Xactimate application has a lot of "buttons" for input, then touch may be valuable for that too. Lenovo used to make a Mobile Workstation class "Yoga" device that could be transformed into a tablet, but it looks like they have discontinued them. The P52s Mobile Workstations are traditional "Clam Shell" notebook form factors but you can get touch particularly if you like the experience it offers on your wife's device. I'm unsure how it changes working outdoors and will defer to the advice of the others on here in that regard.
If you do only have 4GB of RAM now, that may be a major factor in your slowdown as Brian said, and RAM is pretty cheap to add. I posted an Amazon Link above. You could do a single 8GB stick (likely you have a single 4GB stick now) and go to 12GB for $63, or just bite the bullet and get a pair of matching 8GB sticks.
Here are your battery replacement SKUs, if you want to try a "fresh" one of those. The 9-Cell is bigger and heavier, but has more juice. The 6-cell would be lighter if you are climbing around on roofs with it. You could have (2) 6-cell batteries you could swap out to get you through a day, etc.
ThinkPad Battery 70+ (6 cell) 0A36302
https://www.amazon.com/Lenovo-Battery-0A36302-Original-Packaging/dp/B0085MPG22/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1524921681&sr=8-4&keywords=lenovo+thinkpad+w530+battery&dpID=41Io9ZB%252BDKL&preST=_SX300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch
ThinkPad Battery 70++ (9 cell) 0A36303
https://www.amazon.com/Lenovo-Battery-0A36303-T410i-T420i/dp/B00LLT3ANI/ref=sr_1_3/146-2758861-9034942?ie=UTF8&qid=1524920808&sr=8-3&keywords=lenovo+thinkpad+w530+battery&dpID=41-JrNhXyFL&preST=_SX300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch
-John
I'm not climbing with it, usually stays in the car. I like to bring it inside to sketch interior losses though. I haven't even really used the touch screen, so I've not had an experience where I think it might be useful and can definitely go without it. Xact has moved to many mobile platforms, but the last time I was required to use the mobile stuff I wasn't that impressed with it and prefer the full version. Basically that means that if I'm already on a laptop, there is no way I'm going to use some tablet version just to utilize the touch screen feature. I'll have to look up my specs when I get home today.
Brian, the machine is a W520 (not 530) if that matters. Thanks so much everyone.
You could do a single 8GB stick (likely you have a single 4GB stick now) and go to 12GB for $63, or just bite the bullet and get a pair of matching 8GB sticks.
I'd recommend that you use matching pairs of SO-DIMMs (2x4GB, 2x8GB, etc.). Even if you only add another 4GB stick, you will get the advantage of theoretically doubling the memory throughput by taking advantage of 'dual channel mode'.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multi-channel_memory_architecture#Dual-channel_architecture
Disk I/O is typically the limiting factor in most computers, so an SSD helps immensely. You also don't have the risk of heads bouncing off the spinning platters of a HDD while the notebook is moving. You also get the reduced electrical load of the spinning disk and moving the armature of the heads across the disk.
If you're looking into a new system and you see the SSD options of a 2.5" or M.2 SATA drive vs. an NVMe drive, go for the NVMe drive. NVMe drives are incredibly fast since they sit on the system bus and don't have to be behind a SATA controller (adding another link in the chain).
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/NVM_Express
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Good point about the matching memory pairs, Gman, it's always bugged me that they (Lenovo) sell these things with a single stick populated.
Here's the 2nd 4GB stick if you want to go that route, Irving. This will leave you with 8GB, and two matching 4GB sticks for dual-channel architecture, as Gman pointed to above.
https://www.amazon.com/Crucial-Single-PC3-12800-Unbuffered-204-Pin/dp/B005LDLV6S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1524926470&sr=8-1&keywords=CT51264BF160B
-John
If you want to try and diagnose to see if that is or is not a factor in your xactimate performance, there are a few things you can try, however if you have a computer guy you trust you might be better off asking for their help.
I looked at the manual for your W520...
https://download.lenovo.com/pccbbs/mobiles_pdf/t520_t520i_w520_ug_en.pdf
And it sounds like the quickest test to see if you have the Optimus installed and enabled is to "Right-click on the desktop and select NVIDIA Control Panel. The NVIDIA Control Panel opens." If you do that, you are likely good to go, and the Optimus is not related to your xactimate performance issues.
If however the NVIDIA Control Panel is not an option, then there are a number of places you would need to check for potential problems. The easiest would be to right click on "my computer" (or sometimes just "computer") in Windows File Explorer, and go into device manager. Or you can use the start menu and search for "device manager."
In device manager, you should see something like this...
74540
On your computer, you should see something about Optimus, or NVIDIA, along with or in place of the Intel Display Adapter listed. (Yours will look different from mine, just pointing you to the area.)
If it's in there, but has a yellow exclamation point on it, or there are other things with yellow exclamation points, then it is possible you may need to update drivers.
https://pcsupport.lenovo.com/us/en/products/laptops-and-netbooks/thinkpad-w-series-laptops/thinkpad-w520/downloads
Now is the time to call in a favor from your computer guy, if you have one. :) If you don't I could try and help remotely, etc., if you wish.
You may be missing one or more drivers, etc. There are Lenovo tools on that support site I linked above that will scan your system to look for missing drivers like Lenovo System Update.
https://support.lenovo.com/us/en/solutions/ht003029
If everything looks good in device manager, then it may be your Power Settings, or BIOS.
From the manual I linked above, for the Optimus driver to switch to the discrete NVidia Graphics Card, it has to think it has the "power" to do that. Namely that it is plugged in and not running on battery, and that the Windows Power Settings are set in a way that do not limit performance in favor of saving the battery. To check your power saving settings, use the start button and search for "power saving" and go into that control panel and try and change your settings to settings that will allow the computer to perform at its highest power potential without any regard for power savings or battery savings.
If none of that works, and the device itself does not show in device manager, then we would have to check the BIOS of the computer and make sure it is not disabled there. There are some pages in the manual that describe this procedure as well.
Lastly, we should make sure before you go down this path that we identify exactly what model laptop you have just so we know what it should have. There's a chance it doesn't even have Optimus, although unlikely. If you look on the bottom of the laptop, potentially under the battery, you should be able to find the model number and/or serial number. If you will post that information I can double check the features that your notebook is supposed to have.
I'm about as far away from Thornton as one can get without leaving town, but if you want some help with this I would give it a go as I enjoy these sorts of things, and making computers work to their potentials. I'm typing to you on my 2008 built homebrew machine. Still does what I need it to do. :)
-John
PS. Edit to add, that you might start by checking your power saving settings, as that would explain the change in performance. Maybe as your battery got less and less powerful over time, you dialed down your performance settings in an attempt to conserve battery, and now the device is not (ever) engaging Optimus mode, and therefore xactimate is suffering. So start by checking that.
I followed everything in this post. I checked and I do have the Nvidia Quadro 1000M and the other one. They both looked good for drivers. I tried looking for updated drivers and one of them was up to date and it's installing updated drivers for Nvidia right now. I also got into the power savings and made sure it was on maximum performance for the graphics card when plugged (it wasn't). I did the same for PCI Express, even though I don't know what that is.
Thank you for the help so far.
Just an update that after following John's advice I think I can get some more time out of this laptop. Thank you everyone who contributed ideas and posted about their experience with their machines.
Good to hear! I think they frown on shooting up old electronics nowadays. :)
-John
I'll have to go through this thread again and see if anything mentioned in here is on sale for Prime Day. If not, I'll probably be calling Delfuego soon.
This looks interesting, but it seems like it might be delicate. Any thoughts? I'll probably stick to the commercial work horses, but this one is intriguing.
https://www.amazon.com/LG-gram-Thin-Light-Laptop/dp/B07CJQMH2Q/ref=sr_1_20?ie=UTF8&qid=1531862023&sr=8-20&keywords=prime+day+laptop+sale&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER
This one actually looks better, but isn't on sale.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077YSVKQK/ref=psdc_13896615011_t1_B07CJQMH2Q
https://m.newegg.com/products/2WC-000J-00050?nm_mc=TEMC-RMA-Approvel&cm_mmc=TEMC-RMA-Approvel-_-Content-_-text-_-
I got one of these. Only one complaint that the left right TouchPad buttons sucks
How do you like it so far? I think I saw that one. Weighs just under 6 pounds? Hows the battery life?
This looks interesting, but it seems like it might be delicate. Any thoughts? I'll probably stick to the commercial work horses, but this one is intriguing.
https://www.amazon.com/LG-gram-Thin-Light-Laptop/dp/B07CJQMH2Q/ref=sr_1_20?ie=UTF8&qid=1531862023&sr=8-20&keywords=prime+day+laptop+sale&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER
If you do any video conferencing, I'd stay away from this one. The low position of the webcam makes for a very poor experience. The small Dell notebooks with the 'InfinityEdge' display also have the same issue. If you've ever seen anyone using one of these systems during a WebEx/Skype mtg., you'll understand why I call it the 'NasalCam'.
Dell is having a "Cyber Week in July" sale this week. They're probably doing this to align with Prime Day.
I saw that review. My current laptop doesn't even have a webcam, so I thought it wasn't a big deal. Thanks for pointing that out in case I didn't see it though.
Great-Kazoo
07-17-2018, 18:20
https://m.newegg.com/products/2WC-000J-00050?nm_mc=TEMC-RMA-Approvel&cm_mmc=TEMC-RMA-Approvel-_-Content-_-text-_-
I got one of these. Only one complaint that the left right TouchPad buttons sucks
IMO based on your reply and my experience that's a lenovo laptop issue, across the board.
How do you like it so far? I think I saw that one. Weighs just under 6 pounds? Hows the battery life?
If you're referencing the lenovo, they start out great, then for some reason their idea of 2.3 hrs remaining compared to my clocked time of 2.3 is much different. Throw in you have to send the laptop back on your dime to them, with a 30 day turn around (average) time frame. I'd advise against them.
The mouse buttons on my Lenovo suck. I have to push them like 6 times to get the cursor somewhere. I mostly use a USB mouse, but if I'm doing something in my car real quick, or doing something tedious where I can navigate without using my mouse, it really sucks.
Lenovo build quality sucks overall. They are not the Thinkpads of IBM's day.
This lenovo replaced my 8 year old lenovo that is still ticking despite my very hard daily use. YMMV
These buttons are simply annoying, it's more like a left/right rocker, the outside edges are what you'd expect, the inside edges are hard as hell to push, the thing is one large button with no separation in the middle. Nothing like the buttons on any laptop I've used. I have a good mouse.
Battery life is best checked by a few of the review sites, they found it usable but no laptop meets the specs they advertise. 2 hours of steady use is the most I've put it thru so far and it went down to about 25%. A little youtube, a bunch of browsing and some work on word and pdf docs. I haven't played a game unplugged yet.
If you need to buy now that dell I texted you or something very similar would be nice. I really enjoy the backlit keys.
Windows 10 home blows. So does paying $130 for office.
I don't need anything right this second. I have links open for some Dell stuff, and some Lenovo stuff. I'll look around over the next few days.
I just learned a couple of weeks ago that if you bought a Windows 7 Ultimate or Pro or Windows 8/8.1 Pro upgrade and have the key, you can use it to upgrade Windows 10 Home to Pro.
I was able to upgrade a new computer for my dad a couple of days ago with this method.
Wish I would have known sooner since I purchased upgrades for a few of my systems. Sister-in-law works for Microsoft and sent us a Friends and Family company store invite last year. A Windows 10 Pro upgrade goes for $35 and Office 365 for up to 5 PCs and 5 tablets/phones goes for$99/yr.
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BushMasterBoy
07-18-2018, 11:29
What I like about Dell Precision laptops is that the Dell restore disk will work on any of them. I have two Dell M4500's anda Dell M4600. They came from Dell Financial Services on eBay and are factory refurbished. If I can find a deal on SSd's and RAM, I will upgrade them. So far I am really happy with them. Next generation is a Dell M4700 & M4800. I will wait, before I buy one of those.
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