Can anyone recommend a good laptop?

Dear Mark,

Do you have a spending limit you have in mind for a laptop? I us an older Dell with Logos 4 (P4 3.4 HT and it is ok for speed but indexing is brutal). Now the Dell quad core desktop is great for Logos 4 and indexing is fast. You can get an laptop with almost the same power.

New laptops are moving towards Quad Cores and I7 as a standard configuration.

Suggestions for laptop:

Dell 1730 or Dell Alienware x17

Dell M6400

If you can get the systems with Solid State Drive(s) (SSD are like large USB "Thumb Drives" thus no moving parts) will greatly improve batter life.

Kirk

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/46594#Comment_46594

Thanks for the reply Kirk!

Do you have a spending limit you have in mind for a laptop?

Yeah, I do $1500 Aus which puts me just outside the i7 bracket! I have seconded a Dell Desktop from work and it is good to use (it is a Duo Core). My only complaint wou;d be that Logos taked a while to load.

Would the quad core add anyhting to my daily use of Logos? I only use Word and Logos (as well as the net etc). I have indexed Logos onto my desktop and was planning to simply transfer everyhting to the new computer when the time comes.

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/46609#Comment_46609

Here is what I was considering

Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium 64bit (English)

Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor P8700 (2.53GHz/ 1066 FSB/ 3MB Cache)

15.6 " 720p WLED (1366x768) Display with TrueLife(TM) w/Camera

4GB (2X2GB) DDR2 SDRAM Memory

500GB SATA Hard Drive

Slot Load 8X DVD+/-RW Drive with DVD+R double layer write capability

512MB ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4570

Integrated Stereo Sound with Subwoofer

9-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery

Intel(R) WiFi Link 5100 (802.11a/g/n) Half Mini-card

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/46612#Comment_46612

Here is what I was considering

Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium 64bit (English)

Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor P8700 (2.53GHz/ 1066 FSB/ 3MB Cache)

15.6 " 720p WLED (1366x768) Display with TrueLife(TM) w/Camera

4GB (2X2GB) DDR2 SDRAM Memory

500GB SATA Hard Drive

Slot Load 8X DVD+/-RW Drive with DVD+R double layer write capability

512MB ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4570

Integrated Stereo Sound with Subwoofer

9-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery

Intel(R) WiFi Link 5100 (802.11a/g/n) Half Mini-card

What brand? Seems to have enough grunt for Logos4. Preferable for memory expansion to 8 GB, 7200 RPM HDD. Check that the 512MB is dedicated video memory.

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/46612#Comment_46612

Dear Steve,

Price range mentioned... shoot for the Dell 1730. The Dell/Alienware will be about $3,500 (my dream one was about at $5,600) and that M6400 will be about $4,000 (my dream one was about at $6,000).

What version of Logos are you running? I currently run both 3 and 4. I have made Logos 3 load/run faster is that I have the resources in 2 folders. One folder is what I must have and the other has everything else; then I tell Logos 3 the paths to use; thus speeding up Logos 3. I am trying to learn how to do that with Logos 4. Logos say there is a way to do so.

As for O/S on your laptop... get Ultimate if you can, but remember that once 64bit O/S loads approx. 1.25-1.5GB of the ram is consummed. 4Gb would be ok but consider 6GB or even 8GB.

I am wondering can we copy/transfer the cache file to the laptop from a system that has completed indexing, to speed up the indexing on an older laptop?

Kirk

Debra W Bouey

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/46634#Comment_46634

Here is what I was considering...

Preferable for memory expansion to 8 GB, 7200 RPM HDD. Check that the 512MB is dedicated video memory.

This.

I currently run a 5 month old 14.1" Gateway laptop with Win7 64 bit, Core 2 Duo T6400, 4GB memory. My L4 runs swiftly, especially compared to my 2180 2.0mHz Dual Core desktop, which is much slower. I can't say precisely how long it took my laptop to index my initial install of the L4 upgrade from Silver to Platinum + the resources I also have which are not in the two base packages. After everything downloaded from Logos' understandably flooded servers that evening, I just left it to index around midnight or so. When I got up at 5am, it was all finished. I'm currently running L4B2.

Regarding my laptop, I have but two covetous "wants": 4 more GBs of memory (4GB is the max this MoBo will handle) and I wish I wish I wish oh how I wish it had an independent graphics card, even if only of the lower end, less expensive variety. However, I'd never have sniffed a laptop near the bargain basement price I got this one for (a mere $498.95 NIB) if it had the 6-8GB of memory on board with a decent graphics card. That's probably cause when I'm not on the run and portable, I've become enamored of running my laptop stationary on a compact "base on wheels" where I plug in my 24" 1080p graphics monitor and a cadre of external USB hangers on ... for when I kick back to work from the comfort of my recliner and the like. [:)]

OTOH, you have budgeted $1500, which should get you a far more powerful laptop with enough power to smoothly and swiftly run L4. If you're comfortable with ordering from reliable online retailers with solid customer service reps like NewEgg or TigerDirect you'd probably get a bit more for your $$$.

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/46666#Comment_46666

Dear Debra,

My laptop when turned on and running Logos 4 has taken now 4 days to index.... lol (glancing over to look at it now... it is still going. It ranges from 4-9 hours to finish indexing I have to restart logos to reindex. I can tell that it is working diligently as all the fans are running in high mood. I believe there is a command to re-index on-demand.)

I am running Logos 4 Platinum (SR-7) with added book libraries.

Kirk

Debra W Bouey

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/46688#Comment_46688

Dear Debra,

My laptop when turned on and running Logos 4 has taken now 4 days to index.... lol (glancing over to look at it now... it is still going. It ranges from 4-9 hours to finish indexing I have to restart logos to reindex. I can tell that it is working diligently as all the fans are running in high mood. I believe there is a command to re-index on-demand.)

I am running Logos 4 Platinum (SR-7) with added book libraries.

Kirk

... and to think, on the eve of my L4 upgrade, I thought an evening and almost all night were a really, really long time to finally actually get into my new L4 upgrade! Although I must confess, but for the immeasurable grace of God, patience has never one of my "natural" finer virtues to begin with. [:$] My maiden install/index didn't take near as long as I thought, all things considered, eh?

RE "...re-index on-demand." Yep, if I understand you correctly, methinks you can simply type "index" or "index now" in the command prompt to re-index. Ditto for "update" on-demand.

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/46634#Comment_46634

What brand? Seems to have enough grunt for Logos4. Preferable for memory expansion to 8 GB, 7200 RPM HDD. Check that the 512MB is dedicated video memory.

Dell. Why does the dedicated memory for VC matter? I am not going to be editing video or the like...

Damian McGrath

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/46713#Comment_46713

RE "...re-index on-demand." Yep, if I understand you correctly, methinks you can simply type "index" or "index now" in the command prompt to re-index.

There is NO command line ability to reindex currently available.

The only way to force reindex is to perform a search and the click on the "merge indexes" suggestion. BUT, this is not a merge, it is a full reindex. In 4.0a, the ability to properly merge indexes will be available - hopefully they will also give us a command to perform this rather than having to run a search.

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/46663#Comment_46663

shoot for the Dell 1730

Hmm, must be named something else in Australia....

Debra W Bouey

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/46727#Comment_46727

RE "...re-index on-demand." Yep, if I understand you correctly, methinks you can simply type "index" or "index now" in the command prompt to re-index.

There is NO command line ability to reindex currently available.

The only way to force reindex is to perform a search and the click on the "merge indexes" suggestion. BUT, this is not a merge, it is a full reindex. In 4.0a, the ability to properly merge indexes will be available - hopefully they will also give us a command to perform this rather than having to run a search.

Thanks for the clarification, Damian!

Damian McGrath

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/46733#Comment_46733

shoot for the Dell 1730

Hmm, must be named something else in Australia....

Mark, a search of the Dell australia site reveals that it is no longer available. It was an "XPS" model. There are other XPS laptops available on the Dell site.

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/46733#Comment_46733

Dear Mark,

Can you get me the Dell "Aussie" websire address so I can view and link you a laptop to consider?

Kirk

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/46743#Comment_46743

Mark, a search of the Dell australia site reveals that it is no longer available. It was an "XPS" model. There are other XPS laptops available on the Dell site.

I tried the US website but it kept sending me back to the Australian store.

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/46749#Comment_46749

Try this http://configure.ap.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?oc=s510540au1&c=au&l=en&s=dhs&cs=audhs1

I was then going to chose upgrade options. The only drawback is this model won't go above 4 Gig Memory!

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/46755#Comment_46755

Dear Mark,

Sorry for the slim selection of laptop options there in you country.

Look at this one, it was a little more then what you want to spend, but this will be great for you:

http://configure.ap.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?oc=s510919au&c=au&l=en&s=dhs&cs=audhs1

With the initial purchase get as much RAM as you can afford.

Kirk

Mark Allison

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/46758#Comment_46758

http://configure.ap.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?oc=s510919au&c=au&l=en&s=dhs&cs=audhs1

With the initial purchase get as much RAM as you can afford.

Ouch! Bumping up the ram to 8gb adds more than $1000 to the total!

Mark

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/46766#Comment_46766

Dear Mark,

Do what I do... order it with the least amout of RAM... and buy what you want off of Ebay for about 60%-75% less.

Kirk

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/46769#Comment_46769

Ok, thanks for the advice....however, if this is the recomended specs for running Logos

The recommended requirements for running Logos 4 on a PC are:

Core2 Duo
3GB RAM
Windows Vista Or Windows 7
DVD drive
1280X1024 display
512MB DirectX9 graphics device with WDDM 1.0 or higher driver
20 GB hard drive space on local drive (May require additional space depending on your library).
Broadband internet connection

What will 4 gig or an i7 give me? (In layman's terms please - I know noting about computers! [;)])

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/46900#Comment_46900

512MB DirectX9 graphics device with WDDM 1.0 or higher driver

That 512 MB is memory on the video card (or graphics device) - if it was shared with main memory then it takes 0.5 GB out of the 3 GB, and there will be delays caused by the CPU and Video Card trying to access main memory. Some manufacturers try to con you about dedicated memory for the video but if you read carefully it can be 64 MB of main memory dedicated to video + the rest comes from main memory.

An i7 gives you a quad core or 4 CPU's on a processor chip. A duo/dual core gives you 2 CPU's on a chip. The quad core can be more effective/faster than a dual core but also a lot more expensive. A fast dual core (2.4 GHz or higher) + at least 4 GB RAM (memory) + Windows 7 64-bit operating system + 250 GB HDD can be fast and value for money!

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/46921#Comment_46921

Dear Dave,

Dont forget... if my memory serves me right (no joke intended) quad I7 has hyperThreading thus making it 8 cpus...

Kirk

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/46926#Comment_46926

Dear Dave,

Dont forget... if my memory serves me right (no joke intended) quad I7 has hyperThreading thus making it 8 cpus...

Kirk

If my memory serves me right you know nothing about computers - so I gave you a SIMPLIFIED description[:D]

OK - the technical thing is that you do not have 8 cores, but up to 8 threads. 8 threads shared amongst 4 cores doesn't give you the power of 8 cores! Then there is a little thing called HEAT which i7 monitors very strictly and will throttle the speed of the cores to make sure they do no exceed their HEAT quota. On the flip side if you use less than 4 cores it can INCREASE the speed of those cores to account for the heat not being generated by the idle cores!

The effect of all that is that i7 rules the roost for both overall SPEED and HEAT management.

EDIT:

i7 handles hype- threading better than I implied by "shared". The actual benefit will only be realised by applications that generate more than 4 threads.

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/46934#Comment_46934

If my memory serves me right you know nothing about computers

Actually I am the one who knows nothing about computers! [;)]

Scott S

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/46612#Comment_46612

15.6 " 720p WLED (1366x768) Display with TrueLife(TM)

In case you are not aware, the "TrueLife" display has a glossy
surface. Glossy displays have the
highest clarity for vivid colors and may have a wider viewing angle, but they more easily pickup glare from light
sources in the environment than matte (non-glossy) displays.

Obviously, whether this is a problem depends on the
lighting where you expect to be working and one's personal sensitivity to glare. I prefer a matte display and find it easy to read under every
type of lighting.

I've noticed that Dell's home oriented laptops are mostly
glossy and their business models are mostly matte. Unfortunately, their
business laptops have fewer graphics card choices.

You also might want to consider a higher
resolution display for better shaped fonts and ability to use smaller text. Dell charges
$70 or so.

Scott

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/47148#Comment_47148

Thanks Scott. My Macbook is currently quite poor in a well lit area. However, the Samsung 22" I connect it to in my study works brilliantly with the blinds open and the sun streaming in.

Cheers!