New rig

[moa_vids]

Ello!

 

New user here, not quite sure if I'm posting in the right place or not. I'm getting new rigs for University (Leaving home soon.) My plan is to use a laptop for the first one or two semesters before building out my new desktop. Therefore, I'm looking for advice on what laptop to buy. I'm heading in as an engineering major, so I'll be using engineering software such as Solidworks, Matlab, etc. I'm also a bit of a gamer, graphic designer, and video creator. I've been looking around, but am having a tough choice deciding. My questions are;

 

For any video editors; Do you edit on a computer with a touchscreen such as 2-in-1 or use the conventional mouse and keyboard?

Graphic designers; 2-in-1 or no?

Anyone who might have experience with engineering;  How intensive do the specs need to be?

 

The upper limit of my budget is around $2,300, but I would prefer something in the $1000-$1500 range. 4k would also be awesome to have. A killer battery would also be a plus.

 

So far I've been looking at;

 

Razer Blade Stealth

Razer Blade

Surface Book

Surface Pro

Dell XPS 13

Dell XPS 15

HP Spectre x360

 

Once I get enough money and a place that isn't a dorm room I'll build a new desktop rig. Until then, this will be my main PC.

 

Cheers, and apologies again if this is in the wrong place!

 

Moa

[The Sloth]

10 minutes ago, moa_vids said:

using engineering software such as Solidworks, Matlab,

which discipline? get an XPS 15 also avoid razer. 

[Brooksie359]

As someone who has used both solidworks and matlab you don't need a super computer to run it. A dedicated gpu is definitely a plus and I would try and get one for sure but you don't need a nice one. A 940m or above will be just fine. Also some schools have you run the programs remotely off of their computers anyways. I haven't run solidworks on an integrated graphics so I'm not sure just how bad it would be but I do know that you can get by with integrated graphics for some other engineering programs. What type of engineering are you going into?

[SquintyG33Rs]

literally all those applications are made to run on shitty laptops. my i3 laptop from 8 years ago does it all fine. focus on the gaming aspect since it's really what's pushing the market to improve at the moment (for consumers at least) and you'll have all the power you need for your school stuff.

[Daniel Z.]

A lighter 1060 or 1050 laptop with a quadcore i5 or i7 should be good

[The Sloth]

3 minutes ago, SquintyG33Rs said:

. focus on the gaming aspect since it's really what's pushing the market to improve at the moment

that's how you get a shitty GPA 

[SquintyG33Rs]

Just now, nerdslayer1 said:

that's how you get a shitty GPA 

i meant for performance you dunce. if the objective was not to game at all don't get a GPU

[The Sloth]

Just now, SquintyG33Rs said:

i meant for performance you dunce.

careful being edgy, you might get hurt. 

Just now, SquintyG33Rs said:

if the objective was not to game at all don't get a GPU

for OP a 1050 is more than enough 

[moa_vids]

17 minutes ago, nerdslayer1 said:

which discipline? get an XPS 15 also avoid razer. 

Aerospace Engineering and Mechanical. 

[The Sloth]

3 minutes ago, moa_vids said:

Aerospace Engineering and Mechanical. 

cool, i am Mechanical( masters) and electrical( diploma), get the XPS 15, 1080p model with a 97watt battery. 

 

 

[moa_vids]

18 minutes ago, Brooksie359 said:

As someone who has used both solidworks and matlab you don't need a super computer to run it. A dedicated gpu is definitely a plus and I would try and get one for sure but you don't need a nice one. A 940m or above will be just fine. Also some schools have you run the programs remotely off of their computers anyways. I haven't run solidworks on an integrated graphics so I'm not sure just how bad it would be but I do know that you can get by with integrated graphics for some other engineering programs. What type of engineering are you going into?

Aerospace and Mechanical, also completing my Commercial Pilot's License

[Brooksie359]

16 minutes ago, moa_vids said:

Aerospace and Mechanical, also completing my Commercial Pilot's License

Yeah I would go for a lightweight laptop with a decent dedicated gpu like a 950m or above. Solidworks isn't the most intensive program out there but it does help to have a nice gpu if you have larger assemblies and such. Also if you are going into aerospace you may end up using ansys fluent which is also not too heavy on the gpu but it still helps to have a dedicated one. Also good call on doing mechanical and aerospace rather than just aerospace as you have way more options that way. A mechanical engineer can most of the time get an aerospace job but the reverse is much harder and rare.

[moa_vids]

6 hours ago, Brooksie359 said:

Yeah I would go for a lightweight laptop with a decent dedicated gpu like a 950m or above. Solidworks isn't the most intensive program out there but it does help to have a nice gpu if you have larger assemblies and such. Also if you are going into aerospace you may end up using ansys fluent which is also not too heavy on the gpu but it still helps to have a dedicated one. Also good call on doing mechanical and aerospace rather than just aerospace as you have way more options that way. A mechanical engineer can most of the time get an aerospace job but the reverse is much harder and rare.

I will admit that video editing would probably be the main purpose of this machine, as well as note taking and mobile work. It's the main reason the Surfaces are on there, because of the pen support. I'm worried about the cost, lack of I/O and dedicated GPU though

[snpr1992]

I don't know if you're familiar with them, but Eluktronics makes some awesome laptops.  They are clevo based chassis with custom configurations . Mine for example has a i7-7700hq and a GTX 1070.  Temps run pretty cool, haven't found anything I can't run in 4K ultra.  They now have some versions with the 1080. 

 

Unlike some recommendations above I would stay away from the XPS 15.  I have seen people with lots of thermal problems with it.  Repasting, undervolting did nothing to make it better.

[Brooksie359]

3 hours ago, moa_vids said:

I will admit that video editing would probably be the main purpose of this machine, as well as note taking and mobile work. It's the main reason the Surfaces are on there, because of the pen support. I'm worried about the cost, lack of I/O and dedicated GPU though

Video editing is quite cpu intensive so I wouldn't recommend doing it on a machine that doesn't have a good cpu. Also video editing and photo editing are two very different things so if you want to do creative photo editing or graphic design a surface would make sense but not for video editing. I don't see the touchscreen helping with that sort of application.