Need a pure, powerful DTR for company

Connoisseur

Platinum Member
Sep 14, 2002
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My company does a lot of HD imaging on the road. So far, we've been using "portable" desktops. These are sff computers in small suitcases. These computers have a P4 3.0 ghz, 80gb 7200rpm HD, 2 GB ram, 2 firewire 400, 4 usb 2.0, IDE connectors, a 15" LCD and molex power connectors built in. Since these systems are still rather bulky and annoying to carry around (~15-20lbs), my manager was considering upgrading to DTR laptops to improve portability. I've been trying to steer my company away from P4 systems and towards A64's, but I'm willing to consider either system at this point depending on overall specs. The laptop needs to have the following minimum specs:
P4 3.0ghz / A64 3800+ or higher (desktop cpu's NOT mobile)
2.0gb RAM
60-80GB 7200rpm HD
15-17" screen
DVD-RW or DVD/CD-RW
2 USB ports built in
at least 1 Firewire port built in
Video is irrelevant
Sound is irrelevant

Obviously, weight is not a concern with these systems. We're going for maximum CPU and I/O processing power. The company we get it from needs to be a well known brand too (no oem's or unknowns). So far I'm considering Alienware, VoodooPC, Sager, Falcon Northwest and Dell. Does anyone have any suggestions for specific systems or other makers?
 

cheesehead

Lifer
Aug 11, 2000
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I would go with Sager. If I recall, they will be putting out a DTR in a few months with a 17" screen, support for dual-core AMD64's, and you can configure 'em as much as you want.
The Dell Inspiron 9100 is not terribly reliable, so I would avoid it. (I own one.)
 

ShellGuy

Golden Member
Mar 1, 2004
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The last 3 on your list would do you fine... Why if i may ask no P-m processors as they run cooler and most of the time better than the lap burning P4s... Will G.
 

Connoisseur

Platinum Member
Sep 14, 2002
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Ehh... even though we deal with a lot of technology on a daily basis my bosses are still wary of P-M as opposed to P4's. They're more involved with software so they don't completely understand the difference in architecture and how they translate to performance despite the difference in clock speed. In spite of this fact, I've been trying to convert my company to switch over to A64/Opteron systems as we do a lot of database/SQL intensive work as well as maintain file servers. I think i'm slowly getting through to them so I'm def. leaning towards the AMD systems for both laptops and desktops. Currently we use multi-cpu Xeon systems and they def. get crunched all the time especially if there are many users using the same server. It's ridiculous.
 

cheesehead

Lifer
Aug 11, 2000
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Yes. Almost all high-end laptops do these days. However, you may as well get a Cardbus card anyway; FireWire 400 is still being used on laptops, and it's only got a 50mb/s transfer rate maximum in either direction. FireWire 800 CardBus cards are availible; the 100mb/s max speed might help. (For the record, folks, USB2.0 does technically max out at 60mb/s; however, it's essentialy 60 mb in one direction, and it's almost never as fast.)
Also, I think some of the latest Sagers have SATA ports on them. Short of SCSI320, I doubt that you'll find a faster interface.
 

fbrdphreak

Lifer
Apr 17, 2004
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Also look into RockDirect: they have a lappy right now that uses dual core A64's.

Don't go with P4; A64's do as well as or better than P4's in all benchies and run a lot cooler.

Sager or RockDirect is your best bet. With Voodoo you're paying for the name and the paint job; neither of which you need.
 

Connoisseur

Platinum Member
Sep 14, 2002
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Originally posted by: fbrdphreak
Also look into RockDirect: they have a lappy right now that uses dual core A64's.

Don't go with P4; A64's do as well as or better than P4's in all benchies and run a lot cooler.

Sager or RockDirect is your best bet. With Voodoo you're paying for the name and the paint job; neither of which you need.

I totally agree there and that's why I'm trying to convince my managers to switch to all A64/Opteron systems during the next round of upgrades to our computers. We do a lot of database, file sharing and other work which involves a lot of memory usage, I/O and and bus bandwidth. I see absolutely no reason to use P4 Xeon systems when Opterons are faster, cheaper, scale better with the number of processors and consume less power/output less heat. One of my superiors actually said that he thought AMD cpu's were less stable than Intel's. It was such a stupid remark I seriously wanted to b****slap the guy. I had to quietly explain to him that that hasn't been true for at least 6 or 7 years. ::Sigh:: No wonder intel has such a monopoly in the corporate setting.
 

fbrdphreak

Lifer
Apr 17, 2004
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Originally posted by: Connoisseur
::Sigh:: No wonder intel has such a monopoly in the corporate setting.
Word :(

Maybe you should call up an AMD reseller and have them pitch your guys ;)

Sh!t I'll do it for ya ;)
 

Connoisseur

Platinum Member
Sep 14, 2002
2,470
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Originally posted by: fbrdphreak
Originally posted by: Connoisseur
::Sigh:: No wonder intel has such a monopoly in the corporate setting.
Word :(

Maybe you should call up an AMD reseller and have them pitch your guys ;)

Sh!t I'll do it for ya ;)

Heh heh thanks but I think I got it covered. With a little help from benchies from AT and HardOCP I think I convinced them that AMD is superior. :)