[Advice Needed] Architect and Design Notebook

[Nochnoy]

Hello Folks,

I need an advice from you guys about a new notebook for work/daily use.

To sum up: New notebook, with premium quality, premium support (We have a couple of Genius Bar at Brasil, and they really provide a good support/assistance) that will handle Adobe and Autodesk softwares for the next 4 to 5 years. Architect and Design uses, portability, battery duration and trouble free. About to buy a new machine, ASAP before my current notebook dies.

My work:
I mainly work with Autodesk AutoCAD, Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Lightroom, but eventually (a couple of times during the month) also work with video editing (Adobe Premiere, Adobe After Effects) among other design tools, including Autodesk 3D Max/V-ray for Architectural representation.

I carry my current notebook with me a lot, from office to construction sites, where dust and dirt are all over the place. Since my machine is showing its signs of age (Can't even work with Google Chrome, AutoCAD, Photoshop and Word/Excel opened at the same time) I need to replace it with a new notebook that can handle all this tasks without issues, and also at places that one would not think about taking the computer out of the backpack.

What I need:
The point is, I need a good machine that must functioning at least 4 to 5 years. I really don't care which OS the new machine will have, I work with Windows 10 (Home/Portable), I work with MacOS (Desktop machines at some partner offices) and I even work with Linux/Wine (Home), that's not a problem to me.

The thing that bothers me the most is the plastic body that most notebooks uses, cheap aspect and random minor issues with USB ports, gaps between bezel and screen (Dirt, remember?) and etc.

So there is the MacBook Pro 2015, that people say its an old piece of tech. I don't care if its old, I don't care if there is a new one coming out, all I do care is that will work out of the box and wont let me down, I'm tired of poking the internal parts, tired of tweak stuff around. I want plug and play (LoL).

So, the big question: Is the actual MacBook Pro 15' 2.5Ghz 16Gb Ram 512Gb SSD a good machine for me? Do you suggest another machine?

For the sake of curiosity:
My current machine is 7 years old. It's something close to a Sager Notebook, with Core 2 Duo, 16Gb ram and dedicated GPU. It's a good machine, started with Windows 7 and now it's running Windows 10. During these 7 years I had to replace fan twice, replaced mechanical hard drive for a SSD, replaced dvd-rom for another SSD, replaced battery once, replaced 8GB Ram for 16Gb Ram and weighs almost 6.5 pounds. My last Macintosh was a PowerBook G3 Bronze, still have it, who knows it will worth something one day .

Sorry about the long story, I really need some advice.

Best Regards, have a nice week.
Thanks,

Nochnoy

 

[jerryk]

Since you are already on windows, take a look at the Dell XPS 15. Very impressive, light, powerful, and cheaper than a rMBP 15. Get the model with the i7, dGPU, 512 GB M.2 SSD and 16 GB. The unit is user-upgradable so as faster SSD come out or your memory requirements change, you can just buy the components and install them yourself.

 

[xb2003]

Since have been running Windows, have you checked to make sure that the Autodesk stuff runs well on OS X/MacOS? I know some of their products do not even have a Mac version, which would make me wonder if the others are as up to snuff as their Windows Counterparts.

The rMBP is a solid machine and is very powerful. Yes, there are more powerful PC's currently on the market. But that's not everything when it comes to computing. The rMBP has superior battery life and a far better build quality. I own an XPS 13 and it's construction is not that rugged. It charges hot. The screen is a pain to clean. If build quality is a big deal, I don't think anybody comes close to Apple. Clean the dirt and dust from time to time and it will hold up well.

If you decide on a Windows machine, I would recommend a business class mobile workstation, such as a Dell Precision or HP Elitebook Workstation. The XPS is built for consumers. Yes, it's upgradeable and yes, you can get business support plans for it. But installing parts in it is terrible compared to a mobile workstation, and the Precisions have been proven time and time again.

 

[campyguy]

Longtime Mac user, and longtime AutoCAD user - both since the late 80s... If you use AutoCAD, don't waste your time with a Mac, don't waste your time with consumer PCs, and don't waste your time with i5/i7 processors even if you're looking for a laptop. I needed two laptops for this kind of work for my office and bought two Dell Precision 5510 units with the Xeon X3 processor (on the right, US link):
http://www.dell.com/us/business/p/p...246872786714c99833680&ven3=262703485770121857 (I have no affiliation with that link...)

The higher price yielded the Xeon upgrade, 32GB of RAM, a (really fast) 512GB M.2 SSD, an excellent display, Thunderbolt 3 (which includes USB 3.1 Gen2), a (preferred, for me with AutoCAD) Nvidia Quadro M1000M GPU and some other nice options. Ordering from Dell's business site and optioning out a few things can get discounts on Office and Creative Cloud too, and I added a second drive - the 1TB unit for onboard storage. The big item for me with that laptop is the included 1-day repair.

It takes a couple of weeks after an order is placed, but there's no way I'd use AutoCAD on a Mac now - we're a shop that uses about 25 of each in my offices. For US$2400, there isn't a Mac available today that can match this price/performance - and it's got TB3 onboard, today... Boa sorte!

 

[Nochnoy]

Hello Guys,

I'm really grateful for the advices. Some notes about the suggested notebooks:

Since you are already on windows, take a look at the Dell XPS 15. Very impressive, light, powerful, and cheaper than a rMBP 15.

I can't buy this machine from official dealers in Brazil. We have a similiar ebay website that asks like 40% more then the rMBP 2015 I mentioned, too much for my pocket right now.

If build quality is a big deal, I don't think anybody comes close to Apple. Clean the dirt and dust from time to time and it will hold up well.

Yes, this time I'm looking for built quality, slim and weight enought for an all day carry one. I don't have a good experience with HP durability.

Dell Precision 5510 units with the Xeon X3 processor. The higher price yielded the Xeon upgrade, 32GB of RAM, a (really fast) 512GB M.2 SSD, an excellent display, Thunderbolt 3 (which includes USB 3.1 Gen2), a (preferred, for me with AutoCAD) Nvidia Quadro M1000M GPU and some other nice options. Ordering from Dell's business site and optioning out a few things can get discounts on Office and Creative Cloud too, and I added a second drive - the 1TB unit for onboard storage. The big item for me with that laptop is the included 1-day repair.

That would be the notebook of my dreams, seriouslly. But again is too much for my pocket at the moment (~50% more expensive then the rMBP 2015). I use my Desktop for bigger projects (My desktop handles everything I need just right).

--

Things probably have changed, but I use to don't like Dell's support for end users (Things usually stop working, including battery, just days after support coverage ends). Their support for business is awesome, but it's not my case, since I work for myself, small studio. I was thinking about the new Razer Blade 2016, but since they don't have support in Brazil for notebooks it makes me afraid to go for it.

To sum up a little bit further: I can say that ~40% of my work will be done using a notebook, my Desktop take cares of the remaningly work. I really care about local assistance support. I understand that some of Autodesk softwares wont work with MacOS but I am okay about BootCamp or Virtualization softwares. To be honest I'm inclined to go for the rMBP 2015 but I need to know your opinion about durability of the hardware vs. architect/design software for the time spam mentioned.

Thanks again,
best regards.

 

[jerryk]

Are there no Windows laptops you can buy reasonably in Brazil? I am very much of the opinion that if you need to run Windows applications you should do it on a machine that runs Windows as it's primary OS. The vendor will then have all of the drivers to run optimally run the OS.

 

[Nochnoy]

Are there no Windows laptops you can buy reasonably in Brazil? I am very much of the opinion that if you need to run Windows applications you should do it on a machine that runs Windows as it's primary OS. The vendor will then have all of the drivers to run optimally run the OS.

Yes, we have some Sager like brands that sell awesome machine, but they are big, bulky and ugly (Gaming notebooks), maily with plastic body. The only software I'd use with BootCamp/Virtualization is Autodesk 3DMax, and just for minor things/adjustments. AutoCAD for Mac have enough things working for my portable use.

 

[xb2003]

I'm usually not an HP fan either, but the Elitebook Workstations are tanks. You can get business support for your dell just like a business can. It really sounds to me like a precision would be great for you. Or even a nice latitude. But they aren't small..

The rMBP will be a great compromise of power and size, and Bootcamp takes care of compatibility issues. And it will have a nicer screen and better battery life.

 

[Nochnoy]

I'm glad I posted my questions and concerns here. I learned to look for other options beyond those 'normal consumer notebooks'.

Ill look for the price of the HP Elitebook Workstation, since they don't sell it online in Brasil. As for the other suggestion, a little comparison to make things clear:

rMBP 15' 2.5Ghz 512Gb SSD: U$3.000,00 - ebay like website / U$6.363,00 Brazilian apple store;
Dell XPS 15: U$3.484,00 - ebay like website;
Dell Precision 5510 (Xeon): U$4.830,00 - Dell webstore;
Razer Blade 2016: U$4.090,00 - ebay like website;

* Using currency of 08.August plus 6% tax from U$ to R$ (Brazilian Real).
* When bringing any eletronic from another country I'm subject to pay extra 60% tax under the full invoice price.
* Brazilian Dell told me by phone that they don't coverage foreign Dell's notebook, only notebooks bought in Brazil.

@campyguy gave me a really awesome alternative. With that machine I even don't care if it have a plastic or aluminium body, I could retire my Desktop with it (Not that I'm thinking about it) but I don't have the money power.

I'll keep in mind those Business class notebooks when looking for a machine, I don't know why I never looked up before. As for today I'll wait a week or two on the prices of rMPB 15' and Dell XPS 15 since the currency between U$ and R$ are changing for better. I know that I can get a lower price over de Macintosh, but I can't find enough people selling the XPS 15 to make a competition, so prices might not change.

Thanks again,
Cheers.

 

[Badrottie]

Like Jerryk said you can't go wrong with powerful Dell XPS!