I wanted a laptop for enterprise software development. This means some VMs so lots of cores and RAM, fast and plentiful disks and nothing much else matters. I don't really need anything really portable - an old-fashioned "luggable" would be ok. I tend to keep my main laptop for five or more years. Last time around, I had a Lenovo bought in 2010 and upgraded it to two SSDs and 16GB RAM. It doesn't run off batteries any more, the screen resolution is low and the charger cable is iffy. Before that was an HP Touchsmart all in one and before that we are going all the way back to Pentium 4s - an Acer desktop replacement with full desktop motherboard, circa 2002 or thereabouts.
I selected a PC Specialist Optimus VIII and maxed it out:
Chassis & Display: Optimus Series: 17.3" Matte Full HD IPS LED Widescreen (1920x1080)
Processor (CPU): Intel® Core™ i7 Quad Core Processor 7700HQ (2.8GHz, 3.8GHz Turbo)
Memory (RAM): 32GB Corsair VENGEANCE 2400MHz SODIMM DDR4 (2 x 16GB)
Graphics Card: NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 1050 - 4.0GB GDDR5 Video RAM - DirectX® 12.1
1st Hard Disk: 2TB SEAGATE FIRECUDA 2.5" SSHD - UP TO 5X FASTER THAN HDD!
M.2 SSD Drive: 1TB SAMSUNG PM961 M.2, PCIe NVMe (up to 3000MB/R, 1700MB/W)
I paid a little extra for 5 working day build time but it still clocked in around £1400 inc VAT. I couldn't find a traditional big brand PC of comparable specification for anywhere close to that price - I guess the mainstream of big, very fast PCs is aimed at gamers who benefit from more expensive graphics cards.
My first experience was of PC Specialist rather than the laptop itself. I ordered it on the Tuesday afternoon and received it on the Saturday morning. Add in that the Friday was a bank holiday and I have to say, that's amazing, delivering well beyond my expectations, thank you so much.
OK, the laptop itself. I expected something *big* and the box did nothing to counter that expectation. Inside the massive delivery box was a smaller-but-still-significant box containing the computer. The computer itself is much sleeker and lighter than I expected. This is pleasant but would not have concerned me if the opposite had been true. PC Specialist included a fairly hefty manual which I didn't bother to read.
The computer is, unsurprisingly, much faster than my previous machines. It doesn't run as hot or loud either, not even at full chat.
The website suggested it would have a VGA port and it doesn't, which is a shame but no big deal. For the infrequency I need one, buying and carrying an adaptor is quite acceptable and is more than made up for by HDMI and 2x mini display ports so I can plug the laptop into my 4k TV for a HUGE desktop.
What can I say? It's at least everything I hoped for. The keyboard isn't great but no laptop keyboard is. It's heavier at the back so doesn't balance well on a lap. But I'm being picky - I always use an external keyboard and a proper desk.
Here are some pictures of the PC:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B4EaGkwCU5FYNUpwQ2lfNW1EeTA
Thanks PCS - great job
I selected a PC Specialist Optimus VIII and maxed it out:
Chassis & Display: Optimus Series: 17.3" Matte Full HD IPS LED Widescreen (1920x1080)
Processor (CPU): Intel® Core™ i7 Quad Core Processor 7700HQ (2.8GHz, 3.8GHz Turbo)
Memory (RAM): 32GB Corsair VENGEANCE 2400MHz SODIMM DDR4 (2 x 16GB)
Graphics Card: NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 1050 - 4.0GB GDDR5 Video RAM - DirectX® 12.1
1st Hard Disk: 2TB SEAGATE FIRECUDA 2.5" SSHD - UP TO 5X FASTER THAN HDD!
M.2 SSD Drive: 1TB SAMSUNG PM961 M.2, PCIe NVMe (up to 3000MB/R, 1700MB/W)
I paid a little extra for 5 working day build time but it still clocked in around £1400 inc VAT. I couldn't find a traditional big brand PC of comparable specification for anywhere close to that price - I guess the mainstream of big, very fast PCs is aimed at gamers who benefit from more expensive graphics cards.
My first experience was of PC Specialist rather than the laptop itself. I ordered it on the Tuesday afternoon and received it on the Saturday morning. Add in that the Friday was a bank holiday and I have to say, that's amazing, delivering well beyond my expectations, thank you so much.
OK, the laptop itself. I expected something *big* and the box did nothing to counter that expectation. Inside the massive delivery box was a smaller-but-still-significant box containing the computer. The computer itself is much sleeker and lighter than I expected. This is pleasant but would not have concerned me if the opposite had been true. PC Specialist included a fairly hefty manual which I didn't bother to read.
The computer is, unsurprisingly, much faster than my previous machines. It doesn't run as hot or loud either, not even at full chat.
The website suggested it would have a VGA port and it doesn't, which is a shame but no big deal. For the infrequency I need one, buying and carrying an adaptor is quite acceptable and is more than made up for by HDMI and 2x mini display ports so I can plug the laptop into my 4k TV for a HUGE desktop.
What can I say? It's at least everything I hoped for. The keyboard isn't great but no laptop keyboard is. It's heavier at the back so doesn't balance well on a lap. But I'm being picky - I always use an external keyboard and a proper desk.
Here are some pictures of the PC:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B4EaGkwCU5FYNUpwQ2lfNW1EeTA
Thanks PCS - great job
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