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How do you decide...

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  • L Offline
    L Offline
    littleGreenDude
    wrote on last edited by
    #1

    when it is time to upgrade your personal laptop (machine)? I've started working on some unity stuff and my laptop isn't quite fast enough. I have 16GB RAM, so I'm thinking the performance is most likely related to the graphics card. That aside the only other thing not working is the touch-pad (external mouse fixes that nicely). Is a change justified? Yes, there is the additional expense, but file / app migration is probably the bigger PITA. Do you treat your laptop like a (lease) car and get a new model every 3 years, or do you keep it until end of life?

    J M D OriginalGriffO C 26 Replies Last reply
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    • L littleGreenDude

      when it is time to upgrade your personal laptop (machine)? I've started working on some unity stuff and my laptop isn't quite fast enough. I have 16GB RAM, so I'm thinking the performance is most likely related to the graphics card. That aside the only other thing not working is the touch-pad (external mouse fixes that nicely). Is a change justified? Yes, there is the additional expense, but file / app migration is probably the bigger PITA. Do you treat your laptop like a (lease) car and get a new model every 3 years, or do you keep it until end of life?

      J Offline
      J Offline
      Johnny J
      wrote on last edited by
      #2

      It's sort of like when I feel the urge to burst out in song... X| Because I'm no Michael Jackson, I try to keep it under control. :cool: But once in a while I get drunk, and my brain decides by itself: NOW is a good time to give EVERYBODY your best performance - no matter if they want it or not... :~ And then I wake up next to a new computer... :rolleyes: (Not really, but SOMETHING like it...)

      Anything that is unrelated to elephants is irrelephant
      Anonymous
      -----
      The problem with quotes on the internet is that you can never tell if they're genuine
      Winston Churchill, 1944
      -----
      Never argue with a fool. Onlookers may not be able to tell the difference.
      Mark Twain

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      • L littleGreenDude

        when it is time to upgrade your personal laptop (machine)? I've started working on some unity stuff and my laptop isn't quite fast enough. I have 16GB RAM, so I'm thinking the performance is most likely related to the graphics card. That aside the only other thing not working is the touch-pad (external mouse fixes that nicely). Is a change justified? Yes, there is the additional expense, but file / app migration is probably the bigger PITA. Do you treat your laptop like a (lease) car and get a new model every 3 years, or do you keep it until end of life?

        M Offline
        M Offline
        Munchies_Matt
        wrote on last edited by
        #3

        The screen on my HP fell off so it was time for a new one. Apparently they are known to do that, first a hinge lost its enthusiasm, and the screen went floppy, then the other joined it, followed by a monumental failure when it came away completely. Mind you it had a Harmon-Kardon sound sound system on it.

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        • L littleGreenDude

          when it is time to upgrade your personal laptop (machine)? I've started working on some unity stuff and my laptop isn't quite fast enough. I have 16GB RAM, so I'm thinking the performance is most likely related to the graphics card. That aside the only other thing not working is the touch-pad (external mouse fixes that nicely). Is a change justified? Yes, there is the additional expense, but file / app migration is probably the bigger PITA. Do you treat your laptop like a (lease) car and get a new model every 3 years, or do you keep it until end of life?

          D Offline
          D Offline
          Daniel Pfeffer
          wrote on last edited by
          #4

          I buy a new computer when I find that the old one doesn't possess the features that I need. The last time I replaced it (2 years ago) was when I discovered that I needed AVX 2.0 for some things; my previous computer was about 4-5 years old at the time. I expect the next replacement will come when I discover a need for AVX-512, or some such. I find that practically any professional-level computer (i7 + 16GB of memory + SSD) is good enough for the kind of development that I do. YMMV

          Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows. -- 6079 Smith W.

          M 1 Reply Last reply
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          • L littleGreenDude

            when it is time to upgrade your personal laptop (machine)? I've started working on some unity stuff and my laptop isn't quite fast enough. I have 16GB RAM, so I'm thinking the performance is most likely related to the graphics card. That aside the only other thing not working is the touch-pad (external mouse fixes that nicely). Is a change justified? Yes, there is the additional expense, but file / app migration is probably the bigger PITA. Do you treat your laptop like a (lease) car and get a new model every 3 years, or do you keep it until end of life?

            OriginalGriffO Offline
            OriginalGriffO Offline
            OriginalGriff
            wrote on last edited by
            #5

            That's one of the reasons I don't buy lappies: at least with a desktop you can rip out the MB and stuff another in there, while keeping your SDD / HDD and graphics.

            Sent from my Amstrad PC 1640 Never throw anything away, Griff Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay... AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!

            "I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony
            "Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt

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            • L littleGreenDude

              when it is time to upgrade your personal laptop (machine)? I've started working on some unity stuff and my laptop isn't quite fast enough. I have 16GB RAM, so I'm thinking the performance is most likely related to the graphics card. That aside the only other thing not working is the touch-pad (external mouse fixes that nicely). Is a change justified? Yes, there is the additional expense, but file / app migration is probably the bigger PITA. Do you treat your laptop like a (lease) car and get a new model every 3 years, or do you keep it until end of life?

              C Offline
              C Offline
              Clifford Nelson
              wrote on last edited by
              #6

              When it looks like the current laptop will not cut it usually because it is broken. My previous loptop had a screw holding the screen together break (metal screw in plastic), and it was only the first of these screws. I tried initially using aluminum tape but it failed. did it a few more times, and finally I drilled through the laptop screen and screwed it together but still not a great. Finally bit the bullet. Have occasionally looked for a replacement screen but almost as much as I paid for the laptop.

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              • L littleGreenDude

                when it is time to upgrade your personal laptop (machine)? I've started working on some unity stuff and my laptop isn't quite fast enough. I have 16GB RAM, so I'm thinking the performance is most likely related to the graphics card. That aside the only other thing not working is the touch-pad (external mouse fixes that nicely). Is a change justified? Yes, there is the additional expense, but file / app migration is probably the bigger PITA. Do you treat your laptop like a (lease) car and get a new model every 3 years, or do you keep it until end of life?

                M Offline
                M Offline
                Maximilien
                wrote on last edited by
                #7

                When it starts to act like a teenager on full hormonal change. (i.e. doesn't wake up and/or go to sleep, start forgetting to do its chores... )

                I'd rather be phishing!

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                • L littleGreenDude

                  when it is time to upgrade your personal laptop (machine)? I've started working on some unity stuff and my laptop isn't quite fast enough. I have 16GB RAM, so I'm thinking the performance is most likely related to the graphics card. That aside the only other thing not working is the touch-pad (external mouse fixes that nicely). Is a change justified? Yes, there is the additional expense, but file / app migration is probably the bigger PITA. Do you treat your laptop like a (lease) car and get a new model every 3 years, or do you keep it until end of life?

                  P Offline
                  P Offline
                  PIEBALDconsult
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #8

                  I don't have a laptop. They lack features and age quicker than desktops. I just rebuilt my desktop and, according to my notes, the previous time was in January 2014.

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                  • L littleGreenDude

                    when it is time to upgrade your personal laptop (machine)? I've started working on some unity stuff and my laptop isn't quite fast enough. I have 16GB RAM, so I'm thinking the performance is most likely related to the graphics card. That aside the only other thing not working is the touch-pad (external mouse fixes that nicely). Is a change justified? Yes, there is the additional expense, but file / app migration is probably the bigger PITA. Do you treat your laptop like a (lease) car and get a new model every 3 years, or do you keep it until end of life?

                    R Offline
                    R Offline
                    Rage
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #9

                    Every 50,000 miles or 6 years, first reached.

                    1 Reply Last reply
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                    • D Daniel Pfeffer

                      I buy a new computer when I find that the old one doesn't possess the features that I need. The last time I replaced it (2 years ago) was when I discovered that I needed AVX 2.0 for some things; my previous computer was about 4-5 years old at the time. I expect the next replacement will come when I discover a need for AVX-512, or some such. I find that practically any professional-level computer (i7 + 16GB of memory + SSD) is good enough for the kind of development that I do. YMMV

                      Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows. -- 6079 Smith W.

                      M Offline
                      M Offline
                      Munchies_Matt
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #10

                      I had an old one that had a DVD drive, a PCcard bus port, numerous memory ports, a COM port, Firewire, USB, etc etc etc I bought a new one and it had less features. Just a USB port. :(

                      D 1 Reply Last reply
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                      • L littleGreenDude

                        when it is time to upgrade your personal laptop (machine)? I've started working on some unity stuff and my laptop isn't quite fast enough. I have 16GB RAM, so I'm thinking the performance is most likely related to the graphics card. That aside the only other thing not working is the touch-pad (external mouse fixes that nicely). Is a change justified? Yes, there is the additional expense, but file / app migration is probably the bigger PITA. Do you treat your laptop like a (lease) car and get a new model every 3 years, or do you keep it until end of life?

                        L Offline
                        L Offline
                        Lost User
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #11

                        Before you doubt the graphics card does your laptop have a HDD or SSD if it's not SSD there's your answer, uless you are high graphics gaming the graphics card makes ZERO difference - even chipset graphics will suffice for all but the heaviest gaming. It will not slow you down. SSD's are cheap enough now and more reliable too - there's no reason to use HDD, even more so for portable drives. (Yeah I know HDD's retail for pennies per pound, so does cow shit - at least the cow shit has a use if you're into gardening.)

                        This internet thing is amazing! Letting people use it: worst idea ever!

                        L 1 Reply Last reply
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                        • L littleGreenDude

                          when it is time to upgrade your personal laptop (machine)? I've started working on some unity stuff and my laptop isn't quite fast enough. I have 16GB RAM, so I'm thinking the performance is most likely related to the graphics card. That aside the only other thing not working is the touch-pad (external mouse fixes that nicely). Is a change justified? Yes, there is the additional expense, but file / app migration is probably the bigger PITA. Do you treat your laptop like a (lease) car and get a new model every 3 years, or do you keep it until end of life?

                          E Offline
                          E Offline
                          Eric Lynch
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #12

                          I'm usually more of a desktop guy. I replace it as soon as I can find a plausible excuse. Most recently, my power supply died. Yeah, I know! I could simply replace the PSU, but I really wanted that excuse :) I carefully timed it, until after I used my aforementioned excuse to buy a new PC. After this, I also replaced the old PSU...for free. It still had about 3 days remaining until its 5 year warranty expired!

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                          • M Munchies_Matt

                            I had an old one that had a DVD drive, a PCcard bus port, numerous memory ports, a COM port, Firewire, USB, etc etc etc I bought a new one and it had less features. Just a USB port. :(

                            D Offline
                            D Offline
                            Daniel Pfeffer
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #13

                            My new laptop doesn't have a DVD burner, and is ~1 Kg lighter. Then again, I use a DVD burner much less often than I used to, so having an external burner (connected via USB) is a reasonable choice. As for connectivity, as long as a laptop has a network (RJ-45) port, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and a variety of USB 3 ports, I'm happy.

                            Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows. -- 6079 Smith W.

                            K 1 Reply Last reply
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                            • OriginalGriffO OriginalGriff

                              That's one of the reasons I don't buy lappies: at least with a desktop you can rip out the MB and stuff another in there, while keeping your SDD / HDD and graphics.

                              Sent from my Amstrad PC 1640 Never throw anything away, Griff Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay... AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!

                              G Offline
                              G Offline
                              GuyThiebaut
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #14

                              Here here! My desktop at home is 6 years old and it's still running fine with the original i5 processor and motherboard.

                              “That which can be asserted without evidence, can be dismissed without evidence.”

                              ― Christopher Hitchens

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                              • L littleGreenDude

                                when it is time to upgrade your personal laptop (machine)? I've started working on some unity stuff and my laptop isn't quite fast enough. I have 16GB RAM, so I'm thinking the performance is most likely related to the graphics card. That aside the only other thing not working is the touch-pad (external mouse fixes that nicely). Is a change justified? Yes, there is the additional expense, but file / app migration is probably the bigger PITA. Do you treat your laptop like a (lease) car and get a new model every 3 years, or do you keep it until end of life?

                                abmvA Offline
                                abmvA Offline
                                abmv
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #15

                                if u buy like a custom dell precision series or a ThinkPad P72....ur set for some time...

                                Caveat Emptor. "Progress doesn't come from early risers – progress is made by lazy men looking for easier ways to do things." Lazarus Long

                                We are in the beginning of a mass extinction. - Greta Thunberg

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                                • L littleGreenDude

                                  when it is time to upgrade your personal laptop (machine)? I've started working on some unity stuff and my laptop isn't quite fast enough. I have 16GB RAM, so I'm thinking the performance is most likely related to the graphics card. That aside the only other thing not working is the touch-pad (external mouse fixes that nicely). Is a change justified? Yes, there is the additional expense, but file / app migration is probably the bigger PITA. Do you treat your laptop like a (lease) car and get a new model every 3 years, or do you keep it until end of life?

                                  D Offline
                                  D Offline
                                  dandy72
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #16

                                  littleGreenDude wrote:

                                  I have 16GB RAM, so I'm thinking the performance is most likely related to the graphics card.

                                  That's quite the leap, IMO. What "isn't quite fast enough" exactly? If you're just getting started with Unity, I have to believe you're still working on basic stuff, and nothing already so complex as to overwhelm your video hardware. As others have pointed out, are you using a spinning drive, or SSD? I'd try to figure out what is slowing you down before getting newer hardware that, in the end, might not solve the right problem. As I'm sure you know, your options are rather limited when it comes to laptops, other than an SSD and more RAM (if you need it, and the MB can take it). Otherwise it's time for a new laptop. Although you can certainly keep it going in parallel until it dies. All my systems eventually get repurposed. How does Unity perform on a remote system across Remote Desktop sessions? Would you consider getting a beefy desktop (they're cheaper and you have more upgrade options) and remoting into it from your laptop? If you can run that way, then whatever specs your laptop's got become pretty much irrelevant, as all the heavy lifting is done elsewhere. But since Unity is involved here--YMMV. Just a random thought from my part. Obviously this won't work if you need to be elsewhere, and offline.

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                                  • L littleGreenDude

                                    when it is time to upgrade your personal laptop (machine)? I've started working on some unity stuff and my laptop isn't quite fast enough. I have 16GB RAM, so I'm thinking the performance is most likely related to the graphics card. That aside the only other thing not working is the touch-pad (external mouse fixes that nicely). Is a change justified? Yes, there is the additional expense, but file / app migration is probably the bigger PITA. Do you treat your laptop like a (lease) car and get a new model every 3 years, or do you keep it until end of life?

                                    L Offline
                                    L Offline
                                    Lost User
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #17

                                    I use only gaming desktops and replace them only when the frame rates of the games I play start to drop below 60 fps. Then I go and order a custom machine with some top components. The current one is almost 4 years old and still going strong. The company that assembles them was so good at it, they went bankrupt because nobody needed new ones. [Building an X299 RGB Gaming PC - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18LketLjcKg)

                                    They buy shoes, then they wear them! They make them sound old! Dairy! Dairy!

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                                    • L littleGreenDude

                                      when it is time to upgrade your personal laptop (machine)? I've started working on some unity stuff and my laptop isn't quite fast enough. I have 16GB RAM, so I'm thinking the performance is most likely related to the graphics card. That aside the only other thing not working is the touch-pad (external mouse fixes that nicely). Is a change justified? Yes, there is the additional expense, but file / app migration is probably the bigger PITA. Do you treat your laptop like a (lease) car and get a new model every 3 years, or do you keep it until end of life?

                                      J Offline
                                      J Offline
                                      Jorgen Andersson
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #18

                                      For work I make sure to get a new one when the warranty runs out, but I always buy with extended warranty, so four years. The reason is simple, the time it takes to get a new computer and get it up and working is worth more than what the computer itself costs. At home I get a new one when the old one goes beyond repair.

                                      Wrong is evil and must be defeated. - Jeff Ello

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                                      • L littleGreenDude

                                        when it is time to upgrade your personal laptop (machine)? I've started working on some unity stuff and my laptop isn't quite fast enough. I have 16GB RAM, so I'm thinking the performance is most likely related to the graphics card. That aside the only other thing not working is the touch-pad (external mouse fixes that nicely). Is a change justified? Yes, there is the additional expense, but file / app migration is probably the bigger PITA. Do you treat your laptop like a (lease) car and get a new model every 3 years, or do you keep it until end of life?

                                        K Offline
                                        K Offline
                                        KBZX5000
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #19

                                        Quote:

                                        Do you treat your laptop like a (lease) car and get a new model every 3 years, or do you keep it until end of life?

                                        Isn't end of life 2 years?

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                                        • L littleGreenDude

                                          when it is time to upgrade your personal laptop (machine)? I've started working on some unity stuff and my laptop isn't quite fast enough. I have 16GB RAM, so I'm thinking the performance is most likely related to the graphics card. That aside the only other thing not working is the touch-pad (external mouse fixes that nicely). Is a change justified? Yes, there is the additional expense, but file / app migration is probably the bigger PITA. Do you treat your laptop like a (lease) car and get a new model every 3 years, or do you keep it until end of life?

                                          S Offline
                                          S Offline
                                          Stuart Dootson
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #20

                                          EOL... I'm still using my MacBook Pro, bought in 2009. It's got a few dings & dents (mostly from air travel, I suspect), but is still plenty for most of my home needs (web, email, photo processing in Aperture, some toy projects in C++ and Rust). It's had one hardware upgrade (I added an SSD as boot drive in about 2011 - still use the spinning disk as bulk storage, though) and a replacement battery, but apart from that is still going well enough.

                                          Java, Basic, who cares - it's all a bunch of tree-hugging hippy cr*p

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