New computer recommendations?

[jdwykrent]

So I'd like to purchase a new computer for my home...

1. I'm having the great Mac vs PC debate....
2. "all in one", desktop, or Laptop?

I'd like to be able to run the latest Autodesk software and shopbot software...

What are you guys running?

[harryball]

I run a Dell 8500 something or other (sorry I'm not in front of it right now) with 16GB RAM and two 1TB drives in a mirrored RAID. Already had one of the drives crash, got a popup in the system tray notifying me. Ordered a new drive, replaced it, RAID rebuilt itself and I was good again.

I don't like all in ones, invariably something goes bad that should be simple (like a DVD drive) and it's a big production to fix it. I'd rather have a notebook with a docking station over an all in one.

Mac, I can't help you there. I wouldn't cross the street to spit on one. I've never had a long term good experience with them and I tossed the last one I had out a 2nd story window. Your results may vary.

/RB

[tri4sale]

So I'd like to purchase a new computer for my home...

1. I'm having the great Mac vs PC debate....
2. "all in one", desktop, or Laptop?

I'd like to be able to run the latest Autodesk software and shopbot software...

What are you guys running?

Mac VS PC really just comes down to what software you run. If you are all email/websites then either will work fine. Some software is only available for the PC, and if you run a program like Parallels you can run into repeated upgrade costs if you like to keep the Mac OS software Upton date (problem I've run into myself, the Parallel upgrade cost is greater than the Mac OS upgrade cost) Not sure if ShopBot will play nice on a Mac thru Parallels or such, but I'd think you might have issues there.

Bought mom a Mac a few years ago, she'd never go back to a PC. She likes the mac integration of software (especially photos and movies) and how it all for the most part just works.

All-In-Ones and Laptops have the same weakness, lack of easy upgradeablitly (some have zero upgradeability) and cost of repair is greater than w/ a desktop. Laptop is good for portability, All-in-ones are nice for small footprint.

Also, if you have computer near the shopbot kicking up dust, the cooling fans act like mini-vacuums and will suck dust in and cause issues over time. I've had many a service call to fix a broken computer and all that was needed was a can of dust to remove the filth from inside.

Desktop will give you easy upgrade options, easier repairs, and easier to clean out. I put a desktop over an all-in-one next to my bot primarily so that I can open with one screw and blow out dust as needed. Also was cheaper to buy desktop and monitor than comparable all-in-one.

[tlempicke]

In my Aegean office I have two computers. A Mac and a PC. I use a Mac for my daily stuff because it just works, doesn't get viruses, and is easy to understand. To run my Shopbot stuff I have a PC. My wife says she can always tell when I am on the PC because of all the cursing and shouting coming from my lair.

A lot has changed over the last couple of years and I am about ready to try boot camp, which is a part of the Mac operating system and will let you run a copy of windows. I tried Parallels in the past and it was seriously lacking in just about everything.

After I draw up what I want to cut I go to the shop and there I have the cheapest PC laptop that Wally had on sale. I think I paid $400 bucks for it brand new. It has never been on the web (I fed it a bunch of baloney to disable the WiFi setup in it) and it only has Aspire and SB3 in it. I have never yet had a problem running the shopbot with it. No communication errors, nothing. Just perfect performance every time.

Maybe not the cheapest way to get by but life is pretty peaceful.

[englert]

While I do not own a ShopBot, I do own an iMac. So for the comment about longevity with an all-in-one Mac, I'll say that my Mac is of 2007 heritage. So going on 7 years without issue. Operating system upgrades have been free lately. That could change, but when they did charge they were fairly inexpensive. Other software applications written for the Mac are generally inexpensive. They do make Mac versions of Office and Adobe products. Adobe is expensive on any system (my opinion).

There are several of our customers using Parallel or Boot Camp with eCabinet Systems. While we do not test eCabinet's with this software, it appears that it works. I believe that there would be a slight performance degradation with Parallel and that Boot Camp would be better suited, but again that's an opinion that someone in this forum could comment on.

While I'm pro-Mac, I think I would lean towards a low cost PC system to run just the ShopBot.

Dennis

[jerry_stanek]

I have run my bot on an old Toshiba laptop that I paid $199 for new back in 2005 no problems running it have done some 6+ hour cuts Celeron with 1 gig ram XP home

[shilala]

I go to Dell Outlet and buy myself an Inspiron laptop for 300 or 400 bucks.
There's way more than enough ass there to run the bot and Aspire.
I use two, actually. One on the bot that's dedicated and one on my bench I use to model. But I use the bot laptop to make tweaks in Aspire all the time.

[bleeth]

And if you call Dell and talk nice they'll make sure your new computer doesn't have a bunch of added on ****. Last control computer I got from them the only thing they "had" to put on it was an intro anti-virus. Very helpful when I explained what it was for and why I didn't want a bunch of intro programs on it.
They're not nearly the slobs some people think they are.

[scottp55]

Just a stripped down Dell Win7 32bit 8G running in a "DirtBag"(seems to be working well) here. Always amazed how fast it is without ANY junk on it.:)

[POPS 64]

I have an Acer 2007 bought when the bot was purchased with XP ,PW, 3-D ,PVC, and everything disabled. not one flicker yet. And I've ran some litho's 14 hrs. And was the cheapest at the time . I have it hooked to a network cable to a new toshiba laptop that I design with . The toshiba I've been impressed with to.:D

[gpinard]

I use a Tiger Direct refurbished desktop. HP computer with a fresh install win 7 pro, no added anything only the fresh install of windows. comes with the network card to hook up the home server. I think the one I selected was about 225

[Michaelodunk]

There is a new app on the control panel in windows 7 its called performance information and tools you just click on it and it tells you where a bottle neck could be. My lowest score is on my is on my graphic card which shows up if I have a large sketchup file. I've tried autocad but it is pretty slow because of the graphics card. I'm using an
ACER laptop. I don't think computer speed is an issue for the bot its Autocad that will eat up the speed.
Hope that helps

[adrianm]

For the 'Bot I use older refurbished PC's. Nothing fancy is needed for a 'Bot as it's not a great hog of CPU. Just make sure it has 2gb memory as a minimum. There's no point in going over 4gb (if you're only running SB3) as it's a 32 bit program it can't use it.

For my laptop I run LXLE on older hardware as well. A £50 Dell Laptop (such as a D430) with LXLE will fly along compared to a couple of years old laptop on Windows.

If ShopBot ever produce a Linux version I'll run a control PC with LXLE. Seems to me that a downloadable Linux distro configured to do nothing but run a 'Bot would solve a lot of support problems.

The only real powerful PC I run is for Aspire, Sketchup and Xara where the horsepower is actually used.

[scottp55]

Jeff W. , Getting a lot of good information here and just reread the initial post and saw "Home" !
Is it also going to be a design computer. If so it changes a LOT. Even if only VCarvePro I noticed a HUGE difference in preview time between an old laptop and this new one in running previews of files and sometimes changing 1 toolpath to a slightly shallower cut in a multi-tool file meant a reset and a 10 minute wait on the old XP laptop.
Will this one be doing double duty with the machine AND design, Never regretted for a minute spending a little extra cash for control computer as I often design on the fly in the shop as new ideas Morph on me while cutting and sometimes have 2-3 different versions of VCP files up at the same time while proto'ing something new.
2 cents