Video card for Manager laptop

[malkuth23]

General question for Germany that I thought other people might be interested in as well:

How important is a good dedicated video card when shopping for a laptop as a dedicated Manager?

Will one of the better integrated Intel chips get me by?
The middling Nvidia mobile dedicated cards?
Or do should we really go all out for a top of the line back breaking laptop?

Is the preview window being rendered on the video card the same way a render output is?

In a choice between a faster HD (SSD) or a high quality video card, where would you spend the money?

I know not every configuration has been tested. I am just asking for your instincts based on knowledge of how the software has to use the computer to preview a 4k mxl with a few effects applied to it. If anyone else wants to jump in feel free. We have been using rack mounted Manager systems lately, but the time is coming up for a laptop upgrade. And I want it to be able to do more than just VNC

Thanks for any thoughts you have-
-Matt

[Daniel Kaminski]

Hi,

from my experience I can only recommend a dedicated GFX Card.
Out of an emergency we had to use a couple of different Laptops with various GFX Cards, we learned that the top class Intel GFX Card work well if you do not use a preview.
On laptop please always be aware that there are Laptops with dual GFX Card solutions, which can get you into trouble.

I never had the problem that the HD was to slow for what a manager needed to do, but a couple of times I had the problem that I ran out of GFX Memory.

I know a couple of rental companies here in germany use DELL Precision Laptops as Manager and Player Hardware.
Those Laptops have HighEnd GFX Cards and are made as Mobile Workstations and you can get worldwide Next Day OnSite Support, which is really helpful in case something happens.

I have used them quite a bit and I was very happy. I also know that HP makes mobile Workstations which have similar features and also work very well.

Daniel

[malkuth23]

Thanks Daniel!

That is exactly the info I needed.

I am assuming the dual graphics cards can be a problem when they switch automatically?
Makes sense that could be an issue.

I am shopping for the lightest laptop available that could be used as a manager with preview. It is hard to find something that does not break my back and has enough power. Trying to decide where I should compromise.

[Christopher Fluegel]

Hi,

it is also a problem to work with the normal 2.5" HDDs usually used in laptops in fact they are very slow (usually 5400rpm).
If you want to preview content you need a fast HDD. So i think it's also a good choice to equip your laptop with a SSD.

So both, the graphics card and the the HDD / SSD is important to get things fluid for preview on a Manager or playout on a Player LAPTOP.

Cheers,

Fletch.