WHAT HARDWARE ARE YOU USING??

[Kayrondad]

Just wondering what everyone uses for their MEP software.

I am looking for an mobile workstation that has the horsepower to run large MEP files and does not require me to close one program to use another.  I use MEP, Photoshop and Illustrator; often times needing them all open at the same time but my current computer with i7 Q720 and 8 GB ram does not hang....

Any input is great.  Thanks.

[awitt]

I have a Dell Latitude E6520 with MEP and Navis Freedom running at the same time.

[jcleghorn]

I have an Elitebook 8740w which runs things pretty good. Kyrondad, please research an optimum video card, which have so much to do with rendering, especially with AutoCAD, but also Photoshop, and allow you to work effectively in those graphic intensive programs. It doesn't have to be the very expensive models ($X,000) but figure spending $300-$400 last time I checked.

[CADmonkey_UK_Building_Services]

I've got a 3 year old Thinkpad W700 and it handles all my MEP needs very well. It is a beautiful piece of engineering and it's a shame Lenovo stopped making them after the W701. I've travelled with it several times, and it's been my main CAD machine for weeks at a time. It handles my workflow.

It looks very good at meetings, too. All business. I can keep several Acad files open, as well as Design review, spreadsheets, a few Explorers, and it doesn't really slow down.

It has a 17" 1920X1200 screen and a built in Colorimeter. Oh and also a built-in Wacom digitizer and pen.

3.06Ghz Core 2 Duo extreme, 8GB ram, Quadro 2700M. Twin HDD as stripy RAID. The power brick weighs more than my wife's netbook.

[Mike.Whitfield]

I'm using a clone system with i7-860, 8GB RAM, & 5770 graphics card.  However the last machines we built used the i5-2500, which is even better because AutoCAD 2011 is still essentially single-threaded and the i5-2500 has a higher clock speed and a better turbo mode.  AutoCAD runs very quickly, no noticeable lag.

[Workstations_HP]

I’d recommend an HP EliteBook Mobile Workstation 8760w as it is the most powerful mobile workstation for Revit MEP or AutoCAD MEP applications, as well as Photoshop and Illustrator.

For MEP you need to make sure you have sufficient memory, and a fast processor. Your best bet would be an Intel Core i7-2720QM, which is a 2.2 GHz processor with Turbo boost up to 3.3 GHz. I’d also recommend upgrading your memory to 16 GB of DRAM and at least a Quadro 3000M or a 4000m if you have the budget. You’ll notice a significant difference over your current processor, which is slower with a lower Turbo Boost limit and significantly affects performance. Also, make sure you are working in Windows 7 64-bit.

This configuration should suit your needs very well. This mobile workstation comes with touch technology built into the mouse pad, and is a very rugged design. It also comes with HP Performance Advisor, which is an easy-to-use program that configures your system for the best performance for each application. Add a docking station and a 27-inch monitor and you have a great desk setup as well. I think you’ll be happy with it for a long time.

Tom Salomone

HP Workstation Representative

[CADmonkey_UK_Building_Services]

I considered an HP EliteBook Mobile Workstation 8760w but it only has a 1920X1080 screen. It has less height than a 1920X1200 which in my experience makes CAD applications look & feel a little cramped.

However I am typing this on a HP LP2475w 1920X1200 IPS monitor which is lovely.