Another new laptop question

[Anonymous]

This is the laptop I am looking at: http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1219109&SRCCODE=BIZRATE&c...

I will only use AutoCAD 2012 sporadically for drafting site plans for retail sites.  I will be using the 2D capabilities of the program only.  I will also be using Autoturn in conjunction with AutoCAD to place truck turning templates on the site plans.

I have no problem with the screen size (15.6").  Most of the time I will be using external montior.

The only thing that is causing me worry is the lack of a dedicated graphics card.  I found a discussion on this forum about dedicated graphics cards vs integrated graphics, but it was over a year old.  Hopefully someone here can relay their experience with integrated graphics on this version of CAD.  I am hoping that using 2D only will not require me to spend extra money for a laptop w/ dedicated graphics card.

Thanks for any help.

[pendean]

IMHO, it is fine for what you state will be your usage. Nice laptop.

[Anonymous]

I guess I feel that's a marginal system for drafting anything, especially with adsk products.  The one thing it's got going for it is price.

The specs say "second generation Intell processor", but the newest Sandy Bridge CPU's are in the 2500#'s, so I'm not sure what it is.  The I5-2500 does have a much improved video sharing ability, but you are still sharing RAM for video processing.  If that's the case yyou want as much ram as you can pack in.

I'd look for a dedicated Nvidia driven graphics card.

I know you say the screen size is fine, & you'll be using an external monitor, but with ADSK's current menu structures I really feel 17" is the MINIMUM required to do ANY drafting work.  You just can't see enough of the drawing (model space) to do anything but pan & zoom with a smaller monitor.  Also, the menus & dialoge boxes take so much space, that 2 monitors are really necessarry to get any work done.  I know I harp on this, but I've been drafting with cad since acad 2.1G on an AT with a 15" CRT in 16 colors, and from experiance, you can't have a monitor that's too big.

Reid

[pendean]

OP noted:

"...I will only use AutoCAD 2012 sporadically ..."

There is no need to pimp the laptop anymore than necessary for a casual use as stated.