[SunRescue] Big honkin' laptops...

[Ken Hansen]

I think you are limited in RAM on a laptop to 512 Meg *only* becuase that is the densest SoDIMM available. I have never seen a laptop with more than 2 SoDIMM slots, and many only have one slot, with an amount of RAM built-in (32 -> 64 Meg in many cases).

I like the IBM laptops *alot*. The company I used to work for *swore* by them, and they were a money is no object kinda place (important to be seen as having the best tools, since we charged top-dollar for our work).

IBM must have 15" laptops that would be suitable, but the availability would be tough.

512 Meg RAM is a lot of RAM - my Tecra 8000 has 256 Meg of RAM, and that is sweet, but, you know, I never really stressed it much.

I would suggest ignoring the RAM limitation for the moment, and find yourself an account representative for, say, IBM, and ask them for an evaluation laptop with the maximum RAM, CPU, HD, etc., then configure it and give to one of your workers. View it as an adjunct to their desktop machine, not a replacement, and I think you will find that performance is adequate for short-term assignments, early morning brainstorming sessions, etc.

I would suggest looking at the Toshiba Tecra 8200 laptops - I think they look very good, and are quite state-of-the-art. If anyone would have a laptop that could take more than 512 Meg RAM it would either be IBM or Toshiba, IMHO - Compaq and other laptops are a bit more pedestrian, by and large, from what I've seen...

Ken

-----Original Message-----

Message: 2
From: Brian Dunbar <Brian.Dunbar at Plexus.com>
To: rescue at sunhelp.org
Date: Tue, 29 May 2001 12:09:24 -0700
Subject: [SunRescue] OT:  Laptop - RAM Query
Reply-To: rescue at sunhelp.org

If the list can suffer one more off-topic question: Laptops and RAM

The 'best' laptops money can buy seem to be made by Dell and Gateway - but
their RAM available seems to top out at "only" 512 mb.  (The desktops we own
have 768mb RAM and we need every bit of it).

ARE there laptops available that have the option to install more RAM than
512mb?

Why Do I Need to Know?
The CAD tools we use require an obscene amount of RAM to function.  We're
being blessed with the opportunity to purchase some laptops to replace the
designer's desktop systems (Lucky us!) . . . but there is concern that 512mb
won't be 'enough'.  Money is a concern, but we have the money to spend, if
we need it.  Yes, I'm looking, but not having much luck.