Computers & Tablets

[Balkoth]

I need to know if anyone can give me the names of a few laptops that have these MINIMUM specifications:

Intel Pentium 4 or AMD Athlon 64 Processor or any better processor

4 GB of RAM

Windows 7

1280 X 800 or more with qualified hardware-accelerated OpenGL graphics card, 16 bit color, and 256MB of dedicated VRAM (not Shared Memory)

Graphics support for Shader Model 3.0, and OpenGL 2.0, DirectX 9-capable graphics card.

DVD-drive compatible with dual-layer DVDs, Read/Write drive

QuickTime 7.6.2 or newer

I'm going to an art school, and will probably be getting into some Graphic Design stuff, so if you don't know a computer that has a lot of these specific terms, could you give me perhaps a few names of good laptops for art students to buy?

[RedWyv3 Best Buy Employee]

Gateway Laptop / Intel® Core™ i3 Processor / 14" Display / 4GB Memory - Silver

Model: ID49C07u | SKU: 9972848

Enjoy video chatting with friends and family with this laptop's high-definition webcam and microphone and a 14" LED-backlit display. The double-layer DVD±RW/CD-RW drive allows you to create custom DVDs and CDs.Windows 7 Home Premium preloaded Which Windows 7 edition is best for you? Compare.Learn more about Intel® processors. Information provided by Intel.

  Read reviews (0)

Sale: $649.99

This is the cheapest laptop I can find with these specs. The only holdup was the non-shared memory. Please call 1-888-BEST-BUY and we can talk to you about what you need and want, and explain various models in detail.
T

[RedWyv3 Best Buy Employee]

Incidently, Quicktime is software and would be downloaded from Quicktime.com to update it to the latest version. (free)

[Balkoth]

thank you I appreciate the suggestion and I will look into it

[asandwhich]

Most computers now are going to meet those requirements, laptop or desktop. What software will you be working with?

[ITechGuy16]

Hello Balkoth,

I work for Intel and aside from this being my job, I'm going to tell you to consider investing in a stronger processor. If you are going to be getting into Graphic Design, you will need more processing power. For your needs, I would suggest looking into the new Intel® Core™ i7 processor.

This is our top-of-the-line processor, ahead of the curve and will continue to perform as technologies continue to emerge. Not only will you have graphics support for Shader Model 3.0, and OpenGL 2.0, DirectX 9-capable graphics cards, but the i7 has Turbo Boost Technology (Speeds up your processor when you computer needs more performance) and  Hyper-Threading Technology (multitasking that allows your computer to work on two tasks at the same time). Even if you don't need all of these features now, you never know what you will need down the line. My general rule of thumb is to never buy something that is already behind the curve.

I would also recommend you looking into our other smart processors, i3 and i5, but I believe the i7 will be the best for your processing needs. Here is a couple computers I found with i7 processors and Windows 7 that you were looking for. Hope this helps!

Intel- Sponsors of Tomorrow 

Dell Studio Laptop with Intel® Core™ i7 Processor - Black Chainlink

Model: S1747-3209CBK | SKU: 9718895

Watch your favorite movies in high-definition or create customized CDs and DVDs with this laptop's DVD±RW/CD-RW drive with Blu-ray Disc support. The built-in 2.0MP webcam and 17.3" high-definition plus display are handy for video chatting with friends and family. Windows 7 Home Premium preloaded Which Windows 7 edition is best for you? Compare.Learn more about Intel® processors. Information provided by Intel.

 4.7 Read reviews (65)

Sale: $949.99

Toshiba Satellite Laptop / Intel® Core™ i7 Processor / 16" Display - Slate

Model: A665-S6070 | SKU: 9992966

This laptop features an Intel® Core™ i7 processor, 4GB memory and a 640GB hard drive for fast computing and ample file storage. The 16" widescreen TFT-LCD display and NVIDIA GeForce graphics provide a crisp, clear picture.Windows 7 Home Premium preloaded Which Windows 7 edition is best for you? Compare.Learn more about Intel® processors. Information provided by Intel. Take a product tour.

 1 Read reviews (1)

Sale: $899.99

Apple® MacBook® Pro / Intel® Core™ i5 Processor / 15.4" Display - Aluminum

Model: MC372LL/A | SKU: 9911539

Video chat with friends and family using this laptop's iSight webcam with omnidirectional microphone and 15.4" widescreen display. Enjoy high-speed wireless access via the built-in AirPort Extreme wireless network connection.

 5 Read reviews (5)

Sale: $1999.99

[asandwhich]

Yeah, if you lok at almost any professional quality design software, you need much more than that. There's more to it than just the processor though. You need to look at the ram and hd speed also.

[RedWyv3 Best Buy Employee]

What I always do when I'm selling a laptop is I start at the lowest, explain the features and benefits, and then explain how 'this would work but you would want to go higher because of.. X'.

In what these people are saying, I have to agree - the high end proccessor would be much better for this application, and you most certainly should consider it.

The laptop above meets the minimum specifications as laid forth. If budget is a consideration, then go with that. If you can afford to have more, you'd be better suited with the i7.

And yes, I would recommend Intel over AMD for this type of application, as an unbiased opinion, due to their generally cooler proccessers and slightly superior design when dealing with 3D design.

Let's talk about your specific needs, either here or with a phone call to 1-888-BEST-BUY.

[Entropy]

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Balkoth wrote:

I need to know if anyone can give me the names of a few laptops that have these MINIMUM specifications:

Intel Pentium 4 or AMD Athlon 64 Processor or any better processor

4 GB of RAM

Windows 7

1280 X 800 or more with qualified hardware-accelerated OpenGL graphics card, 16 bit color, and 256MB of dedicated VRAM (not Shared Memory)

Graphics support for Shader Model 3.0, and OpenGL 2.0, DirectX 9-capable graphics card.

DVD-drive compatible with dual-layer DVDs, Read/Write drive

QuickTime 7.6.2 or newer

I'm going to an art school, and will probably be getting into some Graphic Design stuff, so if you don't know a computer that has a lot of these specific terms, could you give me perhaps a few names of good laptops for art students to buy?

---

Basically anything on the market will meet those minimum specs.

HOWEVER:  If you're doing graphical arts, especially photography/2D art, 1280x800 is pitiful.  For graphical design, I would strongly reccommend a higher resolution screen.  NOT 1366x768 (very common resolution), at least 1440x900, preferably 1920x1080.  1920x1080 will be difficult at Best Buy unfortunately.

If you are doing any 3D/CAD work, you're going to want a higher end graphics chipset.  Look into either gaming laptops (Asus G series) or workstation grade laptops (Dell Precision, which are one of the few categories of Dells that aren't junk these days.  To get a Precision you'll need to go directly to Dell).

If you're doing any video work, you're going to need lots of CPU power.

Actually for the second two categories there, you'll get a LOT more bang for the buck with a desktop.  I'm talking about saving enough that you can probably buy a basic laptop for category 1 work with the money you save.

[Balkoth]

It has to be a laptop unfortunately :/