Mintplanner Posted February 21, 2015 Share Posted February 21, 2015 So, after using Chief (currently 9.54) for over 14 years, I'm upgrading. But XP is no longer supported, and the latest Chief X6 won't run on XP (so I'm told). I'm accustomed to using a desktop, plus a laptop to meet clients. But I'm considering ordering a laptop only, with multiple monitor capability. Is anyone currently set-up this way? And is there a reliable laptop that will get the job done? I generate full working drawings, and I will be expanding the rendering side of my business as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BFogarty Posted February 21, 2015 Share Posted February 21, 2015 Oh my! Going from v9.5 to X6/X7 will be like going from a Tricycle to a Ferrari! You won't believe how you've tortured yourself for years. I always recommend to build your own desktop. If you're even just a bit tech savvy, you can pull it off, and you'll get the most bang for you buck! Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidJPotter Posted February 21, 2015 Share Posted February 21, 2015 I have a self built desktop (see signature) and an old Vista HP laptop for field work. On my desktop I have versions 7-17 of Chief Architect on two separate hard drives, one that runs XP for legacy titles and my main hard drive that runs Windows 7 x64. I intend to replace the laptop with something more up to date in the near future. I looked into just using a laptop some years ago and decided not to because I would have to spend a lot of money on a laptop that would be as good as my desktop (I built the desktop for about $1,000.00 whereas a comparable laptop would have cost three or four times that amount). The old laptop I have, I bought used for $500.00 three years ago, it has served me well (I currently run X5, 6 and 7 on it), it is not fast but it is still reliable. If you are willing to learn computers and hardware a little, you can not only save money but also time in terms of knowing what to do when things mechanically "Go South" as they often do. Everyone is different so just be honest with yourself and do what you consider best for you and your needs. DJP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mintplanner Posted February 21, 2015 Author Share Posted February 21, 2015 I'm looking forward to Ferrari Architect! lol Is Windows 6 or 7 optimal for Chief or do I need 7 Ultimate? I'd build my own desktop, but where to begin? I still gotta buy all the pieces, right? How do I ensure compatibility of all these components, and then get the appropriate drivers? Ugh, i've suffered through a few hard drive replacements... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwideziner Posted February 21, 2015 Share Posted February 21, 2015 I would go with win 8.1 you might as well go for the latest and see if you can get another 14 years Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BFogarty Posted February 21, 2015 Share Posted February 21, 2015 Here is a earlier post of mine; If you're not intimidated by building a computer, you'll get the absolute most bang for your buck by building one. I've built my last 3 desktops with top of the line components for around $1000 each. The people over at http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/ provide an amazing resource, tell them what your needs are and they'll search out the best parts for the best prices at the time. They'll give you a complete breakdown of what you need to buy (with links attached).......you just buy it and put it together.....piece of cake! Best part is, they charge you all of NOTHING for their services! Even if you are hesitant on building a computer, all the information you'd ever need is online, it really isn't that difficult. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This link will bring you to the Systems part of the forum http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/forum-31.html If you'd like any further help, just let me know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mintplanner Posted February 21, 2015 Author Share Posted February 21, 2015 If I build one, would you change any of these specs? Win 8.1 64 bit 2.8 Ghz 8 GB Ram quad-core i7 processor 4 GB integrated gaming card w/multiple monitor support Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DRAWZILLA Posted February 21, 2015 Share Posted February 21, 2015 If you do raytraces, I would up the processor to at least 3ghz or higher Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShaneK Posted February 21, 2015 Share Posted February 21, 2015 I have been a Chief user since ver II and just upgraded from ver X to ver X7. LOVE IT!!! New Lenovo desk top with dual monitor. I just designed and built a 14,000 sq ft motorcycle shop and it would of been a nice project for the "learning curve", lol. Hi DavidJPotter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairhaven_Homes Posted February 22, 2015 Share Posted February 22, 2015 Consider off the shelf gaming computers from Acer or Asus. They have the horsepower to run Chief and the price is hard to beat. Windows 8.1 still has some minor issues . Try to keep your MS Office suite if you have it Office 13 has major issues especially Outlook Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lbuttery Posted February 22, 2015 Share Posted February 22, 2015 go with win 8.1 Pro they have fixed most of the "annoyance" issues for desktop users win 10 is coming in 2015 and it will be a free upgrade for most win vista/7/8 users Lew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kbird1 Posted February 23, 2015 Share Posted February 23, 2015 16GB Ram and you don't want an integrated videocard , get a Nvidia card like the GTX770 or GTX970 or depending on Budget even a GTX660 with at least 2GB onboard ram, (more if you want to do any 3D gaming at high Res.) integrated cards are usually slower eg intel HD cards and use the computer's ram usually as their frame buffer , so in your case with only 8BG ram the 4GB video card would be using half of it which only lets windows use 4GB which is barely adequate for Win7/8 You might prefer Win7 Pro coming from XP though as mentioned we should all get Win10 free in the 4th quarter.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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