New Laptop Recommendation

[sandrawells]

All,

I am looking for recommendations for a replacement laptop for a data acquisition setup.  I am looking at Windows 10 pro laptops with i7 processors with a 14-17 inch screen.

I had a Dell Latitude D820 laptop purchased in 2007 running Windows XP and LabVIEW 7.1.  A couple of weeks ago, the screen was broken during a test by flying debris while next to a vibration test.

I can upgrade to any version of Windows and LabVIEW, but I will need to continue using the hardware in the setup.  The hardware includes a USB-6251 multi-function data acquisition card, 14 Analog Devices 3B signal conditioners (Isolated Wide Bandwidth mV Input, Isolated Wide Bandwidth V Input, and Isolated Strain Gage Input for Full Bridge or Half Bridge),  an SC-2050 adapter and an SSR8 backplane.

Should I look at a rugged laptop or continue to use a standard business grade laptop?

Thanks for any advice,

Sandra

[RavensFan]

I don't have any specific recommendations on a laptop.  Though our company has been using Dell's for a few years now and have been generally happy with them.

I don't think you'd need to go to any special, rugged laptop.  What you had was working for 9 years and this is the first catastropic problem?  That's pretty good.  I think your biggest concern is that if flying debris was able to damage a laptop screen, was there a risk that someone could've been hurt if they were at the laptop using it at the time?

If you are working in a pretty clean, safe lab environment where the laptop is setup and started, and the person backs away when the test is begun, you may just want to consider more protection between the part being tested and the laptop.  I would only go to the extra expense of a rugged laptop if it is being used for a lot of travel and used in dirty or heavy industrial environments.

[Hooovahh]

We've had HPs, Dells, and Thinkpads, both consumer grade and professional.  I've also used rugged industrial laptops but only one one occasion and it was overkill.  The customer was industrial, and claimed they were concerned with vibrations, but honestly I think they just wanted a rugged piece of equipment to match the rest of their appearance.  I think it was $3K, and just had a tougher screen, rugged case, and SSD, but the rest of the components were likely professional grade.

Basically what I've seen is any new laptop is going to be fine.  Avoid any Air like competitor (netbook/ultrabook) and you'll be fine.  I7s aren't really necessary.  I've had I5s for the last few years with 8GB of ram.  Performance wise I'd say an SSD is the best thing you can have, and the weakest part (as you've discovered) is the screen.

[JÞB]

Again, no particular recommendation on the replacement laptop. HOWEVER, (comma - Pause for effect!) I do have to recommend a "Safety Standdown".

Thats right, you stated the safety policies, procedures and phyical guards in place FAILED to prevent damage to personel and equipment during an experiment.  

Bluntly, you have much more serious things to look into than replacing a busted laptop.

[RavensFan]

I think I might have under emphasized my point when I said "the person just backs away" is okay.  What I really meant is that they leave the test environment and go somewhere safer.

We had a situation once where we used a tensile testing machine and a broken piece of the test pin flew about 20 feet and put a crack in a nearby window.  Fotunately, the test operator was not in the line of fire at the time.  But it made us realize we needed to improve our shielding around that test area.

[sandrawells]

All,

Thanks for the input.  I'll continue to price a standard business laptop.

The technicians were not hurt, but a high pressure hose connecting the unit under test to a 6000 psig bottle of gaseous Helium failed due to an ill-chosen fitting during a high g level vibration test (the fitting at the unit under test failed).  The damage was from the hose flying around until the bottle emptied out.  The test lab is adding clamps to the sides of the vibration table to limit the hose movement. 

I think that the setup will be reviewed by additional people before starting a test and inexperienced technicians will not go to outside lab without a experienced person when a new part is being tested. 

Sandra

Sandra

[PaulG.]

I've been very happy with my Lenovo Thinkpad. Works as a desktop at home attached to a dock. The SSD drive is a treat. Boots up in < minute. And I havent' bogged it down yet programming in LV, music, movies, a few non-action intensive games. I highly recommend windows 10. From what I've seen it's the best windows yet, and I've been around since DOS days. 

[Blokk]

I used a Dell Precision for a few years, i loved it. Metal body, illuminated keyboard, super screen. The model had SSD, and dual video (an integrated one plus an nvidia card which can be handy for exclusive GPU computing). It had i7 with 8GB ram, with the ssd it was a beast...