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Re: Laptop?
On the discrete vs integrated video processor-
So long as the video chipset can handle openGL, you'll probably never see a bottle neck related to video. For a laptop the most noticeable slow areas will be harddrive speed (saving large assemblies, accessing content center stuff etc.) and running out of RAM. You really start to notice things taking forever to update in assemblies, parts to open and the like.
In fact its kind of a compounding problem. The typically lower amount of RAM in laptops encourages Inventor to rely on the page file more. The slower hard drives give even worse page file performance then a desktop. If it's a choice between a discrete video processor or more RAM I wouldn't hesitate to go for more or faster RAM. Same goes for a faster hard drive.
Inventor at least can not yet utilize multicore processors. While it's just about impossible to get a single core chip these days, just keep in mind that the second core isn't getting you much in CAD.
The reality is that any laptop bought today is going to be perfectly adequate for FIRST level design. I wouldn't want to make a living working on a laptop exclusively, but it can be done.
-Andy A.
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