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Best computer and Windows version for translators
Thread poster: Jennifer Sheridan
TechStyle
TechStyle  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 15:24
Faster computer options Sep 5, 2015

Depending on which age/model it is, you may be able to upgrade the MacBook Pro quite cheaply and get much better performance that way - in particular, adding extra RAM will make a big difference in most cases. If you open up the 'system information' from the Apple system menu it should tell you more.

You mention using Parallels; there is a new and apparently faster version of that out now, which might be worth a try. Also, if you are using Windows software heavily, running it under
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Depending on which age/model it is, you may be able to upgrade the MacBook Pro quite cheaply and get much better performance that way - in particular, adding extra RAM will make a big difference in most cases. If you open up the 'system information' from the Apple system menu it should tell you more.

You mention using Parallels; there is a new and apparently faster version of that out now, which might be worth a try. Also, if you are using Windows software heavily, running it under Boot Camp instead will give better performance (at the expense of needing a reboot to switch between that and Mac software) - that's free, so may be worth a try. (With Parallels, the machine's resources are shared between the two operating systems; Boot Camp gives all the resources to Windows alone.)

If you want to buy a new machine, the first decision is whether you want to stay Mac, or make the jump to being Windows-only, and whether you want to buy a desktop machine (keeping the MBP for mobile use and as a backup) or a replacement laptop; generally, a desktop machine will be much more powerful than a laptop of the same price.
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Marketing-Lang.
Marketing-Lang.  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 16:24
English to German
+ ...
Laptop & docking station for no end of flexibility Sep 23, 2015

Dear all,
This is my take.

Bigger is better, as far as I'm concerned. My laptop is "only" a 15" Dell, but I use its screen only rarely when I'm on the road. In my office I have a docking station attached to two large monitors. I just click the laptop into place and away I go -- there's no substitute for screen real estate for seeing your emails, CAT tool, the source document, and a browser for researching, all at a glance. And Windows 10 now offers several desktops, so you ca
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Dear all,
This is my take.

Bigger is better, as far as I'm concerned. My laptop is "only" a 15" Dell, but I use its screen only rarely when I'm on the road. In my office I have a docking station attached to two large monitors. I just click the laptop into place and away I go -- there's no substitute for screen real estate for seeing your emails, CAT tool, the source document, and a browser for researching, all at a glance. And Windows 10 now offers several desktops, so you can quickly switch between different views. Also, you have a free choice of the most ergonomic keyboards and mouse out there.

The major advantage is that my TMs (and my working environment in general) are always at my side, wherever I work. And just in case my laptop dies suddenly (as happened to me once on a business trip far from home) I have a full automatic backup in real time to a NAS drive in the office.

-M-
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Maria-Christina Rizopoulou
Maria-Christina Rizopoulou  Identity Verified
Sweden
Local time: 16:24
English to Greek
+ ...
Any updates? Oct 28, 2015

Hello,

I have come across this forum and was hoping also that the info provided here would make my decision a bit easier.
I am still not convinced enough, however my question is:
Which laptop brands should I avoid, and more specifically is Lenovo Yoga Pro 2 or 3 one of them to be avoided?
I am eager to buy an ultrabook so that I can carry easily which will be also performant enough for a daily extended use at home. I am seriously inclining towards these models as
... See more
Hello,

I have come across this forum and was hoping also that the info provided here would make my decision a bit easier.
I am still not convinced enough, however my question is:
Which laptop brands should I avoid, and more specifically is Lenovo Yoga Pro 2 or 3 one of them to be avoided?
I am eager to buy an ultrabook so that I can carry easily which will be also performant enough for a daily extended use at home. I am seriously inclining towards these models as they seem to be a good compromise between price and quality.
Has anyone had any experience with this brand and/or model?

Thanks a lot!
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Ralph Hummel
Ralph Hummel  Identity Verified
France
Local time: 16:24
Member (2015)
English to German
+ ...
Laptop recommendation Dec 28, 2015

MC_Tralux wrote:

Which laptop brands should I avoid, and more specifically is Lenovo Yoga Pro 2 or 3 one of them to be avoided?
I am eager to buy an ultrabook so that I can carry easily which will be also performant enough for a daily extended use at home. I am seriously inclining towards these models as they seem to be a good compromise between price and quality.
Has anyone had any experience with this brand and/or model?

Thanks a lot!


Personally I use a Lenovo Laptop as a travel/mobile workstation. It is an old model X200, which I believe dates back to 2006 or 2007 (I bought it second hand) with only an 11" screen (which is my only gripe about it when on the road). I would however not go for the Yoga-series as they were not built specifically for business use and, if memory serves me right, have no built in docking port.

I have all my productive software also installed on this machine (downside: double licences) and my working files are being duplicated between my desktop and the laptop through a secure cloud solution, so I can switch at any time between my desktop (Win 10, i7, 16 G RAM, 1 TB HD) and my laptop (Win10, Dual Core @ 2,4 GHz, 16G RAM, 500 GB HD). I have a docking station for this laptop also hooked up to my two screens, so if my desktop ever was not operational, I can switch to the backup solution at any time and have virtually no loss of production time.

Personally I would not recommend an ultrabook as I prefer a sturdy business laptop with a docking station for work use (even if lugging the heavier and bigger laptop around is a bit more strenuous). Ultrabooks very rarely come with mechanical docking solutions and the battery life needed of 6+ hours, which in my view is essential for peace of mind. Through the docking station I can hook up to three screens, external keyboard and mouse if needed and thus have a fully operational work station, just as though I were using a desktop.

I am a very careful person when it comes to my work tools and I would never use only one machine. If it fails, well you are out of it for a couple of days until you are fully setup again.

Hence I would recommend getting a desktop as your main machine at your office and for backup and mobile solution a good sturdy business laptop. From personal experience I can wholeheartedly recommend Lenovo laptops. Even my 7 or 8 year old X200 runs Win10 like a charm as well as Trados and Across, the whole MS-office and Open-Office-suite, Adobe suite and what have you not.

If you go for a Lenovo as a backup solution, I'd go for a second hand 14" or 15" machine (T4xx, T5xx-series). I would think that a T420 or T520 with an i5 and maxed out Ram (16GB) and replacement HD (500GB) would do the job.

If you go for a one computer only solution, then I would recommend the latest models in the T4 or T5 series from Lenovo or similar models from Dell. Granted, they are expensive, but heck you get a lot of working time out of them.

[Edited at 2015-12-28 08:02 GMT]


 
Dominique Pivard
Dominique Pivard  Identity Verified
Local time: 17:24
Finnish to French
Lenovo ultrabooks: X1 Carbon vs. T450/550 Dec 28, 2015

Ralph Hummel wrote:
If you go for a one computer only solution, then I would recommend the latest models in the T4 or T5 series from Lenovo or similar models from Dell. Granted, they are expensive, but heck you get a lot of working time out of them.

Since the poster you responded to was interested in an ultrabook, I’d add the Lenovo X1 Carbon. The T450s is the only T4/T5 that qualifies as an ultrabook IMO. T550 weighs 2.13 to 2.46 kg (depending on display and batteries), T450 between 1.63 and 2.05 kg. X1 Carbon is between 1.305 and 1.44 kg (vs. 1.48 to 2.01 kg for T450s). Specs are from tabook.pdf.

I’ve been using an X1 Carbon 3rd Gen. for the past 9 months and I can’t find anything bad to say about it. Granted, it was even more expensive than the most expensive T4/T5, but split over the five years I intend to keep it, the premium is bearable


 
Michael Beijer
Michael Beijer  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 15:24
Member (2009)
Dutch to English
+ ...
just a shame about the Fn key Dec 28, 2015

Dominique Pivard wrote:

Ralph Hummel wrote:
If you go for a one computer only solution, then I would recommend the latest models in the T4 or T5 series from Lenovo or similar models from Dell. Granted, they are expensive, but heck you get a lot of working time out of them.

Since the poster you responded to was interested in an ultrabook, I’d add the Lenovo X1 Carbon. The T450s is the only T4/T5 that qualifies as an ultrabook IMO. T550 weighs 2.13 to 2.46 kg (depending on display and batteries), T450 between 1.63 and 2.05 kg. X1 Carbon is between 1.305 and 1.44 kg (vs. 1.48 to 2.01 kg for T450s). Specs are from tabook.pdf.

I’ve been using an X1 Carbon 3rd Gen. for the past 9 months and I can’t find anything bad to say about it. Granted, it was even more expensive than the most expensive T4/T5, but split over the five years I intend to keep it, the premium is bearable


Looks great, just a shame about the insanely positioned Fn key* (it's located where my fingers expect the Ctrl key to be). When will Lenovo finally give up and change this to what most people would prefer? I mean, which key do you use more often, the Fn key, or the Ctrl key? If you answered Ctrl key, I expect you would prefer it to be located where you can find it without looking.

My vote would still go for a Dell Precision M6800 (which I have been happily using for several years now).

[Edited at 2015-12-28 16:36 GMT]

*For a little background reading, see: https://www.google.co.uk/search?sourceid=chrome-psyapi2&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8&q=lenovo%20laptop%20fn%20key%20wrong%20place&oq=lenovo%20laptop%20fn%20key%20wrong%20place&aqs=chrome..69i57.8301j0j7 (Google search for: lenovo laptop fn key wrong place)

[Edited at 2015-12-28 16:50 GMT]


 
Dominique Pivard
Dominique Pivard  Identity Verified
Local time: 17:24
Finnish to French
Not a problem Dec 28, 2015

Michael Beijer wrote:
Looks great, just a shame about the insanely positioned Fn key* (it's located where my fingers expect the Ctrl key to be). When will Lenovo finally give up and change this to what most people would prefer? I mean, which key do you use more often, the Fn key, or the Ctrl key? If you answered Ctrl key, I expect you would prefer it to be located where you can find it without looking.

"wrong" depends on whom you ask: I also have a MacBook Air and the Fn & Ctrl keys are located exactly in the same way. Together, Lenovo ThinkPads & Apple probably have a rather sizeable share of the high-end laptop market...

The Ctrl key is wide enough (wider than the surrounding Fn and Windows keys) so I have no problem hitting it when needed. Besides, I think you can swap Ctrl and Fn if it really bothers you.


 
Luca Tutino
Luca Tutino  Identity Verified
Italy
Member (2002)
English to Italian
+ ...
What are exactly the advantages of expensive equipment for us translators? Dec 29, 2015

I am working on an ASUS X52F (intel i3) bought in 2011, to which I have maxed the RAM at 8GB and later installed a 1TB SSD in place of the original HD (now in use as external storage for the backup with a second USB HD). I also use an old external 21" LCD screen and an external "mechanical" keyboard and mouse. Another laptop in the house can be used as a backup if necessary. The cost of this setup is quite limited.

I regularly work at the same time with MS Office, Studio 2015, Trans
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I am working on an ASUS X52F (intel i3) bought in 2011, to which I have maxed the RAM at 8GB and later installed a 1TB SSD in place of the original HD (now in use as external storage for the backup with a second USB HD). I also use an old external 21" LCD screen and an external "mechanical" keyboard and mouse. Another laptop in the house can be used as a backup if necessary. The cost of this setup is quite limited.

I regularly work at the same time with MS Office, Studio 2015, Transit, Apsic WB, PDF reader, a dedicated indexing App, Agent Ransack, an average of 12 Chrome tabs, AV and some other important apps and utilities under Win 7.

Recently, I could not take full advantage of Dragon (DNS) because of my limited RAM and I suspect that I might enjoy a faster processor for a faster processing of CAT databases. In Trados, I am occasionally required to wait for a couple of minutes, when converting and analyzing >10MB projects with large TMs, which might become irritating if the trend to ever larger files continues. A more serious problem, though rare, occurs when using many or very large termbases, which can slow down passing from one segment to the next. However, I am not sure if the above would justify spending about 300% more for my next new machine. And I would not want to find myself confronted with the same annoying drags after such an investment!

Will an expensive motherboard with i5 or i7 processor and 16 or 32GB of RAM guarantee swift conversions and analyses (how swift?) and eliminate any possible segment confirmation lagging in Trados? What other advantages could I really expect by getting your suggested machines over my present equipment?

[Edited at 2015-12-29 13:22 GMT]
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Emma Goldsmith
Emma Goldsmith  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 16:24
Member (2004)
Spanish to English
Easy to toggle Dec 29, 2015

Dominique Pivard wrote:
Besides, I think you can swap Ctrl and Fn if it really bothers you.


Yep, go into BIOS, keyboard, and click on "Switch control and function keys".


 
Emma Goldsmith
Emma Goldsmith  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 16:24
Member (2004)
Spanish to English
Lenovo problems Dec 29, 2015

MC_Tralux wrote:

Which laptop brands should I avoid, and more specifically is Lenovo Yoga Pro 2 or 3 one of them to be avoided?


I looked at several Yoga models in September and discovered they have ghost touch screen issues. (Just Google yoga ghost touches to find out more).

Also, I've got a ThinkPad S440, and its only HDMI socket failed after 20 months of use. The only solution was to buy a docking station.

Might be bad luck, but my next machine won't be Lenovo.

[Edited at 2015-12-29 18:40 GMT]


 
Michael Beijer
Michael Beijer  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 15:24
Member (2009)
Dutch to English
+ ...
some (potentially boring and off-topic) background Dec 29, 2015

Emma Goldsmith wrote:

Dominique Pivard wrote:
Besides, I think you can swap Ctrl and Fn if it really bothers you.


Yep, go into BIOS, keyboard, and click on "Switch control and function keys".


Yes, I know. I had occasion to Google this extensively in the past because I actually bought a Lenovo keyboard, but only noticed that the Fn was in the wrong place when it arrived. It was this one:



So, after a bit of Googling, I discovered that you can indeed swap them around in the BIOS of certain Lenovo computers (laptops, if I recall right), but that there was nothing I could do since I was using it as a separate keyboard under Windows 7. It also took me several (confusing) back and forth's with Lenovo support to get this confirmed.

I tried my best to get used to it, as I initially thought that the keyboard was quite nice (as I do like low-profile keyboards). However, over a period of a couple of weeks, I grew increasingly disgusted with it and gave up. And right before doing so, one of the keys also started popping off if I slid my fingers over the keyboard too quickly. Anyway, I stuck the loose key back on and "Freecycled" it (warning the guy who came to pick it up why I was getting rid of it).

I'm typing this, extremely happily I might add, on the keyboard of my Dell Precision M6800 laptop: which has one of the best & most comfortable keyboards I have ever used. And is as solid as a rock. A business-grade rock.


 
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