Computer professionals assistance please

[k14]

That laptop is fine, you don't need super duper graphics for windows 7. I have a 4 year old dell with a Centrino 1.6ghz, 2gb ram and intel integrated graphics and have been running windows 7 since april and it kicks arse. I upgraded it from xp when my old hdd died and it is a lot faster performance wise, and yes I have all the eye candy turned on.

For $1200 you can't go wrong, so long as 2gb+ ram and 160gb+ hdd you will be fine. Buy it, it will work fine. Yes in 6 months you will be able to get something better for cheaper, but that is the nature of the beast. Mine is still going strong (it's a Dell) after 4 years of pretty much every day use. Hinges are a little wobbly but apart from that it is mint! May look at upgrading next year sometime but won't be spending more than $1500.

[Juzz976]

That laptop is fine, you don't need super duper graphics for windows 7.....

Hrmmm, thats some sound advice. Bling!

[merlin]

Not trying to nit pick...a 256MB graphics card is not going to cut it.

Re memory, bear in mind that mostly, ddr2 and ddr3 memory requires different hardware, so its not an easy upgrade. Any more than 4GB of memory will also require the x64 version of windows, then you start having the joys of drivers, especially for things like printers.

No worries Gremlin, I'll just clarify what I said.

"At least 256MB" - means no less than. I was suggesting a stand alone pci-e card as the graphics 'card' in the proposed laptop was integrated.
(Also, I believe that Pumba isn't going hard out pro on the cad stuff, so 256MB card might be enough)

I'd go ddr2 because it's much cheaper than ddr3. (no intention of upgrading to ddr3)
If you want more than 3gig on a 32 bit system you need to edit the boot ini with the /3G tag....but I'd be running 64 bit anyway, as 32 bit system will only allow for a maximum of 4gigs of ram.

[merlin]

Why 1066 memory?
To be honest the clock. timing etc etc specs for system memory are far less important than picking the right chipset, cpu and gpu.
The bad chipset can break an otherwise meaty system. Avoid VIA chipsets like the plague...

Everything is linked dude...it's just a matter of balancing the components so that there isn't a bottle neck.

(The faster the ram the faster the cpu will be able to dump the big bites of information it's taking off the task)

[Pumba]

Cheers guys all the input is apreciated, and most of it is in pretty plain english.