Steven, I use a Dell Inspiron 1750 Intel Core(TM)2 Duo CPU with 4 GB Ram, 64 bit Operating System, running Windows Vista Home Premium. Not Sure the Video Card but Autodesk Inventor 11 runs fine on my 2009 machine This is probably a low to middle of the road laptop at this time. Regards, Matt Rhoades If you're at class tomorrow, I can talk over the system requirements more with you. -----Original Message----- From: team2039-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:team2039-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of Mark Amber Sent: Tuesday, October 19, 2010 8:25 PM To: team2039@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [team2039] Re: robotics I can help here, he important thing about the autodesk software is that you have what is called discrete graphics, and the funky thing there is that all intel i 3 5 and 7 processors have that, even thought they well... Don't. Yea it us confusing here is what I would suggest: get a laptop with the following 1) an nvidia card or an ati card (it is quite a selling point expect not to miss this) 2) an intel i3 330m processor or better or 3) a mac (if that is just what you want, frankly a Mac will just work, but that is certainly not to say that you should just spend 1.5 k on a MacBook) I suggest taking a look at the Dell outlet and dealigg.com<http://dealigg.com> where you can find hidden coupons and rebates. And make sure that the laptop is more powerful than what you need because as much as saving a hundred $ is great it is well worth it in 3 years when x program is suddenly requireing more CPU than you originalt thought it would. On Oct 19, 2010, at 6:31 PM, Steven Koepsell < steven.koepsell@xxxxxxxxx<mailto:steven.koepsell@xxxxxxxxx>> wrote: My family is in the market for a new laptop. I want to get one that has the needed power to run the autodesk software. I am able to find everything except for the special graphics card listed on the webste. How important is this card? Steven Koepsell Sent from my iPod On Oct 19, 2010, at 10:23 AM, Jamie Early < <mailto:Jamie.Early@xxxxxxxxxxxx> Jamie.Early@xxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:Jamie.Early@xxxxxxxxxxxx>> wrote: I would imagine that the CAD class will be offered every year. Even if you’ve taken it in the past it’s a great refresher. The CAD process is also such a huge part of the design process that it would be hard to design a robot without it. From: <mailto:team2039-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> team2039-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:team2039-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> [mailto:team2039-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Erik Bieck Sent: Tuesday, October 19, 2010 8:55 AM To: <mailto:team2039@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> <mailto:team2039@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> team2039@xxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:team2039@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Subject: [team2039] Re: robotics hey I am not able to take the cad class this year because I do not own a labtop, are you guys offering it next year? -Erik Bieck _____ From: Jamie Early < <mailto:Jamie.Early@xxxxxxxxxxxx> Jamie.Early@xxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:Jamie.Early@xxxxxxxxxxxx>> To: " <mailto:team2039@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> team2039@xxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:team2039@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>" < <mailto:team2039@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> team2039@xxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:team2039@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>> Sent: Tue, October 19, 2010 7:51:14 AM Subject: [team2039] robotics <http://www.cbc.ca/arts/tv/story/2010/10/18/barack-obama-mythbusters.html>http://www.cbc.ca/arts/tv/story/2010/10/18/barack-obama-mythbusters.html I saw this team win the chairman’s award this year in Atlanta at the FIRST nationals. Notice the FIRST banner behind them. Jamie Early Woodward Aircraft Engine Systems Mechanical Design 815-639-6121 <mailto:Jearly@xxxxxxxxxxxx>Jearly@xxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:Jearly@xxxxxxxxxxxx>