I'm considering buying a new laptop, to replace my 4-year-old Gateway 400SD4 (Pentium 4, 512 MB RAM). Running heavy-duty computational stuff in MATLAB is causing my system to crash occasionally, particularly if I'm running Firefox in the background while I'm waiting on MATLAB. I've never upgraded Windows XP to SP2; perhaps that's part of the problem, but I'm not sure.

Consumer Reports lists the Toshiba A135-S4427 as a "best buy". Office Max has it on sale for $649, with the following specs listed:
* INTEL® Centrino® Duo Mobile Technology
featuring Intel® Core™ Duo processor T2250 (1.73GHz) (2MB L2 Cache / 533MHz FSB)
* 1024MB PC4200 DDR2 System Memory (2 Dimm)
* 120GB 5400rpm SATA Hard Drive
* Super Multi Double Layer DVD±R/RW Drive
* 15.4” WXGA TruBrite TFT Widescreen Display (1280x800)
* Intel® PRO/Wireless 3945ABG WLAN
* Windows® Vista Home Premium OS

Looking at NCSU's recommended system parameters (http://www.ncsu.edu/it/essentials/your_computer/hardware_specs/new_computer.html) this falls short in some areas.

Is this set-up adequate to run lengthy MATLAB computations, while using the Internet (and perhaps Word and/or Excel) in the background, without losing stability? Or am I asking too much from that system, and really need to suck it up and pay nearly twice as much for a ThinkPad? Thanks!

7/30/2007 3:10:57 PM

Running heavy-duty computational stuff in MATLAB will cause even the best computers to crash.

7/30/2007 3:14:44 PM

you'll want 2gb and a core 2 duo (not the same as core duo) for sure, the rest is up for grabs

[Edited on July 30, 2007 at 3:16 PM. Reason : .]

7/30/2007 3:15:57 PM

get a macbook pro, problem solved.

7/30/2007 3:17:16 PM

ive never ran matlab in osx, but im willing to bet it can still crash it. matlab handles memory utilization very poorly....especially simulink.

7/30/2007 3:18:47 PM

I hate Macs ... definitely going with some sort of PC.

7/30/2007 3:19:08 PM

Don't knock the new Mac Book Pro's. I wasn't a big Mac fan either until a friend showed me the sheer firepower of their latest line. Of course, if price is an issue for you, then the Mac Book Pro will lose hands down.

7/30/2007 3:49:53 PM

I'm a PhD student on a TA stipend, so cost is definitely a factor. On the other hand, so is finishing my research, so that I can graduate next spring, so I'm not buying a piece of junk, either.

Given that the aforementioned Toshiba is likely to be insufficient, what about the Thinkpad T61 series ($1149 for the low-end model, through the bookstore/COE program)?

http://www.eos.ncsu.edu/soc/purchasing/sbs.php

7/30/2007 3:57:27 PM