Opinions on using laptop for asset creation?

Sastrei

Howdy,

I'm normally not a fan of these "what computer should I get" threads, but I'm wondering what y'all's opinion is on using a laptop as a primary content creation device.

I don't use a Wacom or anything yet, so mouse, headphones, and an external monitor at home are the main accessories I'd use.

Software/uses would be:
-Blender, Maya, Photoshop
-video encoding, rendering, 3D asset creation (model/map/texture)

Last bought a computer 5-8 years ago when the paradigm was still mostly "good laptops cost $2k+, desktops required for real work" - and I suspect that has changed significantly in the intervening years.

Edit: not necessarily looking for specific computer suggestions (though those are welcome), but more generally any pitfalls, concerns, or issues that might still exist relating to use of a laptop as a primary computer for content creation.

Thanks for the input!

-Stefan-

HitmonInfinity

I suppose if it is beefy enough you could make do. Separate keyboard and mouse is a must. I can't see it being that portable, as posture and positioning should probably be considered. 3D is not something I could see being done in a coffee shop is what I'm trying to say I guess. Personally, I can't stand anything but a giant screen(s) and a beefy desktop to go with it, but that's just me.

In short, you could make it work, but I wouldn't recommend it.

Marshkin

Ergonomically I find laptops harder to work with. Your head tends to be tilted down when using a laptop, which can result in neck strain (I can't do it for more then an hour or so). A desktop allows you to arrange your keyboard and monitors at an appropriate height.

Laptops are nice for travel, but I find they also tend to suffer from needing replacing more often. Price wise I've always been able to find a much more powerfull desktop for a fraction of the cost the same laptop would run.

Generally laptops tend to have weaker graphic cards and less ram. For example, my desktop at home is a monster wiht 32 gb of RAM and a decent graphic card (ran me $1200), where as I was unable to find a laptop that could support that much RAM and for that price, I was getting a smaller hard drive and a worse graphics card.

I also love having two 22" monitors. It's hard to go back to one after that!

Either way, it ultimately comes down to your own personal preference. If you see yourself leaving the house with it and working while you're out, a laptop is a good solution.

Eric Chadwick

I've been using a laptop for all my freelance work for the last 2 years, and it's been great. Nice to be able to take it with me when the need arises.

I use an external keybd and mouse and 2nd monitor, and I bought one of these to put it at eye height.


Also was nice when I was teaching, since I could pack it with me.

EarthQuake

I do a lot of 2d (photography) work on a laptop, its great for photoshop and lightroom. However, I would never, ever, ever want to do serious 3d work primarily on a laptop, or if I did, I would have to sit at a desk, hook up a mouse and external monitor at minimum, at that point, I might as well be using a much more powerful and comparatively less expensive workstation PC.

You can get beekcake laptops these days that will handle high end 3d, but they are expensive, huge, heavy, hot, and have terrible battery life. Basically, the opposite of all the things I want in a mobile computer. Additionally, even the biggest laptops have small screens compared to a standard 24" workstation monitor.

I have a 13 MBP, its tiny, light, and runs 2d stuff with ease, I can easily pack it into a messenger bag or carry on luggage when traveling, and the battery life is about 8 hours so I can actually use it if I take it somewhere (rather than being tethered to a wall/desk).

Justin Meisse

A beefy laptop is still easier to lug around than a tower. I had one in the past that allowed me to work on my portfolio in the down time at my office job. I'd like to get one again because Austin has a fairly vibrant indie jam & collaboration scene that I'd like to participate in.

EarthQuake

No argument there, it really depends on your needs. I work from home so I need my primary computer to be a proper workstation. If I had an office job with a workstation and only did occasional work on the machine in question, a laptop would be more suitable.

It also depends on the compromises you're willing to live with. Do you want compromised performance, ergonomics and work space so you can more easily haul the system a few times a year to events? Or maybe you take it with you multiple times a week and portability is essential?

Justin Meisse

What kind of power you need is important too. EQ is working on the bleeding edge, I spend most of my time in the mobile and MMO space where normal maps aren't the norm yet.

Justin Meisse

Most laptops can run a second display out, that's what I did. If I went back to a laptop my home setup would be Cintiq, keyboard & mouse hooked into a docking station and Intuos, mouse & small keyboard or nostromo in a backpack for when I'm away.

Sure it's a compromise having just one screen but the alternatives is no computer or lugging around an entire workstation like I was going to a LAN party.

EarthQuake

Justin: Yeah, I need a top of the line GPU and CPU to do the stuff I do. If you're doing lowspec/mobile stuff I can see even a mid-range laptop being enough, my 13" MBP could certainly handle it if the small screen size wasn't an issue.

Personally, when it comes to docking a laptop to a desk and pretending like its a workstation PC, whats the point? Why not just get a half-way decent laptop for when you need to be mobile and use a workstation the rest of the time? Use dropbox or something to sync files and you're set.

JohnnyRaptor

I use a laptop as my main machine at home along with a secondary monitor and it works great for me. I do realtime and offline rendering work and it's not a problem. It's not a machine I use on the go, but it's a machine I can take from site to site without any problems, and it has the performance I need as well.

Justin Meisse

EQ: mostly money, if I have a laptop that's good enough to be my workstation why spend the extra money on a workstation? I could get an OK laptop that doesn't meet all my needs and a workstation that does or for possibly a few hundred less I could buy a laptop that covers all my bases.