Computer options for Nomad

I need to replace my ageing widows 7 laptop for my nomad system. I’m wondering if an all in one computer might be better than a laptop. I’d be interested to hear from other Nomad users as to what works best for them. 

Also does anyone know what minimum specs would I need to cope with version 3. 


Denis

  • It really depends what your goals are.  I have it running on 27" (Dell) and 23" (Lenovo) AIOs, and a Surface Pro 3.  I generally run the 27" in the house for programming, and the 23" in the booth for running the show.  Booth is just too small to comfortably hold the 27", and really, do you need all that real estate to hit "GO"?  I run the SP3 for quick setups and as a last-ditch backup console.  The touch feature on the AIOs is nice, but generally it's just as fast to hit "g3" as it is to tap on the group 3 direct select.

  • I also use it only on 17" HP notebook and 15" Lenovo notebook. It's fine. I like my additional touchscreen but I figured out, that I am not slower without my touchscreen. In a few weeks you will know all shotcuts you need like alt+c for color pallet.

  • Thanks for the replies. Much appreciated.

    Just to explain: At the moment I have a Dell laptop with a small screen and I have an ELO touch screen for magic sheet during programming. That leaves very little space for the cues and channel display on the laptop. Apart from the fact that the laptop is Windows 7, I need to replace it with something more up to date and bigger. That's when the idea of the all-in-one occurred to me. Any further thoughts would be welcome.

    Denis

  • There is information about the specs needed to run Eos v3.0 if you join the Open Beta forum for it.

  • Hello Dennis,

    In my opinion, the laptop vs AIO debate comes down to if mobility or screen real-estate is more important to you.


    - If you find you are programming in multiple locations with your current computer and want to continue being mobile, I would definitely go for a laptop. I would lean towards a 15" or 17" Windows laptop. Any core i5 or i7 (or Ryzen r5/7 3000 series) equipped laptop with at least 8gb of ram as much SSD storage as you will need(show files are not large, 256gb is plenty if the pc is only used for nomad) should be more than capable of running nomad well. If you plan to do a lot of visualization I would also look for a laptop with a dedicated GPU(graphics processor) such as a GTX 1650. Don't be afraid of gaming laptops.
    Another advantage of a laptop is it has a built in battery, so if the power goes out while working you have time to save and keep programming.

    - If you would rather have the extra screen real estate to easily see more data, then an AIO or other desktop pc makes sense. A lot of the same spec recommendations still apply, although you can probably get away with a Core i3 or Ryzen r3 because desktop class processors are more powerful than their mobile counterparts. If you decide on an AIO, look for one with a display in port(HDMI or DisplayPort input), so that if/when the hardware inside is no longer capable you can still use it as an external monitor.

    Whichever option you go for, a touchscreen is a bonus. Personally I am partial to desktops with their upgrade path (but I'm a computer geek in addition to a lighting geek)

  • I use different equipment for different shows. I have an Alienware 17R3 that I'm very happy with. In addition to the 17" screen, it has 9 programmable macro buttons.

    I like to use desktop computers. I built two into a flight case to be portable.

    I like to use at least 2 touchscreens that are the same size and shape, to more easily mouse between them. I have 2 20" widescreen monitors but I wish I had gone bigger because the softkeys and parameter tiles are small.

    I also use gaming keyboards with fully reassignable keys.

  • Thanks for that. Great advice from yourself and others. It's all about the screen real estate as far as I'm concerned as I use direct selects and magic sheets, so the remaining space for the cues is limited. I have two screenshots - one for programming and one for showtime, but in practice, I am still editing even when the show is running so I rarely use the showtime one. Most of my shows are on for only 5-7 performances. The idea of the AIO with a HDMI in is a great one.

    Denis

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