Laptop minimum spec for usb3 solar imaging..

[Helen]

I need a small laptop for solar imaging using the skyris usb3.  I've got to analysis paralysis!!!! so....... thought I'd ask for opinions

What is the minimum I should look for as far as processor and ram etc? the smaller/cheaper ones seem to have intel M processors - would that cut it or will I need an i5/i7?

Any brands to avoid?

Thanks

Helen

[Freddie]

You will also need to think of capture speed so a SSD may be important to enable you to capture at the full frame rate via the USB3. A lower spec. processor will just mean the post processing will be a touch slower which isn't the greatest problem but not being able to capture at full frame rate would be a waste.

[riklaunim]

CPU is used for stacking, 8GB or even 16 GB of RAM could be used for capture buffer by some applications (like FireCapture) and for processing of big images. The storage will have to be big, multiple AVIs from one session can be 200-400 GB. SSD can be required for the biggest frames recorded at high framerate but hand picking laptop HDD can also work providing a lot of storage at a lower price.

So if it has to be optimal and lightweight/small then it won't be the cheapest. You can look at this 13.3" Clevo laptop: http://www.cyberpowersystem.co.uk/system/Fusion_LT_Gaming_Laptop - handy thing of Clevo laptops is that you pick components you want to have in it - so picking HDD and M2 SSD as needed for imaging. If you want it cheaper then you can look on 360 rotating older laptops - Dell XPS 11 or HP x360 - both at least with quad core Intel BayTrail or AMD A4/A6 CPU. In those you can then swap the storage (HP may be harder to access) and add RAM if needed (check YouTube before buying what's and how is replaceable)

[Helen]

Thanks both 

[Davey-T]

Hi Helen, are you going to be processing or just capturing on it ?

I bought a Toshiba netbook just for imaging so only need to load imaging software.

On the capturing of solar vid's, I capture directly to a 1Tb external USB3 drive, this saves clogging up the HDD with video files and you can review them and delete the rubbish, I do all the processing down to TIFs on the external drive then process the results on a separate laptop.

Also archive stuff I want to keep onto the external drive.

Dave