Recommendations: Portable laptop/tablet for texas hot auto shop environment

[Uranium-235]

These guys use laptops for the DVS (they have one USB and one wifi diagnostic)

This Toshiba (CL15) has pretty much had it. I opened it up. Non-upgradable memory or SSD (all soldered). Also...the battery cells have began to expand a bit severely decreasing the battery life (this is due to heat).

Sooo, anyone know a good, decently affordable solution? I was thinking maybe a Surface Pro 3 with a $69 rugged case, but that still might not solve the heat problem.

Maybe one of those Core-2 dells from back when that they still make cheap generic batteries for and still have parts on ebay. The fact it's win7 would be a big plus

Overall something win7 would be a big plus cause without the CSM I can't put it on this CL15.

probably a new policy of bringing them in after the work day would help, but it can't help the 9-5 heat of that garage

[Topcat]

Re: Recommendations: Portable laptop/tablet for texas hot auto shop environment

Trusty Dell Precision m6300. Magnesium body can take a beating, big screen which is great for auto diagnostics, replacememt batts are all over the place and cheap....and they love win7. They're a Core2 platform, up to 8gb ram...I don't see that being inadequate. They're cheap on ebay. I put one together for my machine shop owner. Hot abusive environment, hes been using it 4 years without issues.

[Uranium-235]

Re: Recommendations: Portable laptop/tablet for texas hot auto shop environment

fascinating. I think one with a small 128GB Samsung SSD might be the best bet. I'll see what others have to say

hah but you live in Missouri, this is Texas. 100+F. Gets hot as fuck in there. They just need to learn to put them in the parts room when they're done

how can it be 8GB, it's ddr2, is there four slots?

[Topcat]

Re: Recommendations: Portable laptop/tablet for texas hot auto shop environment

No, just 2 slots. There are 4gb soDIMM's....pricey, but they're out there.

We get ~100* heat in july & august, but usually in shorter snaps. mid-90's is the average.

*edit*
https://www.ebay.com/itm/362327211882

The price has dropped a little....these used to be ~$100 for a pair.

[Uranium-235]

Re: Recommendations: Portable laptop/tablet for texas hot auto shop environment

oh thats right, only supported by some chipsets/cpus (AMD, that has the IMC in the cpu).

naw. Even 2GB with win7 32 is just fine. These guys are just going to use the VDS program and firefox to look up the codes on the wiki if needed. With the added speed of a SSD, it should be no problem. Hm maybe 3GB

[stj]

Re: Recommendations: Portable laptop/tablet for texas hot auto shop environment

cant you fit the end of the work-area with a few centrifugal blowers??

[Uranium-235]

Re: Recommendations: Portable laptop/tablet for texas hot auto shop environment

They have massive fans, still hot as balls

[stj]

Re: Recommendations: Portable laptop/tablet for texas hot auto shop environment

maybe a double-roof, a trick used on buses & trucks.

in africa they put a second roof above the first on legs about 12 inches long - the air-gap stops most of the heat from the sun cooking the bus.

[brethin]

Re: Recommendations: Portable laptop/tablet for texas hot auto shop environment

Trusty Dell Precision m6300. Magnesium body can take a beating, big screen which is great for auto diagnostics, replacememt batts are all over the place and cheap....and they love win7. They're a Core2 platform, up to 8gb ram...I don't see that being inadequate. They're cheap on ebay. I put one together for my machine shop owner. Hot abusive environment, hes been using it 4 years without issues.

I have 2 of these I could part with if your interested.

[Uranium-235]

Re: Recommendations: Portable laptop/tablet for texas hot auto shop environment

maybe a double-roof, a trick used on buses & trucks.

in africa they put a second roof above the first on legs about 12 inches long - the air-gap stops most of the heat from the sun cooking the bus.

These guys have been there 48 years. Theres no building anything on the current structure

brethin if they're in a good condition I might take you up on your offer. Right now I need to consult them to see if a laptop that large would be an issue (most of the current ones they have are pretty small...11-13" screens that are very light

[dmill89]

Re: Recommendations: Portable laptop/tablet for texas hot auto shop environment

If you need somewhat rugged an older Dell Precision (as TopCat suggested) or Latitude (the higher end ones with the magnesium bodies) or Lenovo T/R series Thinkpad (T430/530 and older) will do and they can be found fairly cheaply. If you need truly rugged there is always the Panasonic Toughbook, newer (anything core-Ix) ones tend to be fairly expensive (at least by used laptop standards, Sandybridge/Ivybridge ones are still generally in the $400-600 range), but if you can get by with something older the Core2Duo ones are fairly cheap ($100-$200 sometimes less).

[ratdude747]

Re: Recommendations: Portable laptop/tablet for texas hot auto shop environment

If you can find one rugged enough (add a case?), I'd look at newer atom tablets (bay trail or newer). No fans, no moving parts, and even the cheap ones have plenty of power. Heck, my Asus Transformer T200TA does circles around my older workstations (not the newer ones, but still, for a 12" tablet... ). Used ones can be found for pretty cheap...

[Uranium-235]

Re: Recommendations: Portable laptop/tablet for texas hot auto shop environment

Rat can the battery easily be replaced?

Do you think it's possible to put windows 7 on it? I doubt there is a CSM for w7

[brethin]

Re: Recommendations: Portable laptop/tablet for texas hot auto shop environment

These guys have been there 48 years. Theres no building anything on the current structure

brethin if they're in a good condition I might take you up on your offer. Right now I need to consult them to see if a laptop that large would be an issue (most of the current ones they have are pretty small...11-13" screens that are very light

Ok not a problem yes they are both like new, one has a port station dock and the other has a full docking station. I can take some pics and give you specs if they will work for you. just let me know.

[ratdude747]

Re: Recommendations: Portable laptop/tablet for texas hot auto shop environment

Rat can the battery easily be replaced?

Do you think it's possible to put windows 7 on it? I doubt there is a CSM for w7

Some are easier than others.

Windows 8.1 or 10 won't do? My t200ta has 8.1, which easily mods to act like 7.

[momaka]

Re: Recommendations: Portable laptop/tablet for texas hot auto shop environment

hah but you live in Missouri, this is Texas. 100+F. Gets hot as fuck in there. They just need to learn to put them in the parts room when they're done

Doesn't matter. These older Dell Precision laptops are built like tanks and will work fine even in very hot environments. So I second what Topcat said.

Also, the Dell Latitude E-seires are also extremely reliable - just avoid the ones with nVidia graphics chips. The ones with Intel IGPs are bullet-proof as well. Will run Windows 7 wonderfully with 2-4 GB of RAM. Some of the newer E-series also come with Core i3 and i5 CPUs.

There are really the only laptops I consider reliable, along with the Latitude D-series, and maybe certain older Lenovo laptops (again, from the Core 2 Duo era). Everything else is just consumer trash.

If you can find one rugged enough (add a case?), I'd look at newer atom tablets (bay trail or newer). No fans, no moving parts, and even the cheap ones have plenty of power.

Nah, tablets are just toys for little kids. No moving parts, but also lots of non-replaceable parts. And limited expansion ports too.

[desert-rat]

Re: Recommendations: Portable laptop/tablet for texas hot auto shop environment

Yea TX gets warm its AZ that gets hot.

[Curious.George]

Re: Recommendations: Portable laptop/tablet for texas hot auto shop environment

probably a new policy of bringing them in after the work day would help, but it can't help the 9-5 heat of that garage

Move the "sensitive" parts out of the heat. Is there someplace, anyplace, in the facility that is suitable for human habitation? (even if swamp cooled)

If so, put the "compute" power there and just run a remote display out into the inferno. Presumably, mains power is available so why screw with batteries that will eventually fail? And, something that is JUST acting as a display will have much reduced power requirements (as it's just painting images around on a screen THAT SOMETHING ELSE HAS CREATED... in the habitable portion of the facility).

This is how I address my computing needs in the garage, front/back porches and even on the roof! (Hint: it's already approached 110F, here)

[brethin]

Re: Recommendations: Portable laptop/tablet for texas hot auto shop environment

I have 2 of these I could part with if your interested.

Actually I have 3 of these available, I forgot I had one in my closet, all 3 like new. 2 dockng stations and a port station, 1 external floppy. 2 have widows 10 pro and the other windows 7 ultimate. $400 for it all free shipping.

[desert-rat]

Re: Recommendations: Portable laptop/tablet for texas hot auto shop environment

I dont know if this would work for you but they make portable evap coolers . You either pore water in them or hoook them to a hose .