Freedom Creations

Well, I gave you the minimum hardware requirements, here’s my personal recommendation. My personal best has to be the Dell Latitude 630 Laptop. What! A laptop!? Read on to see why. Here are the specifications I would get it with:

• Processor: Intel® Core™ 2 Duo T8100 (2.10GHz) 3M L2 Cache or Intel Core 2 Duo T7300 (2.00GHz) 4M L2 Cache
• OS: Windows XP or Vista
• Memory: 2GB
• Hard Disk: 120GB (7200 RPM)
• Video: 128MB or 256MB NVIDIA Quadro NVS
• Optical Media: 8X DVD+/-RW
• Screen: 14.1 WXGA+ (1440 X 900)
• Wireless: Any Intel based like the 3945.
• Bluetooth: Dell Wireless 360 Bluetooth
• Battery: 6 cell

As of today Dell sells this laptop with the above specifications for $1,166 with Windows XP. That’s not a bad deal. You can also get this laptop refurbished for $100-$200 less. Also, you can find a Latitude D620 with the same specifications.

Why this system? Here is why…

You have the “freedom” to work anywhere with a laptop. Why would you want to sit all the time in a box? Go out; design by the pool; go to your favorite cafe; get inspired; show your work at your client’s location. In other words you’re not confined to one space.

The Latitude D630 is perfect for mobility. It is robust (Magnesium alloy body). It has the power to practically run anything. It weighs just under 5lbs (2.27Kg). The screen is just big enough where your eyes don’t get tired and if you need that extra resolution you can max it to 1440×900 which is a rarity for laptops in this size.

Look at the price! You can’t get a system with all those features and three years of warranty for that price. Even a refurbished one comes with three years of warranty.

Another plus with this laptop is that you can also get the docking station (Port Replicator), a monitor, keyboard, and mouse and set it up as a desktop in your office.

Other good systems worth mentioning is the Apple MacBook Pro and the Lenovo Thinkpad series.

In case you were curious what I have… I have a Dell Optiplex GX280 desktop and a Latitude D420 laptop.

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