Laptop for OrCAD software - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: semir-t
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 24, 2018, 02:40:21 pm
content: Hello everyone,Can anyone recommend me laptop for OrCAD software. I would need medium price laptops, so nothing to expensive nor cheap.Thanks

author: Gribo
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 24, 2018, 05:30:34 pm
content: Orcad Capture and layout will run on almost anything from the last 5 years.PSPICE will use any spare cpu cycle you have during simulation, so invest in a better cpu over a GPU.Allegro is a slightly different story, the layout editor will run faster a good GPU.

author: U96
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: October 24, 2018, 07:04:39 pm
content: i absolutely recommend a computer with dedicated graphics for allegro.integrated graphics will work, but not definetly not great for slightly bigger boards or higher resolutions. Also when using laptop screen only choose at least 1920x1080.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 24, 2018, 08:42:09 pm
content: Quote from: semir-t on October 24, 2018, 02:40:21 pmDo yourself a big favour and buy a laptop from the 'for business' section (for example) from HP or Dell. These are more expensive when you compare specs but these kind of computers are more stable and durable. The minimum system requirements for Orcad are very low so you don't need the latest & greatest when it comes to performance. You might even get away with buying a decent used laptop and upgrade it with an SSD with the money you save.

author: semir-t
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 25, 2018, 09:35:21 am
content: Thank you all for responding to my question.After looking at you suggestion I found HP 15.6" 250 G6 and I think this could work for me. Full specification is listed below:CPU: Intel® Core™ i5-7200U (2.5/3.1GHz, 3MB cache) 2core/4threads - 14nmKabyLake DISPLAY: 15.6" LED FHD anti-glare 1920x1080 VGA: Intel HD 620 RAM:8GB DDR4 2133MHz,256GB SSD ODD:DVD+/-RW Super Multi WLAN: Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3168 a/b/g/n/ac + Bluetooth® 4.2 Combo with Wi-Di , RJ-45 Security: Firmware TPM 2.0What do you guys think ?

author: Warhawk
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 25, 2018, 02:24:34 pm
content: I am not a big fan of -U processors. I would look for a mobile workstation like Thinkpad P series or Dell Precision. They typically have full blown mobile processors which don't thermal throttle under the heavy load. You may want to look for a refurbished one with warranty.The recommendation to stick with business class laptops is a good one. HP- Probook, Elitebook, Lenovo - Thinkpads X, T and P series, FS- Lifebooks S, P, Dell - Precision, Latitude. Avoid multimedia laptops. However, there have been some good "gaming" laptops recently which often outperform business class laptops, especially when it comes to LCD screens.

author: asmi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 25, 2018, 03:13:54 pm
content: Two issues with your choice:1. That laptop doesn't have dedicated GPU. PCB editor uses HW acceleration, so the performance with somewhat complex boards will be bad, and that's the last thing you want to happen especially with complex boards.2. Sooner or later you're going to be using IBIS/HSPICE simulator (since, well, it's included into all license levels), and these models tend to be quite large, on top of that the CAD itself eats quite a bit of space. So I'd go with at least 500 Gb SSD.Also at some point you will want to use external monitor with resolution higher than 1920x1080 - because more screen estate is always better, so make sure the video card in the laptop can drive at least 2k display, or even 4k if you want to future-proof the system.

author: AndyC_772
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 25, 2018, 07:42:35 pm
content: I run Orcad PCB Designer on a relatively inexpensive laptop that's about 4-5 years old.It has a quad core I7 processor, which I'm occasionally glad of, but most of the time it's just ticking over. The fans rarely run at an audible speed.8GB RAM is plenty, and the integrated graphics are perfectly OK. A total non-issue in terms of performance.By far the best upgrade I went for was a 512 GB SSD. It's saved me *way* more time than any CPU or GPU upgrade.

author: hammy
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 25, 2018, 07:49:12 pm
content: Quote from: semir-t on October 25, 2018, 09:35:21 amI'm using OrCAD on a quite similar Laptop. Perfect match.I can recommend the use of a 4K monitor.