ArcGIS Pro + Ultrabook?

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03-30-2018 05:04 AM
MalcolmMeyer1
New Contributor II

I am setting up a new GIS worjstworks and am wondering what the limitations would be running pro on an Ultrabook like the new HP x360 15t, a Thinkpad Carbon X1, etc, with an eGPU. Is  anyone running ArcGIS Pro on an Ultrabook with either the i7 7700HQ or the new 8th gen quad-core mobile CPUs? And has anyone tried using an external GPU like the Auros GTX 1080?

If so is the CPU maxed out or would this work as your full time workstation?

Finally, can pro run on Intel integrated graphics with either CPU mentioned?

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2 Replies
RobertBorchert
Frequent Contributor III

Personally I would never use a notebook or laptop for serious GIS Work.  Unless you have a docking station. I utilize 2 x 27" monitors and a 19" on the side.

Spending the extra money on a touch screen is a waste of money in GIS

I don't know how well Pro will interact with Windows 10.  We use Windows 7 because the bugs have been worked out and it is stable. My supervisor recently got a new computer with Windows 10 and I have not heard him cussing.

The x360 has sufficient power to run Pro and 8 GB is good for most applications unless you intend on doing 3D.

However, the MX150 GPU is a very low end graphics card and you may experience long refresh times.

Overall the x360 is a fluff computer and not a work station.

Yes you can run Pro on this machine. Yes you can run Pro on integrated graphics.  But then again you can drive a car with both feet tied together and one hand tied behind your back.

I would not even touch the Thinkpad for this.

Both of these systems are exceptional in their field but are not designed for GIS work. And a 14" monitor is almost worthless. 

If your willing to spend that kind of money get something more like this Dell

Model: I55777342BLKSKU: 5868313

And get a docking station and a pair of big monitors

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MalcolmMeyer1
New Contributor II

Update - I have ArcPro running on a sixth gen i5 6300u at 2.3 GHz with a 940M 2GB dedicated GPU memory, running on a mid-range ssd, driving a 2k 25" display. This is a Thinkpad Yoga 14. Pro runs OK, meaning it is usable. I haven't tried any 3D and don't plan to. Some things are slow that seem like they shouldnt be such as saving edits and identifying features. This is just a temporary setup as I wait for my workstation to arrive. The main bottleneck in this setup is the CPU. Now, benchmarks show that a 2018 Ultrabook CPU should be about twice the speed of this laptop, so I am more convinced than ever that the Ultrabook + ext GPU should run Pro just fine. It might be the intense CPU geoprocessing still should happen on a more powerful machine, but day to day use I believe an Ultrabook should be good to go.

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