Pretty much anything you get these days is going to be fine for what you’re trying to do. Just make sure it has a solid state drive (SSD).

I bought a Lenovo 2-in-1 laptop last year. The screen can be folded around so it lays completely flat. I found some slide in mounts and I hang the laptop from the wall of the trailer. It looks like just a monitor on the wall, pretty slick. I use a Bluetooth mouse and keyboard with it.

I'm looking at the SSD units too, but for onboard backup location only, I don't think I could ever trust my important data files to anything but a good old SATA drive.
There are ways to extract data files from a dead SATA, not so sure about a SSD??

Magnethead is my IT guy, he built my home computer that I am on right now and set up most of the internet and security system in my new home. Did all the wiring for the TV's etc. He is the one I go to for computer questions as he knows what he is talking about. I highly respect his opinion on computers and car stuff. He has also been a big help with my RPM data logger system.

So I would pay attention to his advice here.

I use Mozilla Firefox for browser as I had problems with others and never got comfortable with them.

quote:

Originally posted by Goob:
I'm looking at the SSD units too, but for onboard backup location only, I don't think I could ever trust my important data files to anything but a good old SATA drive.
There are ways to extract data files from a dead SATA, not so sure about a SSD??

I also have those same concerns now that I have SSD instead of HDD. I used to use an old 500gb hard drive as an external hard drive just for back up, but being mechanical, there still is the chance for failure. I now use 2TB flash drives for back up, smaller, takes up less space etc.

Anyone here use Cloud back up services?

I do, but I don't have a clue how it works, only when I save something it says your work has been saved to the cloud. I wouldn't know how to retrieve anything if I had to. I know this doesn't answer your question as it was asked, I just wanted to throw my 2 cents in, so I could get educated on it also.

quote:

Originally posted by markemark:
Anyone here use Cloud back up services?

Nope.
All of my stuff is engineered to avoid the cloud totally.
We don't really have much sensitive data to protect, but it will always be contained in house.

I've never spent a dime on antivirus gimmicks, and never had an incident that I couldn't recover from using Windows 7.

That is my number one factor in retaining Win 7, 10 and 11 eliminated the recovery utilities.
In 10 and 11 the only recovery is to reformat the drive.

quote:

Originally posted by Goob:
I'm looking at the SSD units too, but for onboard backup location only, I don't think I could ever trust my important data files to anything but a good old SATA drive.
There are ways to extract data files from a dead SATA, not so sure about a SSD??

I would trust an SSD more than a mechanical drive, they fail less frequently. A good old SATA drive has a spinning platter and an arm. The are more susceptible to damage from shock/being dropped etc. which is more likely to happen with a laptop used at the race track. Plus, SSDs are much faster for the same reason, when stored data is called for the read head doesn't have to move and wait for the platter to spin in a conventional drive.

The downside to SSDs is that they have a fixed number of write cycles. This number is quite high though and typically doesn't present a problem for users. When they fail, they are more likely to give warnings like bad sectors as opposed to mechanical drives that can fail with no warning.

There are recovery services for SSDs too.

Cloud, You don't know who has it or really where its at. AND who is looking at it.. USB Flash drives are cheap. Copy and paste. BOOM your done. Use to build NAS boxes for storage. years ago. Thing of the past. USB Flash is the way to go.
Called, Care,custody and control.. Never leaves the area.

I use HPs just because I like their 17 inch laptops and are easy to find anywhere. I have a few Dell computers that I've sold to customers that have been good also.

I like larger laptops, 15.6 inch to 17 inch so I get a normal number pad on the right to make entering runs easier. Much easier than hunt and peck on the top row.

They are all fast, but 16 gig of memory should be the minimum.

I would like to thank everyone for your inputs/recommendations on a new laptop. I ended up getting a Dell with all the minimum recommendations.

While I'm having some issues with my Holley software, specifically pulling up data logs. I'm sure it's user error. Anyway, my old HP laptop will be used & kept in the trailer as the primary laptop for my tuning/data logging.

2BKING