Laptop for tuning needs - Toyota GR86, 86, FR-S and Subaru BRZ Forum & Owners Community

mrk1 · 02-07-2014, 07:35 PM

I have always been a Mac guy so I know nothing about PC's. Can anyone recommend a decent laptop to do the job. I don't want a little net book because I want use the CD's these items come with.

1086 · 02-07-2014, 07:40 PM

Why not just get the software provided for Mac so you can dual boot?

By the way, mac and pc use the same types of hardware, it is the operating system that is the difference.

http://www.parallels.com/

juliog · 02-07-2014, 07:42 PM

Why don't you just use Parallels or VMWare?

jamesm · 02-07-2014, 07:44 PM

Because flashing is much, much slower using parallels or bootcamp. Like 3-4 minutes vs. under a minute. Don't ask me why, it just is.

1086 · 02-07-2014, 07:45 PM

First world problems

z3ro · 02-07-2014, 07:50 PM

Netbook.

Put that shit on a thumb drive

mrk1 · 02-07-2014, 07:52 PM

Ive never been comfortable with that dual boot stuff. My business is own my mac.

olorin · 02-07-2014, 08:02 PM

I use a MacBook with bootcamp, works fine.

jamesm · 02-07-2014, 08:05 PM

i use parallels and it works, you just waste a lot of dyno time sitting there flashing your car.

cnk · 02-07-2014, 11:53 PM

Any cheap laptop will do. I use a Lenovo Yoga 13, but I just picked up a Dell Venue 8 Pro that I may try out in the car. Just have to get a mini-USB to USB adapter first. You can always mount the CD in your MAC and share that across your network. That would negate the need for a laptop with CD drive. Or pick up a USB CD drive. Also, remember that even though some software may come on a CD, you can always download it from the manufacturer's site.

jflogerzi · 02-09-2014, 01:48 AM

I would recommend the Dell Venue 8. Long battery life, Full Windows 8, cheap, decent screen. Size is right for logging and tuning.

SirBrass · 02-09-2014, 02:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrk1

I have always been a Mac guy so I know nothing about PC's. Can anyone recommend a decent laptop to do the job. I don't want a little net book because I want use the CD's these items come with.

I'm picking up an ASUS T-100 tablet PC for the job, as well as to serve as a good general laptop for myself.

For logging and flashing (advise doing editing on something else), I know that @nelsmar likes the Lenovo Miix 2. That's what he used to log my car this evening, and it worked well. You can connect up the Ecutek cable and the des key to a micro usb to 2 port USB hub (the lenovo has only a single micro USB 2.0 combo port), make sure the tablet isn't set to go to sleep, set up your logging, and stick the tablet into the seatback pocket of one of the front seats.

The ASUS T-100 has a detachable keyboard, so you can use as proper laptop or as a tablet, and it has full sized USB ports and 64GB of memory. Walmart is selling them for $379.

Both of the ones I've mentioned run Windows 8.1. Do NOT get a device that only runs Windows RT. You can only install software through the microsoft store with RT, which rules out your ability to install Ecutek software.

jamesm · 02-09-2014, 08:48 AM

Does anyone still make a decent cheap laptop with windows 7?

SirBrass · 02-09-2014, 09:38 AM

Maybe. Not sure.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

02-07-2014, 07:35 PM	#1
mrk1 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Drives: Sterling BRZ Ltd Location: New England Posts: 1,702 Thanks: 403 Thanked 1,389 Times in 671 Posts Mentioned: 20 Post(s) Tagged: 2 Thread(s)	Laptop for tuning needs I have always been a Mac guy so I know nothing about PC's. Can anyone recommend a decent laptop to do the job. I don't want a little net book because I want use the CD's these items come with. __________________ The Build Thread GT28RS - eBoost2 - 3.91 Final Drive - Supra LSD

02-07-2014, 07:52 PM	#7
mrk1 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Drives: Sterling BRZ Ltd Location: New England Posts: 1,702 Thanks: 403 Thanked 1,389 Times in 671 Posts Mentioned: 20 Post(s) Tagged: 2 Thread(s)	Ive never been comfortable with that dual boot stuff. My business is own my mac. __________________ The Build Thread GT28RS - eBoost2 - 3.91 Final Drive - Supra LSD

02-07-2014, 08:02 PM	#8
olorin Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Drives: GBS Premium Location: Denver Posts: 154 Thanks: 41 Thanked 59 Times in 38 Posts Mentioned: 3 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	I use a MacBook with bootcamp, works fine. __________________ Build Thread

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02-07-2014, 07:40 PM	#2
1086 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Drives: UM86 - 6MT Location: CA (elevation 85 ft.) Posts: 518 Thanks: 383 Thanked 249 Times in 126 Posts Mentioned: 6 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Why not just get the software provided for Mac so you can dual boot? By the way, mac and pc use the same types of hardware, it is the operating system that is the difference. http://www.parallels.com/

02-07-2014, 07:44 PM	#4
jamesm Banned Join Date: Mar 2013 Drives: 2013 FR-S Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 2,929 Thanks: 1,166 Thanked 2,293 Times in 1,180 Posts Mentioned: 313 Post(s) Tagged: 4 Thread(s)	Because flashing is much, much slower using parallels or bootcamp. Like 3-4 minutes vs. under a minute. Don't ask me why, it just is.

02-07-2014, 07:45 PM	#5
1086 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Drives: UM86 - 6MT Location: CA (elevation 85 ft.) Posts: 518 Thanks: 383 Thanked 249 Times in 126 Posts Mentioned: 6 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	First world problems

02-07-2014, 07:50 PM	#6
z3ro Banned Join Date: Oct 2013 Drives: 2013 FR-S Location: Shelby, NC Posts: 626 Thanks: 209 Thanked 409 Times in 144 Posts Mentioned: 15 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Netbook. Put that shit on a thumb drive

02-07-2014, 08:05 PM	#9
jamesm Banned Join Date: Mar 2013 Drives: 2013 FR-S Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 2,929 Thanks: 1,166 Thanked 2,293 Times in 1,180 Posts Mentioned: 313 Post(s) Tagged: 4 Thread(s)	i use parallels and it works, you just waste a lot of dyno time sitting there flashing your car.

02-07-2014, 11:53 PM	#10
cnk Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Drives: '13 DGM BRZ Limited Location: NJ Posts: 1,201 Thanks: 59 Thanked 547 Times in 339 Posts Mentioned: 8 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Any cheap laptop will do. I use a Lenovo Yoga 13, but I just picked up a Dell Venue 8 Pro that I may try out in the car. Just have to get a mini-USB to USB adapter first. You can always mount the CD in your MAC and share that across your network. That would negate the need for a laptop with CD drive. Or pick up a USB CD drive. Also, remember that even though some software may come on a CD, you can always download it from the manufacturer's site.

02-09-2014, 08:48 AM	#13
jamesm Banned Join Date: Mar 2013 Drives: 2013 FR-S Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 2,929 Thanks: 1,166 Thanked 2,293 Times in 1,180 Posts Mentioned: 313 Post(s) Tagged: 4 Thread(s)	Does anyone still make a decent cheap laptop with windows 7?

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