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So, um... what is it I need?

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  • #1

    So, um... what is it I need?

    I'm looking at getting a new laptop. One of my classes this semester requires an emulator that my current laptop isn't powerful enough to handle, and I'm not sure if I can finish all of my work during my two hours of class time each week. The program I'll be using (Android Studio) requires an "Intel® processor with support for Intel® VT-x, Intel® EM64T (Intel® 64), and Execute Disable (XD) Bit functionality".

    So, what processor do I need?
    The fact that jellyfish have survived for 650 million years despite not having brains gives hope to many people.

    You would have to be incredibly dense for the world to revolve around you.
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  • #2
    Oh boy.

    Any of the later Intel core CPUs will do all of those, *but* VT-x and XD both require the options to be supported in the BIOS, and I've never seen them in any of my own machines. I'd recommend asking the instructor for suggestions. You may not find *any* laptops that will fit the bill, they tend to have their BIOS more locked down than some desktops.

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    • #3
      EM64T (aka AMD64) and XD (aka NX) should be standard-issue these days. If it were only those two you needed, a cheap AMD-based laptop would do the trick nicely.

      VT-x is the tricky one. Virtualisation is considered a "premium" feature by Intel, and the two big CPU firms do virtualisation in completely different ways, so you can't just substitute an AMD machine for it. The good news is that *lots* of Intel laptop CPUs support it.

      (AMD doesn't disable key features like that just for market segmentation, only for die-harvesting; virtualisation doesn't have a big function block on the die which would be a likely candidate for harvesting, so AMD doesn't have cut-down products with just virtualisation removed.)

      The other unknown is BIOS support. Laptop BIOSes, as mentioned, tend to be much stingier than desktop ones. However you would probably do well to get a business-oriented laptop, especially from Dell. Advertised support for Hyper-V (a Microsoft technology which depends on either VT-x or AMD-V) is a sure bet.
      Last edited by Chromatix; 08-21-2016, 02:32 PM.

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      • #4
        It would appear that Hyper-V isn't on any Windows Home editions, only Pro/Enterprise. It looks like I'll have to do all of my work in class after all.
        The fact that jellyfish have survived for 650 million years despite not having brains gives hope to many people.

        You would have to be incredibly dense for the world to revolve around you.

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        • #5
          Argarthiel, does your school do DreamSpark? If it does, so you'd be able to get Pro I'm fairly sure. My laptop, which is almost three years old supports virtualization. It's just a plain Windows Home version, and it's an i7. It doesn't have Hyper-V, but I used Virtual Box just fine once I turned on the setting in the BIOS. So, it might be good to ask your teacher if you have to use Hyper-V, because if not you have more options.
          Replace anger management with stupidity management.

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          • #6
            Quoth notalwaysright View Post
            Argarthiel, does your school do DreamSpark? If it does, so you'd be able to get Pro I'm fairly sure.
            Actually, it does! And they have Pro! I'll still need a new laptop (the processor in mine is too weak to manage even the simplest emulators and Android Studio uses a pretty advanced one), but at least I have options now. Thanks!
            The fact that jellyfish have survived for 650 million years despite not having brains gives hope to many people.

            You would have to be incredibly dense for the world to revolve around you.

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            • #7
              I mentioned Hyper-V not because you need it, but because support for it logically implies support for what you *actually* need.

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