I have a nice desktop computer that works well for editing while I'm at home, but sometimes, I have to create a video or two while on the road. Obviously I can't drag my desktop computer with me, so I'm looking for a laptop that can do the job.

I'm using a Canon 5D mk II, and, much less frequently, a Canon XH-A1. The 5D mk II records to CF cards, and the XH-A1 records to tape, so a laptop would need a FireWire port.

Any suggestions on a suitable laptop for video editing with Premier Pro CS5.5?

Hi
I have a Toshiba Qosmio X770-138 that works fine with CS5. Two disks make it possible to have a drive for video only. Nvidia Geforce 560M works with Mercury but it do not last long on battery. Great sound on onboard speakers. HDMI out can play the program window on a external monitor. No firewire - I do not think it is so popular on laptop's anymore.

I use the small Dell Alienware M11X, which is a little light for CS5.5 (although it does work okay). But I've always thought one of the M17X or M18X Alienwares would make a great laptop editor. You can easily disable all the game stuff.

I build a editing suite in-a-box and DIT station with a DELL XPS - pretty happy with it.

My new editing suite in-a-box and DIT station Frank Glencairn (http://frankglencairn.wordpress.com/2011/12/07/my-new-editing-suite-in-a-box-and-dit-station/)

Frank

We took advice from Karl Soule of Adobe TV and got an HP Elitebook Mobile Workstation 8760w. My work partner uses it more than I do, but he loves it.

Side note, Julian, I HIGHLY recommend getting a Sony HVR-MRC1K CF Card Recorder for for XH-A1. We have several cameras here at work (DSLRs, XF-105, and two XH-A1s). The Sony CF card recorders have given us a new lease on life for the two A1s. We've shot hundreds of hours of footage with the two recorders, and have only had 1 failure. You'll never need to buy a tape or capture footage again.

I have to second the motion for Bob - HP 8760w, but be sure to get one that has an Adobe-approved GPU such as the 3000M to provide GPU acceleration in Premiere. Some models use ATI graphics.

Jeff Pulera
Safe Harbor Computers

MSI GT780, awesome specs and does the job very well.

http://images.anandtech.com/galleries/1086/MSI%20GT780.jpg

I use a Dell Precision M4500. I was even able to get MPE to work after hacking the approved video card file and installing the latest nVidia drivers.

I'll second David Trayers. I also use a Dell Precision M4500. i7 CPU/8GB RAM and an external G-RAID drive for video via the eSata port. I attach an external HDMI monitor to the Displayport and have a portable 2-monitor setup.

I'm very pleased with my Dell M4600. It's able to handle a mini PCI SSD in the WAN slot under the bottom panel (easy install) + whatever you want in the standard 2.5" bay. This gives you the option of using an SSD for OS+Programs and a spinning disk for high capacity storage. You can even replace the DVD drive with an additional 2.5" drive for a SSD + RAID 0/1 combo if desired.

It also supports Quadro GPUs and display switching between the Intel and Nvidia graphics so that you can use mercury GPU acceleration in Premiere and and Intel Quicksync transcoding simultaneously.

If you want to really trick out a notebook (dual nVidia gpu's, 32 gigs ram, multiple hd's, USB 3 and firewire, etc, look at this bad boy, but dust off your checkbook: custom gaming laptops - Welcome to Sager Notebooks (http://www.sagernotebook.com/index.php?page=product_info&model_name=NP9170)

NP9170 is 17" screen and there are a large number of custom options available. My "wish list" version tops out just south of $4000.....

I'm using a Lenovo W520 with the core i7 and 15.6" 1920x1080 Matte screen with a quadro 2000M. I have 16GB of RAM on it now but it's capable of going to 32GB. I'm using 1 mSATA SSD to boot from, a 500GB SATA to work plus either e-SATA or USB3 media drives. There is a colorimeter option, but I got an external one instead to try and match desktop to laptop. The W520 is also Adobe approved.


Here's some performance stats ... for AE CS5 and Sony Vegas 10 ... might give you an idea what it can do with PP CS5.5 ... waiting for CS6 myself to try on the laptop ...
Primitive But Effective: Lenovo W520 for Sony Vegas Pro 10 and Adobe After Effects CS5 - Part 6 (http://www.primitivebuteffective.com/2011/05/lenovo-w520-for-sony-vegas-pro-10-and_25.html)

My decision process ...
Primitive But Effective: Lenovo W520 for Sony Vegas Pro 10 and Adobe After Effects CS5 - Part 1 (http://www.primitivebuteffective.com/2011/05/lenovo-w520-for-sony-vegas-pro-10-and_5096.html)

The newly released MSI GT70 is pretty well spec'd out for editing out of the box.
Core i7-3610 (new Ivy Bridge chip), 12GB RAM, THX audio,backlit keyboard, USB 3 ports, 17.3inch LCD 1920x1080 (matte), and a GTX670 with 3GB RAM. Three drive option (including RAID SSD + Spinning HDD). I was able to pick it up at Fry's last week for $1600, which is a bargain for the performance. Needed to get this for a super-rush edit project and had 48hours to install/upgrade/try out before crunch day. I only had the single 750GB internal HDD, so I brought along my eSata and USB 3.0 external drives for this project.

I put in 2 long edit days using AVCHD footage and there wasn't any issues to speak of. Probably just as fast as my 2 year old beast of an overclocked desktop.

This is my first MSI, so I'm hoping it will withstand the rigors of travel. It's a heavy unit, but seems solidly built.

I'm going to parrot Mike Dulay...I have a Lenovo W520 with exactly the same specs, but a conventional 500 GB internal drive.

I find myself occasionally pining for USB ports...I came from a Dell with SIX...which is pretty incredible, but all together it has 4 if you use the dual purpose SATA jack (which is USB 2.0 while the other three are USB 3.0), so I won't whine about that...

The biggest thing for me with the Lenovo is the weight/size savings from a 17" chassis...the W520 is 15.6" and it fits in my carry-on bags sooo much easier than my 17" lapstation monsters of the past did.

As was mentioned somewhere...this machine will not make your MacBook totin' friends green with envy from a style standpoint...high cap battery sticks out the back...barn-latch monitor/lid...but it's just built for sheer torque.

I think you can set one up with pretty stout specs for under 3.000.00 US right at their website.

I am using a sony vaio fx laptop i7 quad core,8gb ram,nvidia 425, 1080 screen reso. and it works greak. Plus I got 2 usb ports,e-sata port, fw , adapter card inpput and sd slots. Works great I use hdv,dn and achdv.

Richard

All I could add to this great thread is that USB 3.0 is a must for any future work for me, as I find it wonderfully fast, along with a SATA port which I used with an external OWC RAID drive. Having the RAID buildt into the external drive meant only one cable to the box. I'd never do dual cables again.