Can anything work? USB is too slow. What about the SATA port?

Work for what???

If it's new there has to be at least one USB3 port, is USB3 is too slow for you?

Like Colin said - it depends for what. The requirements for capturing HD/SD and editing HD/SD are different. The format/codec in which you edit is an important detail - H.264 1080p will edit just fine from a (fast) USB2 drive with Premiere Pro, but other formats might prove to be tricky (untested by myself).

You also failed to specify which ports you do have on the laptop. You mentioned SATA, but probably meant eSATA. That connector is as fast as the internal HDD drive connector, so speedy enough for most ends.

Also - the USB connection on the laptop, is that USB2 or USB3? And the last noteworthy connector: does it have Thunderbolt? (if it's not a mac, this is highly unlikely though)

If you want to capture (H)DV footage from a deck/camera, you're in bad luck. You need Firewire, and you're not gonna get that on this laptop.

Work for what???

Err video to the PC!!!

If it's new there has to be at least one USB3 port, is USB3 is too slow for you?

How do I get footage from a DV camera to USB 3 then?? Be specific

How do I get footage from a DV camera to USB 3 then?? Be specific

This is sadly not possible. Tape-based camera's and modern-day laptops don't work together very well. For the moment there is no such thing as a USB3 > FireWire adapter/module.

Capturing footage from a (H)DV camera to your laptop isn't a possibility. You need FireWire (IEEE1394) for that, nothing else is gonna work. If your camera has (HD)SDI outputs, you're gonna be fine using a capturedevice for that - for example the Blackmagic Design Intensity: Blackmagic Design: Intensity (http://hypr.nl/6bN).

But mostly you're in bad luck. Tape-based (H)DV camera's are becoming a thing of the past very rapidly now.

How do I get footage from a DV camera to USB
Which DV camera do you have? There are a few Panasonic consumer camcorders that can deliver identical DV quality over Firewire and USB, so you wouldn't need a Firewire connection at all. If you don't have one of these cameras, there is a capture device called "Movie Box" (or something like that) made by Pinnacle which should do the job. It has a Firewire input, where you plug in the cable from the camera, and an USB output to connect with the laptop. But please check the functionality for yourself, as I don't know for example with which NLE or which version of operating system this device works. Getting another laptop with Firewire or ExpressCard port might be the better option.

I have a JVC DV500 and a Sony HC1000

Since this is a new computer for you, I assume you still have the old one, with a firewire port. Use it to capture, and use a USB external drive to capture to, or transfer files to after capture.

When selecting a new laptop, you need to specifically look for the features you need.

There are still a few laptops on the market that have Firewire, they are on the expensive side though. Sadly Firewire is going up in flames...

Then others have an Expresscard slot where you can use a Firewire Expresscard.

If video quality is not paramount, you can use an analog to digital converter > USB like this one Elgato Systems USB Analog Video Capture Device 10020840 B&H.