computer question for new cnc router

[woodworker2]

I am about to purchase a new small cnc router that comes with the mach 2 operating program. The manufacturer says a desktop computer would be better than a laptop computer to run the machine on. Is there any truth to that? I would prefer a laptop due to the need for a smaller dust cabinet and the ease of removing it from the work area when I am not using it. Any problems with the laptop? Thank you.

[paulC]

Originally Posted by woodworker2 I am about to purchase a new small cnc router that comes with the mach 2 operating program. The manufacturer says a desktop computer would be better than a laptop computer to run the machine on. Is there any truth to that? I would prefer a laptop due to the need for a smaller dust cabinet and the ease of removing it from the work area when I am not using it. Any problems with the laptop? Thank you.

The BIOS in some laptops can cause problems with CNC software.
The only real way to tell is to try it and see.

[2muchstuff]

I think I read somewhere that some laptops have a 3.3 volt output where desktops have a 5 volt output. Hopefully someone who is more computer savvy than me will confirm or deny this.

[jerber]

I used to run Mach3 on my laptop but run it on an old desktop now.
The drivertest looked much cleaner on the desktop and the Pulse frequency (on the diagnostics tab) is higher too.

Another feature of my laptop is that screen turns off after 30 min of no mouse/keybard activity. And I can't turn it off.
It didn't affect the actual motormovements but it was annoying.

The 3.3V output doesn't have to be a problem if your drivers have optocouplers.

I think it's doable on a laptop but I was surprised to see that a desktop with half the clockspeed and memory runs Mach better.

[ger21]

First of all, use Mach3. On a lot of machines, it runs much better than Mach2, and it has a LOT more features. And, it's a free upgrade.

While it's true that laptops are more prone to not working, there are plenty that work just fine. The problem is that you won't know if it will work until you try it. Mach can work very differently on different machines, but newer desktops will usually give good results. Even cheap ones, like $299 Dells.

[woodworker2]

Thanks guys. I will probably start looking for a desktop to purchase. I just bought an inexpensive version of Turbo Cad today, Designer Version 11. The work I am wanting to do is very simple and this was an inexpensive $30 program. Now to figure out how to use this darn thing!