I'm in the market for a new laptop soon, and always face the dilema of getting a high powered machine vs. something light, portable, not too hot, long battery life, etc...

I use my computer mostly at a desk, but travel a lot (currently in Tel-Aviv) and occasionally go out to job sites.

I've been trying to find out a way to put a high powered graphics card as an external option for multiple monitors and for rendering 3D objects in AutoCAD, 3DSMax, cough... games, and perhaps a dual DVI solution for the WQXGA displays from the likes of Apple and Dell.

I found an interesting product...
[Link: getcatalyst.com]
I'm looking at part PCIE2EXP...

This should allow one to put a desktop PCI-E card via the new ExpressCARD slots, such as those found on the new Core Duo laptops. Anyone have any experience doing something like this? Does anyone know of a fit and finished product that allows this, w/o the OEM look? I guess I could build a case around it, and the other problem is the huge power draw that top end cards take. Some of the card I've seen actually supply a seperate brick to power just the card so you don't have to pull the current from your main power supply, which should work quite well for this application.

Why not get a notebook with something like the ATI X1600 mobile chipset? I believe they generally come with a dual link DVI port as well. Or wait for the new X1800 mobile version to come out later this year.

1 issue is power consumption wrt to battery life, the other is that high end notebook cards tend to make the bottom and palm rests hot. early reviews of some of these ATI 1K so equipped notbooks seems to support this.

the other issue, is that comparing performance of the mobile X1800 vs the desktop units, such as the X1900XTX, there really is no true comparison.

acer uses the ExpressCARD in their ezdock, as a port replicator, but I'd really like to see an external rackmount expansion chassis, such as the PCMCI to PCI solutions from a company like [Link: mobl.com] which is very popular for those that set up ProTools workstations. I'd gladly give up hotswap capability for the benefit of having true destop power and notebook portability, w/o having to manage files between 2 different machines on a day to day basis (would not forgo scheduled nightly backups to a server, however)

all things considered, Daniel, I have been eyeing the Acer TravelMate 8200 core duo X1600. they only offer 1 configuration and it is mac daddy.

also the Fujitsu n6410 core duo X1400 and dual hard drive option

but i'm still having reservations and want to wait for a 64bit dual core platform (even from AMD is ok) and would really like a WUXGA resolution in either 15.4 or 17 inch size. i don't care about the small dot pitch, the reslution really is important to me. its a lot of money, and there still isn't anything out there that is 100% to my liking yet.