Selecting a PC for running Simulator

We are not talking about the tablet PC controller for the Pro-Stitcher that attaches to the quilting machine. Handi Quilter may call this a 'monitor upgrade' but it is actually a tablet Windows PC.  
Do not enable networking on the controller as it will allow updates to modify the software on the computer and will require you to ship it off to have it reinstalled.  Installing third party software will also void the warranty.  

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What type of PC do you need to buy to run the Pro-Stitcher Simulator?

• Windows 10.   Sorry Mac users.  Windows emulators on Mac (Apple) computers are for nerds.  Windows 7 and Windows 8.x may run the simulator, but we are assuming you are looking to buy a new computer.
• Any model released 2016 or later - assuming you will only be using this PC for the PS Simulator software.

What type of PC do you recommend to run the Pro-Stitcher Simulator?​

• Windows 10.  If they are selling a PC with an older operating system, it is old inventory.
• A laptop with a touch screen.  If you can afford it, get a 2 in 1 laptop that also folds over into a tablet.  Better for sitting on the couch and watching MK's videos and Facebook pages.
• An Intel I3 processor with 4 Gig or more of memory.  An I5 processor will be faster and is recommended if you will be doing other things with the laptop or are impatient.  More memory in the 6G to 8G range will also speed performance, but an SSD will do more.  (See below.)
• The biggest screen you can afford and/or an external monitor.  I am assuming we are all over 40 years old and can get eye stress from small print.  If you want portability, smaller screens with external monitors will work fine.  Most external monitors are NOT touch screens and the ones that are touch enabled require careful configuration.
• An SSD - Solid State Drive.  A 'hard drive' is a mechnical spinning disk that stores the operating system and data.  An SSD is a bunch of special memory chips without moving parts and is much faster.  Your smart phones, tablets, and USB drives use chips, not spinning disks.  The bigger capacity the SSD, the more expensive.  If you plan to store a lot of large videos and photos, you may need to worry about the SSD size.  Otherwise you should learn to use the cloud based storage like OneDrive, Dropbox, Idrive, or others.  But it requires an understanding of file management.  (Another blog post pending.)
• High resolution screens are NOT required.  Avoid the cost related to high resolution screens.  The new 4K screen resolution is great for high definition video, but the simulator does not benefit from it.  On a laptop screen, you are putting a lot of extra dots across an already 'small' screen.  You will need to use zoom/scaling to blow things up to a size you can see easily.  Some programs do not work well in these cases.

Please feel free to post your comments and take the survey below.  If you have an urgent issue, please contact MK directly through her email, facebook, or phone.  Thank you for supporting MK's dream.

ADDED:  When you first get your new system home, expect it to take several hours to a day to finally finish updating its software.  This is normal and a bit frustrating.  Most computers are installed and then sit around for months until sold.  Windows 10 just had a major update so it is also likely that it will need to download and install a lot of updates.  When they say, "This may take a while" they mean it.

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