What you using for Zwift?

rafregt1
rafregt1 Posts: 52
edited January 2017 in Indoor training and turbo forum
Afternoon all

I am looking and wanting to get up and running on Zwift.
I took my old laptop into the PC shop today to see if they could upgrade it so it would work with Zwift however I am told the graphics card is not suitable and cannot be replaced unfortunately.

I am now in the situation where I am having to look at buying a new laptop to get going.
My iPad is too old so that's not suitable either now that the iPad version has been released.

Has anybody else who is now a Zwift convert been in this predicament and had to buy a laptop just for this use?
I only require the most basic model to get up and running so any advice or pointers would be greatly appreciated.

I already train using trainer road and before anybody says get out on the road yes I do that too!

Any advice would be very much appreciated..

Thanks in advance and Merry Christmas!
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Comments

  • slowbike
    slowbike Posts: 8,498
    Choices choices choices ...

    I'm not quite in the same situation - but zwift won't work on my iPads (wife's or mine) - it will work on my Macbook Pro - just - although how well remains to be seen - it would work on my MacMini - but that means setting up a screen etc etc and not convenient.

    Looking at the requirements - I'll probably go for a replacement iPad - I don't need/want a windows laptop for anything else - the cheap ones aren't that powerful and the more powerful ones are more expensive than an iPad. Zwift haven't released a client for Android yet - but it'll be interesting when they do to see how much Android devices are.

    My reasoning for going for an iPad is usable space - I haven't got space for a perm setup for the turbo - so don't want to be setting up computer, monitor, speakers etc etc - but putting up a music stand (heavy duty) with either iPad or laptop is much simpler - I'd go for the iPad because I've got more use for one than a laptop right now.
  • Finesilver24
    Finesilver24 Posts: 140
    I'm using a 2011 Dell N5110 with an NVIDIA GeForce GT 525M and an INTEL i5 running at 2.5Ghz with 4GB RAM. Runs Zwift fine, but I did have to turn the display down to 720p to stop it crashing.

    I considered getting a standalone desktop for Zwift, but I managed to get me laptop to work.

    Have you joined RAFCA and the RAF Strava group yet?
  • NeXXus
    NeXXus Posts: 854
    4ghz dual core w/ 8gb ram win7 Pro with Nvidia GTX750TI card. Plays most FPS and MMO games I throw at it and Zwift in 1440p Ultra settings runs around 50FPS

    But I'm watching with interest as I may buy/build a mini/midi dedicated training setup (ultimately I'd want 1440p Ultra running smooth on a 40inch screen :) )
    And the people bowed and prayed, to the neon god they made.
  • cgfw201
    cgfw201 Posts: 680
    Both my old laptop and iPad were too old for Zwift.

    A month ago I bought a new iPad Pro for Zwift.

    Personally much prefer a tablet for day to day use around the home, and then being able to use it for Zwift is the cherry on the cake.
  • myideal
    myideal Posts: 231
    I was like you and got lucky as a friend was selling an iPad mini3 for £120 however I would deffo go the iPad route and just get either a 2nd hand one (you take some depreciation off) or buy an iPad mini 2 as that works.

    It really does work well with the iPad and the battery isn't bad. About 5 hours on a full charge.
  • jgsi
    jgsi Posts: 5,062
    Zwift runs perfectly adequately on a sub 300 Lenovo g50 bought unfashionably from PCworld.
    It's got Intel graphics 8mb ram and thats all I know.
    The ipad app is pretty good but the curse being only bluetooth but thats fine for the ipad generation who are not serious cyclists who use ant+ devices everywhere... that is supposed to be ironic (but true).
    (How are you going to analyse your data on an Ipad................................?????)
  • markhewitt1978
    markhewitt1978 Posts: 7,614
    Are you going to be wanting a laptop or iPad for any other reason. If so get that.

    If it's just for Zwift and nothing else then by far the best bang for your buck is a gaming desktop. Something for say £509 from CCLonline will run Zwift at 80fps on ultra settings.
  • myideal
    myideal Posts: 231
    JGSI wrote:
    Zwift runs perfectly adequately on a sub 300 Lenovo g50 bought unfashionably from PCworld.
    It's got Intel graphics 8mb ram and thats all I know.
    The ipad app is pretty good but the curse being only bluetooth but thats fine for the ipad generation who are not serious cyclists who use ant+ devices everywhere... that is supposed to be ironic (but true).
    (How are you going to analyse your data on an Ipad................................?????)

    I thought that all cycle computers and kit is moving to Bluetooth now? I guess we're going to be in an interesting phase as some kit will be sold off as such when Ant+ is old school.

    There will be some decent offers on pcs after Xmas so good time to buy then.
  • markhewitt1978
    markhewitt1978 Posts: 7,614
    The problem is Garmin. They own ANT+ so all their sensor products are resolutely ANT+ only
  • myideal
    myideal Posts: 231
    markhewitt1978 wrote:
    The problem is Garmin. They own ANT+ so all their sensor products are resolutely ANT+ only

    But their smart watches are Bluetooth and Ant+ as I know my HR one that I bought earlier this year pairs up perfectly with the trainer and Zwift over Bluetooth.

    I'm sure they will even build in Bluetooth support alongside Ant+ otherwise they will go into decline.

    Let's be honest indoor cycling is deffo taking off, just looking on social media and in the shops it's clear it's now attracting a whole new cyclist. Of course all these are possible customers and if Garmin can't provide the kit that works for them, I'm sure they will go elsewhere. This will in the end leave a nice small niche of elite cyclists, but the money is made from the mass market as such.
  • markhewitt1978
    markhewitt1978 Posts: 7,614
    To a large extent Zwift is powerful enough to change the market direction. The fact that they didn't code any ANT+ support for iPad was brave but suggests they think they can push the market in that direction.
  • myideal
    myideal Posts: 231
    Yes that is a very good point as I suspect it would have been easier to code that in , IF that is what most are using at the moment. Like you say it's a bold move but a massive game changer in the sense that Zwift now has become easier than ever to get involved.

    Zwift have also been so smart in staying away from backing any particular smart trianer, as supporting all really caters for all users.
  • NeXXus
    NeXXus Posts: 854
    markhewitt1978 wrote:
    The problem is Garmin. They own ANT+ so all their sensor products are resolutely ANT+ only
    And

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQlaB9k82OA
    And the people bowed and prayed, to the neon god they made.
  • bobbydazzla
    bobbydazzla Posts: 289
    I had a 2010 MacBook Pro, it worked on Zwift but only just. Graphics were poor and jumpy and I got loads of signal dropouts.

    So bought a gaming desktop - i3 processor and GTX950 graphics card, plus 24” HD monitor.

    80 FPS, brilliant graphics, big screen, smooth motion, no dropouts. Totally different experience to using the MacBook.

    And the kids are happy, they can use it when I'm not on Zwift.
  • cgfw201
    cgfw201 Posts: 680
    JGSI wrote:
    Zwift runs perfectly adequately on a sub 300 Lenovo g50 bought unfashionably from PCworld.
    It's got Intel graphics 8mb ram and thats all I know.
    The ipad app is pretty good but the curse being only bluetooth but thats fine for the ipad generation who are not serious cyclists who use ant+ devices everywhere... that is supposed to be ironic (but true).
    (How are you going to analyse your data on an Ipad................................?????)


    Not sure if that's a serious question or not, but the training peaks iPad and phone app crunches all the data I need, in addition to strava + veloviewer.
  • vinnymarsden
    vinnymarsden Posts: 560
    Ive got a dedicated old Windows desktop in the garage...speakers.screen..its great..depsite being 6yrs old..it runs Windows 10 and Zwift dead easy...good graphics card even now
  • myideal
    myideal Posts: 231
    Out of interest who is Garmin's main rival who does produce Bluetooth sensors and cycle computers? Suspect it all depends how much they jump on this as well to see if change will happen.
  • NeXXus
    NeXXus Posts: 854
    myideal wrote:
    Out of interest who is Garmin's main rival who does produce Bluetooth sensors and cycle computers? Suspect it all depends how much they jump on this as well to see if change will happen.
    Wahoo, possibly mio
    And the people bowed and prayed, to the neon god they made.
  • myideal
    myideal Posts: 231
    This also comes up when searching and looks a real beast as well:

    http://corp.brytonsport.com/products/rider530?lang=en

    Not sure on the catch with this?
  • NeXXus
    NeXXus Posts: 854
    myideal wrote:
    This also comes up when searching and looks a real beast as well:

    http://corp.brytonsport.com/products/rider530?lang=en

    Not sure on the catch with this?
    They're not a garmin therefore crap imo :D
    And the people bowed and prayed, to the neon god they made.
  • myideal
    myideal Posts: 231
    NeXXus wrote:
    myideal wrote:
    This also comes up when searching and looks a real beast as well:

    http://corp.brytonsport.com/products/rider530?lang=en

    Not sure on the catch with this?
    They're not a garmin therefore crap imo :D

    Lol it's the cycling version of Apple V Android

    I guess some people will always love Garmin however others will just move to what offers the best value for them. I have just read about those 2 and they both seem to do the same job as a Garmin for much less.

    That said ...I do like my Garmin sports watch. :)
  • mechanism
    mechanism Posts: 891
    I have move my desktop PC downstairs whenever I use Zwift :cry:

    Its an interesting point that Zwift riding could largely bypass Garmin; might be the kick up the backside they need.
  • myideal
    myideal Posts: 231
    Mechanism wrote:
    I have move my desktop PC downstairs whenever I use Zwift :cry:

    Its an interesting point that Zwift riding could largely bypass Garmin; might be the kick up the backside they need.

    Thats exactly why the iPad is going to change Zwift and maybe cycling. It's such a faff doing that and I bet many people are much the same. The iPad just makes things more mobile and simple.

    I guess IF they could do Android (which is way more fragmented and complex) that then becomes a real game changer.
  • homers_double
    homers_double Posts: 8,318
    Tacx blue motion (dumb) trainer, generic ant+ stick from Amazon, garmn wheel sensor, garmin HR monitor, Microsoft Surface Pro 4 256GB, sonos play 1 + spoify premium account.
    Advocate of disc brakes.
  • cgfw201
    cgfw201 Posts: 680
    I bought the set of Wahoo Speed/Cadence/HR monitors when I got my iPad and they all work as well if not better than the Garmin equivalents I had previously. The Cadence monitor in particular is an upgrade as it doesn't rely on the stupid rubber bands that Garmin's cadence sensor has which break all the time, it simply sticks on the crank.

    If I was getting a new computer I'd consider the Wahoo Elmnt for sure, but unlikely to replace my Garmin 520 for a little while.

    Can't now see any point in having ANT+ vs BLE as a platform going forward.
  • rolf_f
    rolf_f Posts: 16,015
    myideal wrote:
    This also comes up when searching and looks a real beast as well:

    http://corp.brytonsport.com/products/rider530?lang=en

    Not sure on the catch with this?

    I used to do user support for Bryton in an unofficial sense (all via Brytons South African distributors). A few of us ran a forum, provided some sort of basic support and tried to liaise with Bryton on software issues. Then Bryton Taiwan shut the forum down and replaced it with an FB page with nothing on it. Perhaps it didn't matter as it was always extremely hard to get any response out of Bryton to ongoing issues. Stuff we'd tried to get them to fix for ages might suddenly get fixed in a release, without warning, or not. So it was really hard to keep folk on board.
    So, a couple of years ago, needing full mapping for touring, I got a Garmin 810. I couldn't consider Brytons equivalent (the 60) as there was no info that they worked via hub dynamos and I knew Bryton Taiwan wouldn't know either! At that point, the Bryton data website was particularly slow and glitchy - if I wanted to upload rides to it, it would have to be one ride at a time and each time I uploaded, it wrongly told me that the upload had failed!
    Anyway, the other week I returned the Garmin to fix a crashing issue (which I don't think is going to be fixed :roll: ) so for the first time in a couple of years I used one of the Bryton units and logged onto the website wondering how different it would be. It wasn't. It is exactly the same as it was before. I then googled products expecting that they were all but dead and was surprised to find all these new devices. Seemingly, they have spent time on developing the units and none on the website at all. It doesn't give much confidence. Hopefully, things are better than they seem - eg hopefully, they are not using bespoke formats on the devices so you can avoid the Bryton software altogether. But my feeling is that Bryton just don't have the energy and commitment anymore. They could have been really good - the design of the units often appeals more than the Garmin stuff but the ones I have used haven't been durable enough.
    I hope this 530 is good. If it saves files compactly (like the Garmin fit files) and in a way that can import into Strava directly and the build quality is better then I'm sure it will be good. Just needs someone to try it....
    Faster than a tent.......
  • myideal
    myideal Posts: 231
    Once the world of the more serious cyclist decide there alternatives to Garmin and they offer better value for them, then Garmin may be forced to change their hand. It is a case of branding here in play really at the moment.

    I'm going to take a look at Bluetooth sensors now. Also has any one made a Bluetooth power meter yet ..At a reasonable price? :)
  • myideal
    myideal Posts: 231
    Rolf F wrote:
    myideal wrote:
    This also comes up when searching and looks a real beast as well:

    http://corp.brytonsport.com/products/rider530?lang=en

    Not sure on the catch with this?

    I used to do user support for Bryton in an unofficial sense (all via Brytons South African distributors). A few of us ran a forum, provided some sort of basic support and tried to liaise with Bryton on software issues. Then Bryton Taiwan shut the forum down and replaced it with an FB page with nothing on it. Perhaps it didn't matter as it was always extremely hard to get any response out of Bryton to ongoing issues. Stuff we'd tried to get them to fix for ages might suddenly get fixed in a release, without warning, or not. So it was really hard to keep folk on board.
    So, a couple of years ago, needing full mapping for touring, I got a Garmin 810. I couldn't consider Brytons equivalent (the 60) as there was no info that they worked via hub dynamos and I knew Bryton Taiwan wouldn't know either! At that point, the Bryton data website was particularly slow and glitchy - if I wanted to upload rides to it, it would have to be one ride at a time and each time I uploaded, it wrongly told me that the upload had failed!
    Anyway, the other week I returned the Garmin to fix a crashing issue (which I don't think is going to be fixed :roll: ) so for the first time in a couple of years I used one of the Bryton units and logged onto the website wondering how different it would be. It wasn't. It is exactly the same as it was before. I then googled products expecting that they were all but dead and was surprised to find all these new devices. Seemingly, they have spent time on developing the units and none on the website at all. It doesn't give much confidence. Hopefully, things are better than they seem - eg hopefully, they are not using bespoke formats on the devices so you can avoid the Bryton software altogether. But my feeling is that Bryton just don't have the energy and commitment anymore. They could have been really good - the design of the units often appeals more than the Garmin stuff but the ones I have used haven't been durable enough.
    I hope this 530 is good. If it saves files compactly (like the Garmin fit files) and in a way that can import into Strava directly and the build quality is better then I'm sure it will be good. Just needs someone to try it....

    That's such a shame as it looks good on the face of it. If a company is going to push and make an impact on the market then they need to really support it. I guess they must think that the inline website works, so that is fine. It seems to be how many companies work these days as far too often, updates just cause issues and more costs.

    At that price point it looks a bargain ..But then is it too good to be true?
  • cgfw201
    cgfw201 Posts: 680
    myideal wrote:
    Once the world of the more serious cyclist decide there alternatives to Garmin and they offer better value for them, then Garmin may be forced to change their hand. It is a case of branding here in play really at the moment.

    I'm going to take a look at Bluetooth sensors now. Also has any one made a Bluetooth power meter yet ..At a reasonable price? :)

    Stages does BT. I'm eyeing up some Powertap P1 pedals for the same reason.
  • NeXXus
    NeXXus Posts: 854
    myideal wrote:
    Once the world of the more serious cyclist decide there alternatives to Garmin and they offer better value for them, then Garmin may be forced to change their hand. It is a case of branding here in play really at the moment.

    I'm going to take a look at Bluetooth sensors now. Also has any one made a Bluetooth power meter yet ..At a reasonable price? :)
    As above Stages, My Sram Rival G2 cost me £375, good investment I'm currently using for cadence only on a Neo/Zwift
    And the people bowed and prayed, to the neon god they made.

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