[A_Camera]

Thank you again for the posts guys . And jb, thank you for taking the time to write such a comprehensive response . I think Linux is something I should consider .

Only a few people gave answer to your original question about UCCNC and laptop. As Gerry said, a half decent laptop + UCCNC and UC300ETH (or UC400) is fine. He and I have experience with that setup.

But... of course, the cheapest start is to install Linux and LinuxCNC, use the PP and that will give you an answer to if you like it or not. If you like it than you are fine free of charge. If you don't like it you can always buy UCCNC and start over. The third option is to download UCCNC and check out the demo version. If you like it then the answer is clear. Just get a license and a UC400 or UC300ETH. In fact, there is also a demo version of Mach3 which you can test free of charge. The difference is that UCCNC does not support axis motion in the demo version while Mach3 limits the length of G-code you can run in demo mode but supports motion so you can actually use it. In the end it is your decision which is the best for you...