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[MadOdorMachine]

Anyone know of a good site to order a laptop with a GeForce GTX 485M?

 

[K.Jack]

Anyone know of a good site to order a laptop with a GeForce GTX 485M?

Is there any certain reason you want the GTX 485M, when the 6970M equals it, and costs $250 less?

 

[MadOdorMachine]

Is there any certain reason you want the GTX 485M, when the 6970M equals it, and costs $250 less?

Not particularly. I just thought it was the best mobile GPU out there. I've heard HP makes good laptops and that they use AMD GPUs, but I'm having a hard time navigating their site. It's a jumbled mess. I'm worried about all the garbage software they'll load on it too. FYI - I'm currently using a 3 year old Macbook.

 

[jorma]

Is there any certain reason you want the GTX 485M, when the 6970M equals it, and costs $250 less?

Is this 6970M card really new? I'm considering a gaming laptop for Witcher 2 at the moment and it seems I can't find a computer with this card anywhere in Sweden. :x

 

[Sew]

Brand new. It's only available in Clevo/Sager laptops right now (see US based websites like Sager and Xoticpc, or Aus based websites Logicalblueone, Affordablelaptops). Laptop names might also be Metabox or Horize or many more, but they're all Clevo based. Also at least one Alienware model.

I've got mine on the way, a Clevo Horize P150HMA Should be rocking it this time next week. There are also some Clevo models still packing the 485M, but the 6970M is the new kid on the block.

Researching all this Clevo stuff seems a bit convoluted at first (did you notice?). K.Jack's new gaming laptop OT, when it goes up tomorrow, should provide a good introduction to it all.

 

[jorma]

Ah sweet, i'm not really in the loop but i don't think Clevo is a big brand here so that might be why. Should hit my country soon then, hopefully. Looking forward to reading the new thread in the meanwhile =)

 

[K.Jack]

Is this 6970M card really new? I'm considering a gaming laptop for Witcher 2 at the moment and it seems I can't find a computer with this card anywhere in Sweden. :x

Check at GGS-Data. I know they are selling the newest Clevos.

 

[Owzers]

opinions on this:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834220866&nm_mc=EMC-IGNEFL041211&cm_mmc=EMC-IGNEFL041211-_-EMC-041211-Index-_-LaptopsNotebooks-_-34220866-L02D

vs

Lenovo thinkpad x120e with an AMD Fushion dual core 1.66 and an ATI 6310.

Looking to spend no more than $500. Too many decisions! Does the Sandy Bridge Intel 3000 outperform both of them?

 

[Ninman]

Ok, the Z's no good for gaming. Then can someone recommend a good approx 13-14" gaming laptop?

My most important factor is screen resolution (1366x768 isn't going to cut it, 1600x900 is necessary at the least). The next most important factor is weight. I've got a 15" Dell Inspiron that's served me fantastically for the last 3 years but it weighs almost 7lbs (with the extended battery, 6.5lbs w/ regular battery). Something under 4lbs would be ideal, which is why I was looking at the Z.

If it's absolutely necessary, I can consider a 15", but again the weight is very big concern. Over 5.5lbs is probably a dealbreaker. I realize that perf/weight are pretty much at odds with each other.

You wont find a gaming laptop under 4lbs, even the m11x weighs 4.5 lbs, with that in mind you should wait for the M14X

 

[poppabk]

Looking for a laptop in the 15.4" and less size with a 1080p screen (can't live without one now). Anyone know which are the best models to go for?

 

[Quixzlizx]

Could you put my post about Core Parking + fix in the OP of the new thread? I think everyone with a gaming laptop and Core i series needs to read it and check whether their core parking is functioning correctly. It makes a huge difference, and can even give an FPS boost (your CPU won't perform as well if the cores are parking/unparking repeatedly).

My desktop has that microstuttering problem (especially in Firefox), but it didn't appear that the cores were parking/unparking themselves. I was really hoping that was the problem.

 

[Dryst]

Newbie question..... my current desktop is plenty powerful for any PC gaming needs. However, i'm thinking of purchasing a laptop in the 1k range to connect to my 60inch DLP via HDMI for gaming in my living room using a wireless keyboard/mouse...

I've never hooked a machine up to my TV before since I never keep a TV in my room and I always have had desktops.... will games run like crap on such a big screen? Will playing movies from my laptop hard drive look the same as streaming them from my PC to PS3?

Basically will this look like sh*t.... i'd really love to play WoW on a 60inch screen but I have no idea if it will look like I imagine it in my head =(

 

[poppabk]

Newbie question..... my current desktop is plenty powerful for any PC gaming needs. However, i'm thinking of purchasing a laptop in the 1k range to connect to my 60inch DLP via HDMI for gaming in my living room using a wireless keyboard/mouse...

I've never hooked a machine up to my TV before since I never keep a TV in my room and I always have had desktops.... will games run like crap on such a big screen? Will playing movies from my laptop hard drive look the same as streaming them from my PC to PS3?

Basically will this look like sh*t.... i'd really love to play WoW on a 60inch screen but I have no idea if it will look like I imagine it in my head =(

Everything will run and look the same - only bigger. Thats assuming the laptop is good enough to output 1080p.

 

[ShdwDrake]

Is it possible to get a laptop with HDMI in?

 

[Dryst]

nvm misread

 

[poppabk]

Is it possible to get a laptop with HDMI in?

You mean like it will accept an incoming HDMI signal from a bluray player or something and display it on screen. If so I would be fairly confident in saying no.
Edit: And my confidence would be misplaced

The m17xR3 and m18x have that feature.

 

[jorma]

Check at GGS-Data. I know they are selling the newest Clevos.

Yeah i did actually land there while googling but they didn't have anything with that particular card unfortunately. Only a matter of time i guess

 

[Naked Snake]

So where's the new thread?

 

[Sew]

Of all things, K.Jack's laptop LCD died. He needed to jump through some hoops to post it from a tablet. Hopefully not too far away.

 

[SS4Gogita]

Holy shit thank you!

I actually feel like a bit of a dummy now because I went back to the site where I originally saw the coupon, and further down the list I saw another one that saved even more. D'oh!

The NB8095 coupon brought that model down to $787.24 before taxes, and for me came out to $838.42 total.

 

[gdt]

I actually feel like a bit of a dummy now because I went back to the site where I originally saw the coupon, and further down the list I saw another one that saved even more. D'oh!

The NB8095 coupon brought that model down to $787.24 before taxes, and for me came out to $838.42 total.

Omg, thanks. Even better!

 

[mkenyon]

Anyone here with a Zacate/E-350 netbook/laptop yet? I'm pretty close to buying one to replace my aging 1005HAB. I've heard whisperings they can do Source stuff fairly well, would like it to at least run HoN at playable frame rates.

 

[cleveridea]

Thinking of this laptop for business use plus 3D gaming especially Action RPG's. like idea of store return as dead pixels drive me nuts and my understanding is Best Buy now no longer have restocking fee on computer returns.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/ASUS+-+...lack/1774899.p?id=1218290438380&skuId=1774899

Intel® Core™ i7 processor
8GB DDR3 memory
NVIDIA GTX 460M graphics 1GB video memory

 

[Sew]

Any Aussies looking for a good midrange gaming notebook for $900: http://www.logicalblueone.com.au/store/399-clevo-horize-b5130-laptop-computer.html

WoW and SC2 videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvJ7ON84Vg8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtwOcAuGO-A

(Jack from LBO is posting them in this WP thread.)

 

[BoobPhysics101]

Thinking of this laptop for business use plus 3D gaming especially Action RPG's. like idea of store return as dead pixels drive me nuts and my understanding is Best Buy now no longer have restocking fee on computer returns.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/ASUS+-+...lack/1774899.p?id=1218290438380&skuId=1774899

Intel® Core™ i7 processor
8GB DDR3 memory
NVIDIA GTX 460M graphics 1GB video memory

I'd wait. The 460M is a good card, but if you wait a month or two you might be able to get a 6970M equipped machine for about the same price.

My personal advice: I'm picky about laptop pricing/car parts pricing. I find that buying a lightly used gaming laptop (like I did... looked brand new and was owned by an older dude) is much cheaper than getting raped at retail.

Notebookreview.com's Gaming Laptop For Sale forum has a lot of lightly used, well taken care of gaming laptops for dirt cheap, owned by enthusiasts who know how to take care of the machines. For example:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/notebooks-desktops-sale/567713-fs-asus-g73jh-hp-envy-15-a.html

Just a thought. If you use Paypal and the laptop isn't up to your standards, you've got a good way to get your money back through dispute.

Disclaimer: I buy tons of performance car parts from all over the country, paying via Paypal (evil assholes that they are) and haven't had a problem yet, so I might be a bit biased in the way I view used, high dollar items.

 

[BoobPhysics101]

TO ANYONE THAT USES SETFSB FOR GAMING LAPTOP OVERCLOCKING

and that's a lot of us

I recently discovered a problem with SetFSB causing 'timing issues' in games when overclocking. After a certain point, it becomes very noticeable that your games are out of sync; ever run an older game without a frame limiter and had it go in 'turbo mode'? Well, this is the same thing: even modern games can run 'too fast.' When overclocking my core i5, my character in Crysis would be running 50% faster! This is highly undesirable, and I have been searching for a fix for a week or so now. Apparently the issue hasn't been discussed much, but someone unexpectedly graced me with a solution!

Thanks to Unclewebb, the awesome, highly knowledgeable developer of the (IMHO) must-have overclocking utility 'ThrottleStop' (ESPECIALLY necessary for those of us with Core i 3/5/7 series CPU's in our laptops!!), I have found a solution for the game timing problems. Please read these this post that he replied to me with, explaining the Why's and How's of it all:

The problem you guys are running into is a new Windows 7 "feature".

To accurately measure time in a Windows PC, software uses the QueryPerformanceCounter function. Many applications, especially games, depend on this Windows function to accurately calculate FPS as well as for many other timing purposes in game including sound.

The problem is that for many computers, this function in Windows 7 is now based on the clock speed of the processor. If you overclock in the bios and then boot up, this timer is calibrated and will work 100% correctly. If you use SetFSB or a similar program and you change the bus speed from within Windows, you have now just screwed up this very important timing mechanism. The number of applications that can choke after you do this is surprising, especially games.

I wrote a program called WinTimerTester to test for this problem.

WinTimerTester 1.1
http://www.mediafire.com/?xzo9n84d8lze9nb
http://www.sendspace.com/file/xadvhe

What it does is it runs two different clocks in your CPU at the same time and compares them to make sure they are both running at the same speed. It compares the Windows GetTickCount function to the QueryPerformanceCounter function and within approximately 60 to 100 seconds, these two timers should be running at a perfect 1.0000 : 1 ratio.

If you overclock your CPU with SetFSB and WinTimerTester reports that these timers are not running at a 1.0000 : 1 ratio, that shows that you have this bug and you have also overclocked this important timer within your computer which can screw up a variety of programs in a variety of ways.

Luckily there is a solution to this Windows bug. Microsoft actually considers this a feature but for anyone that uses SetFSB on a regular basis, it's a big bug.

To fix this problem, open up a command window and type in this:

bcdedit /set useplatformclock true

You will have to exit the command window and reboot before this setting can take affect. What this does is it changes Windows so the QueryPerformanceCounter function will be based on a fixed counter that is not influenced by SetFSB. That one line of code should correct this problem and your games will run fine when using SetFSB.

If you ever want to go back to the original buggered up timer that Windows uses then open up a command window and type in this.

bcdedit /deletevalue useplatformclock

Once again, reboot and things will be back to the default Windows 7 timer. These two images should show you when your internal timers are broken and what WinTimerTester will report when your internal timer is fixed. This only applies to Windows 7. There is a similar fix for Windows XP so PM me if you need it.

http://img202.imageshack.us/img202/3778/timerbroken.png

http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/8417/timerfix.png

Let me know if this finally solves your problem. My friend some_one over on XtremeSystems told me about this little trick.

[In reply to]Boobphysics101: On a different note. It would be a good idea to run ThrottleStop and increase your TDP/TDC settings to ensure that you get full turbo boost when you are overclocking with SetFSB. If you don't increase TDP/TDC then your bus speed can go up but your multiplier might go down when fully loaded so you won't get the full benefit of your overclock. Send me a PM if you need to know more about how to properly test for full turbo boost at full load.

One last thing. Many 3D gaming benchmarks don't correct for this problem so you can't trust their results when using SetFSB if your laptop has this timing issue. I believe the 3DMark series corrects for this problem and can be trusted.

Huge thanks to Unclewebb for figuring this out and taking the time to reply to me.

I am now running a constant 3.1 Ghz overclock while gaming, and my games are perfectly 'timed/syncd.' Awesome!

Also, if you want to achieve maximum Turbo Boost under load or push your laptop's performance to the max, ThrottleStop is a must-have.

I hope this has helped Gaming GAF-top-Age as much as it has me.

 

[BoobPhysics101]

My desktop has that microstuttering problem (especially in Firefox), but it didn't appear that the cores were parking/unparking themselves. I was really hoping that was the problem.

I suggest disabling Core Parking anyways just to test it out.

 

[Owzers]

http://www.jr.com/asus/pe/ASU_UL30VTX1K/

So would i be crazy to buy this? My other options seem to be Dell's M11x, Lenovo Thinkpad x120e with amd fushion 350 or waiting for more sandy bridge laptops to come out and see if their prices are around $500.

Primary wants: Good battery life, lightweight, doesn't get too hot on the bottom since i want to read digital comics on it instead of buying a tablet.

Secondary want: Some decent gaming, which is why i might pass up the Thinkpad with ATI's integrated 6310 in favor of the linked Asus optional G210M

Thoughts before i jump?

 

[K.Jack]

Can't put up the new thread until my new machine comes. This shitty tablet's wireless card can't stay connected for 3 minutes at a time, and I'm just done dealing with it.

Going dark until next week.

I'm truly sorry for all of the delays. Please bear with me. My health and technology are failing me simultaneously. My new notebook will be here early-to-mid next week. Getting the thread up will be priority #1, by a huge margin.

http://www.jr.com/asus/pe/ASU_UL30VTX1K/

So would i be crazy to buy this? My other options seem to be Dell's M11x, Lenovo Thinkpad x120e with amd fushion 350 or waiting for more sandy bridge laptops to come out and see if their prices are around $500.

Primary wants: Good battery life, lightweight, doesn't get too hot on the bottom since i want to read digital comics on it instead of buying a tablet.

Secondary want: Some decent gaming, which is why i might pass up the Thinkpad with ATI's integrated 6310 in favor of the linked Asus optional G210M

Thoughts before i jump?

Questions: What games do you intend to play? I mean, games that the GPU must be able to run decently.


What is your weight/size/budget limit?

Honestly, I've take the M11x by a huuuuge margin, over every machine you mentioned. The 210M just isn't getting it done, in 2011. The Core 2 Duo M11x is a good buy.

 

[Owzers]

Can't put up the new thread until my new machine comes. This shitty tablet's wireless card can't stay connected for 3 minutes at a time, and I'm just done dealing with it.

Going dark until next week.

I'm truly sorry for all of the delays. Please bear with me. My health and technology are failing me simultaneously. My new notebook will be here early-to-mid next week. Getting the thread up will be priority #1, by a huge margin.


Questions: What games do you intend to play? I mean, games that the GPU must be able to run decently.


What is your weight/size/budget limit?

Honestly, I've take the M11x by a huuuuge margin, over every machine you mentioned. The 210M just isn't getting it done, in 2011. The Core 2 Duo M11x is a good buy.

Is that the same processor in the M11x and the Asus thin and light? Right now i'm rocking a Dell Inspiron E1505 with a ATI Mobility 1400x, 7lbs weight, the bottom gets so hot it hurts my legs if i were to ever put it on my lap when NOT gaming on it, and gets 2 hrs of battery life. I want the exact opposite of what i've grown to hate.

My plan was to buy a laptop for college/comic reading/actually sitting on my lap comfortably. I was originally looking at the cheapest Asus netbooks for $250 since that's what i wanted to spend on a cheap work book, but they didn't have an HDMI output and only included Windows Starter. Then i went looking at the Thinkpad for $440 and maybe some games. Later I rationalized that the Asus i linked to was better than that because it has a 13.3 inch screen, a better graphics card, and longer battery life/and gaming through my Steam backlog of 5 year old RTS/RPGs, Rome Total War, Amnesia, Spellforce, etc along with GOG.com older RPGs.. The high end gaming i would be happy with on the Asus i linked to would perhaps be The Witcher. I've never really played that many PC games so i have a ton of older options to occupy my gaming laptop time. Would the Asus be able to run those games well?

Size: around 13''-14''. I think 15.6'' which i currently have is a bit big to have on my lap while reading comics/working.
Weight: around 4 pounds or lighter
battery life: longer the better at least 6 hours
budget: Originally $250, then $350, then 499, now maybe $550....this always happens when i go to buy something tech related.

Maybe your laptop was the only thing keeping you healthy and the key to getting better is getting a new one?

 

[cleveridea]

I'd wait. The 460M is a good card, but if you wait a month or two you might be able to get a 6970M equipped machine for about the same price.

Is that a new generation, or just a bit faster? I dont't need care about 10-15% performance boost but would if its more than that, or especially if it supports stuff 460M doesnt.

 

[asdad123]

You mean like it will accept an incoming HDMI signal from a bluray player or something and display it on screen. If so I would be fairly confident in saying no.

The m17xR3 and m18x have that feature.

 

[Boombloxer]

Been about 5 months with my Qosmio X505, and it is easily the best laptop I've ever used.

I can run damn near everything except Crysis on Ultra. Backlit keyboard, plnety of ports, HDMI-out for the TV, and the speakers are also pretty nice.

Completely happy, and will buy another maybe later this year.

 

[Sew]

Is that a new generation, or just a bit faster? I dont't need care about 10-15% performance boost but would if its more than that, or especially if it supports stuff 460M doesnt.

The 6970M is a significant step up from the 460M. For mobile GPU power it is second only to the 485M, and only by a few percent. The downside is, it's only available in a few specialist models right now (Clevo & Alienware).

 

[Parts]

Hey, newbie to laptops here. I have a gaming pc that runs everything fine, but I will be spending the next year in the USofA and so will be unable to take it with me. Therefore, new laptop buying time! I can't even imagine going a year without games though, so is there anything that would run things well while at the same time being in the price range of around 400 to 500 pounds? I'm asking for a lot from that price range I'm guessing, but never hurts to try. Thanks!

 

[Ledsen]

Can't put up the new thread until my new machine comes. This shitty tablet's wireless card can't stay connected for 3 minutes at a time, and I'm just done dealing with it.

Going dark until next week.

I'm truly sorry for all of the delays. Please bear with me. My health and technology are failing me simultaneously. My new notebook will be here early-to-mid next week. Getting the thread up will be priority #1, by a huge margin.


Questions: What games do you intend to play? I mean, games that the GPU must be able to run decently.


What is your weight/size/budget limit?

Honestly, I've take the M11x by a huuuuge margin, over every machine you mentioned. The 210M just isn't getting it done, in 2011. The Core 2 Duo M11x is a good buy.

Dude don't sweat it. Health comes first.

 

[FromTheFuture]

Hey guys, I have next to no knowledge about laptops so I'll ask here: how does the new MacBook Pro 15" with the better graphics card hold up? I need a laptop for several reasons, but obviously gaming would be a big plus. Sorry if this has been answered somewhere already.

 

[Kenka]

Hey, newbie to laptops here. I have a gaming pc that runs everything fine, but I will be spending the next year in the USofA and so will be unable to take it with me. Therefore, new laptop buying time! I can't even imagine going a year without games though, so is there anything that would run things well while at the same time being in the price range of around 400 to 500 pounds? I'm asking for a lot from that price range I'm guessing, but never hurts to try. Thanks!

Well, just buy anything with a first-gen i5 core and a 540M. You won't be able to push high resolutions but this config will play current games on medium settings almost effortlessly. But it is important that you mention what game you intend to play.

 

[K.Jack]

Is that the same processor in the M11x and the Asus thin and light? Right now i'm rocking a Dell Inspiron E1505 with a ATI Mobility 1400x, 7lbs weight, the bottom gets so hot it hurts my legs if i were to ever put it on my lap when NOT gaming on it, and gets 2 hrs of battery life. I want the exact opposite of what i've grown to hate.

My plan was to buy a laptop for college/comic reading/actually sitting on my lap comfortably. I was originally looking at the cheapest Asus netbooks for $250 since that's what i wanted to spend on a cheap work book, but they didn't have an HDMI output and only included Windows Starter. Then i went looking at the Thinkpad for $440 and maybe some games. Later I rationalized that the Asus i linked to was better than that because it has a 13.3 inch screen, a better graphics card, and longer battery life/and gaming through my Steam backlog of 5 year old RTS/RPGs, Rome Total War, Amnesia, Spellforce, etc along with GOG.com older RPGs.. The high end gaming i would be happy with on the Asus i linked to would perhaps be The Witcher. I've never really played that many PC games so i have a ton of older options to occupy my gaming laptop time. Would the Asus be able to run those games well?

I can honestly say that the 210M will not suffice. You truly need the M111x. It's the only sub-15" ~$600 notebook which can run the games you desire.

Try to find a Dell coupon, and you may get $50 or so taken off.

Hey guys, I have next to no knowledge about laptops so I'll ask here: how does the new MacBook Pro 15" with the better graphics card hold up? I need a laptop for several reasons, but obviously gaming would be a big plus. Sorry if this has been answered somewhere already.

It's a bit faster than the 9800 GT.

A huge jump in power for Mac users.

 

[ElectricBlanketFire]

Is there a good article or source that gives some instructions on what to do immediately after purchasing a new computer to make it run at optimal performance? (getting rid of bloatware, changing settings, etc...)

I haven't had a non-admin controlled computer since 2006 and I've lost much of my know-how along the way.

Ironicaly, I'll be playing Portal 1 tonight for the first time ever. Won't have to wait long for the sequel I guess.

 

[fatty]

I've been waiting for the new thread to pop up before getting a laptop (no rush K.Jack, health and other issues are more important), but I'm looking to spend around $1200, any recommendations on what sandy bridge processor and video card I should be looking for? 2630QM? That way I can start to look around on my own.

I'm still undecided on a 15" or 17" monitor, need to go to a Best Buy to see and feel the difference. Also, I'd like to get one without all of the preloaded bloated software that slows down the computer. Any basic recommendations to start me on my way? Thanks!

 

[gdt]

I actually feel like a bit of a dummy now because I went back to the site where I originally saw the coupon, and further down the list I saw another one that saved even more. D'oh!

The NB8095 coupon brought that model down to $787.24 before taxes, and for me came out to $838.42 total.

I'll be ordering this on Tuesday, finally! Hopefully the coupon still works...

Is there a good article or source that gives some instructions on what to do immediately after purchasing a new computer to make it run at optimal performance? (getting rid of bloatware, changing settings, etc...)

I haven't had a non-admin controlled computer since 2006 and I've lost much of my know-how along the way.

I'd love to know this as well. Or just general tips with a new (gaming) laptop/computer.

 

[mkenyon]

I think the time has come for a new laptop. This thing will go just about everywhere with me.

Needs (in order of importance):
-Comfortable keyboard, I like to write a lot.
-12" minimum screen. Also needs to be a good quality screen.
-Battery life
-Linux support, preferably for debian.
-Run Heroes of Newerth (which has a Linux client). I have 2 gaming rigs and an HTPC that might as well be a gaming rig for serious games.
-I am very biased towards loving ASUS, to the point of being able to ignore some shortcomings. I know this seems irrational, but they have treated me really well in the years and I have a personal relationship with the RoG team. That's earned them some major points.
-Light photo editing

I don't want to spend any more than about $1,200.

Here's what I've been considering, to give you some background info. I want to read digital comics, and have a ton at my disposal at any given moment. I also want to be able to access PDFs of some manuals I use on a fairly regular basis (D&D stuff mostly). For this reason, I've seriously considered getting a tablet/slate. I'm also consdering waiting for the eee Pad Transformer, as this would suit all my needs, and I could disregard the desire for a portable HoN machine and photo editing. I've also entertained the idea of just breaking down and getting an iPad2 (despite deep dislike for closed platforms and Apple) as well as the new 1215B eee. Been using the E-350 proc/chipset in a desktop, and I'm really impressed with the performance. However, I really like the idea of having a single device to suit all my needs well, so I've also considered the new ASUS Slate. The short battery life on that just really kills it for me though.

So, is there a laptop that would give me the kind of performance I want with a screen pretty enough to justify e-reading? Am I fooling myself that I can get a single device to meet this broad range of wants in a portable form? If that is the case, is there a good lightweight ~$600 laptop that will suit want I want sans e-reading?

 

[Velinos]

I have been looking at a laptop to replace my desktop that is starting to show its age (1st generation Core 2 Duo with an ATI 5770). I am looking for something that will play The Witcher 2 and can handle game development. I have been looking at the following:

Sager NP5170
Sager NP8170

Is there any real difference between the two models? I ask because I find it hard to justify spending an extra $750 to upgrade from a 540M to a 6970 video card.

 

[K.Jack]

I have been looking at a laptop to replace my desktop that is starting to show its age (1st generation Core 2 Duo with an ATI 5770). I am looking for something that will play The Witcher 2 and can handle game development. I have been looking at the following:

Sager NP5170
Sager NP8170

Is there any real difference between the two models? I ask because I find it hard to justify spending an extra $750 to upgrade from a 540M to a 6970 video card.

The 6970M is 2.5x the speed of the 540M.

It comes down to:

Do you want High/Max settings @ 1080p w/ 30-60fps

Do you want Medium settings @ 1368x768 w/30fps

Reality says, The Witcher 2 calls for an 8800 GT at the minimum. The 8800 GT is 45% faster than the GT 540M.

 

[GuardianE]

I haven't been keeping up at all with laptop hardware, but it's about time that I upgraded (my current Inspiron 9200 is about 6 years old and dies if I stream too much, forget playing modern games).

Anyways, I was looking at the Dell Outlet and saw a 17R- 7010 model for sale with the following:

Intel Core i5-460M Processor (3M cache, 2.53 GHz)
1 GB ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5470
640 GB SATA II Hard Drive (5400 RPM)
6 GB Dual Channel DDR3 SDRAM 1333MHZ
17.3 inch HD+ WLED (so that's 1600X900, right?)
Integrated 1.3MP Web Camera and Digital Microphone
Bluetooth Wireless Card 365
8X DVD +/- RW Drive

Would this be a decent buy for $550, including tax and shipping?

I don't care at all about portability or it being lightweight. Given what I have right now, I'm pretty sure I'd be happy with anything, but I wanted to see if you guys felt like this would be a good buy for someone looking to upgrade.

 

[Kenka]

The 6970M is 2.5x the speed of the 540M.

It comes down to:

Do you want High/Max settings @ 1080p w/ 30-60fps

Do you want Medium settings @ 1368x768 w/30fps

Reality says, The Witcher 2 calls for an 8800 GT at the minimum. The 8800 GT is 45% faster than the GT 540M.

The 335M inside the Alienware mx11 was able to run Mass Effect 2 at 45-50 FPS @ 720p although it is way below recommended specs. The 540M is more powerful than it and The Witcher 2 may not be much more ressource-demanding as Mass Effect 2. I guess, he may give it a chance, you never know. Best thing : waiting for benchmarks.

 

[brain_stew]

The 335M inside the Alienware mx11 was able to run Mass Effect 2 at 45-50 FPS @ 720p although it is way below recommended specs. The 540M is more powerful than it and The Witcher 2 may not be much more ressource-demanding as Mass Effect 2. I guess, he may give it a chance, you never know. Best thing : waiting for benchmarks.

It'll run, no doubt but if playing Witcher 2 is a major reason for buying this machine, then you're going to want something with a beefier GPU.

 

[Godslay]

Hey guys, I'm fairly lost when it comes to laptops. I've been trying to catch up. I missed out on a great XPS deal, so I'm back to looking around.

I have found this laptop, but I'm not sure if it is a good deal for the price. Is there anything better for the same range ($700 - $999?).

http://www.amazon.com/N53SV-XE1-15-6-Inch-Versatile-Entertainment-Aluminum/dp/B004KNVK84/ref=sr_1_2?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1303048579&sr=1-2

Really, I just want to be able to use Visual Studio 10, VMWare Workstation, as well as run StarCraft 2. Thoughts?

 

[gdt]

Hey guys, I'm fairly lost when it comes to laptops. I've been trying to catch up. I missed out on a great XPS deal, so I'm back to looking around.

I have found this laptop, but I'm not sure if it is a good deal for the price. Is there anything better for the same range ($700 - $999?).

http://www.amazon.com/N53SV-XE1-15-6-Inch-Versatile-Entertainment-Aluminum/dp/B004KNVK84/ref=sr_1_2?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1303048579&sr=1-2

Really, I just want to be able to use Visual Studio 10, VMWare Workstation, as well as run StarCraft 2. Thoughts?

In that price range, the HP DV6 Quad Core was recommended to me (and others). Ordering it Tuesday!

http://www.shopping.hp.com/series/category/notebooks/dv6tqe_series/3/computer_store?jumpid=in_r329_personalization/browse1/SDP_SDP?&aoid=35252