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Gamer-approved laptop recommendation thread

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Quixzlizx said:
Where are people seeing $1500, or is that just for random Dell Outlet laptops + coupon?
Click to expand...

You have to go to the Dell Outlet and use the $250 coupon. Mine is brand new and I got it for $1179 before tax, $1282 after tax. Pretty amazing deal.


Ledsen said:
Holy shit, this thing is $1500 in the US and the equivalent of $2900 here in Sweden :(
Click to expand...

That's $1500 for the barebones model. The one I got options out to about $2100.
 
Yeah, at the normal site to get the 6970 and 1920X1200 screen, it's another $400 on top of the $1,500 price tag. E Gads.

For $1,900, I was able to cop

i7 2600k
Lite On Bluray Burner
8GB DDR3 GSkill
Fractal Design Full Tower Case
1 TB Samsung F3
Corsair 750w power supply
Asus SLI motherboard
GTX 590

But I understand, it's about gaming and portability. And that's a badd @$$ laptop.

I looked on the outlet site, and all they had were the R3s with the GTX 460M in the $1,750 to $2,000+ range.
 
Spiderjericho said:
Yeah, at the normal site to get the 6970 and 1920X1200 screen, it's another $400 on top of the $1,500 price tag. E Gads.

For $1,900, I was able to cop

i7 2600k
Lite On Bluray Burner
8GB DDR3 GSkill
Fractal Design Full Tower Case
1 TB Samsung F3
Corsair 750w power supply
Asus SLI motherboard
GTX 590

But I understand, it's about gaming and portability. And that's a badd @$$ laptop.

I looked on the outlet site, and all they had were the R3s with the GTX 460M in the $1,750 to $2,000+ range.
Click to expand...

That's odd... when I bought mine last week, they had about 3x as many, with 6870M and 6970M's available. I'm guessing everyone bought them?

They should add more every day. The R3's with 6970M's go as low as $1430-1500. I got one for $1430, subtracted the $250 off coupon, ended up with $1179 + 8.75% CA sales tax.

Another coupon should be coming in the next month or so.
 
Welp, my ProStar P150HM arrived today, less than 3 business days after ordering it, fantastic! Thanks again to K.Jack for pointing me to a company that I hadn't even heard of a week ago. Not quite the beast (and the amazing deal) that BoobPhysics just picked up, but here's what's in it:

Screen 15.6" 1920 x 1080 Full HD (16:9) Glare Type 95% NTSC Color Gamut Display
CPU Intel Core i7-2720QM Processor, 2.2 GHz, 6MB Smart Cache
Thermal Compound Free! Prostar OEM Thermal Compound CPU+GPU
Memory 8GB, PC3-10600/1333Mhz DDR3 - 4 x 2GB
Graphic Cards NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460M w/1.5GB GDDR5
Hard Drive 250GB Intel 510 SERIES SATA III Solid State Drive
Operating System Without Operating System
Microsoft Office No Microsoft Office
Optical Drive 8X Max. DVD±R/RW Writer/Reader / 4X Max. +DL Super-Mulit Drive
Battery 8 Cells Lithium-Ion Battery Pack 76.96WH
Integrated Wireless Lan Intel Advance-N 6230 Wi-Fi + Bluetooth Combo
Warranty Service 1 Year Premium Parts Warranty + 3 Year Labor
Standard Accessories
Built-In 2.0M Pixels Digital Video Camera
Built-In Fingerprint Reader
Built-In Gigabit Ethernet LAN
Built-In 9-IN-1 Flash Memory Reader(MMC/RSMMC/MS/MS Pro/MS DUO/SD/Mini-SD/SDHC/SDXC)
1 IEEE-1394a Fire Wire
2 USB 2.0 Ports
2 USB 3.0 Ports
1 eSATA Port
1 HDMI Output
1 DVI-I Port
1 Kensington Lock Port
Built-in Microphone, 2 Speakers and 1 Sub-Woofer
4 Audio Jacks for Headphone, Microphone-In, S/PDIF-Out, and Line-In
1 100/240V Autoswitch AC Power Adapter
Standard Carrying Case with Strap
Click to expand...

I splurged on the SSD rather than the graphics card, as this thing will primarily be used for work tasks. It's already made the 15-odd times I've had to restart installing stuff a dream. And graphically it's already destroying my home desktop. Just need to get Steam on it, and my productivity will essentially drop to nil :D
 
the new G74 are available for pre-order now at gentech

http://forum.notebookreview.com/asu...sx-g53sx-now-available-pre-order-gentech.html

lol at the specs...



G74SX-A1: $1745

17.3" 1920X1080 Full HD Glossy
2nd Generation Intel Core i7-2630QM Quad Core
nVidia GeForce GTX 560M 3GB GDDR5 VRAM
12GB DDR3 1333MHz PC10666
1.5TB 7200rpm Hard Drive (750GB X 2)
4X Blu-Ray Read / 8X DVDRW combo drive
Backpack / Gaming Mouse
Built-in Bluetooth
USB 3.0
2.0 MP Webcam
Backlit Keyboard
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit
8 lbs., 2 hours battery life


G74SX-3DE: $1979

17.3" 1920x1080 FHD 120Hz, Anti-Glare (Matte-type)
2nd Generation Intel Core i7-2630QM Quad Core
nVidia GeForce GTX 560M 3GB GDDR5 VRAM
12GB DDR3 1333MHz PC10666
1.5TB 7200rpm Hard Drive (750GB X 2)
4X Blu-Ray Read / 8X DVDRW combo drive
Backpack / Gaming Mouse
3D Glasses Included
USB 3.0
2.0 MP Webcam
Backlit Keyboard
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit
8 lbs., 2 hours battery life


G53SX-A1: $1449

15.6" 1920X1080 Full HD Glossy
2nd Generation Intel Core i7-2630QM Quad Core
nVidia GeForce GTX 560M 2GB GDDR5 VRAM
12GB DDR3 1333MHz
750 7200rpm SATA II 16MB
8X DVDRW combo drive
Backpack / Gaming Mouse
Built-in Bluetooth
USB 3.0
2.0 MP Webcam
Backlit Keyboard
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit
7.9 lbs., 2 hours battery life


the amount of ram is so fucking excessive (12G of ram, 3G of vram wtf) unless you plan to do VM work or graphic design.

anyway, for that price i'd say the m17x R3 is probably a better option for gaming.
 
DBebm5 said:
Welp, my ProStar P150HM arrived today, less than 3 business days after ordering it, fantastic! Thanks again to K.Jack for pointing me to a company that I hadn't even heard of a week ago. Not quite the beast (and the amazing deal) that BoobPhysics just picked up, but here's what's in it:



I splurged on the SSD rather than the graphics card, as this thing will primarily be used for work tasks. It's already made the 15-odd times I've had to restart installing stuff a dream. And graphically it's already destroying my home desktop. Just need to get Steam on it, and my productivity will essentially drop to nil :D
Click to expand...

Nice! I bet you're loving that. I know what you mean about the SSD.... rebooting is actually a joy to do because its so fast. :)
 
BoobPhysics101 said:
Nice! I bet you're loving that. I know what you mean about the SSD.... rebooting is actually a joy to do because its so fast. :)
Click to expand...

Yeah, it's really amazing how it improves standard tasks (of course, a fresh Windows install doesn't hurt either). I'm not sure how much it'll improve gaming, though. And the comparatively small storage size means I probably won't have space to install all the games I've picked up during random Steam sales :)
 
So I know next to nothing about computers, and laptops especially. Was wondering if GAF could tell me what steps I need to take in order to make my laptop decent, and what it would cost.

Specs are as follows(?):
Operating System: Windows 7
Professional 32-bit
Processor: Intel(R) Core(Tm)
2 duo cpu T5270 @ 1.40 GHZ (2 Cpus), ~1.4 GHZ
2 Gig Ram
Video Card: Mobile Intel (R) 965 Express Chipset Family

It's a shit laptop in terms of running video games and you guys know your stuff. I kind of want to run Witcher 2 (I know that will probably cost a bit). If you need more info, ask me.
 
madmook said:
There is nothing you can do to make that laptop run current games.
Click to expand...
Lol. I thought so. It was given to me for free. I'll just use it for internet purposes and buy a new Laptop/desktop later.
 
Gamer @ Heart said:
Someone explain to me why a graphics card would need 3 fucking GB! Are games even designed to use that much? How does that work?
Click to expand...

Don't you need at max 1.5 gig?


BTW, waiting on CyberPower to ship my laptop! It's in testing phase!
 
BoobPhysics101 said:
You have to go to the Dell Outlet and use the $250 coupon. Mine is brand new and I got it for $1179 before tax, $1282 after tax. Pretty amazing deal.




That's $1500 for the barebones model. The one I got options out to about $2100.
Click to expand...
Yeah but $2900 is for the barebones over here :(
 
Gamer @ Heart said:
Someone explain to me why a graphics card would need 3 fucking GB! Are games even designed to use that much? How does that work?
Click to expand...

it doesn't make any sense, even witcher 2 used only 600MB with "Very large" texture memory size. I would rather they spent the money on a top of line GPU card.
 
hteng said:
it doesn't make any sense, even witcher 2 used only 600MB with "Very large" texture memory size. I would rather they spent the money on a top of line GPU card.
Click to expand...
Though that's because they config'd that with 1GB cards in mind. I have mine set to use 1500MB, since my card has 2GB. Now, with that said. 3GB is ridiculous. Desktop chips like the 6970 have been tested to only use 2GB at 2560x1600 and 4xAA. 2GB is even more than the 6970M will ever use, and this card is an easy 50% faster than the GTX 560M.

Clevo is only using a 1.5GB 560M config, probably because their customers are enthusiasts who know better, and adding an extra 1.5GB is just wasting money.

Those new Asus configs are all around idiotic. They might as well have spend the money wasted on 12GB RAM, to include a 6970M instead.
 
K.Jack said:
Though that's because they config'd that with 1GB cards in mind. I have mine set to use 1500MB, since my card has 2GB. Now, with that said. 3GB is ridiculous. Desktop chips like the 6970 have been tested to only use 2GB at 2560x1600 and 4xAA. 2GB is even more than the 6970M will ever use, and this card is an easy 50% faster than the GTX 560M.

Clevo is only using a 1.5GB 560M config, probably because their customers are enthusiasts who know better, and adding an extra 1.5GB is just wasting money.

Those new Asus configs are all around idiotic. They might as well have spend the money wasted on 12GB RAM, to include a 6970M instead.
Click to expand...

Agreed. The 560M GTX itself is already a lame 'refresh', but 3 GB VRAM is just pointless on a card like that. Asus is stupid for dropping AMD GPU support.

As an aside, I just ordered an extra 8 GB of DDR 1333 RAM from Newegg for $70 after tax. Pretty good deal. Not sure if I'll replace my current 4 GB and just run 2 sticks of 4 GBor run all 4 sticks for a total of 12 GB.

12 GB of RAM seems really pointless, hah.

Edit: Ok, two complaints about my M17x R3... one, I think the battery is messed up because I'm only getting 2 hours of battery life (according to Windows and BatteryBar), and the battery says it has 9.3% wear on it already.

Also, the left speaker is defective and has a a scratchy, static sound to it like a blown speaker would. Guessing Dell will send out a tech to fix the speaker and ship me a new battery.
 
BoobPhysics101 said:
Agreed. The 560M GTX itself is already a lame 'refresh', but 3 GB VRAM is just pointless on a card like that. Asus is stupid for dropping AMD GPU support.

As an aside, I just ordered an extra 8 GB of DDR 1333 RAM from Newegg for $70 after tax. Pretty good deal. Not sure if I'll replace my current 4 GB and just run 2 sticks of 4 GBor run all 4 sticks for a total of 12 GB.

12 GB of RAM seems really pointless, hah.

Edit: Ok, two complaints about my M17x R3... one, I think the battery is messed up because I'm only getting 2 hours of battery life (according to Windows and BatteryBar), and the battery says it has 9.3% wear on it already.

Also, the left speaker is defective and has a a scratchy, static sound to it like a blown speaker would. Guessing Dell will send out a tech to fix the speaker and ship me a new battery.
Click to expand...

that sucks, can i ask if the m17x have sub woofers? what are the recommended processors? how does the palm rest feel? hot? warm? cool? how about the bottom side? can you use as it on your lap? What are your load and idle temps like for the GPU and CPU?

how does it compare to G73 in terms of build quality?
 
Got my Clevo back from Logical Blue One with a brand new LCD. All for one stuck pixel - really happy that they did that for me, and I would recommend them to any Aussie buyer.

Now I'm trying to update my video driver (6970M). When I run this installer: http://support.amd.com/us/gpudownload/windows/Pages/radeonmob_win7-64.aspx ...it says:

ATI Catalyst™ Mobility cannot be downloaded due to incompatible hardware/software on your computer.

Your computer does not contain a proper graphics adapter.
Click to expand...
I'm thinking I need to bypass this step and find a direct driver installer? Would dig some advice :)
 
hteng said:
that sucks, can i ask if the m17x have sub woofers? what are the recommended processors? how does the palm rest feel? hot? warm? cool? how about the bottom side? can you use as it on your lap? What are your load and idle temps like for the GPU and CPU?

how does it compare to G73 in terms of build quality?
Click to expand...

The M17x doesn't have a subwoofer as far as I know, it's got Klipsch speakers though (and Klipsch makes NICE stuff.) It's also got a really great onboard sound card.

I'd say a 2630qm is fine, especially for gaming. The higher level Sandy Bridge mobile processors seem like a waste with how powerful the 2630qm is. Palm rest and touch pad feel amazing, keyboard is probably the best laptop keyboard I've ever used. Palm rest is completely cool to the touch. Bottom side doesn't really get warm since it vents heat out the back, so it works perfectly on your lap.

Right now the CPU is idling at 49c, load temps are 65c or so. The laptop is dead silent idling, I can't even hear the disk drive or any fans at all. I haven't measured GPU load or idle temps yet, sorry. :\

I really, really like the G73's build quality. It's a well built, sturdy machine. The M17x R3 is a small step above the G73: Nicer keyboard, nicer exterior finish, the hinges for the screen feel a bit smoother, and it has the same nice rubberized plastic on it. I really like the anodized paint finish on the exterior: it looks very, very sexy. I also like the tactile feel of the keyboard more, and the lighting on the M17x R3 is nicer.

Despite all that, the G73 feels very similar in build quality. The Alienware has a lot of nice touches, but it isn't a gigantic difference. They both use a similar ' rear exhaust' heat venting system which works VERY well (much, much better than the awful 'side-venting' found on most laptops, like my old Asus G60JX).

Don't be fooled by the fancy extra features and slick lights of the Alienware or the badge snobs which seem to equate Alienware to Porsche or Ferrari in the gaming laptop world. Alienware is more like the equivalent of Audi: sleek design, nice finish, but the same performance as the less flashy competitors. Oh, and just like Audi, they're overpriced for what you get.

Unless you get a massive, massive discount. ;)


Sew said:
Got my Clevo back from Logical Blue One with a brand new LCD. All for one stuck pixel - really happy that they did that for me, and I would recommend them to any Aussie buyer.

Now I'm trying to update my video driver (6970M). When I run this installer: http://support.amd.com/us/gpudownload/windows/Pages/radeonmob_win7-64.aspx ...it says:

I'm thinking I need to bypass this step and find a direct driver installer? Would dig some advice :)
Click to expand...

Try these drivers: http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/AMDCatalyst115ahotfix.aspx
 
BoobPhysics101 said:
The M17x doesn't have a subwoofer as far as I know, it's got Klipsch speakers though (and Klipsch makes NICE stuff.) It's also got a really great onboard sound card.

I'd say a 2630qm is fine, especially for gaming. The higher level Sandy Bridge mobile processors seem like a waste with how powerful the 2630qm is. Palm rest and touch pad feel amazing, keyboard is probably the best laptop keyboard I've ever used. Palm rest is completely cool to the touch. Bottom side doesn't really get warm since it vents heat out the back, so it works perfectly on your lap.

Right now the CPU is idling at 49c, load temps are 65c or so. The laptop is dead silent idling, I can't even hear the disk drive or any fans at all. I haven't measured GPU load or idle temps yet, sorry. :\

I really, really like the G73's build quality. It's a well built, sturdy machine. The M17x R3 is a small step above the G73: Nicer keyboard, nicer exterior finish, the hinges for the screen feel a bit smoother, and it has the same nice rubberized plastic on it. I really like the anodized paint finish on the exterior: it looks very, very sexy. I also like the tactile feel of the keyboard more, and the lighting on the M17x R3 is nicer.

Despite all that, the G73 feels very similar in build quality. The Alienware has a lot of nice touches, but it isn't a gigantic difference. They both use a similar ' rear exhaust' heat venting system which works VERY well (much, much better than the awful 'side-venting' found on most laptops, like my old Asus G60JX).

Don't be fooled by the fancy extra features and slick lights of the Alienware or the badge snobs which seem to equate Alienware to Porsche or Ferrari in the gaming laptop world. Alienware is more like the equivalent of Audi: sleek design, nice finish, but the same performance as the less flashy competitors. Oh, and just like Audi, they're overpriced for what you get.

Unless you get a massive, massive discount. ;)




Try these drivers: http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/AMDCatalyst115ahotfix.aspx
Click to expand...

awesome, what are the sort of discounts are you getting? i think i can get the most are like 10% off listing prices, not much :/
 
I am relatively new to PC gaming (about 2 games!), but I have a question regarding a laptop mouse: does it really matter what kind I get? You see, this one at Best Buy only costs $9.99 and it has basically everything I think I would need. Do you have any suggestions though?
 
Alright so this is a very specific "can this run this" question but I'm hoping someone may know the answer?

How powerful a mobile GPU do I need to run Starcraft 2 on Ultra settings, 1080p?

I can do so with my GTX 460 on my desktop... Having a difficult time figuring out how to translate that to mobile performance. Can I just compare clocks straight-up? Does it work that way?

Edit: http://www.notebookcheck.net/Computer-Games-on-Laptop-Graphic-Cards.13849.0.html

Found this, but it doesn't list what resolution these tests are run at (unless I'm missing something)... What's the point then?
 
Well, my Asus G1S-A1 just crapped out on me. Guy I took it to says it's the motherboard so I can either pay $500 dollars to get it fixed or get a new one and since he's skeptical it can be fixed for any great length of time before breaking again (not to mention the price) I guess I'm in the market for a new laptop.

What's the best I can get for about 1000 dollars? Alternatively, how much would a laptop with similar specs to the one I had cost?

Specs of my G1S-A1:
Intel Core 2 Duo T7500, 2.2 GHz 4MB L2 Cache 800MHz FSB,
Santa Rosa Intel Mobile 965 PM Express Chipset + ICH8M
3 GB RAM 667MHz
Nvidia GeForce 8600M GT, 256 MB onboard, 512 MB Turbo Cache DX 10 Capable HDCP support for DVI port
160 GB HDD Seagate Momentus 7200.2, 7200 rpm SATA 300
15.4” WSXGA+ (1680x1050) ColorShine TFT-LCD Asus Splendid Video Intelligent Technology
8X DVD Super Multi drive with LightScribe
Intel Integrated HD audio (Azalia), Bluetooth v2.0
Intel PRO/Wireless 4965 802.11 a/b/g/n

Alternatively, is there anything coming down the wire the next month or so I should be aware of?
 
Ezduo said:
Well, my Asus G1S-A1 just crapped out on me. Guy I took it to says it's the motherboard so I can either pay $500 dollars to get it fixed or get a new one and since he's skeptical it can be fixed for any great length of time before breaking again (not to mention the price) I guess I'm in the market for a new laptop.

What's the best I can get for about 1000 dollars? Alternatively, how much would a laptop with similar specs to the one I had cost?

Specs of my G1S-A1:
Intel Core 2 Duo T7500, 2.2 GHz 4MB L2 Cache 800MHz FSB,
Santa Rosa Intel Mobile 965 PM Express Chipset + ICH8M
3 GB RAM 667MHz
Nvidia GeForce 8600M GT, 256 MB onboard, 512 MB Turbo Cache DX 10 Capable HDCP support for DVI port
160 GB HDD Seagate Momentus 7200.2, 7200 rpm SATA 300
15.4” WSXGA+ (1680x1050) ColorShine TFT-LCD Asus Splendid Video Intelligent Technology
8X DVD Super Multi drive with LightScribe
Intel Integrated HD audio (Azalia), Bluetooth v2.0
Intel PRO/Wireless 4965 802.11 a/b/g/n

Alternatively, is there anything coming down the wire the next month or so I should be aware of?
Click to expand...

For $1000 you can get a fantastic laptop.

An ASUS G-series with an i7 and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460M for $1200 on Newegg, but might find it cheaper on sale or with a coupon somewhere.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834220921
 
Bentendo said:
I am relatively new to PC gaming (about 2 games!), but I have a question regarding a laptop mouse: does it really matter what kind I get? You see, this one at Best Buy only costs $9.99 and it has basically everything I think I would need. Do you have any suggestions though?
Click to expand...

I just bought a shitty notebook mouse, and I regretted immediately. Get a nice, full size mouse.

I just got this, and I love it. LOVE IT.
 
ChefRamsay said:
Alright so this is a very specific "can this run this" question but I'm hoping someone may know the answer?

How powerful a mobile GPU do I need to run Starcraft 2 on Ultra settings, 1080p?

I can do so with my GTX 460 on my desktop... Having a difficult time figuring out how to translate that to mobile performance. Can I just compare clocks straight-up? Does it work that way?

Edit: http://www.notebookcheck.net/Computer-Games-on-Laptop-Graphic-Cards.13849.0.html

Found this, but it doesn't list what resolution these tests are run at (unless I'm missing something)... What's the point then?
Click to expand...
Tell me your budget, and I'll tell you your best options.
 
Alright so I got my Laptop finally shipped from CyberPower. Should have it in next Tuesday. I'll post up my experience with the thing. Have to install the OS and drivers which shouldn't be any issue at all. Hyped!
 
Well, I bit the bullet and ordered the MSI GT683R from Newegg. I've been debating for months, but I'm at the point where I just need a new computer. I'm on a 4.5 year old Macbook Pro right now, and I haven't owned a PC in 8+ years. I have a lot of pc gaming to catch up on!
 
Jugendstil said:
Well, I bit the bullet and ordered the MSI GT683R from Newegg. I've been debating for months, but I'm at the point where I just need a new computer. I'm on a 4.5 year old Macbook Pro right now, and I haven't owned a PC in 8+ years. I have a lot of pc gaming to catch up on!
Click to expand...

Have you seen it in person? Design is subjective but i find it ugly. The build quality is not even close to Asus G series...you may want to reconsider....
 
I have an established line of credit with Newegg, so I'd prefer to buy from them. I do prefer the design of the Asus machines (specifically getting rid of those ridiculous orange lights on the edge of the case that the MSI machine has...) but there have been a lot of people reporting that they've received their G53SW (which is what I would buy) with a non-functioning power button from Newegg and have had to RMA their machine. Dunno if it's a problem specifically with that model at Newegg, but it's all over the reviews on the site and several people have reported it in G53SW Owners thread on the notebookreview.com forum. Ultimately, I don't think there's a current gaming laptop that is 100% what I want. This article on Anandtech was fairly in line with my thinking:

http://www.anandtech.com/show/4339/cyberpower-x6-9300-msi-gt680r-mobile-gaming

I know there are better machines coming out, but that's always going to be the case. I was all set to order a new computer in January and then the SandyBridge recall hit. At this point, I am tired agonizing over the decision.
 
K.Jack said:
Tell me your budget, and I'll tell you your best options.
Click to expand...
I don't suppose you have an opinion on the post a little ways up that I made? I'd prefer to spend around $1000, maybe $100 or $200 more.
 
K.Jack said:
What do you think of this?
Click to expand...
Looks pretty nice. What kind of performance do you think I could expect out of it? And is there any difference between the Blu-ray drive you selected and the standard 20 dollar cheaper one (since I don't own or watch Blu-rays)? I'm also assuming I could choose Windows 7 and get the 10% discount Microsoft is offering.

Also, who is the manufacturer exactly? Prostar? Never heard of them, do they have a good reputation?
 
Ezduo said:
Looks pretty nice. What kind of performance do you think I could expect out of it? And is there any difference between the Blu-ray drive you selected and the standard 20 dollar cheaper one (since I don't own or watch Blu-rays)? I'm also assuming I could choose Windows 7 and get the 10% discount Microsoft is offering.

Also, who is the manufacturer exactly? Prostar? Never heard of them, do they have a good reputation?
Click to expand...
If you don't want Blu-ray just select the DVD and save the $20.

Prostar is the second largest Clevo importer, after Sager. Rep is very high.
 
Hey guys, posted this in the "I need a New PC! thread and they pointed me this way, so:

I know this is a high-end PC/parts recommendation thread for the most part, but I was hoping you guys could help me out in finding a solid laptop for ~$500.

Obviously I'm not trying to play Crysis on the thing. Just a laptop for all the casual stuff like browsing, e-mail, etc... But there are a couple things that I want to be smooth that require a little bit of power:

1.) GGPO - If you aren't familiar this is the software that lets you play old arcade games, mostly fighters, online and virtually lag free. Apparently the process to do this requires decent CPU work. Then again, I had a friend who had an eMachines like 3 years ago that would play with me and he had good performance in every game but 3rd Strike which was especially unoptimized back then. So maybe it doesn't require too much, especially by today's standards.

2.) Video Playback - This may be another meaningless concern considering today's CPU tech. and considering the fact that I've kinda been out of the loop. But I guess an old laptop I bought back in early 2007 has me preemptively worried. It was a budget laptop at the time and right around the $500 price point. When I'd try and play some 720p MKVs, whether it was movies or anime with subtitles, the audio and video would get out of sync. So this is a problem I want to avoid and am hoping todays tech. does avoid.

Anyway, I currently have a desktop with an E8400 and 8800GT so the above things work without a problem so I haven't had a need to follow how laptop tech. is handling things like the above. But now that I'm in the market for one I wanted your guys' opinion. When I search the $499 laptops I see a lot of models with i3 CPUs clocked at ~2.50ghz, 2-4GB ram, and Windows 7, which I still don't have any experience with and don't know how it helps if any in terms of optimization for the above two things when compared to Vista.

So, some perspective (Am I too concerned? Will these laptopls handle that stuff with no problems?) and recommendations would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Click to expand...
 
K.Jack said:
Tell me your budget, and I'll tell you your best options.
Click to expand...
Sorry, didn't check in on this thread until today!

My budget is $1500. *Little* more is okay, but if I get dinged with 13% tax up in Canada so $1500 or below is best. $1200 is ideal.

Dunno if it'll have an effect on your recommendation, but light weight (or as light as possible) is a huuuuge plus for me. I know it's a gaming laptop so lightweight isn't a priority, but one can dream :P

Maybe the Sony Vaio options are relatively lightweight? All I know is 6lbs is gonna suck carrying around grad school class-to-class.

Also: If I'm only looking at 13-14" laptops, do I even *need* 1080p? Would a 1600x900 or 1366x768 have a noticeable difference?
 
ChefRamsay said:
Sorry, didn't check in on this thread until today!

My budget is $1500. *Little* more is okay, but if I get dinged with 13% tax up in Canada so $1500 or below is best. $1200 is ideal.

Dunno if it'll have an effect on your recommendation, but light weight (or as light as possible) is a huuuuge plus for me. I know it's a gaming laptop so lightweight isn't a priority, but one can dream :P

Maybe the Sony Vaio options are relatively lightweight? All I know is 6lbs is gonna suck carrying around grad school class-to-class.

Also: If I'm only looking at 13-14" laptops, do I even *need* 1080p? Would a 1600x900 or 1366x768 have a noticeable difference?
Click to expand...
What do you think of the Alienware M14X?

It is 6lbs, but there is no other 14" in its class. Switchable graphics for longer battery life.
 
Wow. You guys are loaded. I just bought XPS15 L502x with 1080p, 525m, 6GB RAM and i7 quad for $750 and I'm very happy with it. (Yeah. weak GPU but games play OK with 720p resolution)
 
Ezduo said:
So, does the Nvidia GeForce GTX 560M provide the best bang for your buck at this point?
Click to expand...
At $1200, yes. At $1500, hell no.

kuroshiki said:
Wow. You guys are loaded. I just bought XPS15 L502x with 1080p, 525m, 6GB RAM and i7 quad for $750 and I'm very happy with it. (Yeah. weak GPU but games play OK with 720p resolution)
Click to expand...
Would you please post a GPU-Z screenshot of the 525M?

Also, at ~$750, the HP DV6 is the best available.
 
K.Jack said:
At $1200, yes. At $1500, hell no.


Would you please post a GPU-Z screenshot of the 525M?

Also, at ~$750, the HP DV6 is the best available.
Click to expand...

Wow. Darn, there are better option than this? I thought I got a pretty good deal. And where I can download gpu-z? I don't see any download link on their website.
 
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