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Gamer-approved laptop recommendation thread

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IMACOMPUTA said:
Would any of you PC-geniuses (brain-stew?) please tell me how this laptop measures up to the m11x in pure gaming performance?
http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=G50VT-X5-PB-R&cpc=SCH&AID=10440852&CJPID=1225267
this thing is only $600
Click to expand...

Its 256bit memory bus and faster processor (both of which are massive bottlenecks in the Dell) should mean it'll comfortably come out on top in pretty much everything. Have a look for reviews/benchmarks of the dektop 9600gt, take away ~10% of the performance it gets and then you should have a good idea of the sort of performance you'll be getting.
 
Anticitizen One said:
thanks for pointing me in the right direction
Click to expand...

Actually go to the last page and see the parts I've just recommended to another GAFer, he has a $600 budget and that's bought him performance that absolutely annihilates that Dell. Those builds are out of date.
 
Meh, once you throw a real CPU in there your glorious battery life is gone and you're still stuck with a small screen. Glad to see the general trend moving in the right direction though.
 
brain_stew said:
Its 256bit memory bus and faster processor (both of which are massive bottlenecks in the Dell) should mean it'll comfortably come out on top in pretty much everything. Have a look for reviews/benchmarks of the dektop 9600gt, take away ~10% of the performance it gets and then you should have a good idea of the sort of performance you'll be getting.
Click to expand...

Thanks man, you're a lot of help. :)
 
I'm having a really tough time deciding on what to get. I like the small form factor of the m11x, but for $200 cheaper i can get a much better full sized laptop..
but only a 90 day warranty... :(
I've also found asus refurbished laptops with 260 GTX video cards, which i've read are equivelent to a 9800GTX on a desktop computer.
The 9600 and 9800 have very small performance right? I think i read 3dmark06 scores for the 9600 is about 10,000 while the 9800 is like 11 or 12,000..?
 
IMACOMPUTA said:
I'm having a really tough time deciding on what to get. I like the small form factor of the m11x, but for $200 cheaper i can get a much better full sized laptop..
but only a 90 day warranty... :(
I've also found asus refurbished laptops with 260 GTX video cards, which i've read are equivelent to a 9800GTX on a desktop computer.
The 9600 and 9800 have very small performance right? I think i read 3dmark06 scores for the 9600 is about 10,000 while the 9800 is like 11 or 12,000..?
Click to expand...

3DMark is a terrible judge of modern GPU performance. The laptop GTX 260 = a desktop 8800GT/9800GT and that is considerably faster than a desktop 9600GT especially in shader heavy games.
 
brain_stew said:
3DMark is a terrible judge of modern GPU performance. The laptop GTX 260 = a desktop 8800GT/9800GT and that is considerably faster than a desktop 9600GT especially in shader heavy games.
Click to expand...

So if i can get the gtx 260 for only like $80 more than a laptop with a 9600, should i go for it?
 
IMACOMPUTA said:
I'm having a really tough time deciding on what to get. I like the small form factor of the m11x, but for $200 cheaper i can get a much better full sized laptop..
but only a 90 day warranty... :(
I've also found asus refurbished laptops with 260 GTX video cards, which i've read are equivelent to a 9800GTX on a desktop computer.
The 9600 and 9800 have very small performance right? I think i read 3dmark06 scores for the 9600 is about 10,000 while the 9800 is like 11 or 12,000..?
Click to expand...

well do you have laptop right now? What size do you need?

I found that i preferred my XPS 13" to my 15" Asus and definetly 17" XPS ;-).
It all depends on how you use your computer these days.

I am so used to laptops that i can not use them at table @ home, rather i put them next to me on cauch or on my lap... and thats not really comfy with anything bigger than 13".

And of course, big ass LCD at work, with proper docking station and all ;-)
 
spwolf said:
well do you have laptop right now? What size do you need?

I found that i preferred my XPS 13" to my 15" Asus and definetly 17" XPS ;-).
It all depends on how you use your computer these days.

I am so used to laptops that i can not use them at table @ home, rather i put them next to me on cauch or on my lap... and thats not really comfy with anything bigger than 13".

And of course, big ass LCD at work, with proper docking station and all ;-)
Click to expand...

Right now I have an XPS m1730 (17") and a compaq 15.4".
I liked the XPS but since they sell for $1000 on ebay, i just sold it there :)
Now i have a $1000 budget for a laptop.
I would prefer a smaller computer, but feel that performance is my top priority. I'm not really opposed to refurbished, or used deals.
I technically got the XPS for free :)
 
IMACOMPUTA said:
Right now I have an XPS m1730 (17") and a compaq 15.4".
I liked the XPS but since they sell for $1000 on ebay, i just sold it there :)
Now i have a $1000 budget for a laptop.
I would prefer a smaller computer, but feel that performance is my top priority. I'm not really opposed to refurbished, or used deals.
I technically got the XPS for free :)
Click to expand...

you do not need 11" laptop then ;-).
 
IMACOMPUTA said:
Still think it would be pretty cool..
Perhaps i'd really appreciate it?
I do have an iphone though..
Click to expand...

not sure what iphone has to do with it ;-).

main point of small laptop is that it is more convenient to carry around and use everywhere around the house (bed, couch, sofa, etc). This is its priority.

However if you do not need that, then you can get better performing laptop with bigger screen for less... thats winning combination ;-)

personally, i am not getting anything bigger than 13" ever again.
 
spwolf said:
not sure what iphone has to do with it ;-).

main point of small laptop is that it is more convenient to carry around and use everywhere around the house (bed, couch, sofa, etc). This is its priority.

However if you do not need that, then you can get better performing laptop with bigger screen for less... thats winning combination ;-)

personally, i am not getting anything bigger than 13" ever again.
Click to expand...
Well, my iphone replaces my laptop for meager browsing sometimes.
 
would a shuttle/m-atx build not suit then? You can get a crazy amount of power into a really small space and they make future upgrades easy and cheap. If portability is not a concern and you already have a functional laptop anyway, it may be the best option. A $700 m-ATX would absolutely blow away anything else you've been looking at.
 
IMACOMPUTA said:
Right now I have an XPS m1730 (17") and a compaq 15.4".
I liked the XPS but since they sell for $1000 on ebay, i just sold it there :)
Now i have a $1000 budget for a laptop.
I would prefer a smaller computer, but feel that performance is my top priority. I'm not really opposed to refurbished, or used deals.
I technically got the XPS for free :)
Click to expand...
If performance is all that matters, the ASUS G50Vt is the no-brainer decision.
 
dallow_bg said:
On that note, is there a m-atx board you recommend?
Click to expand...

Nothing specifically but these days you really don't have to sacrfice much going with an M-atx board, just a few expansion slots, really.

What I do recommend is the combination of Zotac's M-ITX boards and Silverstone's Sugo PSU/case combo. The damn thing is absolutely tiny yet it still has the airflow, power and space to support a half decent CPU and a GPU upto about a ~5770. They now have a H55 version of the baord with integrated wireless N, esata, 10 USB ports, the works. Couple it with the super fast yet incredibly power efficient Core i3 530, 4GB DDR3 and a 5770 and you've got the ultimate tiny, power efficient gaming rig. I mean if you're going small, you might as well go as small as possible.

Check out these links:

http://techreport.com/discussions.x/17120

http://techreport.com/articles.x/17102/10

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813500043&cm_re=zotac-_-13-500-043-_-Product


http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...cm_re=silverstone_sugo-_-11-163-149-_-Product



kitchenpc1.jpg




If you can handle a 17"+ laptop then you can handle that imo but you'll get so much more performance this way and a nice cheap GPU upgrade along the road if you need it.

Edit: This GPU will fit and it simply blows away anything you can get in a notebook:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150462&cm_re=5770-_-14-150-462-_-Product
 
brain_stew said:
Nothing specifically but these days you really don't have to sacrfice much going with an M-atx board, just a few expansion slots, really.

What I do recommend is the combination of Zotac's M-ITX boards and Silverstone's Sugo PSU/case combo. The damn thing is absolutely tiny yet it still has the airflow, power and space to support a half decent CPU and a GPU upto about a ~5770. They now have a H55 version of the baord with integrated wireless N, esata, 10 USB ports, the works. Couple it with the super fast yet incredibly power efficient Core i3 530, 4GB DDR3 and a 5770 and you've got the ultimate tiny, power efficient gaming rig. I mean if you're going small, you might as well go as small as possible.

Check out these links:

http://techreport.com/discussions.x/17120

http://techreport.com/articles.x/17102/10

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813500043&cm_re=zotac-_-13-500-043-_-Product


http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...cm_re=silverstone_sugo-_-11-163-149-_-Product



http://techreport.com/r.x/2009_6_25_A_compact_fast_and_silent_PC_for_the_kitchen/kitchenpc1.jpg[IMG]
[/QUOTE]Thanks a lot!
Exactly the kind of case I've been looking for!

Was planning on doing a micro build like that a few years ago, can't believe the boards have gotten so advanced.
Click to expand...
 
spwolf said:
not sure what iphone has to do with it ;-).

main point of small laptop is that it is more convenient to carry around and use everywhere around the house (bed, couch, sofa, etc). This is its priority.

However if you do not need that, then you can get better performing laptop with bigger screen for less... thats winning combination ;-)

personally, i am not getting anything bigger than 13" ever again.
Click to expand...


I've been looking for a 13" inch laptop for the past couple of weeks, but can't decide what to get. Since you're a fan of 13"ers, are there any you would recommend in the $600 to $800 dollar range?
 
dallow_bg said:
Thanks a lot!
Exactly the kind of case I've been looking for!

Was planning on doing a micro build like that a few years ago, can't believe the boards have gotten so advanced.
Click to expand...

If you do go through with it be sure to post pictures and impressions. I'm sure that sort of build has to be appealing to a lot more people on this board, it delivers pretty much everything you could want. Also, if you're using it as a HTPC, you might want to pick this up:

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.26368

Its just a $10 (inc. shipping) IR remote but it replicates a full keyboard and mouse and includes a bunch of general and media hotkeys. Your PC just sees it as a USB keyboard so it works on any OS and in any program, I personally haven't found anything better for controlling a HTPC without spending big bucks. I've currently got one shipping so I'll be sure to post up some impressions when it arrives, it looks like it could be really handy and for $10 and its not much of a gamble.
 
Trent Strong said:
I've been looking for a 13" inch laptop for the past couple of weeks, but can't decide what to get. Since you're a fan of 13"ers, are there any you would recommend in the $600 to $800 dollar range?
Click to expand...

dedicated video or not? personally one we are talking about here is very high on my list.
 
brain_stew said:
Its just a $10 (inc. shipping) IR remote but it replicates a full keyboard and mouse and includes a bunch of general and media hotkeys. Your PC just sees it as a USB keyboard so it works on any OS and in any program, I personally haven't found anything better for controlling a HTPC without spending big bucks. I've currently got one shipping so I'll be sure to post up some impressions when it arrives, it looks like it could be really handy and for $10 and its not much of a gamble.
Click to expand...

i might get it... i got windows remote with my silverstone box, but those things are really really shitty. i have been using ps3 logitech keyboard, and it works really well with htpc...
 
spwolf said:
dedicated video or not? personally one we are talking about here is very high on my list.
Click to expand...


I don't need a dedicated video card, as long as the laptop can play 720p videos. With all the laptops out there, asking you to recommend one is probably too tall an order though, so sorry to bother you about it.
 
Trent Strong said:
I don't need a dedicated video card, as long as the laptop can play 720p videos. With all the laptops out there, asking you to recommend one is probably too tall an order though, so sorry to bother you about it.
Click to expand...

you are right... i would suggest to wait few weeks more so everything is updated with latest gear.
 
Trent Strong said:
I've been looking for a 13" inch laptop for the past couple of weeks, but can't decide what to get. Since you're a fan of 13"ers, are there any you would recommend in the $600 to $800 dollar range?
Click to expand...
Ask me.

Consider this Lenovo Ideapad. Probably the most reliable machine in that size price range. There won't be a huge amount of movement in the 13" range. Maybe some i3 machines. We'll find out by this time next week.
brain_stew said:
Edit: This GPU will fit and it simply blows away anything you can get in a notebook:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150462&cm_re=5770-_-14-150-462-_-Product
Click to expand...
Well, just for accuracy, the Mobility 5870 can be brought within ~50MHz of the 5770.
 
brain_stew said:
Nothing specifically but these days you really don't have to sacrfice much going with an M-atx board, just a few expansion slots, really.

What I do recommend is the combination of Zotac's M-ITX boards and Silverstone's Sugo PSU/case combo. The damn thing is absolutely tiny yet it still has the airflow, power and space to support a half decent CPU and a GPU upto about a ~5770. They now have a H55 version of the baord with integrated wireless N, esata, 10 USB ports, the works. Couple it with the super fast yet incredibly power efficient Core i3 530, 4GB DDR3 and a 5770 and you've got the ultimate tiny, power efficient gaming rig. I mean if you're going small, you might as well go as small as possible.
Click to expand...

I'm also looking into this as well for an HTPC build for a friend. This is what they claim the PSU in it can do as well. Was going to push for a 5770 for better power consumption but if it can pull off a 4850 that will shave a lot of price off.

"Regarding your concern with SG05’s PSU, this unit was selected and tuned by SilverStone engineers for improved quietness and performance (300W continuous power at 50C). It has dedicated +12V rail for graphics card (16A, peak 19A) to provide more than enough power for any 9" long dual slot graphics cards. We actually do not recommend using off the shelf SFX PSUs at this time as they may not be designed to work well in the SG05 environment as we have done with the included unit.

As a reference, here is a list of components used in the SG05 development system:
Intel Core 2 Quad 9550 95W CPU
MSI IM-Q35 DO Industrial Mini-ITX motherboard
Corsair TWIN2X2048-6400C5DX DDR2 memory
*AMD Radeon HD4850 graphics card*
WD Raptor 150GB + VelociRaptor 300GB 10,000rpm hard drives
Slim Blu-ray drive

*The Radeon HD4850 is currently the highest powered card that can fit inside the SG05 (more than NVIDIA GTS 250, which is a dual slot design.)"
 
Trent Strong said:
I've been looking for a 13" inch laptop for the past couple of weeks, but can't decide what to get. Since you're a fan of 13"ers, are there any you would recommend in the $600 to $800 dollar range?
Click to expand...

If you're going to play on the laptop, you should really think about buying one which is at least 15". Your eyes will suffer otherwise.
 
Shambles said:
I'm also looking into this as well for an HTPC build for a friend. This is what they claim the PSU in it can do as well. Was going to push for a 5770 for better power consumption but if it can pull off a 4850 that will shave a lot of price off.

"Regarding your concern with SG05’s PSU, this unit was selected and tuned by SilverStone engineers for improved quietness and performance (300W continuous power at 50C). It has dedicated +12V rail for graphics card (16A, peak 19A) to provide more than enough power for any 9" long dual slot graphics cards. We actually do not recommend using off the shelf SFX PSUs at this time as they may not be designed to work well in the SG05 environment as we have done with the included unit.

As a reference, here is a list of components used in the SG05 development system:
Intel Core 2 Quad 9550 95W CPU
MSI IM-Q35 DO Industrial Mini-ITX motherboard
Corsair TWIN2X2048-6400C5DX DDR2 memory
*AMD Radeon HD4850 graphics card*
WD Raptor 150GB + VelociRaptor 300GB 10,000rpm hard drives
Slim Blu-ray drive

*The Radeon HD4850 is currently the highest powered card that can fit inside the SG05 (more than NVIDIA GTS 250, which is a dual slot design.)"
Click to expand...


Running a PSU to its max really isn't a good idea. Get a 4770/5770/5750, the 4850 can be a quite a power hog, I seriously wouldn't recommend using it.
 
Fox318 said:
Back on subject did anyone get the M11x yet? I've seen some videos on youtube of people using it.
Click to expand...
I've read a bunch of impressions around the web, nearly all of them extremely favorable.
 
Do Alienware laptops heat up fast like mine? I'm pretty sure my specs are great but running starcraft 1 makes my laptop sweat and I need to give it a fan for a while.
 
Tater Tot said:
When I try buying one through dell university. The total comes out to over 1k :/
Click to expand...

Yeah, because it forces you to get a bunch of upgrades.

I just found out that you can OC both of the processors, so the only benefit going for the Core2Duo is VT, and a 3mb cache instead of 2mb.
$100 difference? I dont think its worth it.
Using dell university forces you to choose the more expensive processor ($100)
an upgrade to a 500 GB harddrive (way overpriced @ $150 for the upgrade from 160gb)
and minimum of 4GB ram (which is $50 for the upgrade)

I think I'm about to order it. I got 3% off for signing up for a Dell Preferred Account ($26 off)
and only upgrades i chose were the RAM upgrade and adding bluetooth.
I'll buy a hard drive later for a lot cheaper than $150.
 
IMACOMPUTA said:
Yeah, because it forces you to get a bunch of upgrades.

I just found out that you can OC both of the processors, so the only benefit going for the Core2Duo is VT, and a 3mb cache instead of 2mb.
$100 difference? I dont think its worth it.
Using dell university forces you to choose the more expensive processor ($100)
an upgrade to a 500 GB harddrive (way overpriced @ $150 for the upgrade from 160gb)
and minimum of 4GB ram (which is $50 for the upgrade)

I think I'm about to order it. I got 3% off for signing up for a Dell Preferred Account ($26 off)
and only upgrades i chose were the RAM upgrade and adding bluetooth.
I'll buy a hard drive later for a lot cheaper than $150.
Click to expand...

If you're buying it for StarCraft 2, be warned it is said to run much better on CPUs with more cache... might be worth it for that alone.
 
TIPS for buying with a STUDENT DISCOUNT:
I just ordered an m11x over the phone. I was able to customize it however i wanted and still get the student discount.
Call 1-866-535-3578
This is the EPP discount number (for employee and student discounts)

The sales person first said that the starting price was 1000~ but i acted confused and said "wait, i thought it started at 799?" and he took care of it.
Since i saved the extra money, i ended up getting the core2duo.
So my system is :
Core2duo
4gb RAM
160gb HDD
Bluetooth 2.1 module
and my final total (including tax and shipping)
=$988
 
Notebookreview.com has an excellent review of the laptop up, with comparisons between the two CPU selections + overclocking results + extensive battery life reports:

http://www.notebookreview.com/defau...=alienware+m11x+ultraportable+gaming+notebook

Thanks to the switchable graphics inside the M11x there are essentially two battery life ranges you can expect with this notebook: extended battery life mode using the Intel integrated graphics or high-performance mode using the Nvidia GeForce GT 335M discrete graphics. Dell claims that the M11x can deliver more than 8 hours of battery life when using the Intel integrated graphics. In our lab tests with the screen set to 70 percent brightness, Windows 7 set to a "balanced" power profile, and Wi-Fi on and loading a new website at a regular interval we obtained 6 hours and 59 minutes of battery life with the SU4100 processor overclocked and the graphics set to the Intel integrated mode. It's safe to assume that you can get closer to 8 hours if you turn down the screen brightness, disable overclocking, and disable Wi-Fi when it's not in use.

We also tested the M11x while gaming with CPU overclocking enabled, Nvidia discrete graphics on, brightness set to 70 percent and Wi-Fi on while running Mass Effect 2 using the Steam application. The M11x was able to play Mass Effect 2 flawlessly for 2 hours and 48 minutes before the notebook shut down with a power draw of 22 to 27 watts while gaming. The amount of in-game time could have been extended by lowering the screen brightness.

The integrated 8-Cell Lithium-Ion battery inside the M11x is rated at 64WH and is powered by a standard 65W power supply. Although we're talking about an integrated battery this is one of the most powerful batteries we've seen in an 11-inch notebook. Also, despite the fact that we prefer to see removable batteries this internal battery is quite easy to remove and replace using the instructions included in the user manual.

Another element of the battery that we really like to see is the one-touch battery indicator located on the bottom of the notebook. Five white LEDs let you know how much battery life is left and whether you need to bring your AC adapter with you when you go to class or that next office meeting. The battery meter works even when the laptop is powered off, so it's a fantastic way to check your battery status when you're in a hurry.
Click to expand...

Also, :lol it comes with a restore DVD even though it has no optical drive :lol
 
dLMN8R said:
Also, :lol it comes with a restore DVD even though it has no optical drive :lol
Click to expand...
Don't netbooks ship with the same? In any event, I'm sure tracking down an external dvd drive (even temporarily) isn't too big of a hassle.

I've got my trusty 360 HD-DVD add-on lying around in times of need!
 
3DMark06 scores can just break 7000 on this laptop now with the CPU and GPU overclocked.

MoFuzz said:
Don't netbooks ship with the same? In any event, I'm sure tracking down an external dvd drive (even temporarily) isn't too big of a hassle.

I've got my trusty 360 HD-DVD add-on lying around in times of need!
Click to expand...
Yeah, most do.

Some are getting smarter and putting restores on a flash card/drive.
 
MoFuzz said:
Don't netbooks ship with the same? In any event, I'm sure tracking down an external dvd drive (even temporarily) isn't too big of a hassle.

I've got my trusty 360 HD-DVD add-on lying around in times of need!
Click to expand...

It's just the irony of shipping a cd with a optical drive-less laptop. :lol
 
Has anyone heard anything at all about the 335M going to other laptops?

I'm disappointed that all the talk has been about NVIDIA Optimus instead of the 335M. Seems like the Optimus, while cool technology, doesn't quite have the performance that the 335M does.
 
dLMN8R said:
I'm disappointed that all the talk has been about NVIDIA Optimus instead of the 335M. Seems like the Optimus, while cool technology, doesn't quite have the performance that the 335M does.
Click to expand...
From my understanding Optimus doesn't have any set performance -- it's a technology that can be used with many different GPUs of varying performance levels.
 
Durante said:
From my understanding Optimus doesn't have any set performance -- it's a technology that can be used with many different GPUs of varying performance levels.
Click to expand...
Interesting, did not know that.
 
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