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Gamer-approved laptop recommendation thread

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Oooh ok. My statements were based on experience with the 5850 w/ GDDR5 memory.

The GDDR3 version definitely won't clock that high.
Synless said:
The hinge on my laptop just snapped apart a few hours ago. I need to get a new laptop. I have about $1000 to spend on one. Can anyone help me out to get the best laptop for the money I have to spend. Thanks!
Click to expand...
Right now, this.
 
firehawk12 said:
Not sure if this is the thread, but I'm sort of being forced to upgrade my laptop due to the Staples warranty and the only thing that's comparable that I can get at a reasonable price to me (650 Canadian after taxes and the gift card they're giving me) is this:

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/d...reg_R1002_USEN

The real pertinent details are as follows:
Intel Core i7-720QM Processor 1.60GHz with Turbo Boost Technology up to 2.80 GHz
ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5650 graphics
1600x900 LCD

How is that for a laptop these days?
Click to expand...
K.Jack said:
This is our gaming notebook thread.

To answer your question here, the 5650M is a low-end GPU, in the grand scheme of things. It's still good for medium settings @ 30fps 720p, on most 2009-2010 games.

Going forward, however, things look a bit more bleak. If the minimum GPU requirement is an 8800 GT, the 5650M lags behind it by 40%. But you'll still be able to run them, but @ lower resolutions.
Click to expand...
Hah, geez, that's pretty bad. But then again, I don't want to spend too much money and it seems to be the only real choice between that and the Nvidia 330 with a i5 processor. Of course, this laptop also has a BD-ROM which is pushing me in that direction.

Just goes to show how out of it I am though. Yikes.

For the value though - 650 bucks with warranty - it's not that bad though?
 
Synless said:
Should I wait a little bit longer for a better laptop or should I bite on this one?
Click to expand...

I mean, if you can wait a few weeks, the Sandy Bridge notebook production will be back in full swing. But GPU-wise, for the money, you'll do no better.


firehawk12 said:
Hah, geez, that's pretty bad. But then again, I don't want to spend too much money and it seems to be the only real choice between that and the Nvidia 330 with a i5 processor. Of course, this laptop also has a BD-ROM which is pushing me in that direction.

Just goes to show how out of it I am though. Yikes.

For the value though - 650 bucks with warranty - it's not that bad though?
Click to expand...
An i7-720QM + Mobility 5650 for $650 is an absolute steal.

I wasn't trying to scare you, though. It's just best to be real. An 8800 GT is the litmus test.
 
K.Jack said:
I mean, if you can wait a few weeks, the Sandy Bridge notebook production will be back in full swing.
Click to expand...

Will be buying a notebook in the next few weeks for work and Starcraft 2. Should I wait for Sandybridge? Looking at something in the 15 inch screen range.

It's been over 4 years since I last bought a notebook, which was an ASUS which I've been happy with. Looking to spend 1000$ max.
 
K.Jack said:
An i7-720QM + Mobility 5650 for $650 is an absolute steal.

I wasn't trying to scare you, though. It's just best to be real. An 8800 GT is the litmus test.
Click to expand...
Hah, cool. Of course, I don't really have the money to spend anyway, but I guess I could do worse. I just don't want to hang on to a gift card for too long after all.

What are Sandy Bridge laptops going to be priced at anyway?
 
^Low to mid-range will be about the same prices as now. i5 Sandy Bridge + 6650M will be $750 to $800.

High-end gaming will depend on the GPU used, but will start around $1.2k and up.
HooCares said:
Will be buying a notebook in the next few weeks for work and Starcraft 2. Should I wait for Sandybridge? Looking at something in the 15 inch screen range.

It's been over 4 years since I last bought a notebook, which was an ASUS which I've been happy with. Looking to spend 1000$ max.
Click to expand...
That depends, on what level of GPU you seek. There will not be any ~$1100 Sandy Bridge notebook with the Mobility 5870. Think $1.2-1.3k, with GTX 460M and i7-2630QM.

That MSI I posted may not be around much longer either.
 
The 5650 is fine if you play at 720p (runs Crysis 2 medium pretty well). Otherwise something higher might be better if you really want it to be a game machine first, haven't had any trouble with my 5650 anyway. Runs everything I throw at it. Even does PS2/Wii emulation swell
 
K.Jack said:
^Low to mid-range will be about the same prices as now. i5 Sandy Bridge + 6650M will be $750 to $800.

High-end gaming will depend on the GPU used, but will start around $1.2k and up.

That depends, on what level of GPU you seek. There will not be any ~$1100 Sandy Bridge notebook with the Mobility 5870. Think $1.2-1.3k, with GTX 460M and i7-2630QM.

That MSI I posted may not be around much longer either.
Click to expand...

I think I could squeeze up to 1.3K if you guys think it's worth it. Is the GTX 460m one of the better bang for your buck mobile cards right now? I feel ignorant not doing my own research but you guys in this thread are just too awesome and full of knowledge.
 
@ $1.3k

With that budget, I'd wait a month.

You'll should be able to pull a Sandy Bridge i7-2630QM w/ a GTX 460M or 560M

Anyone with a lesser budget should jump on the GX660, asap.
 
So, the backlight on the Samsung NP-NC20 I use for classes has blown. I think it might be the inverter, actually, but I am not technically inclined enough to fix it on my own.

I've put in a support call, and they'll get back to me tomorrow to discuss repair costs, but I suspect I'll end up deciding that the smarter thing to do is get a new laptop... this one's too old to spend $200 or something to repair.

I don't really want or need a high-powered gaming laptop. I mostly do light browsing and take notes on the laptop that I currently have. The Samsung's screen was 12.1", which was great for portability. I wouldn't want a screen much bigger than that. I am fine with getting another netbook, really. Battery life is crucial... I'd want 6-8 hours ideally.

Any recommendations? I'd rather not spend a ton of money either... Around $500 would be great.... over $750 would be pushing it.

Thanks!
 
The prices in EU are insane, I'm looking at getting ASUS G73, with Blu-Ray, 460M and i7-720 it's 1500EUR, wtf. Alienware compared to G73 is like burning money.
 
Unison said:
So, the backlight on the Samsung NP-NC20 I use for classes has blown. I think it might be the inverter, actually, but I am not technically inclined enough to fix it on my own.

I've put in a support call, and they'll get back to me tomorrow to discuss repair costs, but I suspect I'll end up deciding that the smarter thing to do is get a new laptop... this one's too old to spend $200 or something to repair.

I don't really want or need a high-powered gaming laptop. I mostly do light browsing and take notes on the laptop that I currently have. The Samsung's screen was 12.1", which was great for portability. I wouldn't want a screen much bigger than that. I am fine with getting another netbook, really. Battery life is crucial... I'd want 6-8 hours ideally.

Any recommendations? I'd rather not spend a ton of money either... Around $500 would be great.... over $750 would be pushing it.

Thanks!
Click to expand...

new AMD powered netbooks (11inch screen) are your best bet. It is the king of performance/buck in netbook area right now.
 
Anyone seen this deal?

http://slickdeals.net/forums/showthread.php?sduid=0&t=2756717


Base specs & features of HP Pavilion dv6 Quad Edition (customizable):

* Intel Core i7-2630QM 2GHz Quad-core (TurboBoost up to 2.9GHz); 6GB DDR3; 750GB Hard Drive
* 1GB Radeon(TM) HD 6770M GDDR5 Graphics; 15.6" BrightView LED LCD; 6-cell battery; 8X DVD+/-RW
* TrueVision webcam with Mic; 802.11n WiFi; Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit

$825. Seems like a really good deal.

Edit: Repost.
 
BoobPhysics101 said:
Anyone seen this deal?

http://slickdeals.net/forums/showthread.php?sduid=0&t=2756717


Base specs & features of HP Pavilion dv6 Quad Edition (customizable):

* Intel Core i7-2630QM 2GHz Quad-core (TurboBoost up to 2.9GHz); 6GB DDR3; 750GB Hard Drive
* 1GB Radeon(TM) HD 6770M GDDR5 Graphics; 15.6" BrightView LED LCD; 6-cell battery; 8X DVD+/-RW
* TrueVision webcam with Mic; 802.11n WiFi; Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit

$825. Seems like a really good deal.

Edit: Repost.
Click to expand...
Also would like to know what PC-GAF thinks of this one.

Also, besides movies, is there a reason to get bluray? I.E. are games gonna start shipping on blurays anytime soon instead of DVD's?
 
That's an awesome deal.

The 6770M will be as fast as a desktop 9800 GT, and the i7 speaks for itself.

PC games will never ship on Blu-ray disc.
 
My MSI GX660R never over heats. It's kind of cheaply built but it has ridiculous specs for the price.

The screen is the biggest problem, it is a glary screen. This doesn't affect me because I connect my laptop to my LED TV most of the time.
 
What will I be able to do with this, GAF? Should I purchase, or wait for a little while?

http://h40059.www4.hp.com/uk/homelaptops/product.php?id=XE526EA&experience=direct

HP Envy 17-1190ea Laptop PC

An Intel Core i7 720QM processor for incredible performance
4GB memory for top system performance
500 GB Hard Drive for storing all your digital files
43.9 cm (17.3") High-Definition LED HP BrightView Display
The latest ATI Mobility Radeon 5850 graphics, with 1GB dedicated memory
Watch High Definition movies with the Blu-ray player and create silkscreen-quality disc labels with LightScribe, watch movies and more with the Double Layer SuperMulti DVD±RW
Featuring Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and an Integrated Webcam & Microphone, ideal for social networking and communications

I am not too tech savy :)
 
teeny said:
What will I be able to do with this, GAF? Should I purchase, or wait for a little while?

http://h40059.www4.hp.com/uk/homelaptops/product.php?id=XE526EA&experience=direct

HP Envy 17-1190ea Laptop PC

An Intel Core i7 720QM processor for incredible performance
4GB memory for top system performance
500 GB Hard Drive for storing all your digital files
43.9 cm (17.3") High-Definition LED HP BrightView Display
The latest ATI Mobility Radeon 5850 graphics, with 1GB dedicated memory
Watch High Definition movies with the Blu-ray player and create silkscreen-quality disc labels with LightScribe, watch movies and more with the Double Layer SuperMulti DVD±RW
Featuring Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and an Integrated Webcam & Microphone, ideal for social networking and communications

I am not too tech savy :)
Click to expand...

The Envy 17 refresh is imminent. Wait a could weeks, for the i7-2630QM + AMD 6850M.

TimmiT said:
This might be a stupid question, but would using Intel Turbo Boost void the warranty?
Click to expand...

No, because Intel's Turbo Boost is an automatic function of every CPU. You don't control it.
 
K.Jack, hate to take you for granted as our font of knowledge but I have a question. I'm waiting it out for a new i7 with sufficient 1080p gaming ability. Obviously the 6970M is boss, but the problem with that is (i) it's currently exclusive to AW & Sager and (ii) $2k ballpark. Is there any other mobile GPU up to the task of 1080p gaming, or is the 6970M pretty much it?
 
The 15" Sager will be around $1500 and the 17" will be closer to $1700, with 6970M.

As far as other chips go I'll direct you to these tests.

ST_CoP.png

SC_II.png

Mafia_II.png

BC2.png


There's also this:

6970M_v_485M_2.jpg

6970M_v_485M.jpg


I cherry picked the most intensive of the bunch (left out Metro), just to show that there's only two mobile GPUs, which are meant for 1080p gaming.

6970M, 485M, or bust. The 460M and 5800M are scrubs, at 1080p.
 
GAF, would picking up the Asus G73JH for $700 be a good deal?

Specs:
Display: 17.3-inch Full HD LED-backlit Widescreen (1920 x 1080)
CPU: Intel Core i7 processor 720QM (1.60GHz-2.8GHz Quad-Core)
Graphics: ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5870 1GB GDDR5 VRAM
Wireless: 802.11 b/g/n (@ 2.4GHz), Bluetooth v2.1
LAN: 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet
Memory: 8GB DDR3 1066MHz RAM, 4 x SODIMM (up to 8GB)
Storage: 1TB 7200RPM hard drive (500GB x 2) dual HDD

It's 17" which is a bit too big but the specs are delicious and the price seems right.
 
BoobPhysics101 said:
GAF, would picking up the Asus G73JH for $700 be a good deal?

Specs:
Display: 17.3-inch Full HD LED-backlit Widescreen (1920 x 1080)
CPU: Intel Core i7 processor 720QM (1.60GHz-2.8GHz Quad-Core)
Graphics: ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5870 1GB GDDR5 VRAM
Wireless: 802.11 b/g/n (@ 2.4GHz), Bluetooth v2.1
LAN: 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet
Memory: 8GB DDR3 1066MHz RAM, 4 x SODIMM (up to 8GB)
Storage: 1TB 7200RPM hard drive (500GB x 2) dual HDD

It's 17" which is a bit too big but the specs are delicious and the price seems right.
Click to expand...
Where did you find that for that price? All I see it for is over $1000.
 
There's such a gap between 17" and 11", that's the main choice you have to make.

A couple more tests:

6970M_BL_OPS.jpg


FC2_6970M.jpg


This next one shows the gulf which exists between the 460M and Mobility 5650 / GT 540M.

black_ops1.jpg



Synless said:
When is that sager laptop out?
Click to expand...

It's backordered, because of the Intel recall, plus the 6970M is not officially up for preorder yet. Long story short, it'll be out w/ 6970M in early April.
 
BoobPhysics101 said:
GAF, would picking up the Asus G73JH for $700 be a good deal?

Specs:
Display: 17.3-inch Full HD LED-backlit Widescreen (1920 x 1080)
CPU: Intel Core i7 processor 720QM (1.60GHz-2.8GHz Quad-Core)
Graphics: ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5870 1GB GDDR5 VRAM
Wireless: 802.11 b/g/n (@ 2.4GHz), Bluetooth v2.1
LAN: 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet
Memory: 8GB DDR3 1066MHz RAM, 4 x SODIMM (up to 8GB)
Storage: 1TB 7200RPM hard drive (500GB x 2) dual HDD

It's 17" which is a bit too big but the specs are delicious and the price seems right.
Click to expand...

700$ for this is pure bullshit. This is probably 1200$ at least.

I am impressed by the 6970M benchmarks though.
Is there any GPU on the horizon that should allow us to have 5870 level of graphics but with lower consumption and which could possibly fit into a 14'' screen ? This + USB 3.0 and a 1000$ price point would be overkill.
 
Kenka said:
700$ for this is pure bullshit. This is probably 1200$ at least.
.
Click to expand...

Yeah, ok. I wouldn't post it if it weren't true. A guy I know is selling his, that's why I asked. He wants $800 for it but he'd be willing to take $700.
 
K.Jack said:
Come on now. Asking whether that's a good deal is just silly.
Click to expand...

Just asking. I don't want to buy something like that if in a couple of months something will come out that's just a bit more, new, and just as fast if not better. Only problem I have with it is that it's used and he bought it like 4 months ago... I guess I'll have to run tests on it to make sure all the hardware is working correctly.
 
BoobPhysics101 said:
Yeah, ok. I wouldn't post it if it weren't true. A guy I know is selling his, that's why I asked. He wants $800 for it but he'd be willing to take $700.
Click to expand...

Could be. One year ago, it was launched for 1800 bucks. That probably means that the guarantee is gone though.
 
Hum, 1400$ 15''6 and a shit battery life :

http://www.geekwithlaptop.com/the-updated-msi-gx660r-gaming-notebook

Radeon HD 5870
6GB of DDR3
i7-740QM
320GB
2 x USB 3.0 ports
1920 x 1080

What does GAF say ? I would love to see something like this hit the 1000$ point.

EDIT :

Overall, the GX660 offers still more bang for your buck, sorry.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834152231&cm_re=GX660-_-34-152-231-_-Product


EDIT 2 : wtf, DELL launches laptop with SNB processors starting 499$ :

http://www.emoneydaily.com/dell-nasdaqdell-laptops-feature-sandy-bridge/69810986
Dell (NASDAQ:DELL) announced the introduction of new laptops with Sandy Bridge processors at a starting price of $499.

Dell (NASDAQ:DELL) has introduced Vostro 3000-series and Inspiron R-series laptops with 13-, 14-, 15- and 17- inch screens.

These laptops will contain Core i3, i5, and i7 dual and quad core processors. The Vostro 3550 provides 13.5 hours of battery life and Inspire 15R provides a 13 hour battery life.
Click to expand...
 
http://slickdeals.net/forums/showthread.php?sduid=0&t=2765603

-Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium, 64bit, English
-2nd generation Intel® Core™ i7-2630QM processor 2.00 GHz with Turbo Boost 2.0 up to 2.90 GHz
-NVIDIA® GeForce® GT 525M 1GB graphics with Optimus
-6GB Shared Dual Channel DDR3 Memory
-640GB 7200 RPM SATA Hard Drive
-2 Year Basic Service Plan
-15.6 FHD B+RGLED TL (1920x1080) and Skype-Certified 2.0MP HD Webcam

It ends up being about $900 after the coupon, and you can upgrade to a 540M for $100 more. You can also get a Dell Streak for $99 when combined with this. Would a 540M be able to handle stuff like Diablo 3/Civ 5/Minecraft? I'm not really looking to play Crysis on it, and $1500 for the 6970M laptops is a bit too rich for my blood.

Edit: Oh, and I'll want to run PCSX2 on it, but I know that it is way more CPU-intensive than GPU-intensive. Is the 540M good enough?
 
Cosmo Clock 21 said:
Time for a new thread now that pretty much all the major vendors have announced Sandy Bridge laptops?
Click to expand...

I wouldn't see why. But a slight lifting in the OP wouldn't hurt. So that people know the address of Clevo, Schenker, Alienware, MSI and so on, when they come in.


Speaking about Schenker, check this out :

XMG P501

(15.6") Full-HD (1920x1080) Non-Glare mit LED-Backlight
Intel Core i3-2310M
NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 460M 1536MB GDDR5 RAM
2048MB SO-DIMM DDR3 RAM 1333MHz
250GB 2,5" SATA-II Festplatte, 5400/7200U/min
2x USB 3.0

no OS



all of it for 1150 €. That's a sexy deal.
 
I am sorry for the double post but I *have* to post this here :



XMG P501 PRO Gaming Notebook 39,6cm (15.6")

• 39,6cm (15.6") Full-HD Non-Glare (1920*1080) mit LED - Backlight
• NVIDIA GeForce GTX 485M 2048MB GDDR5
• Intel Core i3-2310M | 2,10 GHz 3MB
• 4096MB (1x4096) SO-DIMM DDR3 RAM 1333MHz
• 500GB Seagate Momentus 7200.4 SATAII 7200U/Min (ST9500420AS)
• TSST / SonyNEC / LG DVD±R/±RW/-RAM/ DL(+R) SATA Multinorm
• Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6230 (inkl. Bluetooth)
• Basis-Garantie: 24M. Pickup&Return | 6M. Sofort-Reparatur -DE

• without OS
• Microsoft Office 2010 Starter (nur bei Bestellung und Vorinstallation von Windows 7)

for 1.714,00 €

For Europe, it's probably choice n°1 ahead of Alienware's M17x.


Also :

XMG A520 ADVANCED Gaming Notebook 39,6cm (15,6")

• NVIDIA GeForce GT 445M 1024MB GDDR3 RAM
• Intel® Core™ i5-480M | 2,66 - 2,93GHz 3MB
• 4096MB (1x4096) SO-DIMM DDR3 RAM 1333MHz
• 500GB Seagate Momentus 7200.4 SATAII 7200U/Min (ST9500420AS)
• TSST / SonyNEC / LG DVD±R/±RW/-RAM/ DL(+R) SATA Multinorm
• Intel® Centrino® Wireless-N 1000
• int. Bluetooth-Modul
• Basis-Garantie: 24M. Pickup&Return | 6M. Sofort-Reparatur -DE
• without OS
• Microsoft Office 2010 Starter (nur bei Bestellung und Vorinstallation von Windows 7)

this looks good too for 762,00 €.
 
Cosmo Clock 21 said:
Time for a new thread now that pretty much all the major vendors have announced Sandy Bridge laptops?
Click to expand...
I'm going to wait a little bit longer, until the majority of notebooks are actually in stock and available for purchase. Right now, everything is on an April ETA.

Plus, even more importantly, it's best to wait until the notebooks have been reviewed, by tech websites and the community.
 
The Shadow said:
This looks like a nice laptop. Based on the CPU and GPU, is that a good price?
Click to expand...

For a serious gamer? No, not really. Look at the Black OPs chart from a few posts back, to see the gap between the 5870 and 540M.

I'll take any of these:

dealx.jpg


Slower i5 CPU + Faster GPU >>> Faster i7 CPU + Slower GPU

The Mobility 5870 is pretty close to 2x the 540M's speed.
 
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