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Gamer-approved laptop recommendation thread

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This is more of a random question, but i just got my hp probook and its touch pad feels lumpy in several places, kind of like when you put a screen protector on poorly and there are bumps/warping on it. Are all touchpads supposed to be flat or is it normal for some to be lumpy? Need to decide if i should return it or not.
 
Lkr said:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834157844
any good?

Laptops are so much harder to shop for these days since the XPS line no longer means good performance :(
Click to expand...

If you like Low-Medium settings with no AA, sure.

This is the best deal for a gaming laptop, bar none:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834230021&cm_re=g73jh-_-34-230-021-_-Product

That extra $120 gets you 3-4x as much performance and a much nicer laptop all around. It'll play just about everything on max or near-max settings like butter. I've got one and it's incredible. You won't be disappointed.
 
Just a rumor at this point (I'm working with some guys at NBR to confirm), but it looks like the G73JH (not the JW) should be compatible with the Radeon 6970M.

So I may be attempting to swap in a 6970M in the near future...
 
BoobPhysics101 said:
If you like Low-Medium settings with no AA, sure.

This is the best deal for a gaming laptop, bar none:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834230021&cm_re=g73jh-_-34-230-021-_-Product

That extra $120 gets you 3-4x as much performance and a much nicer laptop all around. It'll play just about everything on max or near-max settings like butter. I've got one and it's incredible. You won't be disappointed.
Click to expand...
out of curiosity, do any laptops have the two finger scroll feature that the macbooks have?
and is this better: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834230027 ? not really looking for something that huge(17in). Higher res, newer CPU, and faster RPM might be worth it to me, but I'm not sure which GPU is better
 
Honestly, I'd take the SB + 460M every time. The 10% (max) difference you see between the 5870M and 460M will rarely make a difference either.

You're also getting a brand new machine. The G53 is solid.
 
K.Jack said:
Honestly, I'd take the SB + 460M every time. The 10% (max) difference you see between the 5870M and 460M will rarely make a difference either.

You're also getting a brand new machine. The G53 is solid.
Click to expand...

It's also got a higher res screen, better harddrive, better camera, usb 3.0. (wait, does the g73 have usb 3.0?)

And isn't a refurb.
 
Lkr said:
out of curiosity, do any laptops have the two finger scroll feature that the macbooks have?
and is this better: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834230027 ? not really looking for something that huge(17in). Higher res, newer CPU, and faster RPM might be worth it to me, but I'm not sure which GPU is better
Click to expand...

Yes, the G73 has two finger scroll. It can be adjusted in the Synaptics touchpad control menu under Control Panel ---> Mouse

I'd go for that if you don't mind spending extra, 17" is a pain in the ass. 15" is perfect.
 
goddamn, so I just found out that mobile i5s aren't quad core. I might just skip out on the gaming end and get a nice i7 laptop(just realized that the Asus is i7)
 
My laptop is already heading to my town, so it should be delivered Monday instead of the estimated Tuesday.

I'm hard.
 
Lkr said:
goddamn, so I just found out that mobile i5s aren't quad core. I might just skip out on the gaming end and get a nice i7 laptop(just realized that the Asus is i7)
Click to expand...

They have 4 cores, but two are physical and the other two are hyperthread "fake" cores. So it's a dual core that can execute 4 threads simultaneously like a quad core.

Mobile i7's that are non-Extreme can't overclock for shit, but they're still pretty damn powerful. I've been actively searching for CPU limited games to justify upgrading to a 920xm, but can't find any 'needs more hertz!' killer apps.

In all the games I've played, i7 seems to be pretty ideal.
 
A Human Becoming said:
I want to note I'm not a PC gamer, so my knowledge of hardware is pretty limited. Also, I'm experiencing same typing lag right now. Not sure the cause; haven't investigated too deeply.

It looks pretty good. I'm a little disappointed in the performance, but that might just have to do with the problem I'm currently experiencing.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the impressions, some Amazon reviews mention the Asus comes with a lot of bloatware so I would check that and uninstall any unnecessary software. Mine will arrive tomorrow, I can't wait! everyone mentions the size of 17" laptop as a a problem but is really not a problem for me.
 
BoobPhysics101 said:
They have 4 cores, but two are physical and the other two are hyperthread "fake" cores. So it's a dual core that can execute 4 threads simultaneously like a quad core.

Mobile i7's that are non-Extreme can't overclock for shit, but they're still pretty damn powerful. I've been actively searching for CPU limited games to justify upgrading to a 920xm, but can't find any 'needs more hertz!' killer apps.

In all the games I've played, i7 seems to be pretty ideal.
Click to expand...

Arma 2 is pretty CPU intensive, right?
 
Omnicent said:
Well after reading through this thread I have decided to purchase a
ASUS G Series G53SW-XN1. It was in stock when I checked this morning, so
I went for it.

I will be going from an old 2005 Dell to this, so I'm looking forward to having this
come in sometime next week.

Is this a good decision for gaming? It's still not to late to cancel my order, so I figured
I'd get some other opinions.
Click to expand...

Should have bought this model off amazon ASUS G53SW-XA1: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004X5XL3Q/?tag=neogaf0e-20

No Tax and free shipping.

Specs:
Intel i7-2630QM (2.0 GHz Quad-Core with Turbo Boost up to 2.9GHz); Nvidia GTX 460M Graphics with 1.5GB GDDR5 VRAM
8GB DDR3 1333MHz, 4 SODIMM Sockets, up to 16GB; 500GB HDD (7200RPM); Super-Multi Optical Drive
Illuminated Keyboard; 1x USB 3.0; 3x USB 2.0; 8-in-1 card reader; 2.0MP Webcam; 802.11 b/g/n; Gigabit LAN; Bluetooth
15.6-Inch FULL HD (1920x1080) LED Display; Windows Home Premium 64-bit Operating System
1 Year Accidental Damage Warranty and 1 Year Standard Warranty Included
Click to expand...

Has 2Gb More DDR3 1333mhz compared to the model you bought.
 
So GAF, I'm ready to purchase. Am I good to go with gaming and future proof of 3+ years?




BATTERY: 6-cells Li-Ion Battery Pack 4800mAh (PBL21)
CD: 8X DVD±R/RW/4X +DL Super-Multi Drive (PBL21)
CPU: Intel® Core™ i7-2720QM Mobile Processor 2.20 GHz 6M Intel Smart Cache, Max Turbo Freq. 3.30 GHz [+160]
FLASHMEDIA: Built-In 3in1 Media Reader
HDD: 500GB 5400RPM SATA300 Hard Drive
HDMI: Built-in HDMI Port
MEMORY: 4GB (4GBx1) DDR3-1333 SODIMM Memory (Corsair or Major Brand)
MOTHERBOARD: Intel HM65 Chipset Mainboard
NOTEBOOK: Compal PBL21 Notebook 15.6" Full HD 1920x1080 Display w/ Built-in 2.0 MP Webcam, HDMI Port, Li-Ion Battery, & Universal AC Adapter
SERVICE: STANDARD 1-YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY AND LIFE-TIME TECHNICAL SUPPORT
SOUND: Built-in 3D Premium Surround Sound
USB: Built-in 2x USB2.0 Ports + 1x USB3.0 Ports
VIDEO: NVIDIA GeForce GT 540M 2GB PCIe Video
Total Price: $1144

Going to purchase through CyberPower Inc.

Sidenote: Would it be better to lower the i7 down to the 2.0 to get higher the RAM to 8GB?
 
mantidor said:
Thanks for the impressions, some Amazon reviews mention the Asus comes with a lot of bloatware so I would check that and uninstall any unnecessary software. Mine will arrive tomorrow, I can't wait! everyone mentions the size of 17" laptop as a a problem but is really not a problem for me.
Click to expand...

It actually just ended up being a Chrome extension. Also, if you get a case, make sure it's at least 18". It's too wide for a regular 17.3" case.
 
BoobPhysics101 said:
If you like Low-Medium settings with no AA, sure.

This is the best deal for a gaming laptop, bar none:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834230021&cm_re=g73jh-_-34-230-021-_-Product

That extra $120 gets you 3-4x as much performance and a much nicer laptop all around. It'll play just about everything on max or near-max settings like butter. I've got one and it's incredible. You won't be disappointed.
Click to expand...
I have the older version of this thing, the one with 1200 x 1080, blu-ray, and 1TB storage (not sure why the newer models are a downgrade, but they're much cheaper, so meh.)

It is.... the least durable thing ASUS has made in a while. The BIOS is buggy as fuck, but those issues are mostly worked out. There's huge overheating issues (dust collects in the weird looking fans). The charger frays easily. It's a fantastic deal, but there's a reason it's so cheap.
 
CcrooK said:
So GAF, I'm ready to purchase. Am I good to go with gaming and future proof of 3+ years?




BATTERY: 6-cells Li-Ion Battery Pack 4800mAh (PBL21)
CD: 8X DVD±R/RW/4X +DL Super-Multi Drive (PBL21)
CPU: Intel® Core™ i7-2720QM Mobile Processor 2.20 GHz 6M Intel Smart Cache, Max Turbo Freq. 3.30 GHz [+160]
FLASHMEDIA: Built-In 3in1 Media Reader
HDD: 500GB 5400RPM SATA300 Hard Drive
HDMI: Built-in HDMI Port
MEMORY: 4GB (4GBx1) DDR3-1333 SODIMM Memory (Corsair or Major Brand)
MOTHERBOARD: Intel HM65 Chipset Mainboard
NOTEBOOK: Compal PBL21 Notebook 15.6" Full HD 1920x1080 Display w/ Built-in 2.0 MP Webcam, HDMI Port, Li-Ion Battery, & Universal AC Adapter
SERVICE: STANDARD 1-YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY AND LIFE-TIME TECHNICAL SUPPORT
SOUND: Built-in 3D Premium Surround Sound
USB: Built-in 2x USB2.0 Ports + 1x USB3.0 Ports
VIDEO: NVIDIA GeForce GT 540M 2GB PCIe Video
Total Price: $1144

Going to purchase through CyberPower Inc.

Sidenote: Would it be better to lower the i7 down to the 2.0 to get higher the RAM to 8GB?
Click to expand...

Try reading the last page or two of this thread for your answer.

In short: Hell naw. That GT540M isn't even futureproof for a year.

Drop the i7 down and spend as much as you can afford on the videocard. Get a 5870M or 6970M if you can. I just looked on their website and the basic versions of the higher end models are only $60 more than the $1144 for the one you spec'd out, but have GTX 460M's standard (much, much faster).

Also, I bought from Cyberpower back in 2002... they sucked back then. Not sure how they are now.

That being said, for that price you can get an Asus G53 or G73 SW...

Edit: Specd out Cyberpower's 'Xplorer X6-9400' notebook with these specs:

CPU: Intel® Core™ i7-2630QM Mobile Processor 2.00 GHz 6M Intel Smart Cache, Max Turbo Freq. 2.90 GHz
HDD: 500GB 5400RPM SATA300 Hard Drive
MEMORY: 4GB (4GBx1) DDR3-1333 SODIMM Memory [-45] (Corsair or Major Brand)
MOTHERBOARD: Intel HM67 Express Chipset Mainboard
SOUND: Built-in 3D Premium Surround Sound
VIDEO: NVIDIA GTX 460M 1.5GB PCIe Video

Total = $1173 ($1300+ if you live in California like me, they don't tax other states apparently?)

It comes out to $1090 if you drop Windows 7 from it and install your own copy (I'd do that).
 
BoobPhysics101 said:
Try reading the last page or two of this thread for your answer.

In short: Hell naw. That GT540M isn't even futureproof for a year.

Drop the i7 down and spend as much as you can afford on the videocard. Get a 5870M or 6970M if you can.

Also, I bought from Cyberpower back in 2002... they sucked back then. Not sure how they are now.

That being said, for that price you can get an Asus G53 or G73 SW...
Click to expand...


Yeah. Been reading back and forth between all sorts of sites. What are good places to purchase anyway?
 
CcrooK said:
Yeah. Been reading back and forth between all sorts of sites. What are good places to purchase anyway?
Click to expand...

I edited my post, check it out.

Cyberpower doesn't look too bad, they're using MSI laptops and apparently customizing them.

If I were you, I'd buy something like this from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004X5XL3Q/?tag=neogaf0e-20

No tax and free shipping is hard to beat. Newegg/Amazon also have G73's for sale for $920 or something like that.

Right now is a great time to buy a gaming laptop, there's so much power available for under $1k.
 
BoobPhysics101 said:
T
CPU: Intel® Core™ i7-2630QM Mobile Processor 2.00 GHz 6M Intel Smart Cache, Max Turbo Freq. 2.90 GHz
HDD: 500GB 5400RPM SATA300 Hard Drive
MEMORY: 4GB (4GBx1) DDR3-1333 SODIMM Memory [-45] (Corsair or Major Brand)
MOTHERBOARD: Intel HM67 Express Chipset Mainboard
SOUND: Built-in 3D Premium Surround Sound
VIDEO: NVIDIA GTX 460M 1.5GB PCIe Video

Total = $1173 ($1300+ if you live in California like me, they don't tax other states apparently?)

It comes out to $1090 if you drop Windows 7 from it and install your own copy (I'd do that).
Click to expand...

I got my own Win7Pro disc. but yeah, this looks a whole lot better. I don't get taxed and have the UPS 3 day shipping out to that figure of $1095. That's within my $1100 budget. I think I'm good to go with this. Comes with a 1 year warranty so I'm cool with that as well.
 
is swapping out laptop GPUs still a pain in the ass? is it even possible on all laptops? I'm thinking about saying screw gaming and getting a thinkpad since I think battery life and durability will be a lot more important to me at college.
 
Lkr said:
is swapping out laptop GPUs still a pain in the ass? is it even possible on all laptops? I'm thinking about saying screw gaming and getting a thinkpad since I think battery life and durability will be a lot more important to me at college.
Click to expand...
Dude just buy the G53 and call it a day.

bangai-o said:
what would be a "starcraft 2 approved laptop recommendation" be (minimal settings).
Click to expand...
What's your budget though?

CcrooK said:
So GAF, I'm ready to purchase. Am I good to go with gaming and future proof of 3+ years?




BATTERY: 6-cells Li-Ion Battery Pack 4800mAh (PBL21)
CD: 8X DVD±R/RW/4X +DL Super-Multi Drive (PBL21)
CPU: Intel® Core™ i7-2720QM Mobile Processor 2.20 GHz 6M Intel Smart Cache, Max Turbo Freq. 3.30 GHz [+160]
FLASHMEDIA: Built-In 3in1 Media Reader
HDD: 500GB 5400RPM SATA300 Hard Drive
HDMI: Built-in HDMI Port
MEMORY: 4GB (4GBx1) DDR3-1333 SODIMM Memory (Corsair or Major Brand)
MOTHERBOARD: Intel HM65 Chipset Mainboard
NOTEBOOK: Compal PBL21 Notebook 15.6" Full HD 1920x1080 Display w/ Built-in 2.0 MP Webcam, HDMI Port, Li-Ion Battery, & Universal AC Adapter
SERVICE: STANDARD 1-YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY AND LIFE-TIME TECHNICAL SUPPORT
SOUND: Built-in 3D Premium Surround Sound
USB: Built-in 2x USB2.0 Ports + 1x USB3.0 Ports
VIDEO: NVIDIA GeForce GT 540M 2GB PCIe Video
Total Price: $1144

Going to purchase through CyberPower Inc.

Sidenote: Would it be better to lower the i7 down to the 2.0 to get higher the RAM to 8GB?
Click to expand...
Buy this, from this company and say goodnight.
 
Lkr said:
is swapping out laptop GPUs still a pain in the ass? is it even possible on all laptops? I'm thinking about saying screw gaming and getting a thinkpad since I think battery life and durability will be a lot more important to me at college.
Click to expand...

Like K Jack said, just get the G53.

And it depends on the laptop, really. My old G60JX was pretty simple to swap the GPU out of, but my new G73 requires disassembling the majority of the chassis.

If you know how to work on computers, it can be either easy or just a pain in the ass.
 
bangai-o said:
anything around 400? my netbook runs SC2 up until 30 units appear on the screen.
Click to expand...

probably what i'm trying to get, a decent sandy bridge laptop. Sadly sandy bridge mainstream laptops are just trickling to the market. I just got and am most likely returning my hp probook 4530s because it's touchpad is all lumpy and weird. It's nice apart from that and the fact that the fans are ALWAYS on regardless of temperature because hp laptops tend to overheat i guess.

other choices:

Asus has a new U31e model coming out with just the integrated graphics ( U31SD with sandy bridge AND a 520M graphics card which isn't that powerful)

Lenovo Thinkpad, maybe the Tmodels but i dunno.
 
What does everyone think of the sony vaio laptops?

Intel® Core™ i5-2540M processor (2.60GHz) with Turbo Boost up to 3.30GHz
Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium 64-bit
Neon Green
14" VAIO Display with LED backlight (1600 x 900)
AMD Radeon™ HD 6630M (1GB VRAM) hybrid graphics with Intel® Wireless Display technology
500GB Hard Drive (7200rpm)
4GB (2GBx2) DDR3-SDRAM-1333

$1179


Those are the specs. I'm a total noob when it comes to laptops and I thought this one looked nice and it would probably run games well. I'm looking to play blizzard games and some valve games (DotA 2) mainly. It's also going to be a multipurpose college computer too.

I've also been looking at the HP envy line. Specifically the black beats edition since it looks so damn sexy. Or maybe I should just go with a macbook. Argh, this is a tough decision! Budgets around $1K, but its pretty loose.

Thanks for any help or recommendations!
 
eosos said:
What does everyone think of the sony vaio laptops?

Intel® Core™ i5-2540M processor (2.60GHz) with Turbo Boost up to 3.30GHz
Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium 64-bit
Neon Green
14" VAIO Display with LED backlight (1600 x 900)
AMD Radeon™ HD 6630M (1GB VRAM) hybrid graphics with Intel® Wireless Display technology
500GB Hard Drive (7200rpm)
4GB (2GBx2) DDR3-SDRAM-1333

$1179


Those are the specs. I'm a total noob when it comes to laptops and I thought this one looked nice and it would probably run games well. I'm looking to play blizzard games and some valve games (DotA 2) mainly. It's also going to be a multipurpose college computer too.

I've also been looking at the HP envy line. Specifically the black beats edition since it looks so damn sexy. Or maybe I should just go with a macbook. Argh, this is a tough decision! Budgets around $1K, but its pretty loose.

Thanks for any help or recommendations!
Click to expand...


Read the last 2 pages of this thread for your answer. That Vaio is an epic ripoff.
 
Dammit. Fedex hasn't updated since Saturday night, I was hoping for it to deliver today, 1 day early.

Last update was that my package left Newark NJ, and that's like 1 hour away from my town! Guess it's not coming in today :/.
 
Oh, now it's here (since 7:29)! The local Fedex facility is in the next town over (same as UPS), hopefully it can ship today :/. Maybe it's already sorted and they just updated it late? It should've been here at least 24 hours.
 
eosos said:
What does everyone think of the sony vaio laptops?

Intel® Core™ i5-2540M processor (2.60GHz) with Turbo Boost up to 3.30GHz
Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium 64-bit
Neon Green
14" VAIO Display with LED backlight (1600 x 900)
AMD Radeon™ HD 6630M (1GB VRAM) hybrid graphics with Intel® Wireless Display technology
500GB Hard Drive (7200rpm)
4GB (2GBx2) DDR3-SDRAM-1333

$1179


Those are the specs. I'm a total noob when it comes to laptops and I thought this one looked nice and it would probably run games well. I'm looking to play blizzard games and some valve games (DotA 2) mainly. It's also going to be a multipurpose college computer too.

I've also been looking at the HP envy line. Specifically the black beats edition since it looks so damn sexy. Or maybe I should just go with a macbook. Argh, this is a tough decision! Budgets around $1K, but its pretty loose.

Thanks for any help or recommendations!
Click to expand...

With that budget the Vaio you should be looking at is the recent update to the S series.

It's not a dedicated gaming laptop but it will easily play Valve and Blizzard games. Where it beats most gaming laptops of this budget is battery life (6-7 hours) and portability (3.8lbs).

The MacBook is currently outdated, I wouldn't recommend one unless you're looking at the MacBook Pros. Sadly the 13.3" MacBook Pro is worthless for games.
 
Massa said:
With that budget the Vaio you should be looking at is the recent update to the S series.

It's not a dedicated gaming laptop but it will easily play Valve and Blizzard games. Where it beats most gaming laptops of this budget is battery life (6-7 hours) and portability (3.8lbs).

The MacBook is currently outdated, I wouldn't recommend one unless you're looking at the MacBook Pros. Sadly the 13.3" MacBook Pro is worthless for games.
Click to expand...
While nothing near a gaming laptop, the 13.3'' macbook pro is capable of running Valve games pretty well, friend of mine had no issues with L4D2 or Portal 2 with most settings at or near max.

With that said if he wants a gaming laptop yeah, he should be looking elsewhere.
 
I've been playing on my dv7 right now and I love it. It gets a little warm to the touch after playing for a while, but I just picked up a laptop cooling pad online for it.

The best I've been able to do is Crysis- all Very High settings, 2X AA, 720 resolution. Anything higher and it gets rather choppy for my tastes.

Quick question, upon bootup there's this weird white splotch that appears on my screen. Anyone know why this would be? I'm kind of concerned. It only seems to appear when the screen blacks out to load something, or on system startup.

The other thing is, sometimes the cursor will randomly jump to the top of the screen while I'm using the touchpad. Am I doing something wrong, or could it be faulty?

Might have to invoke the warranty on these. Hate to have to send it back and wait for it again. ;\
 
I...I....I....missed the delivery. I was in the shower! Who knew they deliver at 9:44 am? Dammit.

4char-forever-alone-guy-high-resolution-430x500.png
 
I got my HP DV6T last week (on Tuesday). I'm really impressed, been playing some games on it and it's able to play everything I've thrown at it on high settings. To be fair, I haven't installed Crysis or Metro 2033 or anything but I'm curious to see how The Witcher 2 runs - if I end up even getting the game.

Hell of a deal to:
Processor: i7-2630QM
Video Card: 1GB 6770M
Memory: 6GB DDR3 RAM
Hard Drive: 750GB HDD
------------------
Price: $730
 
dani_dc said:
While nothing near a gaming laptop, the 13.3'' macbook pro is capable of running Valve games pretty well, friend of mine had no issues with L4D2 or Portal 2 with most settings at or near max.

With that said if he wants a gaming laptop yeah, he should be looking elsewhere.
Click to expand...

It depends on the model. The newer 13.3" MBP's only offer Intel HD graphics so gaming performance is not good at all. The previous model had dedicated nVidia graphics so it actually performed much better, for games at least.
 
Houston3000 said:
I got my HP DV6T last week (on Tuesday). I'm really impressed, been playing some games on it and it's able to play everything I've thrown at it on high settings. To be fair, I haven't installed Crysis or Metro 2033 or anything but I'm curious to see how The Witcher 2 runs - if I end up even getting the game.

Hell of a deal to:
Processor: i7-2630QM
Video Card: 1GB 6770M
Memory: 6GB DDR3 RAM
Hard Drive: 750GB HDD
------------------
Price: $730
Click to expand...


That's what I'm looking at getting. Seems like one hell of a rig.
 
God dammit. My G73JH arrived today.

Fuckin busted. Won't charge.

I called ASUS and they told me to send it in, I'd get it back in 10-14 business days.
FUCK THAT.

Called newegg, they're sending another overnight and i have 30 days to return this broken asshole of a laptop.



In other news, my Dv6 arrived today. Thinking about opening it just to check it out, even though i'm returning it.

That sucks, gdt5016! :(
but I lol'd at the progression of your posts and the pic... hahaha
 
Router said:
That's what I'm looking at getting. Seems like one hell of a rig.
Click to expand...
Well, I ordered it about a month ago now and got $100 off because the shipping was delayed.

Not sure if there's a similar or better deal at this point.
 
It's definitely not a 'gamer approved laptop' by any means... but I just got my Lenovo X220 and was curious what sort of gaming performance I should expect out of it.

i5 2410m processor
4GB Memory (2 at the moment, will be upgrading soonish)
Intel HD 3000


I already have a nice PC for home, so I mostly wanted something nice and portable and under $1000

What, if anything, could this run?
 
I am almost never home so a desktop doesn't make a lot of sense. I play mostly RPG's and the occasional MMO. I don't need the Bently of laptops but I am a bit of a graphics whore. Any advice on what to look at?
 
Massa said:
With that budget the Vaio you should be looking at is the recent update to the S series.

It's not a dedicated gaming laptop but it will easily play Valve and Blizzard games. Where it beats most gaming laptops of this budget is battery life (6-7 hours) and portability (3.8lbs).

The MacBook is currently outdated, I wouldn't recommend one unless you're looking at the MacBook Pros. Sadly the 13.3" MacBook Pro is worthless for games.
Click to expand...
Thanks for all of the responses!
Anyways with the S series the screen resolution is 1366 X 768 instead of 1600 X 900 with the C series and the screen is a bit smaller. It's also only 1.6 lbs heavier.
Are there any other differences that you know of?
 
Got my laptop last night, was able to go to the Fedex center and pick it up.

Loving it! Only problem I have so far is properly connecting it to my TV. Made a thread in the OT, still wasn't really able to fully solve the problem. I'll look into it soon.
 
I have a budget ranging from $600-$900 and am looking for a laptop that can handle PC RPG's (like The Witcher 2). Can someone please recommend the best possible laptop for me to buy within that price range. I want to make sure that I get the best for my money. Thank you
 
1) What is your budget?
Up to $3,000 US dollars unless the market for some reasons stops taking those
2) What size notebook would you prefer?

a. Netbook; 10” screen or less
b. Ultraportable; 11" - 12” screen
c. Thin and Light; 13" - 14" screen
3) Where will you buying this notebook? You can select the flag of your country as an indicator.
Internet, I assume its America but who knows.
4) Are there any brands that you prefer or any you really don't like?
N/A (any will do)

5) Would you consider laptops that are refurbished/redistributed?
Has to be new.

6) What are the primary tasks will you be performing with this notebook?
Gaming, Internet

7) Will you be taking the notebook with you to different places, leaving it on your desk or both?
Both

8) Will you be playing games on your notebook? If so, please state which games or types of games?
RPG's: The newest being Witcher 2. And MMO's possibly the new Star Wars.
9) How many hours of battery life do you need?
Should be near a power supply almost all the time, or at least have the options to purchase extra batteries so time is not a crucial factor

10) Would you prefer to see the notebooks you're considering before purchasing it or buying a notebook on-line without seeing it is OK?
Online is fine.

11) What OS do you prefer? Windows (XP or Vista or Windows 7), Mac OS, Linux, etc.
I just retired a MAC with OS 10 and I use Windows and Linux as my main platforms at work so OS is not a problem. With Games I would assume Windows 7
Screen Specifics

900p and or possibly better if these are options I can go lower if need be for a smaller laptop that can still play newer RPG's

14) Are the notebook's looks and stylishness important to you?
I would prefere if it did not come duct taped/electrical taped like a mummy

15) When are you buying this laptop?
ASAP

16) How long do you want this laptop to last?
At least 2 years


17) How much hard drive space do you need; 80GB to 640GB? Do you want a SSD drive?
250-500GB HD 7200, I can upgrade to an SSD if I want to later

18) Do you need an optical drive? If yes, a CDRW/DVD-ROM, DVD Burner or Blu-Ray drive?
Not necessary unless its already an option as I use dd for almost all my pc gaming needs.
 
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