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Gamer-approved laptop recommendation thread

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Intel Core i7-2630QM
6GB DDR3(doesn't list the speed wtf)
Switchable graphics with Radeon HD 6770M 1GB
1366x768 screen res
1TB 5400rpm(I guess I'll learn to live with it lol)
its the HP Pavilion dv6-6091nr. Looking to run Valve games(should be no problem), BFBC2, and eventually, BF3.
Total: $886.99

plus it comes with a 4GB xbox that I could sell for $150-200. Good deal? I think so, but I'll wait for you guys to make the last call before I hit the order button...
 
Lkr said:
Intel Core i7-2630QM
6GB DDR3(doesn't list the speed wtf)
Switchable graphics with Radeon HD 6770M 1GB
1366x768 screen res
1TB 5400rpm(I guess I'll learn to live with it lol)
its the HP Pavilion dv6-6091nr. Looking to run Valve games(should be no problem), BFBC2, and eventually, BF3.
Total: $886.99

plus it comes with a 4GB xbox that I could sell for $150-200. Good deal? I think so, but I'll wait for you guys to make the last call before I hit the order button...

That's my laptop (actually, mine is a bit different. Different HDD, and a different name I think, but same-ish specs), it's a beast. I'm able to run Witcher 2 on high, no problem at all. Dunno how.

I'm currently running the High/Ultra config (Boob's), at 30-40 fps, I shit you not (though DOF and SSAO are off, true).
 
gdt5016 said:
That's my laptop (actually, mine is a bit different. Different HDD, and a different name I think, but same-ish specs), it's a beast. I'm able to run Witcher 2 on high, no problem at all. Dunno how.

I'm currently running the High/Ultra config (Boob's), at 30-40 fps, I shit you not (though DOF and SSAO are off, true).
how is the battery life when you aren't gaming(assuming you switch to the low power graphics)?
do you have a 7200rpm drive? i'm wondering how big of a performance difference there will be between 7200rpm vs 5400rpm.
 
K.Jack said:
I'll look around for you.

Would you consider buying from another European country?

Thanks a lot for the offer, but I'm not buying until November (Skyrim). I'll hold you to that offer if you don't mind :) I'm willing to buy abroad, if I can get a suitable warranty (1 year or preferably more, redeemable in Sweden). My two last laptops (Asus and Sony) have been to the repair shop several times each, so I'm a little jumpy. Also I'd prefer a Swedish keyboard if it's possible (like in that kobaltcomputers link, looks good! Tons cheaper than over here)
 
Lkr said:
how is the battery life when you aren't gaming(assuming you switch to the low power graphics)?
do you have a 7200rpm drive? i'm wondering how big of a performance difference there will be between 7200rpm vs 5400rpm.
I ordered a very similar laptop to the specs you listed above; while I was researching what to get, everyone who commented on the type of HDD suggested the 7200 rpm drive even if it had less capacity. They also said to do 4GB of ram since 6GB is a minimal improvement. If you do a lot of video/audio editing or something and need more ram, you can just buy another 4GB stick from newegg for cheap.
 
cluto said:
I ordered a very similar laptop to the specs you listed above; while I was researching what to get, everyone who commented on the type of HDD suggested the 7200 rpm drive even if it had less capacity. They also said to do 4GB of ram since 6GB is a minimal improvement. If you do a lot of video/audio editing or something and need more ram, you can just buy another 4GB stick from newegg for cheap.
I'm doing a quickship model because configuring it is more expensive. in fact, if I configure with 4GB ram, I'm paying MORE money. not to mention if I configure, it doesn't ship until the 22nd and then takes 5-7 business days to arrive, and I need it before then, so that is out of the equation unfortunately. If the 5400rpm drive is problematic, I can just buy a 7200rpm drive on newegg and stick the 5400rpm in my PS3 or an enclosure for an external.
 
Lkr said:
Intel Core i7-2630QM
6GB DDR3(doesn't list the speed wtf)
Switchable graphics with Radeon HD 6770M 1GB
1366x768 screen res
1TB 5400rpm(I guess I'll learn to live with it lol)
its the HP Pavilion dv6-6091nr. Looking to run Valve games(should be no problem), BFBC2, and eventually, BF3.
Total: $886.99

plus it comes with a 4GB xbox that I could sell for $150-200. Good deal? I think so, but I'll wait for you guys to make the last call before I hit the order button...
What. 800, PLUS it includes an xbox you could sell? Sounds like a great deal.
 
MNC said:
What. 800, PLUS it includes an xbox you could sell? Sounds like a great deal.
I guess I'll do it. I was really looking at the 13" mbp, but this looks like too good of a deal too pass up.
 
totaled at $949.08 after tax. they wouldn't let me do the xbox because it was a quick ship model, but meh. I hope I made a good choice. 5-7 day shipping now :\
 
Yo, coupon code NBQ5286 is good for $375 off of a custom order DV6 Quad.

Brings it down to $799 (before tax), and you probably qualify for the 360.

edit - plus you get the free 6GB RAM, and 750GB HDD
 
K.Jack said:
Yo, coupon code NBQ5286 is good for $375 off of a custom order DV6 Quad.

Brings it down to $799 (before tax), and you probably qualify for the 360.

edit - plus you get the free 6GB RAM, and 750GB HDD
i think you have to order from the academy site to get the 360. i already got the 6GB ram though and a 1 TB hard drive. as much as I would love a custom one(to get the 1080p screen), it won't ship til the 22nd, and with 5-7 day shipping, it won't get here in time(before I move).

does anyone here have experience with HP laptops? Do they let you burn your own 7 recovery DVD from a preinstalled program? I'm probably going to have to reformat it and I'm thinking about doing ~750GB for Win7 and the rest for a hackintosh install.
 
So I'm looking to buy a new laptop, this 2006 laptop just isn't cutting it. My budget is around $800-$1000. I need it for work and of course playing game. Is the HP the best option? Can I get the $300 off or whatever coupon it is plus get the MS 360 or 10% off with it as well if I have edu email?
 
Anyone know of a good site that ships laptops internationally?
The laptop prices here are killing me and the USD is really low right now so it should be much better that way.

Edit: is the Radeon 5650 really that obsolete? Looks like that is the only thing in my budget right now :(...

How am I going to play Skyrim, this PC gaming thing is really pricey (on a laptop).
 
demigod said:
So I'm looking to buy a new laptop, this 2006 laptop just isn't cutting it. My budget is around $800-$1000. I need it for work and of course playing game. Is the HP the best option? Can I get the $300 off or whatever coupon it is plus get the MS 360 or 10% off with it as well if I have edu email?
the computer I got is only on the HP edu website(just google hp academy) and it is really good bang for buck imo. I don't think the coupons work with the academy site, which I believe is required for the free xbox. My computer didn't qualify for the xbox, but at this point, I don't care.

HP's 5-7 day shipping can suck it too. I thought I was in the clear seeing as I'm going on vacation on Friday, but lo and behold, FedEX says it will be here on Friday. Hopefully it arrives before I have to leave(which would be a nice bonus to take with me)
 
what are your opinions in regard to this laptop?

ASUS G53SW-XA1 Republic of Gamers 15.6-Inch Gaming Laptop by Asus


# 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


unfortunately my options are limited to amazon and my budget is $1300
 
What's better:
i7 with Radeon 5650 or i5 with Radeon 6770M?
It's the same price. Will any of these play current and upcoming games on medium-high settings? (on 720p resolution)
Will a laptop like this show me a real improvement over the Xbox 360?
Sorry I'm just really new at PC stuff...
 
sestrugen said:
what are your opinions in regard to this laptop?

ASUS G53SW-XA1 Republic of Gamers 15.6-Inch Gaming Laptop by Asus


# 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


unfortunately my options are limited to amazon and my budget is $1300
I have an asus and it's great, my next laptop will be a g series for sure
 
Cromat said:
What's better:
i7 with Radeon 5650 or i5 with Radeon 6770M?
It's the same price. Will any of these play current and upcoming games on medium-high settings? (on 720p resolution)
Will a laptop like this show me a real improvement over the Xbox 360?
Sorry I'm just really new at PC stuff...
The 6770M is literally 2x the 5650M's speed.

Take the i5 + 6770M.
 
K.Jack said:
Yo, coupon code NBQ5286 is good for $375 off of a custom order DV6 Quad.

Brings it down to $799 (before tax), and you probably qualify for the 360.

edit - plus you get the free 6GB RAM, and 750GB HDD

Wouldnt 640gb 7200 rpm be better than that 750gb?
Id 2gb needed on the 6770m?

Also how do i go about on acquiring the free 360?
 
demigod said:
Wouldnt 640gb 7200 rpm be better than that 750gb?
Id 2gb needed on the 6770m?
Get the 7200 rpm and the 1GB 6770m. The 2GB costs extra right? I'm pretty sure it's not worth it.
 
When it comes to mobile GPUs, none of them are fast enough to actually use more than 1GB of video RAM.

Reason being, that it takes max settings and 1920x1200 w/ 4xAA or even 2500x1600 with AA, to bottleneck 1GB. No mobile GPU can even maintain playable framerate at such resolutions.

Thus, if a GPU automatically comes with 1.5GB or 2GB, whatever, but paying extra for more VRAM is straight up senseless.
 
Looking for a "gaming capable" laptop to use for business and pleasure.

Requirements are as follows:

-14-16" screen, widescreen
-processor: comparable to a core i5, quad+ core preferred if possible
-moderately powerful dedicated video card
-chassis: chicklet keyboard preferred highly
-4gb ram
-under 1000$, preferably in the 6-800$ range

I am not very familiar with mobile processors, manufacturers, or video cards. Please help.
 
pancakesandsex said:
Looking for a "gaming capable" laptop to use for business and pleasure.

Requirements are as follows:

-14-16" screen, widescreen
-processor: comparable to a core i5, quad+ core preferred if possible
-moderately powerful dedicated video card
-chassis: chicklet keyboard preferred highly
-4gb ram
-under 1000$, preferably in the 6-800$ range

I am not very familiar with mobile processors, manufacturers, or video cards. Please help.
if you're a college student(or have a .edu e-mail) check out the dv6-6091nr on the HP Academy website. the pre-built(quick ship) version is $886 before tax and comes with a quad i7, 6gb ddr3 ram, 1tb hard drive, and a 6770m video card with a 15" screen.
 
Lkr said:
if you're a college student(or have a .edu e-mail) check out the dv6-6091nr on the HP Academy website. the pre-built(quick ship) version is $886 before tax and comes with a quad i7, 6gb ddr3 ram, 1tb hard drive, and a 6770m video card with a 15" screen.

I don't suppose an alumni email would work? It's .org though.
 
pancakesandsex said:
I don't suppose an alumni email would work? It's .org though.
to be honest, all I did was say I was a current student and selected my school on the registration page and used my gmail address. it let me in and order without any issues at all. the only time they wanted the .edu address was when i tried to get the free xbox, which the computer didn't qualify for. so in the end, i didn't use the address at all. so nudge nudge ;)
 
pancakesandsex said:
Looks like they didn't need all that much to actually sign up O_o Might go for this. Any other suggestions?
I couldn't find anything comparable in the price range, which is why I went for it. The Dell XPS 15 is more expensive with a worse video card. The ASUS machines are really nice, but they don't have switchable graphics(switches to integrated to save battery life when not gaming) and are more expensive. The only thing I'm not sure about with the HP is whether or not I'm getting bluetooth with it. Guess I'll find out tomorrow
 
There is nothing below $1k, which is anywhere near the DV6's power.

The next performance tier starts @ $1,149.99
 
Lkr said:
I couldn't find anything comparable in the price range, which is why I went for it. The Dell XPS 15 is more expensive with a worse video card. The ASUS machines are really nice, but they don't have switchable graphics(switches to integrated to save battery life when not gaming) and are more expensive. The only thing I'm not sure about with the HP is whether or not I'm getting bluetooth with it. Guess I'll find out tomorrow

Thanks for the tip, this thing has killer specs. Pretty much exactly what I was looking for, maybe a little high on price. Any idea when this sale is good till?
 
Is ATI's mobile drivers still shitty? This laptop of mine is x600 or something and I think I only found one driver for it throughout the years.

Also is HP Academy cheaper than the $375 off from HP.com?
 
Hi laptop GAF. Need your advice on whether to pull the trigger on this or wait.

It's the 3D Dell XPS 17

i7-2630QM processor 2.00 GHz with Turbo Boost 2.0 up to 2.90 GHz
17.3" FHD (1080p) 3D Display with 2.0MP HD Webcam
NVIDIA 3D Vision glasses (1 pair)
4GB Shared Dual Channel DDR3 Memory
NVIDIA® GeForce® GT 555M 3GB
90 WHr 9-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery
500GB 7200 RPM SATA Hard Drive
Tray Load Blu-ray Disc BD-Combo (Reads BD and Writes to DVD/CD)
Intel© Centrino© Advanced-N 6230 and Bluetooth 3.0

$1,199 before tax.

Decent deal? Horrible deal?

Will this run Witcher 2 ok?
 
jling84 said:
Hi laptop GAF. Need your advice on whether to pull the trigger on this or wait.

It's the 3D Dell XPS 17

i7-2630QM processor 2.00 GHz with Turbo Boost 2.0 up to 2.90 GHz
17.3" FHD (1080p) 3D Display with 2.0MP HD Webcam
NVIDIA 3D Vision glasses (1 pair)
4GB Shared Dual Channel DDR3 Memory
NVIDIA® GeForce® GT 555M 3GB
90 WHr 9-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery
500GB 7200 RPM SATA Hard Drive
Tray Load Blu-ray Disc BD-Combo (Reads BD and Writes to DVD/CD)
Intel© Centrino© Advanced-N 6230 and Bluetooth 3.0

$1,199 before tax.

Decent deal? Horrible deal?

Will this run Witcher 2 ok?
if you don't need 3D or 1080p, I'd recommend saving the money on the HP. If you really want 3d/1080p/blu ray, that is an AMAZING deal.

As for the drivers, I hear you have to mingle with them a bit, but it isn't overly complicated. You use the OEM HP drivers and then install hotfix 11.5A and B on top of them without removing anything, and you should be good to go.

FedEx should be here this afternoon, then I'm gonna pack it and take it to the hotel(going on vacation). We'll see how well it survives a stress test on its first weekend! I'm hoping that the backup utility(to return to factory defaults), which supports flash drives of 16gb, will support a 20gb partition on my external hard drive.
 
demigod said:
Is ATI's mobile drivers still shitty? This laptop of mine is x600 or something and I think I only found one driver for it throughout the years.

Also is HP Academy cheaper than the $375 off from HP.com?
AMD's drivers are good.

The x600 is an outdated GPU, which is no longer receiving support.
 
woah, those little bluetooth dongles are $12??! I figured they'd be like $5 or so. I don't think mine has built in bluetooth, but at that price, I don't think it is worth adding just for tethering. I guess I'll usb it
 
Lkr said:
Intel Core i7-2630QM
8GB DDR3(doesn't list the speed wtf)
Switchable graphics with Radeon HD 6770M 2GB
1366x768 screen res
1TB 5400rpm(I guess I'll learn to live with it lol)
its the HP Pavilion dv6-6091nr. Looking to run Valve games(should be no problem), BFBC2, and eventually, BF3.

I got the same laptop, and I am using it right now. I know it has switchable graphics, but does anyone here know how to switch them? I fell way below the minimum specs on canyourunit for the Witcher 2 and I know this laptop should at least be able to handle it on low. Canyourunit seems to think I only have the Intel(R) HD Graphics card.

Edit: Thus far one of my games gave me an error message: You must update your Video Drivers to play Altitude. NOTE: Windows Update does not install drivers with OpenGL support. You must download the drivers directly from your video card manufacturer.

Any help? Also Bit. Trip Runner isnt working either.
 
Obsessed said:
I got the same laptop, and I am using it right now. I know it has switchable graphics, but does anyone here know how to switch them? I fell way below the minimum specs on canyourunit for the Witcher 2 and I know this laptop should at least be able to handle it on low. Canyourunit seems to think I only have the Intel(R) HD Graphics card.

Edit: Thus far one of my games gave me an error message: You must update your Video Drivers to play Altitude. NOTE: Windows Update does not install drivers with OpenGL support. You must download the drivers directly from your video card manufacturer.

Any help? Also Bit. Trip Runner isnt working either.


If I'm not mistaken, it switches dynamically. Perhaps you're on a low power setting that disables switching? I had the laptop for a couple of days but I don't really remember...
 
IMACOMPUTA said:
If I'm not mistaken, it switches dynamically. Perhaps you're on a low power setting that disables switching? I had the laptop for a couple of days but I don't really remember...

I switched to High Performance mode and the problem (OpenGL problem) still exists.
 
Hi guys, need a recommendation on a laptop. It doesnt need to be a gaming laptop. Something mid-range around 600-700$. It's mostly going to be used for webbrowsing, Microsoft Office, and Flash videos. Nothing serious, but it has to run very smoothly and just dont want any problems with it. It would be nice if it could play your basic games like Dragon Age, Starcraft, etc. Any ideas? What brand is generally the best to look at? Thanks
 
Obsessed said:
I switched to High Performance mode and the problem (OpenGL problem) still exists.

If you're on High P, and switched to the 6770 in the CCC, you shouldn't be having a problems. Have always been around, or did it start acting up? System Restore?
 
Ashhong said:
Hi guys, need a recommendation on a laptop. It doesnt need to be a gaming laptop. Something mid-range around 600-700$. It's mostly going to be used for webbrowsing, Microsoft Office, and Flash videos. Nothing serious, but it has to run very smoothly and just dont want any problems with it. It would be nice if it could play your basic games like Dragon Age, Starcraft, etc. Any ideas? What brand is generally the best to look at? Thanks

i've been looking into a Lenovo ideapad y470. 14'' screen, i5-2410m processor, 550m Nvidia graphics card for $670 with the current coupon ( and going through the barnes and nobles site http://shoplenovo.i2.com/SEUILibrary/controller/e/barnesnoblegold/StdAffinityPortal/en_US/Lenovo:EnterStdAffinity?sexpired=1&requested-affinity-cmd=builder.workflow:Enter&mtm-item=%3A000000F3%3A00004493%3A

Still not sure though Xo Mainly because it has a glossy screen, and not sure about its screen quality, some people who have it say it's average ( which is good) despite the y460 having a poor screen last model.
 
gdt5016 said:
If you're on High P, and switched to the 6770 in the CCC, you shouldn't be having a problems. Have always been around, or did it start acting up? System Restore?

It's been a problem since I started up the computer. I switched to High P finally, but I did not see an exact option in the CCC to switch to the 6770. All I saw was an option next to certain programs under Switchable Graphics for either High Performance or Power Saving.
 
Obsessed said:
I got the same laptop, and I am using it right now. I know it has switchable graphics, but does anyone here know how to switch them? I fell way below the minimum specs on canyourunit for the Witcher 2 and I know this laptop should at least be able to handle it on low. Canyourunit seems to think I only have the Intel(R) HD Graphics card.

Edit: Thus far one of my games gave me an error message: You must update your Video Drivers to play Altitude. NOTE: Windows Update does not install drivers with OpenGL support. You must download the drivers directly from your video card manufacturer.

Any help? Also Bit. Trip Runner isnt working either.

This may or may not help, but here's how I got switchable graphics working on my M17x R3 after a clean install of Windows:

First, I had to install the STOCK Dell driver for the 6970M since it seems to have special profiles for the 6970m and Sandy Bridge IGP switching. THEN I installed the latest Catalyst 11.5b drivers OVER those drivers. This kept the IGP switching yet gave me the latest updates. The stock Dell drivers include the Intel HD IGP drivers so you don't need to install those separately.

So I suggest you install your STOCK HP 6770m drivers THEN update with the latest Catalyst by installing over those drivers. Make sure NOT TO UNINSTALL your stock drivers!

If you want to start from a clean slate, do this:

Uninstall current drivers ---> run DriverSweeper 3.0 in Safe Mode and clean out all AMD drivers ---> Install stock HP drivers ---> Install latest Catalyst over those stock HP drivers WITHOUT uninstalling the HP drivers.
 
BoobPhysics101 said:
So I suggest you install your STOCK HP 6770m drivers THEN update with the latest Catalyst by installing over those drivers. Make sure NOT TO UNINSTALL your stock drivers!

No dice. For whatever reason I'm missing the OpenGL crap.

K.Jack said:
Would one of you 6770M owners please post a GPU-Z screenshot?

Do you mean this?

hyc.png
 
I have an Asus g73jw-rog, let me say that it is absolutely the best laptop I have ever had. It stays very cool, I think asus did a genius design with the cooling system. And best of all it runs everything so smoothly. I can run games like the witcher 2 or mass effect 2 at the highest settings with no problem.

Specs:
i7
1.5gb 460
Blu-ray burner
1.5tb HDD 7200rpm
16GB DDR3 1333MHz ram
1920x1080 resolution
usb 3.0
 
I have pretty much the same laptop (HP I7/8GO/6770M/1,5T/Bluray/17') and it's impossible to install the latest drivers for my 6770 !

When i try to install them from the AMD/ATI site, I get this error message :



I m stuck with the 8.810.4.1000 (30/12/2010)... wtf ?

Any help ?
 
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