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Gamer-approved laptop recommendation thread
- Thread starter dLMN8R
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Vigilant Walrus
Member
Hmmm. now im actually reconsidering M11X. I just wonder if performance will go up when its still culv...
The m11x with the Core iX refresh is now live on Alienware's US web site. I'm really interested to see how this compares with this now:
The 5650 had a huge performance advantage over the 335m in the m11x, but that was mostly because of the CPU bottleneck on the original m11x. With the Core iX processors now, the 5650 is probably still a bit faster, but not nearly as dramatically so.
There's also the fact that you get Optimus with the new m11x, probably meaning much better driver support in the long run.
The larger screen is probably nice, so I'm really torn at what to get here
It all depends on the prices of the Acer machine for the US.
How much do the 13.3" Acer machines with the 5650 switchable graphics run? USD conversions?
The Acer TimelineX is indeed very interesting, but it's not available in the US and probably won't be until July.Vigilant Walrus said:I am considering this now instead: http://forum.notebookreview.com/ace...nge-info-benchmarks-tweaks-mods-upgrades.html
System specs.
i5-420M to i7-620m processor*
13.3-inch display with a resolution of 1366×768 pixels,
Switchable ATi Radeon HD 5650 graphics
4GB of DDR3 RAM
640GB of hard drive
Atheros Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n (Can do 300mbit/s)
Bluetooth 2.1 or 3.0*
3 x USB 2.0 ports
100/100/1000 Lan
Multi card reader
6 or 9-cell battery*
8 to 12 hours of battery life.
Windows 7 Home Premium
*Various according to spec.
It gets around 7200-7400 points in 3dmark 06.
The amazing thing(if you read the thread) is how cool it says. The ATI 5650 seems to be a"icerock". Very low temperature
display, nothing special though. doesnt have optical drive either.
But a 13''... Now thats the sweet spot. It's got 5-ish hours of battery with the right settings, its 5650 edges out the 335, it has i5/i7, you can put up to 8 GB in there, its a good price, its 1.8 kilos..
Yeah, I think this sounds like the best truly portable gaming thing. It's simply not worth paying 3 times as much as this, for a Sony Vaio Z.
The 5650 had a huge performance advantage over the 335m in the m11x, but that was mostly because of the CPU bottleneck on the original m11x. With the Core iX processors now, the 5650 is probably still a bit faster, but not nearly as dramatically so.
There's also the fact that you get Optimus with the new m11x, probably meaning much better driver support in the long run.
The larger screen is probably nice, so I'm really torn at what to get here
It all depends on the prices of the Acer machine for the US.How much do the 13.3" Acer machines with the 5650 switchable graphics run? USD conversions?
Classic_Gs
Member
Dang that is sweet.
You would probably have to stick with the core 2 duo if you want to stay under $1000.
The starting price for the core i5 is $949. Upgrade to 4GB ram and maybe a 72,000 rpm HD and you're looking at the 1200 range.
The core 2 duo was capable of running almost every current gen game well, but no one knows how big a boost the i5 will have performance-wise.
Edit: Actually, if you don't mind sticking with the 54,000 rpm 160 GB harddrive, you could get the i5 for 949 and upgrade the ram to 4 GB for $50. Total cost before tax and shipping is $999.
The starting price for the core i5 is $949. Upgrade to 4GB ram and maybe a 72,000 rpm HD and you're looking at the 1200 range.
The core 2 duo was capable of running almost every current gen game well, but no one knows how big a boost the i5 will have performance-wise.
Edit: Actually, if you don't mind sticking with the 54,000 rpm 160 GB harddrive, you could get the i5 for 949 and upgrade the ram to 4 GB for $50. Total cost before tax and shipping is $999.
Vigilant Walrus
Member
So is anyone going to get a model with i5 or i7?
I am still waiting to see if there will be any noticeable performance boosts in games
I am still waiting to see if there will be any noticeable performance boosts in games
The forum at notebookreview.com is a good place to start for benchmarks/etc. for this laptop. I've had mine for two weeks (C2D), and it is an amazing little piece.
You can't run stuff like Crysis maxed out (runs just fine on medium, though), but it WILL run pretty much anything if you're willing to back off the graphical quality just a notch. I'm running Bad Company 2 on mine just fine, I had to set Shadows to low and one of the other settings to "medium" but that's about it.
I got mine for about $980, tax included. According to the benchmarks on that forum, there is little difference between the C2D and the i processors when it comes to gaming, by virtue of the fact that they use the same GPU. However, if you are doing a lot of stuff like video compression, you will see a noticeable boost with at least the i7.
I paired mine with a Razer Orochi and have been a PC gaming madman for the past couple weeks.
You can't run stuff like Crysis maxed out (runs just fine on medium, though), but it WILL run pretty much anything if you're willing to back off the graphical quality just a notch. I'm running Bad Company 2 on mine just fine, I had to set Shadows to low and one of the other settings to "medium" but that's about it.
I got mine for about $980, tax included. According to the benchmarks on that forum, there is little difference between the C2D and the i processors when it comes to gaming, by virtue of the fact that they use the same GPU. However, if you are doing a lot of stuff like video compression, you will see a noticeable boost with at least the i7.
I paired mine with a Razer Orochi and have been a PC gaming madman for the past couple weeks.
sundrenched
Neo Member
I've decided to get a new laptop that gaming friendly and light. After reading a few comments here and there, I decided to get the Acer 3850tg, since it's out in my country. Acer has a special link-up with a particular school and luckily my friend's brother goes to that school. So for US$1222 I get,
# Intel® Core i7-620M processor
(2.66GHz, 1066MHz FSB, 4MB L3 cache)
# Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium
# Intel® HM55 Express Chipset
# Intel® Centrino® Ultimate-N 6300 a/g/n Wi-Fi CERTIFIED network with Acer Nplify
# ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5650 (1GB DDR3 VRAM) [AFTER FREE UPGRADE]
# 4GB (2 x 2GB) DDR3 RAM
# 640GB HDD [AFTER FREE UPGRADE]
# 13.3 HD 1366 x 768 pixel resolution, Acer Cinecrystal LED-backlit TFT LCD, 16:9 aspect ratio
# Integrated Bluetooth® 2.1+EDR
# Integrated Acer CrystalEye webcam
# Dolby Home Theatre® audio enhancement
# 1.8kg with 6-cell battery
# 1 year warranty on battery
# 3 years local onsite warranty inclusive of parts and labour (From Acer Direct)
Free External DVD-RW Drive
As a computer noob, I have no idea what anything above means at all. Would I need to get an SDD to make sure my laptop run smoothly? Anything else for this comp? I don't play FPS so I don't need a very tricked out laptop, just one that doesn't lags.
# Intel® Core i7-620M processor
(2.66GHz, 1066MHz FSB, 4MB L3 cache)
# Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium
# Intel® HM55 Express Chipset
# Intel® Centrino® Ultimate-N 6300 a/g/n Wi-Fi CERTIFIED network with Acer Nplify
# ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5650 (1GB DDR3 VRAM) [AFTER FREE UPGRADE]
# 4GB (2 x 2GB) DDR3 RAM
# 640GB HDD [AFTER FREE UPGRADE]
# 13.3 HD 1366 x 768 pixel resolution, Acer Cinecrystal LED-backlit TFT LCD, 16:9 aspect ratio
# Integrated Bluetooth® 2.1+EDR
# Integrated Acer CrystalEye webcam
# Dolby Home Theatre® audio enhancement
# 1.8kg with 6-cell battery
# 1 year warranty on battery
# 3 years local onsite warranty inclusive of parts and labour (From Acer Direct)
Free External DVD-RW Drive
As a computer noob, I have no idea what anything above means at all. Would I need to get an SDD to make sure my laptop run smoothly? Anything else for this comp? I don't play FPS so I don't need a very tricked out laptop, just one that doesn't lags.
Vigilant Walrus
Member
sundrenched said:I've decided to get a new laptop that gaming friendly and light. After reading a few comments here and there, I decided to get the Acer 3850tg, since it's out in my country. Acer has a special link-up with a particular school and luckily my friend's brother goes to that school. So for US$1222 I get,
# Intel® Core i7-620M processor
(2.66GHz, 1066MHz FSB, 4MB L3 cache)
# Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium
# Intel® HM55 Express Chipset
# Intel® Centrino® Ultimate-N 6300 a/g/n Wi-Fi CERTIFIED network with Acer Nplify
# ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5650 (1GB DDR3 VRAM) [AFTER FREE UPGRADE]
# 4GB (2 x 2GB) DDR3 RAM
# 640GB HDD [AFTER FREE UPGRADE]
# 13.3 HD 1366 x 768 pixel resolution, Acer Cinecrystal LED-backlit TFT LCD, 16:9 aspect ratio
# Integrated Bluetooth® 2.1+EDR
# Integrated Acer CrystalEye webcam
# Dolby Home Theatre® audio enhancement
# 1.8kg with 6-cell battery
# 1 year warranty on battery
# 3 years local onsite warranty inclusive of parts and labour (From Acer Direct)
Free External DVD-RW Drive
As a computer noob, I have no idea what anything above means at all. Would I need to get an SDD to make sure my laptop run smoothly? Anything else for this comp? I don't play FPS so I don't need a very tricked out laptop, just one that doesn't lags.
No you don't need an SSD. What you have there is a very powerful and light computer. Acer has had some problems in the past, so if you could, get a warranty so you can return it, if the build quality is not up to snuff.
Vigilant Walrus
Member
Bad Company 2 running on the R2 m11x with i7: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5T8TKqZqm9Q
That's pretty damn impressive. I think Alienware should decrease the bezel, and increase the screen to 12.. maybe even 13'' can fit without increasing the size of the machine. Then make a matte screen, and higher quality with better viewing angles, more brightness.
That's pretty damn impressive. I think Alienware should decrease the bezel, and increase the screen to 12.. maybe even 13'' can fit without increasing the size of the machine. Then make a matte screen, and higher quality with better viewing angles, more brightness.
BishopLamont
Banned
Be quick! It's times like these that make me wish I didn't live in Australia. :/Struct09 said:
Spiderjericho
Member
sundrenched said:
What country do you live in? That's the best performing 13" laptop I've seen so far. I like the Alienware but I would mainly use it for GNS3 (network simulator software) and it requires a beefy processor. Right now, I'm getting a Vostro 3300 with 310M (which is eh) but the 3850tg has a faster processor and graphics card. Thanks.
GREAT deal everyone and great laptop. Jump on it!!! http://www.cowboom.com/store/produc...=Affiliate&utm_source=3640576&utm_campaign=CJ
Edit: I get 25fps on crysis with everythin on ultra high
Edit: I get 25fps on crysis with everythin on ultra high
Just bit on an i5 with 4gb would have been much cheaper without CA tax and recycling fees but I still got a great deal.
I hope to bask in the shadow of the glorious PC master race once I get my hands on this; coming from some old AMD/ATI I put together which last played... Portal on medium.
I've got a lot of catching up to do.
I hope to bask in the shadow of the glorious PC master race once I get my hands on this; coming from some old AMD/ATI I put together which last played... Portal on medium.
I've got a lot of catching up to do.
What the heck? Why would you ever think that this laptop is remotely interesting to anyone posting in this thread? The thing is a massive, massive massive hunk of plastic with extremely shitty battery life, the exact opposite of the type of machine people are looking for.georgc said:
Yikes, I'd never order something like that.
QuiteWhittle
Member
The laptop is not that bad. Actually, it's one of the better dedicated gaming notebooks out there.dLMN8R said:
Of course, I wouldn't buy it but I don't see why you are absolutely repulsed by that laptop.
Hmmm so I've kinda changed my mind on the m11x I'm so vain, I want something else with similar specs but a bit more aesthetically pleasing, alienware stuff just screams nerdy to me now. Having a bit of trouble finding a good portable laptop for uni that's similar in Australia, the Acer Timeline X 3820TG caught my eye but I'm guessing thats not released in Aus cause I just can't find it anywhere .
.The 3820TG is difficult to find everywhere - even the US still. The only rumor I've heard is that it might start showing up outside of Europe in the next few weeks.Soule said:Hmmm so I've kinda changed my mind on the m11x I'm so vain, I want something else with similar specs but a bit more aesthetically pleasing, alienware stuff just screams nerdy to me now. Having a bit of trouble finding a good portable laptop for uni that's similar in Australia, the Acer Timeline X 3820TG caught my eye but I'm guessing thats not released in Aus cause I just can't find it anywhere
Hmmm, well I've had a look around town today and so far the 4820 doesn't look so bad, similar specs and that extra inch or so doesn't hurt too much, it's still quite light and slim, very portable. I'll know in a few weeks if my Uni course transfer goes through, if it does I'm leaning towards the 4820 now.dLMN8R said:
EDIT: any Aussies around think $1250 for the 4820 is a decent deal?
Minsc
Gold Member
georgc said:
Well that's an important detail you're leaving out of your original claim, given the native resolution of the laptop is 1600x900, you're now adding in a bit of distortion/blurriness to the image because you're resizing the pixels, even still I don't believe the 20 minimum. But at such a low resolution, I suppose it isn't too far off.
Vigilant Walrus
Member
Soule said:Hmmm so I've kinda changed my mind on the m11x I'm so vain, I want something else with similar specs but a bit more aesthetically pleasing, alienware stuff just screams nerdy to me now. Having a bit of trouble finding a good portable laptop for uni that's similar in Australia, the Acer Timeline X 3820TG caught my eye but I'm guessing thats not released in Aus cause I just can't find it anywhere
The design has really grown on me, actually. Like you I hated the M11x at first, but if you see it in videos, it really looks like a solid machine, with a very sharp profile. You can disable all the glowing LEDs, or just have them plain white(macbook pro style). It has this very uniqe design.
And something else... screams nerdy? You're not going to fool anyone. Be yourself, and be proud to be a nerd. If I see a business man wielding a alienware, I would take it as a "holy shit that guy is cool".
Everyone has a Mac, a Vaio, all laptops look like sleek minimalistic business laptops. It's a f**king drone mentality, and I think the design in some cases take away from it.
3820 is a stronger machine than Alienware, but some people have been complaining about a poor keyboard with lots of flex and a bad screen, but almost all laptop display sucks in sub 1500 dollars category.
you can't go wrong with either, but seriously, the Alienware looks wicked. colorful LEDs scream 12 year old stupid kid, but there are other things about its strange design that is really cool. You gotta look past the first impression. go on youtube, watch some of those video reviews.
It's a really cool looking device, and most importantly.. it looks incredible solid.
TurtleSnatcher
Member
I still have my Core2Duo one.. I <3 it Battery life is SOOO good
Battery life is SOOO good"God's Beard!"
Member
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sundrenched
Neo Member
Spiderjericho said:
I live in Singapore (Yay Asia!) so it's actually pretty common here.
gregor7777
Banned
georgc said:
How about taking the affiliate codes out of your link?
zero margin
Member
I'm sitting on the purchase screen and am tempted to push it. I went with the 4GB ram, i5 and 500GB HD options. Problem I'm having is that it's hovering at just over $1200...for an 11 inch laptop. :lol
Anyone got a coupon?
Anyone got a coupon?
SiteSeer
Member
zero margin said:
try to knock some money off by using the employee purchase program. my company has that with dell, but i didn't know when i ordered. would have been 100 less.
ALSO beware new owners. the screen hinge on the m11x is crap. i've had this thing from the first week of availability and now the screen wobbles back and forth with about 1 inch of travel at the top edge. the hinge creaked and cracked (no signs of external damage, must all be internal) about two months before this happened. otherwise, no other complaints.
zero margin
Member
SiteSeer said:
Appreciate the info. No go on the employee discount however as my employer competes (tries) directly with dell. Good thought nonetheless for others.
XiaNaphryz
LATIN, MATRIPEDICABUS, DO YOU SPEAK IT
Looking through my EPP, there's only a 10% off offer for the Alienware stuff. Worth it?
TheLegendary
Member
My advice to anyone interested in ordering from Alienware...order by phone!
I got my 10% EPP discount bumped up to 20% for my Alienware desktop due to some crazy misunderstanding (I didn't even ask for it but the lady came back saying that I got 20% off :lol ). Imagine what you can do if you have some good persuasion skills.
I got my 10% EPP discount bumped up to 20% for my Alienware desktop due to some crazy misunderstanding (I didn't even ask for it but the lady came back saying that I got 20% off :lol ). Imagine what you can do if you have some good persuasion skills.
XiaNaphryz
LATIN, MATRIPEDICABUS, DO YOU SPEAK IT
Yeah, all the hinge reports is making me look into the 15" model instead...assuming that one doesn't have the same issues.
zero margin
Member
Decided to save $200 and get a more powerful ASUS (i7 instead of i5 for starters, extended warranty) and a 16" screen as well, think that 11.5" would have annoyed me quickly.
zero margin
Member
spwolf said:asus has serious throttling issues.... i think that will annoy you even more.
Doubtful honestly
zero margin said:
well let us know in year what happens... whichever Asus you picked, it either has throttling issues or cpu/gpu temps reach +90C, and I want to see what happens with it in 1 year.
My V1Sn is now louder than my PS3 (at 4/5 fan), and gets so hot that you cant put it on the lap anymore... and thats supposedly "elite" class Asus with awesome build quality. LOL. Half of tube of glue is already in this thing, keeping it together until my Elitebook comes in.
And of course, there is point in m11x - it is small, portable, battery lasts between 5 and 8 hours and is cool! Asus crap has 1hr battery, is 2x bigger/heavier and runs 20C hotter. With similar performance (people are getting almost 8000 Pcmark06 with oc'd m11x i7).
I just dont believe anything positive i read about Asus on the forums anymore. People get sucked in with the lower price point but it all comes back in the end.
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