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Gamer-approved laptop recommendation thread

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zoku88

Member
spwolf 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.
Maybe you just have a lemon. I had a V1S and that got 2hr30m.

You should look at consumer reports...reports. They show that ASUS laptops break down the least compared to any other brand.

Is that your only ASUS laptop? Do you think it's smart to pain a company by ONE laptop, out of the hundreds of thousands to millions they make (I have no idea how much they sell, but they're popular in TW at least.)
 

dLMN8R

Member
Disappointing to see how little difference the new CPU makes, while significantly hurting battery life. Did not expect to see that at all, glad I didn't order one at this point.
 

SiteSeer

Member
dallow_bg said:
Same here with the hinge.
You can get them to change it in home since it's covered by warranty.
I plan to call them up in a few months for that.

well, its not going to take a few months because the hinge just broke on my m11x. came home, opened the lid and 'craaaaaack' then little bits of black plastic came out of the hinge gap where the two pieces of plastic meet ... looks like the joiners just snapped and how small they are, about 2mm in width. so far the screens still held on, but i'm not going to close the lid, the gap runs from the left hinge across the bottom of the lcd to the right hinge. don't want the screen casing to open lengthwise.

lets hope the repair fixes the problem permanently, but it looks like a design defect (to my untrained eye).
 
dLMN8R said:
Disappointing to see how little difference the new CPU makes, while significantly hurting battery life. Did not expect to see that at all, glad I didn't order one at this point.


The problem is driver optimizations for the new chipset , that will probably change in the future .
There was a promotion on a Dutch gamesite (gamekings) for a 200 € discount so I took the plunge and ordered the i7 one with 500 Gb and Bluetooth for little over a 1000 €
So the wait begins :D
 

spwolf

Member
dLMN8R said:
Disappointing to see how little difference the new CPU makes, while significantly hurting battery life. Did not expect to see that at all, glad I didn't order one at this point.

well i think it is pretty damn stupid and unprofessional to test old mx11 with oc'd CPU while leaving i7 one stock...
 

SapientWolf

Trucker Sexologist
spwolf said:
well i think it is pretty damn stupid and unprofessional to test old mx11 with oc'd CPU while leaving i7 one stock...
Overclocking the i7 makes the performance worse. At least that's the word on the forums. Makes me wish I got the old school M11 back when it was on sale for $650.
 

Ezduo

Banned
spwolf 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.
I've got an Asus G1S-A1 that I've been very happy with. Had it since 2007, does indeed run hot and battery life isn't much better than three or four hours with the screen turned down but beyond that it suits my needs perfectly. I usually have it hooked up somewhere so battery life is never an issue and I'm able to easily move it between my college dorm and my home when I need too. Hell, I brought it with me down here to visit my Grandfather and its been a godsend to easily move it from one room to the next whenever I feel like it. Runs games pretty great too. Only recently with stuff like GTA IV have I started to find games that are pretty much unplayable on it but stuff like Call of Duty, Team Fortress 2, Max Effect 2, and the like all run respectively.
I've been more than satisfied with the performance I'm getting out of it and will hopefully be able to keep using it for the next two or so years, if not longer. By that point though I'll begin looking for a new computer and honestly, with the experience I've had with this Asus, I may just get another gaming laptop. One that can play the games I currently can't play (or have to play with everything turned down) and maybe have it a little future proof so that I can continue playing new games for the next few years.
 
Smiling..

Thats what I am

Since I have the old one.. and they made the i5 i7 announcements 1 day after I got mine delivered.

I'm the happiest ever :D
 

Minsc

Gold Member
dLMN8R said:
Disappointing to see how little difference the new CPU makes, while significantly hurting battery life. Did not expect to see that at all, glad I didn't order one at this point.

Well, it didn't add any cores right? If they went to a QM i7 w/ 4 real cores, instead of the M i7 version with just 2 cores, you may have seen more improvement in certain titles.
 
SapientWolf said:
Overclocking the i7 makes the performance worse. At least that's the word on the forums. Makes me wish I got the old school M11 back when it was on sale for $650.


Not exactly true , some people used Intel Turbo boost in combination with over-clocking , that worked against it and lowers the FSB they just raised again !
 

XiaNaphryz

LATIN, MATRIPEDICABUS, DO YOU SPEAK IT
So my mx11 i5 came in a few days ago. Haven't really anything too intensive, though I did give Portal and TF2 a quick spin. Portal was okay at high settings, TF2 was not during a SP practice session. I'm sure it'll be fine once I lower some detail settings. Have yet to try any performance tweaks or OCing yet though.

Haven't done any major battery tweaks either, but I was able to get it to around 6-7 hours of battery life for just some basic browsing just from some basic stuff (lowering brightness, shutting down all unneeded apps and processes, disabling external lights, disabling wifi, etc).

Got PCSX2 up and running as well going through a USB DVD drive, that seemed okay other than FMVs skipping. I suspect that'll be better if I used an ISO instead.
 

fatty

Member
Ok fellas, my friend has asked me to help him find a laptop for Starcraft 2, and while I've done considerable research for my desktop build I'm in the dark when it comes to laptops.

His budget is ~$800, but the thing is that he has to buy it through AAFES (Army & Air Force Exchange Services). Luckily I found out that they offer the M11x through the site, with a $100 discount even, but I'm not so sure how fond he will be of the small size and no optical drive.

Here's what I've seen so far:

Alienware M11x
Price $799.00
EPP Discount $100.00
Price $699.00


Overclockable Intel® Core™2 Duo SU7300 1.3GHz (3MB Cache)
2GB Dual Channel DDR3 at 800MHz 160GB SATAII 5, 400RPM
Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium, 64bit, English

With the upgrade option to 4GB RAM (+$50) and a 320 GB HDD (+$75) the total comes to $825

HP Pavilion 17.3" AMD Turion™ II Dual Core P520 320GB Entertainment Notebook

Price...$795.00


Now there’s a notebook PC made for the way you play. In fact, the HP Pavilion dv7 comes with software that lets you start playing right out of the box. With amazing graphics, audio and video, plus a wide array of options, the HP Pavilion dv7 Entertainment series notebook delivers power and performance to match your fast-paced lifestyle. Exclusive HP MediaSmart software gives you instant access to the music and movies you love. Immerse yourself in videos, games and 3D graphics on the high-definition 17.3" diagonal HP BrightView LED display. With the large hard drive, you can store volumes of data, movies and music. Expand your entertainment with a Blu-ray Disc™ optical drive for stunning HD video and digital audio.

Model: HP-dv7-4061NR

Operating System: Microsoft® Windows® 7 Home Premium 64-bit

•VISION Technology from AMD - Premium with AMD Turion II Dual-Core Mobile Processor P520
•2.3GHz processor speed
•2MB L2 Cache
•Up to 3.6 GT/s system bus running at AC/DC mode 25 watt
•4GB DDR3 System Memory (2 DIMM); Max supported = 8GB
•2 accessible memory slots
•ATI Mobility Radeon™ HD 4520 Graphics with 128MB Display Cache Memory with 128MB DDR3 (sideport memory) with up to 2054MB total graphics memory
•320GB (7200 RPM) Hard Drive (SATA) with HP ProtectSmart Hard Drive Protection
•HP TrueVision Webcam with integrated digital microphone
•HP SimplePass with integrated fingerprint reader
•LightScribe Blu-ray ROM with SuperMulti DVD±R/RW Double Layer Support
•17.3" diagonal High Definition+ HP BrightView LED Display (1600 x 900)
•Integrated 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet LAN (RJ-45 connector)
•Wireless LAN 802.11b/g/n WLAN
•5-in-1 integrated Digital Media Reader
•Beats™ Audio and HP Triple Bass Reflex Subwoofer
•101-key compatible with island-style full-size keyboard with integrated numeric keypad
•HP ClickPad with On/Off button
•4 USB 2.0 ports; 4th port shared with eSATA
•HDMI™ port
•eSATA + USB 2.0 port
•VGA (15-pin) port
•RJ-45 (LAN) port
•Headphone-out port
•Microphone-in port
•Kensington® MicroSaver lock slot
•Power-on password
•Accepts 3rd-party security lock devices

Color: Brushed aluminum finish with the stream design in argento

Power: 65W AC Adapter; 9-Cell 93WHr Lithium-Ion Battery; 110-240V (auto adjusts), AC, 50/60Hz

Size: 1 1/4"-1 3/8"H x 16 3/8"W x 10 3/4"D

Toshiba® Satellite 17.3" AMD Phenom™ II Triple Core P820 1.8GHz 500GB Notebook

Price...$795.00



For those seeking a super-size PC with desktop-like performance plus Toshiba quality, style and value, the Satellite L675 laptop is a great choice. Whether you’re working, studying, creating multimedia or just up for widescreen high-definition entertainment, the 17.3" diagonal TruBrite® HD display on this notebook makes it better. And for those thinking about replacing their desktop computer, this PC offers a multi-core processor from AMD, a DVD player, along with all the memory and storage needed to tackle whatever the day may bring. Toshiba "Smart" Features, such as a TouchPad™ with multi-touch control and a PC Health Monitor, mean you can do more and worry less. With Wi-Fi, a webcam and plenty of expansion ports, you’ll have all the freedom you need to do your best.

MODEL: L675D-S7022

OPERATING SYSTEM: Microsoft® Windows® 7 Home Premium (64-bit)

•Energy Star®, EPEAT Gold compliant
•AMD Phenom II Triple Core Processor P820 1.8GHz
•1.5MB L2 cache
•4GB DDR3 RAM (max. 8GB)
•500GB 5400 RPM SATA hard disk drive
•Blu-ray Disc™ ROM and DVD SuperMulti drive w/ Labelflash supporting 12 formats
•17.3" diagonal widescreen TruBrite TFT LCD display at 1600 x 900 native resolution (HD+)
•ATI Mobility Radeon™ HD 4250 Graphics w/ 256MB-1405MB dynamically allocated shared graphics memory
•Webcam and microphone w/ Toshiba Face Recognition software
•5-in-1 memory card reader
•eSATA/USB combo port
•Wi-Fi wireless networking 802.11b/g/n
Includes:

•6-cell rechargeable battery (3-hr., 48-min. battery life)
•AC adapter
•Various Toshiba software and utilities

Color: Fusion™ Finish in Helios Gray

Power: 110-240V (auto adjusts), AC, 50/60Hz

Size: 1 1/2"H x 16 1/4"W x 10 5/8"D

Weight: 6.6 lbs.

MSI C Series 15.6" Intel® Core™ i5-430M 2.26GHz 500GB Notebook

Price...$819.00



MSI’s concise and refined classic cross-hatch design uses high-tech color film print technology for a dazzling look. The sparkling, scratch-resistant enamel provides a high degree of rigidity. Abandoning the stereotype of thick, heavy traditional notebooks, the C Series offers a thinner, lighter solution for more convenient usage. And it’s easier for you to take it on the move.

MODEL: MSMCR620-31US

OPERATING SYSTEM: Microsoft® Windows® 7 Home Premium

•Intel Core i5-430M Processor 2.26GHz
•3MB L2 cache / 1066MHz FSB
•4GB DDR3 system memory
•500GB 5400 RPM SATA hard drive
•DVD SuperMulti drive
•15.6" WXGA LCD display (1366 x 768)
•Intel Graphics Media Accelerator HD graphics card
•Built-in 1.3MP webcam
•4-in-1 card reader
•802.11b/g/n WLAN
Includes:

•6-cell rechargeable battery
•AC adapter
•Microsoft Office 2007 60-day trial
•Owner’s manual
•Warranty information
Color: Black

Power: 110-240V (auto adjusts), AC, 50/60Hz

Size: 3/4" - 1 1/8"H x 14 3/4"W x 9 3/4"D

Weight: 5.46 lbs.

MSI Classic Series 16" Intel® Pentium® Dual Core T4300 2.1GHz 320GB Notebook

Price...$695.00



MSI CR600 combines slim style design and functionality, making it perfect for everyone and every day. Weighing a little more than 5 lbs. with battery, the CR600 is easy to carry and lighter than most 16" notebooks. Open the laptop to find a touchpad that lets you feel the high-quality design. Classic Series brings together luxurious style with practical use.

MODEL: MSMCX600-63US

OPERATING SYSTEM: Microsoft® Windows® 7 Home Premium

•Intel Pentium Dual Core T4300 Processor 2.1GHz
•1MB L2 cache / 800MHz FSB
•4GB system memory
•320GB 5400 RPM SATA hard drive
•SuperMulti drive
•16" WXGA LCD display (1366 x 768)
•ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4330 graphics card
•Built-in 1.3MP webcam
•Built-in Bluetooth® 2.0
•802.11b/g/n WLAN
Includes:

•6-cell rechargeable battery
•AC adapter
•Microsoft Office 2007 60-day trial
•Owner’s manual
•Warranty information
Color: Black

Power: 110-240V (auto adjusts), AC, 50/60Hz

Size: 5/8" - 1 1/8"H x 14 3/4"W x 9 3/4"D

Weight: 5.46 lbs.

Unfortunately I can't post links since the site requires a password. Any graphics cards or brands (or anything else) that I should stay away from? Main brands they seem to offer are Asus, Acer, HP, Toshiba, MSI Ibuypower and Dell.

The good thing about the M11x is that it seems to run SC2 pretty well from a youtube link someone posted earlier in the thread but its downfall is that I know he will want the optical drive and probably a larger screen. I don't think battery life is too big of a concern since he will just be plugging it in where ever he goes. Thanks for the help.
 

sasimirobot

Junior Member
XiaNaphryz said:
Any decent external Bluray/DVD combo drives if I opt for the m11x?
USB-powered Blu-ray drive for $100

This looks pretty hot!
http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/21/plextor-ships-px-b120u-usb-powered-blu-ray-drive-for-100/

plextor-px-b120usmall.jpg
 
The whole situation with M11x R2 is interesting.


Somebody got incredible results in GTA4 by disabling turbo boost.


Turbo Boost, goes in and removes the dual core functionality, to further increase the capacity on a single core. But in the case of GTA4, which runs awful on anything that is not dual core(in fact quad-core is a must for GTA4)... it completely destroyed the game. but once Turbo boost is disabled in bios, the game ran over twice as good.. twice the framerate with medium/high settings. That is incredible all things considering.

There are problems with turbo boost and Optimus. More drivers and firmware updates are needed. These were not probably tested in every game before getting thrown out the door. That is why you see the i5 and i7 results not being impressive despite the beefier pricetag.


For now it's a mix match of Optimus recognizing the game. Some games just run on integrated graphics, with the GPU disabling itself without the user knowing it. Thats a big problem. you might play crysis or TF2 without knowing if the GPU is on. Some people have had luck with adding games to the Optimus list in the settings menu for the GPU in control panel.


As for turbo boost its a different beast. some games will benefit from the single core boost from TB, while others will be hurt from it. TB is a good idea, but its not so smart it knows what every application is designed to run the best for which.


It's to early to pass judgement on the i5 and i7, but as others predicted they are still ULV, and run under the same principles as the c2d versions. They are not magic. They are the slight step in the chain. That little speed bump they all take.


Bad Company 2 and FFXIV beta seems to be the problematic games for m11x across the board. They will scrape the lower end of the barrel when playable, due to their CPU intensity.


Other people have been struggling with WoW and SC2...
 

thuway

Member
Hey guys,

My friend who is a female wants to buy a powerful netbook. I suggested the M11x to her, but the problem is, it looks FAR too masculine.

The personalization plate is cool, but the wierd Alien language on it makes it look kind of awkward. Any suggestions or is there any way Dell make this thing a bit more effeminate?
 

XiaNaphryz

LATIN, MATRIPEDICABUS, DO YOU SPEAK IT
Vigilant Walrus said:
For now it's a mix match of Optimus recognizing the game. Some games just run on integrated graphics, with the GPU disabling itself without the user knowing it. Thats a big problem. you might play crysis or TF2 without knowing if the GPU is on. Some people have had luck with adding games to the Optimus list in the settings menu for the GPU in control panel.
Forcing an application to use a particular graphics chipset is very easy on the R2, no worries there.
 
thuway said:
Hey guys,

My friend who is a female wants to buy a powerful netbook. I suggested the M11x to her, but the problem is, it looks FAR too masculine.

The personalization plate is cool, but the wierd Alien language on it makes it look kind of awkward. Any suggestions or is there any way Dell make this thing a bit more effeminate?

The only other option that is comparable is Sony's Vaio Z but it costs nearly twice as much and has a worse GPU:

http://www.anandtech.com/show/3822/laptop-buyers-guide-14inch-and-smaller/3


If she's got absolutely no interest in playing games then any CULV machine should do.

If she does though, short of the Vaio Z or M11x she'll ahve to step up to Hp's Envy 14:

http://www.anandtech.com/show/3822/laptop-buyers-guide-14inch-and-smaller/7
 
Got my baby this week !
This weeks Dell official drivers gave a speed boost but latest Nvidia drivers also install without problems now if you use the modded INF file found here and give the best performance by far :

http://forum.notebookreview.com/alienware/

Optimus problems are gone for most if not all games and adding games if needed for optimus is dead easy , performance on R2 is really super now so I am very happy .

Ps,

If you don't like the Alien plate , it's on the underside and you can turn of any light to make it look very much like any other Netbook only slightly bulkier , you get a lot of performance in return .
 

Firestorm

Member
I'm really torn right now between the Asus UL30JT and UL30VT... The VT is last year's model and has a Core 2 Duo while it seems the JT coming out this year has an i3. I thought it would have an i5 which is what I was waiting for. The VT has longer battery life and although the CPU tech is older, it seems it's about the same performance-wise =/

They are the ULV or whatever CPUs with decreased speeds for better battery that can be turbo'd if required. Both have switchable video cards between integrated and dedicated.

Edit:
UL30JT: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003V4AJT4/?tag=neogaf0e-20
UL30VT: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0032FOKXS/?tag=neogaf0e-20
 

EviLore

Expansive Ellipses
Staff Member
Made the thread title a little more broad.


So I need a new laptop, something that I can use to comfortably run GAF abroad but that can also handle multimedia and at least light gaming. My first choice right now is this:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834127087

SONY VAIO E Series VPCEB17FX/B
Intel Core i3-330M(2.13GHz)
15.5" 1920x1080 screen
4GB DDR3
500GB 5400rpm hdd
BD Combo drive
ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5470 512mb
5.9 lbs
3.5 hour battery life

$820


Thoughts? Seems like a pretty balanced setup. I dislike the idea of spending a ton on a laptop because of how quickly they depreciate and how higher end configs usually have their own issues with weight, battery life, and overheating.
 

mclem

Member
Amusingly, I'm in a rather similar boat to Evilore. I've recently started a new job, and am toying with the idea of rewarding myself by investing in a laptop; not least, this is influenced by the fact that the new workplace has employee discounts if buying from Dell UK.

I wouldn't be after something bleeding-edge, I would hazard a guess that I'd be quite happy with something that plays Half-Life 2 and World of Warcraft at a decent framerate; My main intent, I think, is to use up time spent on a train - which is often quite long over Christmas - to play GOG stuff like RPGs and other low-demand content.

So, with those speed concerns, does anyone have any suggestions for stuff on the Dell site I ought to consider looking into?
 
EviLore said:
Made the thread title a little more broad.


So I need a new laptop, something that I can use to comfortably run GAF abroad but that can also handle multimedia and at least light gaming. My first choice right now is this:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834127087

SONY VAIO E Series VPCEB17FX/B
Intel Core i3-330M(2.13GHz)
15.5" 1920x1080 screen
4GB DDR3
500GB 5400rpm hdd
BD Combo drive
ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5470 512mb
5.9 lbs
3.5 hour battery life

$820


Thoughts? Seems like a pretty balanced setup. I dislike the idea of spending a ton on a laptop because of how quickly they depreciate and how higher end configs usually have their own issues with weight, battery life, and overheating.

The 5470 is a really shitty mind, only 80 stream processors its honestly not even a huge upgrade over modern integrated. Around that budget you get machines that pack a core i5 and 5650 (a 400 sp chip, its a massive upgrade despite having such a close nmber), you might have to sacrifice screen resolution to get a comparable price but it depends on your priorites, upping your budget slightly may get you both.

I'd start by having a look at the HP Envy 14.

A 5650 + core i5 combo will actually play any game on the market and usually at semi-reasonable settings to boot. It'll certainly run games at "better than console" quality at least.

Edit: I like the look of this:

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=6304487&CatId=4938

Reliable brand, excellent CPU + GPU combo but the low screen resolution could be an issue for you, depends on your needs really.
 

K.Jack

Knowledge is power, guard it well
EviLore said:
Made the thread title a little more broad.


So I need a new laptop, something that I can use to comfortably run GAF abroad but that can also handle multimedia and at least light gaming. My first choice right now is this:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834127087

SONY VAIO E Series VPCEB17FX/B
Intel Core i3-330M(2.13GHz)
15.5" 1920x1080 screen
4GB DDR3
500GB 5400rpm hdd
BD Combo drive
ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5470 512mb
5.9 lbs
3.5 hour battery life

$820


Thoughts? Seems like a pretty balanced setup. I dislike the idea of spending a ton on a laptop because of how quickly they depreciate and how higher end configs usually have their own issues with weight, battery life, and overheating.
How about my friend, the 14" Asus K42.

Core i5, GT 335M, 500GB, LED backlight, small footprint, etc
 
Played some more with my i7 Alienware M11x and put COD MW2 on it which runs perfectly with high settings , I switched AA off because you don't really need that on a 11 " screen .

The game looks unreal on that tiny thing :lol
 

dLMN8R

Member
My thread, 'tis been mutated! :lol

I really wish Acer would say more about a US release of that 3820TG. Really annoying that it's been so long :-(
 
I want to jump in on the M11x R2, but this thread scares the crap out of me: http://forum.notebookreview.com/ali...creen-touching-keyboard-discussion-r1-r2.html


It's funny because no review I have read seems to have had these hinge issues, and from reading that thread, this has apparently been a problem with previous XPS Dell laptops! Im like what?
I've never delt with either Dell before - Due to bad reputation and no Stores, and neither Alienware because they have always been beyond expenssive(until now).


M11x will meet my needs(even with a CULV) to the things I want to use it for. My only worry is the keyboard and screen... and now the hinge. It annoys me that I can't try it. My country's Dell site does not seem to have a 30 days return policy.





I was going to get a 3820 but when I tried it... Dude, there is so much flex on that keyboard, that if you press on the G key on the middle of the entire keyboard, the keyboard sinks 1 inch into the laptop.. it feels like its about to snap. I tried it in two different stores, and also 4820 and 5820, and it's the same... Acer screwed up the build quality on this.

It's a shame, because no other 13'' with a full i7 and 5650. It felt snappy. I wonder why we have these high end models, when they are not out in the states?
 

XiaNaphryz

LATIN, MATRIPEDICABUS, DO YOU SPEAK IT
SC2 plays rather well on my m11x R2. Currently have it set with everything on High, except lighting (low) , shadows (medium), and reflections (off). Laptop bus is OC'ed to 162.
 
XiaNaphryz said:
SC2 plays rather well on my m11x R2. Currently have it set with everything on High, except lighting (low) , shadows (medium), and reflections (off). Laptop bus is OC'ed to 162.

What do you think of everything besides that? how is the keyboard, screen and hinge?


Some people make extreme assumptions on the internet. I heard someone say that the reflections and double reflections meant it was almost not usuable in a room that not completely dark, even inside...?
 

scoobs

Member
I'm in need of some help regarding a semi-capable gaming laptop. Budget is around $800 and all I really wanna play is Starcraft 2 on it. I'm thinking I'll need an i5 with a dedicated graphics card to be able to run it, anyone point me in the right direction?
 

XiaNaphryz

LATIN, MATRIPEDICABUS, DO YOU SPEAK IT
Vigilant Walrus said:
What do you think of everything besides that? how is the keyboard, screen and hinge?
No issue so far with the hinge, though I'm being more careful with it just in case due to other people's reports. Keyboard takes some getting used to as I'm used to a full keyboard layout, but other than trying to get comfortable with the size I have no complaints so far. I haven't really had any issues with the screen, but I usually play with the brightness cranked all the way up with the laptop plugged in to AC power. Reflections are more of an issue when the brightness is lowered, but I got used to it.
 

Firestorm

Member
Ok, I'm now seriously looking at the 13" Macbook Pro as it's not much more expensive than the Asus UL30JT.

Asus UL30JT: $850 USD right now (not sure what CAD price will be)
Macbook Pro: $1150 (Education price) - $150 when I sell the iPod Touch = $1000 CAD

So $150 gets me:
250 GB less HDD space
2.4 GHz Core 2 Duo instead of 1.3 GHz i3 (Ultralight or whatever)
Better screen
Backlit keyboard
Build quality?
Supposedly about 2 hours more of battery life

However, I will almost certainly be using Windows 7 as my primary OS. I've never been too much of an OSX guy. I have it on my desktop as a secondary OS and can't remember the last time I booted into it. I'll probably keep it on hand for any Final Cut Pro work I might want to do, but that's about it. Now my biggest question is, how is the battery life in Windows 7? I've heard it's as low as 1.5 hours which would be ridiculous. I also heard it's due to the Windows side being unable to switch between the integrated and dedicated video cards in the larger models, but that wouldn't be a problem in the 13". Does anyone have any experience with this?

Edit: Oh and how well will it run TF2, L4D2, and Audiosurf >.>
 

domlolz

Banned
What the consensus on the ATI Mobility Radeon HD4570? There are a few cheaper laptops that have this chipset that seem to be pretty decent? Yay or nay?
 
domlolz said:
What the consensus on the ATI Mobility Radeon HD4570? There are a few cheaper laptops that have this chipset that seem to be pretty decent? Yay or nay?

Its complete shit. 80 SP = don't waste your time.

We've said it before but on the ATI side the 5650 is the lowest you should be aiming for if you want to be doing any sort of serious amount of gaming. You can get laptops featuring the 5650 (and even a quad core if you want) from as little as $800 these days.
 
Griffin said:
The only laptops that qualify as a 'gaming laptop' are the Alienwares, Asus G73 and the MSI GX640/740.

Rest is shit, enjoy your portable heaters.

I can't agree with that at all. The 5650 can do some very decent gaming and it has very little power consumption and heat output and is found in 15" $800 machines. There's never been a time when so many laptops have been capable of doing a decent amount of modern gaming.
 

TheExodu5

Banned
I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Desktop for gaming. Cheap laptop for portability. There are too many compromises made going for a gaming laptop, and gaming portably simply isn't comfortable. A few people have a legitimate need for one, but most people would be better off with a gaming desktop and a cheap portable for work/browsing.
 
TheExodu5 said:
I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Desktop for gaming. Cheap laptop for portability. There are too many compromises made going for a gaming laptop, and gaming portably simply isn't comfortable. A few people have a legitimate need for one, but most people would be better off with a gaming desktop and a cheap portable for work/browsing.

Well I'll never dispute that, although at least things aren't nearly as bad as they once were.
 

Griffin

Member
brain_stew said:
I can't agree with that at all. The 5650 can do some very decent gaming and it has very little power consumption and heat output and is found in 15" $800 machines. There's never been a time when so many laptops have been capable of doing a decent amount of modern gaming.

That's what I thought when I bought the 4670 with my Dell Studio XPS 16. Thing runs fine the first few months but now i'm hitting 80 degrees C when playing WoW on the lowest settings.

But then, it might be because it's a Dell.

One of the most important things you have to pay attention to in a laptop is it's construction and cooling. It's cool to have a i7 with 5870 X2 but that thing won't last more than 30 minutes.

Just make sure that if you're buying a 'gaming laptop', please get a decent laptop cooler with it; e.g. Antec Notebook cooler 200 or Thermaltake Massive23 CS.
 
Firestorm said:
Ok, I'm now seriously looking at the 13" Macbook Pro as it's not much more expensive than the Asus UL30JT.

Asus UL30JT: $850 USD right now (not sure what CAD price will be)
Macbook Pro: $1150 (Education price) - $150 when I sell the iPod Touch = $1000 CAD

So $150 gets me:
250 GB less HDD space
2.4 GHz Core 2 Duo instead of 1.3 GHz i3 (Ultralight or whatever)
Better screen
Backlit keyboard
Build quality?
Supposedly about 2 hours more of battery life

However, I will almost certainly be using Windows 7 as my primary OS. I've never been too much of an OSX guy. I have it on my desktop as a secondary OS and can't remember the last time I booted into it. I'll probably keep it on hand for any Final Cut Pro work I might want to do, but that's about it. Now my biggest question is, how is the battery life in Windows 7? I've heard it's as low as 1.5 hours which would be ridiculous. I also heard it's due to the Windows side being unable to switch between the integrated and dedicated video cards in the larger models, but that wouldn't be a problem in the 13". Does anyone have any experience with this?

Edit: Oh and how well will it run TF2, L4D2, and Audiosurf >.>


Why aren't you considering the HP Envy 14?

Its specs decimate both the Asus and Macbook and while it is a little larger, at only an inch thick and 5 pounds in weight, you'd hardly notice the difference imo. Battery life is still decent at 4.5 hours for general use but its ina whole different performance league.

Go with the 1366x768 screen and pretty much any game will run well at native resolution so long as you don't go overboard with the settings.
 

Firestorm

Member
Every single person I know with an HP laptop has had it break down. I know it's anecdotal but I honestly do not trust HP at all and am not considering anything by HP for my purchase. My last laptop was a floor model Toshiba A100-SK9 which I got in January 07. Battery life + Portability are my #1 factors. I game less than I used to and I have my desktop for that anyway. I just need it for when I'm meeting someone at a cafe, some crappy spot on campus, etc. to work on something and have no access to an outlet.

A larger screen resolution is actually better for me as it's going to be more for Photoshop / HTML+CSS / Video work than anything else. I just want to be able to fire up Audiosurf or a Source engine game. I don't see myself playing anything but those on it.
 
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