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Blogs > Plexa
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Plexa
Profile Blog Joined October 2005
Aotearoa39261 Posts
February 19 2010 06:32 GMT
#1
So I've been playing SC2 on my laptop and it barely runs... When I say barely, I mean it. I've got everything switched to low and I can't add units to a group by holding shift and selecting them, cuing commands for my problem with shift also fails regularly, as well as just doing anything when there is lots of shit flying about.

So I've come to the conclusion I need to fix this problem. Now I'm pretty sure the problem is my gfx card since my RAM and cpu are pretty decent. So here are my options:

1) Upgrade my gfx card
Problem: I don't know if this is possible since this is a business laptop (Toshiba Portege M750), I had no intention of playing sc2 on it lol, but here we are.... My gfx card is Intel 965 Express Chipset family - I don't know what that means but I've read that it's impossible to upgrade it =[. This would be the ideal option as it would cost me the least.

2) Any other options?
I don't know what else I can do to improve performance on my laptop? Any suggestions?

3) Buy a new computer
This is the most expensive option, and I would have to wait a bit before i could afford it. Also I would only be buying it to play sc2 and nothing else (since my laptop work fine for everything else). Soo... i don't really know if it is worth it lol.. i dno... =/

Help me TL!!

*
Administrator~ Spirit will set you free ~
GTR
Profile Blog Joined September 2004
51582 Posts
February 19 2010 06:34 GMT
#2
well you can't upgrade your laptop except for RAM.

only option is unfortunately build a new computer, but with teamliquid's help it will be a breeze ;p
Commentator
Empyrean
Profile Blog Joined September 2004
17056 Posts
February 19 2010 06:34 GMT
#3
This was exactly the problem I forsaw for my laptop, and I just decided to not be excited for SC2.

It's worked so far.

Moderator
FragKrag
Profile Blog Joined September 2007
United States11562 Posts
February 19 2010 06:37 GMT
#4
There is really no way to improve the performance on a laptop other than adding RAM

and adding RAM in your situation is a worthless endeavor. An SC2 desktop can be decently cheap depending on where you are (not sure about prices in New Zealand), but the problem is you will need everything :/
*TL CJ Entusman #40* "like scissors does anything to paper except MAKE IT MORE NUMEROUS" -paper
DanceCommander
Profile Blog Joined May 2008
United States1808 Posts
February 19 2010 06:37 GMT
#5
sorry dude, your going to have to build a new one
grobo
Profile Blog Joined February 2007
Japan6199 Posts
February 19 2010 06:41 GMT
#6
Buying a computer that would run SC2 shouldn't be too expensive, building it on your own would be even cheaper and it's not even that hard. And as mentioned above that is pretty much your only option =/
We make signature, then defense it.
deL
Profile Blog Joined March 2009
Australia5540 Posts
February 19 2010 06:43 GMT
#7
or give ol trusty del your account.

Nah but I have the same problem that's why I don't want a key cos I know my lappy can't run it - I am gonna make the leap and buy a new computer when SC2 comes out.
Gaming videos for fun ~ http://www.youtube.com/user/WijLopenLos
Grobyc
Profile Blog Joined June 2008
Canada18410 Posts
February 19 2010 06:44 GMT
#8
On February 19 2010 15:37 DanceCommander wrote:
sorry dude, your going to have to build a new one

If you watch Godzilla backwards it's about a benevolent lizard who helps rebuild a city and then moonwalks into the ocean.
deconduo
Profile Blog Joined January 2008
Ireland4122 Posts
February 19 2010 06:45 GMT
#9
You could give me your beta key? :D

Its not too difficult to build a decent gaming desktop that would run SC2, and it would be pretty cheap. I mean if your goal is to get it to run smoothly on something like low-medium settings, then you wouldn't have to spend too much at all.
LxRogue
Profile Blog Joined March 2007
United States1415 Posts
February 19 2010 07:20 GMT
#10
Yeah upgrading a laptop GPU is difficult/impossible.

Dunno how much else you could do, some games (i.e. Source engine based) have graphics optimizers, but obviously there's nothing like that for SC2. You turned of antialiasing and set the resolution to something like 800x600 too? Just making sure you have the absolute lowest settings. xD

A new desktop wouldn't be terribly expensive. You could get a lower end one just capable of SC2 for maybe $400, but if you are going to invest in a new desktop, you should probably spend a bit more than that.
stenole
Profile Blog Joined April 2004
Norway869 Posts
February 19 2010 07:21 GMT
#11
The cheapest solution is probably to get a friend with a better computer and play the game at his house. And in return you could let the guy play it for the 1 hour nap you'll be needing once every other day.
Malongo
Profile Blog Joined November 2005
Chile3472 Posts
February 19 2010 07:24 GMT
#12
On February 19 2010 16:21 stenole wrote:
The cheapest solution is probably to get a friend with a better computer and play the game at his house. And in return you could let the guy play it for the 1 hour nap you'll be needing once every other day.

Brilliant.
This or you build one.
Help me! im still improving my English. An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind. M. G.
Shotcoder
Profile Blog Joined July 2009
United States2316 Posts
February 19 2010 07:37 GMT
#13
really I doubt it's the graphics card. I run the same chipset family in my toshiba Satellite L355 and it pretty much man handles WoW on any setting. What are the other specs of you computer because my laptop also runs off a Dual core 1.83 with 3 GB of RAM
Shotcoder - C+ BW Terran, Gold LoL(ADC Main)
Plexa
Profile Blog Joined October 2005
Aotearoa39261 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-02-19 07:46:20
February 19 2010 07:46 GMT
#14
Intel Core Duo T8100 @ 2.10 GHz
3gb RAM


I feared as much =[ oh well!!
Administrator~ Spirit will set you free ~
LxRogue
Profile Blog Joined March 2007
United States1415 Posts
February 19 2010 07:51 GMT
#15
On February 19 2010 16:37 Shotcoder wrote:
really I doubt it's the graphics card. I run the same chipset family in my toshiba Satellite L355 and it pretty much man handles WoW on any setting. What are the other specs of you computer because my laptop also runs off a Dual core 1.83 with 3 GB of RAM


I dunno about that. I would never expect that GPU to run new games well, if at all. It can depend on the OS too, older cards may perform better in XP than Vista.

(the X3100 is the GPU associated with that chipset btw)
Shotcoder
Profile Blog Joined July 2009
United States2316 Posts
February 19 2010 08:06 GMT
#16
On February 19 2010 16:51 LxRogue wrote:
Show nested quote +
On February 19 2010 16:37 Shotcoder wrote:
really I doubt it's the graphics card. I run the same chipset family in my toshiba Satellite L355 and it pretty much man handles WoW on any setting. What are the other specs of you computer because my laptop also runs off a Dual core 1.83 with 3 GB of RAM


I dunno about that. I would never expect that GPU to run new games well, if at all. It can depend on the OS too, older cards may perform better in XP than Vista.

(the X3100 is the GPU associated with that chipset btw)


I run Vista and I've been trying to get Windows 7 on it for quite some time. But after I updated my drivers for WoW and got it compatible with the latest WoW patches it ran smoother than ever before..
Shotcoder - C+ BW Terran, Gold LoL(ADC Main)
Plexa
Profile Blog Joined October 2005
Aotearoa39261 Posts
February 19 2010 08:39 GMT
#17
Mmmm I wonder if it would be worth upgrading one of my old towers (they're not that old ... i don't think they're dual core though..)
Administrator~ Spirit will set you free ~
Heyoka
Profile Blog Joined March 2008
Katowice25012 Posts
February 19 2010 09:11 GMT
#18
Lets start a TL charity and use the money to buy staff new computers that can run sc2

(I'm in the same boat as you)

(I'm probably going to build a new machine this summer)
@RealHeyoka | ESL / DreamHack StarCraft Lead
Scorch
Profile Blog Joined March 2008
Austria3371 Posts
February 19 2010 09:34 GMT
#19
On February 19 2010 15:32 Plexa wrote:
So I've been playing SC2 on my laptop and it barely runs... When I say barely, I mean it. I've got everything switched to low and I can't add units to a group by holding shift and selecting them, cuing commands for my problem with shift also fails regularly, as well as just doing anything when there is lots of shit flying about.

Your symptoms point to the easily solvable problem that your shift key is stuck. Use an external keyboard.
Aerox
Profile Blog Joined September 2004
Malaysia1213 Posts
February 19 2010 09:51 GMT
#20
Nvidia or ATI for graphics card for gaming. Never Intel. It runs but never well.
"Eyes in the sky."
Navane
Profile Blog Joined February 2007
Netherlands2751 Posts
February 19 2010 10:16 GMT
#21
You can play sc1
meegrean
Profile Joined May 2008
Thailand7699 Posts
February 19 2010 10:35 GMT
#22
You could continue playing SC1 with me
Brood War loyalist
Plexa
Profile Blog Joined October 2005
Aotearoa39261 Posts
February 19 2010 12:00 GMT
#23
On February 19 2010 18:34 Scorch wrote:
Show nested quote +
On February 19 2010 15:32 Plexa wrote:
So I've been playing SC2 on my laptop and it barely runs... When I say barely, I mean it. I've got everything switched to low and I can't add units to a group by holding shift and selecting them, cuing commands for my problem with shift also fails regularly, as well as just doing anything when there is lots of shit flying about.

Your symptoms point to the easily solvable problem that your shift key is stuck. Use an external keyboard.
No my shift key is fine I play sc with no problems lol
Administrator~ Spirit will set you free ~
RaGe
Profile Blog Joined July 2004
Belgium9950 Posts
February 19 2010 13:08 GMT
#24
integrated graphics = nono

need a new computer
Moderatorsometimes I get intimidated by the size of my right testicle
Chillz
Profile Joined May 2009
Canada100 Posts
February 22 2010 20:40 GMT
#25
You may be able to upgrade the processor on some laptops as well ... but the GPU is usually a no. Integrated graphics can't be expected to run most 3D games well.

Time to bone up on your computers and start lurking on some technology deals sites in New Zealand to see what you can scrounge up. Your cheapest option would probably be to be some pre-configured tower like a Dell or an HP with integrated graphics, make sure that the power supply can handle an external graphics card, and then throw in a budget $80-$100 graphics card.

Obviously if you are going for the long term you should build your rig from scratch with a high end motherboard (most pre-configured towers usually come with absolute crap motherboards). If you just want something that will run SC2 decently then this might be the way to go.

Also, make sure you don't get a tower that is a slim design because most of them can't hold normal sized graphics cards.

Good luck!
blabber
Profile Blog Joined June 2007
United States4448 Posts
February 22 2010 20:45 GMT
#26
I'm sure if your old computer desktop isn't totally ancient, you can just buy a decent video card and SC2 will run alright.
blabberrrrr
yh8c4
Profile Blog Joined July 2009
108 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-02-22 20:46:17
February 22 2010 20:45 GMT
#27
there are external gfx solutions for notebooks (see http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/vidock-expresscard-graphics,1933.html ) so you might wanna research into that area a bit more
Plehksuh is mean
Profile Joined March 2010
Afghanistan9 Posts
March 15 2010 14:41 GMT
#28
YOU BIG MEANIE

im tdot by the way
YOU MEAN PLEXA YOU MEAN!!!! im tdot btw
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