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Getting a new laptop..

Blogs > DragoonPK
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DragoonPK
Profile Blog Joined July 2007
3259 Posts
February 04 2009 15:24 GMT
#1
So March is coming up and its my birthday on the 14th. My dad promised me a new laptop since this one is getting well, out of date... Here is my current laptop specs:
- Windows XP SP3
-2.0ghz Core 2 Duo
-1GB RAM DDR2
- Moblie Intel 945GM Graphics card 256MB(T.T)
- 160GB Hard Disk

So you can basically see I can't run any "new" games on it. I have no complaints much, but since SC2 is coming soon and Im going to Uni I thought Id ask for a new one. Anywayz, so I went and checked out some of the stuff around this island (Yes Bahrain is a tiny island that you cannot see even if you look at the world map with a giant magnifying glass lol) and I found 2 laptops that I thought might be good.

I don't fully remember the specs by heart, all I know that both were extremely similar in them so here is what I remember for both:
- Vista home premium SP1
- 2.0ghz Core 2 duo
- 3GB ram DDR2
- One had a Nvidia geforce 9200m gs 256mb, while the other had Radeon 3450 HD 256mb.
- 260GB Hard disk

The one with the geforce was a compaq, while the other was a dell studio 15 with a Radeon.

So my question is, which graphic card do you think is more powerful and what does its extent reach?

Shad0w
Profile Joined February 2009
United States3 Posts
February 04 2009 15:37 GMT
#2
Well first of all I would say avoid Vista if at all possible, I am running a rig with an OC quad at 3.6Ghz and 8GB of RAM and vista is still a pain and consumes a ridiculous amount of resources. Just for the sake of Direct X 10 depending on what happens with SC2 you might want to consider dual booting (having multiple operating systems) which you can find several guides for online. As far as the graphics card goes they both are more of an entry level option because they are in a laptop after all and we dont want it melting . Personally I am an Nvidia fan and based on the little bit of reading I have done it will probably go farther gaming wise than the Radeon you listed. Id say look at some reviews online about both of them and then keep other features of the laptop in mind and make the decision for yourself.
Jibba
Profile Blog Joined October 2007
United States22883 Posts
Last Edited: 2009-02-04 15:57:16
February 04 2009 15:56 GMT
#3
Depending on the game the 3450 is a bit better but neither are going to run new games in anything other than lowest detail. The 3450 also has newer DirectX support.

http://www.notebookcheck.net/NVIDIA-GeForce-9200M-GS.9453.0.html
http://www.notebookcheck.net/ATI-Mobility-Radeon-HD-3450.9593.0.html
ModeratorNow I'm distant, dark in this anthrobeat
DragoonPK
Profile Blog Joined July 2007
3259 Posts
February 04 2009 16:08 GMT
#4
The only game I am really concerned about is SC2, so I am buying this new laptop technically for it. But since the specs are not officially out, then I dunno what to do.
Benecol
Profile Joined January 2009
Finland82 Posts
February 04 2009 16:13 GMT
#5
Ask for the laptop when sc2 is released. Safer that way. Laptops aren't too good for games.
DragoonPK
Profile Blog Joined July 2007
3259 Posts
February 04 2009 16:17 GMT
#6
On February 05 2009 01:13 Benecol wrote:
Ask for the laptop when sc2 is released. Safer that way. Laptops aren't too good for games.


I am gonna be in Uni by that time, thats the problem...
Scorch
Profile Blog Joined March 2008
Austria3371 Posts
February 04 2009 16:29 GMT
#7
On February 05 2009 01:17 DragoonPK wrote:
Show nested quote +
On February 05 2009 01:13 Benecol wrote:
Ask for the laptop when sc2 is released. Safer that way. Laptops aren't too good for games.


I am gonna be in Uni by that time, thats the problem...

So what? Why would you need a strong graphics card for university? If anything, buy a netbook for university for superior mobility, but your old laptop suffices easily. Even my 800MHz laptop can do anything I need for my studies.
DragoonPK
Profile Blog Joined July 2007
3259 Posts
February 04 2009 16:35 GMT
#8
On February 05 2009 01:29 Scorch wrote:
Show nested quote +
On February 05 2009 01:17 DragoonPK wrote:
On February 05 2009 01:13 Benecol wrote:
Ask for the laptop when sc2 is released. Safer that way. Laptops aren't too good for games.


I am gonna be in Uni by that time, thats the problem...

So what? Why would you need a strong graphics card for university? If anything, buy a netbook for university for superior mobility, but your old laptop suffices easily. Even my 800MHz laptop can do anything I need for my studies.


I was talking about not getting a desktop cuz ill go to university. Sorry for not making that clear xD
T.O.P. *
Profile Blog Joined January 2009
Hong Kong4685 Posts
February 04 2009 16:52 GMT
#9
The ATI 3450 is the better graphics chip. It could run most new games at low to medium settings. The ATI 3650 is probably a better choice. The Nvidia 9600GT is even faster, but it's defective.

I would say the 3450 would be enough because you are going off to college. I bought a laptop with a good graphics card right before I go to university, but I don't use it at all. I don't play any graphics intensive games and I'm still behind in work.
Oracle comes in, Scvs go down, never a miscommunication.
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