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[R] Laptop buying

Blogs > HnR)Insane
Post a Reply
1 2 Next All
Insane
Profile Blog Joined November 2003
United States4991 Posts
June 09 2009 13:51 GMT
#1
Hi guys,
I'm going to be getting a new laptop soon. I can afford any price pretty much, but I don't want to waste money regardless.... I basically want to be able to play games like SC2/Diablo 3/other modern games.

I have no idea where to look or start looking, as just googling up laptops isn't really guaranteed to produce reliable results. I know a friend of mine had an alienware laptop that was crap (it would overheat way too easily, and randomly restart even with him having it over cooling stuff)

Advice? :D

*****
b3h47pte
Profile Blog Joined May 2007
United States1317 Posts
June 09 2009 13:58 GMT
#2
http://ibuypower.com/
Those look good and are pretty well priced too imo
ZoW
Profile Blog Joined January 2009
United States3983 Posts
June 09 2009 14:00 GMT
#3
I've been using a dell xps m1730 for over a year now and its great. Only downside is that its heavy and the ac cord is huge, so its not that portable. I still recommend it though
the courage to be a lazy bum
Zoler
Profile Blog Joined June 2008
Sweden6339 Posts
June 09 2009 14:05 GMT
#4
SC2 and Diablo2? Buy a desktop comp
Lim Yo Hwan forever!
StarN
Profile Blog Joined November 2004
United States2587 Posts
June 09 2009 14:10 GMT
#5
I always wanted a Dell XPS M1730. But I'm a poor college student
Retired BW Noob
NeoIllusions
Profile Blog Joined December 2002
United States37500 Posts
Last Edited: 2009-06-09 14:16:50
June 09 2009 14:15 GMT
#6
lol, get a desktop and a netbook.

Playing SC on a laptop sux. But if you're adamant about a laptop, I'd also go with the Dell XPS M1730.

Decent review: http://reviews.cnet.com/laptops/dell-xps-m1730-laptop/4505-3121_7-32687269.html
ModeratorFor the Glory that is TeamLiquid (-9 | 155) | Discord: NeoIllusions#1984
Frits
Profile Joined March 2003
11782 Posts
June 09 2009 14:39 GMT
#7
I'd get one like Acer Aspire 8930G-644G32MN for about 700 euros if you want gaming, has a geforce 9600 which is probably what you're looking for? Anyway I suggest looking that one up.

ghermination
Profile Blog Joined April 2008
United States2851 Posts
June 09 2009 14:50 GMT
#8
The XPS M1720 is rather outdated, if cost isn't a problem and you want something with huge gaming capability that will continue to be incredibly powerful for the next 5-6 year i reccomend thehttp://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834220527 Asus W90Vp-X2
18.4" Screen
6GB RAM
Core 2 Quad Q9000 @ 2.0ghz
Radeon 4870M X2 (!!)
320GB 7200RPM HDD
2,249 USD.
Seriously this thing is a monster, faster than most desktops nowadays (unless they're beastly)
U Gotta Skate.
demonix
Profile Joined June 2009
United States35 Posts
June 09 2009 14:51 GMT
#9
Just a word of advice, if you don't have to don't get anything above a geforce 8800 GTS or the ATI equivalent ... the "newer" GPUs really are the same, just rebranded for marketing purposes. The technology is identical and the 8800 GTS has served me well for gaming even with the newer games. If you want to be on the safe side you can go with the 9800.

If you're going to be gaming a few years down the road I really suggest not getting a laptop though.
ghermination
Profile Blog Joined April 2008
United States2851 Posts
Last Edited: 2009-06-09 15:58:03
June 09 2009 14:56 GMT
#10
On June 09 2009 23:51 demonix wrote:
Just a word of advice, if you don't have to don't get anything above a geforce 8800 GTS or the ATI equivalent ... the "newer" GPUs really are the same, just rebranded for marketing purposes. The technology is identical and the 8800 GTS has served me well for gaming even with the newer games. If you want to be on the safe side you can go with the 9800.

If you're going to be gaming a few years down the road I really suggest not getting a laptop though.


Wat?
Good job spewing the same mentality over and over. Yes, because having both a much faster memory core and shader clock, more stream processors, and 4x the video memory means that the radeon X2 and gtx 285 are exactly the same right? Pls lrn2 understand GPU's and the intricacies of their technology. Seriously i hate when random kiddies who barely understand how hard manufacturers work on these cards start saying things like this. There is at least a 3x power increase between the newest Nvidia card (GTX 285) and the 8800GTS. I could just as easily say that Starcraft 2 is exactly the same as SC1, just rebranded, so why should we buy it?

GTX 285 Core, Memory, and Shader Clocks:
648 MHz
2484 MHz
1476 MHz
Memory: 1 or 2GB GDDR3
8800 GTS Core, Memory and Shader Clocks:
500MHz
1480MHz
400 MHz
Memory: 512MB DDR2 or DDR3
Seriously the only resemblance is in the core clock. Please do your research before you say things like this.
U Gotta Skate.
georgir
Profile Joined May 2009
Bulgaria253 Posts
Last Edited: 2009-06-09 15:19:21
June 09 2009 15:11 GMT
#11
If you want a laptop for the use that they were intended for, mobility, don't even look at the 17 inch monsters that people are linking - those are called "desktop replacements" for a reason, you wouldn't want to lift them off the desk.

I think the best choice for mobility would actually be some of the tablet convertibles around 11-13 inches, like Dell XT2 if money really isn't an issue, Fujitsu T5010 or T2020 to save some, or for slightly better GPUs the AMD based HP tablets that seem to be changing names with combinations of tx, tz, 2, 25, 2500 a lot since they were around :p right now they seem to be TouchSmart tx2z.

EDIT: Also there were some Gateway models a couple years back, maybe you should look at them too? by now they are probably also updated to have multitouch and whatnot... I just disregarded them because they aren't an option for me (outside of America)

Bear in mind that some of the mentioned models (namely the Fujitsus, but perhaps also some HP variants) could be configured with non-multitouch screens last time I looked at them, and you wouldn't want that.
Why I recommend multitouch tablet convertibles at all? Well, Windows 7 will launch by the end of the year and then you will see why.

A problem with buying those tablets that I listed however, is that their platform is getting quite dated already. By one year I expect the next gen to have made them all obsolete. They are also gonna see some stiff competition from cheaper netbook tablet variants, like the eventual replacements of my gigabyte M912X, but it will take more than a couple of years until this happens.

If you want some more GPU power, you'll have to give up some battery life, the tablet and touchscreen functions, go up to a 14-15 inch model and the increased weight that comes with that. Or you may just stick to your desktop too.

Figure out what you want from this laptop. Are you ever really going to use it on the go? If so, just give up playing the latest and greatest on it before you even bought it. But if you want mobility and are ready to lower details in your games, perhaps the tablets that I recommend will run even SC2 and Diablo 3 - Blizzard is known for having their games work on mainstream and more humble systems.

If you aren't sure yet and don't need it right now, the best course is always to wait until you do need it, so you can take advantages of the new developments that will happen until then.
Jibba
Profile Blog Joined October 2007
United States22883 Posts
June 09 2009 15:26 GMT
#12
Asus has been putting out great laptops lately, but like georgir said, you should probably wait until you do need it.
ModeratorNow I'm distant, dark in this anthrobeat
Cali
Profile Joined May 2009
139 Posts
Last Edited: 2009-06-12 19:09:25
June 09 2009 16:07 GMT
#13
--- Nuked ---
decafchicken
Profile Blog Joined January 2005
United States20137 Posts
June 09 2009 17:32 GMT
#14
http://www.xoticpc.com/custom-gaming-laptops-notebooks-gaming-laptops-ct-118_96_98.html
how reasonable is it to eat off wood instead of your tummy?
h3r1n6
Profile Blog Joined September 2007
Iceland2039 Posts
June 09 2009 17:45 GMT
#15
What are further requirements? Do you really need the mobility? If I wouldn't travel between home and my apartment at university I would probably use a desktop pc and a nice netbook. I need a laptop that I can afford, which I can take to university and on which I can work and play. All these goals contradict each other of course .

Make up your mind on what you really need. If you don't need the mobility, you don't need the notebook. 17'' sucks for mobility, but on smaller notebooks you don't get as good hardware.

I am currently in the process of buying this one:
http://www.notebookcheck.net/Review-MSI-Megabook-GT627-Gaming-Notebook.14601.0.html
naventus
Profile Blog Joined February 2004
United States1337 Posts
June 09 2009 18:34 GMT
#16
If at all possible go for split laptop/desktop.

Laptop hardware lags behind quickly and with D3 so far off, you're better off getting a mobile laptop and a powerhouse desktop.

You also won't be able to run SC2/D3 at high settings and resolution (read: 1600-1900) without 8800+. Don't even bother with "gaming" laptops.
hmm.
Kentor *
Profile Blog Joined December 2007
United States5784 Posts
June 09 2009 18:38 GMT
#17
"gaming" laptops are :\
Hippopotamus
Profile Blog Joined October 2004
1914 Posts
June 09 2009 19:25 GMT
#18
17'' sucks for mobility


Lies!
infinity21 *
Profile Blog Joined October 2006
Canada6683 Posts
June 09 2009 19:48 GMT
#19
On June 10 2009 03:34 naventus wrote:
If at all possible go for split laptop/desktop.

I 2nd this if you care about having nice resolutions for gaming / don't want to buy a new computer for at least 3 years.

Laptops that are powerful enough to play games have 0 mobility -- battery life of 1 hr, heats up very quickly, weighs like a few bricks. If you're not looking for mobility, then you might as well get a desktop.

What I did was compromise on both ends.. got a medium range gpu (9600gt) that lasts 4 hours with 15.4 inch screen. If you're looking for true mobility, I suggest at most 14 inch screens + desktop at home. 15.4 inch laptops are ok but are still a pain to carry around everywhere all day (to lectures in my case).
Official Entusman #21
Cali
Profile Joined May 2009
139 Posts
Last Edited: 2009-06-12 19:10:12
June 09 2009 20:10 GMT
#20
--- Nuked ---
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