• Need a semi-high end laptop.
    35 replies, posted
Alright so basically I need a laptop which hopefully is a step up from my desktop computer. My desktop uses a... GeForce 8800GT 1 GB AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual Core Processor 5000+ 2.00 GB RAM (pretty slow) Now the laptop I'm looking for is hopefully within the boundaries of max $1000. So far I have these two laptops in mind. [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834114653[/url] [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834220590[/url] The latter of the two (the Asus one) is the one I'm currently thinking of getting. I only know enough to get my way around a desktop, but laptops are a whole new field for me. The Asus uses a GeForce 220 which, if I remember, is two series better than the one I have right now and the 4GB of ram is twice as much as I have right now. The last ATI card I used was an old 9800 so I have little knowledge of the latest cards by that group. So what I'm asking is: Is the Asus N61Vg-X1 a good laptop to get? Is it upgradable? Is there a better laptop with the same price? Same type of laptop with a better price? Any help would be appreciated.
Laptops overheat a lot during gaming.
[QUOTE=CombineGuru;17291416]Laptops overheat a lot during gaming.[/QUOTE] I like my balls hot and sweaty. Chances are that I won't use the laptop on anything other than a hard surface, and if temperature is still a problem, then I'll just get a fan platform that will circulate the air better.
[QUOTE=CombineGuru;17291416]Laptops overheat a lot during gaming.[/QUOTE] I wish poeople would stop saying this, It's the biggest load of bullshit ever. If your laptop overheats under load you: 1) Have a shite designed laptop 2) Are using it on the wrong kind of surface. I played Doom 3 for 5 hours straight last night on my Dell studio 15 and the max temperature (Some case Temp?) I attained was 72C (Hot yes, But that was on a SOFT surface)... Never overheated Infact Every laptop I have owned (I have owned 6 FWIW) has never overheated gaming. Actually, I think I might go play Doom3 for half an hour with Hwmonitor running and keep a screenshot of the max reading column :) ..Tada: [url]http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b93/tezzanator/ahu.png[/url] [url]http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b93/tezzanator/onlap.jpg[/url]
I was playing TF2 on my mates laptop last night for 3 hours, it did not overheat at all. Edit: I was playing it whilst the laptop was on my lap.
I played gta4 on my laptop for hour/2hour and a got a warmed lap :v:
I realize that laptops can come with temperature problems, but I also know about how to deal with temperature if/when the time comes. Right now I'm just wondering if the Asus is my best bet or if there is a better computer on the market.
IIRC a 260M is basically an 8800GT so you're quite far off getting something better than you have now [editline]10:59PM[/editline] if you want something better at that price range you'll need a tower not a laptop
260M is more like 9800GT. Not a massive difference at all, but it's there.
a 9800GT [B]is[/B] an 8800GT but with a nm change or something else nearly insignificant
The thing is, I want a laptop for the whole fact of portability. Lugging a tower around everywhere not only impractical, it also makes you look stupid. If I wanted a better desktop I would have said so. Does the laptop leave room for upgrading to a newer one if I needed to? And I'm really just looking for a laptop that isn't worse than my computer. Of course, being better would be nice, but as long as I don't notice a drop in average framerate it should be fine. Any recommendations on an alternative if there are any?
Laptops generally aren't very upgradable CPUs can be changed to an extent (USually limited by chipset) RAM is very upgradable HDD is very upgradable GPU is iffy, Most laptops don't have MXM slots and even if they did no damn company sticks to the standard so getting cards that will work is almost impossible. If I am going to recommend anything it would be a dell, simply because I spilt coffee in mine yesterday and no damage was done (I only owned it 4 days!!) When I opened it up it was pratically designed to repell drinks, everything was bowl shaped. That and they are more upgradable than most laptops (Due to the way dell oeprate, Build-to-order) - Getting spares is very easy too. In any case, matching those specs in laptop form for that cash is going to be hard. FWIW, My dell with a 4570 has no trouble playing games at the native res of 1366x768 - You may have to just lower your standards of acceptable options-to-framerate. (Going to go run the Lost coast benchmark)
built to order =/= upgradable
[QUOTE=TheMadness;17293739]built to order =/= upgradable[/QUOTE] Except I have personally opened up 2 Dell notebooks and many non dell notebooks and can tell you from my own eyes that: A) There are more screws and less plastic tabs that break B) Most shit is socketed C) they are built with on-site replaceability in mind (They have on-site warranties) Did I mention they let you download the service manuals straight off their site without hiding it :o
however it's still a laptop which means it's only upgradable to a certain extent
So just because you spilled coffee on your laptop and it still works you recommend it? lol derp.
If necessary I might be able to go above $1000 but I would want to stray away from there if possible. While looking at the more expensive versions, which also actually has reviews compared to the Asus N61Vg-X1 (I'm just going to call it the N61). Here they are. [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834220566[/url] (N51) [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834220576[/url] (G51) Thoughts?
The GTX260M is a very good mobile GFX card. I Think you'd be more than happy with the bottom one of them 2. Notebook card benchmark list if you are interested: [url]http://www.notebookcheck.net/Mobile-Graphics-Cards-Benchmark-List.844.0.html[/url] Notebook check say it's "Somewhat similar to a 9800 GT" as stated here: [url]http://www.notebookcheck.net/NVIDIA-GeForce-GTX-260M.14559.0.html[/url] But I have not read their article in full. [QUOTE=Soldier32;17293926]So just because you spilled coffee on your laptop and it still works you recommend it? lol derp.[/QUOTE] Seeing as a Spill or a cracked screen are the number one reasons for laptops to be useless, I'd rather go for a laptop that's been clevery designed to resist both than get something else and be worried about it. Also: [url]http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b93/tezzanator/af.jpg[/url] (Pentium T4200, 4570 512MB, 4GB RAM) - Might aid comparison?
I rather go for a laptop that can perform. Most of the times those accidents are self-caused so if you use some common sense you'll be fine. Also, stop rating yourself informative.
[QUOTE=CombineGuru;17291416]Laptops overheat a lot during gaming.[/QUOTE] not really my 9800GTS goes to about 75C when in heavy gaming like crysis most parts are fine [editline]08:53PM[/editline] the asus is better but go for an N10J [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgikyPwVfaE[/media] motherfucking netbook plays crysis
[QUOTE=Soldier32;17294680]I rather go for a laptop that can perform. Most of the times those accidents are self-caused so if you use some common sense you'll be fine. Also, stop rating yourself informative.[/QUOTE] I'm rating him informative. [QUOTE=JohnEdwards;17294869]not really my 9800GTS goes to about 75C when in heavy gaming like crysis most parts are fine [editline]08:53PM[/editline] the asus is better but go for an N10J [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgikyPwVfaE[/media] motherfucking netbook plays crysis[/QUOTE] Maybe if it's screen wasn't so small, and if it had an optical drive.
if you are planning to take this to school or anything like that then get a netbook
The problem I have with the netbook is that it's screen and disk space are just too small for my demands. Weight isn't that much of an issue as I haul 30 pounds of stuff around everywhere anyways. If I need to take out 7 pounds to balance the weight, so be it.
[QUOTE=JohnEdwards;17296054]if you are planning to take this to school or anything like that then get a netbook[/QUOTE] You should've seen when I took my 18.4" laptop to school. It's a technical school, so people just stood there gawking.
[QUOTE=ilolled;17296408]You should've seen when I took my 18.4" laptop to school. It's a technical school, so people just stood there gawking.[/QUOTE] yes my G50VT-X2 is cool to bring to college but a Netbook is more useful [editline]11:49PM[/editline] [QUOTE=Leintharien;17296349]The problem I have with the netbook is that it's screen and disk space are just too small for my demands. Weight isn't that much of an issue as I haul 30 pounds of stuff around everywhere anyways. If I need to take out 7 pounds to balance the weight, so be it.[/QUOTE] battery life is the thing
Check out Asus laptops, they have some reasonably priced gaming laptops!
[QUOTE=Bloodypalace;17297723]Check out Asus laptops, they have some reasonably priced gaming laptops![/QUOTE] All the laptops I have been checking out [B]are[/B] Asus laptops. Click on the links I posted and you'll be pleasantly surprised.
Check e-bay. Sometimes you can pick up some decent little machines for really cheap.
[QUOTE=Tezza1234;17291470]I wish poeople would stop saying this, It's the biggest load of bullshit ever. If your laptop overheats under load you: 1) Have a shite designed laptop 2) Are using it on the wrong kind of surface. I played Doom 3 for 5 hours straight last night on my Dell studio 15 and the max temperature (Some case Temp?) I attained was 72C (Hot yes, But that was on a SOFT surface)... Never overheated Infact Every laptop I have owned (I have owned 6 FWIW) has never overheated gaming. Actually, I think I might go play Doom3 for half an hour with Hwmonitor running and keep a screenshot of the max reading column :) ..Tada: [url]http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b93/tezzanator/ahu.png[/url] [url]http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b93/tezzanator/onlap.jpg[/url][/QUOTE] You good sir, have never had an acer.
[QUOTE=lemongrapes;17302452]You good sir, have never had an acer.[/QUOTE] Never an Acer laptop no, But I've had an Acer netbook (a1) if that counts for anything (Was fun to play Quake 3 on)
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