Need advice on Gaming Laptop - Modern Warfare 2 Forum: Free Call of Duty MW2 Community

ishter · 03-03-2010, 03:12 AM

Hello, I do realise this is probably the wrong place to put this, but have been unable to identify a more suitable location =]

I'm looking to buy a new laptop, one which can support demanding games such as Mw2, and I'm really lost in regards to what brands, models, specs etc i should be looking for. I would like laptop that has a decent sized screen, which can support graphically demanding games at medium-high graphics while at a suitable FPS rate. My budget is relatively flexible, but I would prefer to stay below 2k (AUD) or 1.75k (USD) (rough calculations).

I appreciate any suggestions and/or advice/input assuming it be related.

*Note - I'm not technically retarded, I did build my own desktop, just not informed/knowledgeable about lappies =]

Thanks guys.

FacePALM24 · 03-03-2010, 04:16 AM

I suggest maybe buying Alienware laptops? I heard they're pretty nice for gaming although I've never tried them myself and they fit into your budget.
Alienware Gaming Laptops | Dell

calstap · 03-03-2010, 04:22 AM

This is kinda old but I've had Fujitsu-Siemens Amilo Sa 3650 for half year now.
13,3" screen so its very small but when you want to play, plug graphic booster to it i get 5X performance for games. 7000+ points to 3dmark06
MW2 is a peace of cake. I only paid 650€ for new one.

Theres ATI Radeon HD 3200 inside Sa 3650 but
booster with Mobility Radeon HD 3870 provides you some serious performance

Small, easy to keep with you. Watch movies and check out modernwarfare2forums but when you want to play, connect this little box and booh, you have a kickass pc here. Perfect for me, dunno what you prefer.

But if you wanna laptop that you dont keep with you while traveling, go buy huge one.

**abc** · 03-03-2010, 07:16 AM

Wow!!! Someone actually bought the 3870 external graphics adapter! I say wow because i think it's a great idea - it may look pricey compared to a regular desktop 3870 but it's probably far cheaper than buying a 'gaming' laptop in the first place.

We are doing a massive dis favour if noone says this (i don't base if you've decided on a laptop, it's only fair you hear this)

A $1k custom desktop will ABSOLUTELY WTF DESTROY a $3k laptop.

If you need the portability then fine - but if it's high quality gaming you're after get a desktop AND a holiday some where nice - and you'll still have some change...

ishter · 03-03-2010, 10:49 AM

Yea nah alienware is well overpriced, as your paying about 33% extra just for the brand.

abc - yea, i built my desktop for about a grand (USD) and it can support the most graphically demanding games on the market at max settings with high a high-ish fps =] but unfortunately, at uni, having a desktop is frankly, not an option, hence my reluctancy to ship my desktop down to AUS, and my reason for looking for a new laptop.

**abc** · 03-03-2010, 11:42 AM

Desktop in your room for gaming, cheap notebook for lectures = $1500 saved???

oneinchwunda · 03-03-2010, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by abc

Desktop in your room for gaming, cheap notebook for lectures = $1500 saved???

I was about to say that. I don't see why you would need a laptop to play games if you already have a great desktop. Just get a cheap netbook or laptop for work stuff. If you are leaving your desktop at home and will not be able to use it at uni, why not buy a PS3?

**abc** · 03-03-2010, 12:50 PM

Because PC gaming, especially non-messed-up-console-ports, is much better.

From the fact that you're contemplating spending an extra $1500 over a simple laptop I'm assuming it's quite hard to get a desktop to uni and that you quite like gaming...

Put it the other way, would you, for $1500, manage to move your desktop from home to uni?

oneinchwunda · 03-03-2010, 01:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by abc

Because PC gaming, especially non-messed-up-console-ports, is much better.

I know, but for the circumstances, it would be alot cheaper and he is only going uni for ~2/3 years right?

ishter · 03-03-2010, 08:17 PM

Any console related gaming is out of the question, as it's inferior to the PC gaming experience IMO. My desktop is in Hong Kong and I would preferably like to keep it there for when I travel back in the holidays. I already have a Compaq laptop, which cost almost as much as my desktop but there is no way in hell this thing could run anything greater than quake online. So yea, another laptop, specifically for gaming + movies would be ideal.

**abc** · 03-04-2010, 07:26 AM

Right, ok. First things first is to throw everything you thought you knew about component performance out of the window. Laptops often use completely different components to desktops but to ~~scam~~ sell people stuff they keep the same names.

For example DDR3 on a desktop most likely means 1600ish MHz. DDR3 on a laptop is usually 800 or 1066. I.e. worse than Desktop DDR2. Second thing that irritates me is graphics. They may call it a GTX 280m but in reality there is virtually nothing remotely similiar about it to a desktop GTX 280. Infact a GTX 280m (laptop) is only about as good as a desktop 9800GTX. Now that is bad... On the other hand however ATI's "mobility HD4850" still gets owned by the desktop one but the laptop HD4850 is about the same as a laptop GTX 280m (yes I know, a desktop 4850 is no way near a desktop GTX 280...)

On that basis, I'd say if something has a 4850 in it... it's better than any nvidia offering ecept a GTX 280.

With your budget you will undoubtably run into RAID 0 options or SSD. Don't bother with RAID - very expensive in a laptop and not much real-world gain. The SSD on the other hand is worth it. Laptops are pretty crap (as demonstrated above - best laptop in the world is only equivilant to a desktop with SLI 9800GTX...) so they need all the help they can get to stay clear from clutter and fragmentation. An SSD with keep the operating system in good shape and make future reinstalls (if needed) very very easy (you won't loose all your stuff basically...)

Oh, and it will overheat and artifact then shutdown after 4 hours of gaming. If the battery hasn't run out first...

ishter · 03-04-2010, 10:32 AM

uhh alrighty, much more consideration/contemplation needed. Appreciate your help.

oneinchwunda · 03-04-2010, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by abc

Oh, and it will overheat and artifact then shutdown after 4 hours of gaming. If the battery hasn't run out first...

The SSD not living up to the hype then...?

I always saw them as too little for too much. Then again, I'm perfectly happy with an average HDD and don't use it enough for it to be of any benefit.

**abc** · 03-04-2010, 05:02 PM

Currently a reinstall of windows obviously takes years and I can tell no difference between boot time or general "responsiveness" of the system to my Samsung F1.

Sure it benched almost 200MB/s but that's useless given it's 40GB so you're not gonna be putting massive things on there.

Will have to see what happens when I install programs on it, that's susposed to be the real gain when you need to access loads of small files. I also have a HDD related lag issue in FC2, hopefully that'll be cleared up when installed on the SSD.

However I'd definitely be looking at an SSD in that sort of priced notebook purely because hard drives take up a suprisingly high amount of power, SSD are far cooler, SSD do not degrade-over-capacity-that's-full. i.e. your computer should be as fast as the day you bought it, even 3 years on.

ishter · 03-06-2010, 10:20 PM

thoughts on: Toshiba Qosmio® X505-Q870 Laptops

ishter · 03-07-2010, 08:18 PM

Sorry to bump, but abc, would you mind giving your thoughts on the above?

**abc** · 03-08-2010, 05:00 PM

I have never seen 1680x945 as a resolution before lol... I think you're gonna find games aren't going to have specific settings for that resolution forcing you to use the one below and anti aliasing to compensate (takes up GFX card power)

Right, from what I can gather by reading tech docs & reviews etc the GTS 360m = GTS 260m overclocked = 9800m GT. Keeping a card the same and renaming it is perfectly normal, albeit un-moral, if you work for nvidia. It would appear the equivilantly priced AMD offering, the 5830 mobility, is substantially faster (around 20%)

The HP Envy 15-1100 has a 5830.
Alienware/Dell has gone rapidly downhill (or rather the price has gone up a mountain)
The *insert brand here that I can't bloody remember* "DTS" series of high performance laptops were always popular.
The mid-range-of-the-high-end Dell Studio XPS offer decent bang for buck (mobility 4670 and I5 would be alright for medium settings)
By the looks of things these SAGER custom built laptops offer great value for money (I7 and a 5870 for the price of an Alienware I7 and low end GFX card? LOL @ Alienware)
there is another popular choice that is stuck annoyingly close to the end of my tongue...

ishter · 03-08-2010, 06:38 PM

Hmm alright. I've come across Sager a fair bit when trolling the vast quantity of reviews, so the np8760 is a definite possibility, and is around my price range (basic model). In you're opinion, on what settings could this run mw2 at a playable (decent) FPS?

EDIT: np8760 with the ati HD 5870 (which from what i get, is superior to the nvidia cards) amounts to a total of $1950 + is the first processor suffice? or would you recommend upgrading to the i7-920? (which is a bucket load more at +$555)

**abc** · 03-09-2010, 10:01 AM

Had a look at some notebook reviews. I knew the situation with gaming laptops was bad... but WOW. A GTX280m (fastest laptop GFX card at the time of review) is TWICE as slow as the third fastest desktop single GPU solution. The best a laptop has to offer is TWICE as slow as a pretty average enthusiast gaming PC's HD4890/GTX275. Damn.

If anything this just puts even more emphasise on how important getting a high end GPU is if you want to seriously game. However given the price of laptop hardware surely it's acceptable to buy a cheaper GFX card and just bump the settings a few notches from highest?

I7 on a laptop seems a very good buy however. Sure they may have low clock speeds but they're quads, they have HT and most importantly for gaming they have turbo-boost. Gaming only uses 1 or 2 cores anyway so the 1.6GHz I7 720 for example turns the 3 other cores off and overclocks the first core to 2.8GHz in gaming. Now that is damn useful...

Given the ridiculous amount of money you need to spend, performance wise, I'd be very happy with a basic I7 and one of the most powerful GFX cards (5870) in a stock NP8690 for just over $1500...