Gaming Budget gaming laptop?

[Wabsta]

yeah i was thinking about getting windows 7 and xp, and just gettin rid of vista altogether. though it mite be safe to keep vista in case anything fucks up lol

Yea, just go for Windows7.
I have it on my laptop right now.

And, it's like, faster, better, nicer, etc. then vista.
All of life's problems can be traced back to windows vista.

(and this is only a test build!)

 

[p1ngpong]

yeah i was thinking about getting windows 7 and xp, and just gettin rid of vista altogether. though it mite be safe to keep vista in case anything fucks up lol

I had a lot of driver incompatibility issues with XP, with sound (didnt have 5.1 any more) Biometrics (didnt work at all) and some other issues which eventually drove me back to Vista. But there are some Vista tweaks you can do, plus I have a 4 gig SD card that I permanently use as a ready boost which helps a lot for gaming!

 

[Votkrath]

There is no such thing as budget gaming laptop. Gaming on laptops have never been any good. But to the PC, it's pretty decent but it won't be able to play GTA IV, not a chance. Or sure, maybe on 800 x 600 on low settings maybe and it's really bad to over strain a laptop.

are you saying i'm lying?

my friend's laptop (which is a mere 0.26ghz faster than this one) can play any game on the market on high (except for crysis and gta iv). i've seen it myself. also, with the ridicolous price of 898, it does indeed qualify as "budget", but i thank you guys for your extremely useful comments.

As you said to p1ngpong, that finally someone speaking from experience... that's what I did too mate. And please tell me how I said that you lied, I really can't see how you snapped up that out of nowhere.

And two, since you said you didn't want Vista, then wait for Windows 7 because XP can't utilize that much RAM.

 

[granville]

I know for sure I could never run anything past XP on my current laptop, but how are you people getting Windows 7 when it isn't out yet?

 

[da_head]

yeah i was thinking about getting windows 7 and xp, and just gettin rid of vista altogether. though it mite be safe to keep vista in case anything fucks up lol

I had a lot of driver incompatibility issues with XP, with sound (didnt have 5.1 any more) Biometrics (didnt work at all) and some other issues which eventually drove me back to Vista. But there are some Vista tweaks you can do, plus I have a 4 gig SD card that I permanently use as a ready boost which helps a lot for gaming!

you can use an sd card for ready boost? i thought it was only usb..and i heard from alot of people ready boost was useless. though i was planning to get an 8 gig usb stick, so that mite help a bit lol.

Posts merged

I know for sure I could never run anything past XP on my current laptop, but how are you people getting Windows 7 when it isn't out yet?
it's very easy to find the beta online via "semi-legal" methods

and the open beta is coming out next month i believe.

Posts merged

QUOTE(da_head @ Dec 18 2008, 03:33 PM) QUOTE(Votkrath @ Dec 18 2008, 09:11 AM)

There is no such thing as budget gaming laptop. Gaming on laptops have never been any good. But to the PC, it's pretty decent but it won't be able to play GTA IV, not a chance. Or sure, maybe on 800 x 600 on low settings maybe and it's really bad to over strain a laptop.

are you saying i'm lying?

my friend's laptop (which is a mere 0.26ghz faster than this one) can play any game on the market on high (except for crysis and gta iv). i've seen it myself. also, with the ridicolous price of 898, it does indeed qualify as "budget", but i thank you guys for your extremely useful comments.

As you said to p1ngpong, that finally someone speaking from experience... that's what I did too mate. And please tell me how I said that you lied, I really can't see how you snapped up that out of nowhere.

And two, since you said you didn't want Vista, then wait for Windows 7 because XP can't utilize that much RAM.

i stated previously that my friend who's laptop is almost identical (cpu is just 0.26ghz faster) can run gta iv on medium decently. however, you clearly said, and i quote "but it won't be able to play GTA IV, not a chance. Or sure, maybe on 800 x 600 on low settings maybe".

 

[p1ngpong]

Well ready boost does seem to help yes, my laptop isnt exactly a slouch to begin with but I think there is a difference there. I run it off my SD card reader not a USB, it might depend on how your laptop is put together though. I dont think I would use it off a USB drive as its a bit obtrusive, in the card reader I barely notice its there.

 

[geedub]

Well this laptop has almost identical stats to mine, and mine can run Far Cry 2 with everything on high on 720p res, it also runs COD 5 beautifully, so I say go for it!

finally, someone who actually speaks from experience.

Yeah lol I was amazed at the amount of unhelpful responses you were getting, talking about "n00b" and oxymorons? Please guys look at the stats and only talk when you know what the hell you are talking about. That laptop on paper is a fine gaming machine, stupid n00b morons!

p0wned!

p0wned my arse ! FYI i didnt say it wouldnt run , i just found the title ' budget and gaming laptop ' in the same breath as funny !

far cry 2 and cod5 minimum requirements are a lot less than gta 4 ! although this just makes the minimum to play gta 4 , it is far short of the recommended !

in essence to be a ' gaming ' laptop ! they should really be atleast at the recommended ! IMO

also forgot to say the ' silly noob ' quote is a joke between me and da_head ! ( he knows why lol )

 

[DarkWay]

budget gaming laptop ?

silly NOOB !

my laptop was even cheaper than that the specs for mine are slightly worse from what I can see and I can run GTA4 on medium everything perfectly I can even run crysis smoothly on medium everything

and my laptop works out at about
$677.28

got it from here

 

[da_head]

p0wned my arse ! FYI i didnt say it wouldnt run , i just found the title ' budget and gaming laptop ' in the same breath as funny !

far cry 2 and cod5 minimum requirements are a lot less than gta 4 ! although this just makes the minimum to play gta 4 , it is far short of the recommended !

in essence to be a ' gaming ' laptop ! they should really be atleast at the recommended ! IMO

also forgot to say the ' silly noob ' quote is a joke between me and da_head ! ( he knows why lol )

yep haha. but all in all, i don't care about cyrsis (which is a requirements whore) and gta iv (which is a poor port). it can run everything else fine, so that's good enough for me

 

[Lodis]

My Gaming Laptop has similar specs apart from a 2.4 Ghz CPU and DDR2 RAM in my graphics card instead of DDR3 and I can run games like Crysis, Assasins Creed, COD4, Brothers in Arms, Toca 3 and many other games with no problems.

Of course with some of the higher spec newer games you will need to lower resolutions, disable AA, get rid of shadows etc but gaming is still really enjoyable. I also have a lot of fun playing all of the older games on maxed out settings for example GTA SA, Postal 2 (infinite view distance), Marvel Ultimate etc.


If you take a look on youtube, search for that gaming Laptop and you will see how games run on it. There are quite a few if it is the one I think it is (website link did not work and you posted the specs without the manufacturing name).

 

[Taza]

It won't run GTA IV properly. Not at this patch state, no chance whatsoever.

I have a computer several times better - easily - and even it struggles with GTA IV PC - not because it lacks the power, but because the game has so many bugs it requires an outrageous amount of power and memory.

Also, "budget gaming laptop" is indeed an oxymoron. The reasons are pretty simple - gaming components use a lot of power, and also output a lot of heat. Laptop components are almost always optimized for power savings, and there isn't anything available to normal consumers that would offset the heat generation of *proper* gaming components.

So yeah, either get a desktop computer, deal with subpar performance, put a massive amount of money into it and get a bit bigger a laptop (appropriate cooling systems are both expensive and space-consuming) - or actively deny laws of physics.

Also, you might want to invest in a separate keyboard and mouse if you plan on gaming any longer time with a laptop. They heat up a fair bit. And maybe a separate display too... oh wait.

I do have to say the price is very good for the features though.

p1ngpong: The laptop is not a fine gaming machine - certainly nothing compared to what GTA IV really needs - not even on paper. Add in the practical concerns arising mostly out of heat and playing GTA IV PC on that thing is a recipe for pain. It'll run San Andreas just fine, though. Maybe after they release first few patches for GTA IV and fix the "memory leaks and slowdowns you wouldn't believe" problem.

 

[p1ngpong]

Blah blah blah stop flapping your lips, he was asking if his laptop would be able to play games well, which it can. If a games so broken no computer can run it well that a completely different issue and nothing to do with the hardware of our laptops, power saving, heat or any other crap.

If you could actually see my laptop running call of duty WAW and Far Cry 2 practically maxed out and beautiful you would realise how little you know about the state of laptop gaming these days. You can spend a little amount and have a DAMN fine gaming laptop.

Im talking about FACTS here bro, about what I actually have in front of me right now, and am looking at. A fine gaming laptop, that handles almost all modern games perfectly and blows away my Xbox 360 in terms of performance!

Your post would have been correct and informative, if it wasnt completely wrong. Heres a video of my laptop running COD WAW, excuse the crappy quality of the youtube clip, it really dosent do it justice!



AN OXYMORON HAS HAPPENED!

p0wned!

 

[rscarrab]

That laptop looks decent, but be careful if you plan on buying one. Maybe get an extended warranty. Or rest it on an ice block.

I got a good 2 years out of my dell XPS M170 (you hate dell? really? how interesting...) which was a brilliant gaming laptop though the only thing that held it back was it's Intel M processor, i bought it just before dual cores flooded the market.

The reason it bit the bullet was heating issues, the LCD screen had to be replaced (for free) due to the ferocious heat (scanlines developed) and after a heavy Battlefield/CSS session the area with the power button would feel like the plastic is 1 degree away from melting.

Don't get me wrong, i don't regret getting a gaming laptop but was disappointed that it didn't hit the 3 year mark.
I decided to move back to desktops for value and longevity and now i have two 9600's in sli, 4gb of RAM and a Q9400 which i hope to hit the 5 year mark with (plus upgrading is now an option again!).

So if you decide to get one fine, but just bear in mind that you could get a desktop for cheaper with more bang in it and most likely a better lifespan.

Just my 2c.

 

[Mangofett]

It won't run GTA IV properly. Not at this patch state, no chance whatsoever.

Also companies are making something called "power-efficient graphics cards" such as a 9600m in a less then 1" space along side a 9400m, generating minimal heat(see macbook pro). I don't know whats so "physics defying" about companies making powerful AND efficient cards, after all, it has been done with processors.

 

[Ferrariman]

My friend has a gaming laptop, it costs $1500 and can run Crysis at medium high settings at 1280 x 1024 or something like that.

 

[Scorpei]

Now this could be me, I've been watching this thread for a while now, but there are 2 things generally said here:
1. 'Gaming laptops' are more expensive and underpowered as opposed to desktops
2. They get hot
3. They are way less upgradeable

All in all this is said by pretty much everyone here. However TOTALLY disrarding all that, you state budget gaming laptop. Well what would be the budget you are talking about? As you say 850 canadian bucks, I'd say you just go and check around to see what different laptops you can get for that and see which suits you best. Some advice though look around 800-920 bucks too. That way you get an idea of the market (and don't underspend).

My laptop has a T5750 which is gets the job done but is relativly underpowered when it comes to games. To be frank I feel you could do better for that amount of cache (mine is already half a year old and I spent 650 euros on it).

I don't know whats so "physics defying" about companies making powerful AND efficient cards

There is nothing physics defying about it, however it IS defying using what is being built today powerfull and efficient. I mean think about it, a graphics card taking over 200W of power? You do however see things going to smaller processors and etc.. That is developement. Somehow this reminds me of posting Moore's law .

P.s. what is up with posting vids of GTA4 in this thread?

 

[da_head]

too all the naysayers, i got the laptop, and i'm running gta iv medium settings with just a little lag, so IN UR FACES.

and yeah it does get a bit hot, but i got a 3 year full warranty, so it's all good

 

[Taza]

Did you reach the second island yet?

I mean, I can run it on high settings with just a little lag on the first island, but once the night lighting mixes with high speed...

Scorpei: Well, disregarding all the morons who talk about gaming laptops, that still is a pretty good laptop for the price.

p1ngpong: If they are FACTS how do they violate the laws of physics? I mean, I can get a physics-denying laptop for $850 canadian? Wow. Maybe I can turn it into a hoverboard.

Linkiboy: Power-efficient graphics cards. Uh. Ya know, that really makes one ask the question... if they can make cheap magic graphics cards like that for laptops, why cannot they do it for desktops where they have aplenty more space?
... oh, wait. They can't. The mobile GeForce cards are a few generations slower than desktop cards.

da_head: Brand new? Get yourself familiar with compressed air NOW if it already gets hot. You can get it at any electronics shop, and you need a monthly clean.

Also, creds: I have had over 50 computers. At the moment, I have two laptops (one regular and one mini), one Sleek Black Future Computer (*the* most powerful computer I can get passively cooled), my old desktop, my personal server, my batteryless "laptop" I use as a web browser...
... so maybe I know a little about cooling, power efficiency and the requirements for hardware.

da_head: Do a full 3DMark scan. You'll see what I've been talking about.

 

[p1ngpong]

Far Cry 2 running on my laptops graphics card, the stats at the start are lower then mine. My laptops about $900 Canadian dollars roughly, and it runs nice and cool even during heavy gaming. Like I said Im talking about what I have in front of me now. You have lost the argument, Isaac Newton does not want to associate with the likes of you anymore!



Now stop flapping your lips.

p0wned!

 

[Pyrofyr]

Dell's are great, but since they took over Alienware they've had VERY overpriced gaming laptops. To be honest if you game a lot you should have a nice PC rig for gaming FIRST. If you don't have a great desktop rig, don't bother with a nice laptop.

It's possible to get a good laptop, even for cheap... I have like what an 800 buck laptop (granted I hunted for deals for 3 weeks, and was able to stack 3 deals on one laptop) though it's original price was 1.3k, it runs nicely most games. I hook it up to my MERC Stealth and I've been trying WoW on max graphics with an external laptop and have had no problems.