kingdome74
SU 86 Colgate 51
Premium
join:2002-03-27
Syracuse, NY
| Laptop for Gaming/Media
I'm looking for a laptop do perform the following functions:
A. Stream movies, music, etc off my server and be used as a media center for video (TV) and sound. I have Kliptcsh ProMedias that will be used as the speakers.
B. The wife will use it as her main computer but she does nothing more than surf and play online games.
C. When I go on the road I will need it to play World of Warcraft. I understand that it doesn't require a super computer to run WoW but I do want it to run smoothly.
I have built all my computers for years but I have to admit I am lost when it comes to laptops and my fear is my ignorance will cost me lots of money. My budget is around $1000.
What do I need to look for CPU, RAM, etc?
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I'm third generation don't give a fcuk. |
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Dogg
Premium
join:2003-06-11
Belleville, IL
 ·Charter Pipeline
| Most of the current laptops would likely suit your needs just fine...some are even marketed as multimedia PC's. You will mainly want to watch the cpu (faster is better just like in the PC world). The Intel Core 2 Duo would be a good choice (2Ghz+). Also watch the graphics chip, they have integrated and dedicated chips...dedicated chips would be more powerful. For RAM, you want 2Gig minimum...since it will likely ship with Vista get 4Gig. This is especially helpful because the video card will use some of the system RAM.
Dell has good laptops with reasonable prices. I would suggest you hit the B&M stores and check out the various brands. Things to look at are screen types and sizes, as well as any styling or other features that interest you. Also, since you are planning to playback to a TV watch for an appropriate video output. HDMI or DVI would be the output of choice (or VGA for that matter), but it mainly depends on the type of inputs available on your TV.
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Google is your Friend |
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eX_NihiLo
Here's Your Something For Nothing
Premium
join:2003-08-05
Louisville, CO
·Comcast
| reply to kingdome74
I would definitely get a discrete GPU minimum 8400GS, you may not play WOW forever in which case a 8600m GT or 9500GS GPU is a good option. Get a 2.0+ Mhz Core2Duo processor. At least 2GB ram. Definitely check out what inputs you have on your TV (VGA,s-Video) and match to laptop accordingly.
Here is a good example notebook
ASUS F3 Series F3SV-B4 Intel Core 2 Duo T7500(2.20GHz) 15.4" Wide SXGA+ 2GB Memory 160GB HDD DVD Super Multi NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GS NoteBook »www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a···34220285 $1099 |
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Joe12345678
join:2003-07-22
Des Plaines, IL
| reply to Dogg
said by Dogg  :Most of the current laptops would likely suit your needs just fine...some are even marketed as multimedia PC's. You will mainly want to watch the cpu (faster is better just like in the PC world). The Intel Core 2 Duo would be a good choice (2Ghz+). Also watch the graphics chip, they have integrated and dedicated chips...dedicated chips would be more powerful. For RAM, you want 2Gig minimum...since it will likely ship with Vista get 4Gig. This is especially helpful because the video card will use some of the system RAM. Dell has good laptops with reasonable prices. I would suggest you hit the B&M stores and check out the various brands. Things to look at are screen types and sizes, as well as any styling or other features that interest you. Also, since you are planning to playback to a TV watch for an appropriate video output. HDMI or DVI would be the output of choice (or VGA for that matter), but it mainly depends on the type of inputs available on your TV. You don't want to use intel on board video with any 3d games the ATI and nvdia ones are much better and the ati one can use a some of it's own ram as well. |
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ZaRRaZa
join:2005-12-04
Newington, CT
edit:
May 16th, @09:51PM
| reply to kingdome74
this is a good thread, because i was just thinking about gaming laptop, since my stepdad is moving out of usa and taking our gaming machine, so i would prefer to get a gaming laptop. The one that eX_NihiLo suggested looks allrite, but can anyone show better gaming laptops (with better video card, that would run new hitman, splinter cell and nba live games, also bigger hdd, better rams and maybe lil bit faster processor)? I would say for around $1500-1700.
Thanks
edit: found this baby ( ASUS M50 Intel C2D T93002.5GHz 15.4" Wide SXGA+ 4GB Memory DDR2 667 500GB HDD 5400rpm ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3650 1024MB) for $1,549.99. Maybe anyone knows familiar but cheaper, or better but at a same price/up-to-$1700? What you guys think?
»www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a···34220306
and this »www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a···34220309
ASUS M70SA-X2 C2D T9300(2.50GHz) 17.0" Wide UXGA 4GB Memory DDR2 667 500GB HDD 5400rpm ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3650 ATI 3650 1GB VRAM & dual lamp full HD LCD $$1,799.99 |
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kingdome74
SU 86 Colgate 51
Premium
join:2002-03-27
Syracuse, NY | reply to kingdome74
I hadn't noticed before but are most hard drives for laptops 5400 rpms? Why are they slower than a regular desktop HD? Is to keep the heat down?
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I'm third generation don't give a fcuk. |
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ZaRRaZa
join:2005-12-04
Newington, CT
edit:
May 16th, @10:20PM
| my toshiba sat a105-s4334 has 160 GB, 4200 RPM. Bought it in 2006 December. I though that proc creates most of the heat, doesn't it? My core temps are at least in mid 50's all the time, and lappy runs pretty warm tho. Right now it is in high 60's. |
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eX_NihiLo
Here's Your Something For Nothing
Premium
join:2003-08-05
Louisville, CO
·Comcast
| reply to kingdome74
said by kingdome74 :I hadn't noticed before but are most hard drives for laptops 5400 rpms? Why are they slower than a regular desktop HD? Is to keep the heat down? heat and battery power. Some gaming laptops have an option of an 7200rpm drive. |
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Mchart
Super Joe
join:2004-01-21
Gurnee, IL
·RoadRunner Cable
 ·AT&T Yahoo
edit:
May 16th, @11:12PM
| reply to kingdome74
As of right now the best gaming laptop for the dollar is - »www.gateway.com/systems/product/···8033.php
If I were in the market for a new gaming laptop right now, that is what I would purchase. It has a mobile 8800GTS which means you have quite substantial graphics performance. The 8600GT is decent, but it is a castrated version of the 8800 series as it is lacking quite a few shader units.
For a price of 1400 dollars, you really can't find anything better. I purchased a Toshiba X205 when it first came out, and I just wish this laptop would have been out 8 months ago. It really is quite fast, is high build quality, looks sexy, and I still can't beleive it is only 1400 bucks.
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"You figured it out. All new CPU's are nothing but overclocked Pentium 1's with a few bells and whistles added, ask any ol timer whose been around." |
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ZaRRaZa
join:2005-12-04
Newington, CT | are you saying that 8800M GTS with 512MB is the best video card for notebooks? What about ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3650? i am not good with notebook video cards, can anybody tell lil bit about it? thanks |
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eX_NihiLo
Here's Your Something For Nothing
Premium
join:2003-08-05
Louisville, CO | reply to Mchart
That Gateway is a great buy. |
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eX_NihiLo
Here's Your Something For Nothing
Premium
join:2003-08-05
Louisville, CO
·Comcast
| reply to ZaRRaZa
The Radeon 3650 is similar to the 8600m GT, the 9500m GS is a little bit faster than both of them. The 88OOm GTS is about 2x as fast. Gateway must be making no profit on those laptops, that GPU is awesome for that price.
Here is a matrix of laptop GPUs and synthetic benches
»www.notebookcheck.net/Mobile-Gra···4.0.html |
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ZaRRaZa
join:2005-12-04
Newington, CT | thanks for the chart, its really handy.
is there a decent PRICED website where you can built laptops? Also this probably sound stupid, but is it hard to built a laptop on ya own? |
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Mchart
Super Joe
join:2004-01-21
Gurnee, IL
·RoadRunner Cable
·AT&T Yahoo
edit:
May 17th, @12:59AM
| said by ZaRRaZa :thanks for the chart, its really handy. is there a decent PRICED website where you can built laptops? Also this probably sound stupid, but is it hard to built a laptop on ya own? The simple answer is no. If you want a decent price, and you want the best components you are going to have to buy prebuilt like that Gateway, and honestly, even if you were to build your own that Gateway is priced really good to begin with. OCZ is planning on starting to sell a build-your-own laptop kit soon - But it isn't very good.
Once again, I highly reccomend that gateway. It is worth noting too that you should pull out the 1GB stick and pair the exsisting 2GB stick with another in order to get the gains from dual-channel mode. Only costs 40 bucks on most at newegg, and the performance gains would be quite significant. |
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eX_NihiLo
Here's Your Something For Nothing
Premium
join:2003-08-05
Louisville, CO
·Comcast
| reply to ZaRRaZa
I doubt you could build one on your own. Getting parts would be hard and expensive as laptops are not made as configurable as desktops not to mention BIOS limitations. Anyways getting a 17' WUXGA 1920 x 1200 display, T9300 Penryn mobile CPU and 8800m GTS GPU or better is going to cost you 2-2.5K minimum. |
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ZaRRaZa
join:2005-12-04
Newington, CT
| reply to kingdome74
thanks for sharing thoughts. Alienware at least gives you customizing feature but their prices are ridiculous. Also i found sagernotebook.com, but prices kind a high too.
The one at gateway seems nice, the 3 gb ram issue is not a problem just like mchart said, but processor could be lil bit faster (2.4+), and of course hdd of 250+ GB. I wish gateway had customize-your-lappy feature. I would be willing to spend another 300$ and get faster proc and bigger hdd. To me that 160 seems funny, i bought my lappy almost 2 years ago, it had 160gb, just slower. I guess i'll wait lil bit longer, maybe i find exactly what i want. |
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eX_NihiLo
Here's Your Something For Nothing
Premium
join:2003-08-05
Louisville, CO
·Comcast
| If you need a bigger HD and have a BestBuy around you can check out basically the same Gateway laptop there »www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp···32501169 |
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ZaRRaZa
join:2005-12-04
Newington, CT
edit:
May 17th, @02:32AM
| yeah there is bestbuy around here, the thing is this that hdd, ram and video card, is fine but not the proc. I am about to check what else they have. Thanks for the link
edit: bestbuy has only 5 decent gaming laptops. the one u showed is niceee and the best out of 5. Cons: proc speed.
if it would be at least 2.4 Ghz i would buy that, even if it was for 1700$
i am looking for 2.4+ Ghz, 4 Gb ram, 250+ GB hdd, and on of these video cards:
GeForce 8800M GTX
Quadro FX 3600M
Quadro FX 3500M
GeForce 8800M GTS
GeForce Go 7950 GTX
for 1700$ at most
i dont know if it is possible find that for that price, but hey, the one from bestbuy is almost like that except proc, and its only 1300-something. |
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eX_NihiLo
Here's Your Something For Nothing
Premium
join:2003-08-05
Louisville, CO
·Comcast
| This is a bit risky but what you could do is buy the Gateway P-6831FX »www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp···ctdetail and swap out the processor with a T8300 for $250 which is already supported in the P-172X FX model. They share the same MB and I'm 99% sure the BIOS is the same. Email to Gateway support could confirm it. |
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ZaRRaZa
join:2005-12-04
Newington, CT
edit:
May 17th, @03:08AM
| we have this saying in my country, "people that takes no risk, dont drink champagne" 
This is a nice idea, but.... only 3 GB ram and its non expandable. I guess i need to keep looking
I appreciate your help and ideas Thanks
edit: is it problematic to swap proc on laptop? |
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