Laptop? Which?

Philz · **Laptop? Which? -** 12-21-2005, 20:37 | posts: 28 | Location: Arizona

Ok, i play a lot of games, starting off on the Toshiba laptop i got 5 years ago till my current desktop. I REALLY need to replace the laptop, and as im a graphic/web/video designer i was thinking on getting the new intel powerbook (PLEASE no windows vs apple war, windows owns for games, no kidding lol). But since i have about $1800-2200 dollars to spend, i wanted to know if anybody has actually seen a decen gaming laptop that is light (preferably under 6 lb). I know i can get a Alienware but that thing must be heavy as hell, and to go on planes and other places just dosent work out well......

Thanks,
Phil Macedo

ViciousXUSMC · *Last edited by ViciousXUSMC; 12-22-2005 at 09:20.*

I dont know of any specific laptops but I know what to look for.

1gb + ram
good video card, that is upgradable
pentium M or amd Turion

those are the core things that are important beyond that depending on taste these things could be important:

battery type/life
screen size/quality
button layout and ports for mouse/usb ect ect.

I had one that I liked alot its the red ferrari laptop lemme see if i can find the link...

http://www.mobilewhack.com/reviews/a..._notebook.html

there ya go, its the god of laptops for me, very thin + light, dual layer dvd burner, blue tooth, amd turion, good video card, ect ect.. and I think it was about 2000$ when I saw it in my tigerdirect book, but you can find it cheaper in other places surly.

edit: some pics

OMFG walmart sells this thing! never thought id see the day walmart sells stuff even high end electronic stores dont have.

Philz · 12-22-2005, 13:21 | posts: 28 | Location: Arizona

WOW nice and pretty lite at that!! and very nice screen.... WOW, nice find, cant see how i didnt find that X.X but is an X700 128mb enough?

orenda635 · 12-22-2005, 16:04 | posts: 6,867 | Location: GTA, Ontario, Canada

The Apple Powerbooks are also surging in popularity again. I use a basic 2005 Edition iBook G4 12'' which is a nice system. Macs are excellent at multimedia, particularly video editing and audio editing. I think they've slid in graphics so they may not be the choice for anybody doing 3D. The best Powerbooks use a Radeon 9700 128mb and are limited to OpenGL rendering. Battery life is between 5.5-6hrs.

Pentium M based laptops seem more versatile. A good general CPU like all Intels. Cost and battery life varies with Pentium M systems from 2.5-5.5hrs depending on what features it has. Look for a strong video card if your doing 3D work.

AMD Athlon64/Turion based systems are better for games and 3D. I don't know much about Turion but it seems to offer a good battery life. My Dad's laptop has the early Mobile Athlon64 3000+ , before the Turion came out. Athlon64 based laptops offer poor battery life. 3hrs tops. Turion systems have battery lives similar to Pentium M.

dcx_badass · 12-22-2005, 16:17 | posts: 9,568 | Location: Leeds [UK]

I suggest you try this site: http://www.xtremenotebooks.com/
Intel P4 laptops range from $1,389.00 - $2,079.00 (9 models)
AMD Turion/64/X2 laptops range from $959.00 - $2,449.00 (9 models)
Intel Pentium M laptops from $959.00 - $2,289.00 (18 models)

ViciousXUSMC · 12-23-2005, 05:21 | posts: 1,563 | Location: Tampa, Fl いえ

Quote:

WOW nice and pretty lite at that!! and very nice screen.... WOW, nice find, cant see how i didnt find that X.X but is an X700 128mb enough?

I am not totally sure of the power a X700 has never owned one its about mid/high end but obviously wont stand up to the new pci-e geforce cards and stuff. But your confined to such a small space a laptop is not gonna do what a PC can, and I guess I will say it before sombody else does. "if you want to play games get a pc not a laptop" while I dont totally agree to this, I will admit dont expect as much out of a laptop as your gonna get out of a PC.

one of the reasons I like that pc besides all the good points you just mentioned (and the bluetooth

) is because it doesnt use some prefab mobo, you can replace that card with a better one if I am not mistaken, so while not sure if it would fit a Geforce 7800GTX GO will be top of the line for a laptop, but I havnt seen any laptop that comes stock with somthing like that and think its probably designed more for a micro atx PC rather than a laptop.

Clements · 12-23-2005, 05:35 | posts: 903 | Location: Britain

X700 is enough for most things, like UT2004, max settings with AA - it depends if you want to use it like you would a desktop for gaming or just some light gaming. The X700 nets between 2000 and 3000 3DMarks depending on the amount of VRAM it has (3DMark05 likes 128MB or more).

Philz · *Last edited by Philz; 12-23-2005 at 05:47.*

Quote:

Originally Posted by ViciousXUSMC

I am not totally sure of the power a X700 has never owned one its about mid/high end but obviously wont stand up to the new pci-e geforce cards and stuff. But your confined to such a small space a laptop is not gonna do what a PC can, and I guess I will say it before sombody else does. "if you want to play games get a pc not a laptop" while I dont totally agree to this, I will admit dont expect as much out of a laptop as your gonna get out of a PC.

one of the reasons I like that pc besides all the good points you just mentioned (and the bluetooth

) is because it doesnt use some prefab mobo, you can replace that card with a better one if I am not mistaken, so while not sure if it would fit a Geforce 7800GTX GO will be top of the line for a laptop, but I havnt seen any laptop that comes stock with somthing like that and think its probably designed more for a micro atx PC rather than a laptop.

Vicious

, do you actually look at the side bar right underneath my name? As no offense i figured enough that i would not have to retype that info!! I OBVIOUSLY have a desktop PC that can play anygame out there, even F.E.A.R. runs decent! Now if i do need to clarify some things, let me do so now i guess. I will be using this for gaming in a car, on long plane flights, and at random peoples houses! now problem with that is on planes you really cant carry around a 11lb notebook that kicks my desktops rear with a 7800GTX go. So thats why i came hear trying to find something under 8lb and preferably around 6lb. So far firari wins, but im waiting on a call back from that link, as they dont have weight posted anywere....

And clements thanks for the reply, i think the X700 would work, but still want to see if i can find something a tad better ^_^ but thanks for the description as i havent ownend anything ATI since my 9800pro that was buggy x.x . Seems like it could handle BF2/CSS ok! and the couple MMO's i play...

ViciousXUSMC · 12-23-2005, 06:34 | posts: 1,563 | Location: Tampa, Fl いえ

wow that post looks bad for you, you might want to edit it before you embaras yourself, I read your pc stats but didnt say anything to promote your responce.

Look at my system, you can tell I know what high performance is.

I think you miss read my post or somthing, I said dont expect a laptop to be on par with a pc, not get a pc to play games.

nm+ · 12-23-2005, 06:43 | posts: 10,289 | Location: Not Minneapolis

http://www.powernotebooks.com
You'll need to find out what you want by need, but I'd lean to the 6600/x700 p-m models.

SorienOR · 12-23-2005, 07:10 | posts: 6,454 | Location: Oregon

Acer 4402..same specs as the Ferarri but costs $800 less...still havn't figured out that one.
Dell 9300..17" but has the option of a 6800go.
For a whitebook the Asus Z70a..Centrino+6600go.

ViciousXUSMC · 12-23-2005, 07:19 | posts: 1,563 | Location: Tampa, Fl いえ

Sorien here are a few of the diffrence I found with a quick look up.

the 800$ less one has

64mb video memory vs 128
no bluetooth for me I wanted that ^^
1.6ghz vs 2.0ghz
512mb of ram vs 1gb
1024 x 768 15.4 screen vs 1680 x 1050 15.4 16.7mill color screen
and alot of other thinks like the card reader, and this and that.

Id say it easily makes up the diffrence in price based on that, and not to mention the cool factor

Philz · *Last edited by Philz; 12-23-2005 at 07:30.*

Thanks for all the replys!! I'll definetly check these out in the morining. And ViciousXUSMC I reather not edit it, i dont need to hide in a corner, it might be spelt bad but thats cause i'm 2 hours over what my head is telling me to go to sleep at, otherwise, i not saying i have a "high performance computer". All i said is it plays anygame out there so far, i mean between the two 6800gt's I'm completly satisfied. and i know that a laptop will never be the same as a desktop, thats a bit obvious, and i dont see were i ever disagreed with that! I know this very well as my first "own" computer was a toshiba laptop at 2ghz and 512mb ram and a measliy 64mb Geforce 550, and i played "planetside" and was happy at the 12-30 FPS i had....

On the other hand anybody know much about 6800 go? as that seems at least in desktop cards (correct if wrong) better than a x700, but i like that acer... so nice looking ^_^

*EDIT*
You replyed while i was typing, LOL. Quick question being the fact that the LCD's res is so huge would that gimp my frame rates all that much in say CSS? as i know there is a big diffrence between 1024 and 1680 but i not sure on widescreen aspect ratios if its diffrent (sorry just have no idea... i know theres more pixels just not sure how much more....) and Vicous sorry for my rant couple posts ago at you... just i'm geting to sleepy *yan* so im going to bed now lol.....

SorienOR · 12-23-2005, 07:38 | posts: 6,454 | Location: Oregon

Quote:

Originally Posted by ViciousXUSMC

Sorien here are a few of the diffrence I found with a quick look up.

the 800$ less one has

64mb video memory vs 128
no bluetooth for me I wanted that ^^
1.6ghz vs 2.0ghz
512mb of ram vs 1gb
1024 x 768 15.4 screen vs 1680 x 1050 15.4 16.7mill color screen
and alot of other thinks like the card reader, and this and that.

Id say it easily makes up the diffrence in price based on that, and not to mention the cool factor

I'm sorry the 4402 is the same as the ferarri 4002 not 4005. my bad

nm+ · 12-23-2005, 07:47 | posts: 10,289 | Location: Not Minneapolis

6800go is better, but you'll lose battery and gain weight.
built in bluetooth is overrated.

orenda635 · 12-23-2005, 14:24 | posts: 6,867 | Location: GTA, Ontario, Canada

Quote:

Originally Posted by nm+

6800go is better, but you'll lose battery and gain weight.
built in bluetooth is overrated.

My laptop has the built-in bluetooth and I've never once used it.

As for the X700, it's slightly faster than a non-GT 6600 but much slower than a 6600GT in all its varients. The low to mid-ranged Radeon X series are very disappointing. If you must have a Radeon, don't go below an X800. For nVidia, 6600GT and up is good.

nm+ · 12-23-2005, 20:06 | posts: 10,289 | Location: Not Minneapolis

Quote:

Originally Posted by orenda635

My laptop has the built-in bluetooth and I've never once used it.

As for the X700, it's slightly faster than a non-GT 6600 but much slower than a 6600GT in all its varients. The low to mid-ranged Radeon X series are very disappointing. If you must have a Radeon, don't go below an X800. For nVidia, 6600GT and up is good.

notebooks don't have a 6600gt as far as I've seen

orenda635 · *Last edited by orenda635; 12-23-2005 at 21:47.*

Quote:

Originally Posted by nm+

notebooks don't have a 6600gt as far as I've seen

6600GT and up I said, so anything above one will produce good graphics performance.

EDIT: I did some checking and you would be right, so 6800U then is best. I couldn't find any Radeon laptop cards faster than the X700.

nm+ · 12-23-2005, 21:48 | posts: 10,289 | Location: Not Minneapolis

Quote:

Originally Posted by orenda635

6600GT and up I said, so anything above one will produce good graphics performance.

But they produce huge notebooks
6600go and x700 are the best bets for weight/battery/size/performace

scoutingwraith · 01-16-2006, 04:02 | posts: 9,261 | Location: Sector ZZ9 Plural Z Alpha

http://www.golem.de/0409/33486.html

this is an example of am 6600GT although i do have mine in my laptop or so it says i mean mine shows on rivatuner that is 6600GT speeds are the same 500/900 though. PCIe also

scoutingwraith · 01-16-2006, 04:16 | posts: 9,261 | Location: Sector ZZ9 Plural Z Alpha

also this one is a proof

http://www.computerbase.de/news/hard...ce_6600_gt_go/

i think i got mine by an acident when i ordered my laptop.not sure. maybe mine is an experimenting model. well who cares go figure.
BTW srry for the previous post and yes its only in german srry about that

jamesd · 01-16-2006, 06:41 | posts: 40 | Location: Adelaide, Australia

Sager 5720

Pentium M
DDR 2 RAM (Up to 2 GB)
17" WSXGA+ and WUXGA
Has fullsize keyboard (numpad)
Nvidia Go 7800 GTX 256MB GDDR3
Built in webcam
Built in card reader

http://www.pctorque.com/sager-5720-gaming-computers.php

I'd go for the 5720-V, just fits in your budget. BTW, will score around 7k in 3dmark05. I've got a go 7800 gtx, and it's a bucket load of asskicking in a great package!