Gearheads of War

An Unofficial Gears of War Blog

Looking for Help

posted by papi blez

Tue Apr 15, 2008 at 03:13:49 PM EST

OK, so it looks like I'm going to be getting a new laptop in the near future. I'm not sure exactly when, but the laptop's main purpose will be for work. I would also love to have a laptop that I can have a few select gaming experiences on as well, but it's really a secondary purpose for it. Ideally I'll be able to get both and I'd love to be able to experience Crysis, even at lower settings. I don't know if it's even possible with a laptop or not.

Any way, I was wondering if anyone had any recommendations and/or thoughts on whether this is doable. I can spend about $900 or so. I don't mind a smaller screen and in some ways, I actually prefer it.

Am I SOL or is this possible? Anyone?

Tags: (all tags)

Almost (none / 0)

any laptop that has 2gbs and is capable of doing anything is going to be in the $1000 range

by Noobpancake on Tue Apr 15, 2008 at 03:30:49 PM EST
- I've seen PCs with 4 GB of memory (none / 0)
  
  advertised in the Sunday ads for about $800.
  
  by papi blez on Tue Apr 15, 2008 at 03:57:38 PM EST
  
  [ Parent ]
  - The last (none / 0)
    
    time that I did serious laptop research was for my sister last August. There is a high chance those dropped down around $400. The laptops that you are seeing might be great but they could be lacking in the graphics card department which would ruin your chance for gaming.
    
    by Noobpancake on Tue Apr 15, 2008 at 04:39:10 PM EST
    
    [ Parent ]
Well my laptop was $1500 (none / 0)

and I can run half life at medium to high-ish settings...don't know what that tells ya for Crysis though

Community Manager
DEMAND JUSTICE!

by SweetTea023 on Tue Apr 15, 2008 at 04:45:56 PM EST
- Probably that I'm SOL (none / 0)
  
  But thanks.
  
  by papi blez on Tue Apr 15, 2008 at 04:54:29 PM EST
  
  [ Parent ]
  - Skip (none / 0)
    
    Crysis, COD 4 on pc is really really fun. Plus 60 player multiplayer
    
    "Look, when I was a kid, I inhaled frequently. That was the point." Barack Obama
    
    by Wangler1316 on Tue Apr 15, 2008 at 06:17:59 PM EST
    
    [ Parent ]
- but you didn't buy a gaming laptop sweety (none / 0)
  
  Not all who wander are lost
  
  by Zoso Fan on Tue Apr 15, 2008 at 07:13:22 PM EST
  
  [ Parent ]
  - Right I bought a work PC just like most (none / 0)
    
    people....gaming comes secondary and I think that's where the problems are. It costs X amount to get all the work stuff on there (software and such) and then X amount more for the extra gaming hardware that you wouldn't need to just do your work stuff. Am I wrong?
    
    Community Manager
    DEMAND JUSTICE!
    
    by SweetTea023 on Tue Apr 15, 2008 at 07:19:05 PM EST
    
    [ Parent ]
    - If you buy a gaming PC (none / 0)
      
      it comes with all the bells and whistles of a work PC but with higher focus on videocards, ram, and CPU.
      I have a gaming PC and do lots of High Definition Video editing, Audio, art, anything buisness related can be done BETTER on a gaming PC. Most people only need to add a video card and a stick of ram to make their home rig play games quite well.
      
      Not all who wander are lost
      
      by Zoso Fan on Tue Apr 15, 2008 at 07:23:49 PM EST
      
      [ Parent ]
      - the thing is though (none / 0)
        
        you could get a gaming PC for the same price of your work PC, with everything you need for work.
        Its all marketing.
        
        Not all who wander are lost
        
        by Zoso Fan on Tue Apr 15, 2008 at 07:24:57 PM EST
        
        [ Parent ]
        
        I have a hard time believing that.... (none / 0)
        
        not saying your wrong, but it's just hard to picture when the stereotype is SO accepted by both experts and normal hardcore console gamers....
        It's like Microsoft only promoting their games but letting their entire target audience believe the Xbox 360 costs 5 or 600 dollars and you have to put the parts together yourself. That just doesn't make sense and that is the extremely wide perception of PC Gaming
        
        Community Manager
        DEMAND JUSTICE!
        
        by SweetTea023 on Tue Apr 15, 2008 at 07:36:24 PM EST
        
        [ Parent ]
        
        So can it be done, Zos? (none / 0)
        
        Or am I way off base here?
        
        by papi blez on Tue Apr 15, 2008 at 08:16:10 PM EST
        
        [ Parent ]
        
        ask (none / 0)
        
        your bro he works with computers or something right? lol
        
        "Look, when I was a kid, I inhaled frequently. That was the point." Barack Obama
        
        by Wangler1316 on Tue Apr 15, 2008 at 09:10:16 PM EST
        
        [ Parent ]
        
        yeah (none / 0)
        
        http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834115454
        Pretty solid specs and customer reviews. The brand might scare you but i have used them in the past and they are pretty damn good.
        It comes with 2GB of memory, so you might want to upgrade to 4gb because of vista.
        Like one of the customer reviews said, he plays COD4 on it all the time.
        Also building one at places like CYBERPOWERPC or IBUYPOWER is a cheap way.
        
        Not all who wander are lost
        
        by Zoso Fan on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 12:36:32 PM EST
        
        [ Parent ]
        
        i heard sketchy (none / 0)
        
        things about acer but you are the pc master...;)
        
        Im "Geared Up" are you?
        
        by Scotty247 on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 01:30:27 PM EST
        
        [ Parent ]
        
        it really depends on what you get (none / 0)
        
        I have had ACER products last a long while and more respected companies breakdown right away.
        All electronics have a failure rate. Which is why warranties are important ;)
        
        Not all who wander are lost
        
        by Zoso Fan on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 03:36:13 PM EST
        
        [ Parent ]
        
        yea i know what you mean (none / 0)
        
        its the things that you dont expect that are the greatest.
        
        Im "Geared Up" are you?
        
        by Scotty247 on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 07:08:23 PM EST
        
        [ Parent ]
        
        That (none / 0)
        
        is 100% true. My PC was built as a gaming one, but can satisfy ANY business/school needs.
        
        by MacheteMan7 on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 03:09:51 PM EST
        
        [ Parent ]
        
        my computer is a pre-built (none / 0)
        
        dell that i bought that was specifically made for business (Vostro 200) and i put a nice 512mb graphics card in it and can play almost anything on the highest specs. And i did it for $550 and i got a free 19" monitor. Imo you cant beat that.
        
        Im "Geared Up" are you?
        
        by Scotty247 on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 03:22:29 PM EST
        
        [ Parent ]
        
        If (none / 0)
        
        you know the right parts to buy, computer gaming isn't that expensive, as you just proved.
        
        by MacheteMan7 on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 03:28:59 PM EST
        
        [ Parent ]
        
        Was it a laptop? (none / 0)
        
        by papi blez on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 06:21:41 PM EST
        
        [ Parent ]
        
        no it was a desktop (none / 0)
        
        but their laptops arent too expensive either. what you can do is go to their site and build one on the site with what you want in it (i.e. processors, graphics card, hard drive, ect.) and see how much it will run for.
        thats what i did when i was looking for my new pc.
        
        Im "Geared Up" are you?
        
        by Scotty247 on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 07:10:19 PM EST
        
        [ Parent ]
Dell offers (none / 0)

I got a pretty good deal on a Dell Inspiron 1420 last week it was closer to $1200 but I got all the bells and whistles they had to offer.
My gaming buddies inform me that the Nvidia Geforce(I think) 8400 will be good enough to run most games out now, just not in the future.

by jwjmasterOO on Tue Apr 15, 2008 at 09:26:49 PM EST
yea i would say (none / 0)

that if you want to buy a gaming computer for a low price go for a dell. Not like XPS just something like jwjmaster suggested. Also, during the start of the school season, mostly college, they will have better offers on that. If your willing to wait till then.

Im "Geared Up" are you?

by Scotty247 on Tue Apr 15, 2008 at 09:51:25 PM EST
- i meant gaming laptop (none / 0)
  
  and they will have better deals on laptops when college starts.
  
  Im "Geared Up" are you?
  
  by Scotty247 on Tue Apr 15, 2008 at 09:52:23 PM EST
  
  [ Parent ]
I don't think it can be done for $900 (none / 0)

I bought mine for work a year ago for $4000, and now passing that to engineering to do 3d cad. And it wouldn't even run some games at the highest level and it has an awesome graphics card.
I just bought another one for $2,000 (at work) and will see on that.
64 bit (non vista / xp) would be your best bet. Vista is crap IMO, and MSFT is calling for another OS in the next year. SO Vista = Windows ME.
Also laptops are crummy for gaming. Your better off to get a good HP Falcon gaming pc or build one yourself. Plus as the games get better it's easier to add / change a video card in a PC than a laptop.
I don't know just my opinion.
Poland...

You will meet your maker, the "chainsaw" and POLANDSTYLE

by Polandstyle on Tue Apr 15, 2008 at 10:02:43 PM EST