Melody's Geek Question

[Melody]

Ok I've been thinking and it's time I need a new laptop. I know you laptop nuts are all like "LOL build one!" But I am not computer savvy enough to build one and I am not going to pay someone to do it for me. So I need your insight on this laptop, is this an alright laptop? I just want to run a few games on it, nothing fancy. My budget is 400 Dollars. If someone can find me a good laptop I'd be appreciated, the processor is what I am looking at the most. I've seen high end games now a days that require 2.4-2.8 Ghz Processors. This one falls under 2.0. I am not sure if that's good since it's a Dual Core

Toshiba Satellite C675-S7200 Refurbished Laptop Computer - Intel Pentium Dual-Core B940 2.0GHz, 4GB DDR3, 320GB HDD, DVDRW, 17.3 Display, Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit, Black at TigerDirect.com

[cidbahamut]

Re: Melody's Geek Question

Actually it's more like "LOL, get a desktop". I'd be extremely surprised if you can find a laptop that works as a decent gaming rig for $400. The one you're looking at is sending up some warning flags for me. The integrated graphics card alone means you're gonna have trouble getting a lot of games to run on it.

[Melody]

Re: Melody's Geek Question

Yeah, but I like to be on the go and I like my privacy, I don't like people leaning over my shoulder and looking at what I am doing.

[Raydeus]

Re: Melody's Geek Question

Yeah, quoting Murphie "lollrn2desktop" would be pretty much spot on.

Also, Melody y u no play XI? ლ(ಠ益ಠლ)

[Melody]

Re: Melody's Geek Question

Yeah, quoting Murphie "lollrn2desktop" would be pretty much spot on.

Also, Melody y u no play XI? ლ(ಠ益ಠლ)

College. I'm also trying to raise money here's another laptop I looked at

If I sell my iPod's I hope to get this - Toshiba Satellite Pro L740-EZ1420D PSK0ZU-00E004 Notebook PC - Intel Core i5-2430M 2.40GHz, 8GB DDR3, 500GB HDD, DVDRW, 14 Display, Windows 7 Professional 64-bit, Silver at TigerDirect.com

[Icemage]

Re: Melody's Geek Question

Moved to Computers discussion, since this isn't a topic about FFXI.

----

To actually contribute to the discussion, I'll re-iterate that you can either get a laptop, or get a gaming rig, but not both at a $400 price range (or even double that). Generally speaking, until you're at the $1000+ range, most laptops are going to run like molasses for gaming more complex than Minesweeper.

Even for a desktop unit, $400 would be a stretch for gaming, even if you built it yourself and knew what parts to order. $700 would at least get you within shouting distance, and even then you'd be cutting corners.

College. I'm also trying to raise money here's another laptop I looked at

If I sell my iPod's I hope to get this - Toshiba Satellite Pro L740-EZ1420D PSK0ZU-00E004 Notebook PC - Intel Core i5-2430M 2.40GHz, 8GB DDR3, 500GB HDD, DVDRW, 14 Display, Windows 7 Professional 64-bit, Silver at TigerDirect.com

From the specs on that unit:

Intel HD Graphics; enjoy high-quality graphics with this integrated GPU

^ this is marketing-speak for "won't run any non-Farmville game at more than 10 frames per second".


Icemage

[Jarre]

Re: Melody's Geek Question

If you want a laptop to play games especially ones within the last 5 years then you need to have a dedicated graphics card in it. Unfortunately those 2 have integrated GPU's with the processor and will struggle as the processor is having to handle the graphics as well as the number crunching. alienware do good gaming laptops but they start from $899. The best integrated graphics is the Intel HD3000 but like this from best buy you don't get much change from $600 Dell - Inspiron Laptop / Intel� Core� i5 Processor / 15.6" Display - Diamond Black - I15RN-5882DBK and you wont be able to play the latest games on it, certainly wouldn't run FFXIV

[Melody]

Re: Melody's Geek Question

Hmm. So I should just save up and get a good gaming rig in the 700-800 Dollar Range? FF XIV requires an i7 Processor, I don't even know a laptop that has that, highest I've seen is the i5.


This is what I have my eye set on. - BuyDig.com - Toshiba Qosmio 18.4" X505-Q8100X Notebook PC - Intel Core i5-2410M Processor

[DakAttack]

Re: Melody's Geek Question

Check Logicbuy.com, they're always listing sales on i7 Laptops.

With that said, we might be able to price you a decent desktop in the $800 range, but you're not going to find even a half-decent laptop until you're over a grand. The problem being that mobile graphics cards are about half as strong as their normal counterparts, yet pricier. You'd probably get some stuttering trying to run WoW on a 460M.

[Armando]

Re: Melody's Geek Question

With that said, we might be able to price you a decent desktop in the $800 range, but you're not going to find even a half-decent laptop until you're over a grand. The problem being that mobile graphics cards are about half as strong as their normal counterparts, yet pricier. You'd probably get some stuttering trying to run WoW on a 460M.

Plus the CPU probably isn't working at full power either, because of heat dissipation issues. Good gaming laptops are only mobile in the sense that you can pack them up and go, not in the sense that they're small or lightweight.

The real question is what kind of games you're trying to run. You said "just a few games, nothing fancy" in the OP but then mention FFXIV when talking about i7s. Also for future reference GHz stopped being the relevant metric for comparing processors quite some time ago. It just doesn't say much these days.

[Hayde]

Re: Melody's Geek Question

I wanted to add to this discussion that although FFXIV's specs recommend/require an "i7" -- this is generally not true for the second generation (current) i-series. In terms of speaking for a "gaming" rig, the i5-2500k is more than enough to run just about any game that has been released thus far on high or better settings, assuming you have other complimentary hardware (GPU, sufficient RAM, etc.) to support that. Going from that, I know people on budgets who even purchased the i5-2320 and 2500 non-k edition and was fine with playing games...although if you personally ask me, you're not saving much to begin with.

I can even go into how people on super-tight budgets use i3-2100's, but there also many points I could make and I don't want to stretch this out too long...the point is this:

1. You don't need an "i7" in specific to run FFXIV, which I'm going to presume is your primary goal.

2. The Crystal Tool engine is a piece of crap, at least in terms of PC optimization...this is why other MMO's tend to run fine on lower-mid range computers and why people with beastly computers still have troubles some times running FFXIV on max settings.

3. The revision to FFXIV, which was targetted toward late 2012/early 2013 is suppose to revamp the game with a completely new engine that allows a broader range of computers to run it.

4. If you aren't itching to spend the money, I would honestly wait...especially if FFXIV is your main goal. This is coming from someone who spend over a thousand upgrading his computer for launch, and paying $75.00 for the CE. I honestly have not played this game this game for more than 40 days worth of play time at best. If you're trying to get re-live that whole FFXI vanilla series...it's not. In fact, the servers are pretty much dead right now since they introduced the subscription plan as a requirement...and they're doing server merges soon. The point is this--STOP. Gather as much info as you can. DON'T rush into this game thinking you're going to re-live your old days of FFXI. Then make a decision on whether to purchase this game or not. (along with your new computer)