Can the Acer 8930G laptop handle current/future MMO's?

massicks

I am currently looking at the Acer 8930G laptop.

I have chosen the 8930G as I have read some good reviews on it and they are currently  selling it at Dixons (see  http://www.dixons.co.uk/martprd/store/dix_page.jsp?BV_SessionID=@@@@1133262010.1258806322@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccccadeiljdhjfjcflgceggdhhmdgmh.0&page=Product&fm=null&sm=null&tm=null&sku=433751&category_oid=-34420 ) £649.99 which is an attractive price considering my limited budget.

The machine specs are as follows:

Operating system = Genuine Windows Vista (R) Home Premium

Processor Type = Intel Core 2 Duo processor T6600

Processor speed = (2Ghz, 800Mhz, 2MB cache)

Memory Size = 4GB MB

Memory Type = DRR2

Hard Drive Capacity = 500 GB

Optical Drives = 8x DVD-RW

CD-ROM Speed = 24 x Enabling access to CD ROM data.

CD-RW Speed. 24 x

DVD-ROM Speed 8 x

DVD-RW Speed 8 x

Screen Size/Type = 18.4"Full HD 1080p WS WUXGA

Graphics Card Type = Nvidia GeForce 9600M

Graphics Memory = 512MB

TV-out = YES

Sound Type = Dolby Home Theatre system

Modem Type = 56k

Wireless Enabled = YES

No. of USB Connections = 4



Built in 1.0 MP camera

Battery Type Lithion-ion

Battery life (up to) 2 hours

 

My intention would be to use it for general internet useage but I also want to use to play WoW. If possible I would want to use it play future MMO titles such as SWTOR or STO.

I have heard that it can cope well with WoW but could someone let me know if this laptop will be capable of playing SWTOR or STO? I appreciate that I would have to reduce graphic settings.

Thanks.

Grunty

There's a Hardware forum specifically for posts like this. That said and setting aside playing games on it, a real world battery life of about an hour really limits any portability this system provides and if portability isn't why you are getting it why not get a standard system? That 2 hour battery life is more than likely with all power saving options in use which would negate /any/ gaming other than playing Tetris or Mine Sweeper.

rwmiller

Originally posted by grunty


There's a Hardware forum specifically for posts like this. That said and setting aside playing games on it, a real world battery life of about an hour really limits any portability this system provides and if portability isn't why you are getting it why not get a standard system? That 2 hour battery life is more than likely with all power saving options in use which would negate /any/ gaming other than playing Tetris or Mine Sweeper.

 

You sort of miss the point of these systems. Yes their capability to operate from a battery is very limited and the size of their screen and weight make them difficult to use while in transit. However, once you arrive at your destination and can sit down at another desk and power them up they are wonderful (assuming you don't ruin your back carrying them there). This is not something that you can easily do with a regular system, monitor, keyboard, etc.

 

As to the OP's question the Acer in question is more than fine to use with WoW. I've used a slightly older XPS 1710 to play WoW and have attended raids from all over the world with it and it does a pretty good with most of the other games out on the market including AoC, LotRO, EQ2 and Aion which I have played on it while travelling. The Acer has a slightly more powerful GPU than the one I use so it should be fine also. This is not to say that it will be as good as a desktop with a high end GPU but for something you can pick up and take with you it is not a bad choice.

 

One comment that I would like to add is that most extended warranties generally are not very cost effective and a bit of a rip off. But with laptops and especially high end ones they might be worth considering as the components are all custom made and the cost to replace a failed screen or GPU can be very expensive and add in the possible damage due to travel you should look at how you plan to use it and see how much of a premium they add for it. But, don't go overboard if you do decide because laptops are obsolete very quickly and if it does blow it getting a newer more modern one might make more sense than having spent money on an extended warranty.

Wizardry

To he OP,no that system is not very good,i would not reccomend laptops period,they are usually full of junk and sell only for their convenience.

2ghz is slow by nowadays standards,the video card is crap and i would try to find a system running DDR3.Really i gave up looking at Laptops because they realizepeoplethat buy them,pretty much need to buy them ,so they are more expensive than a much better PC.

Example a middle of the road laptop in Canada goes around 1600-2000 bucks,i can buy a pretty darn good PC for that much money.To get the laptop i would need,would run around 3000 bucks.That same laptop that goes fo 2000 ,can be equalled in a PC for about 900-1000 so about half the cost.

To make it simple ,i would NEVER buy a laptop unless you NEED the laptop.

jdnewell

I have to agree with not buying a laptop for gaming and i am speaking from experience.  The lack of being able to upgrade it will make it useless for anything but older games very quickly. And in a year or so you will mainly be watching DVD's and playing tetris on it.

I say this after i wasted $2k on one years ago for gaming, top of the line XPS sysytem for its time. Now it sits in my closet unless we travel, then my kid watches movies in the car with it.

IMO spend the money buying or better yet building a desktop.

Just my 2cp

darkbladed

I just gotta say

Next gen games on a laptop dont work well

I had a lappy that was a bit better than that one about 2 years ago and it burnt itself out really quick

 

It tended to freeze and slow up even with a cool mat on rainbow 6 vegas (couldnt even get past the intro areas)

Played Vanguard on it but after about 2-3 hours I had to shut it down to cool it off

 

PS. this was with a cool mat

Ilvaldyr

One piece of advice: If you don't need a laptop, don't buy a laptop.

If you are going to lug it around a lot then fair enough, you need a laptop.

If it's going to stay pretty much in one place, then you're just paying through the nose for substandard hardware and a cramped screen. I can see the lure of laptops .. they're cool, neat and easy to store and stuff. But for gaming? .. go with the desktop if you can.

To give a comparison, I just paid under £600 for a desktop from PC World that absolutely dwarfs the hardware in the laptop you posted.

Anywho .. that laptop is pretty much guaranteed to play WoW, but it's impossible to say what sort of mileage you'll get with the likes of TOR. Far as I know, there are no recommended specs up for it yet to compare against.

If you do buy it, I'd sure as heck recommend getting a copy of Windows 7 on it at least. Vista sucks up RAM like it's going out of fashion, and if that's the 32-bit version installed, you can write off another 1.5gb 'cos Vista just doesn't see it.