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Gaming Laptop
I was wondering if this laptop that I might get would be good enough to run demanding games like Vanguard of AoC.
Intel Core 2 Duo Processor T6600 2.2GHz ($150 more for Intel Core 2 Duo Processor P8600 2.4 GHz)
4GB DDR2 System Memory ($100 more for 6GB)
320GB 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive
512MB ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4530 ($150 more for 1GB ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4650)
This is a laptop from HP
Will these initial specs be good enough or should I pay the extra money for the memory, better processor, or video card or all three?
Should I just get a desktop instead?
If this is good enough to game with then I would really like to get a laptop instead because of the mobility it offers, but if I have to get a desktop to play these games, then I will do that.
Here's a Poll
Comments
Here's a link to the laptop
www.shopping.hp.com/series/category/notebooks/dv6t_series/3/computer_store
I can't say much about laptops except they cost 2-3 times what an equivalent desktop does, and that you probably want to spend $1100 to get a halfway decent one. I'm sure the one you linked would run those games on low settings though if you don't mind the graphics. You might be better off with say, www.shopping.hp.com/webapp/shopping/computer_can_series.do - with that laptop you get 2 things..
First, it's nVidia based, and as much as I like ATI's desktop video cards they leave it entirely up to the laptop vendor to provide graphics driver updates. You can get around this with Mobility Modder, Omega Drivers or DNA drivers. You might want to look at those tools before you make a decision to see how easy it sounds and how well it works. On the other hand nVidia, while not taking primary responsibility for the drivers, provides at least some driver support for their mobile GPU's so 2 years down the line you won't have as much trouble with them.
The other thing is you can upgrade to a 7200 rpm hard drive for $50 without the heat/expense of the RAID set up the other laptop had as its only 7200 rpm option and you'd definitely feel the difference between a 7200 rpm drive and a 5400rpm one..
As for the other stuff, I don't think 6gb for $100 is worthwhile at all - MAYBE if you are stuck with a 5400 rpm drive then 6gb would eliminate any paging to the drive at all but even at 4gb you shouldn't have much paging. In any regard the $100 would be better spent switching models to a better video card. Since the video card is going to be your biggest performance factor, get the 4650 if you stick with the one you linked.
Also there were a couple people in here I think that recently bought an MSI or Asus laptop, those seem pretty cool and you might want to check those out as well. I would imagine that they have pretty good driver support as they are motherboard/graphics card vendors as well.
I'd get a desktop but wouldnt buy it pre-made (dell, hp, compaq ect). You will get more mileage by building a system from scratch yourself then with one of these companies.
Good advice by noquarter and dig.ital, I agree with both. However focusing on the laptop spec you've mentioned I'd like the point this out, as I have a similar one which is no longer use (just build a new desktop PC instead.)
You're laptop spec is fine, by all means go for the 1Gb graphics card, but I doubt you'll need the extra 512Mb onboard before you're needing a new laptop as the graphics cards chipset is dated. Also you will notice much, much slower load times with the laptop hard disk, even if you upgrade it to a 7200RPM drive it won't match most desktops.
Personally I'd spend a similar amount on a great desktop PC, it'd be an absolute beast!
That laptop would run every MMO easily enough and most on highish specs. I personally would go for a gig card because laptops are harder to upgrade later on. I am spending 1700 pounds on a new laptop but its a desktop replacement for work and games, for the same price I could build a massive rig. Its all a trade off I guess.
Not sure if the graphics card would do too well, but Medium is guaranteed I guess. I would personally buy a desktop if I were you.
Gaming laptop is an oxymoron. Laptops are for portability and low power consumption/batterylife.
In my opinion, I would only use a laptop for gaming as a last resort. ONLY if you have to.
Laptops are way more expensive and do not have near the power of a desktop for the same price.
You spend 2K on a laptop and you're going to get medium/low settings on most games post 2006 games.
You spend 2k on a desktop and it will smoke very high settings on just about every game.