View Full Version : Gaming Laptop for £1K
My gf wants to get a laptop which will play a few games. Stuff like Left 4 Dead, Trine, Half-Life 2, Overlord II.
Basically the best laptop I could find for that price was the Dell Studio XPS 16 (http://configure.euro.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?b=&c=uk&cs=ukdhs1&kc=NRSX1603&l=en&m_30=129878&oc=N00X1603&rbc=N00X1603&s=dhs). For £949 (including a limited time £200 discount) the important specs are:
Core 2 Duo P8600(2.40Ghz, 1066MHz, 3MB)
Vista Home Premium SP1 (64 BIT) - English
15.6" 1080p Full HD WLED Display
4096MB 1067MHz Dual Channel DDR3 SDRAM [2x2048]
500GB (7,200rpm) Free Fall Sensor Hard Drive
INTERNAL BLU-RAY ROM COMBO (BLU-RAY, DVD AND CD READ, DVD & CD WRITE)
1GB ATI 4670
Obviously a 1GB 4670 is slightly silly, and the blue-ray wont get used, but I can't really find anything with a better graphics card which doesn't start at £1.6K!
What I want to know is if it is possible to get into the 4770 performance range without the price skyrocketing? Or does anyone know when the 4770m will be finding it's way into laptops?
IF i were you, i would look at two options,
Alienware laptop
Or Dell XPS, cos your obviously looking wrong if you cant get a decent spec, i can get a decent spec with 4670 for like £700 ish.
Or try Dell outlet!
PROCESSORIntel® Core™2 Duo Processor P8700 (2.53 GHz, 1066 MHz FSB, 3 MB L2 cache)
(http://javascript%3Cb%3E%3C/b%3E:to_page_mod%281,%20146,%20_Action%29;)OPERATI NG SYSTEM Genuine Windows Vista® Business SP1 - English
(http://javascript%3Cb%3E%3C/b%3E:to_page_mod%281,%2011,%20_Action%29;)MICROSOF T SOFTWARE Microsoft® Works 9.0 - Englishedit (http://javascript%3Cb%3E%3C/b%3E:to_page_mod%281,%201002,%20_Action%29;)
BIOMETRIC IDENTIFICATION No Biometric Fingerprint Reader
(http://javascript%3Cb%3E%3C/b%3E:to_page_mod%281,%201319,%20_Action%29;)LCD 17.0 inch WXGA+ Anti-Glare Display
(http://javascript%3Cb%3E%3C/b%3E:to_page_mod%281,%20760,%20_Action%29;)INTEGRA TED WEBCAM Integrated 1.3 Mega Pixel Camera
MEMORY4096MB 800 MHz Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM (2x2GB)
(http://javascript%3Cb%3E%3C/b%3E:to_page_mod%281,%203,%20_Action%29;)HARD DRIVE 320GB (7,200rpm) Serial ATA Hard Drive with Free Fall Sensor
(http://javascript%3Cb%3E%3C/b%3E:to_page_mod%281,%208,%20_Action%29;)COLOUR CHOICE Obsidian Black
(http://javascript%3Cb%3E%3C/b%3E:to_page_mod%281,%20380,%20_Action%29;)GRAPHIC S CARD 512 MB NVIDIA® GeForce™ 9600M GS Graphic Card Black
(http://javascript%3Cb%3E%3C/b%3E:to_page_mod%281,%206,%20_Action%29;)POWER SUPPLY 90W AC Adaptor - 3 wire
OPTICAL DRIVE Fixed Internal 8X DVD+/-RW Tray Load Drive including Software
(http://javascript%3Cb%3E%3C/b%3E:to_page_mod%281,%2016,%20_Action%29;)PRIMARY BATTERY Primary 8-cell 75 WHr Lithium-Ion Battery
(http://javascript%3Cb%3E%3C/b%3E:to_page_mod%281,%20112,%20_Action%29;)CARRY CASES No Carrycase
All of this for: £579.00 Thats excluding vat+shipping but much better deal.
With larger battery too.
Any chance of linking these because yes I obviously do fail at searching on the Dell website :(
Go business section, and choose the 17 inch vostro 1720.
Ohhhh, go to the Business Section he says :p
+rep :)
+500 rep for how much cheaper they are :)
You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to Lynx again.
I tried Lynx, I tried.
On that 1720B my gf could even upgrade a couple of things and be well within budget.
The only Alienware system which came close to being in budget was £921.15, 17" 1440 x 900, P8400, HD3870, 2GB DDR3.
I really hope people aren't buying those.
You could save the money and get trollied tho? :P
Aria used to do AWESOME laptops with a 9600m gt like that for around £500 but they stopped doing them :(
Is it worth going for the T9550 over the P8700 for £100? I think no?
where did that come from? :p
Was it just a bout of anger about the price of the energy efficient P series?
No I was wondering if it's worth the £100 price tag. Slightly faster chip and 2x cache, how much difference would that make on this laptop?
Bugger all, worse battery and more heat.
then why make quad core sli'd laptops as that would seriously eat battery power and be quite hot as well
People have this stupid thing in their heads that make them think laptops are better than PCs there they're smaller!
katienifty
20-08-09, 20:30
Hello fellow geeks, thanks for your suggestions! The Vostro 1720 is very tempting, but I've decided to wimp out for now. My trusty 3.5 year old Dell XPS desktop is okay for most games so I don't mind waiting until October/November to buy a laptop for A) pre-installed Windows 7 B) Borderlands and Dragon Age C) my birthday.
You get free upgrade to windows 7 with all dell laptops currently katie, also, i think you should upgrade now and get a birthday gift also, see, win win! :)
You get free upgrade to windows 7 with all dell laptops currently katie, also, i think you should upgrade now and get a birthday gift also, see, win win! :)
+1 :thumbsup: that Dell laptop is a deal and a half!
katienifty
20-08-09, 21:51
I know, but there might be an even better deal by October! The laptop would have been for Alex's LAN party next weekend, but I might wash my hair instead so there's no rush in buying it on this particular month :P
Boo think like a working class person and spend your money as soon as you get it :D
katienifty
20-08-09, 22:15
Hah, that's what I keep telling Alex not to do! "You don't NEED a new graphics card/monitor every month as you get paid", "I don't NEED an expensive Alienware laptop" etc... Oh god I sound like my parents :-/
I always though Alex did really well except for his upgrade from a E8400 to Q9550...that still boggles me :p
Ahh soon Katie you'll become addicted to these forums I so ****ing sexy :chairfall: or just cause we're utter geeks which ever way you like to look at it :D
HAha we have a good laugh on here though! Buy the laptop now :P
HAha we have a good laugh on here though! Buy the laptop now :P
ahahaha that was employing various persuasive shakespearean techniques there!
OH will, you are getting very english keen!
Sorry I was just trying to employ the various moods I could sense to convey a sense of empathy :D
(goddd I owned at English haha, even tho you sound like a utter **** when trying to get the high grades)
I always though Alex did really well except for his upgrade from a E8400 to Q9550...that still boggles me :p
What's to boggle? £60 for 2 extra cores and more cache. Anyway, coiler did it first and I just copied him!
I think we all agree that KT should buy a laptop immediately, although it's probably too late for my LAN party next week :(
my LAN party next week :(
OMG can I come? :D
I actually really want to go to a LAN party and kick ***, even tho I can't work out how to host a LAN game with my brother on COD4 haha
Oh wow, that is fail.
We will be playing some COD4 though, maybe I could set up something on HAMACHI for Aria peeps to join.
You joined the aria steam group (http://steamcommunity.com/groups/ariatechnology)?
Just noticed the Vostro has its £70 discount back :)
I always though Alex did really well except for his upgrade from a E8400 to Q9550...that still boggles me :p
Becuase we like the salubrious things in life shed. The lavish things. http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/images/smilies/drooling.gif
I would wait for laptops with USB 3 on8)
:mrgreen:Cant be that far away!
katienifty
15-09-09, 19:36
Is this MSI (http://www.play.com/PC/PCs/4-/9267548/MSI-GT725-Core-2-Duo-P9500-2-53GHz-4GB-500GB-BD-ROM-17-Vista-Home-Premium-Laptop-Notebook/Product.html) laptop (received lots of good reviews) worth the £300 extra than this Dell (http://www1.euro.dell.com/uk/en/business/Laptops/laptop-vostro-1720/pd.aspx?refid=laptop-vostro-1720&s=bsd&cs=ukbsdt1&%7Eck=mn) laptop?
It does have a 4850M, which is no slouch at all! Will be roughly 2x faster than the previous one in terms of gfx power, and cpu is a good bit faster. If you feel its worth twice the gfx power, for £300, and a bit more cpu power, go for it :)
Ohh competitior link, watch out!
Is this MSI (http://www.play.com/PC/PCs/4-/9267548/MSI-GT725-Core-2-Duo-P9500-2-53GHz-4GB-500GB-BD-ROM-17-Vista-Home-Premium-Laptop-Notebook/Product.html) laptop (received lots of good reviews) worth the £300 extra than this Dell (http://www1.euro.dell.com/uk/en/business/Laptops/laptop-vostro-1720/pd.aspx?refid=laptop-vostro-1720&s=bsd&cs=ukbsdt1&%7Eck=mn) laptop?
BUY BUY BUY BUY BUY BUY BUY!!!!!
Ohh competitior link, watch out!
Shhhh! Nobody needs to know :cool:
katienifty
16-09-09, 19:54
It does have a 4850M, which is no slouch at all! Will be roughly 2x faster than the previous one in terms of gfx power, and cpu is a good bit faster. If you feel its worth twice the gfx power, for £300, and a bit more cpu power, go for it :)
Ah thanks, didn't realise it is that much better. I suppose it would be worth the extra cost if I want a long-term gaming laptop to completely replace my desktop. Hopefully it'll be enough to last for a few years. At least they're both better than the Alienware of similar price :D
Let me show you a benchmark:
9949 3Dmark 06, thats not bad at all.
http://www.notebookcheck.net/Mobile-Graphics-Cards-Benchmark-List.844.0.html
http://www.notebookcheck.net/AMD-ATI-Mobility-Radeon-HD-4850.13975.0.html
Crysis playable high settings 1024x768.
Unlike the 9600M GS
http://www.notebookcheck.net/NVIDIA-GeForce-9600M-GS.9450.0.html
katienifty
16-09-09, 20:46
Looks good :)
Can I just ask a daft question... is the MSI laptop better than my desktop of Intel Pentium Duo 3GHz, 2GB RAM, nVidia GeForce 7900 GS (it IS 3.5 years old!). Presumably so. But what about the Vostro?
What pentium chip is it? I would say that its probably faster, i cannot find benchmarks either way.
katienifty
16-09-09, 22:34
Um, don't know about the chip. I think I'll go for the MSI, unless I chicken out and go for the businessman's Vostro.
Well the 4850m should last you .
Don't go for the Vostro. You will just end up having to buy a new laptop sooner because it won't have the power to play future games.
MR moneybags Nifty is encouraging spending money hehe :)
katienifty
21-09-09, 00:15
Nifty and I have been searching online everywhere for the MSI GT725 but it's all sold out. Looks like they've stopped manufacturing that model and the closest replacement (GT725 Quad or GT729) costs around £1300, which is a tad too much than I'm willing to spend.
I've been wasting time online tonight (as usual) and found their more recent middle-of-the-road GX723 (http://www.cclonline.com/product-info.asp?product_id=34078&tid=frooct), which is around £950. Only ships with 32-bit OS though. But free laptop bag and mouse! So probably better than the Vostro, but I'll wait until end of October and see.
I think anything less than a 4850 is too much of a compromise if you intend to use it to play games for a couple of years.
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