Need help selecting a new computer

**Prussian to the Iron** · 08-14-2011, 22:17

Originally Posted by Lemur

Totally depends. My understanding, which may be out of date, is that AMD holds the lead for heat/power savings, but Nvidia holds the crown for things like GPU compute. Seems like a wash to me. No idea who's stronger in notebook parts.

Well heat and power isn't really an issue; if I need to cool it down i can always just buy a little fan to put next to it. High caliber performance is what matters as far as graphics cards go. I was looking at some of those Sager notebooks you mentioned and they had options for either an ATI or an Nvidia so I just wasn't sure; I think I've always had Nvidia so I know nothing about ATI

**Lemur** · 08-15-2011, 20:59

Originally Posted by Prussian to the Iron

it will have to be a laptop

Originally Posted by Prussian to the Iron

heat and power isn't really an issue

**Drunk Clown** · 08-15-2011, 22:45

Don't think it matters that much. ATI or Nvidia, just go with one with decent performance and a nice cooling.

Wasn't there something with PhysX and Nvidia?

**Prussian to the Iron** · 08-15-2011, 23:21

Originally Posted by Lemur

If the power is what you think is facepalm worthy, I have it constantly hooked up to the charger so it really isn't an issue. If it's the heat it's because I can put a fan next to it for that.

**Drunk Clown** · 08-15-2011, 23:24

Originally Posted by Prussian to the Iron

If the power is what you think is facepalm worthy, I have it constantly hooked up to the charger so it really isn't an issue. If it's the heat it's because I can put a fan next to it for that.

**Alexander the Pretty Good** · 08-16-2011, 00:07

vista is preferable

no it isn't

**Prussian to the Iron** · 08-16-2011, 02:06

Originally Posted by Drunk Clown

Sorry I'm not computer savvy

Originally Posted by Alexander the Pretty Good

no it isn't

Preferable to 7. I've used both and cannot stand 7; I love Vista. As far as Windows goes, getting a new computer will mean either 7 or Vista. XP isn't going to come with anything new, and Vista is doubtful to come with it at best. But if I had a choice, I would want Vista.

**Centurion1** · 08-16-2011, 06:46

Originally Posted by Prussian to the Iron

Sorry I'm not computer savvy

Preferable to 7. I've used both and cannot stand 7; I love Vista. As far as Windows goes, getting a new computer will mean either 7 or Vista. XP isn't going to come with anything new, and Vista is doubtful to come with it at best. But if I had a choice, I would want Vista.

once you pick a graphics card you may be stuck with it so don't go cheap. standard practice is to integrate graphics cards and solder them to the motherboard.

however, i imagine gaming laptops like alienware or sager to be a whole nother ball game.

**Tellos Athenaios** · 08-16-2011, 00:12

Well you could, but an external fan isn't going to do your laptop much good. The components getting hot being inside the laptop case, and the fan being well outside it with no conductor between the two, for your fan to make a difference it has to be capable of generating very large amounts of air flow which would not be very healthy for you and probably still not deliver sufficient cooling anyway.

TL;DR: putting power hungry equipment inside a laptop case is not a good idea.