Shopping For Performance Laptop

**Lehesu** · 04-08-2006, 23:23

That time of the century folks! Yes, I am purchasing a new computer! Has to be a laptop, but I want it to be a desktop replacement, especially in the games department. Specifically, I want to be able to play games like FEAR and Oblivion at a reasonable level of detail at around 800x600 to 1024x768. I have around 2,000 U.S. to play around with. Any specific laptops that I should seriously consider? Seeing as this will be my last purchase for another century (maybe longer) I want the purchase to be a good one.

**BDC** · 04-09-2006, 19:43

Be cheaper to buy a gaming desktop and some lightweight laptop...

**Lehesu** · 04-09-2006, 20:11

I understand that, but it must be a laptop. Desktop won't cut it.

**Quietus** · 04-09-2006, 22:34

Originally Posted by Lehesu

That time of the century folks! Yes, I am purchasing a new computer! Has to be a laptop, but I want it to be a desktop replacement, especially in the games department. Specifically, I want to be able to play games like FEAR and Oblivion at a reasonable level of detail at around 800x600 to 1024x768. I have around 2,000 U.S. to play around with. Any specific laptops that I should seriously consider? Seeing as this will be my last purchase for another century (maybe longer) I want the purchase to be a good one.

I read recently in a newspaper about specialized gaming laptops. Here's one on the article:

Toshiba Gaming Laptop

**orangat** · 04-09-2006, 23:20

The Dell M170 with the 7800gtx is around $1700 and will play Oblivion/FEAR with quite abit of eye-candy.

**Lehesu** · 04-10-2006, 01:35

I have been looking at the M170 myself, actually. The only thing that concerns me is that the processor is only around, I think, 2.24 Ghz or thereabouts. I don't know much about computers, but that really doesn't sound like a lot to me.

On a related note: Can anyone tell me how to "grade" new dual-core processors versus single processors? I know that a dual-core 1.5 Ghz does not equal 3.0 Ghz total power (it's less) but I don't really know how dual-core stacks up against a single core.

For example, the Toshiba in the link will have a dual-core 1.83 Ghz processor. I would think that it would be better than the single core 2.24 Ghz, but I really don't know.

**orangat** · 04-10-2006, 02:45

Originally Posted by Lehesu

I have been looking at the M170 myself, actually. The only thing that concerns me is that the processor is only around, I think, 2.24 Ghz or thereabouts. I don't know much about computers, but that really doesn't sound like a lot to me.

The M170 starts at 2Ghz. Its a pentium M which is a totally different animal from the pentium 4. 2Ghz for the P-M is fast and should be aound the 3500-3800+ range for gaming.

**Lehesu** · 04-10-2006, 14:12

Orangat: How do you get the XPS for 1,700? I was checking online, and lowest cost (for a gaming rig) was around 2,500.

**orangat** · 04-10-2006, 15:12

Originally Posted by Lehesu

Orangat: How do you get the XPS for 1,700? I was checking online, and lowest cost (for a gaming rig) was around 2,500.

http://configure.us.dell.com/dellsto...iMX170G3&s=dhs
The basic version of the M170 with the 2Ghz cpu and 7800gtx is $1700.
The early version of windows media center was very buggy, if its still a problem I'd advise choosing the normal XP version.

And regarding your earlier question, the dua core pentium M looks very good from benchmarks using pre-release samples. Its within 5-10% of AMD X2 of similar clock speed in games and about the same in normal apps.