CALLING ALL GPU ENTHUSITISTS

[TFL]Temmu · CALLING ALL GPU ENTHUSITISTS

is this a decent video card for a laptop
NVIDIA® Quadro NVS 300M with 256MB dedicated graphics memory [add $80.00]
and if not can someone give me a good one and a laptop that carries it... i am not up to date with the latest chip sets so please can someone help me out....
i need some advice for a good video card that can help me through college =)

[TFL]Zanarkand

No it isnt

Decent midrange graphics card = THIS one

1> Geforce 7600GO , look up www.rock-direct.com or Zepto laptops

2> Radeon X1400

3>

[TFL]BigBANGtheory

Nvidia Geforce GO 7900 GS is about the best GPU you can get in a laptop.

Alienware have actually released an SLI laptop now, and with a 17" screen.

[TFL]Temmu

can anyone give me links then to where those laptops are by any chance???? so i can start configuration and figure out how much begging i have to do in order to get it :D

also i preferably would like an american manufacturer since i do live in america

[TFL]BigBANGtheory

http://www.alienware.com/ :P

[TFL]Temmu

yea i already looked there... problem is i dont wnat a 17 inch... this does have to be somewat mobile....
how about a gforce go 76000 pci express 3d video.... like how good will that last me.... aka would it allow me to run sins or supreme commander... it has 256 ram..

[TFL]Zanarkand

the thing is 7900 and X1900 radeons only work on 17 inch laptops because they are big enough to house it.

THe best bet is a nice 15.4inch widescreen laptop with a 7600Go geforce .It will be able to run supcom on a modest medium setting. Make sure you have gig RAM and 2ghz duo core .

Dont do alienware tbh.. your spending a bulk of your money just on the logo.

Rock Laptops are what you would call , " the cool knowledgable gamers laptop" whereelse the alienware is more the "Look everyone i got a stylish laptop with an alien on the back" laptop .
http://www.rockdirect.com/

7600 is the best for 15.1 or 15.4

the thing with laptops are that you want to watch movies on them too and 15.4 makes alot of difference compared to 15.1. 15.4 might be a bit less mobile but not much. Widescreen ownz ...it really does.

If you go for 14.1 or 12.1 your restricting yourself to a X1400 or a geforce 6200 which will barely run supcom.

[TFL]Temmu

yea well i really need it to be mobile for college sooooo... i think i am willing to give up that 2 inches and graphics power for the mobility.... well w.e... so the 7600 is alrite to play on ????
thx alot guys

also does rock send to the US????

Hideki

when u think about it, 8.5lbs aka 3.86kg aka alienware... its called desktop... unless u're a body builder.

i hate to bring apple again, but since i had not much interest in laptops for a while and i dont know what manufacture u guys have for making laptops in ur places, but macbook pro is 5.8lbs (2.63kg) and got ATI Mobility Radeon X1600 on 256mb vid ram, which isnt bad for any games out there now.

15.4inch wide clear display screen on core 2 duo 2.33ghz + 2gb ram.
spec here : http://www.apple.com/macbookpro/specs.html (scroll down to the table and the middle type im talking about)

ok, sry i sound like apple retail dude on every hardware topic but i really dont work for sony or apple or some comp company... bias comes only from lack of my knowledge, but even so, thats comparably a good comp imo.

but that is... if u can beg that much... for something about 2.5 grand and also... u probably need a non-oem windows copy (from wherever u can find it...

, besides, just ask ur dad for ur copy of vista when its out...) and a few hours to figure out how to dual boot mac and win on that.

do note that i still think this is too heavy to carry around frequently, but its not THAT bad compared to what u're asking for.
but like wikid says, if u go below this class, ur next gen game might look a bit less graphic wise interesting.

u could say whats ur max kg (or pound) u want to hold, and that narrows down alot.

[TFL]Tank0

freaking pussies .

alienware is more hype then anything else and modern apple systems are worth checking out but complaining about 4kg laptops is fubar .

i took my first classes on the first gen laptops in '91 wich where so heavy you could knock a knight of his horse . i dragged around old high desktops and first gen 17" screens for years not to mention old epson pin printers ( you know the ones with that annoying sound )

try installing those old switches or network components of the nineties . and if you think those where heavy try carrying the ups of your server up 5 sets of stairs .

if he wants all that in a laptop i think 4 kg will be very reasonable . besides he is a student then , granted a kinda nerdy one , but he should be able to move around a keg or in european terms a case of beer ( 24 X 33 cl = +- 8KG )

no offense but people his age drag alot more in iraq daily so quit whining about a bloody comp

Hideki

lol, come on... everyone aint soldiers... besides, the heavier it is, the more chance he's gonna drop it, and heavier it is, the more chance something will wreck upon drop...

and its year 2006, u could find some lighter laptop if u do look for it, plus he isnt only carrying laptop im sure in his bag...
it just depends how muscular fatal is

[TFL]Temmu

lol i dont mind a 10lb laptop and dragging it around... i am just more concerned on how bulky the 17'' one is compared to a 15.4.... the 17 just looks to big and awkward.... besides i am going to be getting a back pack to carry it around...
and hideki i know it aint gonna run the games on the prettiest graphics..... i just need something that can paly the game while i am away at college until i save enough money to build my own custom desktop....
for now coming home on weekends and that laptop on low graphics will get me through... just i need a laptop that can barely play it =).... just so i can pass the time quicker lol

Hideki

well, this is just for a reference, im not even saying which maker this is

but if u got quicktime, 17inch can look like this.

http://www.apple.com/macbookpro/gallery/qtvr17.html

and if u want to build a decent desktop with a display i think 1500 bucks would do, if u are not doing anything too fancy, which means even weekend 16 hours macdonalds work with maybe 8 bucks an hour salary would get u one in 3 to 4 months. though doing tutor would be a better one if u can find an opportunity.

[TFL]Temmu

i work electronics retail at about 9 an hour.... gonna save up for this time next year... since i am paying for car insurance and everything else gonna take me a bit longer.. also gotta pay half for my jetski =)

[TFL]Zanarkand

Fatal dont be stupid. you are a gamer , if you want a laptop that lasts you through your 4Years of uni? then get a 17inch laptop. Dont bother thinking about mobility , laptops are for downloading porn.

The reason you get a laptop is so that you dont have to bring your massive pc from home to your dorm

[TFL]Temmu

lol.... alrite alrite you got me convinced.... i gotta think bout it though since i found an amazing deal on a 15.4 inch laptop witha gforce 7800 go..... still looking around though =)

[TFL]BigBANGtheory

I've lost count the amount of time you've changed ur mind on a new system.

I use a laptop for work I think the use for portable computing is overrated, if I were you I'd think honestly about how often you will want to use a PC away from your dorm/bedroom. Laptops are also a liablility for getting stolen, and don't take too kindly to some idiot spilling his beer all over them. So you take it with you everywhere you then have to baby sit the damn thing.

Given that you will be a student with a healthy interest in multiplayer games I'd look at a SFF solution like Shuttle. If you want to move it to a mates house they will fit in a rucksack no problems.

[TFL]Temmu

alrite alrite... yea i am gonna stay with the 15.4 the 17 is just to big for my liking.... i can get a desktop eventually but this just needs to last me during the week i am at campus and not on my home pc =)

[TFL]Tank0

fatal i realise what we are saying maybe isn't what you want to hear but trust ous on this . if you get a laptop get a 17" ( resell value ) 1024X768 is minimal nowadays , if you want it to last 4 years think ahead .

bbt made the most sense , do you really need a portable ?
your life will change for a great deal . i can understand you need a comp for work but i would recommend getting a cheap desktop for that work .

think and be honoust .
guys or you partying in your dorm spilling beer
or you get mugged for a gamerslaptop
or you forget to take it with you after a one night stand or after waking up with the mother of all hangovers .
or your new college gf smashes it in a moment of passion

you never know where you are going to end up and if gaming will actually have a spot in your new life . i am a dedicated gamer but those years i missed C&C completely because i had more fun experimenting and partying .

besides if you can't run the games on your college comp you can't waste time you should be studying . study 4 days in college go and party for one and game in the weekends . this way you ll get a degree and get your parents on your side

if you can handle it after the first year you can always get a better comp

[TFL]Temmu

well yea i hear ya... i just want a laptop so i can take it around... and it needs to be that good for school as well to run some 3d design programs and ect.... if i do need a more powerful comp i will save up for a desktop... this is also an xmas gift so and i am able to configure it however i want soooo i am trying to make it the best i can =)

Hideki

>run some 3d design programs

just dont be chicken about choosing the best cpu out there

(i mean, at the most reasonable price...)

though i dont have much to add to the discussion, 17 inch isnt a must, and has nothing to do with lasting for 4 years, coz screen size is ur preference, but cpu and gpu power, if u aint got a nice one, it cant last that long.

and yeah, 1024x768 is rather small nowadays, so get some wide display, which does make ur dvd look rather good (and games), coz of having less black parts since dvd resolution is rather wide.

as for clear display... its really just personal preference... i think its good for games and dvd by quite a bit, but u might not like it for web browsing and small text reading, it also depends where u usually use it, if lights can come at u alot or not.

DolphinTFL

well, i have a laptop not that good thou. but i recommand taking a security lock to keep it from getting stolen. for prices i got mine from ebay i got it waiting at the last second because if i bid earlier someone else will bid higher until the price is about $600 to 800. i was lucky to get this one at $400. there are others that i found later that are not even more than 3k and they are alot better than this one. just dont spend too much on a laptop thats all. mine is a 15.4 inch i believe. and i carry it in a small laptop case. is about 10lbs since i carry CDs and other stuff in it too. it has a 2 code locks. and is a hardcase in case it falls nothing happens to the laptop. and i dont have any trouble carrying it around just at night. i risk getting mugged but i doubt it. u dont have to be a soldier to carry ur laptop around a little muscle wont hurt anything either.

my laptop is a Evo n610c, it has a CDRW/DVD-ROM combo so i can watch movies in it too it works fine for designing programs and stuff like that as for games i say only games from 2001-2002 will run games from 2003 or 04 might run but low details only. so u might try getting a laptop with a good graphics card and that'll play most of ur games. until u get ur desktop.

[TFL]Temmu

how much is the difference between a 7600 gforce and a 7900 gforce... as well as x1400 ati radion as well as x1800..... so how big is the difference???

[TFL]Zanarkand

THe difference is massive. Supcom cant play on a x1400 and only moderate on a 7600 , 7900 and x1900 play supcom like a dream

[TFL]Temmu

well i cant find any with the 7900 or the x1900.... its a shame... well hopefully the laptops will change soon.... who knows though... cause even the other laptops are only coming with the 7600

[TFL]Tank0

ask the money to be put away in a different acount untill you see the new gen laptops come out in march then . the 10x card tech will translate itself into better cards for laptops , making the current ones alot cheaper .

microsoft and dell realise that the gamers market is growing in importance next to the businesslaptops , so i really expect a move from them soon .

I would still advise against a laptop because they are so expensive to upgrade . if you do buy one you must look at the resell value . if you want to get a descent price for your old laptop in a few years time i would really recommend the 17" ( i didn't have a regret yet )

my friends first check if i have one on sale before they drag me with them to their store so i can always get "rid" of my old laptop although you can't really compare because the laptop is used by my wife and she doesn't really have that high expectations of her gfx card .

[TFL]Temmu

well like i said i just need the graphics through my first year of college and then after that to do some rendering of images and word while my desktop is where all the heavy lifting is done... i think i will wait though till then... even though i really want a laptop bad... lol... unless there is some good deal coming out after x-mas

[TFL]Temmu

well i settled on 2 laptops
these are the final competitors

The Asus
http://www.milestonepc.com/states...?cPath=87_82&products_id=1399

or the Clevo with 2 gigs of ram... nvidia card... 1.83 processors... and 120 gig hard drive... final price on that one after all is said and doen is 2189$
http://www.rjtech.com/miva/mercha...een=PROD&Product_Code=M570U-A

which would you guys go with... remember i need battery life as well as portability.... but after doing research both should play sup com and SoaSE upon release =)

Hideki

umm, well, if u do have the actual candidate already with specs revealed, why do u still ask for recommendation?
it wont have any secret feature that we only know about...
if u dont know what a 3kg is like, just make a 3kg extra stuff in bag and carry it school and feel it...

but if u're going with the one that can change the configuration, here are couple tips.

- get better gpu
- get 2ghz cpu, coz the price becomes unreasonable beyond that
- go 2gb mem if u're using for intensive tasks, but if u choose 1gb, go for 2dimm instead of 1 for faster mem op
- pick 7200rpm hdd

although to me the asus deal looks like a better deal overall though.
if u get the config identical to asus one, asus one gives u 320 bucks less price with different gpu (dont know whether 7700/512mb or 7800/256mb is better) with some smaller display. but of course u can subtract what u dont need from the other customizable one to make it cheaper.

and wheres ur macbook pro candidate?

(j/k)
gl

[TFL]Zanarkand

7800 beats 7700 hands down. but 2xduo core is leagues higher then just duo core

[TFL]Temmu

yea exactly... well i am still out and about looking so i havent made up my mind.... but like i said price is an issue.... =)

Hideki

i thought both are core 2 duo.

showing budget might get some tfl ace intelligence to come up with something good... (and when was last time i said something positive about tfl...)
when u ask for rec on something to buy...

- tell ur min spec (in this case, a comp that can play the new games)
- tell ur max budget (???)
- tell what cant be missed (doesnt seem theres one, if equiped with general stuff)
- and some preference (for this case, it better have some mobility)
(- also saying when u're getting one can tell if a new product is in sale or not)

[TFL]Temmu

alrite well... i am looking for something with a max cap of 2300$ MAX as in us the cheaper the better!!!!
i would like a decent warantee.... a gforce go 7800 atleast if the 7900 then i would be much happier =)... 2 gbs of ram.... an 80 gb hard drive... the bigger the better though int hat case.... and the size either a 17 or a 15.4..... preferably the 15.4.... and o yea... its gotta look like it is a kickass laptop =)

[TFL]Temmu

alrite for those of you going through the same thing as me there is a kickass site called notebookreview.com.... they list all avaible notebooks as well as where they can be bought... there are a shit load of notebooks out there that get rebranded lol...
but as for my desicion on a laptop i am leaning towards a dell because they have the best price on all the laptops as well as the accidental damage plan coverage as well as on site tech support for 3 years.... as well as a core 2 duo processor as well as a 2 gbs of ram.... 256 gforce go 7900 and a 160 hd.... its a beautiful comp... not as sexy looking as i want it but w.e......
but i am gonna hold off on buying because the new cards are slated to be released in february as well as the new intel quad core processor coming out in january.... this will make the comp i am looking at cheaper and allow me to get something possibly better or saving as much money as humanly possible =)
but yea anyone else know of any discount laptop online stores besides like mtech, rjtech, and a couple of others i have... i have been searching high and low....

also as a poll what would you guys go for namebrand comp..... dell gateway or toshiba???? i am between dell and gateway cause of their protection plans.... but i am open... so is anyone still willing to help my poor indesiciveness

also for those of you caring i am recieving free computer parts to make a dual sli desktop pc.... i am gettin the parts from a friend and purchasing the rest in the spring.... so i am pretty happy right about now =)

[TFL]BigBANGtheory

There are also rumours of significant price drops coming for Intel CPU's, the Core 2 Duo QX6700 is damn expensive atm, definately not worth the money but if it drops to $300 then that different.

Still no news on the Ati R600, it night be because they want to use the AMD 65nm fabrication process which has only just started. The R600 on paper looks like it will be the fastest GPU on release.

[TFL]Temmu

the gforce 8800gtx looks awfully sexy though for the desktops... thats the card i be lookin at right now for me next desktop....
also yea the intel core 2 duos are gonna drop since the intel quad cores is being released

[TFL]BigBANGtheory

The core 2 Qx6700 is a quad core, and its out now. Apparently that is gonna drop in price as well.

Hideki

someone said for casual desktop, core 2 duo is the best deal for power/price compared to quad and above. forgot source...

though imo, not even games until a little after, make good use of multi core at the same time, unless u run multiple apps to use multiple cpu often.

[TFL]BigBANGtheory

yes I agree Core 2 duo is much better value for money.

I now use a dual core AMD X2 4600+ and one thing you do notice is the loading times for games/levels is a lot quicker. It is very rare for any other player in CoH to beat my PC to the ready status.

The other point to note is even if your game is single threaded, by having a dual core CPU you can share other application and system processes between the cores.

You do need more RAM though, 2GB minimum for a new multi-core PC.

Hideki

its just hardware manufacturers keep pushing os and apps to just waste on memory and all... cant we live with 512mb for any longer?

i mean, should i get 2gb mem after this comp having 512mb, which is running so fine having over 256mb of mem free all time, hell i could have lived only having 256mb mem... if i aint playing games. i guess next os asks me over 4 times more ram without noticeable improvement on usability. way to go ms!

wheres the day flight simulator was on 2 floppy disk install and running on 386 cpu with 64mb (or 32mb, i dont remember) of memory?

[TFL]Temmu

the day when cheesy graphics were thrown out.....

also the core 2 duo is great for laptops because of its power and power saving.....