Help Mark buy a laptop

It's time I got a computer that will play games released after 1998. I'm looking to spend about $1,000 - $2,000 although I can spend more and certainly less, too. As a gaming computer it needs a decent processor, graphics card, etc., but I don't really know what's good. Doesn't need to be mind-blowingly amazing but I want something good that won't be outdated in 2 years.

I've been looking at these Dells. They seem to be about what I'm looking for, but I don't really understand the differences between their processors. I take it that the more expensive ones are better, but is it really worth it? Are there any other laptops you would suggest?


PS

I'm 99% set on getting a laptop. I could get a desktop, but I'd very much rather prefer a laptop.

At your price range, this seems to be the best gaming computer: http://computershopper.com/laptops/r...-vaio-nw180j-s

looks pretty good, but if you ask me get vista off of there as soon as you get it and install XP.

When have you ever needed to take your desktop outside the house Mark?
And that being without internet too, unless you have wifi on that scrap pile.

Laptop < desktop.

I could go into the many, many, many reasons why laptops are pointless and lacking compared to desktops, but I shan't because you're gay.

Please get a desktop and play Battlefield 2 with me. That or Team Fortress 2.
Just get a desktop.

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Originally Posted by ClouD

When have you ever needed to take your desktop outside the house Mark?
And that being without internet too, unless you have wifi on that scrap pile.

Laptop < desktop.

I could go into the many, many, many reasons why laptops are pointless and lacking compared to desktops, but I shan't because you're gay.

Please get a desktop and play Battlefield 2 with me. That or Team Fortress 2.
Just get a desktop.

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Wow. You really do not like laptops huh?
A laptop would be nice if you have wireless internet, because you could take it around the house with you instead of being confined to the desk in one room.

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Originally Posted by Fableflame

Wow. You really do not like laptops huh?
A laptop would be nice if you have wireless internet, because you could take it around the house with you instead of being confined to the desk in one room.

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Other than portability they are worse in every other aspect compared to desktops.

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Originally Posted by ClouD

Other than being portable they are worse in every other aspect compared to desktops.

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Oh.
Well, I know nothing about these things.

gaming laptops are especially pointless

Do you have any idea how much juice a gaming graphics card takes? - battery life will be an hour, max
which means you have to have it plugged in, which eliminates the portability

but hey...

Theres a toshiba satilite thats really good and its only 850 bucks

I got it through aafes

It has a dual core "core 2 Duo" 2.1 GHz
It has an ATI 4570 512MB
4 GB Ram
500GB HDD space
and a 16 inch screen

Very good deal through aafes, they dont tax.

Problem is you have to be in the us military, work for the us military, or be married to a soldier.

The Video Card was suprisingly good for 850 laptop...

anyway if you interested maybe somehow we can work something out idk

Yeah desktops are the shit, i built one back in the US i spend 4,500 on it

AMD Phenom II x4 3.2 GHz Quad
8 GB DDR2 RAM
ATI 4870 X2 2 GB Video Card
3.7 TB of HDD space (Seagate Baracuda 1.5 TB x 2)
512 GB SSD
Asus Mobo
Wireless N
Blu-ray burner x16 speed
DVD/CD combo (lightscribe)
Antec Haf 932 Case
and a bunch of other little goodies,

It was a beast, of course the ATI Hemlock (5870 X2) is coming out, a dual processor version of the Cypress, when it comes out it
will be the fastest commercial gaming video card on earth.

But fuck dell, dont get it, toshiba is a very good laptop its the same if not better than a dell yet 30% cheaper

EDIT: omg!! look at the second laptop in your link, the specs are just the same as the toshiba. Dell wants 1,249 bucks the toshiba (A505-S6970) is only 850 bucks, almost exact specs :::::http://www.amazon.com/Toshiba-Satell.../dp/B002BDU8QU The DDR3 ram in the dell is faster than the toshiba, but the toshiba has a way better performing Graphics card

As far as I know, only IBM and Dell have laptops with XP on them, the rest make you pay for the XP "downgrade."

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Originally Posted by ClouD

When have you ever needed to take your desktop outside the house Mark?
And that being without internet too, unless you have wifi on that scrap pile.

Laptop < desktop.

I could go into the many, many, many reasons why laptops are pointless and lacking compared to desktops, but I shan't because you're gay.

Please get a desktop and play Battlefield 2 with me. That or Team Fortress 2.
Just get a desktop.

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I would take it with me if all I had to do was fold it in half and unplug one cable (also if it could do stuff). No way am I getting Battlefield 2, but I'm down with the TF2.

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Originally Posted by Ynot

gaming laptops are especially pointless

Do you have any idea how much juice a gaming graphics card takes? - battery life will be an hour, max
which means you have to have it plugged in, which eliminates the portability

but hey...

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It doesn't eliminate the portability it just means I can't use it unplugged for very long. This isn't really a problem as I won't be using it anywhere I'll not be able to plug it in. It'd be a pain and a half to pack a desktop even just to go a block away (which is something I'll likely do.) With a laptop that's no problem. Also when I was off ________, a good gaming laptop of my own would have been really nice to have. So if I go do that again, I'll have one. The point is that I'm willing to sacrifice some performance for this convenience.

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Originally Posted by ninja9578

As far as I know, only IBM and Dell have laptops with XP on them, the rest make you pay for the XP "downgrade."

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These ones I linked say they come with Vista, but they also offer a free upgrade to Windows 7 when it's released.

I agree with Mark, battery power is rarely necessary. I rarely find myself somewhere that I can't plug my computer in. But I would certainly pause the game when moving around, I think Ynot's 1 hour mark is really pushing it. I have the longest lasting battery on the market, and when I max out my processors and graphics cores, I get about 45 minutes.

I should probably mention that I'm talking Canadian dollars and that the Dells in my link are listed in CAD as well.

Get like an Alienware or somethin.

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Originally Posted by Tarsier

Get like an Alienware or somethin.

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Ailienware is a subdivision of Dell. And they're expensive.

Are there graphics cards for laptops? I know you have your stock gfx card, but I would imagine a desktop would give you much more options in that regard.

I don't really know much about laptops, but I'd just like to explain ClouD's objection to laptops here. He's Australian, and laptops are New Things. We are instinctively terrified of New Things, because in Australia, New Things have a remarkable alacrity to inject us with poison. The Old Things do it too, of course, but it's the New Things that have the certain keen edge for the whole thing.

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Originally Posted by Kiza

New Things have a remarkable alacrity to inject us with poison.

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Australian Pop Idol?

Those laptops are too thin for good. They'll end up cutting pieces off you if you're not careful!

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Originally Posted by ninja9578

As far as I know, only IBM and Dell have laptops with XP on them, the rest make you pay for the XP "downgrade."

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I bought a mid-range Toshiba last week that came with Vista installed, free upgrade to 7 when it's released and a CD to downgrade to XP if I want it.

Also I asked the sales rep about that because I absolutely can't stand Vista and apparently it's also fairly common for a laptop to come with a key for XP, even if no CD is included so you can just download the iso from Microsoft.

Also you mentioned that you'll be playing TF2 and BF2? Seriously, I bought my PC for two grand about six years ago and even it will run both of those games at reasonable detail (definitely enough that you wouldnt notice if you turned up the quality on a tiny laptop screen) in 1920x1080. Basically as long as your new laptop has a dedicated graphics card, you'll be set.

Also: "you have to have it plugged in, which eliminates the portability" is rubbish. Unless you're on the bus or something, there's going to be a powerpoint near by. If you /are/ on the bus, how are you going to be playing games anyway? With the touchpad? I think not.

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Originally Posted by bobthemonkey

Also you mentioned that you'll be playing TF2 and BF2? Seriously, I bought my PC for two grand about six years ago and even it will run both of those games at reasonable detail (definitely enough that you wouldnt notice if you turned up the quality on a tiny laptop screen) in 1920x1080. Basically as long as your new laptop has a dedicated graphics card, you'll be set.

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My current computer is about the same age, except it was like a $500 one at the time, I think. Not a gaming machine, unfortunately. But anyway I already bought one. Thanks, buddies (and non-buddies). :3

I have an Toshiba satellite X205 SLI1 paid around $1700 if I remember correctly. 17" monitor. Duel Core 2.0g (SLi2 has 2.4)Santa Rosa chip set. Sli compatible Dual GeForce 8600M GT graphics card with 512MB RAM DX10. Four Harman Kardon speakers with sub woofer. Best stock audio on a laptop. Its been a good computer. The only down side to this one is a 2mb cache insteed of 4mb. It came with two 120g hd's but I uppped to a 250 and 500g.
Hope this helps.

Or, you could just modify a reasonably sized cardboard box into something which would hopefully resemble a laptop, albeit a crude one. This would be both cheap and environmentally suited. Ha, ha... hm...

I'm not sure if you're still looking, but I seem to recall there's a brand of computers made specifically for gaming.... Falcon Northwest or something like that. I almost got one, but for half the price, I got a custom Dell XPS with HD screen, HD audio, back lit keyboard, increased processors, and increased memory.

It'll run most Steam games, up to and including Left 4 Dead 2, flawlessly on medium. I tried running Call of Duty, but it just wasn't going to happen.

Anyways, you could try going through Dell and getting a custom laptop with all sorts of attachments. There's supposedly one now with everything I just mentioned that's super-thin (needs an external CD drive, unfortunately) with a wireless charging station. How, I can't quite figure out. Maybe electro-magnetic charing or something. Might be a bit above your budget.

Thx, but I bought one 9999 years ago. This thread can be locked plz.