Hard Light Productions Forums

Off-Topic Discussion => General Discussion => Topic started by: chief1983 on August 05, 2009, 12:22:31 am

Title: Need to buy a laptop
Post by: chief1983 on August 05, 2009, 12:22:31 am
Looking for tips on pitfalls, good deals in the next 48 hours, etc.  Not even sure if I want a standard or a netbook.  If a netbook, I'm thinking one with a larger screen (10 or 12"), or a laptop, a somewhat smaller one.  Battery life is important, but I _must_ have an nvidia gpu.  4GB of ram would be nice since I'd get another 64bit OS license, unless it comes with Linux, that's cool too.  There aren't any Ion netbooks out yet are there?  It seems they're running a bit late.

Basically, I'm probably taking a little vacation soon and I want to be able to post pics of my travels.  So something with good roaming ability would be nice, but I'll also be using it for work and FSO stuff when I get back.
Title: Re: Need to buy a laptop
Post by: Scotty on August 05, 2009, 12:28:33 am
As mura so succinctly stated, get one that doesn't suck.
Title: Re: Need to buy a laptop
Post by: chief1983 on August 05, 2009, 12:42:00 am
No more suggestions/witty comments?  I know this forum never sleeps.
Title: Re: Need to buy a laptop
Post by: Scotty on August 05, 2009, 12:42:45 am
Really.  It's been 20 minutes already!
Title: Re: Need to buy a laptop
Post by: Colonol Dekker on August 05, 2009, 03:52:38 am
How much money are you willing to spend/can you afford to fork out? There are some really beefy dells out there.
Title: Re: Need to buy a laptop
Post by: Androgeos Exeunt on August 05, 2009, 04:41:42 am
Try getting the new MacBookPro. Just take any model made in late 2008, because all of them have built-in Nvidia graphics cards now. I've been using an early 2008 MacBook for a year and a half now. Mine is the mid-ranged version; it has an Intel graphics chipset, but it also has 2 GB RAM and 150 GB of maximum hard drive space, and it can run everything that FS2_Open has to offer, including advanced graphics and textures.

The successor to my mid-ranged, early-2008 model is the 13-inch MacBook Pro model on this list (http://www.apple.com/mac/whichmacbook/compare.html).

Macs are a bit expensive, though, and the one thing that makes me content with my early 2008 model is that the late 2008 model has a display screen that's extra reflective. You could use it as a mirror, in fact. Those aside, however, I think the new MacBook Pro's something you might want to consider.
Title: Re: Need to buy a laptop
Post by: Ghostavo on August 05, 2009, 07:15:36 am
Macs are a bit expensive, though, and the one thing that makes me content with my early 2008 model is that the late 2008 model has a display screen that's extra reflective. You could use it as a mirror, in fact. Those aside, however, I think the new MacBook Pro's something you might want to consider.

You think a glossy laptop monitor is a good thing? An extremely one at that?


That said, the IdeaPad U350 from Lenovo almost fits your description but it lacks a Nvidia card.

Also, the Ion platform doesn't suit your needs since you want a 64 bit OS (which netbook Atom processors clearly don't support last time I saw) and 4 GB of memory (which I'm not even sure if it's supported physically, which doesn't really matter with a 32 bit OS).
Title: Re: Need to buy a laptop
Post by: Spicious on August 05, 2009, 07:26:24 am
Don't (http://www.smh.com.au/digital-life/computers/macbook-cracks-threaten-to-upset-apple-cart-20090805-e9fj.html?page=-1) get (http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=15863) a mac (http://www.dailytech.com/Another+Major+Mac+Computer+Security+Flaw+Discovered/article15832.htm).

That said, I'm quite happy with my Dell M1330 (which may have been since replaced):
13"
Core 2 T6400
Nvidia 9400M
~1600 AUD

And it has an optical drive.
Title: Re: Need to buy a laptop
Post by: colecampbell666 on August 05, 2009, 08:57:05 am
What's your price range? Netbooks with dedicated GPUs aren't out yet and will most likely not come out for a while, I'd suggest an HP DV5T, about 1150$ with your selected options and 1680*1050 screen.
Title: Re: Need to buy a laptop
Post by: chief1983 on August 05, 2009, 09:48:35 am
I probably don't want to go over $800 without really good reason.  Doubt I'll shell out for a MacBook Pro but I was condering a standard MacBook.  But, for the cost I could get a Mac Mini and a regular $500 laptop.  So we'll see.
Title: Re: Need to buy a laptop
Post by: Androgeos Exeunt on August 05, 2009, 11:56:14 am
Ooh ... an $800 budget means you can more or less count the MacBook out already. :blah:

I'm rubbish when it comes to notebooks running Windows or Linux. Which is cheaper: Lenovo, Acer, HP, Dell, or Asus?
Title: Re: Need to buy a laptop
Post by: Colonol Dekker on August 05, 2009, 01:24:45 pm
Acer I think. But pricerunner will tell you for sure.
Title: Re: Need to buy a laptop
Post by: BlackDove on August 05, 2009, 02:01:12 pm
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834146584

That was easy.

Mac Mini lol. $500 laptop lol. Why buy two pieces of trash, when you can get something actually semi-useful.
Title: Re: Need to buy a laptop
Post by: JGZinv on August 05, 2009, 02:05:53 pm
Asus G50vt-X5 look around Craigslist or eBay.

http://dealnews.com/categories/Computer/PC-Computers/PC-Laptop/49.html?exp=Y

Also has deals listed.
Title: Re: Need to buy a laptop
Post by: Ford Prefect on August 05, 2009, 03:36:35 pm
I have an IdeaPad Y530 and would highly recommend it. Lenovo makes them really sturdy, and I've been very happy with the performance.
Title: Re: Need to buy a laptop
Post by: redsniper on August 05, 2009, 04:50:44 pm
I have an IdeaPad Y530 and would highly recommend it. Lenovo makes them really sturdy, and I've been very happy with the performance.
This. I have the same thing, and it's been pretty good so far. No nvidia GPU though...
Title: Re: Need to buy a laptop
Post by: Titan on August 05, 2009, 05:33:40 pm
Don't (http://www.smh.com.au/digital-life/computers/macbook-cracks-threaten-to-upset-apple-cart-20090805-e9fj.html?page=-1) get (http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=15863) a mac (http://www.dailytech.com/Another+Major+Mac+Computer+Security+Flaw+Discovered/article15832.htm).


That crack thing happened to ours. We have a piece of white electrical tape over it now.  :p
Title: Re: Need to buy a laptop
Post by: captain-custard on August 05, 2009, 06:30:31 pm
netbooks with 4gb of ram are hard to find , but one with a nvidia chip is already out there ....asus n10....
http://usa.asus.com/products.aspx?l1=5&l2=131&l3=1034&l4=0&model=3034&modelmenu=1 (http://usa.asus.com/products.aspx?l1=5&l2=131&l3=1034&l4=0&model=3034&modelmenu=1)

its not cheap but looks ok , anyway as a laptop user id buy one if i had that sort of cash lying around
Title: Re: Need to buy a laptop
Post by: chief1983 on August 05, 2009, 10:35:51 pm
I bought the one BlackDove found, after browsing around Newegg it actually looked like one of the better deals out there.  I didn't even know about the G1xxM GPUs yet.
Title: Re: Need to buy a laptop
Post by: Kosh on August 05, 2009, 11:17:33 pm
Why does it absolutly have to have an nvidia gpu?
Title: Re: Need to buy a laptop
Post by: Colonol Dekker on August 06, 2009, 01:49:28 am
Buyers parogtive. . Although you do know that the GPU has a notable affect on battery life. Thats why i'm going for that samsung n110 / nc10 (whichevers newest) 9 hours.
Title: Re: Need to buy a laptop
Post by: Admiral LSD on August 06, 2009, 02:17:14 am
Why does it absolutly have to have an nvidia gpu?

My guess would be Linux. nVidia GPUs have traditionally been better supported under Linux. AMD/ATi are catching up - with certain GPUs having better Linux support than their nVidia eqivalents - but a lot of people are set in their ways.
Title: Re: Need to buy a laptop
Post by: Kosh on August 06, 2009, 04:43:58 am
Buyers parogtive. . Although you do know that the GPU has a notable affect on battery life. Thats why i'm going for that samsung n110 / nc10 (whichevers newest) 9 hours.


If you're paying attention to just that then why bother going with an NVidia instead of just having an integrated steup?
Title: Re: Need to buy a laptop
Post by: Colonol Dekker on August 06, 2009, 04:55:45 am
I don't understand the context of the statement. Was that at me or the topic author?
Title: Re: Need to buy a laptop
Post by: Androgeos Exeunt on August 06, 2009, 07:26:21 am
Although you do know that the GPU has a notable affect on battery life.
/me didn't know that until the good Colonol mentioned it. :p

Negative or positive effect? I'm under the perception that Nvidia cards eat battery power for breakfast.
Title: Re: Need to buy a laptop
Post by: Colonol Dekker on August 06, 2009, 08:41:36 am
That would be correct, some newer makes have the option to turn the gpu off or switch to an onboard to extend the charge life but I Couldn't say which ones.
Title: Re: Need to buy a laptop
Post by: chief1983 on August 06, 2009, 09:55:40 am
Nvidia plans to add the functionality to their drivers in the near future to enable very easy switching between GPUs on the fly.  Linux is one reason, good FreeSpace performance is another (none of the crazy ATI problems we've been having lately), familiarity yet another reason.
Title: Re: Need to buy a laptop
Post by: Admiral LSD on August 06, 2009, 10:37:11 am
(none of the crazy ATI problems we've been having lately)

Care to elaborate? I can't say I've noticed anything untoward myself, but then I haven't gotten terribly far into things on the system I have FSO on with the ATi card.
Title: Re: Need to buy a laptop
Post by: chief1983 on August 06, 2009, 11:35:33 am
ATI's OpenGL implementation has seemingly been broken in their drivers for quite some time, on a lot of their X1xxx series cards.  That's all I really know, I haven't followed it too closely.
Title: Re: Need to buy a laptop
Post by: CP5670 on August 06, 2009, 11:58:08 am
I haven't used an ATI card in over a year, but the X1900 I used to have worked flawlessly in FS2 back then.
Title: Re: Need to buy a laptop
Post by: castor on August 06, 2009, 12:26:19 pm
My guess would be Linux. nVidia GPUs have traditionally been better supported under Linux. AMD/ATi are catching up - with certain GPUs having better Linux support than their nVidia eqivalents - but a lot of people are set in their ways.
Yea well, I really don't understand how the fglrx driver can still be so crappy, after all the years it has been in development.
I've tried at least three generations of ATI vid cards on Linux, and all they sucked beyond belief.
Ok, they can be good if you only do 2D, but.. uhh.
Title: Re: Need to buy a laptop
Post by: Colonol Dekker on August 06, 2009, 01:20:14 pm
Apologies for link format. . . But here ya go.
 
 
http://www.oyyy.co.uk/product.php/96002/compaq-presario-cq60-313sa-notebook-pc-dual-core--ql-64--2.1ghz-3gb--1x1gb+1x2gb--160gb-sata-15.6-inch-tft-5-in-1-card-reader-web-cam-dvd%EF%BF%BDrw-dl-sm--lightscribe--vista-home-basic--nvidia-geforce-8200m-
Title: Re: Need to buy a laptop
Post by: Ghostavo on August 06, 2009, 01:20:52 pm
Part of the problem is in X11. The nVidia driver literally overwrites part of it.

That said, I was under the impression that newer ATI cards in conjunction with the RadeonHD driver was tolerable.
Title: Re: Need to buy a laptop
Post by: GTSVA on August 06, 2009, 01:27:19 pm
DELL XPS! OR OR UH ALIENWARE LOLOLOL!