Laptops

[MJR]

I might be getting a laptop this year and I would like to know about them. How do processors play a role, do they increase FPS, and what is a good processor in GHz?

What is a good graphics card?

Is RAM also associated with the FPS you get when you are playing games? What is a good amount of RAM? Thanks. I hope to be customizing it from alien ware.

 

[bradfirj92]

I can't claim to know much about laptop graphics cards other than they suck, but I do know a fair bit about processors. What is the purpose of the machine? Is it a desktop replacement or a machine for use on the go?

 

[MJR]

I will use it as a computer to go and for gaming.

 

[Bj]

I will use it as a computer to go and for gaming.

A good way to compare computer specs when your looking for hardware would be to look at whatever game you are looking to play, and find its suggested system specs. Then find a computer with the closest match and lowest price.

However, laptops are generally not the best hard-core gaming platforms. If your like me, and only will play simulators ( Orbiter, FSX ) then you really don't need a lot of power, but just enough to get along. This is generally cheapest and most economical for a laptop, otherwise I would rather get a desktop.

If your looking at the biggest bang for your dollar, a good place to look is at a refurbished site or you could even find some new computers online at some name brand store.

Of course when it comes to gaming, having any graphics card is essential compared to integrated graphics. Also look for a computer with duel core, and make sure you don't get any kind of Celeron processor.


There is this site that does a good job comparing graphic cards, if you are looking at a particular laptop, and want to see some comparisons.

I might be getting a laptop this year and I would like to know about them. How do processors play a role, do they increase FPS, and what is a good processor in GHz?

Having a good fast processor does help to some extent, but in gaming an extra GPU is even better. The graphics card's sole purpose is to process graphics, while the CPU can be left to handle the majority of the calculations. Also if the graphics card has a healthy dose of RAM then that would speed up map loading and all around performance.

Is RAM also associated with the FPS you get when you are playing games? What is a good amount of RAM? Thanks. I hope to be customizing it from alien ware.

Lack of RAM could really kill FPS, but just adding another two GB of RAM might not do much overall. Now a-days, a good dose would be 2 GB of RAM.

 

[razgriz31m]

the fact that you're getting a lappy from Alienware....why not get a gaming laptop?

 

[EJ316]

Argh Alienware! Very overpriced, but if that's not a problem then no worries, and I assume you wouldn't be too confident building your own laptop. Is that even possible?!

 

[V8Li]

I bought an Acer last year and I was skeptical about it. I'm not a hard-core gamer, I just play Orbitersim, FlightGear, Counter-Strike and some racing games like F1 2002 (100fps+) and lfs (back when I had a G25, which was broken 3 months later from all that drifting lol). It's a dual core AMD 2Ghz, 4Gb Ram, ATI with up to 1Gb ram, with Dolby and a subwoofer . I have Vista 32 on it. I was thinking about upgrading to 64 but it's not that supported from what I know. I'm happy with it, all I can say is that I won't buy a 32bit system anymore.

 

[Hielor]

I hope to be customizing it from alien ware.

Unless you have a whole lot of money to burn just for the sake of having the name "alienware" on the computer, don't get an alienware.

They're very, very overpriced.