Is this a good deal for gaming?

[spatzi]

Certified data Dual core GT 735 (made by MSI for Canada only)

- 17 "1920x1200 display (WUXGA)
- blu ray player
- AMD Turion X2 ultra dual core 2.2 ghz
- 4 gb DDR 2 ram (max 4gb)
- 320 gig drive
- ATI Radeon HD3850 512 mb video card
- 4 speakers plus sub woofer

$1099 (was $2000 a few months ago)

MSI is going out of the high end laptop market and closing these out. This must be at least 9 months old.

I want a gaming laptop that will last me a couple years. Is this CPU and GPU fast enough to play recent games?

 

[Ayah]

It's not going to be very good at that resolution. WUXGA is pretty freaking brutal on mobile GPUs.

If you don't mind running at a lower resolution like 12X7 or something, it might survive.
The 3850 is a pretty outdated chip though.

I really, really don't think it's worth the $1100 though.

 

[spatzi]

I agree. I just found some game specs and it barely ran crysis at 35 fps on low quality settings, and that game is already two years old.

 

[Skott]

I want a gaming laptop that will last me a couple years. Is this CPU and GPU fast enough to play recent games?

No. If you want something to last you a couple of years with today's modern games and the ones that come out in next two years you should be looking at something with with a 260m gpu or it's ATI equivalent and at least a P8700 cpu or it's AMD equivalent. Just my opinion anyway. Look at the ASUS and Sager gaming notebooks with these suggestions above.

 

[CurseTheSky]

The specs are good (especially considering it has a blu-ray drive and a gaming-level graphics card), and the high res display is nice. However, the graphics card is one (soon to be two) generation behind, and it's still relatively expensive. You can easily find a 15-17" laptop with a decent resolution (1600x900, perhaps better) and a GTX 260M in that price range.

Here's one: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16834220639
And here's another, though the low resolution sucks: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16834101203

I've never heard of a laptop with 4 speakers and a sub woofer, though. I wonder if it actually sounds any good.

 

[spatzi]

The specs are good (especially considering it has a blu-ray drive and a gaming-level graphics card), and the high res display is nice. However, the graphics card is one (soon to be two) generation behind, and it's still relatively expensive. You can easily find a 15-17" laptop with a decent resolution (1600x900, perhaps better) and a GTX 260M in that price range.

Here's one: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16834220639
And here's another, though the low resolution sucks: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16834101203

I've never heard of a laptop with 4 speakers and a sub woofer, though. I wonder if it actually sounds any good.

Yes, I definitely would want the 260. I can get it here, but it's going to cost $1600 minimum, and that would be Gateway or HP, neither of which I'm crazy about.

Remember, I'm in Canada. Laptops are usually 40% more expensive here. Yes, finding one in the US for $1100 that beats the specs is easy, but getting one shipped up here is always a hassle. And we have very limited selections. No one sells ASUS for example, and if they do, never the same models. But I'm tempted to order from US with the dollar being about par right now. I'll look into the Sager.

 

[IlllI]

unless you have money to burn your are much better off with a desktop, something that would be upgradable and give you more longevity

 

[Skott]

Here's a ASUS G72GX model for about $1150 from BB. This should give you an idea of what you want as a minimum.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Asus+-+L...&skuId=9556125



Product Features

* Intel® Core™2 Duo mobile processor P8700
Features 2 processing cores, 1066MHz system bus, 3MB L2 cache and 2.53GHz processor speed per core.
* 2 high-performance processing cores
To run multiple demanding applications simultaneously without hesitation.
* 6GB DDR2 memory
For multitasking power.
* Multiformat DVD±RW/CD-RW drive with double-layer support
Records up to 8.5GB of data or 4 hours of video using compatible DVD+R DL media.
* 17.3" LED-backlit LCD high-definition plus widescreen display
With 1600 x 900 resolution showcases movies and games in stunning clarity.
* 500GB Serial ATA hard drive (5400 rpm)
Offers spacious storage and fast read/write times. 1 E-SATA connection for added convenience.
* Built-in facial recognition
Protects sensitive information.
* NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260M graphics
Features 1GB GDDR3 video memory for lush images. HDMI output for connecting to an HDTV. 2 built-in speakers with DSP and Dolby Home Theater support.
* See the benefits of an NVIDIA graphics processor in your laptop.
* Built-in 1.3MP webcam
Makes it easy to chat online with family and friends.
* 8-in-1 media reader
Supports MultiMediaCard, Secure Digital, xD-Picture Card, Smart Media, Memory Stick, Memory Stick PRO and Memory Stick Duo formats.
* IEEE 1394 (FireWire) interface and 4 high-speed USB 2.0 ports
For fast digital video, audio and data transfer.
* Built-in wireless LAN (802.11b/g/n)
Wirelessly connect to the Internet.
* Built-in 10/100/1000 Mbps fast Ethernet LAN
With RJ-45 connector for quick and easy wired Web connection.
* Weighs 8.8 lbs. and measures 2" thin
For portable power.
* Fair battery life
Of up to 1 hour and 23 minutes.
* Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium Edition 64-bit operating system preinstalled
Provides a stable computing platform.
* Software included
With Adobe Acrobat Reader 8 and more.

Edit: Not sure what you can and cannot get in Canada. My knowledge about that is a bit iffy but the above info should help you as far as basic minimums go.

Edit 2: Do you have any relatives or trustful friends in the USA that could order/buy the PC for you once you send them the money? I know its sorta a stretch and hassle to go that route but it's one possible solution for you if it exists.

 

[spatzi]

unless you have money to burn your are much better off with a desktop, something that would be upgradable and give you more longevity

Yes, I know I can get more with a PC. The reason I'm switching to laptop is to reduce the constant noise of a PC, which always sits behind my TV, as it's connected to run movies. Now, that the PC broke down, and we experienced quiet for the first time in years, we really enjoy it. And this was a 4 year old pc with a silent case. I can't imagine how loud a new beast would be, especially one with the latest video card.

 

[spatzi]

Okay, how about this one? I didn't know newegg had a CA site:

http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product...82E16834220642

It's expensive, but I get a work credit on computers for $750, so that puts my outlay at $950 after tax and shipping. If you know of anywhere I can get this cheaper, please let me know! I don't know anyone in the US that can ship me a laptop.

 

[IlllI]

Yes, I know I can get more with a PC. The reason I'm switching to laptop is to reduce the constant noise of a PC, which always sits behind my TV, as it's connected to run movies. Now, that the PC broke down, and we experienced quiet for the first time in years, we really enjoy it. And this was a 4 year old pc with a silent case. I can't imagine how loud a new beast would be, especially one with the latest video card.

you realize that if you get a laptop with a fast/hot gpu that there will be a fan buzzing trying to keep it from overheating?

i'm somewhat confused b/c at first you wanted something to game on, but what you wrote above makes me wonder if you want a htpc

 

[spatzi]

you realize that if you get a laptop with a fast/hot gpu that there will be a fan buzzing trying to keep it from overheating?

i'm somewhat confused b/c at first you wanted something to game on, but what you wrote above makes me wonder if you want a htpc

Can't be as loud as my PC was. I know it will get loud when gaming, but that's okay. I'm concerned about 'idle' noise while just surfing. We already have a laptop running all the time and I never hear it. Most of the time, I'm on the web. I'm not a gaming fanatic, but if I'm going to go laptop route, I"d like to have the option to play something 'recent' when I want to. I also ran the PC day and night so it was a constant sheet of background noise. The laptop will be off most of the time.

 

[Skott]

Okay, how about this one? I didn't know newegg had a CA site:

http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product...82E16834220642

It's expensive, but I get a work credit on computers for $750, so that puts my outlay at $950 after tax and shipping. If you know of anywhere I can get this cheaper, please let me know! I don't know anyone in the US that can ship me a laptop.

This meets all the requirements we been bantering about here in this thread. If you can get it for $950 then thats a very good deal IMO. I was surfing Youtube today and one thing I heard was that some of the G71 models had heating problems relating to the video card. The newer G72 models don't have the problem supposedly. I did hear one person say a BIOS update fixed it but I didn't hear which BIOS version it was. I'm not sure of all the particulars so you may want to look into that deeper and see if its true or not.

 

[IlllI]

well thats true. i didnt know how quiet you were hoping for or were expecting

 

[k3rast4se]

and what about a 700$ desktop pc and a 300$ xbox/ps3 for media streaming. You will no longer need to leave your pc behind the tv, you will be able to play all game with good graphic and will have quite a good pc for the price!!!

Cheers

 

[Rerednaw]

Okay, how about this one? I didn't know newegg had a CA site:

http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product...82E16834220642

It's expensive, but I get a work credit on computers for $750, so that puts my outlay at $950 after tax and shipping. If you know of anywhere I can get this cheaper, please let me know! I don't know anyone in the US that can ship me a laptop.

Do you need the big screen? One option is to save a little with a smaller screen and then opt for a separate display. The same hardware on newegg will run $800 if you drop the display size.

A display and 2x4 gig 200 pin memory will run you about $500.

You'll have a portable laptop, 8gig, a large display and will still run you about the same total (or less).

I had one of the old desktop replacement models (HP dv9700) and found that it wasn't so handy when I started dragging it everywhere. My next computer is going to be with middling hardware and smaller screen so it is more portable.

Just my 2 cents...go with what works for you.