laptop advice

[VoidJester]

I am getting ready for a new laptop. What video would be best if I want to be able to play games (mainly EverQuest) on the road?

You think a Celeron 500 would be a good processor or should I go for a PIII?

I plan on multiple OS's (win98se, Linux, a beta OS, etc.....). Sound and video are important. What is the best laptop sound chip? Speakers are not as importanat.

 

[cavingjan]

There's only three main options for laptop video. Neomagic (generic)which isn't that great, Savage3D mobile which is okay I guess, and ATi Rage mobile which is probably the best that you can get for a laptop for now. Radeon mobiles are due out next year and I think I just saw an announcement for GF2 MX mobile again but that just seems to be taking forever to get to market.

 

[medic]

Above all make sure you get a TFT or Active Matrix Screen
Don't settle for HPA/DSTN/CSTN ect.

 

[wyvrn]

TFT screen is the most important. And make sure the video memory is not shared with system RAM! Die Compaq Die!

 

[VoidJester]

Active screen or better is a definite YES.

My current laptop has a NeoMagic in it, I don't think I could buy another one. It also is a P2-300 with 128 meg. I was doing some Photoshop work a short time ago and WOW did it grind away.

 

[ElFenix]

p3s have speedstep, celerons don't. from computers.com i figured out that the battery life is a lot longer on a power saving p3 than a 600mhz celeron. i wish a hardcore hardware site would review laptops on a regular basis. sharky has been doing it some but they're all dells. and not frequently.