It's been ten years since I built a computer. In that time I've been a dedicated Mac user, thus I haven't been following trends. I want a new laptop. It's primary purpose will be mobile computing and gaming. So I need it light and powerful with a good audio system. I have several questions.
I need full DirectX 10 support and the ability to playing video games like Civilization V, Left For Dead 2, and Grand Theft Auto IV, Starcraft 2, and (later) Diablo III at max quality. I'm not really a FPS gamer, but had I the processing power, maybe I could. Is it important that I get a DirectX 11 supporting graphics card now? I also would like to be able to watch BluRay video fullscreen and run Windows 7 Professional. I would like to leave the opportunity open to run Linux, and I understand an NVIDIA card is best for that. Is that true?
I know nothing about the state of the art in GPUs except that ATI Radeon 5870 and NVIDIA 480M are the best right now.
I don't like the look of the gaming laptops I've seen, and I'm finding I'm most comfortable with the F or EC series laptops from Sony. I like the screen, the feel, and the features.
The F Series VAIO has:
- i7-740QM (1.73GHz) with boost up to 2.93GHz, or:
- i7-820QM (1.73GHz) with boost up to 3.06GHz
- 4GB/6GB/8GB DDR3 1333 RAM
- GeForce GT 330M GPU with 1GB VRAM.
The EC Series VAIO has:
- i5-520M (2.40GHz) with boost up to 2.93GHz, or:
- i5-540M (2.53GHz) with boost up to 3.06GHz
- 4GB/6GB/8GB DDR3 1066 RAM
- ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5470 GPU 512MB VRAM, or:
- ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5650 GPU 1GB VRAM
Just looking at the specs, it seems to make sense that I should choose the ATI 5650 over the 5470, but how does the 5650 compare with the GT 330M? Do I gain very much by going with the fastest i7 over the fastest i5? I do want to be future proofed through at least the next gen action games. Do either of these GPUs leave me with any spare power? Are either of these laptops suitable for my needs? Beyond playing the latest Blizzard game or Sims 3, the laptop will be used for DirectX and web programming, flash video, and then word processing.
Finally, is it possible for end users to upgrade the GPU or CPU in current gen laptops?
I need full DirectX 10 support and the ability to playing video games like Civilization V, Left For Dead 2, and Grand Theft Auto IV, Starcraft 2, and (later) Diablo III at max quality. I'm not really a FPS gamer, but had I the processing power, maybe I could. Is it important that I get a DirectX 11 supporting graphics card now? I also would like to be able to watch BluRay video fullscreen and run Windows 7 Professional. I would like to leave the opportunity open to run Linux, and I understand an NVIDIA card is best for that. Is that true?
I know nothing about the state of the art in GPUs except that ATI Radeon 5870 and NVIDIA 480M are the best right now.
I don't like the look of the gaming laptops I've seen, and I'm finding I'm most comfortable with the F or EC series laptops from Sony. I like the screen, the feel, and the features.
The F Series VAIO has:
- i7-740QM (1.73GHz) with boost up to 2.93GHz, or:
- i7-820QM (1.73GHz) with boost up to 3.06GHz
- 4GB/6GB/8GB DDR3 1333 RAM
- GeForce GT 330M GPU with 1GB VRAM.
The EC Series VAIO has:
- i5-520M (2.40GHz) with boost up to 2.93GHz, or:
- i5-540M (2.53GHz) with boost up to 3.06GHz
- 4GB/6GB/8GB DDR3 1066 RAM
- ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5470 GPU 512MB VRAM, or:
- ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5650 GPU 1GB VRAM
Just looking at the specs, it seems to make sense that I should choose the ATI 5650 over the 5470, but how does the 5650 compare with the GT 330M? Do I gain very much by going with the fastest i7 over the fastest i5? I do want to be future proofed through at least the next gen action games. Do either of these GPUs leave me with any spare power? Are either of these laptops suitable for my needs? Beyond playing the latest Blizzard game or Sims 3, the laptop will be used for DirectX and web programming, flash video, and then word processing.
Finally, is it possible for end users to upgrade the GPU or CPU in current gen laptops?
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