Will this run BF3, Skyrim and/or Old repbulic?

trtmerlin

Junior Member
Dec 29, 2011
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Good evening friends, I am a poor college student looking around for a budget gaming laptop. The other day I stumbled upon this.... http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6834215191 . I was wondering if anyone had any experience with this laptop as far as gaming was concerned. The games I'm most interested in are BF3, SW:TOR and skyrim. I'm concerned that if I buy this laptop it won't run those games. My overall budget is about $600-$700. If however you folks are certain the laptop will not run these games, do you have any suggestions as to which laptop may perform within my budget? PS. I'm always on the go, so a desktop, however favorable, won't work for me.

Thanks friends,
Daniel
 
Aug 11, 2008
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Well, it has a decent dual core CPU and a very low level graphics card. I doubt BF3, especially multiplayer would be a decent experience, if it ran at all. TOR might be playable at low settings, but would probably be quite laggy. Skyrim might play the best, but you would still be limited to low settings. Honestly, to get a good gaming experience on a laptop you need to spend around 1000.00 or more to get a GT555M or GT565M graphics card.

You might be able to get an AMD fusion laptop with the A6-3400 APU (or A8-3500) for around 500.00 that would play as well or better than the one in your post. If you are willing to spend 700.00 to 800.00 you should be able to find something with the GT540M, which is quite a bit stronger than the 520M.

Honestly, that is a good price for the laptop you are looking at, but it is not a gaming machine at all.
 

Kristijonas

Senior member
Jun 11, 2011
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The short answer would be: no. Those are some very demanding games and not for low end MOBILES.
As the guy above me suggested, I will add that a mobile with processor "A8-3500" would probably be the best choice for you. I'm 100% sure that this PC can be found in your budget. Although just make sure that if you buy a PC with A8-3500, to have at least 4Gb RAM memory.
 

power_hour

Senior member
Oct 16, 2010
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SWTOR at lowest will likely run minus any large raids. Other games not likely. Hold out for a Quad (i5)+ 540/555 GPU model if you can.
 

Lean L

Diamond Member
Apr 30, 2009
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I don't quite understand why you need a laptop. I'm in college too. I just use either a cheap laptop, a tablet, or most likely my smart phone for when I'm on campus and then for everything else I use my desktop.

If your budget is up to 700 you can get a netbook and then spend the rest on a gaming pc.
 

schneiderguy

Lifer
Jun 26, 2006
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I don't quite understand why you need a laptop. I'm in college too. I just use either a cheap laptop, a tablet, or most likely my smart phone for when I'm on campus and then for everything else I use my desktop.

If your budget is up to 700 you can get a netbook and then spend the rest on a gaming pc.

This is what I do also. People with high powered gaming laptops are always bitching about having to lug them around to class.
 
Aug 11, 2008
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I don't quite understand why you need a laptop. I'm in college too. I just use either a cheap laptop, a tablet, or most likely my smart phone for when I'm on campus and then for everything else I use my desktop.

If your budget is up to 700 you can get a netbook and then spend the rest on a gaming pc.

I agree with you in general, but 700 is cutting it close to get both a netbook and a gaming desktop, especially if you are talking about a prebuilt desktop. Figure 250 for a netbook and that leaves only 450 for a desktop. Hard to find a gaming desktop for that, especially if you need a monitor.
 
Aug 11, 2008
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SWTOR at lowest will likely run minus any large raids. Other games not likely. Hold out for a Quad (i5)+ 540/555 GPU model if you can.

If you are talking about a laptop, I believe the i5 mobile is dual core. The quad core laptops are all i7. But the i5 has hyperthreading and paired with a 540/555 might be a decent gaming system.
 

power_hour

Senior member
Oct 16, 2010
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If you are talking about a laptop, I believe the i5 mobile is dual core. The quad core laptops are all i7. But the i5 has hyperthreading and paired with a 540/555 might be a decent gaming system.

Oh right, gee whiz my bad. I had forgotten about that little difference which can be very misleading.

OP: There are lots of decent games out there that should play just fine on that system but tbh none of the games you listed will play well. My only point was if you can wait, get something a bit beefer and those games will be playable at the minimum. I have an i3 dual core with HD5650 that I play the odd game on and its fine when I am just vegging on the sofa while my son naps. And that system you linked is much better. I have Civ 4, Orcs must die, EVE, WOW and SWTOR (haven't tried it on the lappy yet). They all play well enough for a $350 laptop.

The other suggestion of getting a tablet is a good one. They are very convenient and easy to carry around. Some of the games on them are pretty fun too. Very slick and will age well.

Good luck.
 
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AznAnarchy99

Lifer
Dec 6, 2004
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Side note, SWTOR is really unoptimized right now and lags in weird areas, especially with shadows.
 
Aug 11, 2008
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I'm not a laptop guy, and know very little about them in general. But you miht want to take a look at this one. Status reads, "Back in stock now", but it still shows up as out of stock. I don't know what that means.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16834158073

Yes, if the specs they list are correct, that is a very good deal. You might even be able to run in the asymetric cross fire with the discrete card and the APU, but the drivers for that are sort of iffy.

My only reservation, as you said, is the refurbished part. Laptops tend to be less reliable than desktops anyway, so you might need an extended warranty.
 

Grooveriding

Diamond Member
Dec 25, 2008
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What matters more to you ? Having your laptop in class or getting a good experience gaming.

Pass on the laptop if it's the latter, you can get a solid gaming desktop for the money you have to spend.

Laptop=/gaming imo. Sure there are 'gaming' laptops, but they are still plain bad compared to a desktop at the same price, whether you are talking a $1000 gaming laptop vs a 2500K/Radeon 6950 desktop or a $3000 gaming laptop vs a 2600K/Radeon 7970 Crossfire desktop.

Laptops are horrible value and poor performing for a gaming system.