Buying Laptops

I don't know if your on a budget but I'd recommend the Alienware M11X. It is a pretty good gaming computer with great graphics card that I use frequently and you can customize it before you buy it. Only thing you might not like is it's small screen size and the price.

I am on a budget unfortunately, less than $500. So I'm going for something all-purpose that can run some recent games on lowest settings.

But thank you very much for the recommendation! The laptop you suggested looks very affordable for a gaming computer. The CPU and screen seem a little small, but it looks like the RAM and graphics make up for it. I may consider this for my little brother.

I am still looking for a laptop that better fits my needs and budget. Please tell me if anyone finds one.

kaede wrote:I don't know if your on a budget but I'd recommend the Alienware M11X. It is a pretty good gaming computer with great graphics card that I use frequently and you can customize it before you buy it. Only thing you might not like is it's small screen size and the price.

Seriously? Buying an enthusiast brand name system makes you pay a lot more than you actually need to in most cases*, and beyond the average person's budget. The 11" screen is the main killer though if it were actually cost effective.

@Vroopmaster: The laptop you specified looks ok, IMO the RAM is lacking and the CPU is budget class, but the mobo has additional expansion memory slots so you can double it easily. My computer is crappier and can run sc2 on lowest settings at like 10fps so you should be fine for all practical purposes.


*The exception is falcon northwest, they allow you to completely customize PC components and makeup, memory size, cooling system(liquid ), other stuff, and commisioned automobile quality paint jobs. All parts are top of the line, I checked. The only catch is that it costs more than a used car, but it is worth it.

I have a hand-me-down craptop running Ubuntu 11.04 Natty Narwhal. My mom wouldn't let me put Windows on it 'cause she thinks I'll play games so I just use it to read VN's through the WINE runtime environment. Umineko <3

Ew get your disgusting signature off of my clean forum

You know you would be doing the female population of the world (or at least me) a huge favor if you got him fixed.

Fun Fact: That fapper wasn't in my sig 'til Kooay put it there.

Fix Kooay as well then.

back to the topic, idk if u can squeeze an extra 150 out of ur parents' pockets for this but, this is wut i have, can run any of the staple games at medium graphics, and sc2 at low (i've tried sc2 cracked beta on this). (i can run lol with very high graphics too, but i need to turn on my fan for that, and my fan is haxxed and like blows everything away)

a downside about this comp tho, is that it only has 2 usb ports

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0051OLOUA/ref=as_li_tf_til?tag=giveyoueveryt-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=B0051OLOUA&adid=1Y1JD1RZGYXQRYX265Z2

I don't have something offhand to recommend, but I am with Kooay on the RAM - 4gb might be passable now but in 2 years 4gb is going to be hard to get by on. Weight and Size don't seem half bad. If you could really just switch out the RAM it'd probably pass for your purposes.

Again with Kueh, don't go alienware, a classic example is that whatever alienware you get you can get a same quality asus for cheaper.

Well I'll go surf newegg, they do great reviews and its worth seeing if we can pickup something for you.

kaede wrote:Fix Kooay as well then.

Oh, its that kind of fix, I thought you meant kill or incapacitate.

Darkgenesis wrote:I don't have something offhand to recommend, but I am with Kooay on the RAM - 4gb might be passable now but in 2 years 4gb is going to be hard to get by on.

One of the highest priorities for an enthusiast or hardcore gamer is ensuring that 1. Your system's hardware is up to date with(or ahead of) the current standard upon purchase and 2. That the motherboard and other long term parts are compatible for upgrading as technology progresses.

itsame273 wrote:back to the topic, idk if u can squeeze an extra 150 out of ur parents' pockets for this but, this is wut i have, can run any of the staple games at medium graphics, and sc2 at low (i've tried sc2 cracked beta on this). (i can run lol with very high graphics too, but i need to turn on my fan for that, and my fan is haxxed and like blows everything away)

a downside about this comp tho, is that it only has 2 usb ports

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0051OLOUA/ref=as_li_tf_til?tag=giveyoueveryt-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=B0051OLOUA&adid=1Y1JD1RZGYXQRYX265Z2

Thanks for the link KK Chang. What confuses me though, is how this laptop has better performance with an Intel HD 3000. I thought those weren't good enough for SC2 on low?

Darkgenesis wrote:I don't have something offhand to recommend, but I am with Kooay on the RAM - 4gb might be passable now but in 2 years 4gb is going to be hard to get by on. Weight and Size don't seem half bad. If you could really just switch out the RAM it'd probably pass for your purposes.

Again with Kueh, don't go alienware, a classic example is that whatever alienware you get you can get a same quality asus for cheaper.

Well I'll go surf newegg, they do great reviews and its worth seeing if we can pickup something for you.

Thanks for the info man. Could you explain a little more about the RAM issue? What programs would need more than 4GB RAM? Gotcha, I'll keep that in mind about the Alienware vs. Asus thing. Gracias for helping me out with Newegg!

Thanks guys, you've all been very supportive. I really appreciate it.

srry i can't answer ur question, idk about sc2, but it ran sc2 beta fine

new classics are going to come out, and sc2 is already hitting it, where 8 or 6 gb is pretty standard to get by. Over the next 4 years 8gb will be treated like how we treat 4gb right now. New OS will need more ram to operate (unless you a linux type of guy, then Im sure you can make w/e you want work) and so your computer going to be slow as powerofpoo if you running 4gb.

Graphics card can probably be skimped out on if you aren't too worried about graphics display. Unless anyone disagrees with me.

Even if you are a linux kindof guy, if you're gonna be playing sc2 you're gonna need a powerofpoo of ram to run it under wine.