What is a good affordable gaming laptop?

Corey

I've been needing a good laptop since my previous desktop which is really old finally kicked the bucket. I want one that's good for gaming but affordable, preferably with an amd proccessor.

Answer
Hello!

Id rather buy ASUS G74SX-A1 17.3-Inch Gaming Laptop - Republic of Gamers
http://www.amazon.com/ASUS-G74SX-A1-17-3-Inch-Gaming-Laptop/dp/B00542SUD8/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1348005345&sr=1-1&keywords=Asus+gamer+of+republic+g74&tag=aajema-20

Its so good! See the reviews!
http://www.amazon.com/review/RORVPTNISA6JT/ref=cm_cr_pr_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B00542SUD8&nodeID=&linkCode=&tag=aajema-20

Here is the list of some real good options at affordable prices. Also, check for the discounts offered.
http://www.amazon.com/Best-Selling-Gaming-Laptops-2011/lm/R30ZVRZ01W4P4E/ref=cm_lmt_srch_f_1_rsrssi0&tag=aajema-20

Is this a good gaming laptop?

Brian

Intel Core i5-2430M 2.4GHz
Nvidia Geforce GT 540M
6 GB RAM

wondering exactly what the question asks and if it will run Skyrim nice? also don't tell me laptops aren't good for gaming because i don't care

Link for laptop: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834230132

Answer
http://www.notebookcheck.net/NVIDIA-GeForce-GT-540M.41715.0.html
There is a detailed review of your video chipset.
Here are their benchmark results for Skyrim.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (2011)
low:38 fps Compare
med.:25 fps Compare
high:17 fps Compare
ultra:12 fps Compare
» With all tested laptops playable in detail settings low.

Now, I'm sure this makes no sense to you... so I'll spell it out. You can play the game with that video chipset at LOW settings. Otherwise, it will be laggy.

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The games read doesnt read my graphics card full memmory?

SaMeR

I have fujitsu a530 i5 http://www.notebookcheck.net/Review-Fujitsu-Lifebook-AH530-Notebook.40469.0.html
windows 7 64-bit operating system
the graphic card is supposed to be 1 gb capacity
but some games like gta iv and pes 2012 demo ream my graphic card as 64 mb ,however fifa 2011 works perfectly
i installed the latest amd driver and ati catalyst

what can i do ??
pictures


http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/64/16351725.jpg/

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/20/43050786.jpg/

isnt that supposed to be two display cards or what ??


http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/69/24957962.jpg/


http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/204/26888206.jpg/
from the gta iv settings menu



http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/708/35060121.jpg/
pes 12 settings


thanks in advance

Answer
Some games don't play nice with laptop graphics chips. Furthermore the chip that review says the notebook has isn't the same chip your screenshots dictate. Are you sure it's the same notebook? The page doesn't mention an Intel chip at all, and if that's what's in it then it doesn't have 1GB of dedicated video memory and it's not particularly good for gaming.

Apparently there's multiple models of the AH530.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834110432 This one has the AMD graphics chip.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834110454 This one has the Intel graphics chip and appears to be the one you have.

What frame rate would I get playing battlefield 3 on this laptop?

Justin Tra

I am going to buy this laptop, and i would like to know what fps i would get playing battlefield 3 (and crysis 2, mw3 ect)

Specifications:

Processor: AMD quad-core A8-3550mx accelerated processor (2.7ghz/2.0ghz, 4mb L2 Cache)

Graphics card: 1GB AMD Radeon HD 7690m GDDR5 Discrete Graphics

Memory: 6GB

link to item: http://www.shopping.hp.com/webapp/shopping/load_configuration.do?destination=review&config_id=6966095&jumpid=in_r329_saveconfig

Answer
Here is what Notebook review says:

The 3D performance is slightly better than the GeForce GT 555M and therefore positioned in the upper middle class (in 2011). Demanding games like Anno 2070 or Skyrim can only be played in medium detail settings and lower resolutions. Some games like Battlefield 3 may even only run in low detail settings. Older games hovever like Call of Duty: Black Ops are playable with all settings maxed.

http://www.notebookcheck.net/AMD-Radeon-HD-7690M.67737.0.html

I wouldn't hold my breath for a 60FPS framerate in BF3 -- according to the review this is only a "middle" class GPU, so expect above average results.

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What processor do you run in your system?

best gaming laptops reviews 2011 image

Ryan Davis

I currently have a laptop with an Intel i5-430m. It's a decent processor and I can accomplish just about anything with it. Multitasking is decent and photoshop runs well. I was just wondering if I should jump into 2011 and build a desktop or two revolving around the new AMD Phenom II x4,x6 or an i7.

Answer
http://secure.newegg.com/WishList/PublicWishDetail.aspx?WishListNumber=11354589 is my i7 1366 build. Lifetime warranty- Motherboard/GFX Card/ Surge protector/ RAM / and they don't carry Ultra brand PSU so I am buying that from http://www.amazon.com/X4-Series-1050W-Atx-Ps/dp/B002QFMBUE/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1303417621&sr=1-2-catcorr . Yep you guessed it Lifetime Warranty. These aren't companies EVGA, CORSAIR, Ultra that have only been around for a couple years. These are tried and true companies that will be around for a long while. i am not blind to the quality side. Just because something has a lifetime warranty does not lead me to automatically go with that company. I have read user reviews, benchmarks, "lab" reviews etc. All of these decisions are informed. There is always going to be the naysayers and a small number of compatibility issues, buyer ignorance and defective units. No matter which PSU, board, stick of RAM whether it was from Corsiar or Patriot or Crucial or Kingston or if I was looking at the boards whether they were P67 or x58 1155 or 1366 GigaByte MSI or EVGA I did my research. So with that being said I am comfortable with the PSU and the Warranty.

Sandy CPU and 1155 motherboard. No lifetime on the board

GIGABYTE GA-P67A-UD7-B3 LGA 1155 Intel P67 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
Model #:GA-P67A-UD7-B3
Item #:N82E16813128480
Return Policy:Limited Replacement Only Return Policy
In Stock

Intel Core i7-2600K Sandy Bridge 3.4GHz (3.8GHz Turbo Boost) LGA 1155 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor BX80623I72600K

Intel Core i7-2600K Sandy Bridge 3.4GHz (3.8GHz Turbo Boost) LGA 1155 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor BX80623I72600K
Model #:BX80623I72600K
Item #:N82E16819115070
Return Policy:CPU Replacement Only Return Policy
In Stock

I am taking a bit, A BIT, of a hit in the performance end but with a lifetime warranty on the foundation MOBO, PSU and GFX card and the RAM I am comfortable with what I have put together as far as my 1366 chip-set/ i7 CPU build goes. If I were you I would go with the Sandy to optimize your build to your taste and the subsequent hyper-threading advantage. I'm a gamer so that really isn't to my advantage.

How to know when graphics card is overheating ?

todai5

i have Mobile intel series chipset 4 graphics card on my laptop

i play FIFA 2011 and League of Legends and they run fine.

BUT how do i know when its time to stop playing so my graphics card won't overheat ?

Answer
Just keep playing and don't worry. If it gets too hot the computer will shut itself off to avoid heat damage.

Personally, i run two screens and on my 2nd screen i have all my monitoring software for temperatures and clock speeds etc so i can see them any time at a glance.
You could run a program like GPU-Z while you're playing but you will not be able to see it. It will have to run in the background but you can set it to create a log. When you close the game you can review that log and see what the temperatures were and how hard the video card was working second by second.

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What processor do you run in your system?

best gaming laptops reviews 2011 image

Ryan Davis

I currently have a laptop with an Intel i5-430m. It's a decent processor and I can accomplish just about anything with it. Multitasking is decent and photoshop runs well. I was just wondering if I should jump into 2011 and build a desktop or two revolving around the new AMD Phenom II x4,x6 or an i7.

Answer
http://secure.newegg.com/WishList/PublicWishDetail.aspx?WishListNumber=11354589 is my i7 1366 build. Lifetime warranty- Motherboard/GFX Card/ Surge protector/ RAM / and they don't carry Ultra brand PSU so I am buying that from http://www.amazon.com/X4-Series-1050W-Atx-Ps/dp/B002QFMBUE/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1303417621&sr=1-2-catcorr . Yep you guessed it Lifetime Warranty. These aren't companies EVGA, CORSAIR, Ultra that have only been around for a couple years. These are tried and true companies that will be around for a long while. i am not blind to the quality side. Just because something has a lifetime warranty does not lead me to automatically go with that company. I have read user reviews, benchmarks, "lab" reviews etc. All of these decisions are informed. There is always going to be the naysayers and a small number of compatibility issues, buyer ignorance and defective units. No matter which PSU, board, stick of RAM whether it was from Corsiar or Patriot or Crucial or Kingston or if I was looking at the boards whether they were P67 or x58 1155 or 1366 GigaByte MSI or EVGA I did my research. So with that being said I am comfortable with the PSU and the Warranty.

Sandy CPU and 1155 motherboard. No lifetime on the board

GIGABYTE GA-P67A-UD7-B3 LGA 1155 Intel P67 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
Model #:GA-P67A-UD7-B3
Item #:N82E16813128480
Return Policy:Limited Replacement Only Return Policy
In Stock

Intel Core i7-2600K Sandy Bridge 3.4GHz (3.8GHz Turbo Boost) LGA 1155 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor BX80623I72600K

Intel Core i7-2600K Sandy Bridge 3.4GHz (3.8GHz Turbo Boost) LGA 1155 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor BX80623I72600K
Model #:BX80623I72600K
Item #:N82E16819115070
Return Policy:CPU Replacement Only Return Policy
In Stock

I am taking a bit, A BIT, of a hit in the performance end but with a lifetime warranty on the foundation MOBO, PSU and GFX card and the RAM I am comfortable with what I have put together as far as my 1366 chip-set/ i7 CPU build goes. If I were you I would go with the Sandy to optimize your build to your taste and the subsequent hyper-threading advantage. I'm a gamer so that really isn't to my advantage.

How to know when graphics card is overheating ?

todai5

i have Mobile intel series chipset 4 graphics card on my laptop

i play FIFA 2011 and League of Legends and they run fine.

BUT how do i know when its time to stop playing so my graphics card won't overheat ?

Answer
Just keep playing and don't worry. If it gets too hot the computer will shut itself off to avoid heat damage.

Personally, i run two screens and on my 2nd screen i have all my monitoring software for temperatures and clock speeds etc so i can see them any time at a glance.
You could run a program like GPU-Z while you're playing but you will not be able to see it. It will have to run in the background but you can set it to create a log. When you close the game you can review that log and see what the temperatures were and how hard the video card was working second by second.

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I am looking for an ultrabook that is cheap, light weight, sturdy, and has good graphics. Any suggestions?

best gaming laptops reviews 2011 image

George M

I can not spend more than $1000 dollars. I play games so it has to be able to keep up with that in both graphics and speed. I am a student so the lighter the better but not too flimsy like the Toshiba z835. Thanks.

Answer
Most ultrabooks actually start below the $1,000 price point, so I wouldn't say you are looking for a "budget laptop". That being said, if you are looking for both good hardware, and aesthetics, unfortunately pc manufacturers suck... Here are some of the laptops which I would recommend....
1. Vizio Thin-and-Light Ultrabooks
http://www.theverge.com/2012/6/14/3088097/vizio-ultrabooks-hands-on-pictures-thin-and-light#3460938
Pros: This laptop is gorgeous, and has the specs to match. Vizio, is a california based company best known for its tvs, but their first entrance into the pc market has been said to be a game changer by all tech websites. You will not find a better value than this vizio.
Cons: This is the company's first laptop. (But everyone has said that this should not be held against the company, since everyone has a first)

2. Asus Zenbook UX 31
http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/21/asus-zenbook-ux31-review/
This laptop is slightly about your price-point, but trust me that you will not be disappointed by the quality. The engadget said that the touch pad driver was messed up, but I believe that it has since been fixed. Even if it hasn't when you upgrade to Win 8, this should be fixed.

This brings me to my last point. If you can wait, you should hold off until October. Windows 8 is coming out, and is radically different from Win 7. Even if you don't want to by 8, you will still be able to buy the Win 7 configured laptops at a huge discount.

Best of luck!

I'm looking for a laptop, which one should i buy?

Tyler Jord

I need a laptop that i can use for my programming class and daily use. I need to be able take it to school so it can not be too fragile. I'm looking for about $600 if possible. It should be able to handle Steam and some games too. I don't want a mac.

Answer
I worked at IBM+Lenovo for a lot of years in Procurement Engineering. In only a few weeks in Y/A I've answered a lot of laptop questions and take each question as you write it.
No Mac is sensible at $600 and if you prefer a windows system. Mac's are generally the best hardware, but expensive for what you get. To make a choice you start with a couple of things. What size exactly is first. You get the most function and screen size in a 15", but they are much heavier than smaller ones.
Use two information sets:
1) Quality + reliability at the time. This is one good article: http://www.pcworld.com/article/211402/reliability_and_service_laptops.html

Many laptops fail. Many laptops overheat for not enough cooling for the performance.
2) CPU+Graphics performance. I am using http://www.cpubenchmark.net/

Decide any must-haves like maybe camera and mic for skype or video broadcast. Some have fingerprint readers or face readers. Which is more important to you, graphics (for gaming) or RAM amount and CPU speed for programming?

Typically, every selling company has one or two units on sale that will usually be the best value from them. At $600 and less including tax, those are probably the best choices.
I think HP/COMPAQ has messed up their quality and support, and overheating issues are all over this board. Acer is a re-label with little R+D. Big issue is time to get it back if sent to them for warranty. Dell USED TO BE excellent. They fell apart in quality and service, raised their prices vs competitors, and I don't think they ever earned respect back. Toshiba is generally good. Lenovo watch ratings by model - feedback important. You can't judge any opinions on a brand. Either their units failed or didn't. PC's are made cheap today. A lot fail; most reasonable to fix.

When about ready to buy within a few days, look hard and fast at what is offered. The deals keep changing. Know in advance about quality and what you want. Write down what you see and compare to another at about the same delivered price. When down to three, come back to this board and give a lot of details if you need advice.
How heavy can it be? Heavier is usually cheaper and more reliable. Bigger is cheaper with the exact same functionality. Get as much DRAM as you can, and the CPU+Graphics cannot be changed like a desktop later. What you buy is it until you buy another system.
Here is a start of a nice system for the price. Now look for better in a decent brand by the charts and surveys $529+tax
http://www.toshibadirect.com/td/b2c/cdetland.to?poid=2000006043
AMD Quad-Core A6-3400M Accelerated Processor, Windows® 7 Home Premium, 4GB 1333MHz DDR3 RAM, 320GB 5400 hard drive, AMD Radeon⢠HD graphics, DVD SuperMulti drive, 1366x768 native screen resolution, LED backlit keyboard, HDMI output, 802.11bgn wireless, Integrated webcam, Premium harman/kardon® speakers, Fusion® X2 Finish in Platinum, 6-cell, 4400 mAH battery,
Customizable: Upgrade to 500GB 7200 rpm drive for $10
Upgrade to Bluetooth and EDR internet for $25
Price $564 plus tax now. Nice for the price. Not a gaming system, but a lot of nice stuff in a decent brand.
decide about battery upgrades or other options.
1 Review is here
http://www.gadgetreview.com/2011/08/toshiba-satellite-p750d-bt4n22-15-6-inch-notebook-laptop-499-free-sh.html
Now find better at the price. Could not find the weight anywhere easy. Probably almost 6 lbs
PS- Not gaming means not what high end $1200+ gets

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