First, can you wait a little more ?
It is right now that the new generation of intel core-i processors is making it into notebooks,
and the same for new graphics cards from nvidia (and AMD).
Those generally deliver (little) more Ooomph per Watt, resp. the possibility to produce less heat (->noise) and lower powerconsumption for the same Oomph. (depends on the notebooks manufacturer)
The new intel processors come with an upgraded integrated graphics device (intel HD 4000), that should be strong enough to play shadered Oolite (well, let's wait and see
) and older or not-so-graphics-demanding games.
But right now only very few notebooks with them new cpu models / graphics are available.
On the other hand, there is nothing wrong with the "current" generation of intel CPUs or graphics cards from nvidia (maybe the same for AMD).
But hopefully this-generation-notebooks drop in price these following weeks or months.
But also if you want a new notebook right now, there are good ones, at justifiable prices.
64bit, Quad Core Processor
Windows 7/8
NVIDIA graphics chip, possibly GT series
Quad core is most probably not really necessary, more than anything it is still a deceiving marketing term (my estimation: 1% of users really profit from a 4core, 99% do not, just paid more).
I'd highly prefer an intel dual core i5 (or i3) over any AMD quadcore A4 or A6 CPU.
There is nothing really wrong with a quad core, but if a notebook was built with a dual core, that'd be my least concern.
If in some notebook everything else is like you want it, a dual core will not keep you from doing this or that with it.
(Games will typically be limited by the graphics card long before the CPU can not keep up anymore.)
Windows 8 may be fine for tablets and such stuff, for PCs it offers no gain over Windows 7.
Both manufacturers build good laptops, and also "bad" laptops.
Of course you can not expect a perfect laptop from their cheapo-cheapo series (e.g. Dell Inspiron, HP 630 or 635), resp. with HP from their lots-and-lots-of-hardware for relatively-low-price series.
All of these "Acer is crap", "Sony is good" and such overly simplifying advices are, well, overly simplifying.
But OK, there isn't a HP for gaming I'd recommend anyway*, and for DELL that only means the XPS 15 and 17 are out of the competition.
*ok I would and did, but only because the person did not expect a longevity-superquality product, wanted to play games badly, and had only little money.
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Well, whatever, time for you to to explain / find out, what you want from the notebook :
- Where are you situated ? Was it in the UK or in the USA ?
- How much money do you want to / can you spend ? Is each £ or $ saved important ? I mean
Alienware is
really expensive, and imo. overpriced.
- How mobile does it need to be ? (size, weight, battery life)
- Do you (often?) want to use it in bad lighting situations ? (e.g. sunny balcony, outside)
- How much gaming do you plan to do ? Each and every game to be released in the next 3 years, always at highest resolution and highest details, with all enhancements ? Or can you live with game-details set to "medium" and a little less AA and AF ?
Generally : the more gaming power a notebook has, the more raises the power consumption, the heat, the noise. And the price.
Also, the stronger the graphics, the bigger the notebook needs to be.
- Longevity ? Do you want to stay with that notebook for years and years, or are you ready to buy a new one in - say - 2 years and sell this one ?
- Any preference in : matte display or
glaring display ?
- Any wishes or limits for : quality of the display ? (resolution / black level / brightness / contrast / viewing angles)
Higher resolution has some advantages, also (expensive) displays of really good quality are usually found only in the high-resolution segment. (some 1600x900, but mostly 1920x1080).
Resolution, and generally display quality, is less important if the notebook is e.g. used as desktop replacement, with an external monitor attached.
- Any special wishes ? e.g. internal UMTS / 3G, backlit keyboard, docking solution, Blueray reader, 3D Display+emitter, extra support options/ garantuee extensions, some special connector because that's how your video camera connects, or sth. ?
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Thargoid wrote:these days it should be a challenge to find a new laptop that doesn't support the game at full shaders
at the time of Thargoid's posting, there was a Sony Vaio Z-soso, that came with whopping OpenGL 1.1. For just 2000 €.
) and you go and buy a replacement battery from Sony yourself.