Author Topic: Is this a good computer for playing games on?  (Read 893 times)

I'm looking for a new computer since my sound card doesn't seem to be working in my old laptop. So I decided to look for a laptop that can play some actual games. (gaming laptop is apparently an oxymoron)

I'm interested in playing Left 4 Dead 2, Portal 2, Dead Rising 2 and Saints Row 2 on it.

Can maybe one of you look at this computer and tell me if it's a good buy or not? If you do have a link for a better laptop for these games, that would be great

http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&categoryId=8198552921644699998#specifications

Yeah, I'm a sucker for colored VAIO laptops. Please help!

ATI Mobility Radeon



depends, I tend to stay away from them though cause honestly I don't like 'em.

Pro tip: If you're a gamer, buy a PC

Pro tip: If you're a gamer, buy a PC
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computer
oh my god miika

>Laptop
>Good for gaming

Nope!

>Laptop
>Good for gaming

Nope!

That's a bit biased.

I have a gateway and I can run modern games just fine. (And over 60fps :/)


>Laptop
>Good for gaming

Nope!

Disregard this. Laptops can be good for gaming, but not the best. Problem here is that like many forums with teenagers, unless its a $5000 desktop packed with an Nvidia card and an i7 processor its trash to them.
I looked at the specs, my thoughts are:

- Good processor, i3 and i5 are great Intel CPUs
- 4GB ram plus is great for gaming, 2GB is okay but anything serious may require a little more (it says up to 8gb so no problem there)
- The graphics card is good, its middle range

Should be fine for most games in my opinion. Maybe not on the absolute highest settings but it looks like it would be pleasant.

The alienware m11x seems to be on sale atm. http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?oc=dkcwmn1&c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19&model_id=alienware-m11x
It has a tiny screen though, but you can just plug a monitor into it, and then the small screen will come in handy if you want to travel with it. It is noticely more powerful than yours for $50 cheaper if you choose to pay $45 more for 4 gigs ram instead of 2.

-snip-
Dude my laptop overheats every time I try to play a game. I can only play a game while it's not charging.

Dude my laptop overheats every time I try to play a game. I can only play a game while it's not charging.

Mines the other way. I have to have it charging so that the video card can run at full performance.

Disregard this. Laptops can be good for gaming, but not the best. Problem here is that like many forums with teenagers, unless its a $5000 desktop packed with an Nvidia card and an i7 processor its trash to them.
I looked at the specs, my thoughts are:

- Good processor, i3 and i5 are great Intel CPUs
- 4GB ram plus is great for gaming, 2GB is okay but anything serious may require a little more (it says up to 8gb so no problem there)
- The graphics card is good, its middle range

Should be fine for most games in my opinion. Maybe not on the absolute highest settings but it looks like it would be pleasant.
This post is negated by the fact that for the same price you can have a desktop with better performance, in most cases. If you're dead set on a laptop though go ahead.

My ultimate $5000 build would also use ATI cards I'm afraid.

>Laptop
>Good for gaming

Nope!

They can be. I've had a laptop as my computer for almost 6 years now (I've bought a new one when one gets to old age), and I'm pretty heavy on gaming in addition to programming. Granted I could probably get an equally as powerful desktop for half the price, but I rely on the traits of a laptop too much now: being able to use it at school, at my internship, being able to sit wherever I want in the house, etc. Heck I'm even dependent on the touchpad since that's what I've used for those 6 years and gotten good with.

I guess my point is it can come down to a preference if you have the extra money to spend. And by extra money I mean I don't buy anything else, maybe a handful of $10-$20 games each year. I'm a rather content person with my handful of games.

Dude my laptop overheats every time I try to play a game. I can only play a game while it's not charging.

I can only play a game while it's charging since it sucks so much power at max settings. When I want to keep my fps at 250+ in things like TF2, I just set a little portable fan next to me on my couch/bed pointing at the bottom of the laptop to help with air flow. Works like a charm.

They can be. I've had a laptop as my computer for almost 6 years now (I've bought a new one when one gets to old age), and I'm pretty heavy on gaming in addition to programming. Granted I could probably get an equally as powerful desktop for half the price, but I rely on the traits of a laptop too much now: being able to use it at school, at my internship, being able to sit wherever I want in the house, etc. Heck I'm even dependent on the touchpad since that's what I've used for those 6 years and gotten good with.

I guess my point is it can come down to a preference if you have the extra money to spend. And by extra money I mean I don't buy anything else, maybe a handful of $10-$20 games each year. I'm a rather content person with my handful of games.

I can only play a game while it's charging since it sucks so much power at max settings. When I want to keep my fps at 250+ in things like TF2, I just set a little portable fan next to me on my couch/bed pointing at the bottom of the laptop to help with air flow. Works like a charm.
Right, perhaps I didn't say what I actually meant. It's not that laptops can't play games, it's just that desktops are a better option unless you absolutely need to have only one computer and it must be a laptop.

Disregard this. Laptops can be good for gaming, but not the best. Problem here is that like many forums with teenagers, unless its a $5000 desktop packed with an Nvidia card and an i7 processor its trash to them.
I looked at the specs, my thoughts are:

- Good processor, i3 and i5 are great Intel CPUs
- 4GB ram plus is great for gaming, 2GB is okay but anything serious may require a little more (it says up to 8gb so no problem there)
- The graphics card is good, its middle range

Should be fine for most games in my opinion. Maybe not on the absolute highest settings but it looks like it would be pleasant.

Thanks Sheath, I'll look for these specs on computers I'm interested in.
Might as well lock this to die.