Recent content by jimhood82

Not entirely. On the Mac it would be using OpenGL instead of Direct X. It probably ended up running at lower quality settings.

You need to start off by giving us an idea of what configuration you are using. I am using an Alienware 17 as well, Intel 4710MQ, AMD 290x, 8GB ram, 1TB HD + 128GB SSD. Games run perfectly fine on here. So, how is yours set up?

Lenovo Y50.

If you get a refurb, get it direct from Alienware. Not a 3rd party. IIRC Alienware has full 1yr warranties on those machines.

Both run the same Intel X3100, the same processor (on the base end of the mac anyhow - anything else, the mac had a better cpu), and both too old to be useful. In the world of gaming which is better? Neither. Had the Sony included Expresscard 54, I could have granted it a technicality, but no -...

Oh yeah. SSHDs do cache, and the work much like the Intel disk caching I am using on my current Alienware - but in the end, it is a very small portion of your data. If you are getting your machine to play a game or two, go full SSD. This is the first hybrid system I have used in years, and dear...

I would grab the large SSD. Hybrids solve the problem of SSD's not being large enough for the average person, but really I don't care for the fact that they leave you with the biggest problem that mechanical drives have - they don't do well in mobile environments. SSD's let you move your machine...

Vram doesn't matter much on laptops right now. However, I would like to point out that RAM can make a difference. I recently started playing Star Citizen on my machine with 8GB of ram, and Windows immediately complained about being low on memory.

MSI does, but it is a fair bit more gaudy. I would like to take a moment though, and make an observation. I have an AW 14, and 17. BOTH are good looking machines. Go dark on them, and no one in the office will even notice the light points. I use mine in my office quite a bit. Those who know what...

Lenovo tends to have very high quality machines. MSI has always seemed cheap to me. I know plenty of people with Asus machines, and they do well enough, but still not something I would buy personally.

If you can get your hands on the Alienware 17r1 or Alienware 18, you can get 3d displays in both. Both are also decent machines, and perform well when properly configured. Xoticpc.com still has the 17 with 3d for certain. You have to customize one to get it though. Supposedly, Asus still has...

From what I have seen they appear to be in the same classification. Meaning, in some scenarios the Nvidia card will be faster, and others go to AMD. It really comes down to the display and cpu after that. Pick which is more important to you.

For very basic gaming, the A6/A8 have both proven to be far more capable the an the Intel IGP.

That Y570 should do quite well. Both my wife and I are rocking Lenovo machines, and both of them are quite capable. Noting that neither of us are rocking the Y570, but instead the Z575 and W520. Either way, they stay cool, and are built well.

While my Sony and I never got along, and were eventually forced to part ways, I can say the SA was a very, very nice machine. A wondrous laptop to own. Extremely solid, great performer, and light. If you want something that can play a few games, as well as do work, take a serious look at the...