Can anyone recommend a good notebook for programming and basic game development?

Status
Not open for further replies.

Nasric

Estimable
May 25, 2014
17
0
4,560
I don't intend on installing too many games on the laptop itself beyond the ones I am creating, as I'm trying to keep it strictly education-related. I have a fairly high-powered desktop rig for gaming, so I'll be using the laptop for college work and whatnot.

I'm looking for a relatively cheap (less than $500) laptop/notebook that can handle working with the Unity game development engine for basic game development, as well as one that I can easily program with. I'm interested in C# and Android app creation, if that means anything.
 
Solution
Well in your price range, you just need a great performing laptop in general. Here's a laptop with an i5 Intel Processor 4200U ("U" meaning it's less powerful than the "M" range processors because of its focus on energy efficiency).

(http://www.amazon.com/Acer-E1-572-6870-Processor-Windows-Clarinet/dp/B00DDFESKC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1406313622&sr=8-1&keywords=acer+laptop+i5) - $461.59 & FREE Shipping.

If you want to spend about $20 over $500, you can get an i5 Intel Processor 4200M, which is much more powerful and catered to CPU-intensive programs.

The integrated Intel graphics should be fine for development, unless you're going for a graphically-ambitious game!

Let me know if you have any questions! :)
Are you developing 2D or 3D games? From what I understand 2D development is CPU intensive while 3D games is more GPU intensive (or both). I could be wrong though lol.

It would help the search bit, given whether or not we need to find a discrete GPU.
 

Nasric

Estimable
May 25, 2014
17
0
4,560
I'd like to try my hand at developing both, but I'm more interested in 3D games. I don't intend on making games with great graphics or anything, just stuff to get experience.
 
Well in your price range, you just need a great performing laptop in general. Here's a laptop with an i5 Intel Processor 4200U ("U" meaning it's less powerful than the "M" range processors because of its focus on energy efficiency).

(http://www.amazon.com/Acer-E1-572-6870-Processor-Windows-Clarinet/dp/B00DDFESKC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1406313622&sr=8-1&keywords=acer+laptop+i5) - $461.59 & FREE Shipping.

If you want to spend about $20 over $500, you can get an i5 Intel Processor 4200M, which is much more powerful and catered to CPU-intensive programs.

The integrated Intel graphics should be fine for development, unless you're going for a graphically-ambitious game!

Let me know if you have any questions! :)
 
Solution
Status
Not open for further replies.