Solved! Is this laptop worthy?

[iFayt]

Ok so I just don't have the money nor space to drop on a 1-1.5k desktop so I turned to laptops. Upon my research I found a laptop that seems like a good deal but I've been outta the gaming computer world since DDR3 memory first came out, so I need your help.

First off the laptop is MSI. Ive never heard of MSI so that's a red flag to me. But here are the specs.

OS- Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
CPU- Intel Core i5 2410m (2.3 GHz)
Screen- 15.6"
Memory- 6GB DDR3 1333
HDD- 640GB
Optical Drive- DVD Super Multi
Videocard- Nvidia GeForce GT 540m (1GB)
Full Keyboard
~$799~

Questions:

Does the brand really matter?
If so is MSI any good?
Is this a good deal?
Is the videocard good?
What is a DVD Super Multi compared to a DVD Burner?
This laptop says it can be turboboosted to 2.9GHz, what's that mean?

When I did own a desktop it only had 4GB of DDR2 ram, 500GB HDD, and a 8800 GT. So to look at this laptop, it just seems amazing to me unless life in technology has changed a lot since ive been gone.

Games I would be playing won't be too graphics demanding I don't think.

Games I would be playing are:

League of legends (90% of the time)
Counter-Strike 1.6
World of Warcraft
Rift
Starcraft 2
And maybe try other games.

Running them at the highest setting minus AA and AF would be a plus.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Yafrovon]

Hah. I hope you don't use Vladimir much or I would CERTAINLY detest you ^^

I was in your same boat, and I've been researching upwards for seventy or more hours now.

MSI is a popular enough computer, although I owned one for a day and returned it the next. The build quality is so-so on most models.

I recommend an identical laptop except - it will be that much better of a build quality, and almost identical in price. You can actually pm me if you'd like me to assure you.

http/www.xoticpc.com/sager-np5160-clevo-w150hn-p-2999.html?wconfigure=yes

That's the model I recommend you. I walk you step by step how to match your current configure and surpass it for a little under 900. Change the ram for 4 to 6gb. Change the HDD to 500. 500 is less than 640, so if you really plan on using that massive amount of space upgrade again (but I suspect your like me and 500gb is plenty). Then scroll down until you get to OS. Choose Windows Home 64 bit.

Two main things your getting an improvement on. First, the quality. Sager has been around for a long time - and they are actually the re-branding of Clevo.

Second, your warranty. This turns into a double plus, because Xoticpc.com is one of the best in customer service and fixing problems you may encounter.

As for MSI, their customer service is "meh". You can also buy an MSI through Xoticpc.com but, the Sager is that much better.

I want to make sure you understand something though. The 540m is not going to roar Starcraft 2 on full details. It will play things like WoW, CS, and LoL on high.

 

[iFayt]

I forgot to mention that, that exact laptop is, I think mispriced for $225 on a different website. The website is the base exchange which is a military website.

So even though the videocard is 1GB it's still not that good?

 

[Yafrovon]

Hold up - your also in the service? Where are you stationed atm if you don't mind my asking? Personally I'm at Lackland AFB.

It is a good video card - but if you want to keep up with the newest games and still play on high - you need to jump up to the gtx 560m. A base model with OS will run you 1400.

Do you have skype or something?

 

[cbrunnem]

dont upgrade the ram you do not need it. 45 bucks for 2gb of ram is robbery. get the i7 2630qm WOW is cpu intensive and so will most future games. if you have any friends going to college ask them to buy you windows, windows ultimate is 20 bucks at my university.

the 540m will play starcraft it will just need a little overclock with programs such as nvidia control panel or msi afterburner. if your willing to spend a little more you can find a laptop with a gtx 460m in it which is a huge leap in performance for around 1200.

dont worry about brand though. lenovo asus toshiba and msi are all proven reliable brands with Samsung starting to put out really nice laptops.

 

[iFayt]

I'm stationed in Holloman AFB.

As far as games go, the games I listed are pretty much the only ones I would play. As far as upgrading goes. The laptop has nothing to downgrade or upgrade. Newegg is selling that computer for 800$ while BX online is selling it for $225. It's obviously mis priced but I ordered it because it seems like a steal for $225.

The specs I listed is what it comes with. I just want to know what I will beable to run.

Since the GeForce GT 540m is a dedicated card, will it be possible to upgrade it in the future?

 

[Yafrovon]

Hmm. Okay, now I am beginning to understand your question.

The GT 540m is a good card. It's about on par with an ATI 58XX something I bought in an HP that cost me 1,000 last year.

For the games you specifically listed:

League of Legends - You will pull high settings and enjoy Summoner's Rift like never before.

Counter-Strike it will pull everything + a dragon.

World of Warcraft - WoW certainly has some of its playability processor based (because of the huge engine and so forth). That said, raiding you will be able to pull almost maximum graphics and I'd venture to say 35-40 fps.

Starcraft 2 - that is a lot more processor based. However, if you do get this MSi, your going to get a built in utility called "MSi Afterburner". That will allow overclocking. I wouldn't say you could play this on high details through and through. Medium resolution with semi-hi details and so forth is what your looking at.

As for the others, I have never played them.

For upgrading purposes - I would not expect the ability to be able to upgrade it. However, once you receive this machine (if you do), bring it back to these forums or notebookreview.

Every year or sometimes quarter the Nvidia and AMD (which took over ATI) bring out new series. If the 540 isn't the last in the series - you may very well be able to upgrade it. If there is another upcoming in the series then chances are it is built the exact same size to be the 540 replacement - although the 540 was already the next after the 525. Bottom line - don't expect to upgrade it.

 

[iFayt]

So for $225 then this is an amazing deal?

It says it can be overclocked to a 2.9 but I would be afraid to run into heat issues with it being a laptop and all.

I'm glad to here this extremely cheap laptop will be able to play everything I'm into.

Even if I can't upgrade the videocard in the laptop, I'm not exactly dropping a life changing amount of money into it. If the videocard is as decent as you say it is, then it should hold me over till I decided to drop 1500 on a desktop.

 

[Yafrovon]

Oh I have no doubt this video card will pull it's weight for two years + with your gaming needs. Overclocking is a different story. Unless your familiar with it or you use say "MSi Afterburner" I wouldn't mess with your - your right on track there. Apparently for laptop cooling elevation and angle seem to help. Don't just sit it on a desk or table - use some (maybe a one inch piece of wood or two) to help the airflow below the computer.

If you do get this for 225 dollars if it lasts you six months your in good shape. I'd guess that it'll last about a year before any issues come up if that. Considering it's not a taxing system, it may very well go two + years before anything. Hard drives though, do tend to give out at some point or another.

But yeah, for 225, woah. You got one hell of a steal. I'm struggling between 1800 and 2600 dollars for a laptop.

 

[cbrunnem]

So for $225 then this is an amazing deal?

It says it can be overclocked to a 2.9 but I would be afraid to run into heat issues with it being a laptop and all.

I'm glad to here this extremely cheap laptop will be able to play everything I'm into.

Even if I can't upgrade the videocard in the laptop, I'm not exactly dropping a life changing amount of money into it. If the videocard is as decent as you say it is, then it should hold me over till I decided to drop 1500 on a desktop.

the cpu itself will overclock itself to 2.9ghz depending on the heat overhead.

that gpu will overclock very well. if you use msi afterburner then you can easily overclock it from 672/900 to 750-800/950-1000 depending on the game ive done it. i wouldnt plan on upgrading it though as it is extremely difficult unless the manufacture says that it is user upgradable. reason being is that they are soldered to the mobo from the factory.

that is a steal though at 225. id resale it without even opening it and take your earnings into a new and better laptop

 

[iFayt]

Well I'm glad that it will run the games I want to play. But hey for $225 seems amazing to me. Is there any other tips or suggestions for me?

You guys keep saying look for a better laptop, what do I need to look for when buying a laptop for gaming? I mean the laptop for $225 has 6GB of ram, 640GB HDD, A 2.3 dual core CPU that can overclock to a 2.9, and a GeForce GT 540m 1GB videocard. All this sounds amazing in my eyes. Obviously unless you want to drop 600-1200 on a videocard, it's not going to be a top of the line videocard and run every game at max settings, but it's a laptop.

Am I missing something?

 

[iFayt]

Anything?

 

[cbrunnem]

the cpu and gpu arent the strongest. you can get a i7 + the 540m for about 850 -900 on newegg though that would be an upgrade.