Looking for 400 - 700 dollar laptop

Androyed

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Hello there!

I am looking for a laptop around the 500 dollar. I know this is a bit low, especially for what I want to use it for, but I would at least like to keep it below the 700 dollar.

I'm in no hurry. I can wait a couple of months. In fact, that is my plan in the first place; I want to wait for Windows 8. But if you say that waiting is useless (which I doubt, because new and better laptops come out every couple of months), I can buy a laptop now and update to Windows 8 for only 15 dollars (or so I've read).

Besides Windows 8, the only thing I really want is to be able to run the game S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat on max settings (or maybe with AA turned off). Here are the system requirements:

Minimum System Requirements
Intel Pentium 4 2.0 Ghz / AMD XP 2200+
512 MB RAM
128 MB DirectX 8.0 compatible card / nVIDIA GeForce 5700 / ATI Radeon 9600

Recommended System Requirements
Intel Core 2 Duo E7400 / AMD 64 X2 5600+
2 GB RAM
512 MB DirectX 9.0c compatible card / nVIDIA GeForce 9800 GTX / ATI Radeon HD 4850

Not only that, I also want to be able to run the mods AtmosFear 3 and Absolute Nature 3. The maker of those mods has the following to say about the performance:

http://atmosfear.crommcruac.com/call-of-pripyat/faq.php
About AtmosFear 3: "On systems with less than 2GB of RAM 'Out of memory' problems could occur. Do not install hi-res textures unless you have at least 3GB of RAM and decent GPU.
The same apply to 32 bit systems where xRay engine can allocate maximum 2GB RAM."

http://absolute.crommcruac.com/call-of-pripyat/faq.php
About Absolute Nature 3: "This mod requires strong GPU and a lot of RAM (at least 3GB). Installing this mod can cause memory problems on 32bit systems or systems with less than 3GB RAM. If you experience heavy framedrop or CTDs try to lower settings as texture quality, draw distance and object quality in advanced graphics settings and/or resolution in basic settings. The overall amount of polygons that the levels are built from doubled due to hi-poly tree replacements and denser vegetation. Because of that the average framerate dropped for about 30%."

I've seen someone on youtube who was able to run the game together with the AtmosFear 3 mod on an Acer Aspire laptop pretty smoothly, but I'm not sure he also used the Absolute Nature 3 mod.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qSoTzPk-H4
"Aspire 7551G

Processor: Athlon II P340 Dual-Core Processor, 2.2 GHz
Memory: 4GB DDR3 1044Mhz
GPU: Radeon HD 5650 1GB

Resolution: 1280x720
All settings: Almost Max, AA: Off"

Both my brothers have an Acer Aspire, and they look pretty good. I've heard people saying that the build quality is bad, but it doesn't look bad at all to me. And fact is that they are cheap.

I know everyone always says that gaming on a laptop isn't possible. I just want to run this specific game, with these specific mods, with a decent framerate. I don't want 60 FPS, but 20-30 would be nice. If that isn't possible on a laptop below 700 dollars (now or in a few months), then please say so.

Do I want other things? Nah, not really. As long as the screen is bigger than the one in my 2007 macbook. Something like 15 inch would be fine. 17 inch is too big for me.

Greetings and thanks in advance!
Androyed
 
This is going to be tough on your budget. Those requirements are for DESKTOP graphics cards.
Laptop graphics cards are much weaker (and a lot more expensive).
 

Androyed

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But what about the guy on youtube that could run it smoothly on an Acer Aspire? I don't know the exact price of that model, but I believe it was around 600 dollar.

And by the way, that youtube clip was from 2010. Surely there are better laptops now for the same price.
 

Androyed

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See the description in the video. Max but with AA off. The description is in the first post of this thread by the way.
 

Androyed

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Well, it looked smooth at least.

Fact is that he did run it with the AtmosFear 3 mod. I think the Absolute Nature 3 mod is the most stressing for the laptop, but still... And I doubt he would lie about what laptop he is using.
 

Androyed

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Every information I know is in the first post of this thread.

Radeon HD 5650 1GB
 

Androyed

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Oh well...

Let me put it this way: I just want the best possible laptop that comes to closest to running this specific game with these specific mods as possible. I don't know what is more important, CPU, GPU or RAM (I've heard it depends on which game you want to play). I guess RAM (see what the developer of the mods has to say about the performance) in my case. I've seen some Acer Aspire laptops with an AMD quad core CPU, but also some with an intel core i3, i5 and i7 (i7 is a bit too expensive for me). Some laptops had 8 GB of RAM, others 6 GB. And I also saw some with 1-2 GB of VRAM.

I can wait a few months until Windows 8 comes out, if that changes anything about the price/quality. Whatever happens, my budget stays below 700 dollar/euro.
 

Androyed

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I know about the Windows 8 upgrade, but if you say that waiting would greatly decrease the price or increase the quality, then that's fine too. That is often the case, right? A price decrease after a new version of Windows comes out.

What do you mean? I'm talking about euros because I live in the Netherlands. But 700 euro is more than 700 dollar, so I guess that's a good thing.

I have to admit I haven't really looked into all the different laptops. To be honest, most of it confuses me. What is better, what is not... I've mainly looked at the Acer Aspire models.
 

Androyed

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You are right. The Acer Aspire 7750G with 17,3 inch screen and core i5 CPU is always above the 600 euros in the Netherlands. Maybe shipping is an option, but first I want to actually find a good laptop, before looking if it's available for below 700 euro in my country.
 

Androyed

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Ah, thanks! I forgot about the UK! I actually shop a lot at amazon.co.uk. Amazon.de is often cheaper too.

This is what I hate about laptops. There isn't really a system... The exact same model might have 4GB RAM in the US, and 6GB RAM in the UK...