Solved! Need some help with laptops.

[Ozhorezon]

I have been looking all around on newegg for a good laptop and I'm willing to spend... enough money. I want some recommendations for laptops that will come with all around specs like this one: http/www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?item=n82e16834214414

But I want them to be able to play Starcraft II on high graphics with no problems or Dawn of War II.

I don't know if it's possible, but a friend recommended this computer to me and I'm curious to see what Tom's community might think.

I want it to be a toshiba laptop because I trust them over anything else (even HP). But other than that, those are my specifics. I will be using it for school too, college, but that's not as high demanding as games.

Thanks for the assistance.

 

[chaorace]

SB stands for Sandy Bridge. It's Intel's latest performance processor line. They are more commonly known as the 2nd gen i processors (think i3 i5 and i7). The i5 and i7 are best for gaming (I prefer i7). The i5 features a base clock of 2.5Ghz and 4 cores (Think mini CPUs) and uses hyperthreading technology which gives each core some extra internal "organs" that allow each core to be treated like 2 mini-mini-CPUs.
The i7 features a base clock of 2.0Ghz, 4 cores, hyperthreading, and turbo boost(lets the processor automatically "OverClock" to 2.9Ghz). The turbo boost effectively makes the i7 more smart and power-efficient than the i5.

 

[Ozhorezon]

But if it "overclocks" the processor, isn't that bad? Also, I looked up some other lappys and switched this one around.

NP5160
15.6" "Matte" type, 95% NTSC Gamut, 1920x1080
i5-2520m
nVidia 540m with Optimus Technology
8,912MB RAM 1333MHZ dual channel memory
500 GB HD (w/ 4GB SSD memory) Seagate XT 7200RPM
6x Blu-Ray/8x DVD/RW
Windows 7 Home Premium.

This is the link to the laptop I was looking at: http/www.xoticpc.com/sager-np5160-custom-laptop-built-the-clevo-w150hn-p-2999.html?wconfigure=yes

Is it a good setup or... ?

 

[chaorace]

Firstly, this "overclocking" is both safe and covered by warranty and is therefore not really overclocking but "overclocking"

Awesome screen!

go for the i7 if you can!

540 w/ optimus is great for saving power and boosting performance, but for even more kick (at the cost of optimus) you can go for the 560M or 555M

8GB is a great number! just right.

I actually have that HDD. good pick.

I couldn't afford that drive, better pick.

Home premium is good for consumer use; unless this is also a work laptop, you should be fine

 

[Ozhorezon]

In terms of gaming, what would be the downfall of the 540 over something like the 555 or 560?

It's going to be for gaming and school. I intend to get one when my financial aid comes in.

As for the i7, also in terms of gaming, which one would be optimal without "splurging"?

 

[chaorace]

the base or the 2.2Ghz; either one works
3DMark 06 - CPU Benchmarks of the SB processors (higher=better):
i5 2.5Ghz: 3496
i7 2 Ghz: 4892 (40% gain)
i7 2.2 Ghz: 5529 (58% gain)
here is a 3DMark 11 benchmark of the three (higher=better)
GT 540M: 987 (Runs most new games at 30 FPS on medium settings)
GT 555M: 1220 24% gain (Runs most new games at 45 FPS on high settings)
GTX 560M: 2075 101% gain (Runs most new games on ultra at 37 FPS)

 

[Ozhorezon]

Hmm... those components alone, the 560 and 2.2 probably run around 500$ alone, don't they? Finding a computer with more expansive modules is tough too.

Besides the one that cbrunnem showed off. Although that one with those was in the high 1.7k. Wonder if I could find a similar one that's a little less pricey.

 

[chaorace]

check this out:
http/www.sagernotebook.com/index.php?page=product_customed&model_name=NP8130
it has the 560M for $1600 AND it has a fingerprint scanner
That's the third best GTX GFX card available and is twice as good as the 540M, but it's non-upgradable

 

[Ozhorezon]

What's the difference in wireless cards? Wider wifi range?

And what is the "Zero Dead Pixel" insurance? It says that it might arrive as "DOA", does that mean it might come and the monitor won't work?

 

[chaorace]

Ok, the difference is that the more expensive one's like bigfoot have a longer range and more reliable connection, at the cost of your bluetooth module.

The Zero dead pixel insurance adresses a minor issue with many laptop screens, there is a remote chance (3-4%) that your screen might have 1 or more broken pixels that always stay black. The policy states that if your screen does have a dead pixel, they will treat it as if the whole computer was broken and allow you to send it back for repairs. I didn't get the insurance, no complaints. you won't even find the dead pixel on these 1080p screens unless you really look for them...

No, the screens never ship out as DOA, they do have SOME product testing, though it may be damaged in shipping, in which case, it may be the shippers problem, but it could also be the manufacturer's problem depending on the policy.

Always order a PC a week or more before you need it, in case it has ANY minor defect. Noone wants to go back to school with a laptop that starts to smell like an oil fire after ten minutes...

 

[Ozhorezon]

Ah, ok, that clears it up. Thanks.

Is Bluetooth really a big thing for laptops? I have bluetooth on my phone and I never use it.

Edit: I also read that gaming can wear out laptops pretty fast. How fast?

 

[chaorace]

That's a Myth... As long as your computer is properly cooled and maintaned, it lasts as long as any other computer (the lack of upgrade opportunity is what gets you). The people who believe that don't check the cooling system before buying the computer.
You see, this computer has dual fans AND heatsinks, as long as you make sure not to leave it on a heat conductive surface like a blanket, you should be fine.

Bluetooth is only important if you use it, I NEED bluetooth so I can tether my phone wirelessly, but the newer phones create wireless hotspots anyway.

 

[Ozhorezon]

Which is where this "thermal compound" stuff comes in, right?

What's the optimal type? I see Diamond, Silver and some others.

 

[chaorace]

Artic silver is both worse than the default paste that comes pre-installed and it will ruin your CPU if it even TOUCHES a pin on it, but it has a pretty damn cool name.

IC-Diamond is roughly 15% better than the default paste and won't ruin anything it touches.

I prefer MX-4, it's roughly 20% better than the default paste, spreads better than the IC-diamond and also can cause no harm.

Thermal compound is pretty easy to apply, just remove the back panel on the pc, remove the right heatsink (for CPU) or the left heatsink (for GPU), rub off the old thermal compound (never scrape!!!!), polish off the surface, apply a drop of paste between the size of a pin head and a pea (don't brush it around, just leave it in a dollop), slowly put the heatsink back on, then rub of any excess that is visibly pushing out from the heatsink.
It's useful to apply thermal compound to both the GPU and the CPU (especially since it's tough to tell the difference between the two just by looking)

 

[Ozhorezon]

Hmm. The only option is the Diamond on this laptop I'm looking at now. And I managed to get it with good options and at 1,400-ish.

http/www.sagernotebook.com/index.php?page=product_customed&model_name=NP5165

These are the options I chose:

15.6" Full HD LED-Backlit Display features 95% NTSC Color Gamut in Matte Finished Surface (1920 x 1080)
2GB GDDR3 Nvidia GeForce GT 555M GPU with Optimus Technology / Embedded Intel HD Graphics
2nd Generation Intel® Core™ i7-2630QM Processor ( 6MB L3 Cache, 2.00GHz)
IC Diamond Thermal Compound - CPU + GPU
8GB Dual Channel DDR3 SDRAM at 1333MHz - 2 X 4GB
500GB 7200rpm SATA Hybrid Hard Drive with 4GB SSD
6X Blu-ray Reader/8X DVD±R/2.4X +DL Super-Multi Drive & Software
Bigfoot Networks Killer™ Wireless-N 1102 - 802.11A/B/G/N Wireless LAN Module

The levels out at 1,414. Not bad I think.

 

[chaorace]

Looks good! It'll let you game on high graphics now and med-high a year down the line, while using optimus to save power.
The screen looks great even in text form.
The i7 is a steal compared to the others.
Good call on the thermal compound.
8GB is as much RAM as you'll ever need.
That hybrid drive is a great way to balance the good and bad of SSDs.
The Bluray looks cool.
The bigfoot card'll blow the stock dell wifi card right out of the water.
And all for 1,400... pretty damn good.
Here's a vid of the laptop running crysis (one of the most demanding games ever made) on an average of 27 FPS on high:
http/www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5OtegoLLBQ

AND for future reference, remember to ALWAYS update your drivers from Nvidia, they release new ones every month or so and each one squeezes a little more power out of the GPU.

 

[Ozhorezon]

Nice to know I'm learning. Lol.

I've learned a lot by bombarding you guys with so many noob questions, but I think when I go to actually purchase a laptop, be it this one or another one if they're somehow upgraded when my money comes in, I'll know more of what I'm getting and be more confident with the buy. Thanks a lot.

 

[chaorace]

Great, I think modern science calls those gamma rays.... but if they helped, even better! Remember, there are lot's of choices, find at least 3 similar laptops and then compare them to eliminate the "this laptop is perfect" effect and then compare the raw stats.

 

[Ozhorezon]

Of course. I still might end up getting a desktop for extreme gaming down the road. But the only game with enhanced graphics I'm looking forward to playing is Diablo III and Dawn of War II.

Other than that, everything else, I'll just play on consoles, because it'll be cheaper to buy and I won't have to upgrade as often.

 

[chaorace]

Games cost tons less for PC, not to mention the graphics in a computer are 6x better than a console's. That's aside the point, welcome to mobile PC gaming!

 

[Ozhorezon]

Lol, thanks.

But unfortunately you can't get all titles for PC, like God of War.