Too good to be true? New $419.99 laptop with discrete/dedicated gt 640m le & SSD

[cyon04]

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=29116806

http://www.datavis.com/acer/Acer-14-Ci32375M-4G-500GB-Linux-Notebooks.html

Is it just me, or does something not seem quite right? I am seriously thinking about buying this thing but I'm suspicious.

 

[patrick47018]

It's not too bad, pretty basic though, doesn't even have an OS, and the 640M is nothing to jump up and down about, I wouldn't get it at that price.

 

[Alec Mowat]

It's a 1.3 Ghz i3, that's unbelievably slow.

 

[cyon04]

Well would the processor be so slow as to bottleneck the GPU? I understand that a gt 640m LE is eneugh to run Diablo III and other games on decent settings. Right now I am running WOW on low settings, low resolution, 2.75 GB RAM on Windows XP, a SSD, a AMD Sempron SI-42 2.1 GHz and Geforce 8200M G with simi-decent preformance if it wasn't for overheating. Got any links to something worth around the same price?

 

[patrick47018]

You'd be better off with one of these: http://www.dealzon.com/deals/dell-inspiron-15-laptop#dell-inspiron-15r-core-i5-ivy-bridge

http://www.dealzon.com/deals/hp-pavilion-17#hp-pavilion-17z-e100

 

[cyon04]

I can't seem to find the specs regarding
http://www.dealzon.com/deals/dell-inspiron-15-laptop#de...
and
http://www.dealzon.com/deals/hp-pavilion-17#hp-pavilion...

 

[cyon04]

All it says is AMD HD Graphics or Intel HD graphics but doesn't say which one. Surely intergrated AMD or Intel isn't better than discrete 640M for gaming?

 

[Alec Mowat]

Well would the processor be so slow as to bottleneck the GPU? I understand that a gt 640m LE is eneugh to run Diablo III and other games on decent settings. Right now I am running WOW on low settings, low resolution, 2.75 GB RAM on Windows XP, a SSD, a AMD Sempron SI-42 2.1 GHz and Geforce 8200M G with simi-decent preformance if it wasn't for overheating. Got any links to something worth around the same price?

The AMD processor is 2.1, this I3 is 1.5. It's a downgrade in performance.
CPU will be a major bottleneck.

 

[cyon04]

Well would the processor be so slow as to bottleneck the GPU? I understand that a gt 640m LE is eneugh to run Diablo III and other games on decent settings. Right now I am running WOW on low settings, low resolution, 2.75 GB RAM on Windows XP, a SSD, a AMD Sempron SI-42 2.1 GHz and Geforce 8200M G with simi-decent preformance if it wasn't for overheating. Got any links to something worth around the same price?

The AMD processor is 2.1, this I3 is 1.5. It's a downgrade in performance.
CPU will be a major bottleneck.

Yes the GPU will perform at 100%, no bottle-necking at all in any way by that CPU . Technically, if it were possible, you would need a GPU only available to PCs to bottle-neck that CPU.

This is a reply from my other question at http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-1991740/640m-bottlenecked-2375m.html

 

[cyon04]

As you can see, I am getting some major contradictions.

 

[Alec Mowat]

As you can see, I am getting some major contradictions.

Your current processor is 2.1

The processor on the new laptop is 1.5.

1.5 - 2.1 = Not as fast.

 

[cyon04]

To me, the GPU is much more important than the CPU. Just so long as the CPU won't be holding the GPU back. Which I now hear is technically impossible.

 

[Alec Mowat]

To me, the GPU is much more important than the CPU. Just so long as the CPU won't be holding the GPU back. Which I now hear is technically impossible.

Not all games are GPU dependent. The CPU isn't fast enough for the GPU to even be an issue.

A 1.5 Ghz processor does not meet the system requirements for Minecraft. The only advantage is that there are two cores.

http://www.game-debate.com/games/index.php?g_id=1235&game=Minecraft

If you want to play a real game, it's a complete waste of money. If you want to play old games, like Unreal Tournament 2004 or Half-Life 2, you should get 30-60 FPS no problem.
If you want to play Skyrim, not going to happen.

 

[patrick47018]

You definitely don't want that laptop from Radioshack, go for one of the ones I suggested. Or raise your budget if you want a decent laptop with a good dedicated gpu

 

[cyon04]

I might wait a while and get one of those new Intel Iris Pro 5200 APUs when they become more common.