gaming laptops and videocards

[pach]

hi.  for tech geeks out there, uhm,  i'd like to know if a laptop that has an i7 2.8 ghz processor, 500gb SATA, nVidia Geforce G330 1gb dedicated memory, 6 gb DDR3 RAM will be able to play the SIMS 3 smoothly?

im particularly interested in this laptop - http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Sony+-+VAIO+Laptop+with+Intel%26%23174;+Core%26%23153;+i7+Processor+-+Black/9705382.p?id=1218154378383&skuId=9705382

[Hanzo23]

^^Thats more than enough power since seeing the graphics cars is 1gb DDR3.

Why need an I7 to run a simple 3d game? you can make it run fine on I3 or I5.

There's one in best buy thats cheaper and will pretty much do the same job

SKU number is 9724013 you can search it on the best buy website.

[pach]

okay. thanks for replying i was expecting you'd respond to this.


uhm, no i changed my mind. mejo hindi daw maganda sony Vaio - the very very first thing i look at when shopping for laptops are the negative feedbacks. kesyo maingay daw and mejo pricey for its specs.


uhm, check out Toshiba x505-q870

intel i7
2.8 ghz
4gb ram (upgradeable to eight gigabytes)
gts 360 m nvidia
500 g sata 5400 rpm

- $1,499

---

and

Toshiba x505-q865

intel i5-430 m
4 gb ram
gts 360 m NVIDIA
2.53 ghz

-- $1,099

--------------------

which is more practical?

sawa na ako sa p*t*ng inang ACER na bulok na walang kwenta na naloko ako akala ko mataas na ung nvidia 9100 yun pala hindi kaya patakbuhin sims 3 ANAK NG ****!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Why need an I7 to run a simple 3d game?

no no, it has to be i7, it just has to be i7... or well, fine, i5 but i7 talaga gusto ko.

benchmark ko is to be able to play sims 3 without any glitch on high settings.

[pach]

what's the difference between

 1GB GDDR5 discrete graphics memory

and

1 gb dedicated memory?

[Hanzo23]

Dedicated Graphics memory means that the graphics has its own CPU running its own RAM to power the graphics acceleration. Shared Graphics memory takes RAM from the pool to power any graphic part of an application. I'll give you an example below

-lets say in order to run a video game, you need at least 700 MB system memory and depending on the settings of the graphics shaders or draw view distance (these are graphics properties along with game resolution) The higher they are, the more memory is required. So lets say it needs 400MB to run high graphics settings

1 GB Dedicated Graphics memory and you have 4GB RAM - The 400 MB will be taken from the dedicated graphics memory since it has 1 GB to spare. The remaining 700 MB will be taken from the 4GB RAM to run the program smoothly.
----------Versus----------------
2GB Shared Video Memory and 4GB ram - The 400 MB and the 700 MB are both taken from the 4GB ram since the 2GB "shared" video memory actually borrows it from the total system memory in order to run any graphics, so if you have a program or a game that uses 2GB of graphics to run (heaven forbid thats a graphic intensive program) you only have now 2 GB of RAM to spare. Now that 2GB is still needed to run BOTH the program and you operating system, your antivirus and whatever else is running in the background.

Do you get the concept?

DDR5 is definitely a higher choice vs DDR3 since it can power the data at a higher clockspeed or in a sense, more efficiently.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I7 is definitely the gamer's choice for processor but for something that is not as graphic intensive (sims seems to be pretty forgiving on graphics cards.) processor does definitely help in the load times as well.


To be completely honest, personally, I wont spend over a thousand dollars on a laptop if I werent buying an Apple Mac. Since you are only using it to play Sims 3 and prolly light multitasking, you can get a decent macbook pro for $1.099 (you're a student right? so there's prolly a discount for you, ask an apple sales rep for it ) and you'll get more functions out of it and not have as much problems as you'll run into other windows based laptops.

Trust me, I was a windows advocate too, but crossing over, unless you are in a good budget, every tech guy will tell you to not overspend on a laptop (in this case over $1000) since I7's full potential isnt used yet, there is no software out there that developers have used its full processing power and people who do buy it are only getting it for heavy multitasking.

Save the extra money, go online and check how people optimize their laptops and be amazed at how a core 2 duo can have the same load times as a laptop that runs on I7 by default.

[pach]

okay. i am learning alot. but not just sims 3, i also wanna be able to play Empire: Total War, Napoleon: Total War and Medieval II: Total War.


these games require so much because alot of units are in the game at any given moment...like, more than 10,000 units in the gameplay...and i dont want to play it like a slideshow, i want it like a movie...and, based on my experience, i was really very much dismayed.

could you please check out those games i mentioned and give me your feedback.

and so i want a laptop that's a screamer, i want something oozing with heat and juice and spice!


----


by the way, is the discrete video memory card better than a dedicated memory card? or are they the same?

[Tavi]

Does screen size matter? What about weight? I guess they changed 'dedicated' to discrete but they're the same thing, i think lol. I've had a dell before, it lasted me about 4 years till i had to upgrade to a better computer because the specs are getting too low for my standards. Check out this link: http://www1.ca.dell.com/ca/en/home/Laptops/alienware-m15x/pd.aspx?refid=alienware-m15x&s=dhs&cs=cadhs1


When i purchased my first laptop back in 2005, it cost me close to 2bills. It was my first one bought by my own money so it was pretty stupid. I upgraded to a macbook just last year. It's the aluminum one, before they made it a macbook pro. It only has 2 gigs of ram so it didn't run Sims 3 very well. I don't play it anymore so i don't think i need to upgrade to a 4gb of ram.

I think as long as you know what you're doing, there shouldn't be any problems even if you're using Windows.

P.S. I only speak from experience.
P.P.S. I posted a link of the Toshiba on your first post, didn't see you posted it already. But that would be one of your options too.

[pach]

screen size, design, weight ----these don't matter as i plan to have a desktop replacement.

------



yea, the ubiquitous alienware.


okay, a couple of things..... when i search for a laptop, the first thing i look at isnt the specs or the design but the negative feedbacks.

thusfar, i have read harrowing feedbacks from frustrated customers, citing poor customer service, slapdash work, quick overheating,  and fragile computer pieces.

i dont want to blast my money with those risks... so yeah, im trying to hit the middle road - either a toshiba or an asus.

i also considered a Sony Vaio but then again, marami din negative feedbacks.

Asus and Toshiba were the only survivors of the internet's harshest critics. uhm, mejo confident ako sa capabilities ng i7, or i5 even.

now the question arises as to whether an nvidia gts 360 can do the job..ive heard negative feedbacks that the gts360m is just a refurbished gt 240 nvidia.

uhm, do you think Radeon is a better alternative? (we're tlaking about laptop videocards btw)

[Tavi]

Yes, i do know they are videocards. My knowledge with those aren't extensive i'm afraid.

With customer service though, you wanna buy something that services in the Philippines, if you are indeed using it there. I know Toshiba has an international 1 year warranty.