Picking out new laptop

**HeatGuyJ** · June 16th, 2009, 02:07 PM

Hi, I'm picking out a new gaming/multimedia laptop between $500-900. It must be 16-17" screen with a dedicated graphics card to run games like Counterstrike Source and FFXI at max settings with solid fps. Needs to run games like Crysis at medium settings as well.

These are the choices I've already been looking at from newegg.com all with high customer ratings but I'm open to recommendations.

Comparison chart of 16-17" laptops from newegg.com
Newegg.com - Computer Parts, PC Components, Laptop Computers, Digital Cameras and more!

I've heard bad things about MSI and I overall don't like their design so I narrowed it down to these 3 choices because they have many(30+) high customer ratings.

1.Acer Aspire AS6530-5753 NoteBook AMD Turion X2 Ultra ZM-82(2.20GHz) 16" Wide XGA 4GB Memory DDR2 667 320GB HDD 5400rpm DVD Super Multi ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3650 - Retail

This seems to have the highest customer feedback and for $650 it may be the cheapest option as well.
Newegg.com - Acer Aspire AS6530-5753 NoteBook AMD Turion X2 Ultra ZM-82(2.20GHz) 16" Wide XGA 4GB Memory DDR2 667 320GB HDD 5400rpm DVD Super Multi ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3650 - Laptops / Notebooks

2.Acer Aspire AS6930-6073 NoteBook Intel Core 2 Duo P8600(2.40GHz) 16" Wide XGA 4GB Memory 320GB HDD DVD Super Multi NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GS - Retail

Another Acer for $100 more but is it worth it? I'm skeptical about this because specs look better but it has less customer feedback than the 1st.
Newegg.com - Acer Aspire AS6930-6073 NoteBook Intel Core 2 Duo P8600(2.40GHz) 16" Wide XGA 4GB Memory 320GB HDD DVD Super Multi NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GS - Laptops / Notebooks

3.ASUS F50SV-X1 NoteBook Intel Core 2 Duo T6400(2.00GHz) 16" 4GB Memory 320GB HDD 5400rpm DVD Super Multi NVIDIA GeForce GT 120M - Retail

This is the most expensive of the 3 at $800 but the design is more sleek and appealing. I guess the question is do the specs match up with the other 2 options.
Newegg.com - ASUS F50SV-X1 NoteBook Intel Core 2 Duo T6400(2.00GHz) 16" 4GB Memory 320GB HDD 5400rpm DVD Super Multi NVIDIA GeForce GT 120M - Laptops / Notebooks

I don't know much about graphics card but number 3 would outdo the other two wouldn't it? That's what I don't know and could use your help on. I've had little hands on experience with this next generation of laptops. I currently own a desktop I bought about 4 years ago that doesn't even have a dual core processor. I only surfed newegg.com because I've heard lots of good things about them but I'm open to suggestions.

Thanks for your time and feedback. I'm looking to buy a new laptop within the next couple of days.

**Aaron_8015** · June 16th, 2009, 02:32 PM

Choice 2 gets my vote, that intel core 2 duo will perform much better than those AMD turin cpu's, also the 9600 is a better/newer card than the 3650 so will perform better than the first.

Any of those laptops will max those first two games with ease they are old games and not demanding. Crysis is a different story, it should be playable with lowered settings though.

The last laptop has the new line of nvidia gpu's 1xx series that is only avalible for OEM builds and not to the consumer market. I have'nt read on performance for the desktop versions so I am unsure of their performance, therfore cant say if its worth the extra $ for it.

**EXreaction** · June 16th, 2009, 02:32 PM

Your budget really is not going to be enough to get what you want. If you want it to play Crysis at medium settings you'll need the 9800M.

**HeatGuyJ** · June 16th, 2009, 03:34 PM

All 3 of those can run Crysis fine on medium settings based on customer reviews. Running Crysis is just a bonus really since I'll mainly be playing CS:S and FFXI on my laptop. I own 360 for the higher end games and I'll eventually get PS3 for Blu-Ray once the price drops.

I think I'll decide between 2&3. Is there a huge difference between Core 2 Duo P8600 and T6400? It seems like option 2 has a better CPU but lesser graphics card than option 3? Hmm anyone have experience with the new GeForce GT 1xxM line?

**HeatGuyJ** · June 16th, 2009, 03:59 PM

I just realized 2.Acer Aspire AS6930-6073 is 512 video memory while options 1 and 2 are 1gig video memory. This makes a huge difference doesn't it?

**Aaron_8015** · June 16th, 2009, 04:37 PM

Only if you playing on a large resolution. Or needs shed loads of texture memory 1gb tends to be over kill for these mid-range cards 512 is enough for them.

**ShyguyXPC** · June 16th, 2009, 04:48 PM

not if the GPU can't keep up with the Data in memory, that GT120 is nothing more than a 9500GT, and I have a hard time believing Crysis runs fine on that GPU (9500GT is about as low as you can go for a decent gaming GPU these days, anything less than it isn't really intended for use with games like Crysis, etc), seeing as its in a notebook, it by all means should be even weaker than its desktop counterpart.

you can have as much GPU memory as you want, but if the GPU itself can't keep up, with processing the data, kind of defeats the point. Data is just sitting there, backing up. and as a result eventually the CPU will have to wait on sending more data to the GPU/GPU RAM as well. especially when paired up with a better, faster performing CPU and system RAM.

the other thing is, larger GPU Memory like 1GB is really only advantageous when using large resolutions and textures in games and software, the native resolutions for these notebooks linked here, are no where even near needing 1GB of frame buffering. basically the one with GT120 and 1GB of video memory is a marketing ploy to dupe people into paying more for something they don't need or will even use.

the Acer is the best deal out of the bunch, the 9600 based GPU is twice the power of the GT120/9500GT, 512MB of memory is more than enough for the laptops display. and the core 2 duo CPU should be adequate enough for the GPU, its the best pairing of components out of the 3 listed there. not to mention costs $50 less, AND has free shipping on it, its by far the BEST deal of them all.

**HeatGuyJ** · June 16th, 2009, 10:36 PM

Thank you for your replies. Hmm, how would this compare to the others? I found it on ebay for around $750.

HP Pavilion DV7 DV7T
Intel(R) Pentium(R) Dual-Core Mobile Processor T4200 (2.0 GHz)
Genuine Windows Vista Home Premium with Service Pack 1 (64-bit)
320GB 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive 4GB, DDR2, 2 Dimm
512MB ATI Mobility Radeon(TM) HD 4530
Lightscribe SuperMulti DVD burner
Wireless-G Card
TV tuner, HP Integrated HDTV Hybrid Tuner

There's also another one with similar specs except it has Intel Core 2 Duo Processor T6400 instead of T4200 but no TV Tuner, will I notice a significant difference between those 2 CPUs? If so I guess I could always buy a TV Tuner separately.

**Aaron_8015** · June 16th, 2009, 10:39 PM

The graphics card and cpu are 'slower' than the second laptop from the list above. Also I trust egg alot more than ebay.

**HeatGuyJ** · June 17th, 2009, 02:25 PM

wow looks like newegg upped the price from $750 to $900. I was just about to buy it too, guess I'll choose another.

**HeatGuyJ** · June 17th, 2009, 03:00 PM

ok please tell me which is better from these 2. The 1st one is from option 1 in my 1st post and the 2nd one is another Acer I found for the same price except it uses Core 2 Duo T6400 and GeForce 9600M GS. I'm thinking the 2nd one is better.

1. Acer Aspire AS6530-5753 NoteBook AMD Turion X2 Ultra ZM-82(2.20GHz) 16" Wide XGA 4GB Memory DDR2 667 320GB HDD 5400rpm DVD Super Multi ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3650
Newegg.com - Acer Aspire AS6530-5753 NoteBook AMD Turion X2 Ultra ZM-82(2.20GHz) 16" Wide XGA 4GB Memory DDR2 667 320GB HDD 5400rpm DVD Super Multi ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3650 - Laptops / Notebooks

2. Acer Aspire AS6930-6942 NoteBook Intel Core 2 Duo T6400(2.00GHz) 16" Wide XGA 4GB Memory DDR2 667 250GB HDD DVD Super Multi NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GS
Newegg.com - Acer Aspire AS6930-6942 NoteBook Intel Core 2 Duo T6400(2.00GHz) 16" Wide XGA 4GB Memory DDR2 667 250GB HDD DVD Super Multi NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GS - Laptops / Notebooks

Both are $650. I'm still pretty mad they price fixed the one I was going to buy for $750 to $900 but nothing I can do I guess.

So go with #2 right? Looks like a better graphics card but will the Intel Core 2 Duo T6400(2.00GHz) support it? How does it compare AMD Turion X2 Ultra ZM-82(2.20GHz)?

**HeatGuyJ** · June 17th, 2009, 03:11 PM

Here's a comparison chart of the 2 laptops I'm looking at now to make it easier. The AS6930-6942 has 70 gigs less than the AS6530-5753 but that doesn't make much difference to me as I use external HDDs.

Newegg.com - Computer Parts, PC Components, Laptop Computers, Digital Cameras and more!

I'm overthinking this now... lol

**EXreaction** · June 17th, 2009, 05:03 PM

Second is better

**ShyguyXPC** · June 17th, 2009, 05:34 PM

Originally Posted by HeatGuyJ

Here's a comparison chart of the 2 laptops I'm looking at now to make it easier. The AS6930-6942 has 70 gigs less than the AS6530-5753 but that doesn't make much difference to me as I use external HDDs.

Newegg.com - Computer Parts, PC Components, Laptop Computers, Digital Cameras and more!

I'm overthinking this now... lol

Ya think?

re-read through the first page, your answer on which to get out of the 2 is back there with all of our replies, read them and figure it out.

the only difference between the acer from yesterday and the one you found today is the hard drive capacity size, 250GB instead of 320GB, aside from that their the same thing basically.

now since we mentioned that acer with the 9600M GS from yesterday was the best of the 3, why is it so hard to figure which of these two are the better one (especially since the Turion one is the same from yesterday)?

Originally Posted by HeatGuyJ

So go with #2 right? Looks like a better graphics card but will the Intel Core 2 Duo T6400(2.00GHz) support it? How does it compare AMD Turion X2 Ultra ZM-82(2.20GHz)?

Will the Core 2 Duo support the one graphics chip (9600M GS)?

No, they just want to stuff an incompatible non-upgradeable Graphics chip with a CPU that can't use it, sell it to the customer for a given amount, only for them to find out it doesn't work with it, resulting in the customers being pissed and and returning the product and going somewhere else.

overthinking the situation? Naaaaaahhhh!!!!

seriously why would they stuff an incompatible graphics chip in with the CPU?

YES!!! It is compatible.

**Aaron_8015** · June 17th, 2009, 05:41 PM

Good ole shyguy.

Yes number 2 is still the better laptop.

**HeatGuyJ** · June 17th, 2009, 05:50 PM

I didn't mean would they work together, I meant do they pair well, obviously they will work together if they're being sold in the same machine. I already said I think option 2 is better I just wanted a 2nd opinion if I'm making this kind of investment.

"the only difference between the acer from yesterday and the one you found today is the hard drive capacity size, 250GB instead of 320GB, aside from that their the same thing basically."

That is not the only difference, this is a lower grade CPU and as I stated I'm not familiar with these new generation of CPU. I didn't know whether the difference would be significant or not.

Ok, I'm done. Thanks for your replies everyone.