Looking at laptops.....

[Salmon Sam]

I'm going into high school after summer and I've been looking at laptops. I'm looking for one that will last me through high school and, if possible, some time after high school. I'll also be using it for other things, mostly games. I don't play the really graphics intensive games... mostly just TT. I would like it to be able to run Skype along with TT smoothly. It has to be running Windows 7, and I prefer at least 3 GBs of RAM. I also want an integrated webcam with it. I'm wanting to spend anything under $500. I'm okay with any brand besides Dell and Acer.

I've read that the Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator 4500M, that most laptops I've looked at have, is terrible for running 3D games (is TT a 3D game?). Is this true for TT? Would a laptop with that graphics chip run Skype and TT at the same time?

I went to Best Buy today and checked out some laptops I saw online, such as http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Asus+-+Lapt ... Id=9700714 and http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Gateway+-+L ... Id=9732686 . I installed TT and Skype on the Gateway (2nd link) and tried it out. It worked fine. The Gateway has an ATI Radeon HD 4200 graphics chip, which I read was twice as good as the Intel graphics chip. It was close to closing time, so I didn't have time to try it out on the Asus (1st link). I plan to do that some time next week.

Do any of you know what sort of a laptop I would have to have in order to use Skype and TT at the same time?

[Mighty Mouse]

My Dell Inspiron was running using the Intel Graphics Media Accelerator and it ran TT fine. However, if you ran anything else requiring media support at the same time, you definitely noticed a difference. Although it still ran, if possible stay away.

[THE V]

You are on the right track there with being cautious about the graphics card. However TT is a old game now days and the requirements are minimal. With the integrated graphic cards on most machines the key is having enough RAM. For Win 7 3G is minimum but I'd shoot for 4G.

Also look for something with a dual core processor. As I understand it in a 32 bit OS, this allows TT to have all of one processor to itself while the OS and Skype can run on the other. If you do a careful deactivation of all the unnecessary bells and whistles (animations, translucency, side bars, docks, etc.. ) it greatly speeds up the machine as well.

I personally like HP/Compaq machines as I've had good luck with their hardware so far.

[Salmon Sam]

Also look for something with a dual core processor. As I understand it in a 32 bit OS, this allows TT to have all of one processor to itself while the OS and Skype can run on the other.

The Gateway I gave a link to has 64 bit Windows 7. Does that make a difference in what you said?


Another question, how do AMD's processors compare to Intel's? (AMD Athlon II Dual Core vs. Intel Core 2 Duo or Intel Pentium Dual Core)

[44]

Hey, Least Interesting Man in the World...

It's stay 'THIRSTY'...

not 'GEEKY'.

[DJ Wings]

Maybe this is too late, but my last laptop had a GMA 950, and it ran TT at about 1024x768 with maybe 25FPS or so, worst-case. That's not good, but I've heard the GMA 4500 is a lot better than that, and the 950 was, usually, at least workable for me. And of course, whatever you get will have more RAM and a faster CPU than my old laptop, and that'll help. Besides, ThinkTanks, like it or not, is almost a decade old, and so it's not really that resource-intensive to start with.
What I'm saying is, don't worry about being able to run TT. It'll probably work on whatever you get.

[Cloud]

Because I am such a nice BBZ, I went out to see this Asus laptop at best buy. I actually downloaded skype, got on a call, and downloaded TT and played it at the max resolution, the FPS looked like it was 60 + at least. Those graphics accelerators are a lot better than they were a few years ago. YOU ARE WELCOME

[Salmon Sam]

Thanks BBZ.


I play fine with 60 FPS on this machine. I think I will get this laptop. I've found some on Ebay with the same model number, but a Pentium Dual Core processor. Maybe the one at Best Buy has a Dual Core Pentium, but doesn't say it?

[Jerry]

If it doesn't say that its a dual core then most likely it isn't. A quick way to see is by holding down the windows key on your keyboard and push the pause/break key. That should give ya some quick info.
With my experience with intel/amd, I've found that the amd preforms better than intel at multi tasking.
And btw, be sure to get a laptop cooler if ya plan on playing games that may push the spec's.

[Salmon Sam]

^ I get detailed specs by downloading Speccy (http://www.piriform.com/speccy). I downloaded it on a few computers at Best Buy, and The Asus I looked at, which wasn't exactly the same, had a Dual Core Pentium.