Laptop choices? (sub 2k for games)

bah · 18th August 2004, 1:07 AM

Hi, I have been given the task of finding a cheapish laptop that would be used as basically a general purpose machine, and for gaming and maybe watching some movies. I have looked about and found some options and would like some help on narrowing the field down, and making some things clear, specifically in reguards to the graphics performace of these machines.

IBM thinkpad r50e
This one has an intel celeron M 1.3 ghz coupled with intel 855gm graphics.
IBM thinkpad r40e This one has a Mobile intel celeron 2.2 ghz with a radeon IGP 330m.

From that it looks like the r50e has the faster/better processor, but the intel graphics are somewhat.. crap? Whereas the r40e's graphics chip would be quite a bit better, what is the 330m equivalent to, is it a r9000?
Which laptop would have the overall better performance in reguard to games?
Or are there any better IBM options in that price range.

Or would i be better off with something like a dell, i noticed the Dell inspiron 600mLooked alright, radeon 9000 graphics, free upgrade to 512 ram larger HD (although not really an issue), but this would work out about $600 more than the IBM models (friend works for ibm, gets a discount).

And then there is this option http://www.tpg.com.au/online/ Same price as the IBM one, but perhaps it is better configured, although it just says "ATI integrated graphics", i am not sure what exact chipset that is.
Are there any other options that i might have missed and would be better suited? I guess it boils down to whats a good balance between cpu/graphics at this price point, and which manufacturer offers that balance.

I dont think things like battery life are a problem, although obviously reliability and support would factor into any purchase. Don't need a burner (or necessarily a cd drive), as a desktop has that, screen size would obviously just be ~14 inch due to price constraints.

Ok thats about it, I think i covered everything, thanks for reading my long post and thanks in advance for any advice you can offer

|]ark |{night · 18th August 2004, 2:33 PM

http://www.computeralliance.com.au/p...x?qryPart=4011

this one looks alright for your budget, if you can get teh extra $99

alloutking · 18th August 2004, 8:29 PM

I picked up an IBM R40e for $1299 at CWorld. Great deal. Comes with DVD/CDRW combo and 256MB RAM. Just ordered it today so I don't know what the graphics capability is like, but then again I'm not buying it for its gaming prowess.

The normal R40e pack from IBM comes with only a CDROM and a measly 128MB RAM for $1449. edit: The model with the DVD/CDRW combo + 256MB is $1749 if you order from the IBM Australia website.

My previous laptops were an IBM Thinkpad R30, and before that, a Dell Latitude. Let me tell you, having also looked at other brands through friends, that a Thinkpad has the edge in build quality. They are built like the proverbial brick shithouse.

orbitor · 19th August 2004, 11:41 AM

that ASUS one linked above is by FAR the best if the user is going to be doing any sort of 3D gaming.

bah · 19th August 2004, 12:56 PM

Yeah it looks like it is, thanks for that Dark knight.. the only thing is its about $600 more than the r50e :/
But as i thought originally, over $2k was going to be needed for anything that could run games decently.

Also as king said IBM may be built better, and any support issues would seem to be heaps less hassle if my friend bought an IBM or a Dell, so there is that to take into account as well. But as it now stands the asus seems to be the front runner.

Does any one know of any sites that rank the various laptop graphics solutions? Because there are so many different chipsets, but i can't seem to find a site that ranks them all, and it seems like there should be one?
e.g. It seems like anything intel graphics is bottom of the line, then there are the ati 320, 330, 340 (same as 320? except its for athlon?) 345, then the ati 7500 mobility (about gf2 level?), 9000, 9200, 9100 (oddly slower than the 9000 i think half as many pipes?), 9600 (how does that compare to a desktop 9600?),. And then theres the gf mobility ones, which i havent seen many of although they would seem not as good as the ATI solutions.
Its obvious what the topend is (96/97/9800s) but the performance around the middle is a little murky and ill defined.

So many different things to take into account, and the chipset names do not help in anyway.

And Orbitor, "any sort of 3dgaming" basically means any gaming these days, my friend wont play many fps's, but things like Roller Coaster Tycoon 3, and maybe the Sims 2 are both 3d games, so thats why I am trying to find a pc with good 3d performance.

|]ark |{night · 19th August 2004, 1:48 PM

have a read through some of actirles here on tomshardware, they have reviews on a few laptop graphics chipsets and how the perform in games.

dilligaf · 20th August 2004, 1:53 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by orbitor
that ASUS one linked above is by FAR the best if the user is going to be doing any sort of 3D gaming.

I have the previous model Asus A2500D, which has the 2600 (in lieu of the 2800) processor & a dvd-r burner (in lieu of the dual format unit).
This notebook will play Far Cry & Doom 3 nicely at default settings, it also does my DVD & divx encoding/burning with a minimum of fuss.
Im trying to source one for the wife atm, the suppliers seem to out of stock. At $2100 its a bargain

fad · 24th August 2004, 5:11 PM

i bought a clevo m373e

has intel pentium M,
r9600 64mb,
16:9 screen 1680x1050

512mb ram,1.5ghz,60gb was $2.3k

you could get it near $2k if you got less hdd and less ram,

bah · 25th August 2004, 7:17 PM

Thanks Fad, did you mean the m375e though? I couldn't see an m373e

(373 may be a slightly older model?)
Looks like a nicely priced one, from about $1850 (although I didnt see any place list ram and hdd size, so they could be 128mb models which would suck) or so for the cheapest model from checking out statice, are they good build quality? Has any one else heard about this brand and any support/issues that might be associated with it?

fad · 26th August 2004, 6:54 AM

i own one,
yeah i mean the 375

i can play doom 3 on this, its not the fastest out, ie dell 9100,

however its a nice laptop, build q is pretty good. it has realtek gigabit lan, and intel chipset as its a centrino, which is nice, no sis crap.

has a very nice screen, iill try to post pics,

fad · 26th August 2004, 3:26 PM

Click to view full-sized image!
Hosted by UGBox Image Store

ruski · 26th August 2004, 7:42 PM

Where did u get the Clevo from fad? Gotta link?

fad · 26th August 2004, 9:12 PM

i bought mine from

www.todaytech.com.au
They are in canberra

ruski · 26th August 2004, 9:17 PM

Do you need to be a reseller to buy from them?

bah · 26th August 2004, 10:18 PM

Thanks for that fad, looks like a pretty decent notebook, just the lack of a brand name behind it might put my friend off :/

Ruski, http://www.staticice.com.au/ lists a few places that sell them.. the only problem is none of them seem to say how much ram they have. All the shops have just cut and pasted the generic item description off the clevo website, so you would have to ask the shops what options they have on their particular versions of it.

18th August 2004, 1:07 AM	#1
bah Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Posts: 252	Laptop choices? (sub 2k for games) Hi, I have been given the task of finding a cheapish laptop that would be used as basically a general purpose machine, and for gaming and maybe watching some movies. I have looked about and found some options and would like some help on narrowing the field down, and making some things clear, specifically in reguards to the graphics performace of these machines. IBM thinkpad r50e This one has an intel celeron M 1.3 ghz coupled with intel 855gm graphics. IBM thinkpad r40e This one has a Mobile intel celeron 2.2 ghz with a radeon IGP 330m. From that it looks like the r50e has the faster/better processor, but the intel graphics are somewhat.. crap? Whereas the r40e's graphics chip would be quite a bit better, what is the 330m equivalent to, is it a r9000? Which laptop would have the overall better performance in reguard to games? Or are there any better IBM options in that price range. Or would i be better off with something like a dell, i noticed the Dell inspiron 600mLooked alright, radeon 9000 graphics, free upgrade to 512 ram larger HD (although not really an issue), but this would work out about $600 more than the IBM models (friend works for ibm, gets a discount). And then there is this option http://www.tpg.com.au/online/ Same price as the IBM one, but perhaps it is better configured, although it just says "ATI integrated graphics", i am not sure what exact chipset that is. Are there any other options that i might have missed and would be better suited? I guess it boils down to whats a good balance between cpu/graphics at this price point, and which manufacturer offers that balance. I dont think things like battery life are a problem, although obviously reliability and support would factor into any purchase. Don't need a burner (or necessarily a cd drive), as a desktop has that, screen size would obviously just be ~14 inch due to price constraints. Ok thats about it, I think i covered everything, thanks for reading my long post and thanks in advance for any advice you can offer Last edited by bah; 18th August 2004 at 1:07 AM.

18th August 2004, 8:29 PM	#3
alloutking Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Telfer Mine/Brisbane Posts: 460	I picked up an IBM R40e for $1299 at CWorld. Great deal. Comes with DVD/CDRW combo and 256MB RAM. Just ordered it today so I don't know what the graphics capability is like, but then again I'm not buying it for its gaming prowess. The normal R40e pack from IBM comes with only a CDROM and a measly 128MB RAM for $1449. edit: The model with the DVD/CDRW combo + 256MB is $1749 if you order from the IBM Australia website. My previous laptops were an IBM Thinkpad R30, and before that, a Dell Latitude. Let me tell you, having also looked at other brands through friends, that a Thinkpad has the edge in build quality. They are built like the proverbial brick shithouse. Last edited by alloutking; 18th August 2004 at 8:48 PM.

19th August 2004, 11:41 AM	#4
orbitor Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Brisbane, Rochedale South Posts: 6,376	that ASUS one linked above is by FAR the best if the user is going to be doing any sort of 3D gaming. __________________ _{2008 Audi S3 - APR Stage 1 -- Street/Circuit Silvia Project}

19th August 2004, 12:56 PM	#5
bah Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Posts: 252	Yeah it looks like it is, thanks for that Dark knight.. the only thing is its about $600 more than the r50e :/ But as i thought originally, over $2k was going to be needed for anything that could run games decently. Also as king said IBM may be built better, and any support issues would seem to be heaps less hassle if my friend bought an IBM or a Dell, so there is that to take into account as well. But as it now stands the asus seems to be the front runner. Does any one know of any sites that rank the various laptop graphics solutions? Because there are so many different chipsets, but i can't seem to find a site that ranks them all, and it seems like there should be one? e.g. It seems like anything intel graphics is bottom of the line, then there are the ati 320, 330, 340 (same as 320? except its for athlon?) 345, then the ati 7500 mobility (about gf2 level?), 9000, 9200, 9100 (oddly slower than the 9000 i think half as many pipes?), 9600 (how does that compare to a desktop 9600?),. And then theres the gf mobility ones, which i havent seen many of although they would seem not as good as the ATI solutions. Its obvious what the topend is (96/97/9800s) but the performance around the middle is a little murky and ill defined. So many different things to take into account, and the chipset names do not help in anyway. And Orbitor, "any sort of 3dgaming" basically means any gaming these days, my friend wont play many fps's, but things like Roller Coaster Tycoon 3, and maybe the Sims 2 are both 3d games, so thats why I am trying to find a pc with good 3d performance. Last edited by bah; 19th August 2004 at 1:20 PM.

24th August 2004, 5:11 PM	#8
fad Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: City, Canberra, Australia Posts: 1,481	i bought a clevo m373e has intel pentium M, r9600 64mb, 16:9 screen 1680x1050 512mb ram,1.5ghz,60gb was $2.3k you could get it near $2k if you got less hdd and less ram, __________________ email astral (at) avatar.org.au.

18th August 2004, 2:33 PM	#2
\|]ark \|{night Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Brisbane Posts: 145	http://www.computeralliance.com.au/p...x?qryPart=4011 this one looks alright for your budget, if you can get teh extra $99

19th August 2004, 1:48 PM	#6
\|]ark \|{night Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Brisbane Posts: 145	have a read through some of actirles here on tomshardware, they have reviews on a few laptop graphics chipsets and how the perform in games.

25th August 2004, 7:17 PM	#9
bah Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Posts: 252	Thanks Fad, did you mean the m375e though? I couldn't see an m373e (373 may be a slightly older model?) Looks like a nicely priced one, from about $1850 (although I didnt see any place list ram and hdd size, so they could be 128mb models which would suck) or so for the cheapest model from checking out statice, are they good build quality? Has any one else heard about this brand and any support/issues that might be associated with it? Last edited by bah; 25th August 2004 at 7:20 PM.

26th August 2004, 6:54 AM	#10
fad Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: City, Canberra, Australia Posts: 1,481	i own one, yeah i mean the 375 i can play doom 3 on this, its not the fastest out, ie dell 9100, however its a nice laptop, build q is pretty good. it has realtek gigabit lan, and intel chipset as its a centrino, which is nice, no sis crap. has a very nice screen, iill try to post pics, __________________ email astral (at) avatar.org.au.

26th August 2004, 3:26 PM	#11
fad Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: City, Canberra, Australia Posts: 1,481	Click to view full-sized image! Hosted by UGBox Image Store __________________ email astral (at) avatar.org.au.

26th August 2004, 7:42 PM	#12
ruski Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Perth, WA Posts: 355	Where did u get the Clevo from fad? Gotta link?

26th August 2004, 9:12 PM	#13
fad Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: City, Canberra, Australia Posts: 1,481	i bought mine from www.todaytech.com.au They are in canberra __________________ email astral (at) avatar.org.au.

26th August 2004, 9:17 PM	#14
ruski Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Perth, WA Posts: 355	Do you need to be a reseller to buy from them?

26th August 2004, 10:18 PM	#15
bah Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Posts: 252	Thanks for that fad, looks like a pretty decent notebook, just the lack of a brand name behind it might put my friend off :/ Ruski, http://www.staticice.com.au/ lists a few places that sell them.. the only problem is none of them seem to say how much ram they have. All the shops have just cut and pasted the generic item description off the clevo website, so you would have to ask the shops what options they have on their particular versions of it.