Buying a laptop, HELP!!

[chunkolini]

Looking for a laptop for junior, and being driven Boko by the information available.
He wants to play on line games such as World Of Warcraft etc.
Mrs C has been told we need '512mb graphics card' I remember going through this last time we bought a laptop and being equally baffled.

Your advice would be gratefully appreciated.

Chunko'.

 

[eternal optimist]

Go into PC world and ask a spotty faced youth - they should be able to help. Chances are they might tell you a laptop isn't best for games that require a lot of graphics capability - our newish high spec laptop struggles like heck with Sims 3 - should think they'll point you towards one of the bigger PC's with tons of RAM and loads of graphics capability

To be honest, I'm no expert - I'd see what PC world say

 

[alanrob]

You really need to look at a gaming laptop. Alienware (dell), asus and tosh tend to be rated as best gaming laptops, but its down to your budget.

If he wants it for gaming a normal laptop wont be up too it. WOW is now quite demanding.

I would be tempted to take whatever pc world say with a grain of salt.

 

[Wozzaaah]

I'm in agreement with the others Chunko', an off-the-shelf laptop just isn't up to running games properly unless you pay a hell of a lot for it.
What sort of money are you looking to spend?

 

[Robotstar5]

Morgan's are pretty good for laptops (I've had 2 from them), staff fairly knowledgable, try phoning them?

 

[ajlelectronics]

I concur.

There is a big premium to pay for a powerful laptop. Graphics capability will be average and not easily upgradeable. Laptop monitors are seldom fantastic either. Unless you MUST run on battery power, a laptop is not such a good choice.

As per other's advice, try to forget a laptop and go for a desktop machine with a good seperate monitor. There are compact desktop models if you want to keep the space to a minimum. I have Shuttles which are actually quite pretty. I use my 32" TV as a monitor in the living room, so no need for a seperate monitor. That having been said, I am not nor ever have been a gamer.

 

[Hitch]

BIL is seriosly into WOW, hes running a pimp'd desktop, with watercooling...

 

[CTB]

Who's BIL and what's WOW? I think I understood the rest

Christ, the world was so much easier 20 years ago!

 

[cumbriasteve]

I find the smaller independant dealers more helpful, PC worlds main aim is a sale, they will probably push you roughly into the right direction but would never admit to not having something suitable, that would mean you walk without buying.
To have a laptop perform the same as a desk top costs an awful lot more, possibly 60 to 100% more.

 

[rikrobson]

It really depends on your budget. You are really looking at the wrong side of £500 as a minimum

 

[keith19]

As above, a laptop will be miles dearer than the equivalent spec desktop.

Also, a very important point is that the laptop, however good a gamers laptop it is, is not very future-proof. The graphics card inside is the one you get, period. It is usually soldered into the mainboard, and cannot be upgraded. Three months down the line it is already outmoded, there's a cool new game out it struggles to play, etc. At least with a desktop you can go and get the latest video gaming card and replace your now outmoded one, pretty easily. Until they change the video mode, that is. About every four years now, I guess.

Go for something that is maximum upgradable, as you'll need to upgrade every year or so just to keep up with the newest games. Even then, after maybe three-four years the mainboard will be outdated, and you'll need a new one to stay up with the latest games. New mainboard means possibly you'll need to buy latest kind of memory, latest format of graphics card, etc; probably cheaper to buy a new PC. Manufacturers love gamers, they drive the rush to get the latest and the fastest and the ...best????

Chunko', can't you get the lad interested in welding, instead?

 

[Mr J Morton]

To be fair it depends on what games. WOW can be run on a netbook at reasonable res and frame rate for around £220. But its not good for many of the new first player games. You can get much much better value in a desktop. Chasing the dream of the best gaming PC is a very expensive exercise. Get something mid range and accept reasonable frame rates and resolution. Try europc for Dells. I build PCs and often kick myself when I look at what I could have bought from Dell.

Jonnym

 

[Hitch]

BIL, Brother in law...
WOW, World of Warcraft, a very involved net based game, full of demons, monsters, pixies.....not my cup of tea.

 

[chunkolini]

Once again quality advice from youguys.
We have had a chat about it and are going to look into a reasonable average laptop, his mate has one that he likes so we are going to look into that. he has a PS3 for online gaming anyway. Budget around the £400 mark, he is quite good to his halfwit Dad and probably worth the beans.

Cheers all, Chunko'.

 

[mike os]

as above posts mate... half decent gaming lappy will cost 3x that

 

[chunkolini]

Aye the little brat is not worth that much.
Chunko'.

 

[mike os]

Aye the little brat is not worth that much.
Chunko'.

They never are LOL

 

[Mr J Morton]

This seems like a reasonable system if you have to get a laptop. http://www.europc.co.uk/product.php?productid=140247

Jonnym

 

[StockEngineer]

I just went out today and brought a toshiba laptop from currys, 3gb ram, 360 gb hard drive, amd athlon pro - dedicated graphics. excellent little thing. £429.
I think its the satellide C660D-14W