# Gaming Laptop help



## paradox (Nov 19, 2012)

My son wants a better laptop to play games on (gaming laptop). However, we have satellite internet and cannot stream anything or do multiplayer games over the net - so he will only be playing single player games that don\ât require internet access other than the initial download of the game. I am trying to help him find out what type of specs he needs to look for so he can figure out how much money he needs to save up. What would you consider to be the minimum processor and video card? And are there any other specs we should be looking for? I read an article that said he should look for a solid state drive. I am clueless here.

If you look up gaming laptops you find tons of stuff in the $1200-$2500 range. But I am guessing those are more for folks who will be doing multiplayer games over the internet. We probably don't need anything that fancy.


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## dademoss (May 2, 2015)

My take would be for him to decide what games he likes to play, and buy a gaming console (Xbox, Playstation) to play them.

The games for computers evolve quickly and you are constantly behind the curve of what hardware is needed. A console has the advantage of being a fixed set of hardware the software writers have to accomodate.

I did the gaming computers for a few years, and was always doing an upgrade. Now I use an xbox 360 and haven't spent a dime on hardware in years 

If you HAVE to have a gaming computer, get a desktop, they are far easier and less expensive to upgrade if you choose that route.


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## mnn2501 (Apr 2, 2008)

If you are not streaming content, then pretty much any somewhat modern computer would work.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

> My take would be for him to decide what games he likes to play, and buy a gaming console (Xbox, Playstation) to play them


I agree.

You can get much better games and graphics from a dedicated game console for less money than a laptop, even if you have to buy an extra TV.


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## paradox (Nov 19, 2012)

Thanks for the input. He does have both xbox and playstation, but he still wants the computer. And he does want a laptop so that he can take it with him when he goes places which he cannot do with the game consoles. I have had these same arguments with him that you all mentioned, but he is determined and it is technically his money. I guess sometimes you have to just let them make that mistake and learn the hard way...


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## simi-steading (Sep 27, 2012)

The best gaming laptop is the most expensive with the fastest hardware you can afford, and even then, that will be outdated by the time the next round of games comes out.. 

I've still got a Dell XPS gaming laptop I bought years ago.. It was one of the highest end gaming laptop you could buy at the time... It still plays games, but it is way too slow within 2 years when new games started coming out... that one cost me 3 grand..


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## vonrow (Oct 20, 2015)

Avoid the Acer, and Alienware brands. Acer machines are dirt-cheap for a reason. The same way single-use razors are cheap--for the same reason. Disposability. Alienware is just an overpriced name these days.

Your best warranty for the money is going to be found on a Dell or Toshiba, with Toshiba machines being the better option-though higher in price.

I used to do MMO gaming over Satellite internet. It's not ideal for online gaming, but _it does work_.


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## bern (Nov 6, 2015)

If you are looking for laptops for games, I would recommend lenovo Y series, that's designed for gaming


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## bern (Nov 6, 2015)

It's not that expensive but awesome, have a look http://pcgamerhome.com/best-gaming-laptop-under-800-dollars/


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## cpguru21 (Oct 19, 2015)

If there is not a need for a laptop, I would go with a desktop model. The reason is you can add (fairly) inexpensive upgrades to keep up with today's games.

A laptop is typically not upgrade-able, except for the ram and hard drive. Most upgrade-able parts are hard soldered to the mother board (like video and or processor) and is more difficult to add an upgrade.

While it is true that pc technology advances at a fast pace, there a few things to look at that will ensure your (pc or laptop) can keep up for a few years.

Hard Drive - SSD (solid state drive)
A solid state drive is much faster than yester years spinning hard drive and is a must for a gaming laptop or desktop. While more expensive than a traditional hard drive, prices are steadily coming down. I would recommend a Samsung EVO, which get very good reviews.

RAM - 8GB or more
Ram is the single piece of hardware in a computer that can effect the overall performance of a system. Today's modern operating system are much more efficient at utilizing RAM in your system. The more you have (relatively), the faster your overall system will run. I would not go more than 12 for a gaming system.

Video Card - Independent
In a laptop, it is super important to get a laptop that has an independent video card. Usually an Nvidia or AMD are your top brands, but are limited in laptops as opposed to a desktop computer. In other words you can get a much (faster, larger, better) in desktop vs laptop.

Processor - Intel i5 or i7
I am not up on AMD models (competitor to Intel and usually less expensive) but an i5 is less expensive than an i7, but the i7 is the more powerful of the 2. This is speaking in general terms of models. Most cases an i5 will play most any games out there.

The main issue with power in a laptop is space and heat dissipation. While laptop technology is advancing, you can still get more bang for your buck in a desktop model. And a desktop model is upgrade-able (more so than a laptop).

The last thing to consider here is price. As stated above, cramming all that performance in a smaller space (gaming laptop) you will pay a premium. With a desktop, you can easily budget out your purchases (in my opinion) and add more power down the line.

Bottlenecks for Gaming (what slows down a computer/gaming system in general):
Hard Drive - 
Usually the slowest part of today's computers. Most standard personal computers come in 2 types of spinning speed (5400rpm or 7200rpm). rpm stands for revolutions per second (how many times the metal platters spin in one second. The lower the number, the slower the drive. There are also 10000rpm drives but in my experience are not terribly stable. An SSD hard drive works much like a usb drive as in there is no spinning parts, so the speed of a spinning disk is no longer a bottle neck. Differing from a usb drive is how it connects inside the system. It is connected over a much faster connection than a usb drive and thus is much faster. upgrading to an SSD will ensure the hard drive is not slowing you down.

Processor - an i5 from intel will perform most tasks successfully enough. An i7 has more potential as far as future capabilities.

RAM - or lack of. The more RAM the better OVERALL performance of a system. There will be a limit (IE more than you'll ever use). I would go 8GB for a gaming system. No more than 12GB.

Good luck with your decisions. I hope this info is helpful to you.


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