Laptop advice

[pettersolberg29]

Sorry for another post about 'what laptop should I buy' but I really need some advice. I'm off to Uni in a couple of months so need a laptop to take with me. I will use it for internet, email and other simple things like Word processing, however there is one important thing - it must also be able to play Richard Burns Rally! I couldn't stand 3 years without it. I don't play any other games really, so I don't need graphics that can play all the latest games, just RBR.

I've looked around, but my technical knowledge is lacking. Price range I have in mind is 350-450 GBP, although I can just go over it if there is a perfect candidate. The top runner so far is http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/dell-inspiron-1546-black-04927895-pdt.html . Has anyone got any experience or opinions on this?

Thanks in advance.

[Ghostwalker]

my suggestions would be perhaps a:HP/Compaq 615 (http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/uk/en/sm/WF28a/321957-321957-64295-3955548-3955548-3958411-3958446.html?jumpid=reg_R1002_UKEN)or TravelMate Timeline 8371 (http://www.acer.co.uk/acer/productv.do?LanguageISOCtxParam=en&kcond61e.c2att101=61996&sp=page16e&ctx2.c2att1=17&link=ln438e&CountryISOCtxParam=UK&ctx1g.c2att92=122&ctx1.att21k=1&CRC=382200310)

However i dont know if they are a 100% within your budget limits.

[pettersolberg29]

Anyone?

[Jag_Warrior]

Have you thought about a Dell, Lenovo (formerly IBM), Acer or an HP? I'm assuming you want a Windows machine.

[Mark]

Go for the best value one. Brand names mean little.

[Daniel]

Go for the best value one. Brand names mean little.

I wouldn't agree. If a laptop or PC is a no name brand it will almost always be crap :)

If you can, I'd stretch to maybe 550 or so and get a laptop with a core i3 processor, they really are leaps and bounds above the competition and although you'll shell out £100 more now you'll save it later when it comes to get your next laptop because you won't have to do it so soon.

Most machines will however be able to run RBR as it's quite an old game :)

[Roamy]

buy a used macbook pro - you will be money ahead

[Dave B]

...there is one important thing - it must also be able to play Richard Burns Rally! I couldn't stand 3 years without it. I don't play any other games really, so I don't need graphics that can play all the latest games, just RBR.

Is there a Mac version, fousto? :p

[pettersolberg29]

I've heard a lot about Mac v. Windows, and although I believe Mac is 'beter', I'm used to Windows now and I don't really want to change. I've also heard Dell is generally the best quality so that's been the limit of my search. Thanks for the advice Daniel - I would love to stretch the budget but at Uni age, money isn't freely flowing! What is your opinion on the aforementioned Dell Inspiron 1546? Should it be a reliable and quick machine?

[CaptainRaiden]

I've heard a lot about Mac v. Windows, and although I believe Mac is 'beter', I'm used to Windows now and I don't really want to change. I've also heard Dell is generally the best quality so that's been the limit of my search. Thanks for the advice Daniel - I would love to stretch the budget but at Uni age, money isn't freely flowing! What is your opinion on the aforementioned Dell Inspiron 1546? Should it be a reliable and quick machine?

The 1546 looks good enough for your needs, and it will play RBR on maximum graphics easy. Also, I agree with pretty much everything Daniel said. It's better to go for a Core i3 or a Core i5 processor. The way I see it, when you're buying a laptop or a new PC now, shelling a little extra 100 pounds or so won't hurt, since it will be good for a long time coming, as PCs get outdated so quick these days, and upgrading laptops is not easy.

Although Turion X2 is a neat processor, it doesn't have the performance of a Core i3 or a Core i5 processor. I would keep the rest of the stuff the same, I guess. Maybe the RAM to be DDR3 instead of DDR2, and higher speed, for example at least 1066 MHZ, AND a 1 GB graphic card. Well, but all this will be for the laptop I'm gonna buy. :D

Oh, and I think Windows is better than Mac, unless you buy into the hype created by Apple's PR department. :p No point in paying double the amount, and getting the same performance just for the "Apple" name.

[Daniel]

I've heard a lot about Mac v. Windows, and although I believe Mac is 'beter', I'm used to Windows now and I don't really want to change. I've also heard Dell is generally the best quality so that's been the limit of my search. Thanks for the advice Daniel - I would love to stretch the budget but at Uni age, money isn't freely flowing! What is your opinion on the aforementioned Dell Inspiron 1546? Should it be a reliable and quick machine?
Dells are decent machines :) We have them at work and they're not bad I guess :)

This is a good laptop :)

http://www.comet.co.uk/shopcomet/product/613193/HP-G62-105?cm_ven=AFFILIATEWINDOW&_$ja=tsid:8361|prd:47868&cm_ven=AFFILIATEWINDOW&_$ja=tsid:8361|prd:47868&cm_mmc=AW-_-HotUKDeals-_-links-_-generic

Also good (probably what i'd buy myself for the money)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Toshiba-Satellite-Notebook-i3-330M-2-13GHz/dp/B003TJ9FY6/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1280248433&sr=1-6


This is also not too bad :) A bit cheaper but also a little lower in terms of spec

http://www.carphonewarehouse.com/broadband/laptops-and-netbooks/buy/DELL-1564?portal=BUYAT&promo=hotukdeals

[CaptainRaiden]

Dells are decent machines :) We have them at work and they're not bad I guess :)

This is a good laptop :)

http://www.comet.co.uk/shopcomet/product/613193/HP-G62-105?cm_ven=AFFILIATEWINDOW&_$ja=tsid:8361|prd:47868&cm_ven=AFFILIATEWINDOW&_$ja=tsid:8361|prd:47868&cm_mmc=AW-_-HotUKDeals-_-links-_-generic

Also good (probably what i'd buy myself for the money)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Toshiba-Satellite-Notebook-i3-330M-2-13GHz/dp/B003TJ9FY6/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1280248433&sr=1-6


This is also not too bad :) A bit cheaper but also a little lower in terms of spec

http://www.carphonewarehouse.com/broadband/laptops-and-netbooks/buy/DELL-1564?portal=BUYAT&promo=hotukdeals

Yeah well, but while they're decent laptops, all three of them have onboard graphics, while the Dell for which pettersolberg gave a link for, has a Radeon HD 512 MB, which will punch out some good performance, regardless of the processor. Of course, he won't be able to play games like GTA IV with Turion, but RBR will absolutely run with everything maxed out.

Even though you don't need a great graphic card to run RBR, a decent one improves the quality a great deal. I've played RBR with onboard graphics and with a 1 GB HD Radeon, and the difference is massive. Much, much smoother compared to the choppy, laggy gameplay with onboard graphics.

[pettersolberg29]

Thanks Daniel and X-ecutioner - much appreciated advice. I'll have a look at those suggestions, and ask any other questions I have on here! I assume the 3 you linked to Daniel, would be good enough to play RBR despite the fact they are Integrated graphics and not dedicated radeon/ATi cards.

[Daniel]

Yeah well, but while they're decent laptops, all three of them have onboard graphics, while the Dell for which pettersolberg gave a link for, has a Radeon HD 512 MB, which will punch out some good performance, regardless of the processor. Of course, he won't be able to play games like GTA IV with Turion, but RBR will absolutely run with everything maxed out.

Even though you don't need a great graphic card to run RBR, a decent one improves the quality a great deal. I've played RBR with onboard graphics and with a 1 GB HD Radeon, and the difference is massive. Much, much smoother compared to the choppy, laggy gameplay with onboard graphics.
I agree that a discrete graphics card would be nice but at this sort of price it's either a decent graphics card or a good CPU and I'll take a good CPU any day :)

[CaptainRaiden]

Thanks Daniel and X-ecutioner - much appreciated advice. I'll have a look at those suggestions, and ask any other questions I have on here! I assume the 3 you linked to Daniel, would be good enough to play RBR despite the fact they are Integrated graphics and not dedicated radeon/ATi cards.

You can take a look at the system requirements for RBR at their official site here: http://www.richardburnsrally.com/support.htm#a8 - To save you the trouble, I'll just copy paste it. I'm sorry, but it requires a video card. As I've experienced it, onboard graphics just won't cut it.

MINIMUM REQUIRED SPECIFICATION to play RBR:

1.6GHZ Processor
256MB System Ram
64MB Video Card (Card must support Pixel Shading)
At least 3.10GB HD space
DirectX compatible soundcard

RECOMMENDED SPECIFICATION:

2.6GHZ Processor
512MB System Ram
128MB Video Card (Card must support Pixel Shading)
At least 3.10GB HD space
Sound Blaster© Audigy 2 ZS
Logitech© Momo© Steering Wheel


I agree that a discrete graphics card would be nice but at this sort of price it's either a decent graphics card or a good CPU and I'll take a good CPU any day :)

I guess since pettersolberg wants to play RBR, then the Dell with the Turion X2 and Radeon 512 MB is a good choice. Turion is not too bad, although a bit short in the cache memory department. Also, I'd say the 512 MB Radeon, while is not a Radeon 5970 :D , it's still a medium quality card that should play any of the new games, regardless of the processor. :)

[pettersolberg29]

Thanks - I don't use a PC a lot so the processor may not be vital (although I freely admit my knowledge of processors consists of the little amount on this thread and nothing more!). Thanks X-ecutioner for the advice.

Henners88 - dirty mind! I have heard good things about Dell, but have been told to avoid Acer's at all cost so it seems Dell is the best option.

[Daniel]

Thanks Daniel and X-ecutioner - much appreciated advice. I'll have a look at those suggestions, and ask any other questions I have on here! I assume the 3 you linked to Daniel, would be good enough to play RBR despite the fact they are Integrated graphics and not dedicated radeon/ATi cards.
Yes, pretty much anything bar the cheapest of cheap laptops these days could play RBR just fine :)

[anderzon]

it was just last month when me and my fiance purchased a laptop. We purchased Dell. We were gonna purchase sony (VAIO) but we prefer dell.

here are the specs:

Processor: i3
ram: 4gb
videocard: 512 GFORCE
hardisk: 420