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Any alternative to Dell for a gaming laptop ?

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  • 06-10-2008 9:51pm
    #1
    seclachi
    Closed Accounts Posts: 510 ✭✭✭


    Hey, Im looking to drop around 1500-2000 euro on a gaming laptop in the next while. Dell seem to be the only option as far as I can see, but there XPS laptops look ugly, more or less the same as my 3 year old inspirion 6000. I dunno if they are the best option either. So, does anybody know of any other good gaming laptops ? I had a look around komplett and the like but nothing there seems to have a half decent graphics card.

    Edit, I just tried making a precision laptop with a quadro fx 3600, apparently its got pretty good performance, could be an option.


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    #2
    Spipov
    Registered Users Posts: 1,996 ✭✭✭Spipov


    as long as you dont buy something with an nvidia gpu 8400, 8600, 9200 series (im not sure about the 9xxx ones), you should be ok. these models will fail, and i emphasize the will. u can have a root around the web for details on those.


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    #3
    partyatmygaff
    Registered Users Posts: 10,992 ✭✭✭✭partyatmygaff


    quadro cards and firegl (Basically any precision laptop) are for workstations ONLY and will be crap at every single game you play, in graphical power its way better than the geforce series but its optimized for CAD and rendering and not for gaming.

    Your best bet would be to get something ready made off the likes of laptopsdirect.ie for example or dabs.ie

    http://www.dabs.ie/productview.aspx?Quicklinx=595M&CategorySelectedId=11105&PageMode=1&NavigationKey=11105,21,51220000,45970000

    that for example is an AMAZING computer, equal specs to my desktop pc which eats up Crysis averaging 30fps on all high settings.

    good laptop imo


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    #4
    Nothingcompares
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,923 ✭✭✭Nothingcompares


    alienware for beautiful expensive laptops?


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    #5
    Soundman
    Registered Users Posts: 2,593 ✭✭✭Soundman


    Nothingcompares wrote: »
    alienware for beautiful expensive laptops?

    You mean Alienware that is owned by Dell?


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    #6
    AlmightyCushion
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 35,046 Mod ✭✭✭✭AlmightyCushion


    Soundman wrote: »
    You mean Alienware that is owned by Dell?
    His main gripe with dell is the look of the laptop so alienware is a good alternative if not an expensive one.


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    #7
    Overheal
    Registered Users Posts: 81,626 ✭✭✭✭Overheal


    You can get gaming specs from most manufacturers though they arent always advertised as such. HP has this one: http://www.shopping.hp.com/webapp/shopping/computer_can_series.do?storeName=computer_store&category=notebooks&a1=Category&v1=Entertainment+powerhouse&series_name=HDX18t_series

    It has a Subwoofer o_0

    nvidia cards mentioned will fail but with any bog standard warranty you can have the faulty card swapped and it will be placed with a fresh one, plus given extra care to its ehat sink and such. they did this with mine, and it handles heat much much better now.


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    #8
    Soundman
    Registered Users Posts: 2,593 ✭✭✭Soundman


    AlmightyCushion wrote: »
    His main gripe with dell is the look of the laptop so alienware is a good alternative if not an expensive one.

    OP suggested that it wasn't just looks though when they said; "I dunno if they are the best option either".


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    #9
    AlmightyCushion
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 35,046 Mod ✭✭✭✭AlmightyCushion


    Sorry, I didn't notice that.


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    #10
    Soundman
    Registered Users Posts: 2,593 ✭✭✭Soundman


    AlmightyCushion wrote: »
    Sorry, I didn't notice that.

    No worries AC. I'll let you away with it this once. :D


  • Options
    #11
    Voodu Child
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,706 ✭✭✭Voodu Child


    Sager/Clevo make a number of gaming laptops, there are some UK re-sellers (Novatech, Rock Direct, Kobalt) that will ship here. They have been available in 9800M configurations for a short while.

    Packard Bell are going to be releasing a version of Gateways P-FX laptops in Europe. The Gateways p-fx series are very popular in the US because they offer good performance/price, but are not available over here. Packard Bell are rebadging them as iPower GX and they should be available in UK stores soon.

    Toshiba have some gaming laptops, the X300 series. Some models go up to the 9800M GTX, not sure if thats released yet though.

    Alienware are pretty overpriced, and the M15x had terrible overheating problems and also build issues. Not sure if those have been addressed.

    Dell are releasing some new XPS models this month or next.

    The Sony model linked above has a 9600M GT graphics card, which is not high-end by any stretch of the imagination. Its not a good recommendation for a gaming laptop, that kind of money will buy a lot more performance.


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    #12
    seclachi
    Closed Accounts Posts: 510 ✭✭✭seclachi


    partyatmygaff wrote: »
    quadro cards and firegl (Basically any precision laptop) are for workstations ONLY and will be crap at every single game you play, in graphical power its way better than the geforce series but its optimized for CAD and rendering and not for gaming.

    I had a quick poke around about this, apparently the fx 3600 is based on a 8800 gt, and is a right beast, getting 8000 points in 3d mark 06. Only trick is people mention modded drivers and so on, and I dont think I could be arsed drawing that kind of trouble on myself. Its good to here theres new xps`s coming out, I think the current models are either lacklustre or use last gen GPUs.


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    #13
    ytareh
    Registered Users Posts: 1,107 ✭✭✭ytareh


    Are you looking for 15 or 17 inch?The fact that so many overlook is that a 17 incher is a 'desktop replacement'.They are HUGE in size and weight.The power block for an XPS 1730 is as large as an EEE and twice the depth and weight!You may be looking at hardly an hour's battery life...All in all they are marginally less portable than a desktop .Some even use them with a larger monitor on their desk at home.In fact there are surely serious health consequences with placing a 17 inch gaming laptop actually on your lap!!!
    The best bang for buck 15 inch gaming laptop right now is the Acer 5930G for 850 in Harvey Norman after haggling.9600m gt and 2.0GHz C2D /3GB RAM etc ....pig ugly however...particularly inside which woul make you sick its so bland.Screen is supposed to be dull also.
    Love to hear of any better.


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    #14
    seclachi
    Closed Accounts Posts: 510 ✭✭✭seclachi


    ytareh wrote: »
    Are you looking for 15 or 17 inch?The fact that so many overlook is that a 17 incher is a 'desktop replacement'.They are HUGE in size and weight.The power block for an XPS 1730 is as large as an EEE and twice the depth and weight!You may be looking at hardly an hour's battery life...All in all they are marginally less portable than a desktop .Some even use them with a larger monitor on their desk at home.In fact there are surely serious health consequences with placing a 17 inch gaming laptop actually on your lap!!!
    The best bang for buck 15 inch gaming laptop right now is the Acer 5930G for 850 in Harvey Norman after haggling.9600m gt and 2.0GHz C2D /3GB RAM etc ....pig ugly however...particularly inside which woul make you sick its so bland.Screen is supposed to be dull also.
    Love to hear of any better.

    It doesnt quite have the bang I would like. Your dead on about the 17", they are big, I have even seen some 20" ones, there massive ! Its actually pointless, as its only luggable and it`ll be really uncomfortable.

    Rock direct do an awesome 15" laptop with a 9800, looks like a right beast. Does anybody know if they ship to ireland, and how reliable are they ?


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    #15
    Voodu Child
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,706 ✭✭✭Voodu Child


    seclachi wrote: »

    Rock direct do an awesome 15" laptop with a 9800, looks like a right beast. Does anybody know if they ship to ireland, and how reliable are they ?
    Rock went into administration recently, google it and you'll find the full details. They were defrauded by an employee and had a cashflow problem, and there were doubts over whether the company would continue or if they'd be able to stand over existing warranties. I don't know the full details, but its something to know.

    Novatech and Kobalt (both in the UK) sell the exact same 15" laptop as Rock Direct - its a Clevo M860TU, you'll find reviews by googling that model. The 9800M GT is literally a re-badged 8800M GTX, so you can find plenty of benchmarks on that card.


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    #16
    Dartz
    Registered Users Posts: 4,366 ✭✭✭Dartz


    Rock are back and stable now though. I think they were bought out by the Stone corporation (Of all things)..., and they're still putting out new models. I was going to order a Pegasus 680 (Out of production now) myself, instead of the XPS I have, but they went belly up the day before I was going to post the order.

    Which was a shock.

    Anyway, they're up and running with a stable company behind them, and they look good on paper. Rock are also pretty different, and would be a rare sight.


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    #17
    seclachi
    Closed Accounts Posts: 510 ✭✭✭seclachi


    Dartz wrote: »
    Rock are back and stable now though. I think they were bought out by the Stone corporation (Of all things)..., and they're still putting out new models. I was going to order a Pegasus 680 (Out of production now) myself, instead of the XPS I have, but they went belly up the day before I was going to post the order.

    Which was a shock.

    Anyway, they're up and running with a stable company behind them, and they look good on paper. Rock are also pretty different, and would be a rare sight.

    Yea, I still have a hard time putting my faith in UK companys, Dell may have bad support, but you know it`ll be there at least. I think I have a winner with the m860tu, its bloody fast, its a good price and its not massive. Unless dell have something awesome in there new line up I think this is the one I`ll go for.

    Maybe this one http://www.kobaltcomputers.co.uk/acatalog/nexus.html


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