Gaming Laptops

SeantheMan

Hi All,

I plan to move to the Middle East in the next 2 months, and unfortunately I won't be able to take my rig with me.

I've always hated laptops but will more than likely need to get one.

I don't really want to spend 2k on a "Razer" laptop or anything.
But can someone recommend something decent, with an ok dedicated gfx card. (I don't know much of the mobile graphics scene)

Games I'd be lookin at, LoL, some L4D2 and SC2 maybe. I don't need to be running Oblivion and the rest of my games on super high spec. It's basically something to tide me over for a few months while I'm there without my gaming PC.

I guess budget would be about 800 or so, 2nd hand even.
I don't need a copy or windows or any peripherals.

Even advice on where to look or good cards to look out for when checking adverts/donedeal

Black Swan

Whatever gaming laptop brand you decide to purchase, I would recommend that you have at least the following:

• Intel Core i7-3630QM Processor
• NVIDIA GeForce GT 630M 2GB or NVIDIA GeForce GT 670M 3GB (better)
• 4GB DDR3 memory (minimum)... more would be better.

Doubt that you can fit an SSD within your budget, which is unfortunate, as someday there will be no platter drives on laptops (HDDs are major source of failure on laptops).

Serephucus

This laptop comes in at around €800 when you bump the processor up to a 3630QM, 8GB of RAM. It's got a 660M, so should do you reasonably well. I was maxing out Just Cause 2 with a 650M, and it's a good bit less powerful.

You want to look for either 640, 650, or 660 cards. There's also the 670MX (Different from the 670M) but that'll almost-certainly be out of your budget. Reason being is that they use a new architecture, and will give you much better battery life. The 610, 620, 630, 635, 670 and 675 are all from an older line.

TerrorFirmer

You'll easily get a respectable laptop with dedicated video for that. Dell's Inspiron R comes with i5 processors and 7730 2GB cards for example for about the 650-700 mark, pretty decent for mid-range gaming and for the titles you mentioned it'd be fine for high settings. The good thing about Dell is that there's usually discount codes floating around to bring that down further.

The GT630m can be had paired with an i5 for as little as 500-550 mark, and would still play those games at high settings.

It's 100% possible to get a laptop with that budget that will play those games at high settings, and replace/add an SSD to the machine.

Despite contrary opinion, gaming on laptops can be cheap and affordable, especially in the short term and for specific titles like you've described. Playing the latest releases at high-max settings on laptops is not, which is always the conclusion that people jump to when they hear 'gaming laptop'. When I've bought laptops, I've always bought ones that played the games I knew I'd be playing at high settings for very modest amounts varying from 500-800, and leave the high end gaming to my desktop.

TerrorFirmer

Serephucus wrote: »

This laptop comes in at around €800 when you bump the processor up to a 3630QM, 8GB of RAM. It's got a 660M, so should do you reasonably well. I was maxing out Just Cause 2 with a 650M, and it's a good bit less powerful.

You didn't actually link anything, but it sounds like a great buy for 800

Serephucus

TerrorFirmer wrote: »

You didn't actually link anything, but it sounds like a great buy for 800

D'oh. Fixed.

TerrorFirmer

That's coming up as a 650M as the only option for me? Which isn't a problem, the 650m is a good card and even excessive for what the OP needs!

I think this is pretty good value. You could add/replace with a 128GB M4 ssd and still be under budget.

TerrorFirmer

When I configure that enigma to the same spec as the MSI, it comes in at 700+ euro with the advantage of having a better Video card, though I don't think the OP would miss it playing those games he mentioned.

vex

I recently picked up the dell inspiron 17 r se , icore 7 2.8ghz , 8 gigs of ram and 2 gig nvidia 650m . Can play BF3 far cry 3 etc on very high settings with no lag. got it for 900 euro after finding some discount codes online :cool:

Solitaire

Moved to Laptops becuase, erm... laptops?

Balmed Out

http://www.saveonlaptops.co.uk/MSI_CX61_1356341.html

SeantheMan

vex wrote: »

I recently picked up the dell inspiron 17 r se , icore 7 2.8ghz , 8 gigs of ram and 2 gig nvidia 650m . Can play BF3 far cry 3 etc on very high settings with no lag. got it for 900 euro after finding some discount codes online :cool:

Where ?

I've looked over the above links btw, appreciate the response, and cheers to mod for moving it to the correct section.