Tutorial: Gaming laptop purchase "Final Director's Cut" (April 2007)

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Tutorial: Gaming laptop purchase "Final Director's Cut" (April 2007)

Since I am buying new gaming laptop, and researched a lot of around, I will try to help gamers to buy their new gaming laptop.
I will actually help with my experience over 5 months of watching mobile technology on notebookforums and notebookreview,...

Question #1: What I want to play?
-At the start, It is the best to describe yourself what games do you want to play. If you want to play the games that are 2+ years old you will probably get some laptop with low-end GPU. If you want to play current games, mid-end GPU, and to secure yourself at least 1 year futureproof, some high-end GPU.

Second, you need to think, if you like to play all in maximum settings, or you don't care. This is important thing, too. Better gpu, better graphics.

Question #2: Do I want cat, dog or an elephant?
-Cat: Small laptops with 12-14,1'' screens. Those laptops are very portable, but you cannot insert killer GPU in such a small laptop. So actually if you want portability, you will need to be happy with low-end GPU. That means you will play older games, or newer on low settings. Currently the best graphics card for these laptops is Geforce Go 7400 or ATI Mobility X1400. Some 14,1'' even have Nvidia Geforce Go 7700.

-Dog(gie): Medium 15,4'' screens. Still portable, with bigger screen, with mid-end GPUs. Currently the best mid-end GPU for 15,4'' laptops is Nvidia Geforce Go 7700. But you have other cheaper choices here like Geforce Go 7600, Ati Mobility x1600.

-Elephant: 17''+ screens with ultra GPUs. Probably the best choice for gamers. You can still easly take it in hand and take it to some lan party. Around 9lbs(4,1kg) isn't that much. You have a lot of GPUs for 17'' laptops like ATI x1700, x1800, x1900, Nvidia 7800gtx, 7900gs, 7900gtx, etc,.. Currently the best GPU for laptops(on market) is Nvidia Geforce Go 7950GTX. To get better performances than this, some gamer firms like Alienware, Sager insert 2 GPUs into laptops, that increases performance to 40-60%.

Tell me about #1: List of low-end, mid-end and high-end GPUs.
Low-end
>> ATI Mobility FireGL V3100
>> ATI Mobility Radeon X1450
>> ATI Mobility Radeon 9700
>> ATI Mobility Radeon X1400
>> ATI Mobility FireGL V3200
>> ATI Mobility Radeon X600
>> NVIDIA GeForce Go 7200
>> NVIDIA GeForce FX Go 5600 / 5650
>> ATI Mobility Radeon X300
>> NVIDIA Quadro NVS 110M
>> NVIDIA GeForce Go 7300
>> NVIDIA GeForce Go 7400
>> ATI Mobility Radeon X1300
>> ATI Mobility Radeon X1350
>> NVIDIA Quadro NVS 120M
>> NVIDIA GeForce FX Go 5700
>> NVIDIA GeForce Go 6200
>> NVIDIA GeForce Go 6400
>> ATI Mobility Radeon 9600
>> NVIDIA GeForce Go 6100 / 6150
>> ATI Radeon Xpress 200M
>> Intel Graphics Media Accelerator (GMA) 950
>> Intel Graphics Media Accelerator (GMA) 900
>> Intel Graphics Media Accelerator (GMA) X2000
>> ATI Radeon Xpress 1100
>> ATI Radeon Xpress 1150

Mid-end
>> ATI Mobility FireGl V5200
>> ATI Mobility Radeon X1600
>> NVIDIA GeForce Go 7700
>> NVIDIA GeForce Go 6600
>> NVIDIA GeForce Go 7600
>> NVIDIA GeForce Go 7600 GT
>> ATI Mobility FireGL V5000
>> ATI Mobility Radeon X700
>> ATI Mobility Radeon X1700

High-end
>> NVIDIA GeForce Go 7900 GS SLI
>> NVIDIA Quadro FX 2500M
>> NVIDIA GeForce Go 6800
>> NVIDIA GeForce Go 6800 Ultra
>> NVIDIA GeForce Go 7900 GTX SLI
>> NVIDIA Quadro FX 1500M
>> NVIDIA Quadro FX Go 1400
>> ATI Mobility Radeon 9800
>> NVIDIA GeForce Go 7950 GTX
>> ATI Mobility Radeon X800
>> ATI Mobility Radeon X1800
>> NVIDIA GeForce Go 7800 GTX SLI
>> NVIDIA GeForce Go 7900 GTX
>> NVIDIA GeForce Go 7900 GS
>> NVIDIA GeForce Go 7800
>> ATI Mobility Radeon X1800XT
>> ATI Mobility Radeon X800XT
>> NVIDIA GeForce Go 7800 GTX
>> ATI Mobility Radeon X1900

Note: Graphics are not sorted by performance.

Question #4: Big dilemma. DirextX 9 versus DirectX10. Should I wait for Santa Rosa?
-History: Windows Vista was finalized in November 2006, since then firms are selling Vista with their laptops. Vista supports DirectX10 and DirectX10 GPUs.

-Present: Since many game producers are making the games in DirectX9, we know only few games that will come in DirectX10. Crysis, Flight Simulator, Alan Wake,...
But let we compare for example for example the best DirectX9 and DirectX10 GPU(that is confirmed coming out).

DirectX9: Nvidia Geforce Go 7950GTX. Around 5200 3D Marks 06. Great performance.
DirectX10(still not out, but confirmed): Nvidia Geforce 8600M GS. Around 4700 3D Marks 06.

So if you compare this beasts in Crysis for example. You wont be able to see DirectX10 features with Geforce Go 7950GTX, but you will still can play with powerfull settings. With Nvidia Geforce 8600M GS, you will be able to see DX10 features, but this is still mid-end GPU, since 8800 for laptops is even not confirmed to come out(overheating and melting all around).

So actually if we make a short conclusion about this: Geforce Go 7950GTX will give you the same, maybe better experience in Crysis than Geforce 8600M GS. This is not 100% confirmed, but after all informations so far, we can say that.

-Future: Centrino Pro(Santa Rosa, Intel 965PM) platform is comming soon in May. Nvidia promises that they will release DX10 GPUs for laptop in that time with Centrino Pro release.
For all people who can wait for this 1 month I advice to wait, since at least you will have some longer battery time with Centrino Pro arhitecture, and possibility to upgrade later to better graphics(never confirmed, only rumors).
For real mobile DX10 GPU beast that will handle with Crysis 100%, you will need to wait half year or even until end of year 2007.
It is only the time here. But as we learned. Time is life. If you wait, you will wait forever.

If you are hard gamer, and if you buy laptop with Geforce Go 7950GTX, you will play games on it at least another 2 years(thats pretty pretty good for laptop).

I still own for example PC's Ati Radeon 9550, and after 2,5 years it still runs new games,.. some on medium some on low, but hey its cool if you compare that technology is expanding day by day.

Tell me about #2: I will buy high-end DX9 laptop; I will buy mid-end DX10 laptop

-If you are going to buy laptop before Santa Rosa:
Low-end DX9 GPUs inserted: Search for laptops with x1400 or Geforce 7400 GPUs (XPS M1210, Asus w8j,..)

Mid-end DX9 GPUs inserted: Search for laptops with at least Geforce Go 7600 or Ati x1600 (HP series, Asus G1, Zepto series)

High-end DX9 GPUs inserted: Search for laptops with at least Geforce Go 7800gtx (Dell E1705, Dell XPS M1710, Sager gaming series, Alienware series, Clevo series)

If you are going to buy laptop with Santa Rosa:
Low-end DX10 GPUs inserted: Search for laptops with Geforce 8000M to 8400M (Samsung M60, MSI GX710,..)

Mid-end DX10 GPUs inserted: Search for laptops with Geforce 8600M GS, 8600M GTS, 8600 GTS Ultra (Asus C90, Toshiba G40,..)

High-end DX10 GPUs inserted: Search for laptops with possible 8800M GS(not confirmed) and ATI high-end(Clevo series)

Question #5: What about prices?
You can get low-end DX9 laptop for $900-$1400, mid-end for $1500-$2000, high-end $2100+.

low-end dx9: Dell M1210, Asus w8j
mid-end dx9: Dell E1705
high-end dx9: Sager 5760(price unbelieveable the best)

DirectX10 laptops prices.. add around $200-$400 more(first month)

Tell me about #3: Conclusion
-If I were you, I would wait for Santa Rosa platform, because I am curious about battery save, that Intel is telling about. Maybe prices of DX9 laptops will drop in prices, and maybe Santa Rosa will support more freedom of upgrading(Asus C90). If you are not curious Buy high-end DX9 laptop.

I... will see

fac

[SolApathy]

Nice post! Thanks for taking the time to write that up, though I would save the "elephant" rating for the 19" laptops. I would consider my 1710 more of a horse than an elephant.

AS far as GPU rankings you can get those though this thread-

http://www.notebookforums.com/thread183936.html

[OneHitRun]

Brilliant read and really useful.

I read a report recently which said someone found a working 8600 card at a convention but no site of the 8800 models yet.

Still, if Samsung would release this:

http://www.laptoplogic.com/news/detail.php?id=2219

Then I'd probably buy it xD

[SolApathy]

If you actually read the article it says 8000M for the R70...It seems a lot of articles like to say "8800" at the top of the article and then as you read further down you find out...oh...not exactly what the headline said heh

[Fuggedaboudit]

How long does the 7900gs will hold in the Inspiron 9400?

[SolApathy]

Originally Posted by Fuggedaboudit

How long does the 7900gs will hold in the Inspiron 9400?

Not sure what you are asking here...


If you are talkign about when they will replace it with a DX10 card I would imagine shortly after Santa Rosa is released. Dont' expect a high performance 8xxx series card though.

[farwalker]

Nice post. Informative and well done.

Your English teacher would not give you an "A" ; but I would. (lol)

[kaoken]

Nice post, that samsung looks nice, where can i find more info on it?

[boomheadshot45]

Great great post! Very informative. And I suggest like what Sol said, to make the Elephant the 19" and maybe like "Horse" or "Stallion."

[serg3d]

Some nitpicks:
There is no visible for user "DX10 features" which are not present in DX9. DX10 have completely different (a lot better) internal architecture, but all of it is under the hood. You can't tell the difference between DX10 and DX9 frames.
I don't think DX9 support will be dropped anytime soon. So if you are not a 3d programmer better have faster DX9 card then slower DX10.

Vista is not necessary to use new GPU architecture introduced with DX10. All new functionality also available through the OpenGL. I hope there could be kind of revive of OpenGL now - it can make code more portable between Vista and XP. So if developer would support it you can have DX10 equivalent under XP too.

[Fuggedaboudit]

I mean how long can I use it to play games well?

[SolApathy]

years

[Fuggedaboudit]

Originally Posted by SolApathy

years

Well.. now I've got a gforce 2 mx/mx 400

And I play everything on lowest, with crappy FPS aswell :P

So, how would it run games in 2007, '08, '09, etc.

[CyberpunKid]

Originally Posted by Fuggedaboudit

Well.. now I've got a gforce 2 mx/mx 400

And I play everything on lowest, with crappy FPS aswell :P

So, how would it run games in 2007, '08, '09, etc.

LOL! My PC also has that video card!

It seems that it can't anymore play the current games because it doesn't support pixel shading.

Gosh! I really need to upgrade my PC.

In regards to OP, nice post! You should do this once a month.

[Spinitch]

19" are whales