Need help with a gaming laptop just under $500 if possible!

[napski]

I am trying to find for a friend a laptop that at least do some of the major games today, even at decent lower resolutions.

He only has about $500, but needs to spend as less as he can.

I was looking at these two sites to find deals and didn't know what I should be looking for....can anyone please give me a hand here:

I'm looking HERE

Or HERE

Any help with this would be greatly appreciated, even if you can tell me what componets I should be looking for.

Thanks!

--Napski--

 

[ScrewySqrl]

a $500 laptop that can play games? Hold off until early January. Bobcat promises 30fps in MMOs from onboard graphics

 

[napski]

On man, I can't! This guy I am helping is leaving for Japan (for college) and he has nothing right now, but is leaving in about 10 days.

 

[ScrewySqrl]

in that case, HP has the G62 model. you can get it with an i3-370, 4 GB RAM, 500 GB HDD, and AMD HD5450 graphics for $536 right now

 

[sideshowbob32]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834220758 This is the best I could find that could play games, that being said not very well most likely on low graphic settings.

 

[napski]

in that case, HP has the G62 model. you can get it with an i3-370, 4 GB RAM, 500 GB HDD, and AMD HD5450 graphics for $536 right now

Where did you find this deal?

 

[ScrewySqrl]

directly on HP's website

 

[napski]

UPDATE: He just told me that he can bump it up to under $700 with some extra cash from work.

The games he is looking to play are Dragon Age, Oblivion, Left for Dead 1 & 2 and Baulders Gate.

What about this one? It's on sale now for about $599.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0043B7WDK

 

[ScrewySqrl]

this will probly be an excellent gaming laptop:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834115863
$679.99

triple core Phenom II @2.2 GHz, 17.3" screen at 1600x900, Radion Mobile 5650 1GB GPU, 4 GB RAM and 500 GB HDD.

also get a laptop cooler/stand like this one. Gaming lappies get HOT
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834981021

 

[napski]

Yes, this looks good. I'm still poking around on HP, Dell & BestBuy & Amazon to see if there are any last second deals that can guarantee delivery before December 3rd. This one looks good with 1GB of GPU, but you would be able to upgrade the HD later on, wouldn't you? I was thinking about a HD with 7200RPM later on as a gift ;-)

But I should be looking at GPU to be at least 1GB with ATI or Nvidia, correct?
As well as processor speed & RAM.

Any particulars I should keep an eye out for?

 

[ScrewySqrl]

you want a dedicated video card (NVidia 300 series of HD54xx/55xx/56xx) at your price ranges.