HP Gaming Laptop?

[touchtoplay]

Hello everyone, so I'm getting a new laptop from HP because I know an employee who is offering me 25% off. As of now I own a dv5 which I've been pretty satisfied with but it's time for an upgrade. As the title states, yes, I will be wanting to do some gaming on it but I'm realistic and only expect to play on medium with good framerate. I was told to get an i5 for my purposes since an i7 won't do much for me and it'll save me a couple hundred (I own an i3 right now so anything is better). Here is the laptop I have compiled and its specs, please let me know your thoughts.

Oh, and I am NOT looking for a laptop that is purely based on the theme of high end gaming. I would like a multi-purpose laptop and was told that this was the best mid-range GPU that was out there before crossing into territory where the laptops are optimized for gaming.

http://www.shopping.hp.com/webapp/shopping/load_configuration.do?destination=review&config_id=7095728

 

[Chainzsaw]

Hello,

It's not too bad spec-wise. Especially if you get the 25% discount.

 

[retr0rocket]

NBG3253 is 33% off code for dv6 quad edition and its same specs + i7 2670 for ~830+taxes, its a better deal

 

[touchtoplay]

Is the i7 worth it? That was one of the points I made in my first post about how I got some advice saying it's good for 3D rendering but a lot of games as of now don't totally utilize that. But I might just go for it to "future-proof" my laptop.

Chainzsaw, is there another one you recommend since you say it's "not too bad spec-wise". So I'm guessing you think there's a better one but keep in mind I'm not looking to drop $1500 on a gaming centric laptop like a Sanger or Alienware.

 

[Chainzsaw]

Is the i7 worth it? That was one of the points I made in my first post about how I got some advice saying it's good for 3D rendering but a lot of games as of now don't totally utilize that. But I might just go for it to "future-proof" my laptop.

Chainzsaw, is there another one you recommend since you say it's "not too bad spec-wise". So I'm guessing you think there's a better one but keep in mind I'm not looking to drop $1500 on a gaming centric laptop like a Sanger or Alienware.

The one retro reccomended is probably better, however it will also drain the power on the laptop a little quicker than a i5 (not much more though). However it's a moot point if you keep it plugged in all the time.

As for as laptops - if you aren't going for a "very good gaming laptop" the one you mentioned has a decent GPU (7690).

If retro's reccomendation has the same of everything - including the GPU, I would go for that. It's cheaper and you get an upgraded processor.

 

[touchtoplay]

Thanks for the recommendations. How long is the battery life anyways? It's not too big of a deal because I'm always by a power source but it would be really nice if it was longer than 3 hours. Is it worth it to drop $20 for the "high capacity" 6 cell or $30 for the 9 cell?

I don't think I've ever seen enough 1920x1080 resolutions but is the upgrade really significant? I keep getting nagged to go for it rather than the 1366x768.

 

[dalauder]

What is your budget? Are you planning on dropping $450 or $1000?

Because there was a dv6z w/ A6-3400M and Radeon 7690M for $550 the week before last. If you could get that for 25% off, that would be pretty awesome. But that was using HP's 33% off code. Does your friend's 25% off stack with that code? If not, he'll be costing you money.

Anyhow, so long as you overclock an A6, or have a 2nd Gen i5 or higher, you'll do well in games. Note that the 7690M will not do nearly as well in games at 1920x1080 as it will at 1366x768. But everything else will be better, IMO.

Check here to compare CPUs: http://www.notebookcheck.net/Mobile-Processors-Benchmarklist.2436.0.html
Compare GPUs: http://www.notebookcheck.net/Mobile-Graphics-Cards-Benchmark-List.844.0.html
Note that it doesn't accommodate for overclocking an A6-3400M.

 

[Freakykiwi]

In a desktop an i5 is all you need for gaming but a mobile i5 is more like a desktop i3, ie it is a dual core chip with HT rather than a quad core. You'll find similar lies with the GPU, the 6850M in my Envy uses a desktop 5770 core.

 

[DelroyMonjo]

You might look at this. It covers GPU's only and doesn't say what CPU was used to test. http://www.notebookcheck.net/Computer-Games-on-Laptop-Graphic-Cards.13849.0.html

 

[touchtoplay]

dalauder, my budget is up to $1000. I know you pay for what you get for so I know I wouldn't get too much out of $500. I want this buy to be a laptop that I will be gaming for AT LEAST 2 years. Also, I'd rather get an Intel core because I trust them and hear better things about them.

Freakykiwi, guess I'll go for the i7 then, considering that I do want my laptop to be "future-proof" as long as possible.

Thank you for the link DelroyMonjo, I have looked up on notebookcheck.net prior to this. After looking through the GPUs, it seems the 7690M is the best one without getting a laptop that's primary focus is on gaming.

 

[Tibbs01]

I see the memory upgrade to the 6gigs is free, but keep in mind it looks to be a 4gig stick paired with a 2 gig stick.

If you go with that set-up make sure you purchase a second 4gig stick (NOT from HP) to replace the 2 gig stick so you aren't gimping your dual channel memory performance.

 

[dalauder]

dalauder, my budget is up to $1000. I know you pay for what you get for so I know I wouldn't get too much out of $500.

You get what you pay for, but even moreso, you pay what you want. Recently, I've seen $500 i7's with HD 3000 graphics and I've seen $800 ones. I mean, I just bought an A6-3400M w/ Radeon 6650M for $357.

I'm not saying my $357 laptop is for you, but I'm saying a $1000 can buy you an i7-2670QM + GTX 560M if you know where to look and have some patience. Or $1000 can buy you an i5-2420M + GT 540M if you're a really indiscriminate shopper. The "sweet spot" for me would be $600-$650 for an i7 w/ GT 555M (Lenovo, typically) or Radeon 7690M (HP). And it sounds like that's where you're looking.

If you go with that set-up make sure you purchase a second 4gig stick (NOT from HP) to replace the 2 gig stick so you aren't gimping your dual channel memory performance.

While that's true--you'll be hard pressed to find a benchmark other than a memory suite that reflects a benefit of the faster RAM. The slow RAM speed (1066 or 1333MHz) or the graphics or HDD will often limit before the non-dual channel does.

Although if you find a great deal on a 4GB sodimm DDR3, it's worth the money.

 

[touchtoplay]

You get what you pay for, but even moreso, you pay what you want. Recently, I've seen $500 i7's with HD 3000 graphics and I've seen $800 ones. I mean, I just bought an A6-3400M w/ Radeon 6650M for $357.

I'm not saying my $357 laptop is for you, but I'm saying a $1000 can buy you an i7-2670QM + GTX 560M if you know where to look and have some patience. Or $1000 can buy you an i5-2420M + GT 540M if you're a really indiscriminate shopper. The "sweet spot" for me would be $600-$650 for an i7 w/ GT 555M (Lenovo, typically) or Radeon 7690M (HP). And it sounds like that's where you're looking.

Well thank you for the advice, I'm not sure where to find a laptop with i7-2670Q + GTX 560M. I did a quick search I found it on an MSI, is that right? Didn't have too much time to look into it because I have some other things to do now. Keep in mind that's around $1000 final price, with the HP I could get a 7690M with moderate capabilities for a little over half the price.

Let's put it this way. I don't game everyday, but I want the capability to game when I have time. That being said, the reason I don't want a game centric laptop is because the marginal cost is much greater than my marginal benefit; I won't utilize it enough times for it to be worth the money. Then after time has passed, it might be outdated, and there goes $1000.

While the HP laptop is not the absolute optimal choice for gaming, it still does it well and the best out of all the other mid-end high-performance laptops. I may not use my laptop for gaming every day, but there's not a day when I don't use it. I watch movies (Which the 1920x1080 resolution will be great for) and would like to play music through my speakers (Utilizes beats audio, while not the most orgasmic audio ever, should be better than my piece of crap dv5).

Bottom line, it sounds like a lot of people recommend that the dv6t quad edition is my best option considering my needs and especially the price. I just want to make sure it's the best possible deal I can get now, if I should wait, and if it's the best laptop choice I have considering my needs.

 

[dalauder]

A GT 555M is about even with the Radeon 7690M. That's what I'd go for.

I really don't think it's worth the cost of a gaming centric laptop. For the most part, you could get a gaming-capable laptop AND a desktop of equal gaming prowess to the gaming centric laptop for the same price as the gaming-centric laptop.

I (my wife) bought a dv6t Quad w/ Radeon 6770M last year from HP and I was very happy with it. I ended up getting an i3-2330M w/ HD Graphics for my wife and selling that to a friend who intended to use it for gaming and he's very happy with it. I'd go ahead and buy one any of those days when HP is offering their 33% off sales.

As far as customizing those--go for a 7200rpm HDD even if it's smaller capacity if it's the same price. Don't pay money for a RAM upgrade. And get the larger battery if it's still only $21.

 

[touchtoplay]

Why would you go with the 555M? I read on notebookcheck.com that the 7690M is slightly better. Wouldn't make a difference but do you personally just recommend one not HP?

I agree, gaming centric laptops are not worth the money and the cliche of getting a desktop holds true. I WOULD get a desktop but, this is for college and I need portability. I'd rather not have both but still want the ability to game, hence why I want the best mainstream gaming laptop.

Is the 7200rpm that big of a difference from the 5400rpm? And also do you know what the regular battery life is compared to the additional life of the higher 6-cell or the 9-cell? I kind of don't want the 9 cell due to the extra bulge.

 

[dalauder]

Oh, I like HP a lot. I think I meant that I'd go with a GT 555M or a 7690M. The GT 555M is just what you'd be stuck with if you got that Lenovo deal. But either is great.

 

[chudddds]

the hp dv7 series has dual hard drive bays

 

[touchtoplay]

I see. I mean, I'm not making a decision just yet. Does anyone know when the 33% coupon is supposed to expire? Luckily, I'll always have the 25%. Also, a comment about the memory, apparently an upgrade to an 8GB setup is included in the price.

And no one seemed to have any answer to my 2 questions: Does the 5400RPM and 7200RPM make THAT big of a difference? And how long is the battery on the 6 cell or the "high" 6-cell?

 

[dalauder]

The 5400rpm to 7200rpm doesn't make all the difference in the world--it's not like an HDD to SSD upgrade. But at $13.33 after coupon, it's worth it.

I wouldn't get the "high" 6-cell. Either pay the $30 ($20) to get the 9-cell, or keep the stock one. My wife had the 9-cell with her i7-2630QM dv6t Quad and 6770M and it lasted pretty much her whole day at work on battery (using switchable HD Graphics), so a solid 6 hours or so. Keep in mind these upgrades are also 33% off.

I personally would pay the $60 ($40) to get the extra 6-cell with the 9-cell. We all know laptop batteries die after a couple years of use and the replacement will cost more than $20. So why not save the hassle of potentially bad off-brand eBay replacements (I've had bad luck) down the line? Your call, but that's my opinion.

Then again, I don't know how long the battery on the "high" 6-cell lasts. I just figure it's worth $6.67 to upgrade to a 9-cell.

 

[dalauder]

I'm closing this tab in my browser. PM me if you come back.