Hello there!
I am looking for a laptop around the 500 dollar. I know this is a bit low, especially for what I want to use it for, but I would at least like to keep it below the 700 dollar.
I'm in no hurry. I can wait a couple of months. In fact, that is my plan in the first place; I want to wait for Windows 8. But if you say that waiting is useless (which I doubt, because new and better laptops come out every couple of months), I can buy a laptop now and update to Windows 8 for only 15 dollars (or so I've read).
Besides Windows 8, the only thing I really want is to be able to run the game S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat on max settings (or maybe with AA turned off). Here are the system requirements:
Minimum System Requirements
Intel Pentium 4 2.0 Ghz / AMD XP 2200+
512 MB RAM
128 MB DirectX 8.0 compatible card / nVIDIA GeForce 5700 / ATI Radeon 9600
Recommended System Requirements
Intel Core 2 Duo E7400 / AMD 64 X2 5600+
2 GB RAM
512 MB DirectX 9.0c compatible card / nVIDIA GeForce 9800 GTX / ATI Radeon HD 4850
Not only that, I also want to be able to run the mods AtmosFear 3 and Absolute Nature 3. The maker of those mods has the following to say about the performance:
http://atmosfear.crommcruac.com/call-of-pripyat/faq.php
About AtmosFear 3: "On systems with less than 2GB of RAM 'Out of memory' problems could occur. Do not install hi-res textures unless you have at least 3GB of RAM and decent GPU.
The same apply to 32 bit systems where xRay engine can allocate maximum 2GB RAM."
http://absolute.crommcruac.com/call-of-pripyat/faq.php
About Absolute Nature 3: "This mod requires strong GPU and a lot of RAM (at least 3GB). Installing this mod can cause memory problems on 32bit systems or systems with less than 3GB RAM. If you experience heavy framedrop or CTDs try to lower settings as texture quality, draw distance and object quality in advanced graphics settings and/or resolution in basic settings. The overall amount of polygons that the levels are built from doubled due to hi-poly tree replacements and denser vegetation. Because of that the average framerate dropped for about 30%."
I've seen someone on youtube who was able to run the game together with the AtmosFear 3 mod on an Acer Aspire laptop pretty smoothly, but I'm not sure he also used the Absolute Nature 3 mod.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qSoTzPk-H4
"Aspire 7551G
Processor: Athlon II P340 Dual-Core Processor, 2.2 GHz
Memory: 4GB DDR3 1044Mhz
GPU: Radeon HD 5650 1GB
Resolution: 1280x720
All settings: Almost Max, AA: Off"
Both my brothers have an Acer Aspire, and they look pretty good. I've heard people saying that the build quality is bad, but it doesn't look bad at all to me. And fact is that they are cheap.
I know everyone always says that gaming on a laptop isn't possible. I just want to run this specific game, with these specific mods, with a decent framerate. I don't want 60 FPS, but 20-30 would be nice. If that isn't possible on a laptop below 700 dollars (now or in a few months), then please say so.
Do I want other things? Nah, not really. As long as the screen is bigger than the one in my 2007 macbook. Something like 15 inch would be fine. 17 inch is too big for me.
Greetings and thanks in advance!
Androyed
I am looking for a laptop around the 500 dollar. I know this is a bit low, especially for what I want to use it for, but I would at least like to keep it below the 700 dollar.
I'm in no hurry. I can wait a couple of months. In fact, that is my plan in the first place; I want to wait for Windows 8. But if you say that waiting is useless (which I doubt, because new and better laptops come out every couple of months), I can buy a laptop now and update to Windows 8 for only 15 dollars (or so I've read).
Besides Windows 8, the only thing I really want is to be able to run the game S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat on max settings (or maybe with AA turned off). Here are the system requirements:
Minimum System Requirements
Intel Pentium 4 2.0 Ghz / AMD XP 2200+
512 MB RAM
128 MB DirectX 8.0 compatible card / nVIDIA GeForce 5700 / ATI Radeon 9600
Recommended System Requirements
Intel Core 2 Duo E7400 / AMD 64 X2 5600+
2 GB RAM
512 MB DirectX 9.0c compatible card / nVIDIA GeForce 9800 GTX / ATI Radeon HD 4850
Not only that, I also want to be able to run the mods AtmosFear 3 and Absolute Nature 3. The maker of those mods has the following to say about the performance:
http://atmosfear.crommcruac.com/call-of-pripyat/faq.php
About AtmosFear 3: "On systems with less than 2GB of RAM 'Out of memory' problems could occur. Do not install hi-res textures unless you have at least 3GB of RAM and decent GPU.
The same apply to 32 bit systems where xRay engine can allocate maximum 2GB RAM."
http://absolute.crommcruac.com/call-of-pripyat/faq.php
About Absolute Nature 3: "This mod requires strong GPU and a lot of RAM (at least 3GB). Installing this mod can cause memory problems on 32bit systems or systems with less than 3GB RAM. If you experience heavy framedrop or CTDs try to lower settings as texture quality, draw distance and object quality in advanced graphics settings and/or resolution in basic settings. The overall amount of polygons that the levels are built from doubled due to hi-poly tree replacements and denser vegetation. Because of that the average framerate dropped for about 30%."
I've seen someone on youtube who was able to run the game together with the AtmosFear 3 mod on an Acer Aspire laptop pretty smoothly, but I'm not sure he also used the Absolute Nature 3 mod.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qSoTzPk-H4
"Aspire 7551G
Processor: Athlon II P340 Dual-Core Processor, 2.2 GHz
Memory: 4GB DDR3 1044Mhz
GPU: Radeon HD 5650 1GB
Resolution: 1280x720
All settings: Almost Max, AA: Off"
Both my brothers have an Acer Aspire, and they look pretty good. I've heard people saying that the build quality is bad, but it doesn't look bad at all to me. And fact is that they are cheap.
I know everyone always says that gaming on a laptop isn't possible. I just want to run this specific game, with these specific mods, with a decent framerate. I don't want 60 FPS, but 20-30 would be nice. If that isn't possible on a laptop below 700 dollars (now or in a few months), then please say so.
Do I want other things? Nah, not really. As long as the screen is bigger than the one in my 2007 macbook. Something like 15 inch would be fine. 17 inch is too big for me.
Greetings and thanks in advance!
Androyed