Good cheap laptop that has directx 10 and anti-aliasing?

[kuroku]

Hello, I've been searching around and around and around the web, and I just couldn't figure out what would be a good cheap laptop for what I need. Can someone help me? i'd really appreciate it.

1. What is your budget?

Well, I'd prefer it if it would be around the 200's, but if it's a little more then I'm good. If it's at the 500's, it's a little too much for me.

2. What is the size of the notebook that you are considering?

Any size is fine.

3. What screen resolution do you want?

I prefer big, but any is fine.

4. Do you need a portable or desktop replacement laptop?

I definitely need it to be a portable laptop.

5. How much battery life do you need?

Well, good enough to last at least a few hours.

6. Do you want to play games with your laptop? If so then please list the games that you want to with the settings that you want for these games. (Low,Medium or High)?

I play some games like sims and sengoku basara. I'm not sure how to adjust settings for basara, but hoping that it'll be good enough. I'm not sure what settings is best to play it, so I guess it doesn't matter?

7. What other tasks do you want to do with your laptop? (Photo/Video editing, Etc.)

Video editing, 3d modelling, photoshop, and 3d animation

8. How much storage (Hard Drive capacity) do you need?

I'm not really an expert on this, but I'm hoping to have a decent amount of ram for it. 4 gb ram and above, I guess? As for total hard drive, I really don't know.

9. If you are considering specific sites to buy from, please post their links.

Any site is fine as long as it's a dependable site that doesn't have anything hidden. (Like extra shipping costs or sales tax that is 10 and over for both.)

10. How long do you want to keep your laptop?

At least more than a year. My current one is a hp g56, and it is really horrible, lol. I had it for black friday last year and currently it is breaking apart. The cover is popping out, so I have to click it back into place too often and even then it still is popping out.

11. What kind of Optical drive do you need? DVD ROM/Writer,Bluray ROM/Writer,Etc ?

It doesn't matter.

12. Please tell us about the brands that you prefer to buy from them and the brands that you don't like and explain the reasons.

I really like samsung and sony, but I'm pretty open to brands.

13. What country do you live in?

Texas, USA.

14. Please tell us any additional information if needed.

I need the computer graphics to be either amd or nvidia, having directx 10, and able to use anti-aliasing. My current computer graphics is intel chipset family 4, and even though it does have directx 10, it doesn't really support anti-aliasing for some of the programs I use, and some effects involved in animation I can't do.

 

[blazorthon]

All modern AMD/Nvidia graphics support anti-aliasing AFAIK and you're probably confusing people by saying Pixel shader 4.0 instead of simply saying Direct X 10.

I'd suggest something with an AMD APU to keep things simple. Would you like a notebook or an ultrabook/sleekbook?

 

[kuroku]

All modern AMD/Nvidia graphics support anti-aliasing AFAIK and you're probably confusing people by saying Pixel shader 4.0 instead of simply saying Direct X 10.

I'd suggest something with an AMD APU to keep things simple. Would you like a notebook or an ultrabook/sleekbook?

Oh really? i'll edit my thread title and change my answer then, lol. Um... I'll probably go with a regular notebook, I'm not really used to ultrabooks. Thank you for helping me!

 

[jaguarskx]

Right now, all current laptops including those using AMD's or Intel's integrated graphic cores supports DX11. The exception would be Intel 2nd generation Sandy Bridge CPUs with the Intel HD 3000 graphic core. That is only up to DX10. Intel's 3rd gen Ivy Bridge CPUs have the Intel HD 4000 which does support DX11 and is roughly 35% - 40% more powerful than the old er Intel HD 3000.

In your price range, you are basically looking at a laptop with integrated graphics. AMD's Trinity APUs have more powerful integrated graphics than Intel's Ivy Bridge CPUs. However, Intel CPUs have more processing power than AMD's APUs. Since gaming is the purpose of this laptop you want to go with either an AMD A8 or A10 APU depending on the amount of money you want to spend. The A10 family has the fastest integrated graphics in AMD's lineup.

 

[blazorthon]

I can't really find anything decent in your price range except for refurb units on Newegg or used machines on Ebay (eve =n then, those are units with A6 APUs, A8s and A10s seem impossible to find under the $500-8-- range). It's seemingly difficult to find a decent computer for such a low price :/

 

[photonboy]

Oh really? i'll edit my thread title and change my answer then, lol. Um... I'll probably go with a regular notebook, I'm not really used to ultrabooks. Thank you for helping me!

An "ultrabook" is the Intel name for the THIN and LIGHT laptops. It does NOT refer to netbooks. Ultrabooks are also more expensive than average so not in your price range anyway.

AMD APU's are great value in the MIDDLE price range but don't appear to exist at the low-end.

*If you go TOO CHEAP you'll have problems with failures and you'll waste your money. About $300 you can get something adequate that is fairly new and good value.

This is a good example:
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Lenovo+-+IdeaPad+15.6%26%2334%3B+Laptop+-+4GB+Memory+-+320GB+Hard+Drive+-+Black/6851264.p?id=1218809260330&skuId=6851264

**READ ME**
I want to be clear.
If you buy a cheap, used laptop you will end up wasting money. For $300 you can get something like I linked above that is NEW. At this price range you really don't need to concentrate on what CPU or GPU it has. Just ensure:
- has 2GB or more of RAM
- has Windows 7 or Windows 8 (8 recommended)
- HP, Asus, or Lenovo (not Acer)
- not uses, off-lease etc.
- 15.6" screen is optimal size
- 250GB hard drive or greater.

 

[photonboy]

*Graphics:
The laptop I recommended as an example has Intel HD graphics. Not sure which version. They aren't exactly ideal for gaming but the PROBLEM is that $300 seems to be about the limit suggested.

If you want BETTER graphics then keep all my previous advice but look for a more EXPENSIVE laptop that has something like an AMD APU with HD6000 or HD7000 graphics.

For example, this one is $430 and is FAR, FAR better at gaming. It's probably the best gaming machine AT THIS PRICE POINT:
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/HP+-+Pavilion+15.6%26%2334%3B+Laptop+-+4GB+Memory+-+640GB+Hard+Drive+-+Sparkling+Black/6892215.p?id=1218810958190&skuId=6892215

So you'll have to choose.
a) $300 - a good quality laptop like the Lenovo with limited graphics

b) $430 - a good quality laptop like the HP with GREAT (at this price) graphics but it costs more