Should I buy this Laptop?

[NicRuf]

Im looking at getting a laptop that i will be using for surfing the internet, business applications, wireless internet, and some gaming.

the Compaq Presario. R3000T Dedicated Graphics series looks like it will fit my needs and the price is good. Plus there is a free wireless router with a rebate.

I configured it as follows
2.4 Mobile Pentium
512mb Ram (in 1 chip so i can upgrade later)
40gb Hard drive
DVD/ CD-RW combo drive
54g(TM) Integrated Broadcom 802.11b/g Wireless LAN
(free wireless router)
15.4" WVA WXGA (1280x800)
64MB ATI Mobility Radeon(TM) 9600
12 Cell Lithium Ion Battery

I think the price is right under $1500

The price and specs look good to me but i wanted some other opinions.

Do you think this will suit my needs? Some of the games i will be playing will be fairly intense on graphics. Vice city, Halo for PC, Warcraft III. stuff like that. Will that 64MB ATI Mobility Radeon(TM) 9600 handle my needs do youy think?

Thanks
NicRuf

[Bill in SD, CA]

Welcome to TechIMO!!

No personal comments on the Compaq just passing on you might want to look at the Fujitsu laptops.

Really good screens and features. Prices at retail stores may be lower than site.

Bill

Well, it'll handle Warcraft III alright. I used to play WCIII on an old Dell P3700 with an ATi Rage Pro with 8MB of shared memory with no problems. Since it's a dedicated card, it shouldn't perform any worse than a normal desktop. Go hunt for some reviews on the 9600 and that should give you an idea about how well it will play Halo and GTA3:VC.

That price seems a little high to me, but I haven't laptop shopped in a while. What other brands have you looked at, out of curiousity?

[lauroy8]

Check the Fujitsu site. The screens rock ! And you can get a config with a true P4, not the mobile. I have a 2.8ghz config with a radeon 9000, and I can play Halo no problem. The newer Fujitsu comes with a 9600 I believe. Mobile P4 sucks for gaming as far as I have been told. If someone can dispute this I would like to hear it. I was warned away from Celerons, Athlons (heat issues) and Mobile Pentiums when I came here looking for advice. IMO

[burgerd]

I can dispute the claim that Pentium-M CPUs are bad for gaming. I currently have an Inspiron 8600 with a 1.7Ghz Pentium-M CPU in it. I play Everquest, Battlefield 1942, Desert Combat, NOLF2, Rise of Nations, GTA3, and other games with no problems. The other day I was impressed as I was running the following all at once:

EQ in a window
2 PuTTY sessions using telnet
1 PuTTY session using SSH
Outlook connected into the Exchange server at work
Teamspeak
2 Internet explorer windows
Musicmatch playing MP3's

I would say the the chip is up to par.

[NicRuf]

im thinking of increasing hte processor to the 3.06 pentium M to boost performance some. I have looked at many other brands but for the price i think the compaq is the best i have seen with comparable specs. I have looked at sager and ibuypower.com along with a bunch others. im thinking this compaq might suit my needs. if its powerful enough.

[NicRuf]

im thinking of increasing hte processor to the 3.06 pentium M to boost performance some. I have looked at many other brands but for the price i think the compaq is the best i have seen with comparable specs. I have looked at sager and ibuypower.com along with a bunch others. im thinking this compaq might suit my needs. if its powerful enough.

[NicRuf]

http://www.sagernotebook.com/pages/n...SubType=C#5680

what do you guys think about this Sager 5680c? Its costs a little more than the compaq but it looks like it might be a better system


what do you think?

[Bizkitkid2001]

Originally posted by burgerd
I can dispute the claim that Pentium-M CPUs are bad for gaming. I currently have an Inspiron 8600 with a 1.7Ghz Pentium-M CPU in it. I play Everquest, Battlefield 1942, Desert Combat, NOLF2, Rise of Nations, GTA3, and other games with no problems. The other day I was impressed as I was running the following all at once:

EQ in a window
2 PuTTY sessions using telnet
1 PuTTY session using SSH
Outlook connected into the Exchange server at work
Teamspeak
2 Internet explorer windows
Musicmatch playing MP3's

I would say the the chip is up to par.

I'm guessing you have the centrino Mobile Pentium? He is talking about a regular Mobile Pentium4. The centrino mobile pentiums are a lot faster than a mobile pentium 4. I think a 1.6ghz centrino runs 3dmark2001 a little faster thna a 2.2ghz mobile pentium 4. To get fast performance out of a pentium 4 mobile, you need to get like the higher end chips like 2.4ghz - 2.6ghz at least.

I have a 2.66ghz mobile pentium 4 in my sony laptop, with a mobile radeon 7500, and it plays BF1942 just fine.

[HeadBand]

no you have it backwards the centrinos are what suck for gaming...all they do is save battery life....i would accually rather have a celeron in a laptop than a centrino