Typical, the day before 2.2 launches and my system (a non-unibody MBP) $hi+s the bed. Any thoughts on a replacement? I feel like a moderate investment in a new PC will trump the cost/time replacing my burnt logicboard (apparently the issue, so far as I can tell). I will most likely stick with a laptop. I've been to newegg, but I'm dreadfully not harware-literate and (in case you didn't notice that I haven't upgraded my system since September of 2008) I'm a little out of the loop as far as current optimizations. Also, i don't need a hi-performance gaming pc, just something that will function. I assume that just about anything I get these days for >$300 crush what I'm used to running.
Well tbh there really isnt a good pc that you can buy for $300 , but then again i could be wrong . but you really need to upgrade & spend that little bit extra here is a laptop that i game with http://shopap.lenovo.com/au/en/laptops/lenovo/y-series/y50/
but the price is abit steep but its worth the price on what's their , but i mainly use a desktop pc to game just my 2cents
I personally prefer the Asus ROG series laptops. I have G74 series with a GTX 660m in it and it runs diablo at 1080p with most setting at high except for a few at 60fps. The newer RoG laptops have an even nicer graphics card, stronger proc, and larger screen for around 100 bucks more than the Lenovo Y510P. The biggest problem with the Lenovo above is that you'll notice it's age quick.
You won't find a reliable gaming laptop for under 800 (sometimes you can get something that can cut it, but won't blow your mind), but honestly you should be looking at the 1200+ range in price.
Just looking over the specs now makes me want to get that laptop I just linked, thing is nice...
If you are looking for something that will perform well enough for Diablo, but isnt a gaming laptop ($800+) I would consider looking for a laptop with an AMD ASeries APU. The integrated graphics on AMDs APUs are currently running circles around Intels Iris graphics. The difficulty with this is that you are going to have to use lower graphics settings since you will not have a dedicated graphics card. You stated that you are not hardware literate so I will guide your hand a bit, but ultimately the decision comes down to your budget. If you choose to go cheaper (in cost, not quality per se) then I would look for a A8 or A10 APU. You can see this information on neweggs site.
Keep in mind that there are, in my opinion, better options with an Intel i5 and a dedicated graphics card, but those will run 3x the $300 budget you stated. If I had the extra money, I would personally choose the higher end laptops that will play more games in the long-run.
Its up to you, if you need help feel free to ask more questions.
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"It is said that the cleric gave these crusaders a seemingly impossible task: to scour the far-flung lands to the east and find a means, however it might manifest, to purify the Zakarum faith."
First of all, thanks to all responders for the feedback - this is good info. I was using $300 as an example of what machine i would expect to outperform my 8 year old MacBook Pro... My budget will more likely end up nearer the $1k range. I spent a lot more than that on the MBP when it was new. I don't think I will stick with Mac because the engineered obsolescence is killing me. I understand that PC has made some strides and would be easier to do hardware upgrades in the future. I just really need a place from which to start looking without necessarily having to start my research from scratch. I hope to continue to get more great feedback like this as my odyssey continues
If you are really looking in the 1k range, I really do recommend looking into the Asus machines. You can usually find them on display at Best Buy so you can "sort of" play around with them and see if you like how the keyboard feels and see how the screen looks. Sometimes people don't like the "anti-glare" that comes with these laptops.
Well understanding your budget better now makes things MUCH more fun. There are some incredible laptops out now with dedicated graphics that match or even excels apples build quality. I must say that even though I could never play games on a mac, their engineering and build of their machines sure are pretty.
The build quality on these guys are pretty amazing.
Two personal favorites, the i7 is nice in these due to it being a mobile cpu. In a full desktop an i7 for gaming only could be arguably "overkill", but the reduced power of mobile gpu's make this a great contender.
a GTX960m is a great dedicated gpu.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"It is said that the cleric gave these crusaders a seemingly impossible task: to scour the far-flung lands to the east and find a means, however it might manifest, to purify the Zakarum faith."
I always forget Asus came out with the 15.5 inch laptops. I use a 27" monitor at home and always feel like a compromise going to the 17" of my G74VW. Which is probably why I always push the G75s over the G511s, both are great laptops, with very small power differences, a GTX 965m in G75 vs a GTX 960m in the G511.
First of all, thanks to all responders for the feedback - this is good info. I was using $300 as an example of what machine i would expect to outperform my 8 year old MacBook Pro... My budget will more likely end up nearer the $1k range. I spent a lot more than that on the MBP when it was new. I don't think I will stick with Mac because the engineered obsolescence is killing me. I understand that PC has made some strides and would be easier to do hardware upgrades in the future. I just really need a place from which to start looking without necessarily having to start my research from scratch. I hope to continue to get more great feedback like this as my odyssey continues
The upgradability of the laptop will be very manufacturer and model dependent. Apple has definitely leaned towards the "Ultrabook" model meaning that their laptops have very little upgradability. But, for example, comparable Dell Ultrabooks also have very limited upgradability (mostly due to the formfactor).
My basic $1300 13" MBP w/ Retina Display runs Diablo 3 ok. Not at super high settings, but more than satisfactory when I'm traveling. It's a solid machine if you're going to do other things beyond gaming. But if you're just looking for gaming, you can likely get more graphics horsepower for less money with a Windows laptop. (Not that I'd be thrilled with getting Windows 8 but that's a personal preference.)
I always forget Asus came out with the 15.5 inch laptops. I use a 27" monitor at home and always feel like a compromise going to the 17" of my G74VW. Which is probably why I always push the G75s over the G511s, both are great laptops, with very small power differences, a GTX 965m in G75 vs a GTX 960m in the G511.
My issues with the G75 is the size and price of it. I love the upgraded speed of them, but they are just so bulky, and expensive. I understand that in order to properly manage thermals, they require better cooling solutions, but I just have a hard time imagining travel with one of them.
Upgrading to a g75 is a performance increase, but also anywhere from $500-1000 more for the added performance.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"It is said that the cleric gave these crusaders a seemingly impossible task: to scour the far-flung lands to the east and find a means, however it might manifest, to purify the Zakarum faith."
First of all, thanks to all responders for the feedback - this is good info. I was using $300 as an example of what machine i would expect to outperform my 8 year old MacBook Pro... My budget will more likely end up nearer the $1k range. I spent a lot more than that on the MBP when it was new. I don't think I will stick with Mac because the engineered obsolescence is killing me. I understand that PC has made some strides and would be easier to do hardware upgrades in the future. I just really need a place from which to start looking without necessarily having to start my research from scratch. I hope to continue to get more great feedback like this as my odyssey continues
The upgradability of the laptop will be very manufacturer and model dependent. Apple has definitely leaned towards the "Ultrabook" model meaning that their laptops have very little upgradability. But, for example, comparable Dell Ultrabooks also have very limited upgradability (mostly due to the formfactor).
My basic $1300 13" MBP w/ Retina Display runs Diablo 3 ok. Not at super high settings, but more than satisfactory when I'm traveling. It's a solid machine if you're going to do other things beyond gaming. But if you're just looking for gaming, you can likely get more graphics horsepower for less money with a Windows laptop. (Not that I'd be thrilled with getting Windows 8 but that's a personal preference.)
The ability to upgrade any laptop simply isnt there. Ram and a HDD, sure, but beyond that not really. In my personal opinion it is easier to upgrade a pc laptop (ultrabooks excluded). I edit video and do a lot of work on macs due to compatibility issues with other editors, so i have experience with the OSX, but I have grown to love Windows 8.1 and Windows 10 is looking to be a big improvement over 8.1 (and a free upgrade at that when it releases)
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"It is said that the cleric gave these crusaders a seemingly impossible task: to scour the far-flung lands to the east and find a means, however it might manifest, to purify the Zakarum faith."
Even RAM is questionable now in terms of upgradability.
I didn't mean to imply that laptops had many practical upgrades. What I should have said is that many of today's popular laptops have even fewer upgrades than 3~5 years ago.
From what I hear, 8.1 is much better than 8.0. I'm hopeful that 10 will get Windows back on track. Still use Windows 7 all the time.
Having not payed attention to the advancements/changes in machines over the better half of a decade, this information is golden, so thank you again for the continued info.
I plan on using the computer for work, but will of course be playing D3 on it. Is the i7 a necessity, or can I settle for an i5? I have concerns that I'll be paying for a computer designed exclusively for gaming (don't get me wrong, sounds great) when what I need (and might be more cost effective) is a utilitarian machine that can also support a decent quality of life for gaming.
That 940m is going to suffer pretty bad in basic gaming applications. The i5 isnt bad, but as i stated earlier, due to it being a mobile chip, the i7 is always going to be better. This again, is all subjective to your needs and opinions.
What type of work do you use your computer for?
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"It is said that the cleric gave these crusaders a seemingly impossible task: to scour the far-flung lands to the east and find a means, however it might manifest, to purify the Zakarum faith."
I do environmental consulting work, and I review a lot of digital USGS topo-maps which do require a good bit of rendering depending on the detail of the map. Generally speaking though its mostly word-processing, digital map reading and stats analysis (just excel mostly). I'm looking into working with more active GIS digital mapping and that will require better processor speeds but I'll probably dedicate a desktop for that work in the future if an when I get there.
I apologize if you end up repeating yourself - I'm learning that I should have paid more attention to the tech when I was just coasting on borrowed time.
Most gaming laptops are branded that way in order to appeal to the market, but they also tend to make great mobile workstations in a pinch. Sure it wont out-perform a desktop, but the additional horsepower of an i7mobile and a dedicated GPU is a great tool in speeding up work processess (i.e. I use my gpu to help render video while editing) Where I understand the reluctance of buying something branded as "gaming", they do tend to be the better high performing computers. Its a matter of balancing price to performance. The 2 laptops above are good choices in my opinion for that reason, and here is another i would consider as well.
"It is said that the cleric gave these crusaders a seemingly impossible task: to scour the far-flung lands to the east and find a means, however it might manifest, to purify the Zakarum faith."
Thanks for the clarification - my concern was simply that, as with a lot of other marketing, slapping "gaming" and a glowing keyboard on a computer would bump the price a few hundred dollars. If the common understanding is that these are simply high-performance machines, regardless of their application, then consider me convinced. I suppose that processor output/performance is fairly objective and therefore not subject to the same marketing shenanigans that a lot of other products get. I only want to make sure I'm investing intelligently - this is all very enlightening
Glad I can help. I wouldn't want to drop $1k on a laptop unless I knew what I was buying as well. In my opinion, if you enjoy video games and you are looking to buy a laptop, don't buy something without a dedicated gpu. As I stated previously, if the laptop has a dedicated gpu, its generally branded as a "Gaming" laptop. Ultimately the price you are paying is for the hardware more then the label now a days. Sure there are brands out there that charge a premium simply because it has their name on it, but your MBP was a culprit of that just as much as my Asus -insert product name- does.
Good luck with your buying, and if you run into any other questions, feel free to come back here, I subscribed to this thread so I can keep up with your questions!
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"It is said that the cleric gave these crusaders a seemingly impossible task: to scour the far-flung lands to the east and find a means, however it might manifest, to purify the Zakarum faith."
Not to totally derail this thread but I'm curious; What's the point/advantage of a gaming laptop? I've never looked into them that much.
Clearly its smaller and more mobile but aren't they way more expensive, fewer options, smaller screens and generally cant be upgraded? Compared to a normal desktop I just don't imagine a situation where I'd want to buy one.
Why did you guys buy them?
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Typical, the day before 2.2 launches and my system (a non-unibody MBP) $hi+s the bed. Any thoughts on a replacement? I feel like a moderate investment in a new PC will trump the cost/time replacing my burnt logicboard (apparently the issue, so far as I can tell). I will most likely stick with a laptop. I've been to newegg, but I'm dreadfully not harware-literate and (in case you didn't notice that I haven't upgraded my system since September of 2008) I'm a little out of the loop as far as current optimizations. Also, i don't need a hi-performance gaming pc, just something that will function. I assume that just about anything I get these days for >$300 crush what I'm used to running.
Appreciate the help
Well tbh there really isnt a good pc that you can buy for $300 , but then again i could be wrong . but you really need to upgrade & spend that little bit extra here is a laptop that i game with http://shopap.lenovo.com/au/en/laptops/lenovo/y-series/y50/
but the price is abit steep but its worth the price on what's their , but i mainly use a desktop pc to game just my 2cents
One mind cannot contain all wisdom...
Yeah pretty much what Untolddust said.
I recommended a Lenovo Y510P to a friend and he's loving it. It's a bit cheaper than what was recommended above but still way over 300$...
Actually, i don't think a "gaming" laptop for 300$ even exists.
I personally prefer the Asus ROG series laptops. I have G74 series with a GTX 660m in it and it runs diablo at 1080p with most setting at high except for a few at 60fps. The newer RoG laptops have an even nicer graphics card, stronger proc, and larger screen for around 100 bucks more than the Lenovo Y510P. The biggest problem with the Lenovo above is that you'll notice it's age quick.
http://www.asus.com/us/Notebooks_Ultrabooks/ASUS_ROG_G751JL/specifications/
You won't find a reliable gaming laptop for under 800 (sometimes you can get something that can cut it, but won't blow your mind), but honestly you should be looking at the 1200+ range in price.
Just looking over the specs now makes me want to get that laptop I just linked, thing is nice...
If you are looking for something that will perform well enough for Diablo, but isnt a gaming laptop ($800+) I would consider looking for a laptop with an AMD ASeries APU. The integrated graphics on AMDs APUs are currently running circles around Intels Iris graphics. The difficulty with this is that you are going to have to use lower graphics settings since you will not have a dedicated graphics card. You stated that you are not hardware literate so I will guide your hand a bit, but ultimately the decision comes down to your budget. If you choose to go cheaper (in cost, not quality per se) then I would look for a A8 or A10 APU. You can see this information on neweggs site.
Keep in mind that there are, in my opinion, better options with an Intel i5 and a dedicated graphics card, but those will run 3x the $300 budget you stated. If I had the extra money, I would personally choose the higher end laptops that will play more games in the long-run.
Its up to you, if you need help feel free to ask more questions.
"It is said that the cleric gave these crusaders a seemingly impossible task: to scour the far-flung lands to the east and find a means, however it might manifest, to purify the Zakarum faith."
First of all, thanks to all responders for the feedback - this is good info. I was using $300 as an example of what machine i would expect to outperform my 8 year old MacBook Pro... My budget will more likely end up nearer the $1k range. I spent a lot more than that on the MBP when it was new. I don't think I will stick with Mac because the engineered obsolescence is killing me. I understand that PC has made some strides and would be easier to do hardware upgrades in the future. I just really need a place from which to start looking without necessarily having to start my research from scratch. I hope to continue to get more great feedback like this as my odyssey continues
If you are really looking in the 1k range, I really do recommend looking into the Asus machines. You can usually find them on display at Best Buy so you can "sort of" play around with them and see if you like how the keyboard feels and see how the screen looks. Sometimes people don't like the "anti-glare" that comes with these laptops.
Well understanding your budget better now makes things MUCH more fun. There are some incredible laptops out now with dedicated graphics that match or even excels apples build quality. I must say that even though I could never play games on a mac, their engineering and build of their machines sure are pretty.
The build quality on these guys are pretty amazing.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834232404
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834152741
Two personal favorites, the i7 is nice in these due to it being a mobile cpu. In a full desktop an i7 for gaming only could be arguably "overkill", but the reduced power of mobile gpu's make this a great contender.
a GTX960m is a great dedicated gpu.
"It is said that the cleric gave these crusaders a seemingly impossible task: to scour the far-flung lands to the east and find a means, however it might manifest, to purify the Zakarum faith."
I always forget Asus came out with the 15.5 inch laptops. I use a 27" monitor at home and always feel like a compromise going to the 17" of my G74VW. Which is probably why I always push the G75s over the G511s, both are great laptops, with very small power differences, a GTX 965m in G75 vs a GTX 960m in the G511.
The upgradability of the laptop will be very manufacturer and model dependent. Apple has definitely leaned towards the "Ultrabook" model meaning that their laptops have very little upgradability. But, for example, comparable Dell Ultrabooks also have very limited upgradability (mostly due to the formfactor).
My basic $1300 13" MBP w/ Retina Display runs Diablo 3 ok. Not at super high settings, but more than satisfactory when I'm traveling. It's a solid machine if you're going to do other things beyond gaming. But if you're just looking for gaming, you can likely get more graphics horsepower for less money with a Windows laptop. (Not that I'd be thrilled with getting Windows 8 but that's a personal preference.)
My issues with the G75 is the size and price of it. I love the upgraded speed of them, but they are just so bulky, and expensive. I understand that in order to properly manage thermals, they require better cooling solutions, but I just have a hard time imagining travel with one of them.
Upgrading to a g75 is a performance increase, but also anywhere from $500-1000 more for the added performance.
"It is said that the cleric gave these crusaders a seemingly impossible task: to scour the far-flung lands to the east and find a means, however it might manifest, to purify the Zakarum faith."
The ability to upgrade any laptop simply isnt there. Ram and a HDD, sure, but beyond that not really. In my personal opinion it is easier to upgrade a pc laptop (ultrabooks excluded). I edit video and do a lot of work on macs due to compatibility issues with other editors, so i have experience with the OSX, but I have grown to love Windows 8.1 and Windows 10 is looking to be a big improvement over 8.1 (and a free upgrade at that when it releases)
"It is said that the cleric gave these crusaders a seemingly impossible task: to scour the far-flung lands to the east and find a means, however it might manifest, to purify the Zakarum faith."
Even RAM is questionable now in terms of upgradability.
I didn't mean to imply that laptops had many practical upgrades. What I should have said is that many of today's popular laptops have even fewer upgrades than 3~5 years ago.
From what I hear, 8.1 is much better than 8.0. I'm hopeful that 10 will get Windows back on track. Still use Windows 7 all the time.
Having not payed attention to the advancements/changes in machines over the better half of a decade, this information is golden, so thank you again for the continued info.
I plan on using the computer for work, but will of course be playing D3 on it. Is the i7 a necessity, or can I settle for an i5? I have concerns that I'll be paying for a computer designed exclusively for gaming (don't get me wrong, sounds great) when what I need (and might be more cost effective) is a utilitarian machine that can also support a decent quality of life for gaming.
What about something like this? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834232376
That 940m is going to suffer pretty bad in basic gaming applications. The i5 isnt bad, but as i stated earlier, due to it being a mobile chip, the i7 is always going to be better. This again, is all subjective to your needs and opinions.
What type of work do you use your computer for?
"It is said that the cleric gave these crusaders a seemingly impossible task: to scour the far-flung lands to the east and find a means, however it might manifest, to purify the Zakarum faith."
I do environmental consulting work, and I review a lot of digital USGS topo-maps which do require a good bit of rendering depending on the detail of the map. Generally speaking though its mostly word-processing, digital map reading and stats analysis (just excel mostly). I'm looking into working with more active GIS digital mapping and that will require better processor speeds but I'll probably dedicate a desktop for that work in the future if an when I get there.
I apologize if you end up repeating yourself - I'm learning that I should have paid more attention to the tech when I was just coasting on borrowed time.
Most gaming laptops are branded that way in order to appeal to the market, but they also tend to make great mobile workstations in a pinch. Sure it wont out-perform a desktop, but the additional horsepower of an i7mobile and a dedicated GPU is a great tool in speeding up work processess (i.e. I use my gpu to help render video while editing) Where I understand the reluctance of buying something branded as "gaming", they do tend to be the better high performing computers. Its a matter of balancing price to performance. The 2 laptops above are good choices in my opinion for that reason, and here is another i would consider as well.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834317541
"It is said that the cleric gave these crusaders a seemingly impossible task: to scour the far-flung lands to the east and find a means, however it might manifest, to purify the Zakarum faith."
Thanks for the clarification - my concern was simply that, as with a lot of other marketing, slapping "gaming" and a glowing keyboard on a computer would bump the price a few hundred dollars. If the common understanding is that these are simply high-performance machines, regardless of their application, then consider me convinced. I suppose that processor output/performance is fairly objective and therefore not subject to the same marketing shenanigans that a lot of other products get. I only want to make sure I'm investing intelligently - this is all very enlightening
Glad I can help. I wouldn't want to drop $1k on a laptop unless I knew what I was buying as well. In my opinion, if you enjoy video games and you are looking to buy a laptop, don't buy something without a dedicated gpu. As I stated previously, if the laptop has a dedicated gpu, its generally branded as a "Gaming" laptop. Ultimately the price you are paying is for the hardware more then the label now a days. Sure there are brands out there that charge a premium simply because it has their name on it, but your MBP was a culprit of that just as much as my Asus -insert product name- does.
Good luck with your buying, and if you run into any other questions, feel free to come back here, I subscribed to this thread so I can keep up with your questions!
"It is said that the cleric gave these crusaders a seemingly impossible task: to scour the far-flung lands to the east and find a means, however it might manifest, to purify the Zakarum faith."
Not to totally derail this thread but I'm curious; What's the point/advantage of a gaming laptop? I've never looked into them that much.
Clearly its smaller and more mobile but aren't they way more expensive, fewer options, smaller screens and generally cant be upgraded? Compared to a normal desktop I just don't imagine a situation where I'd want to buy one.
Why did you guys buy them?