Blu-ray on Laptops

memyselfandi · 30 Jan 2009 at 09:38

I've been looking at laptops as my Acer has got to the stage when it's cooling seems to be knackered to the extent that the cooling fan is on all the time.

I've been looking at the Dell Studio 15 or the new Inspiron 15 models based around P8400 processors etc. The struggling point is the GPU though, the Studio 15 comes with either Intel 4500MHD or ATI 3450 graphics whilst the Inspiron 15 only has the Intel GPU as an available configuration. Ideally I'd like to have a blu-ray drive in the laptop but would the Intel GPU be able to cope with playing back blu-ray disks and other HD video files?

Note that the lack of gaming performance of either GPU is not an issue as I don't play games on my laptops. I'd prefer something thats cool, quiet and stable.

95thrifles · 30 Jan 2009 at 09:39

Yes I reckon the gfx card would, however the screen would not be able to display high enough resolution for HD anyway so moot point

z0mbi3 · 30 Jan 2009 at 09:46

95thrifles said:
Yes I reckon the gfx card would, however the screen would not be able to display high enough resolution for HD anyway so moot point

I'm pretty sure it would manage a 720p resolution.

memyselfandi · 30 Jan 2009 at 10:05

The Inspiron 15 has the new 15.6" 720p (1368x768) resolution screens whilst the Studio 15 comes with a 15.4" at either 1280x800 or 1440x900 (or I think there is an expensive higher option which my eyesight wouldn't cope with!)

Yes, I know the screens won't do 1080p for full resolution Blu-ray playback but they have the resolution to playback a blu-ray disk perfectly watchablely if they have the power to do it.

Simian · 30 Jan 2009 at 13:05

Eh.. Hem!!... http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=17955728&highlight=username_simian

memyselfandi · 30 Jan 2009 at 13:15

Simian said:
Eh.. Hem!!... http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=17955728&highlight=username_simian

Very nice laptop .... unfortunately goes for more than I want to spend.

PinkPig · 30 Jan 2009 at 21:47

I'm fairly sure that any of them will play Blu-Rays back perfectly. I get the impression that integrated graphics cards are perfectly adequate for anything other than playing games. I think Dell bundle them with Blu-Ray software, in which case it will certainly work.

As for the resolution of the screen, it's plenty big enough that Blu-Ray will look nicer than DVD at close range. In any case, even if it *didn't* look better it would still be worth selling laptops with Blu-Ray drives in them because it means that your Blu-Ray collection becomes portable. One of the biggest reasons for me not to buy a Blu-Ray player and disks is that I play DVDs in all sorts of places - sometimes in front of the TV but also 'on the go' from my laptop.