PC/Laptop advice please

Jon33

Jon33

Jon33

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18 Feb 2007
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Hi guys, I'm thinking about getting rid of my PC and getting a laptop. I'm not really gaming as much as I used to on my PC and I'm thinking it's easier and cheaper for me to use a laptop.

This is my current PC spec (It's pretty old)

OCZ Platinum Revision 2 XTC 2GB (2x1GB) PC2-6400C4 800MHz Dual Channel Kit
Samsung SH-S203D/BEBN 20x DVD±RW SATA Dual Layer ReWriter (Black)
Corsair HX 620W ATX Modular SLI Compliant Power Supply
Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor E6600
ASUS P5K Motherboard
Sapphire HD4870 1GB
Creative sound blaster X-Fi fatal1ty sound card
Antec Sonata 2 Case
Arctic cooling freezer 7 pro

I think I will try and sell this (not that it will be worth an awful lot) and buy a laptop with a spec along the lines of...

•Inspiron 15R - N5010
•Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium (64 BIT)
•Intel i3-380M(2.53GHz)
•Hard Drive 500GB Serial ATA 5400RPM
•4096MB (2x2048) 1333MHz DDR3 Dual Channel
•Optical Drive : 8X DVD+/-RW Drive including software
•15.6 Widescreen WXGA
•ATI Mobility Radeon HD5650, 128-Bit, 1GB, DDR3 64Mx16x8pcs

How does a laptop of that spec actually compare against the PC I'm using now?
 
looking at your PC its actually quite good. however, your motherboard doesnt support quad core processors, so the only sensible way of upgrading would be to replace the motherboard, processor and RAM. (cooler can still be used though)

this would get you far better performance than the laptop with a much better graphics card to boot
(and a better soundcard)

processor passmark rating (higher is better):

E6600: 1013
i3 330M: 1965
Q6600: 2981

graphics card passmark rating (higher is better):

Sapphire HD4870 1GB: 1744
Mobility Radeon HD5650: 627

*edit*
just noticed you already have a custom cooler. no need to get another one then

*2nd edit*
your motherboard will not accept a quad core processor, so you would be looking at a new motherboard, processor and ram upgrade vs a new laptop. the upgrade will obviously get you way more performance than the laptop, and allow you to do decent gaming
 
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Well although my situation isnt the same and I still have my high-budget gaming PC, I opted to try and get a decent gaming laptop aswell because I work offshore and wanted to have something to play high end games relatiely well.

My laptop specs are;
i7 720QM @1.6GHz
ATI Mobility Radeon 5730
2x2GB 1333Mhz Kinston RAM
500GB IDE Drive.
and its running at 1600x900 resolution

I will play Starcraft 2, WoW and Rift(this is the slowest)

I havent performed a fresh instal but need to. Also I would suggest you try and get some with an SSD for the OS because it can seem a bit sluggish.

What are you thinking of spending? This cost me about £800 about 18 months ago
 
Thanks for the replies guys.

Wouldn't really want to spent more than 500 on a laptop. I was thinking if I sell the PC I would only have to put afew hundred towards it. I don't think there is really any games I would want to play on my PC apart from Diablo 3 whenever that comes out. Mostly game on consoles now.
 
Jon33 said:
it's easier and cheaper for me to use a laptop.
Click to expand...

Sell your PC for a couple of hundred pounds max, then spend ~£500 on a laptop?

How is this cheaper than using your existing, perfectly capable PC? :confused:

To me it sounds like you're looking for a reason to spend money. The PC is perfectly capable, and if you don't game on it then you could sell the 4870 and get a low-end £20-30 card.

However, do you have an actual *need* for a laptop? Just wondering. :)
 
matt_fsr said:
Sell your PC for a couple of hundred pounds max, then spend ~£500 on a laptop?

How is this cheaper than using your existing, perfectly capable PC? :confused:

To me it sounds like you're looking for a reason to spend money. The PC is perfectly capable, and if you don't game on it then you could sell the 4870 and get a low-end £20-30 card.

However, do you have an actual *need* for a laptop? Just wondering. :)
Click to expand...

my thoughts exactly.

do you have the standard cooler for your E6600, because you might be able to sell the processor + mobo + RAM + standard cooler all in one piece, which should get you a small amount of money
 
Reaper 392 said:
do you have the standard cooler for your E6600, because you might be able to sell the processor + mobo + RAM + standard cooler all in one piece, which should get you a small amount of money
Click to expand...

Yes I think I do somewhere.

I've just moved into a new flat so space wise and ease of use(being able to use it in different places, take to work etc) a laptop definatly has the edge. I was also thinking if a laptop or PC was on for extended amounts of time a laptop would be cheaper to run power wise (although thats probably a small difference)

Thats basically my thinking behind considering a change to a laptop. :)
 
I agree with matt, if it is just going to sit on your desk next to your old rig gathering dust then there is no need. If you want it for mobility and find you are often out of the house wanting to play games/general use then fair enough make the swap but you wont get anything as good as a desktop for the same money.

I recon you can add a good £300 onto the price of a desktop to get the same quality and that increases the higher the spec goes i.e. £400desktop = £700 laptop.

So have a think if you really need the mobility befor making the decision :)

Edit 1: You go in with a reply befor my post :) I will have a gander at some laptops
Edit 2: Figures above are incorrect, see reapers post below.
 
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xNytramx said:
I agree with matt, if it is just going to sit on your desk next to your old rig gathering dust then there is no need. If you want it for mobility and find you are often out of the house wanting to play games/general use then fair enough make the swap but you wont get anything as good as a desktop for the same money.

I recon you can add a good £300 onto the price of a desktop to get the same quality and that increases the higher the spec goes i.e. £400desktop = £700 laptop.

So have a think if you really need the mobility befor making the decision :)

Edit 1: You go in with a reply befor my post :) I will have a gander at some laptops
Click to expand...

Yeah that's the thing, being able to move it around rather than being stuck to a desk (well I don't actually have a desk yet) in the spare room is sounding like a good idea at the moment. I may try and "steal" my girlfriends laptop for abit as a trial run :p
 
Hmmm checked out the Alienware stuff *drool* nothing in that price bracket, you might look at getting a refurbished one?
 
xNytramx said:
I recon you can add a good £300 onto the price of a desktop to get the same quality and that increases the higher the spec goes i.e. £400desktop = £700 laptop.
Click to expand...

i would disagree with you there. my desktop cost me £450 and to get an equivalent laptop you would be looking at £1500-2000 easily
*edit*
just did a 'little green men ware' spec, and for £1700 i would get roughly the equivalent laptop to my PC. the processor would be much better (lowest spec available), so to compensate for that i put a worse graphics card in there
 
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Ah there we go then :) Impossible atm to equate Desktops to Laptops - you pay a big price for mobility!
I have to say the little tiny Alienware M11x looks pretty sweet for £500, but not available from OCUK :(
It certainly wont cain anything, but it should keep you entertained
Im not sure what the policy is about mentioning things that arnt available vs mentioning competetors? I think im safe in recomending a product?
 
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