Gaming computer/laptop.
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I wouldn't recommend using a compressor, as they usually inject a small bit of oil into the air, to lubricate the mechanics, this oil could damage your system. Compressed air in a can is better.wouldyoukindly99 said:Thank you very much. I'll try the compressed air thing and if that doesn't work I'll look into that A500 thing.
That is what I was going to use, I don't even know what a compressor is. :/Arachon said:I wouldn't recommend using a compressor, as they usually inject a small bit of oil into the air, to lubricate the mechanics, this oil could damage your system. Compressed air in a can is better.wouldyoukindly99 said:Thank you very much. I'll try the compressed air thing and if that doesn't work I'll look into that A500 thing.
I have the same dilemma myself except that my Toshiba laptop is from 1996... Yeah... I've got a fairly new desktop but it is not a gaming desktop by any stretch of the imagination.
Should I spend my cash on
(a A computer built for video editing, something I will be doing A LOT in my field
or
(b Get a gaming PC seeing as with its specs I could probably get video editing done just as efficiently.
Before I choose either option I have to graduate and get a job
Should I spend my cash on
(a A computer built for video editing, something I will be doing A LOT in my field
or
(b Get a gaming PC seeing as with its specs I could probably get video editing done just as efficiently.
Before I choose either option I have to graduate and get a job
Get a desktop if you want it for gaming.
Even laptops built for gaming tend to lose out a little on actual gaming compared to a desktop I believe - plus it'll be cheaper to upgrade when you want as opposed to as soon as you have to and end up having to buy a whole new laptop.
Even laptops built for gaming tend to lose out a little on actual gaming compared to a desktop I believe - plus it'll be cheaper to upgrade when you want as opposed to as soon as you have to and end up having to buy a whole new laptop.
Dude, if you are overheating, a fan cooled bit of plastic to go underneath a laptop costs about $10 off ebay, mine was lousy too, if you are still happy with the specs, go for the cheap option...
I absolutely reccommend going for a desktop. All the best, beloved rigs of gamers I have known are Frankenstein's monster-esque creatures full of swapped out parts. Laptops are only good as long as they're good, or you're spending a lot of money.
I just ordered myself a new gaming laptop.wouldyoukindly99 said:I've been haing some trouble recently with my laptop and I've given some thought to either buying a gaming laptop or desktop and I have a few questions for those of you who are a little more PC savy than I. So here goes:
1. If I were to get my Toshiba laptop repaired what would you say might be an average cost if I were to use a service such as Geek Squad (The warranty is expired)? I think it's a problem with the cooling system because it keeps turning off from overheating.
2. I gave some thought to buying an alienware laptop once I saved up enough money (around $1500). Are they worth it? What other brand would you suggest?
3. Are gaming desktops better compared to gaming laptops in your opinion? Are they cheaper? If so, what brand would you suggest that I buy?
Many thanks to whoever takes the time to answer my questions.
Before anyone comes around to criticize my usage of the term, let me justify myself. It's a laptop that can play most games, not necessarily the best games and not necessarily at the highest settings. But it is capable of playing almost everything I can imagine.
The computer I got is a 13" Acer Aspire 3820TG-434G64n (German model) which has an i5-430, an ATI HD5650, 4GBs of RAM, etc etc. The cost was around USD1000, it was 849 Euros. It should be coming out soon in the US, so check the Acer website or ask your retailer.
Make sure, however, you get a model with an ATI 5650 and not the 5470 (?) they are putting in the same laptop in some countries.
Here are some benchmarks:
Although to be fair, the guy did a touch of overclocking. It has swappable graphics cards, so when you're browsing normally it's quiet, and it doesn't seem to overheat too badly.
I say choose something like this over an Alienware product, at least it's not garish and gawdy.
Oh yeah, and it's under 2kg and gets about 5 hours of battery life (obvs. not when gaming).
The compressed air can did not work, my laptop shut off within twenty minutes of play time. Looks like I'm going to have to take it apart or get it replaced.Blackadder51 said:
Dude that sucks.wouldyoukindly99 said:
Try the Air Compressor. Its a machine that just spurts out air, as Arachon said though not all of them have oil injected into it, mine doesnt.
Or you could get a fan placemat thing for bout $20Aus which is like $15U.S (i think)
They look like this if you dont know what one is.
http://www.redferret.net/Images/retractablefan_small3.jpg
Hope that helps but i wouldnt take it to a retail company to get it fixed.
An easy free thing that might help is to just prop it up with something like a piece of wood so the fan isn't right up against the table. It helped me out enough on my laptop.
It depends on the cause of the problem. If it's something simple (dust buildup and the like), the cost is quite low - indeed you can readily solve this problem yourself with a can of compressed air. If it's more complex, such as a fan failure or heat-sink failure (it happens but not often), you may be well served seeing a professional. In this case expect to be charged the cost of the part plus a markup percentage plus labor charged on an hourly basis. A fan replacement in a laptop can EASILY cost well over a $100 USD if taken to a professional.wouldyoukindly99 said:
Unless your mind is absolutely set that you NEED a laptop, your money is better spent on a desktop. You get far more power for your dollar. My current rig cost $1100 USD and easily runs any game on the market without the slighest hint of a problem. I could have gotten reasonable performance for half that price truth be told.wouldyoukindly99 said:
Laptops simply cost more for every measure of power. This is doubly true in the case of premium PC's, especially considering you pay a substantial alienware tax on the name alone.
In general at a given performance level you'll find the PC is going to be cheaper. Additionally, if bleeding edge performance is your aim (and $1500 does not place you in this market. It would buy a very, very respectable desktop but along the way you'd be forced to make completely reasonble compromises to hit this numer like opting for a slightly dated video card (which can save you $500 USD and you'll only lose a fraction of the performance), or opting for a reasonble CPU model), you'll find the upper limit for performance is much, much higher for a desktop.wouldyoukindly99 said:
Of course, the difference between a $4,000 no expenses spared bleeding edge gaming system and a $1,000 prole friendly version is surprisingly slim. With games on the market now or on the horizon, either system will offer the ability to play at very respectable framerates at the highest graphical settings. A few years down the road a few hundred dollars spent on a new video card can breath plenty of life back into the cheap system.
Just like a person mentioned above, clean out the dust. I am a laptop user and got my new laptop for the year from an IT fair (ASUS N61V) @ a good price. Anyway if you can afford to sacrifice mobility, definitely go for a desktop. Also, if you just want a good laptop, I wouldn't recommend an alienware as $1500 is not enough. Ive got a friend that spent over 4000 on his alienware laptop (dual graphic cards etc.) and I felt as though it just was not worth it. You could build a really good desktop just from that.
Exactly how much do you game, and what type of games do you play? (Ask yourself this because some genres of games require higher or lower specs) Top of the range fps generally require really high specs but, RPGs such as Dragon Age etc only require mid-range specs to play.
Buy a laptop deck/air cooling system. A cheap one will do (i got mine free with my laptop) I do not use it for the fans but, as a deck below my laptop to give some space between the table and the bottom of the laptop. This gives some ventilation so your laptop does not heat up as quickly.
Anyway, good luck with your gaming system seach and happy gaming!
Exactly how much do you game, and what type of games do you play? (Ask yourself this because some genres of games require higher or lower specs) Top of the range fps generally require really high specs but, RPGs such as Dragon Age etc only require mid-range specs to play.
Buy a laptop deck/air cooling system. A cheap one will do (i got mine free with my laptop) I do not use it for the fans but, as a deck below my laptop to give some space between the table and the bottom of the laptop. This gives some ventilation so your laptop does not heat up as quickly.
Anyway, good luck with your gaming system seach and happy gaming!
1) You only buy a laptop for the sort of things you need to be mobile with: typically office apps, basic text web browsing unless you just don't have room for a desktop and want to game. In that case, you are going to spend more than an equally powerful desktop. A buddy of mine just bought a state of the art Sony for $2,500 with an I5 and LED display. I just built a bitchen desktop for less than 1/2 that, but if you don't got the room, you don't got it.
2) Alienware is made, I think, by Dell. It is a little souped up, but pricey for what you get.
3) Here is where I have something different from the others to write:
Depending in what you want from a desktop, a prebuilt, store bought computer can cost much less than building your own. You build your own to:
a) Ensure it has the parts YOU want in it;
b) Avoid "Bloatware": bull crap vendors put in these things that bogs you PC down and you don't want them anyway.
c) the satisfaction of knowing you did it your way.
I've seen desktops selling at shows for as little as $300 that will play some near state of the art stuff. They'll be obsolete in a year or two, but, near state of the art will be soon too, and can cost quite a bit. $300 is near throw away price.
Take something like that, throw in a good $150 graphics card, and your going to be better off than spending a similar amount on a laptop.
2) Alienware is made, I think, by Dell. It is a little souped up, but pricey for what you get.
3) Here is where I have something different from the others to write:
Depending in what you want from a desktop, a prebuilt, store bought computer can cost much less than building your own. You build your own to:
a) Ensure it has the parts YOU want in it;
b) Avoid "Bloatware": bull crap vendors put in these things that bogs you PC down and you don't want them anyway.
c) the satisfaction of knowing you did it your way.
I've seen desktops selling at shows for as little as $300 that will play some near state of the art stuff. They'll be obsolete in a year or two, but, near state of the art will be soon too, and can cost quite a bit. $300 is near throw away price.
Take something like that, throw in a good $150 graphics card, and your going to be better off than spending a similar amount on a laptop.
I hook up all those to my gaming laptop when I'm at home, plus a Logitech G35 headset... I love my gaming laptop. It's an Asus N81-Vg, and runs Bad Company 2 on medium. I'm sure there's a newer model now that will most likely play it on high.poiumty said: