FFXI - laptop good?

[kirab]

Hey everyone, I was wondering which laptop out of these two could run FFXI ( http://www.playonline.com/ff11us/beginners/win/ for requirements)

Compaq Presario R3055CA
P4 2.4GHz
512MB DDR RAM
ATI Radeon 9000 128MB Shared
40GB

Toshiba Satillete
P4 2.8GHz
512MB DDR RAM
ATI Radeon 9000 64MB Shared
40GB

or, a Compaq with AMD Athlon 3000+, 32MB dedicated Geforce 4 MX 440 and 60GB HDD? (Other specs same as first Compaq Presario)

[nocturnx]

Any of them should be able to run it just fine. I think the top compaq presario would be the best to use though because of the larger amount of video ram.

[kirab]

They are shared memory not dedicated video ram.

[ZeratulsAvenger]

None will run it all that well. They are all lower grade graphics cards. It runs ok on my second system, but that is with a dedicated, non shared memory card. Also I think it's a pro(forgot). Not sure how that might affect performance, but as far as I know the shared memory isn't all that great if you want to game at all, and shared memory on a card such as the 9000 or MX is even less nice. They would run it I suppose though, just not nearly as well as you might expect when looking at the prices of those laptops.

[kirab]

Do you think I will get about 20 - 25 FPS on medium settings? (No bumpmapping, weather effects, or all those other special effects)

[ZeratulsAvenger]

I really couldnt tell ya. I know it would be playable, but to what extent I really couldn't tell you. If you waited 10 days I would be home and could check to see the FPS my system gets, figure a couple off that and you would get yours. If not, I am sure someone else would know or would be willing to run the test.

[nocturnx]

Yea any of them would be able to run the game fine. Performance wise, i dunno, probly not that great.

Do you already have one of these laptops or looking to buy one? Cuz you could download the benchmark demo and see how it fairs.

[kirab]

I don't own the laptop yet. But hey, I am used to not-welling-performing comps. I am using a desktop now, with 1.1 GHz Cel, 256SD RAM and Integrated Intel AGP 4MB. I played CS on this with 640x480 with 30 - 60 fps. If I can get around 20 - 25 fps on medium res that will probably do. But lately I've been looking into buying used laptops from forums.

[nocturnx]

Hmm you could try running the FFXI benchmark test on that desktop to get a general idea of performance and you will know that it will perform better on either of the laptops. I would suggest either of the compaqs, not sure which would be better.

[kirab]

Benchmark/game won't run on this. But even though the video cards have shared RAM, you still think it would perform well?

[nocturnx]

Honestly I have not ever used a video device that shared ram, im not sure how it will perform. Maybe someone else here would have experience with it and performance. Anyone?

[speeddude2000]

almost ANY dedicated memory is better tahn any shared.

3rd ones best, but i would personally get the toshiba.

actually, if you are a gamer, get the last one, then upgrade the vid card. its an AGP 4x card i bet.

[kirab]

Upgrading a video card on a laptop would require upgrading motherboard, and that's not something I would want to do.

[kirab]

, but as far as I know the shared memory isn't all that great if you want to game at all, and shared memory on a card such as the 9000 or MX is even less nice.

The MX has dedicated RAM.

[ZeratulsAvenger]

Originally Posted by kirab The MX has dedicated RAM.

Hmm... didn't see that. Still, performance on the MX card is not up to par with what I would consider a card worth paying money for, if gaming is wanted. I read somewhere that the MX card should run it, but again I can't say how well. Maybe I am just used to the graphics of newer games that I cannot come to terms with Massively Multiplayer games, which in my experience don't look as nice. I can't speak for the fluidity of the game, as I don't really recall. I know the 5200 slowed down with spells being casted, so imagine that settings would have to be altered to make it perform as well as you want.

PS-The guy also mentioned how weather affects needed to be turned off to run well on the 5200.

[kirab]

Would you say fx5200 = r9000 shared ? (both 128MB)

Edit: Where did you find information about the guy with his 5200? Can you give me a link please?

[ZeratulsAvenger]

I really couldn't. Just looked at google, something like "MX 440 playing FFXI"

[kirab]

Yeah, I did that only with "Mobility Radeon 9000 playing FFXI" and the majority of people said they were happy. Doesn't look so bad to me...