NoteBook for games

[15Y]

My son is going for deployment for the first time within 2 weeks. Before he leaves, he wants to buy a notebook good enough to play some video games, expecially Madden2008. There's a lot with big HDD and other stuff just to add prices, but we're looking for something around $1000. About CPUs, has never had an AMD. Wich one to choose? Thanks.

[LeftyAce]

Take a look at Dell's XPS line. They offer similar performance to some of the stuff by Alienware, at much better prices. Intel is the current leader in pretty much any processor lineup, especially when heat/battery life are an issue. That will change soon, but for right now, I'd go Intel.

I don't think Madden needs a crazy powerful computer, but I'd go for 2GB ram, and whatever harddrive size he wants. The HDD won't affect gaming as much as the graphics chip (Does it have dedicated mobile graphics? Or is it using generic 'onboard graphics' for instance), and the ram and CPU.

[shadowpr]

where's he getting deployed to? cause unless it's to the sandbox, i know most guys when i was on deployment just used their xbox and playstations, for games at least.

[thefultonhow]

There's not a lot for $1000 that is good for gaming. You could try an Inspiron E1520 with a GeForce Go 8600, but that card might not be good enough (although it's possible it would be).

[jer888]

A true gaming laptop is going to be 1500 dollars at least.

[glc]

A Go 8600 would be enough for gaming, just keep the effects reasonable. It beats Intel GMA and the entry level ATI mobile chips.

[Dragooner4788]

Hey, whats up. I jsut recently bought the Acer 5920G-6313, and for around $1150 you can definately get him something that is going to be good for most of the games out there on the market.

I play World of Warcraft on it and it works fine. It has a 1.5Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo in it along with 2GB of DDR2 ram in it, its upgradeable to 4GB of RAM, and it has a Geforce 8600M in it with 256 Dedicated memory not shared so its definately not a bad choice for gaming. As well it has a 160GB hard drive.

It can read HD moveis but it cannot write HD-DVD, but can write everything up to Duul-Layer +/-

You can upgrade the Processor as well from the 1.5 to a 2.4 later on down the line as well, and you also upgrade the gaphics card no problem, so this definately isnt a bad laptop, and right out of the box will give him what he needs, and 2 years down the line definately be upgradable to compete with the newer laptops.

(Can you tell I work at Best Buy?? lol)

I hope your search goes well

[thefultonhow]

I doubt the graphics card is upgradable. Only laptops with the MXM interface have upgradable graphics, and usually only very expensive boutique laptops with top-of-the-line cards have it. Other laptops have their cards soldered directly to the motherboard.

The processor is upgradeable but it is not an easy procedure.