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Post by Incog Neato on Sept 10, 2008 5:01:29 GMT -5
Other than the whole mobility factor (which is kind of ... silly anyway since gaming notebooks, from my understanding, tend to be rather heavy), why would anyone get a laptop specifically for games over a desktop system?
Is it the price? :O I figure that it's possible to get a gaming desktop rig for the same or less price especially without the monitor and keyboard included.
'Sides, with a desktop, you can get a bigger display! Better keyboard! Probably better sound card! True surround sound set-up with multiple speakers! Probably faster processors! Multiple video cards!
It's too early in the morning for me to justify the laptop over the desktop. XD
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Post by Skeletore has a boner on Sept 10, 2008 5:24:46 GMT -5
There is no logical reason to get a gaming laptop. Even if you're a frequent lanparty gamer you're better off making a small-form factor pc, cause with all the assecories you carry around you're not saving any space over a small-form+monitor.
Gaming laptops even perform worse because they generate so much extra heat that they have to throttle down to the point a well designed normal laptop is faster! Plus battery life is horrendous so it's not even that portable!
The bad reasoning most people use is "I need a laptop, I need a new game machine, get two in one!"
The logical response is you will rarely if ever use the laptop for it's portability factor in the same situations as you are gaming.
Considering the gaming laptop is more expensive, you can get a great desktop and a mid-range normal laptop for about the same price.
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Post by Yakra on Sept 10, 2008 5:48:56 GMT -5
I wanted one actually. Very recently. I went through one of my phases of 'I must have NOW!' about that. :'D Though, my reason for wanting a laptop for my games (er... what games?! X'D) was not because I'd need it while traveling around (though that certainly would be very handy), since the handhelds are lighter and much more comfortable to travel with. I actually wanted it so that I could play away while sitting in my bed. Especially when the accursed electricity disappears.
...Though since the load shedding stopped (for now!) my reason for wanting a laptop stopped too.
Basically, the only reason I can think of is perhaps the person would be like me and would prefer to play away on it in any place and er... has electricity issues too? :'D *stupid reason*
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Post by Musa-Revived on Sept 10, 2008 6:32:56 GMT -5
Err, even for a pc enthusiast like me, I can't find any reason to get a laptop other than getting a cheap one for work.
Gaming laptops are a poor excuse for a gimmick.
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Post by Kimimi on Sept 10, 2008 7:26:09 GMT -5
It's just convenience for me. I can take it to my mums house and show her a HDD full of photos, stick it upstairs if my baby is in bed and carry on as before while still keeping an eye on him, or enjoy some lan gaming with my brother.
As far as the bigger monitor thing goes - my laptop already has a 20in at 1680x1050, and if I want bigger I can hook it up to my HDTV and surround system really easily.
I suppose the last thing is size - even though it's relatively massive for a laptop, it takes up less space and uses fewer cables than a normal PC, which is a necessity in my house right now.
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Post by Justin on Sept 10, 2008 15:18:18 GMT -5
I have 3, and I will probably never buy a desktop again. I can use my computers anywhere in my house, when ever I want. I can hook up a super display if I want, or a new keyboard if I want, so I really don't see why people hate on laptops. I can watch anime, or post on here before bed, or check out gaming reviews while I watch tv, or better yet enjoy Homestarrunner.com while eating dinner at the table. Anything a desktop can do a laptop can do too, its just that they aren't built for gaming from the get go. Where there is a will there is a way.
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Post by Incog Neato on Sept 10, 2008 16:36:58 GMT -5
:D!
The whole reason I started the thread was really cuz I was thinking about getting one and then stared at the prices and thought to myself that I could probably get a damn desktop system built for that price with better processor(s) and video card(s) and a crap ton of fans and a cooling system to keep the heat away.
I realize that most laptops come with video out and lord knows you can probably attach a bunch of keyboards onto one via USB ports but errrgh. I dunno. :/
The thing with me is that I don't really upgrade my desktop systems. I may get a new sound card, a new video card, but that's about it so the whole "Well, you can upgrade desktop computers!" bit isn't really a factor for me. Oh, and I really hate using the touchpad. I bought a mouse just for my notebook when I was using it as my primary computer system. :P (Also a numberpad too. XD)
Well, since I'm semi-swooning over those cute little Netbooks, I might just get one of those for on-the-go doings (re: chatting and posting here from my bed :P) and a new beefy desktop system.
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Post by Ascended Mermaid on Sept 10, 2008 16:39:33 GMT -5
Don't get a gaming laptop. Get a custom laptop, or a custom desktop. That's the only answer!
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Grave
Othclos
We are the new FOXHOUND.
Posts: 190
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Post by Grave on Sept 10, 2008 16:41:05 GMT -5
I dunno, when I had Vista (and XP previously) on my MacBook Pro, I played games on it all the time and never felt the need for a "gaming" laptop. This general purpose one does just fine. It was top of the line something like two years ago, and it was starting to show its age... so I fed it $30 for another gig of RAM, and oh yeah, it helped a lot.
But I guess I don't ask for a lot. Orange Box games on Steam, Touhou, WoW... I suppose if you want Crysis on a laptop, this isn't the machine for you. Maybe there is no machine for you. Maybe you're insane!
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Post by Incog Neato on Sept 10, 2008 16:42:23 GMT -5
... I suppose if you want Crysis on a laptop, this isn't the machine for you. Maybe there is no machine for you. Maybe you're insane! Oh, I looked at Macbooks and did a head-desk at their prices. Even refurbished ones were vile! WTF? Stupid Apple. |
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Post by Ascended Mermaid on Sept 10, 2008 16:51:52 GMT -5
For the most part, I use this machine for games by Falcom; which is never an issue, even for older laptops and cheap setups. For games like Fable, it's decent. Everquest has terrible graphics but since it's an MMO, it's a bit more demanding than games like Fable and Halo -- especially given the popularity, there's more character models to be loaded -- not just enemy data but player data as well. That can get pretty hefty.
It depends on what gimmicks you want to buy into.
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Post by id1948 on Sept 10, 2008 17:04:47 GMT -5
I've got one because I wanted to be able to play Ys on my full-HD TV, in bed, at work, on the toilet, sitting in the sun in the backyard with a glass of something - - need I go on?
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Post by Ascended Mermaid on Sept 10, 2008 17:06:27 GMT -5
I love it because I can steal bandwidth from my sister, from McDonald's, from hotels, etc.; and not have to pay a dime for an internet connection of my own.
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Post by Justin on Sept 10, 2008 17:12:02 GMT -5
Grab a mighty mouse if you get a chance (They are made by Apple), they are the BEST mouses I have ever used.
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Post by id1948 on Sept 10, 2008 17:12:12 GMT -5
Wow - you have hotspots at McDonald's where you are??
sheesh, what next.
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Post by Ascended Mermaid on Sept 10, 2008 17:20:05 GMT -5
Yeah man! A lot of McDonalds in America have hotspots. There's also Days Inn (username = daysinn, password = room #) and all sorts of other areas. Not to mention a lot of idiots these days have unsecured 2wire connections.  |
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Post by Skeletore has a boner on Sept 10, 2008 17:23:45 GMT -5
Contrary to initial appearance Macs are actually cheaper.
Most higher proficient computer users tend to upgrade/replace their system every 2-3yrs.
It's not abnormal for a mac to retain 50-70% of it's MSRP after 2yrs since it's such a controlled market.
The amount of money you pay initially is offset by the amount you recoup at the end of it's lifetime(in your hands).
Recently sold my MBP I've had about 17 months for $1489 when I only paid $1699 to begin with.
If it had been a PC I might as well have just donated it to charity or taken it to the recycling center, because I'd get maybe 25% or less back.
If you plan to buy one, the important thing is to buy one at the start of a new product cycle, since they never go down in price, buying a new line is often a better price/performance ratio than PCs *at that point in time*(and the ratio gets steadily worse until the next cycle).
This has been your cost effective accounting tip of the day. Remember that the buying price is not the "real cost".
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Grave
Othclos
We are the new FOXHOUND.
Posts: 190
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Post by Grave on Sept 10, 2008 17:50:38 GMT -5
If you're ever gonna play games, I'd advise against the non-Pro MacBook, that Intel integrated video crap is no good for much of anything. They're cute little machines though, no doubt about it. My MBP was around $2500 when I got it (~2 years ago?), and in the time since then I've seen my father go through two HP laptops for his business, and it's still going strong so I feel pretty justified in that decision! I love the machine (though cosmetically not as much as I loved my TiBook), and I love it so much more after I came back from Windows and put 10.5 on it. And sure enough, now my dad's thinking about getting a Mac too, about 8 years after I made the switch on a Pismo G3 PowerBook. I remember getting OS X the day it came out and how excited I was when installing it... and how much it sucked til the 10.1 upgrade, which I had to haul my ass to Circuit City in the AM to get from their Mac guy.  Grab a mighty mouse if you get a chance (They are made by Apple), they are the BEST mouses I have ever used. Can't agree with ya! I hate the scroll ball, I hate the side buttons, and I had trouble getting right click and left click to recognize if I had a finger on the other side while I pressed it. Maybe it only applies to older models, but I really didn't like it at all. My favorite mouse ever is the rechargeable Logitech MX1000, which has since been discontinued and the only comparable model is the Revolution one... which I don't really like. Two scroll wheels? Get out. Don't need it. Don't want it. I want another MX1000. My battery life is getting to be awful.  |
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Post by Skeletore has a boner on Sept 10, 2008 18:23:35 GMT -5
If someone honestly considered a MBP I'd wait 3 months, because it's pretty much 100% certain within the next 3 months there's gonna be a major MBP revamp.
hopefully they move away from nvidia, which they're rumored to be doing(<3 them in my desktop, but their notebook line is really inferior to ATI), and go with the 3870 mobile.
Plus as I said, if you buy just as a new line comes out, you generally get a lot more computer for the same price.
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Post by MonoTekETeA on Sept 10, 2008 19:47:21 GMT -5
There is no logical reason to get a gaming laptop. Even if you're a frequent lanparty gamer you're better off making a small-form factor pc, cause with all the assecories you carry around you're not saving any space over a small-form+monitor. I am in the market for a new computer for gaming, and have been using a laptop. I forgot about mini's, thanks! As far as the bigger monitor thing goes - my laptop already has a 20in at 1680x1050, and if I want bigger I can hook it up to my HDTV and surround system really easily. Holy cow! I remember them introducing 19" and 20" laptops, and was blown away by the idea. I think my 17" widescreen is pushing it. ! The whole reason I started the thread was really cuz I was thinking about getting one and then stared at the prices and thought to myself that I could probably get a damn desktop system built for that price with better processor(s) and video card(s) and a crap ton of fans and a cooling system to keep the heat away. This is true in every way. Laptops are more expensive, because everything has to be made smaller, which takes more money and time to do, making what would be a $900 desktop into a $1600 Laptop, if even. It's not abnormal for a mac to retain 50-70% of it's MSRP after 2yrs since it's such a controlled market. And Darusgrey saves again, such good and knowledgeable points! Thank you! If you can't tell, I have recently been thinking about buying a new laptop, and Mac Books were high up on my list, but the price was a bummer. The #1 fighting reasoning for me, especially as the economies get more and more rediculous, for having a laptop, is the amount of energy they use. They are much more efficient then a desktop. My tip, if you ever go after a laptop for gaming, go for the companies typical laptops and upgrade those. Make sure you get a physical graphics card chip set, and not integrated, and you are good to go. My opinion are that "gaming laptops" are a joke, and all you need is a upgraded plain generic model, and you will hardly notice the difference. If you are that hung up on overclocking and performance, then like Darus mentioned, get a mini, because with a gaming laptop, you are going to be plugged in 99% of the time anyway. |
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