Need help in laptop comparing.

[CrazyTeaPot]

I'm not sure where to post this exactly, but this looks like the right place, perhaps.

So basically, I'm looking at 4 different laptops right now. But it's kind of tricky. There's 3 different graphic processing chips and I'm not sure which is the best one.

ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4250 Graphics with up to 1405MB
ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4200 Graphics with up to 1022MB
ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4200 Graphics with up to 1534MB
NVIDIA GeForce 8200M graphics with up to 895MB

Now, checking Notebookcheck, it seems the 4200 actually performs better than the 4250. But, that might be because they're all baseline models without considering the extra memory? And some sites are saying that the 4250 performs slightly better overall, but with older games performs considerably better than the 4200. And all of these models have different (hypothetical?) memory totals.

So which is the best one?

Here are the laptop's I'm looking at. I can't afford much, so this is what I could find for under $350. :/ (Keep in mind, I was using a Celeron 900 + GMA 4500M. So even the GeForce which is the worse in the group is better than what I had. Though, the Radeons are all considerably better.)

http://www.amazon.com/Compaq-Presario-CQ62-220US-Laptop-PC/dp/B003LY3IHY/ref=wl_it_dp_o_npd?ie=UTF8&coliid=I1F04FUMVLAWGA&colid=19Q50X0TNXSCR

http://www.amazon.com/Compaq-Presario-CQ61-410US-15-6-Inch-Laptop/dp/B0031RFTEQ/ref=wl_it_dp_o_npd?ie=UTF8&coliid=I32KBK6B6UT3XO&colid=19Q50X0TNXSCR

http://www.amazon.com/Compaq-Presario-CQ61-420US-15-6-Inch-Laptop/dp/B00318CGBE/ref=wl_it_dp_o_npd?ie=UTF8&coliid=I2WHM4EELRFFHP&colid=19Q50X0TNXSCR

http://www.amazon.com/Compaq-Presario-CQ60-210US-15-6-Inch-Laptop/dp/B001NPDKVM/ref=wl_it_dp_o_npd?ie=UTF8&coliid=I3W2DHPU29Z5LU&colid=19Q50X0TNXSCR

[xr4man]

i wouldn't get any of them. i'd go for something like this

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834158320

far superior graphics to what you are looking at and a better processor as well.

edit: i just saw you were looking at the sub-$350 price range, nevermind my above comment, get the one with the athlon 2 processor.

[Outlaw]

Did I miss something? The cheapest one I see is the top link (Compaq Presario CQ62-220US) at $430 up to 900 for the last link.

If you are looking in the sub 600 range, and don't mind used.
MODEL - Clevo B5130M (Sager NP 5135)
Age: October 2010
DISPLAY - 1920x1080 15"
CPU - Intel Core i5 M 460
HDD - Hitachi HTS723232L9A360 (320GB SATA 7200rpm)
RAM - 4GB memory (2x2GB)
GFX - nVidia Geforce GT 425M (Can switch to Intel HD Graphics to save energy)
OS - Has Windows Ultimate 64 bit.
Price with Windows 7 Ultimate 64 bit: $575
FedEx Ground.

Found: http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1609502&highlight=sager

Also, is this your main computer or you just looking to have something portable with very light gaming? Or is gaming on it not necessary?

If just keeping it under $350 and again, don't mind used.
MODEL - ASUS UL30 Series UL30Vt-A1
DISPLAY - 1366 x 768 13.3"
CPU - Intel Core 2 Duo SU7300(1.30GHz)
HDD - 500GB 5400rpm
RAM - 4GB DDR3 1066
GFX - NVIDIA GeForce G210M + Intel GMA 4500MHD (Can switch to Intel HD Graphics to save energy)
OS - Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
PRICE - $325 shipped and Insured obo

Found: http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1677797&highlight=laptop


I think your best bet is to look for used on forums, CL or if you have to, ebay.


Outlaw

[CrazyTeaPot]

If just keeping it under $350 and again, don't mind used.
MODEL - ASUS UL30 Series UL30Vt-A1
DISPLAY - 1366 x 768 13.3"
CPU - Intel Core 2 Duo SU7300(1.30GHz)
HDD - 500GB 5400rpm
RAM - 4GB DDR3 1066
GFX - NVIDIA GeForce G210M + Intel GMA 4500MHD (Can switch to Intel HD Graphics to save energy)
OS - Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
PRICE - $325 shipped and Insured obo

Found: http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1677797&highlight=laptop

Holy cow! That's a great deal... The processor is a bit weak, but the rest is quite good. At least twice as good as the best option that I listed.

I wonder why it's so cheap? Those things sell for quite a bit more than that, even used. Makes me a bit wary. Plus it's "OBO". Hmm.

[Outlaw]

I only know as much as whats posted so I would say send them a PM. Worst case, they forgot to post something about it or, they decide to jack the price because you told them it was so cheap. lol I would definitely search used when on a budget. It looks like a few of their things were quite a bit cheaper. The 580 with waterblock was 345. New that retails for 480 without a WB.

[CrazyTeaPot]

He seems pretty legit. Looks like I'll be buying that laptop unless he sold it sometime between an hour ago and just now.

Thanks Outlaw! Here I was excited to get something that has double the 3DMark06 score... and now I'll be getting something that has double *that* score! SCORE! :D

Also, LOL at 12 hour battery life... that's just amazing. Even if I only get half of that... that's still 6 hours. :eek:

[Outlaw]

NP, glad to help out. Hope it all works out.


Outlaw

[CrazyTeaPot]

This laptop IS AWESOME! :D

This is exactly why I always post everything to a forum or two. You just never know where it'll lead you. I went from an okay laptop that couldn't do much at all, to thinking about an upgraded version of that laptop... to this, which is ridiculously better than anything I've ever owned before.

My rep... TAKE IT ALL.

[AmEv]

Which isn't much....

[TheGreatSatan]

I thought the Radeon 4200 was bottom of the barrel?

[Outlaw]

Glad you like it Crazy. lol

lol AmEv.

TheGreatSatan,
He ended up getting the one I posted from HF.
MODEL - ASUS UL30 Series UL30Vt-A1
DISPLAY - 1366 x 768 13.3"
CPU - Intel Core 2 Duo SU7300(1.30GHz)
HDD - 500GB 5400rpm
RAM - 4GB DDR3 1066
GFX - NVIDIA GeForce G210M + Intel GMA 4500MHD (Can switch to Intel HD Graphics to save energy)
OS - Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit


Definitely better then the lappers with the 4xxxx series.

[xr4man]

I thought the Radeon 4200 was bottom of the barrel?

well it is and it isn't. it's much better than the radeon x300 in my dv7 lappy.

[Aldersan]

CPU - Intel Core 2 Duo SU7300(1.30GHz)

My laptop has that CPU, and factory overclocked to 1.73GHz, and I'm really surprised at how well it performs! Would recommend it :D

[CrazyTeaPot]

Glad you like it Crazy. lol

lol AmEv.

TheGreatSatan,
He ended up getting the one I posted from HF.
MODEL - ASUS UL30 Series UL30Vt-A1
DISPLAY - 1366 x 768 13.3"
CPU - Intel Core 2 Duo SU7300(1.30GHz)
HDD - 500GB 5400rpm
RAM - 4GB DDR3 1066
GFX - NVIDIA GeForce G210M + Intel GMA 4500MHD (Can switch to Intel HD Graphics to save energy)
OS - Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit


Definitely better then the lappers with the 4xxxx series.

Yep. I remember playing Oblivion with medium settings (except with heavy magic) on my Radeon X300SE way back in the day, along with a 2.8GHz P4 and 1GB DDR2.

This will supposedly play it on high. It's equivalent is the GeForce 9500M. Scores 3300 in 3DMark06 (http://www.notebookcheck.net/NVIDIA-GeForce-G-210M.17638.0.html). The X300 scores... 200. lol (I knew I should have got the X1300! It scored 642. Never listen to friends...)

It'll even play Mass Effect 3 on low settings with a massive... 23FPS. lol

Though all I currently use it for is League of Legends. Before with the Celeron 900 and 4500M, I would get... 24FPS with the lowest settings. And if I turned on Skype it would drop down to 17FPS at most. Now I have Skype open, Chrome, Steam and I can still play LoL at 40-50FPS. With the highest settings enabled. (except max shadow... which amazingly drops me down to like 15FPS! :o)


My laptop has that CPU, and factory overclocked to 1.73GHz, and I'm really surprised at how well it performs! Would recommend it :D

Mine is too. It has the option to switch between modes, but with this much battery life... I just leave everything running in gaming mode. I still get a minimum of 4 hours.

I wasn't expecting much from it, but I can have quite a few things open before it starts to max out. Even then it doesn't really slow down much. Steam, Stronghold Kingdoms, League of Legends, 3 Tabs in Chrome, Skype... doesn't even get close to maxing out. Pretty cool.

[Aldersan]

It's no powerhouse, but it sure is a trooper! When I got my laptop, (Alienware M11x R1), I wanted a portable system that could game when I felt like it but not as a main system. To that extent, it's performed perfectly. The c2d has far surpassed my expectations, and can still play most games these days on medium. :D