# Laptop - Multimedia / Gaming



## bhstr99 (Apr 10, 2010)

Hi, I want to buy a laptop that will be good for every day use as well as a bit of heavy load on the laptop too, multiple applications open browsing etc, also maybe a bit of gaming now and then.
I've looked into custom built laptops and have put together these two using (dinopc (custom pc website)) 









http://i.gyazo.com/c5a2d328c909fe2ceecbe3d005ada779.png









http://i.gyazo.com/1767dd36f3792c71d5cdfabee6218a0b.png

The only difference here is the graphics card, would you say it's worth paying the extra for the 850M over 840M, also what do you guys think in general of the laptop(s) would you recommend any other over these two?

Thank you for your time.


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## Masterchiefxx17 (Feb 27, 2010)

You really should think about a desktop for gaming. Laptops are not the best for it.

How much do you have to spend on the unit?

Look for Dell or Asus laptops when looking for a gaming machine.


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## DBCooper (Jun 11, 2010)

Hi there,

I have to agree that Desktop are better for gaming. For one, desktop gaming computer are far more better when it comes to UPGRADING the computer components. The culprit of gaming laptops is HEAT. A laptop is compact and when you play games on a laptop, the components get generate plenty of heat which can use overheating on a laptop.


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## Redeye3323 (Sep 20, 2009)

I brought myself a Laptop a number of months back and have the 850M in mine. It's a good, mobile GPU. The 840m isn't as powerful and won't run games as good, but it's not a huge amount less powerful and will run most, if not all, games currently.

However, it's worth spending the extra money on the 850m if you want to use it long-term and regularly. The extra power will give you a bit more leeway later on and might be the difference between playable and unplayable in some games.

Also consider using an SSD or Hybrid hard drive in your setup since it makes a big difference in speed compared to a bog standard mechanic hard drive (I got a 500GB hybrid myself and have a 2TB external hard drive if extra storage is needed). An SSD gives you a huge boost in speed but doesn't have very good capacity which is why if you get an SSD, you'll likely want another hard drive for your games (the same setup I have on my desktop), else go with the hybrid drive (which is a mechanic drive with a small amount of flash memory (used in SSDs) used for cache which improves speed but not as much as the SSD setup).

Regarding the company who will custom build your laptop, I don't know much about them but it might be worth checking out the company I got to build mine to see if they have similar or better prices for that build. I went with PC Specialist (a UK company, I presume you are based in the UK as you used the pound signs). I was very impressed with the build quality of the laptop I brought from them and their customer service is good (they missed a power lead plug which they sent next-day delivery). It's just a suggestion so take it or leave it.

Other than that, good gaming 

- Redeye -


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## bhstr99 (Apr 10, 2010)

Thank you very much for your replies. 

I'd prefer to buy a laptop as it's portable and I'm always in need of a computer wherever I go so for now I'll be buying a laptop and don't see myself buying a desktop any time in the future, however I still want a laptop that will perform well and not be slow when doing a lot of things at once thats why I picked them parts in the picture.

Should I avoid the dedicated graphics card and just go for a quad core i7 cpu, or is it worth having the dedicated gpu. 

The PC Specialist site looks very nice thank you.

I'm also considering a macbook pro as i've heard they are very reliable and do not really slow down in performance after many years. But the price for the specs do not seem worth it. 

What's your opinion on this, thanks for your time once again!


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## Masterchiefxx17 (Feb 27, 2010)

A laptop can be used for gaming and is nice for being portable. We are just expressing that Desktops a better suited.

Moving on, you should not use the dedicated graphics for gaming. You certainly want to use a dedicated GPU for this task.

How much are you looking to spend on the machine?

I would go against a Mac Book Pro. It's certainly not worth the money and Windows can be just as fast as the Macintosh.


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## bhstr99 (Apr 10, 2010)

Masterchiefxx17 said:


> A laptop can be used for gaming and is nice for being portable. We are just expressing that Desktops a better suited.
> 
> Moving on, you should not use the dedicated graphics for gaming. You certainly want to use a dedicated GPU for this task.
> 
> ...



Sorry I did mean dedicated GPU. I'm looking in the range of £500-£800 possibly. I'd really like a very fast laptop that will not feel sluggish and if possible as smooth as how a Macbook pro would feel. :uhoh:


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## Masterchiefxx17 (Feb 27, 2010)

Here is my recommendation:

New Inspiron 17 7000 Series 17” HD Laptop Details | Dell UK

That is the unit I personally use for gaming and daily operation. It even has the Mac style metal top that is smooth and clean. LED keyboard, 750M GPU and 4th Gen i7.


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## bhstr99 (Apr 10, 2010)

I'll look into that link, thanks!


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## Redeye3323 (Sep 20, 2009)

bhstr99 said:


> Sorry I did mean dedicated GPU. I'm looking in the range of £500-£800 possibly. I'd really like a very fast laptop that will not feel sluggish and if possible as smooth as how a Macbook pro would feel. :uhoh:


Your original build is perfect in that respect and is way better for the price than that Dell if (the 850m is better than the 845m).

The only change I would make is to have a Hybrid Hard drive or an SSD as your primary hard drive and a mechanical one as your second.

With regards to gaming, you will need a dedicated GPU to game full stop.

Go for a custom built one imho, you won't regret it 

Do not bother with a MacBook unless you love them, they are overpriced and underspecced and you can get a much better experience with a Laptop. Just make sure to keep it in good condition and you will find it quick and responsive.

Also, go Windows 8 if you are choosing a Windows OS. It takes a while to get used to but is very fast booting and in general compared with previous iterations.


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## bhstr99 (Apr 10, 2010)

Thank you for all your help!


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