Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => Hardware and Software => Topic started by: Ranger45 on August 13, 2009, 07:52:55 AM
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I am thinking on buying a laptop that I can take to work with me, I work at a remote location and am away for two weeks at a time. I was looking for recomendations on what model to buy that would handle AH well. Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks
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I am thinking on buying a laptop that I can take to work with me, I work at a remote location and am away for two weeks at a time. I was looking for recomendations on what model to buy that would handle AH well. Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks
I play on a 2005 Dell XPS with a 256mb video card. Game plays just fine, I usually get 65+fps.
Hope that helps.
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dual core 2Ghz+ with 2GB RAM and a radeon 3650 or better will do the trick. You do want to deactivate Speedstep while playing if you can tho.
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I've played for the past 10 years on a 17" laptop. Still do. On the road 10+ months a year. Can't comment of current configs BUT....
I also drag around a seperate 19" (12" vertical) screen. Makes a huge difference in game play- got one with it's own suitcase. I once saw and briefly considered a 22" laptop but couldn't afford the truck to transport it in. :D
good luck!
cheers eh!
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I am thinking on buying a laptop that I can take to work with me, I work at a remote location and am away for two weeks at a time. I was looking for recomendations on what model to buy that would handle AH well. Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks
Alaska, Texas, a weather station or a missile silo.............
Regardless, Pick the top end Alien Ware Laptop from last year (thats a personal theory of mine on buying prebuilt gaming systems) and enjoy. It is cheap compared to this years top of the line model, and is 90-95% as good in performance.
Alienware (http://www.alienware.com/products/notebook-computers.aspx)
Buy a $12 Mouse and a $12 Keyboard and a $15 USB Powered Port (http://www.dynexproducts.com/pc-744-2-dynex-4-port-usb-20-hub.aspx) and grab your Stick and Throttle and it can all fit nicely into a small portable suitcase (http://www.suitcase.com/detail/Carryon/Boyt+Luggage+Duffels+Garment+Bags+Suitcases+Totes/Carryon/Boyt+Luggage+Mach5+22+Carry+On+Expandable+Wheeled+Glider+Upright+Suiter+7522.htm)(Cheap at a Target or K-Mart or Walmart) with a power strip.
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Check out cyberpowerpc.com. I bought my laptop from them and runs AH with everything high res, full details, I just dont run smooth shadows and dont get less than 59 FR. They are a lot cheaper than alienware and can save yourself 2-3k.
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You do want to deactivate Speedstep while playing if you can tho.
Why? The CPU will automatically return to full speed as soon as there's a load on it and sitting in the tower is enough of a load to do it.
I have speedstep enabled on my overclocked gaming desktop and it's never been a problem.
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Why? The CPU will automatically return to full speed as soon as there's a load on it and sitting in the tower is enough of a load to do it.
I have speedstep enabled on my overclocked gaming desktop and it's never been a problem.
That's why you can have speedstep enabled...laptops run at lower voltages and the speedstep process keeps the processor down to 80-90 percent of capacity unless you're doing something seriously processor intensive...even then it's a crap shoot as to whether or not the bios the manufacturer uses will allow prolonged 100% cpu capacity with the speedstep enabled. It's their way of keeping that processor from overheating.
Why anyone with a desktop system would run it is beyond me...akin to taking a V-8 hemi and cutting 4 cylinders off.
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Why anyone with a desktop system would run it is beyond me...akin to taking a V-8 hemi and cutting 4 cylinders off
Actually, a better analogy is that turning it off is like buying a V-8 HEMI based car, and then wiring the foot feed to the floor.
If it doesn't interfere with what you're running (which is the real caveat), why waste the electricity and generate the heat?
<S>
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Why anyone with a desktop system would run it is beyond me...akin to taking a V-8 hemi and cutting 4 cylinders off.
When the engine is idling what benefit are the extra 4 cylindars providing? With speedstep as soon as you apply any throttle whatsosever all 8 cylindars engage.
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When the engine is idling what benefit are the extra 4 cylindars providing? With speedstep as soon as you apply any throttle whatsosever all 8 cylindars engage.
But not on a laptop, with the hardware architecture, you need all 8 cylinders at all times especially when you're trying to play graphic intensive video games on one...for normal daily personal/business use, speedstep is nice to have.
Noir, are you running a mobile processor on your desktop? Then overclocking it? Seems like a lot of work to get middle of the road performance.
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But not on a laptop, with the hardware architecture, you need all 8 cylinders at all times especially when you're trying to play graphic intensive video games on one...for normal daily personal/business use, speedstep is nice to have.
Noir, are you running a mobile processor on your desktop? Then overclocking it? Seems like a lot of work to get middle of the road performance.
The clock speeds are pushed to max the instant a game is started. Speedstep does not slow down the computer.
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The clock speeds are pushed to max the instant a game is started.
Only if you're running a speedstep enhanced cpu with an Intel 910,915x/925X/XE, 945x/946x/955X/975, or 965/963 chipset on a desktop. Doesn't work that way on a laptop, intentionally.
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Thanks for the info and advice guys.
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Why? The CPU will automatically return to full speed as soon as there's a load on it and sitting in the tower is enough of a load to do it.
I have speedstep enabled on my overclocked gaming desktop and it's never been a problem.
Anomalies have been found when running AH on a laptop using Speedstep. It's better to deactivate Speedstep when you intend to run AH on a laptop.
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The clock speeds are pushed to max the instant a game is started. Speedstep does not slow down the computer.
IIRC, Skuzzy has recommended Speedstep be turned off when trying to play the game. Stutters sometimes developed from it.
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I saw one screenshot (can't find it) from a laptop user using Speedstep. His Variance in Delay line looked like the stock-market in fast-motion.