Getting a new laptop..

[Nilsen]

The one i use now has a single core 1,6ghz cpu, ati mobility x600 gpu and 2gb ram. It gives me an ok framerate and im happy with the performace.

The one i am looking at has a 2ghz dual core (core2 duo) cpu, ati 3450 gpu (512mb) and 4gb ram. Its a Dell (dont hit me lol) studio 15.

Will the new one be good enough for the upcomming terrain updates and whatnot you think? Not looking for 1000 fps but similar playability as the one i have now (or better doh!).

Any thoughts? Do you all think i will be able to keep playing with the new rig when the update is out or will it be a "huge" jump in computing demands like the change from AH to AH2 was?

-edit- For the record the ati 3450 gpu has a score of 3922 in 3dmark 05 vs 1800 points for the x600.

[Denholm]

The new one will definitely be enough to play the game. Perhaps not at maximum frame rates, but it should hold you over for many updates to come.

[Nilsen]

Thx im hoping it will. The new terrain looks great though and that sorta has me abit worried 

[Fianna]

I've got a dell xps1530 with 2.5ghz dual core, nvidia geforce 8600m gt 512mb gpu (average 3dmark05 of 6175), and 4 gb ram, and I can't play the game without warping all over the place (apparently due to hardware problems).

[Nilsen]

hmmm... thats not good 

[Skuzzy]

Avoid the "Sigmatel" sound chip Nilsen.  It has absolutely no hardware acceleration or buffers available and generally poor DirectSound drivers.

[Nilsen]

Avoid the "Sigmatel" sound chip Nilsen.  It has absolutely no hardware acceleration or buffers available and generally poor DirectSound drivers.

As far as i can see the sound chip in the Studio 15 is "Intel HD sound 2.0" whatever that means.

[Denholm]

I've got a dell xps1530 with 2.5ghz dual core, nvidia geforce 8600m gt 512mb gpu (average 3dmark05 of 6175), and 4 gb ram, and I can't play the game without warping all over the place (apparently due to hardware problems).

Your hardware is more than powerful enough to work with the game. The problem is that you have too many background processes bogging down the system which already has a power-saving processor (may be powerful, but doesn't run as sturdy).

[Nilsen]

-edit- looks like the 3450 gpu in the laptop im looking at has 256mb of ram and not 512.

[Denholm]

Well, graphically you'll be fine. But if you stick with onboard audio, forget about sound packs.

[Nilsen]

Well, graphically you'll be fine. But if you stick with onboard audio, forget about sound packs.

The soundpack i have now (mitsu i belive) works great on my ooooold laptop so why should the new one have issues?

[Denholm]

Yes, it works, but it strains the processor. Onboard sound requires the processor to play back the sound files associated with the game. A sound pack (as I understand it) then increases the load as the processor now has to process higher quality sound files. Sometimes the processor can handle the load, other times it causes the famous jitters and lag. The less work the processor has to perform on sound, the more it can devote to the game thus making your flying experience a little more enjoyable.

If you were buying a desktop, I would simply recommend you buy yourself a PCI sound card as that would eliminate the load on the processor (you might have seen some of the threads regarding sound in the past). Many players in the past have had great success adding a sound card to their system. I'm sure if some are around they can describe the difference to you on the, "Before-and-After" spectrum.

[Nilsen]

rgr that Denholm. My knowledge of sound is high-end music audio, and not gaming audio.

Ive always flown with laptops so ive been at the mercy of whatever cards are in them. Im sure that the new puter will be awesome for the current version of AH as it is ALOT faster than the one i play on now. Its this new and imminent (2 weeks) introduction of better terrains that worries me abit.

Was sorta fishing for a simple "thumbs up" or "thumbs down" for the lappy im about to get from the HTC staff before i invest Im sure they have an ide of any increased system requirements with the new terrains.

[Skuzzy]

Newer is not always better.  In the case of laptops, the OEM's have been working hard to reduce costs.  The upshot of those cost reductions is hardware which is simpler and does less so they can rely more on the CPU to do the work.

Onboard sound chips are getting dumber and dumber, in order to get cheaper.  Do you really expect a $1 sound chip to have the processing power of a $100 sound card?

[Denholm]

Well, in the past HTC always tried to make the game available to low-end and dial-up users. I don't think that has changed. Yes, that particular laptop will play the game now and after the update.