laptop specs help

[jlichtenfeld@ymail.com]

Im looking for a gaming laptop to play any game at high settings. How much ram will I need and what video card should I look for? Planning to spend between 1000 and 1100. Please write justifications for your answers like why that number of ram is what I need and how you know that video card is the right one. Thank you so much.

[dadasmithywinkle]

Im looking for a gaming laptop to play any game at high settings. How much ram will I need and what video card should I look for? Planning to spend between 1000 and 1100. Please write justifications for your answers like why that number of ram is what I need and how you know that video card is the right one. Thank you so much.

Welcome to the forums!

 

I'd wait until March for the update of this model (GTX 960m, little better screen, etc.), but this is what I'd get if I were looking:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834317539

[Teemo4Life]

Hi newbie first post eh.....it's obvious you only need 8gb of ram. 8gb of ram can run any game and can be used for editing and web browsing with tonnes of tabs. Are u In U.S. or AU??

[spartaman64]

8gb because thats the max amount of ram that games take up and 970m is nice mobile gpu to shoot for

[spartaman64]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834233060heres one with a better gpu

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834232202if you are willing to go a little over the budget

[Tytheb0ss123]

I would reccomend a desktop but i would tell you to get gigabyte gtx 970m card

[Teemo4Life]

Get a MSI laptop

[D2ultima]

Im looking for a gaming laptop to play any game at high settings. How much ram will I need and what video card should I look for? Planning to spend between 1000 and 1100. Please write justifications for your answers like why that number of ram is what I need and how you know that video card is the right one. Thank you so much.

If you want to play "any game" at high settings, you need a 980M. If you want to play "most games" at high settings, you need a 970M. If you want to play "lots of older/less demanding/non-new-AAA titles at mostly high settings" then a 965M, 960M or 860M Maxwell (NOT 860M Kepler) is what you need.

 

You're not getting anything but an 860M maxwell in a decent new machine for $1100 or less. Older models that are no longer sold may be on sales now, but you'd need to research if the model could handle the 870M that's in it.

 

8GB of RAM is pretty much the minimum you should get for a gaming machine. Windows and programs can use a decent bit, but while 4GB is technically "all you need to run a game", it's much better to have a lot of nice breathing room when trying to do so, and not having to close your background programs each time you want to play a game.

 

Finally, if all of this sounds annoyingly expensive to you, you could always look on ebay for an older model that someone doesn't want. If you're lucky, you can get a decent P170SM or something with a 780M in it for your price range.

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834233060heres one with a better gpu

Don't recommend anything thin with an 870M or 880M in it. Believe me when I say it does not bode well.

[spartaman64]

If you want to play "any game" at high settings, you need a 980M. If you want to play "most games" at high settings, you need a 970M. If you want to play "lots of older/less demanding/non-new-AAA titles at mostly high settings" then a 965M, 960M or 860M Maxwell (NOT 860M Kepler) is what you need.

 

You're not getting anything but an 860M maxwell in a decent new machine for $1100 or less. Older models that are no longer sold may be on sales now, but you'd need to research if the model could handle the 870M that's in it.

 

8GB of RAM is pretty much the minimum you should get for a gaming machine. Windows and programs can use a decent bit, but while 4GB is technically "all you need to run a game", it's much better to have a lot of nice breathing room when trying to do so, and not having to close your background programs each time you want to play a game.

 

Finally, if all of this sounds annoyingly expensive to you, you could always look on ebay for an older model that someone doesn't want. If you're lucky, you can get a decent P170SM or something with a 780M in it for your price range.

 

Don't recommend anything thin with an 870M or 880M in it. Believe me when I say it does not bode well.

the cheapest 970m latop is 1,500 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834232202

[D2ultima]

the cheapest 970m latop is 1,500 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834232202

1: http://www.xoticpc.com/sager-np8651-clevo-p650se-p-7690.html?wconfigure=yes  $1230.93

 

2: 

You're not getting anything but an 860M maxwell in a decent new machine for $1100 or less. Older models that are no longer sold may be on sales now, but you'd need to research if the model could handle the 870M that's in it.

[spartaman64]

1: http://www.xoticpc.com/sager-np8651-clevo-p650se-p-7690.html?wconfigure=yes  $1230.93

 

2: 

wtf 4 cell battery thats not going to last long

[jlichtenfeld@ymail.com]

Thanks for all the help. What is the real different between a 860M or a 970M? Besides different numbers.

[D2ultima]

Thanks for all the help. What is the real different between a 860M or a 970M? Besides different numbers.

970M at stock is 50% faster or more than 860M (maxwell) at stock.

[D2ultima]

wtf 4 cell battery thats not going to last long

You can get close to 4 hours out of it doing light browsing work, but yes a bigger battery would have been nice. Still a perfectly functional and well built machine well under $1500 with a 970M.

[jlichtenfeld@ymail.com]

Last question is it worth trying to get a hybrid drive rather than just an HDD?

[D2ultima]

Last question is it worth trying to get a hybrid drive rather than just an HDD?

No. The 1TB 7200RPM HGST Travelstar is just fine, and it's a pretty good drive too. The hybrid drives have had failure rates a bit high and are only good for primary drives as far as I remember. You'd be better off buying a M.2 SSD and adding it later. Or two M.2 SSDs. Or another 2.5" SSD I think that machine has two HDD slots.

[DarkEnergy]

8gb because thats the max amount of ram that games take up

Planetside 2 disagrees. 

[jlichtenfeld@ymail.com]

How much does planetside 2 use?

[spartaman64]

Planetside 2 disagrees. 

i played planetside 2 and my ram usage was 5gb