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Question - Buying a Laptop (1 Viewer)

Joined
Feb 22, 2014
RedCents
2,087¢
Hey guys, I'm about to buy a CHEAP laptop to use while traveling and of course, I want it to play EQ while I'm away from home. You'd be so very ashamed of my desktop at home. I purchased it in 2009 and it's a Windows XP AMD 9100e (quad core 1.8 GHz) with an ATI Radeon 3200 graphics card. The memory should be 4GB but when I look my computer says 3.25GB. With this I can box 4 toons, with the exception of some major lag in zones like Valley. And I do feel I zone much slower than others, even with one or two toons.

Here are two laptops I found within the budget I have. Let me know what you think, or if you have any other suggestions.

FIRST
AMD A6 Quad Core 2.0GHz 2MB L2 Cache Processor
6GB DDR3L SDRAM (2 DIMM)
750GB 5400RPM hard drive
15.6-inch display (1366x768)
AMD Radeon HD 8400 graphics

SECOND
AMD Quad-Core A4-5000M 1.5GHz 2MB L2 Cache Processor
6GB DDR3 Memory
750GB 5400RPM Hard Drive
17.3" display (1600 x 900)
AMD Radeon HD 8330 Graphics
 
If either one has upgradable memory to 16GB or something, that would be a big deciding factor. Also, if you get an SSD (solid state drive) to replace the hard disk it comes with, you will be forever thanking my recommendation ;)

Other than that, I'd probably go with the top one - higher spec processor and video card > larger screen, to me at least.

If you can find an Asus G75V even used, you'll love it. My family (sons play EQ too) has 3 of them and we box 6 toons a piece with 0 lag on raids. It has an Intel Core i7, nVidia GTX 660M 2GB video. We upgraded them to SSDs and I'm confident we'll still be using them 4 years from now for gaming.
 
Echoing what has been said, if you can find an i7 out there for cheap, it's definitely worth it. I'd also take an i5 over an AMD quad-core. Both of the laptops you listed have 2x 3GB ram (I think), which is kind of odd and difficult to upgrade from. If you are dead set on getting one of those two then check the upgrade path available to you.

That being said, I'd get the first one if those are the only options without knowing anything else. It's smaller (a 17" laptop is ridiculously heavy, large, and too cumbersome to move around much more than a desktop), and it's got a better processor and better video card. If you don't plan on moving them around much, then get the first and an external monitor to make up for the screen size.
 
Since it's not really my primary machine, I thought that either is a step up from my current desktop and can probably run EQ just as well as it can.

So I don't know for sure if I can expand the first one, but the second one says it can expand to 16GB memory.
 
Windows XP 32 bit can ONLY address 3gb of ram, for the min setup I would suggest i3/i5 or if the budget allows i7, stay away from AMD IMO..... Windows 7 64bit is VERY stable! I have 7 no 8 machines counting the laptop on my desk ALL running EQ at the same time, yes its a sickness, all windows 64bit most with just 2gb or 4gb ram and some are older Intel Single core 3Ghz pentium 4s they work just fine and 1 (cringe) is using the built in video! For a laptop I would recommend Dell or IBM and until HP/Compaq or whatever clever name they are branding with today get off their limited components I would not recommend them! HP uses parts that are RATED, as in expected to last, 1 year! It is pennies difference for them to use a 5 year rated part but they choose not to!

If you buy a Dell, please not from WalMart, those are the competitors versions and are stripped down, refurb is fine and you can get them DIRECT from Dell and CHEAP! IBM/Lenovo have really made a strong resurgence back in to the hardware field and they build a fine machine!

*** These are my opinions and not hard fast facts but I have been a hardware tech for 30 years so I know what breaks and what is built well but please do your own research as it is your money!

- - - Updated - - -

I also agree buy a 15" laptop and get an external screen for home use....

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or something like this which is up now and the time of this posting AND cheap! (This + external Monitor)
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Latitude-E6440-Windows-7-Pro-64-Bit-New-In-Box/131175590012?_trksid=p2045573.c100034.m2102&_trkparms=aid%3D555012%26algo%3DPW.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D22426%26meid%3D6492054536969255321%26pid%3D100034%26prg%3D9723%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D8%26sd%3D251511233270
 
Question - Buying a Laptop

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