High End Laptop for 2K range.

[crfracer290]

I don't know much of anything about laptops... but I am thinking I want to get a nice laptop with alot of functionality and power. The two main ones I have been looking at are the Mac Book Pro and Dell E1705. I like the features of both, but the Dell you can get higher specs for your money.
These are just two that I have glanced at but I am sure there are more options out their.
I know I want a Core 2 Duo, 2GB of ram, 100+GB HDD, nice screen, and a video card that can run games decently.
The XPS series has caught my eye but they are 3K when nicely configured.

I wouldn't buying a used one thats is great condition because I know I can save alot of money by doing that. I have a pretty strict budget of 2K and I think that is more than enough for a great laptop.

So give me some suggestions guys.

[jivetrky]

I've not used a Mac book, so I really couldn't say if it's better or not. It looks like the Mac Book Pro's only come with an X1600

You can pretty much max out an E1705 and get a 7900GS for less than the Mac. My Go7900GS OCs to a little faster than the Go7900GTX speeds.

Also with the E1705, if you go with the Truelife screen, you get 1920x1200 res, which is real nice for desktop area.

And I just configured one and you can max out an E1705 for $2200 with T7400, 2x1GB, 100GB 7200RPM, Truelife screen, 7900GS, TWO 90Whr Batteries, 4 year warranty with accident protection, free upgrade to Vista.

Really is a super deal, if you ask me.

And it should run games pretty decent, I score 5k with 3DMark06. With the T7400, that should be like 5500 or so.

[crfracer290]

Yea that what I have been leaning towards, Macs are nice but just so expensive for what you get.
How do games like Fear and HL2 run at decent settings?
Is the native resolution 1920X1200?
You think the 160 MHZ of the T7400 is worth the extra 130 bucks over the T7200?
What does it take to OC the 7900GS?

Also does the 7900gs in the 1705 have dual heat pipes?

Thanks

[jivetrky]

hmmm I think it's a single pipe cooler on the 7900GS
To OC it, you download a bootable CD ISO, on that iso there are a ton of different BIOS's for the card, you choose which one you want based on clock speeds of GPU and RAM. And you can choose increased voltage or not.

About the CPU, I know that I have a CD 1.83 Ghz, and I wish I had more. It's not bad, I just really wish I had more (Or could OC it :))

The Truelife screen has a native res of 1920x1200, the NON-truelife screen is 1680x1050

FEAR, I run on a combo of med and high graphics settings at 1680x1050 and get good frame rates. Even for multiplayer. Halflife2 runs great with maxed settings at native res.

Oblivion I have to lower to 1440x900, with grass turned off and all other settings maxed. But it's a monster.

Any other game I have played, I run at native resolution, usually with maxed settings. (Splinter Cell:CT, Call of Duty2, GTA:SA, Quake 4, and others)

I also only have 1GB of RAM and a 1.83G Yonah...so I'm sure that it would help a bit to have 2GB and a 2.16 Merom.

[meionm]

It is nvidia based card so just download coolbits, this will unlock overclocing options in the nvidia graphic options.

[jivetrky]

You would think so, but it doesn't

You can enable to overclock menu using coolbits, and you can adjust the clocks...but it does not save them. You can set the clocks and hit test, and it appears to test....and then you can hit apply and then ok....and when you go back in, they are back at their defaults.

[Lancelot]

I guess you can safely OC your 7900GS as long as you don't raise Voltage. Leave it at 1.0V stock with a single heatpipe. Although my M1710 has the dual heatpipes, raising Voltage to 1.24V (GTX level) only gains me about 50Mhz on the core so not worth the extra risk and heat. See my sig for results...

[myndlessdayz]

check dell outlet if you are going to go with the e1705. Although you have to keep checking every few hours to find the right system with the specs you want :-/

[crfracer290]

I just cant get the idea of an Apple out of my head...they are so sexy.
How is the mobile x1600 in them? much worse than a 7900gs?

[jivetrky]

Eh, I wouldn't say it's really "good"

This short review (http://www.hoffshardware.com/?p=13)shows it scoring ~3800 in 3DMark05...I really couldn't imagine having any less than the 7900GS. I mean, while it plays games pretty well....I still have to turn some games down to 1680x1050 or even 1440x900 to get good enough frame rates. But then I am real picky and want ever game to be able to play at native. :shrug:

IMO, I think the macs are pretty too, but I'm more about functionality...and if you want to play games, you should probably skip the mac... not to mention the much cheaper price for the same hardware. Basically you are paying several hundred dollars more for OSX and slightly slower registered RAM and a vid card that's maybe half as powerful. But hey, it's shiny :p

[crfracer290]

Well I kinda have changed my mind, I might buy 13" mac book and and then a 360 for games. I am not sure I am sold on the idea of a gaming laptop...

[jivetrky]

You DO have that sweet phased E6700 and 8800GTX for games...so I guess you don't really NEED a gaming book

[crfracer290]

Yeah well I am selling that stuff due to alot of different things... I am spending alot more time and money on computers than I would like and I am tired of always having problems...

Besides that I have been having alot of problems with my parents and school which is the main problem...

yes I know, sad.

[myndlessdayz]

Well I kinda have changed my mind, I might buy 13" mac book and and then a 360 for games. I am not sure I am sold on the idea of a gaming laptop...


Gears of War is a great game =Þ

[jivetrky]

I haven't played it as I'm not a big fan of consoles, and especially FPS on consoles....but my friends who has a 360 says Gears of War is pretty awesome.

I guess I'd say that if you don't primarily play FPS typed games, then a 360 might be good for you.


But still even with this mac thing, don't just let it's shiny package sway you to buy it. You get the same hardware for less money in the Dell, or you can get better for the same $. (BTW, I'm not just trying to push dell here, just push the better deal :)) And then also with the Dell, you would have the option to play games on it if you wanted to. Whereas if you buy the mac and have a slight change of heart on PC gaming (and I'd bet you will), you are screwed.

[ozzlo]

You would think so, but it doesn't

You can enable to overclock menu using coolbits, and you can adjust the clocks...but it does not save them. You can set the clocks and hit test, and it appears to test....and then you can hit apply and then ok....and when you go back in, they are back at their defaults.

what about rivatuner? It's capable of Disabling all the safety protocols and bypassing the "test" That's what I use on my 6800 at least...

*looks at graphics card that's 2 generations old, Whishes for a new lappie...*

/me knows little of the new cards... :(

[jivetrky]

I haven't tried it, but I don't think the tests are the problem. It runs and passes the tests just fine, it just never saves the clock settings.

Maybe I'll DL riva and see I'll post back

[jivetrky]

Welp, after playing and playing I came up with results. First I tried Riva and coolbits with the stock Dell drivers I usually run. And it didn't work. The tests would run and everything would be fine, but it wouldn't save the settings.

Then I thought maybe the problem was the stock Dell drivers. So I hunted for some non-OEM drivers. I tried 3 different versions of Xtreme-G mobile drivers and 2 wouldn't install and the third caused BSOD after BSOD and freezes.

Then I tried LaptopVideo2Go.com's drivers and they also gave BSOD's and freezes.

Then I tried the official Nvidia mobile drivers. I didn't try them at first because they are even a lower version than the Dell drivers. I tried them back when I first got the laptop and found that they decreased the 3D performance. (Like by several hundred points in 3DMark)

So after installing the Nvidia drivers, I tried Riva and Coolbits and.....nothing. Still the same thing.

SOOO....The official "only" way to overclock a mobile 7900GS (at least in a Dell E1705) is to modify the BIOS. Which is actually QUITE easy. There's a bootable CD ISO that you can download and burn, then boot it and nvflash whichever settings you want. (There's a TON of premade BIOS's with several different clock settings and even voltmods)