New notebook

[Yawney]

Hello,

I'm considering buying a new notebook. The only game I play is RO so my requirement is for it to run RO with max details or close to. If you're running RO under Linux with high details, can you please post your configuration so I know what should I be looking for?

Thank you

[Myxir]

Since the performance is kind of bad on linux systems it would take you much much money to get a notebook that can run it fluently on highest details, i guess.

I plan to buy the Dell Studio 1558 but not for gaming. But I think it should be able to run regnum decently at lower or middle settings.

[DkySven]

I can play Regnum with high settings.

My system is Arch Linux on a laptop with an Intel Pentium T4300 dual core 2.1 GHz processor, graphic card is a Nvidia Geforce G 103M and I have 4 GB RAM

[NotScias]

It seems to work faster and better on Linux with NVIDIA cards, so I recommend you to pick one having a NVIDIA GPU.

[Znurre]

Just pick a laptop with a new NVidia GPU and as much Intel components (wlan, soundcard, etc) as possible and you'll be fine.

[Syd_Vicious]

Here are my recommendations:

CPU: 2 ghz or higher
Video Card: NVIDIA GT 100 series or better with at least 512mb of dedicated memory (latest update makes the texture buffer run a little over 300mb if I remember from what Kailer said), so you dont cause any cycling back to main memory that will kill performance.
Memory: 3gb or higher DDR2
HD: what ever above 80gb SATA2 minimum (you will mainly see 250gb or bigger now a days)

I'm more partial to AMD than Intel, but whatever - its about personal preference. I prefer bang for the buck. You can get a pretty decent laptop for around 13,569 CZK here in the states, if you want more performance than that you will have to start shelling out some cash.

[Hamster_of_sorrow]

i just bought a new one for $1549 (USD) and it RULES for regnum. i can run on the highest settings at 100 fps (when im alone) and it never goes below 40 fps (in a zerg).

it is an ASUS G73JH-A1

here is the one i bought http://www.xoticpc.com/asus-g73jha1-stock-p-2731.html

[nkombose]

Thx for the feedback guys.

Originally Posted by Cuchulainn

I tried RO on a Radeon HD 3200 with a Athlon X2 2.3 GHz CPU (settings: fixed pipeline, without force safe mode activated, OpenGL) RO runs at about 25-35 fps, with the CPU load at 90+% if there are a few other players around. The framerate drops a lot if there are more players around.

AFAIK HD 4225 is slightly better in terms of performance than the HD 3200, but not by much.

Originally Posted by Cuchulainn

If I needed a better notebook, I would wait till next year to buy a new one. In the next year AMD will introduce the two APU's (APU=CPU+GPU on one chip) Bobcat for netbooks and Llano for mainstream notebooks and low cost PC's.

Well I guess I'm back to my old problem. You see I never seem to find a decent notebook that fits the bill (11.6"-13.3", with decent performance, the hardware should be almost fully supported in the latest Linux kernels, and is able to run RO ofc) so I always end up waiting for the next gen stuff.

/me waited for new Intel Atom CPUs, but they ended up really bad in performance, waited for new ION based netbooks, but never really showed up (just a few I already mentioned), then waited for the ION 2... and guess what? There's no really substantial improvement over the older one. AMD stuff tend to be a bit less energy efficient but have more competitive GPUs than the Intel stuff (4500M, 4500MHD, HD). Well I guess I'll either wait for the new Llano, Ontario microprocessor designs and buy one, or wait for the price drop for the "older" technology.

Originally Posted by Myxir

I tested RO on my Dell Studio 1558...
When I stand between CS and PP1 I have 35 FPS with this settings...

Wow... I'm a bit shocked here. I thought that kind of setup would run RO at much higher FPS. HD 4550 is a decent GPU for a laptop. Do you use windows or linux?

Originally Posted by Hamster_of_sorrow

i just bought a new one for $1549 (USD) and it RULES for regnum...

Wow no.2 That's just an overkill. I'd never buy a notebook with 15.6"+ screen size, nor can't afford to spend that much on a nb (my starting salary as a risk manager isn't that great to say the least ), but nevertheless a good purchase if it fits you

[Freduardo]

Just happened to look into these AMD Congo or Nile based laptops a bit myself.
Not to use as a desktop replacement, but just as something on the side. Preferably with a nice and small screen, decent battery life, running cool and quiet,... and yeah for occasionally playing a game like regnum on it

I looked through shitloads of reviews, Dell's M101z and M301z, Acer 7xx, Thinkpad x100e (omg do want!), MSI u230 and u250, etc etc...
Every time getting to the same conclusion; Heat and noise. AMD still hasn't managed to make a reasonably cool chip.

As for the difference between HD 3200 and HD4225; The only reason worth even considering going for the outdated 3200 would be the Thinkpad x100e for me, which had everything I was looking (great keyboard, matte screen!, looks, ...) for but apparently gets way too hot :/
Otherwise I see no reason for going for the old Congo platform.


Afaik the newer atom notebooks with ION2 don't have a dual core processor yet, so I didn't look into those.


Anyway, I ended up going for a slightly larger notebook, at 14 inch. With an Intel CULV processor and an Ati 4330 gfx card (Lenovo u450p). I just wasn't comfortable with all the heat and noise issues. Maybe I was reading too much into it and the reviews exaggerated a bit, but I didn't feel like taking the risk.

Now I'm waiting for delivery, should be any day now (it's in the country according to my "track and trace" thingy...


Oh, and I'm totally with you on the screen size thing, 15.6 is really on the big size for me, and most of them only have the same resolution you find in 11.6 and 13.3 inch models anyway...

[Lucky_Luke]

Originally Posted by Freduardo

Afaik the newer atom notebooks with ION2 don't have a dual core processor yet, so I didn't look into those.

Asus Eee PC 1215N - Atom D525 (1.80 GHz, 1 MB Cache):

http://ark.intel.com/Product.aspx?id=49490

Regards.