Your Questions About Gaming Computers

Craig answers:

Core i-3, better than Core 2 Duo
Core i-5, better than Core i-3 in interactive social networking & creating home videos
Core i-7, better than Core i-5 in designing your own website

Just remember these: The 1st thing you should look for on the computer surface is A LOGO STICKER for NVIDIA or ATI MOBILITY RADEON just below the keyboard. This SHOWS that the laptop has A DEDICATED GRAPHICS CARD (for AutoCAD & Adobe Photoshop). Diablo III, the game I would love most to play runs on 3D graphics & is rumored to need at least 1GB GRAPHICS MEMORY (lower graphics memory = CHEAPER laptop price), so always check the system requirement specs on the game’s box (ex. SIMS 3; see if your laptop meets all the requirements).

For gamers, make sure the GRAPHICS CARD you get on the laptop IS ONLY from the HIGH END or MIDRANGE:
http://www.notebookcheck.net/Mobile-Graphics-Cards-Benchmark-List.844.0.html

Next important aspect is the RAM (memory). If you’re in designing & you need to run applications like AutoCAD or softwares for editing photos & videos, just make sure that the laptop has AT LEAST 2GB DDR2 RAM modules in it (HIGHER IS BETTER; DDR3 & DDR5 are faster & newer types of memory modules that came out).

But what makes a computer really run fast? It is it’s processor! So if you really want your processor to have computing prowess & you’re able to run different applications simultaneously, make sure it’s AS EFFICIENT AS an Intel Core 2 Duo Processor (Centrino 2 is a Core 2 Duo featuring power saving capabilities; Quad Core is for gaming fanatics). A Core 2 Duo is like having 2 motors running the computer each independent of the other w/c means for a Quad Core, it’s like 4 motors are running the machine (that means it will run faster & more efficient even if its frequency is lower to that of a Core 2 Duo). Intel: Core 2 Duo, Centrino 2, Quad Core, Core i-3, Core i-5 & Core i-7 are all very much faster & better than an Intel: DUAL CORE, PENTIUM, CELERON, ATOM & their more affordable AMD counterparts. Just make sure you have AT LEAST 2GHz of speed on your processor.

– The HDD (Hard Disc Drive) should be at least 320GB.
– The average laptop LCD screen size is 15.4″.

Are you looking for an affordable, not so big, yet best in performance gaming laptop? Look no further, the msi GT680R-15.6″ full HD Gaming Notebook which comes with the 2nd Generation Core i7 Processor 2630QM, 8GB DDR3 RAM, 1TB Hard Disk Drive (2x 500GB 7200rpm SATA HDD) & a powerful Class 1, NVIDIA GTX460M 1.5GB DDR5 dedicated graphics card that can handle DirectX 11 enhancing the 3D detail effects from FRYS.com (SKU#: 6547393). I was free for the day so I hung around the store and got to use it first hand. I came back to check out the laptop every hour for 6 hrs and found out that the air from the vent of the laptop remained cool compared to any other laptop on display there, stating power and proper heat management, w/c means this laptop can handle long hours of gruelling play. Now, I’m all stewed up saving to buy this b4 Blizzard releases Diablo 3.

Are you a game enthusiast playing for long hours? You need a notebook cooler. I have a COOLER MASTER U2 Notebook Cooler w/c has dual purposes. Detach the easily detacheable dual fan, & you can use the aluminum frame as a protection for your laptop’s LCD screen when inside the bag. I got mine from MicroCenter.com for 48% cheaper than the regular $24.99 tag (FRYS.com SKU#: 6344931).

If you’re a little bit low on budget, get the next best thing. The msi GE620-021 15.6″ Gaming Notebook also featuring a 2nd Generation Intel Core i7 Processor 2630QM & 8GB DDR3 RAM, just 640GB HDD, but with only a Class 2, NVIDIA GT540M 1GB dedicated graphics card that can also handle DirectX 11 effects from FRYS.com (SKU#: 6539123).
The ASUS N53SV-XR1 for $949.99 sounds 150dollars cheaper, but comes with only 4GB of memory.

MacBooks are different in the sense that Apple Macintosh runs on Mac OS X unlike the WINDOWS 7, Vista or XP OS (Operating System) that most laptops have.

FOR the best PRICE COMPARISON, go to Fry’s Electronics, MicroCenter, CostCo & BestBuy’s web sites. This MSI GT680R 15.6″ Gaming Notebook w/ the Intel® Core™ i-7 retails for $1,499.99 (+ tax & other sur-charges). I chose to pay more to have the newest technology so that I DON’T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IT GETTING OUTDATED WITHIN THE NEXT 11 YRS.

FYI: I always tell my customers, a laptop’s battery is similar to a cell phone’s. You charge it when it’s depleted & you unplug the adapter when it is already fully charge (this will prevent the battery from getting overcharged & extend the life of the battery). So for less hassle, I always advice my customers to just remove the battery if they plan to use the computer for long hours straight (more than 1 hour) and just run it on AC power alone so as not to overcharge it & shorten the battery life.