A family member recently joined the military. Once he has made it past the first stage of his training, myself and some family members want to get him a gaming laptop since we are told he will not be able to have desktop. I have been put in charge of researching the purchase. I have seen nvidia 9 series GPUs in a number of systems. I have no idea about the ATI mobile GPUs, none of the model numbers I have seen look like the few desktop cards I know. I don't have the same sort of connection to the GPU rumor mill that I do to the CPU one, so I have no idea when GPUs might get bumped up. Might the 'upgradeable laptop' have found a dark corner I may have missed so the GPU is gets purchased with does not matter quite so much (and I don't need to try and wait too long to pick a model)?
According to nVidia's website, there are GeForce GTX 280/60m cards available, and ATI has the Mobility Radeon 4870, and 4870 X2. Notebook graphics lag a bit behind desktop, and even the equivalent cards are actually a bit slower. These are the newest cards that are out, and they are a bit behind the current.. I doubt that a 295m or 275m will come out, I would expect the new cards will be the Mobility Radeon 5870, or GTX 380m.. The current gen are powerful enough for any current games, and any games from the near future. I'm assuming that this thing will be plugged in during use, so battery life isn't exactly a factor. Sager makes high end gaming notebooks, some with i7s. Alienware and Voodoo also have their own models.. I would give those a go. Good luck, I respect anyone joining the military. EDIT: I just configured a gaming laptop through Sager with a fast C2D, GTX 280m, 4GB RAM, 500GB HDD, etc etc for $2200. Screen is 17", 1920x1200. Go for it. :-] EDIT: Similar configuration through Alienware, except with a single HD 3870 came to $2400. EDIT: Apparently Voodoo doesn't make gaming laptops anymore. EDIT: ASUS seems to make some fantastic laptops, I had no idea. The ASUS W90Vp is probably one of the best gaming laptops that's out right now, and the price is great: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834220527 for ASUS! EDIT: Might want to take a look at this MSI model if you don't want to spend quite that much: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834152112
Alienware just introduced the M17x, which has the option of SLi GTX260/280M. Also, this. i7, single GTX280M, triple SSDs.
Thanks, I had not seen those GPUs but then I don't think I have been looking int he right places. I'm trying to see if I can hold out for Calpella, but that may be getting released too late. I know Asus had done some bare bones units, but they were based on desktop CPUs. Thanks for the info, time to go shopping.
