lightweight laptop with gaming performance

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Shorten your list.

by r. proffitt Forum moderator Sep 14, 2005 7:40AM PDT

The builtin webcam should have you looking at a very short list. Share that list and we can look at game performance. You can rule out Dell, Thinkpads, Acer and more just by that one spec.

Bob

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(NT) (NT) Closest would be Acer Ferrari 4000

by damasta55r Sep 14, 2005 3:50PM PDT

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VoodooPC Envy i:222

by Kozanator Sep 15, 2005 2:58AM PDT

Thanks for your help. The Acer Ferrari 4000 is a very cool laptop but still not portable enough.

I looked around the internet and this is the best I could find:

VoodooPC Envy i:222 (notebook) www.voodoopc.com

1. Weight: 4.0 Pounds with battery and drives
2. Screen: 12.1" WXGA 1280x768 Screen (widescreen)
3. Size: 12 x 8.6 x 1 inches (WxDxH)
4. built-in 1.3 Megapixel webcam
5. Wireless B/G and bluetooth 1.2
6. internal DVD+-RW
7. Fast 60GB 7200 rpm HDD
8. Intel Pentium M 730 (2 Ghz)
9. Max memory: 1.2 GB
10. Integrated Graphics Video - 128 MB

I only have two complaints about this laptop/notebook.

1. wish the bluetooth was version 2.0 with EDR
2. wish the video card was at least an ATI x700 or Nvidia 6600.

Is this the best I'm going to get???? right now???

Thanks for all your help.

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A note from the Bluetooth SIG.

by r. proffitt Forum moderator Sep 15, 2005 4:05AM PDT

"Chips with the new specification are available immediately from Broadcom and CSR, and in Q1 2005 from RF Micro Devices. "

Seems a bit early to find this in many laptops since the chipsets just arrived.

Bob

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See the a:228 instead

by Technojunkie2 Sep 15, 2005 4:15AM PDT

The i:222 has Intel's hideous shared memory GPU. The Voodoo a:228 has the better Turion CPU and MUCH better ATI Radeon 200M shared memory GPU. I'd email them and ask about a webcam option.

Same notebook without the expensive bling-bling:
http://www.xmeld.com/html/msi1013.html
Voodoo offers faster Turion MT's though.

I recommend compromising a bit on weight in favor of one of these:
http://www.xmeld.com/html/msi1029.html
Ask them about a webcam. Their email reponses are amazingly clueful.

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Thanks for the Research

by Kozanator Sep 15, 2005 5:19AM PDT

oh for sure! The Voodoo a:228 is much better than the i:222. - Thanks!

The Xmeld Computers are also very good. Hmmm...

So far, nothing has been exactly what I'm looking for but so very very close.

It seems like true gaming with a laptop/notebook under 5 pounds is a tuff thing to do.

I've got some thinking to do.

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Sony Vaio BX Series

by Kozanator Sep 15, 2005 4:04AM PDT

I'm getting closer to finding my light weight gaming laptop.

http://smb.us.sony.biz/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/eCS/Store/en/-/USD/BB_BrowseCatalog-Start?CategoryName=hid_bx_microsite

Model: Sony Vaio VGN-BX540B

1. Weight: ???
2. Screen: 14.1" SXGA+ 1400x1050 (NOT widescreen)
3. Size: 12.5 x 10.4 x 1.33 inches (WxDxH)
4. built-in webcam
5. Wireless B/G and Bluetooth 2.0 with EDR
6. internal DVD+-RW DL
7. 120GB 5400 rpm HDD
8. Intel Pentium M 760 (2 Ghz)
9. Max memory: 2 GB
10. ATI X700 - 128 MB + 256MB Shared
11. Finger print scanner

I only have to complaints about this laptop

1. the screen isn't widescreen
2. I don't know the weight! I hope it's under 5 pounds.

I'm still looking!

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(NT) (NT) Well the 17" certainly isn't under 5 pounds

by jrmar07 Sep 17, 2005 8:07AM PDT

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pretty expensive

by togus Sep 17, 2005 11:39PM PDT

It looks like you need to go all the way to the $1950 price tag to get the dedicated gpu... pretty steep for a 14 inch display machine. I think I'm going to order a new FS790 tomorrow... although it doesn't have a dedicated 128 gpu, I can get it with the Nivia card that will meet my needs well, and this machine weights 6.2 lbs. with a cost that's $600 less.

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Sony seems to announcing a lot of new Laptops recently

by Kozanator Sep 19, 2005 8:07AM PDT

VAIO TX
VAIO FJ
VAIO FS300
VAIO A500
VAIO S5
VAIO BX.

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Gaming performance...

by Nooorm Sep 19, 2005 4:11AM PDT

...and light weight tend to be mutually exclusive.

Why would you want a dinking screen on a laptop you plan to game on? The only way you're going to get five hours of battery life is to have large, heavy battery, or a low voltage processor with speed step. The former is a problem for your weight limit and the latter is a performance killer.

You may be able to find some systems that come close to your requirements, but you'll have a hybrid of sorts. Sorta light, sorta powerful, sorta decent battery life...probably not worth the money. Whereas if you got a true desktop replacement, you'd spend less and have a better performing game machine that was a little heavier than you wanted with shorter battery life.

Laptops just aren't designed to provide the best of all worlds in a single form factor.

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portable gaming

by Kozanator Sep 19, 2005 8:00AM PDT

The laptop/notebook would primarily be used for MS Office applications, checking e-mail and surfing the web.

... but ...

I NEED it to be light and thin because that just makes things easier for carrying around everyday, using it on airplanes and who knows... maybe stuffing it in my backpack for a camping trip.

but I WANT the ability to play the latest games when I'm on a plane or in a hotel. I don't need the best framrates, but I'd like the games to be playable.

I know I'm asking for too much, but I still want it and I hope the manufactures of laptops/notebooks are hearing this plea.

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