I'm sure your suggestion will give you better value than getting a Dell/Alienware (or an MBP), it just won't give you good value for gaming.
Of course not, if you want best gaming value for your money, you build your own PC.
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so the simple answer for high end gaming on a macbook pro is?
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Of course not, if you want best gaming value for your money, you build your own PC.
Every game I've tried can play at least 1400x900 on Medium, even Crysis, on my MBP 2.4GHz SR with 8600GT 256MB. CoD4 will run on High but gets a bit choppy during crazy firefights. Older games (Warcraft III, Guild Wars, CounterStrike) run on max settings without flinching.
You cant expect desktop performance from a laptop, but all modern games will be at least playable.
You cant expect desktop performance from a laptop, but all modern games will be at least playable.
The Dell XPS M1730 and Alienware m15x are two of the most highly recommended gaming laptops on notebookreview.com. All laptops have issues. Even the MBP suffers from a number of quality control problems. The screen yellowing issue with the LCD's and the distorted hissing noise from the audio jack are just a couple of them which are far more common than your casing mysteriously cracking on the Alienware. If you want a serious gaming laptop there isn't a more powerful option that I've seen than the Alienware m15x for a 15.4" since not many manufacturers are currently putting the 8800m in them. If the two sites you spoke of are even mentioned once in a while on notebookreview in the "What Laptop Should I Buy?" forum it's rare.
Looking at the review for the Sager NP5793 looks very nice and especially for the price! http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=4235
Lol to me I dont really care if its dell,asus,acer,alienware, their all pc/windows crap as far as I see it. No osx means no go for me. And I got a SR mbp and has no problems with yellow/audio noises.
Yea- sould searching time
windows is searching............
.......please be patient............
your time is valuable..............
we dont care......................
warning- found error, must reboot, #@$@# blue screen of death.......
im sorry....... can not find hard drive, please insert it and try again....
------
please understand my skepticism, i generally do my homework (atleast the computer part- i might do better in college more if i did that HW too)
but ive had some expiernce with Dell, and some with Apple (using on campus stuff, ipods, fiddling with dormies mb and mbp.) because im familiar with them and can easily go to a major retailer and play there too. im gonna do my best to stick with something im familiar personally with.
as far as gaming.. ive only ever really played 3 Computer games anyway.. the rest is console (like COD4, UT3, etc)
so my 3 computers are WOW-Medieval Total war, AOEIII, all of which run on mbp and any dell id get..
im gonna be a "hard core junkie" with consoles. computers ill just try to keep current with the technology curve.
-------
ive heard claims that:
1) macs are cheaper than PCs in the long run
2) macs last longer
3) macs run windows better than pc (the thought of that cracks me up )
are these true?
windows is searching............
.......please be patient............
your time is valuable..............
we dont care......................
warning- found error, must reboot, #@$@# blue screen of death.......
im sorry....... can not find hard drive, please insert it and try again....
------
please understand my skepticism, i generally do my homework (atleast the computer part- i might do better in college more if i did that HW too
)but ive had some expiernce with Dell, and some with Apple (using on campus stuff, ipods, fiddling with dormies mb and mbp.) because im familiar with them and can easily go to a major retailer and play there too. im gonna do my best to stick with something im familiar personally with.
as far as gaming.. ive only ever really played 3 Computer games anyway.. the rest is console (like COD4, UT3, etc)
so my 3 computers are WOW-Medieval Total war, AOEIII, all of which run on mbp and any dell id get..
im gonna be a "hard core junkie" with consoles. computers ill just try to keep current with the technology curve.
-------
ive heard claims that:
1) macs are cheaper than PCs in the long run
2) macs last longer
3) macs run windows better than pc (the thought of that cracks me up
)are these true?
windows is searching............
.......please be patient............
your time is valuable..............
we dont care......................
warning- found error, must reboot, #@$@# blue screen of death.......
im sorry....... can not find hard drive, please insert it and try again....
------
please understand my skepticism, i generally do my homework (atleast the computer part- i might do better in college more if i did that HW too
but ive had some expiernce with Dell, and some with Apple (using on campus stuff, ipods, fiddling with dormies mb and mbp.) because im familiar with them and can easily go to a major retailer and play there too. im gonna do my best to stick with something im familiar personally with.
as far as gaming.. ive only ever really played 3 Computer games anyway.. the rest is console (like COD4, UT3, etc)
so my 3 computers are WOW-Medieval Total war, AOEIII, all of which run on mbp and any dell id get..
im gonna be a "hard core junkie" with consoles. computers ill just try to keep current with the technology curve.
-------
ive heard claims that:
1) macs are cheaper than PCs in the long run
2) macs last longer
3) macs run windows better than pc (the thought of that cracks me up
are these true?
1)macs are cheaper if you build them with equal specs, for example the mac pro is cheaper than building one identical to it.
2) I know people who've used the macs from 15+ years ago and still working just fine. But then macs just switched to intel so probably or could run about the same but then they do make their own mother boards.
3) I know the mac pro is one of the most fast machine to run windows in.
This is simply reflective of the fact that most people think that Dell, Alienware etc. build their own laptops from the ground up. In fact, manufacturers often share ODM (original design manufacturer) and add their own cases around it. You're essentially buying the same thing with the a different logo.
xoticpc sells the laptops from the same ODM's, but they give you as close to component cost as possible.
On top of that, look at seller ratings compared to Dell and others. They are through the roof. Everyone that buys them raves about the service. These guys do lower volume and can have smaller, more personable staff. It's that simple.
Oh really?
Intel S5000PSLSATA Dual 771 Intel 5000P SSI EEB 3.6 (Extended ATX) Server Motherboard - Retail $434.99
X2 Intel Xeon X5450 Harpertown 3.0GHz 12MB L2 Cache LGA 771 120W Quad-Core Processor - Retail $892.99
iRam 2GB (2 x 1GB) DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) ECC Fully Buffered Dual Channel Kit Memory For Apple Mac Pro Model IR2GMP8K - Retail $119.99
Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 ST3320620AS (Perpendicular Recording Technology) 320GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM $79.99
EVGA 512-P3-N801-AR GeForce 8800GT 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail $229.99 ($199.99 AR)
SAMSUNG Black 20X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 12X DVD+R DL 20X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 12X DVD-RAM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM 2MB Cache IDE 20X DVD±R DVD Burner - OEM $24.99
PC Power & Cooling
PC Power & Cooling S75QB EPS12V 750W Power Supply 100 - 240 V UL, ULC, CE, CB, RoHS - Retail $169.99 (the only power supply unit you will EVER need
)LIAN LI PC-60APLUSII Silver Aluminum ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail $119.99
Logitech LX8 910000323 Black/Blue 5 Buttons Tilt Wheel USB Cordless Laser 1000 dpi Mouse - Retail $45.99
Logitech UltraX Silver/Black 104 Normal Keys 6 Function Keys USB Standard Media Keyboard - OEM $18.99
Price before shipping:
3030.89
Shipping:
36.82
Final price w/o an OS:
3067.71
OS:
Windows Vista Ultimate 32-bit OEM (even though I think Ultimate is a complete waste of cash):
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116213
$169.99
Final Price:
3237.7
A Mac Pro similarly configured:
$3,799.00
There is over a 500 dollar price difference.
Thats not exactly thinking ahead. Games are headed toward crysis requirements, if you cant play crysis today then dont expect to play the games coming out this fall. Youll be stuck with old games forever.so if i cut crysis out- and i need a laptop (honest for school)-and i like the 4 above games.
am i set for a MBP? come on
There are PC laptops with desktop cards inside them, those are suitable for gaming as one of their main functions. The MBP isnt, it can play games fine but it isnt designed to play games well.
If games are important then macs arent for you.
Games are headed that way, but not quite this fall. Sure, there'll be a game that knock the socks off of current computers, but simply put, most people can't run Crysis on their systems so they aren't going to buy it. If games don't run properly on slightly aged systems, then they just won't sell. It's a bad business model. Most people, unlike those who use these forums, aren't not very tech savvy and will not have a new gaming computer every x-amount of years.
Buy a MBP. If your game doesn't work on it to the level you prefer, buy the console version. If the console version is not available either, than forget about that game. It was probably overrated anyway.
That's because most people (unlike those who use these forums) understand consoles offer a far better value for the dollar than any form of personal computer. A modern console will play every game released for it, guaranteed, without question, without qualifications, until the console is superseded by a newer model. This usually doesn't happen for at least a couple of years, which makes consoles a no-brainer for people who want high performance for low prices without the complications of compatibility and graphics card nonsense.
Buy a MBP. If your game doesn't work on it to the level you prefer, buy the console version. If the console version is not available either, than forget about that game. It was probably overrated anyway.
Infallible logic!
Oh really?
Intel S5000PSLSATA Dual 771 Intel 5000P SSI EEB 3.6 (Extended ATX) Server Motherboard - Retail $434.99
X2 Intel Xeon X5450 Harpertown 3.0GHz 12MB L2 Cache LGA 771 120W Quad-Core Processor - Retail $892.99
iRam 2GB (2 x 1GB) DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) ECC Fully Buffered Dual Channel Kit Memory For Apple Mac Pro Model IR2GMP8K - Retail $119.99
Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 ST3320620AS (Perpendicular Recording Technology) 320GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM $79.99
EVGA 512-P3-N801-AR GeForce 8800GT 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail $229.99 ($199.99 AR)
SAMSUNG Black 20X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 12X DVD+R DL 20X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 12X DVD-RAM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM 2MB Cache IDE 20X DVD±R DVD Burner - OEM $24.99
PC Power & Cooling
PC Power & Cooling S75QB EPS12V 750W Power Supply 100 - 240 V UL, ULC, CE, CB, RoHS - Retail $169.99 (the only power supply unit you will EVER need
LIAN LI PC-60APLUSII Silver Aluminum ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail $119.99
Logitech LX8 910000323 Black/Blue 5 Buttons Tilt Wheel USB Cordless Laser 1000 dpi Mouse - Retail $45.99
Logitech UltraX Silver/Black 104 Normal Keys 6 Function Keys USB Standard Media Keyboard - OEM $18.99
Price before shipping:
3030.89
Shipping:
36.82
Final price w/o an OS:
3067.71
OS:
Windows Vista Ultimate 32-bit OEM (even though I think Ultimate is a complete waste of cash):
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116213
$169.99
Final Price:
3237.7
A Mac Pro similarly configured:
$3,799.00
There is over a 500 dollar price difference.
Maybe the price has come down but I was referring to the first gen mac pros, I remember my cousin built an identical based 2.66ghz mac pro for a client which ended up costing $600+ more. I guess things have changed now.
And not to mention the mac pro has 4 easy trey for hd's and a near silent operation, can put up to 32gb of ram (no point in windows of its idiotic way to address a total ram of 3). Also I remember the pc xeons had to be in their own room across the hall because they were so damn loud.
how well do macbooks run ilife 08
if im not planing on editing large movies. or importing 5000 images. that would the macbooks be able to run the ilife programs comfortably?
id go try to use a dorm mates, but my school has very strict policies about letting someone use your personal computer.
"Originally Posted by digitalnicotine View Post
Buy a MBP. If your game doesn't work on it to the level you prefer, buy the console version. If the console version is not available either, than forget about that game. It was probably overrated anyway."
I think i second the infallible logic.
if im not planing on editing large movies. or importing 5000 images. that would the macbooks be able to run the ilife programs comfortably?
id go try to use a dorm mates, but my school has very strict policies about letting someone use your personal computer.
"Originally Posted by digitalnicotine View Post
Buy a MBP. If your game doesn't work on it to the level you prefer, buy the console version. If the console version is not available either, than forget about that game. It was probably overrated anyway."
I think i second the infallible logic.
I've been doing 24/7 Handbrake on my MacBook and it's still responsive enough to do other things. I just use my other computer for most of my work since I want those extra frames.
With lots of RAM and drive space the MacBook can tackle any task short of heavy 3D work and gaming. See my specifications.
With lots of RAM and drive space the MacBook can tackle any task short of heavy 3D work and gaming. See my specifications.
Both those points answer the question. Though you can game on the macbook pro, your not going to be able to turn all the settings up...
Though some people just do not like the control interfaces of a console. I prefer a mouse and keyboard, though I have a gaming desktop as well. The MBP works fine with moderate settings.
Yeah, that case I picked has 5 HDD trays. The motherboard I picked out can also support 32 gigs of RAM. Also, if you wanted to use 32 gigs of RAM, you would simply use a 64-bit OS, and if you tell me that Windows Vista 64-bit is not mature or that 64-bit Windows is bad, then you would obviously have no idea how far 64-bit OSes in general have come in terms of compatibility and support.
P.S. The reason why Windows and it's idiotic reason for only being able to address a "total" of 3 gigs of RAM (it can actually address 4 gigs), is because generally .5-1 gig is addressed for other devices, like video cards. The 4 gig limit is a limitation in 32 bit processors and operating systems IN GENERAL. All 32 bit OSes have this limitation. There is a way to stretch this limit and that's by the use of PAE, which last time I checked (last week), PAE is present in Vista 32-bit. PAE stretches the limit to 64 gigs of RAM.
I don't care if you want to bash Windows, but don't make stuff up and if you're going to bash them for stuff that's present in other OSes, be sure to speak up and mention that.
Hi
4 days ago, I got my new 2,5 Penryn MBP. Maxed to 4 GB by myself. (I returned it already, because of buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzing sound on the left site)
I bought Crysis. I was not expecting it to run as god! I can play it smoothly! Of course no AA and no High settings. But 1440x... (native resulution) and Medium settings. When I get my replacement I will try to find the best settings.
So in your case I would by a MBP! Mac OS is so amazing. I would drop a couple of fps for the Macintosh experience! It is worth every cent!
I was a PC user since I left my Macintosh Classic II, and now I ask myself, why I have waited so long to come back!
ADVICE: By a MBP you´ll love it! you have best of both worlds! sure you have to make some kompromises.
jo
4 days ago, I got my new 2,5 Penryn MBP. Maxed to 4 GB by myself. (I returned it already, because of buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzing sound on the left site)
I bought Crysis. I was not expecting it to run as god! I can play it smoothly! Of course no AA and no High settings. But 1440x... (native resulution) and Medium settings. When I get my replacement I will try to find the best settings.
So in your case I would by a MBP! Mac OS is so amazing. I would drop a couple of fps for the Macintosh experience! It is worth every cent!
I was a PC user since I left my Macintosh Classic II, and now I ask myself, why I have waited so long to come back!
ADVICE: By a MBP you´ll love it! you have best of both worlds!
sure you have to make some kompromises.jo
Yeah, that case I picked has 5 HDD trays. The motherboard I picked out can also support 32 gigs of RAM. Also, if you wanted to use 32 gigs of RAM, you would simply use a 64-bit OS, and if you tell me that Windows Vista 64-bit is not mature or that 64-bit Windows is bad, then you would obviously have no idea how far 64-bit OSes in general have come in terms of compatibility and support.
P.S. The reason why Windows and it's idiotic reason for only being able to address a "total" of 3 gigs of RAM (it can actually address 4 gigs), is because generally .5-1 gig is addressed for other devices, like video cards. The 4 gig limit is a limitation in 32 bit processors and operating systems IN GENERAL. All 32 bit OSes have this limitation. There is a way to stretch this limit and that's by the use of PAE, which last time I checked (last week), PAE is present in Vista 32-bit. PAE stretches the limit to 64 gigs of RAM.
I don't care if you want to bash Windows, but don't make stuff up and if you're going to bash them for stuff that's present in other OSes, be sure to speak up and mention that.
Sure vista can do 4gb of ram and while you have to find a way to work around to use more than 4 gb of ram under vista is ridiculous (should use 4gb of ram or more right out the box). And I dont even want to know how screwy windows address its ram (addresses randomly and not to what app actually needs more ram but addresses more to whats not needed). Also you need the right motherboard for it to properly use that 4gb of ram or otherwise it will just utilize a measley 3.5.
P.S. I bet after 4gb of ram the rest 60gb will be useless ans just to make microsoft look good on paper, as a I can do ram kinda deal. I use windows for gaming and 1 other app and is even a 15+ year user ever since the good ol dos days. I just converted to the mac side in 2005. Windows is still usable, I juat now prefer macs and I cant imagine not using osx anymore.
You have to excuse my typing, Im doing it over on the iPhone
While consoles offer more for the money in terms of hardware they also lack a lot of the capabilities of a PC. Some guys just suck to play with a game controller vs using a full sized keyboard and a mouse. First-person shooters are a lot easier to play with a mouse vs controlling with a thumb stick. For some expansive games like RPG's you miss out on all the tons of added content created by end users after the game is released. Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion would be a great example of this. There are thousands of mods available for free download that add a ton to the game. On the console version you miss all of this.