Question:
Gaming laptop with pointing stick?
Hi, all. The video card on my Inspiron 8200 is about to finally die, and I'd like to buy a new laptop before it does. I'm looking for a laptop on which I can play Oblivion, and which has a pointing stick. Does such a laptop exist?
Also, are there any DX10 graphics cards available to laptops yet, just thinking ahead?
Additional details below (I've deleted the questions to which I'm truly indifferent):
1) What is your budget? Below ~$2800 or so
2) What size notebook would you prefer? Probably 15 inches or so, just for portability
3) What tasks will you be performing with the notebook? Everything from gaming, programming, doing some fMRI data analysis, taking notes, to watching movies in bed
4) Will you be taking the notebook with you to different places or leaving it on your desk? I'll take it with me constantly
5) Will you be playing games on it; if so, which games? Yes. I'd like to be able to play Oblivion, the latest FPSes, and upcoming games in the next 2 years
9) What country are you buying this in? USA
10) From the choices below, what screen resolutions would you prefer? UXGA or WUXGA
11) Do you want a glossy/reflective screen or a matte/non-glossy screen? I'm open to suggestions on this. Perhaps glossy, if the glare's not too bad.
13) How long do you want this laptop to last? Probably 3 years or so.
14) How much hard drive space do you want; 40GB to 120GB? 60G, preferably at 7200rpm
15) Do you need a DVD, DVD-CD/RW or DVD-R drive? DVD-R would be great
Thanks!
Todd
Answer:
Re: Gaming laptop with pointing stick?
DirectX 10 won't exist until at least 2007.
$2800 is quite a generous budget; you won't have to spend that much to get what you need. The most powerful video cards you are going to get in a 15.4" size and under are the ATI Radeon X1600 and Nvidia GeForce Go7600. Both can handle the latest games with ease.
15.4" with an X1600/Go7600 are few and far between . . .try the Asus S96J:
http://powernotebooks.com/specs/PowerPro/a2-24.php
Great quality, Core Duo, X1600 256MB, and an optional WSXGA+ screen. Not the WUXGA you wanted, but there are no notebooks with a decent video card that have that resoluion.
Answer:
Re: Gaming laptop with pointing stick?
Chaz - thanks! If I want a 512MB graphics card or UXGA graphics, will I have to go to a 17" monitor?
Also, what about the pointing stick question? It looks like the laptop you suggested is touchpad only?
Thanks again,
Todd
Answer:
Re: Gaming laptop with pointing stick?
pointing sticks are hard to come by. I have an 8200 as well and its still going :)
Anyway the system that chaz recommend is a great system you'll need to go 17inch to get better graphics and wuxga. 17inch will be larger however in terms of weight many of these new 17inch models weigh as much as the 8200 weighs. you can always get a nice wireless mouse :)
Answer:
Re: Gaming laptop with pointing stick?
You're not going to find a pointing stick on a gaming notebook; they're difficult to find as otaku said.
Yes, you'll have to move to a 17" before you get a WUXGA resolution, better graphics card. They are quite large however; see one at Best Buy before you decide, or a related computer store.
Answer:
Re: Gaming laptop with pointing stick?
ThinkPad with the x1400 is one option. It will play todays games, but not at the highest level.
Answer:
Re: Gaming laptop with pointing stick?
Chaz - thanks! If I want a 512MB graphics card or UXGA graphics, will I have to go to a 17" monitor?
Also, what about the pointing stick question? It looks like the laptop you suggested is touchpad only?
Thanks again,
Todd
ya check out the sager 5670 for that
actually if you want a 512 mb gpu right now you can only get the dell xps 1710 or precision m70
no pointing sticks. get over it.
I actually liked the trackball they used years ago better than anything to come out since. i never use a track pad. i use an external mouse.
the pointing stick is ridiculous too is all im saying. you like it more than a track pad i understand but its still worthless. consumers decided it was stupid too and its not on the market much.
Answer:
Re: Gaming laptop with pointing stick?
I'd really recommend getting a 15.4 rather than a 17 inch since you said you'll take it with you.. 17 inch laptops aren't really meant to be portable much.. they're huge and heavy. The best graphics cards for a 15.4 run all of today's games very solidly at the native resolutions most common on 15.4 inch laptops.. my x1600 runs oblivion very well.
Answer:
Re: Gaming laptop with pointing stick?
no pointing sticks. get over it.
I actually liked the trackball they used years ago better than anything to come out since. i never use a track pad. i use an external mouse.
the pointing stick is ridiculous too is all im saying. you like it more than a track pad i understand but its still worthless. consumers decided it was stupid too and its not on the market much.
I'm using a laptop with a pointing stick to type this response, and it highlights one key point: pointing sticks make it trivial to move around on the screen while typing. My right hand barely leaves the home row, and the mouse buttons are millimeters away from my thumb's natural resting position on the space bar.
To switch between mousing and typing with a track pad is comparatively MUCH slower, and to go to an external mouse and back is ridiculous.
Pointing sticks really *are* better, if you take a quarter of a day to get used to them.
Having taken apart my Dell more than once, it doesn't really seem like it'd be hard to have an optional pointing-stick enabled keyboard. Does anyone know why people don't do this?
Thanks!
Todd