Need Help Picking the right Laptop

[SithMurcielago]

Well while I wait on my Tax refund, I been doing alot of searching on popular Computer websites for the right laptop to run TS2013 and beyond seamlessly at or near full settings and within budget (No more than 699.99 and no less than 549.99) and I want your unbiased opinion on the list that I have narrowed down:

Lenovo Z580 15.6 laptop
2.9 GHZ i7-3520M (not expandable)
6GB Dimm
750GB hard Drive
Windows 8
Intel HD 4000 Graphics

Toshiba S855-S5378
2.4GHZ w/Intel turboBoost Tech (up to 3.4GHZ Extra)
Intel i7-3630QM
750GB hard Drive
Windows 8
8GB (Expandable to 16GB)
Intel HD (Not specify)(1696 Shared memory)

Asus "14 inch" laptop
i7-3632QM
2.2GHZ
8GB DDR3
750GB hard Drive
UMA Graphics

Found a Nice Reference compatible GPUs

http://www.game-debate.com/games/index. ... tor%202013

This is what I got so far if you think there is one better than the list please let me know. I'm eager beaver to get a new laptop so i can get back to simming.

[buzz456]

Moving to geek speak.

[ArcticCatZRT]

First off, if you want to play this game well, and others well, you need to get an actually desktop to game. I tried to go the same route that you are when I was preparing to go to college. I got one of the most powerful toshiba computers at the time, but instead of the actual gaming laptop, went for a plan jane case so it would not attract too much attention, but still went with the powerful components(ei first gen i7, 1gb video card, 4gbs RAM, Windows 7). I soon found that this computer had issues with even less complex games. Mainly due to not performance, but because of heating issues. I have sunk about 100 dollars into finding, and eventually building my own cooling pad. At this point all my laptop does is sit on this cooling stand, and stays hooked up to my TV for gaming, hardly ever leaves.

My advice is to build your own gaming PC from the ground up. If you absolutly need a laptop, then build your beefed up desktop, then buy a basic laptop. You may find that by the time you beef up a laptop enough, you could have not only gotten a powerful desktop that is upgradeable, but also a little laptop too boot for your mobile needs.

My Dad tried to explain this too me when I was in the market for a computer, I ignored him, and now I regret it! But hey its your life, your money, so do what you want. I just wanted to tell you my story!

Now I will get off my soap box,

If you really want to get a laptop for gaming, then I would suggested getting an actually gaming laptop, whether it be Alienware, XPS, etc. Personally I would go with Toshibas gaming laptop, it is called the Quismo I believe. I have had my Toshiba for about 3 years now and it is great, but like I said, due to the case it does not get enough airflow(the Quismo is built for gaming so it should be fine). I would also get the best one you could afford!

I would go with the toshiba, mainly because of the durability of their hardware IMO.

[buzz456]

It's mostly, not all, about the video cards. There is just nothing that I know of that really runs RW worth a darn with most of the features enabled. You will spend less money on a very nice Desk top and a inexpensive laptop (look for sales) and have less money invested. If you want to portabiblity for creating stuff you can still do it on the laptop and run RW just enought to see if what you did works.

There's all kinds of suggestions in other threads here about what you need but you will get great results with video cards that are between $100 and $150. Unless someone can show me different going way high end on the card is not necessary. Number one thing (I know nothing about win8) is get the 64 bit version of win7. It was night and day on both computers that I have RW installed on.

The rest of it I'll leave to the real ggeks. BTW I paid $339.00 for a screaming fast laptop from Acer for all my regular non-gaming stuff with win7 64 bit on it.
Hope that helps a little,
Buzz

[SithMurcielago]

I was thinking the same thing. Creating a scratch built isn't cheap especially if your not that much of a tech geek. I was basically paying attention to memory (6GB-8GB), Video cards (Intel HD 4000 seems standard on most of these laptops), Processors (i-6,i-7), (2.5GHZ or more). That is the basic hardware and based on the link I posted in the first thread they meet the requirements. Well I don't have to have the settings high. Its ok to have settings at medium at least.

I'm also reading threads with programs like gamefire that shut down the extra background noise to save on performance, than there is editing the Video Controls in the panel, and now I'm seeing something about disabling core parking. So I see there are ways to improve performance.

[Toripony]

Sorry to be a doomsayer.........

Two years ago I bought an ASUS G73JH high-end gaming laptop (read as: expensive!). While it has worked and will run TS with all settings on Highest, even this horse (10lbs?) of a laptop has required a lot of effort and cooperation on my part. It has 2 super-capacity cooling fans, but even that doesn't always keep it cool when running TS. Run it at room temps below 70, not on your lap, and you might still need a 12 inch house fan sitting beside it running on high.

This was the highest rated (by consumers) gaming laptop on the market and I believe the G series still has that claim. But you're talking $1200 to $1500. I suspect that anything less than the G series isn't going to cut it with TS. Two years later and two major upgrades to TS, my laptop is now standing on its side like a mini-tower (w/ext monitor, kb, mouse), case removed and a house fan taped to it. The game has gotten even "hotter". Even in this cfg. TS still overheats it if the room temp rises above 72-74. I'm planning to build a new desktop this Summer. My laptop w/TS has seldom been portable and is now basically a desktop.

I am not disappointed with my laptop experience; this machine is incredibly powerful and still worth several hundred $$$, but TS is a resource BEAR! Oh, btw... I imagine you are NOT going to like TS on a 14-inch screen. If you find a 17-inch laptop that will run TS for hours with all settings maxed for less than $600, please let us know; I suspect we will all want one.

Best of luck!
Tori

[SithMurcielago]

Wow why was I searching these sites when I found a site where you can build laptops within a reasonable price range.

http://www.xoticpc.com

I'm a little stubborn sometimes cause I'm use to getting things to work. I'm starting to think RS.com was a little to ambitious in there ideas without letting the rest of the world catchup and stay on par. Like I said before I'm not expecting to run things at high settings.

I see one that is a little more interesting and offers more than what Bestbuy or staples sell. MSI CX61 0NF-257US

[ArcticCatZRT]

Tori, after the TS13 was release I have actually seen lower temps on my computer, about 20 degrees C lower in fact! Your saying yours actually went up...interesting

[NDORFN]

Get a desktop!

[Toripony]

Tori, after the TS13 was release I have actually seen lower temps on my computer, about 20 degrees C lower in fact! Your saying yours actually went up...interesting

Maybe I'm wrong on that observation; I don't monitor temps. Maybe it's because my home environment changed. I ran TS2012 in Virginia a few months and am pretty sure it ran a little hotter. Then my long absence and now firing up TS2013 here in Oregon, it was overheating constantly. That's when I took more drastic measures with my laptop. Or, perhaps my laptop is just slowly burning up and running hotter (I do dust it daily ).

I do my track and scenario editing work now with TSX off and "Medium" for most settings. When I turn everything to max for scenery editing or playing, I keep the window next to my rig cracked open a smidge.

[jpetersjr]

I also prefer a desktop.

My old laptop never even would run Rail Simulator very well and didn't do good with Railworks. The only problem with laptops is even without playing a game after a while of using it it gets too hot too easily.

It completely stunk with The Sims 3 for terrible graphics and terrible performance and now it awaits repair since it crashed about a two years ago.

Since then I've had a desktop that runs decently with Railworks, but I have to leave TSX off in order to run it unfortunately.

My desktop always runs at a cool temperature and I never have a problem with it getting hot. I must say that compared to The Sims 3 on this computer Railworks runs better and has better graphics.

[ArcticCatZRT]

Maybe I'm wrong on that observation; I don't monitor temps. Maybe it's because my home environment changed. I ran TS2012 in Virginia a few months and am pretty sure it ran a little hotter. Then my long absence and now firing up TS2013 here in Oregon, it was overheating constantly. That's when I took more drastic measures with my laptop. Or, perhaps my laptop is just slowly burning up and running hotter (I do dust it daily ).

I do my track and scenario editing work now with TSX off and "Medium" for most settings. When I turn everything to max for scenery editing or playing, I keep the window next to my rig cracked open a smidge.

Hahaha I have even contemplated putting my lappy in my fridge that is in my dorm room and just run cords through it. But that thought has slipped my mind as RW seems to be playing better with my computer and the fact I think I finally have my custom cooling stand dialed in

[arizonachris]

Two different camps here. If you need portability, you will have to go with a laptop. Don't need portability, go with a desktop. Usually (unless you go out full tilt) cheaper than a high performance laptop.

Toshiba is crap. So is Asus. Lenovo, MEH. Alienware is now owned by Dell, crap. Look at Sager http://www.sagernotebook.com/ if you really want to spend that much money. For serious gaming, a desktop is the only way. Get a cheap tablet for school.

[PapaXpress]

Toshiba is crap. So is Asus. Lenovo, MEH. Alienware is now owned by Dell, crap.

For gaming perhaps. I have used Dell, HP and Lenovo laptops for work, and I can say that I was surprised by the Dell for its performance, but Lenovo beat them all. Now this was not for gaming. I was for compiling code (CPU intensive) and running multiple VMware images at the same time (for debugging code). So there wasn't much 3D video being done.

For serious gaming, a desktop is the only way. Get a cheap tablet for school.

Agreed on both counts.

[Toripony]

Portability requires laptop; no argument there which is why I went the laptop route from the beginning (had two homes then). When I did that, almost NO one here was using a laptop for RW, so I knew that for editing, the machine would have to be very high-end. I try to share my experience not to talk folks out of it, but rather to keep their expectations realistic. Am planning to go desktop now because I don't see myself sitting on the Pacific beach editing my train simulator, lol.

Dell = great business product, mediocre home products
Toshiba = durable and functional
Asus = used to be high-tech niche company, now a mass-marketer so compromises become necessary
Homebuilt = best if you really do your research and know what you're doing!

Panasonic = crap in the '70's, mediocre in the '90's
Sansui = great amps in the '70's, crap now
RCA = who?