What is it with people trying to game on laptops?

[Tale]

Because why spend $3000 building my own uber machine every couple of years when I can buy a pretty uber laptop for $800 every year, plug it into my desktop peripherals and have much the same experience, and a warranty? And carry it around if necessary.

[koro]

I don't think high-end desktop builds have been $3000 for at least a decade, especially if you're building your own.

Not to mention a top of the line $3000 PC built today would probably last you until the end of the next console generation, never mind a "couple of years".

[Ingmar]

Yeah you have to try really hard to spend $2k.

[UnSub]

Australia. No, you don't.

Part prices have come down since the $AU hit parity with the $US, but for years we we overpaying for outdated tech.

[Kageru]

Only if you buy from the main-stream retailers. The smaller specialist vendors aren't *too* much more expensive as all their stuff comes in a shipping crate from Taiwan anyway and they'll build a nice PC for you, it just won't have a big name brand.

a 3k desktop bought in that fashion (or home built), even at Australian prices, is a terrifying machine that will easily destroy any laptop remotely close to it in price. And with a video card upgrade at some point it can remain well above the curve for 5 years (as my current machine has done). Will easily handle the next generation of console ports too.

That said big monitors are still expensive last I looked. But once you have a big monitor laptops feel pretty claustrophobic.

[caladein]

Desktop multi-monitor set ups are pretty useful and I'll always prefer one because it's useful for work (Scrivener ) and for sticking a sporting event on the rest of the time.

Still, a $500 laptop can handle everything I play regularly on my desktop well enough, quietly, and can be go out and about if needed.  And depending what your TV/desk arrangement is, having an HDMI out makes it pretty easy to get at least some of that multi-monitor utility going.  Only downside is that you don't have room for a cheap SSD and a larger traditional HDD like you would in a desktop so that upgrade can be really pricey, at least in my case.

I'm not a fan of true desktop replacements though, unless money is no object and/or you have one of the narrow use-cases where they're actually pretty nice.

[Zaljerem]

I've been rocking Diablo 3 on my work laptop (Dell E6420), turning down the graphics detail a bit. Heat was a serious issue (could play for around 30 minutes before it'd lock up) until I picked up a cheap 2-fan laptop cooling unit.

Perfectly reasonable to game on a laptop with a decent GPU and cooling. Sometimes at LAN parties, we'd hang the laptops out the window into the cold Michigan winter air with cables running inside for network, keyboard/mouse, monitor, etc. Good times.

[murdoc]

I've spent the money on an Alienware laptop for my last two gaming machines because I need to be able to move it around the house if I actually want to get some PC gaming in. It costs me more, but otherwise I wouldn't be able to do much, as it's just not possible to lock myself away where ever the gaming PC would be. I've gotten the big 17" and 18" laptops, so to call them portable is a bit of a stretch and I never use them on battery power, but they are fairly easy to move around the house and when I do have some time, they're very easy to hook up to my home theatre and game that way. The screen size is fine when I'm just using the laptop, and with a decent pair of headphones, the sound is amazing and doesn't bother anyone around me.

Never had any heat issues, but my laptop also never is actually in my lap.

[Jeff Kelly]

If your Core i5 rig with Geforce 670 craps out during high intensity 3d graphics your doing it wrong. Maybe if you feel the need to run the latest Crytek or Unreal engine title at insane resolutions with all the bells and whistles on but specs haven't moved that much in the last years that your rig should break into a sweat.

Especially from the time on when the 360 pretty much became the main target platform for devs and PC versions turned into "console versions with better graphics"

I exclusively play on laptops and have for the last 6 to 8 years. If you choose one with a dedicated graphics processor you usually don't run into trouble even with first person shooters.

You might not be able to max out all the detail settings and filter options in every game buts it's usually good enough if you're not 3d graphics obsessed.

There are a few things I like about laptops.

- Take up less space. A dedicated gaming rig takes up a lot of space, even a middle of the road type desktop does. You basically need a desk just for your computer, you need a big case, lots of wires dangle everywhere etc. Laptop on the other hand is smaller, takes up much less real estate, causes less clutter and you can put it away when you don't need it.

- Mobility: People tend to use computers a lot more today. Online shopping, facebook, surfing the web, communication. You're better able to do that on a laptop. You pick it up and take it to the living room to chat with people while your SO watches TV. You take it on vacation to save your pictures from your digital camera. You take it to the grandparents when they want to see pictures of your latest trip or the grandkids. You can't do that on a dedicated desktop that needs a dedicated space in your house and stays there.

- noise level: my second to last dedicated gaming rig sounded like a fighter jet and it cost serious dollars to make the last one as silent as possible (water cooling, big fans, noise reduction components etc. Less of an issue with well designed laptops or stock PCs.

- dual use work/home shool/home: others already mentioned it

- most households only have one computer that has to cover most of the bases well enough.

- no longer more expensive than PCs with similar specs.

- focus shift in gaming. Most people no longer demand the best graphics but focus on other aspects of games (for example "fun" but I'm being snarky here). Casual, console and social games have shown that you can have fun gaming without the need to buy a $300 rig. Smart Phones and the iPad are also big reason why graphics performance is less important.

Your argument would still be valid if you'd compare your rig with a $500 - $800 PC from a brick and mortar store. Most people, not even many dedicated PC gamers, spend $2000 to $3000 on a computer and laptops and desktops of similar specs and capabilities basically cost the same today. Even if the laptop is a little bit more expensive you still get all of the advantages from owning a portable computer.

The biggest issue with laptop gaming apart from choosing a dedicated graphics solution was HD access time and speed and that has become a none issue with the advent of SSDs.

The biggest reason for those questions is not one of performance. It's usually sufficient for 95% of all games if you don't compulsively max out all options.

They ask because support for laptops is still abysmal. It's more an issue of "does the game run at all".

driver support for laptop 3d chipsets can be pretty crappy depending on the vendor (NVidia I'm looking at you) and the chipset. Diablo 3 for example still doesn't run AT ALL on the latest laptop chips of NVidia.

And even if games do run you can run into issues because the drivers aren't maintained as well or lag behind the dedicated ones, sometimes by several versions.

[Kageru]

Actually it's much easier to build a silent desktop PC. More air in the case and space let's you use larger fans at lower revolutions, passively cooled graphic cards (the main culprits) and better air-flows. My netbook has a noisier fan (and it can't run games) than my desktop which borders on silent. And even with the massive sales volume on laptops I'd still reckon a desktop has a sizable price / performance advantage.

Nor is my PC that large. Micro-atx has it at about the size of 2 shoe boxes and the cables mean I can arrange peripherals better. Have a real keyboard (buckling spring ftw!) in a good ergonomic position, real mouse, gamepad, huge monitor.

I still don't get SSD's. A real OS ram-cache's everything frequently accessed so they only matter for start-up time and a couple of seconds just doesn't phase me. Whereas 4-6 Tb of raw storage I do like. Of course this is partly because I don't switch my computer on and off that often.

Other than that, people can buy what they like and suits their use obviously, but the idea of living without a desktop chills me. I've got a claustrophobic, terrible inbuilt mouse and keyboard, netbook for portability (but nice form factor, weight and power use) but I'm so glad to get off it. And at work it pretty much needs a cabled keyboard, mouse, monitor and power to be practical so it takes up sizable space.

[Surlyboi]

I use a mouse when I game, but I can't use another monitor yet because the 2880 by 1800 on the onboard display makes everything else kinda crappy by comparison. Of course, the windows drivers for my display suck right now too, so I'm kinda stuck either way at 1920 by 1200 when running 'doze.

[Venkman]

I'm still building PCs for gaming, mostly because it's gotten so freakin' easy that I can spend less upgrading than I would on an annual laptop purchase.

At the same time, everything else I do is on my work MacBook running Win7 in VM (now and will forever hate all MS programs on the Mac side). I won't game on it, because I don't need to. I suppose in a pinch I could make it work, but I'll worry about that when I'm tired of the desktop experience.

The only advantage I see with a laptop is the battery for when power is lost, because I don't want to spend a couple hundred bucks on a new battery backup unit after the last one's battery acid ate through part of my hardwood floor :)

[koro]

I still don't get SSD's. A real OS ram-cache's everything frequently accessed so they only matter for start-up time and a couple of seconds just doesn't phase me. Whereas 4-6 Tb of raw storage I do like. Of course this is partly because I don't switch my computer on and off that often.

I didn't "get" SSDs until I played The Old Republic with someone who has it installed onto one. It usually takes me between 30 seconds and a minute to finish a planet's load screen on TOR. The SSD guy? Literally 2-3 seconds. He can also switch completely from one character to another in about five or ten seconds. It's crazy.

[apocrypha]

I still don't get SSD's. A real OS ram-cache's everything frequently accessed so they only matter for start-up time and a couple of seconds just doesn't phase me. Whereas 4-6 Tb of raw storage I do like. Of course this is partly because I don't switch my computer on and off that often.

Having your OS and key applications (eg. browser) installed on an SSD makes a huge difference to it's responsiveness and daily operation. It's really, really not just about startup time. Everything is snappier, launching programs from the SSD feels almost instant, it makes a huge difference.

With a desktop PC you put the OS on the SSD and everything else on as much HDD storage as you want, which means you get the best of both worlds. With a laptop you have to choose - SSD or HDD. Personally, these days, I'd go with the SSD and use a NAS or cloud storage for anything that wouldn't fit on the SSD.

I also didn't really get SSDs until I used a machine with the OS on one. Now all my PCs are SSD based. Try using something like Photoshop installed on an SSD, it's just awesome.

[Kageru]

Gimp (photoshop equivalent) 5 second launch, new browser ~2 seconds because it's ram cached... I wonder how much of the advantage of SSD comes from Windows being slow and stupid?

... but when I get my next computer I'll probably get one just because I like toys (and because I can have both SSD and 6Tb of disk).

[Surlyboi]

I still don't get SSD's. A real OS ram-cache's everything frequently accessed so they only matter for start-up time and a couple of seconds just doesn't phase me. Whereas 4-6 Tb of raw storage I do like. Of course this is partly because I don't switch my computer on and off that often.

Having your OS and key applications (eg. browser) installed on an SSD makes a huge difference to it's responsiveness and daily operation. It's really, really not just about startup time. Everything is snappier, launching programs from the SSD feels almost instant, it makes a huge difference.

With a desktop PC you put the OS on the SSD and everything else on as much HDD storage as you want, which means you get the best of both worlds. With a laptop you have to choose - SSD or HDD. Personally, these days, I'd go with the SSD and use a NAS or cloud storage for anything that wouldn't fit on the SSD.

I also didn't really get SSDs until I used a machine with the OS on one. Now all my PCs are SSD based. Try using something like Photoshop installed on an SSD, it's just awesome.

From power button press to full load of the desktop averages nine seconds for me right now. That's the advantage.

[naum]

I also didn't really get SSDs until I used a machine with the OS on one. Now all my PCs are SSD based. Try using something like Photoshop installed on an SSD, it's just awesome.

Once you use a SSD machine, you do not want to ever go back.

Even my underpowered MBA (CPU wise) screams -- boots and swaps apps instantaneously.

[lamaros]

My laptop has been great for the last three years. I find it much more useful than a desktop and it plays all the games I want to play.

[luckton]

So, my employer is planning to issue a bonus at the end of this month, and I find myself in the market for getting a laptop.  After debating the pros and cons of ultrabooks vs gaming vs generics, I think I've found a fair balance in this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=34-152-349

All the power and prestige of a gaming laptop, but not in a 17" monstrosity chassis.  Thoughts?

[Trippy]

Looks okay. Sounds a bit flimsy but if you need haul it around it's probably worth the trade off.

[Signe]

I never used a laptop before this last move.  I couldn't really take my desktop with me like I did the first time I moved to Britain.  It almost all I had in my luggage back then.  But I was young and silly.  I got a out of box special on an Alienware laptop.  I hated it, too.  Small screen and heavy as hell!  I did, however, bring my PS3 for games.  I'm used to the laptop now and it runs everything.  I would still like a desktop with a decent sized monitor for gaming but this is what I have and I'm not willing to dole out another chunk of change for another computer.  Okay, I'm willing but I don't have any money.   

I've never had a mobile phone, either.     But since I moved, I've found places (like Tesco Grocery Delivery) that ask for your mobile number when you order.  If you leave it blank, it won't let you continue.  It does, however, give you an example of what a mobile phone number looks like.  I just cut and paste their example into the space.  What else can I do?

[eldaec]

Been laptop gaming for the last 6 years.

I travel. Ergo, need laptop.

I have never had an issue running anything. I'm sure people used to have issues in 1995, but I have literally never had any compatibility issues whatsoever.

Always buy from a clevo reseller after my first horrid experience with an alienware machine. 15" or 17" depending on likely travel schedule.

Regarding hard drives. SSDs are awesome but expensive. Compromise I've found is a small SSD for the OS and a large Seagate hybrid for everything else (it uses a small amount of solid state to cache files).

[eldaec]

One thing I do miss is the ritual of building a new desktop PC. But apart from cost that is the only downside I have experienced switching to laptop.

[luckton]

Looks okay. Sounds a bit flimsy but if you need haul it around it's probably worth the trade off.

It's not gonna get hauled around that much.  If anything, 90% of the time it'll be in the living room so I can play on it while the Mrs. and I watch TV and such. 

[eldaec]

What else can I do?

Switch to Ocado.

[Signe]

What else can I do?

Switch to Ocado.

ooo.  I will.  I didn't know about them but they have EVERYTHING.  They weren't around when I was here last.  At least not in Portsmouth.

[eldaec]

They are a lot better with accurate estimates for delivery - plus they give the vans names (idk some people feel this is important).

Also waitrose supply most of the food, which is a good thing since Tesco has gone downhill quite dramatically since you were last over here.

[Signe]

I just canceled my order with Tesco and re-ordered mostly the same stuff with Ocado.  The bill went down 20 quid and I got another 20 off for my first order.  And they didn't make me lie about a mobile phone! Thanks!  That was awesome for real.

So not to be hijacking so much: 

The things I dislike about gaming on this laptop is mostly the small screen (14in. is not big enough!)  and no numeric keypad. 

[apocrypha]

We've got a bloke in our STO fleet who plays on a really shitty laptop. It's a nightmare. He can barely read chat, he's always the last to load into a zone, his mic picks up interference from.. well.. everything so you can't understand a word he says on Mumble and he regularly spends long stretches of time flying off into the distance because he can't see wtf is going on.

Mind you, I suspect he'd be a bit like that even if he was on a super uber whizzy gaming rig. Lovely guy, bit rubbish.

[Ironwood]

I never used a laptop before this last move.  I couldn't really take my desktop with me like I did the first time I moved to Britain.  It almost all I had in my luggage back then.  But I was young and silly.  I got a out of box special on an Alienware laptop.  I hated it, too.  Small screen and heavy as hell!  I did, however, bring my PS3 for games.  I'm used to the laptop now and it runs everything.  I would still like a desktop with a decent sized monitor for gaming but this is what I have and I'm not willing to dole out another chunk of change for another computer.  Okay, I'm willing but I don't have any money.   

I've never had a mobile phone, either.     But since I moved, I've found places (like Tesco Grocery Delivery) that ask for your mobile number when you order.  If you leave it blank, it won't let you continue.  It does, however, give you an example of what a mobile phone number looks like.  I just cut and paste their example into the space.  What else can I do?

Wait, are you back in the UK ?

[Signe]

I am.  :)

[Ironwood]

You have my every sympathy.  It's shite here.