"Future-Proof" Laptop

We can future proof this thread by keeping it on topic.

I always see what games I can play on no matter what notebook I have though. I even throw a few on my SU4100 / GMA 4500MHD netbook! It's fun to see what works and always end up playing some classics that I probably would have otherwise overlooked.

 

My dad's quote for technology: "The moment you buy something it is outdated."

 

He must be a smart man! Its kinda the same with cars, the moment you drive it out of the store it looses 40%? of its value, even though you have only just driven it outside...

 

lol the way to do it is buy something thats really good compared to what else is out there and for a good price, and then in 2-4 years buy a new one, and keep the old one to use as a print server or something.

 

What about laptop leasing? I know Dell offers this.... Maybe you can lease an Alienware and trade it in every 2 years for a new top of the line model.

 

comparing apples to oranges, there are still many people driving around in cars made in the 80s.


with electronics buy it and never look back. 3weeks ago i sold my 2 year old desktop which cost more than 2grand when it was built for 550.

also dont lease if you can afford to buy it. same logic goes for cars.

 

The only future-proof laptop, is one which is bought with the fastest available GPU.

Example: that's why the 8800M GTX is still a potent option, for at least another year.

 

This is why I never again will spend more than $800 or so on a notebook, or around $400 on a desktop.

 

I guess you aren't a gamer or a heavy application user? If so, there is no reason to spend that much on a computer in the first place!

Otherwise, the hard-core users does need too...

 

Laptops tend to be less "future-proof" then desktops. I have a 2.5 year old desktop with a 4870 1GB graphics card, and it still is able to play most new games on mostly maxed settings on a 1920x1080 monitor with a second monitor (1680x1050) for web browsing and such. My Alienware M17x and Clevo P170HM both have a 6970M and I have similar, albeit sometimes higher, frame rates in most games compared to my desktop. Keep in mind these laptops are not even a few weeks old. Laptop graphics card's are noticeably weaker than the desktop versions.

Technology will always keep getting better, faster, and stronger, according to Moore's Law. If you get the best graphics card now, in 2 years it'll be an average card, if you get an average graphics card now, it'll be pretty weak in 2 years.

 

@ Z-Evolution - My point exactly. If you buy a laptop today with the intent to play a few games you already own or maybe a few games to be released in the very near future, fine. But if you buy a laptop with a mid-grade GPU and are not happy it can't manage newer games in a couple years, you shouldn't be surprised by it.

You can do the math and look at it from a high end notebook perspective too. Spend $2500 for a high end laptop, that in 2.5 years have the option to update to a more powerful CPU and/or GPU for another $500-600, but still won't be near performance of whatever is top end after 2.5 years. Or spend < $1500 for a high end mid grade GPU (like NP8130) and in two years or so buy another laptop for $1500 sell your existing one for $500. Both will get you about 4-5 years.

 

The reason why desktops are still popular is because they are more power and overall more cheaper for gaming and for good reasons. The reason I got my Precision because I got lucky. I paid medium-grade laptop money for a high-end machine when the opportunity rose. However am I going to really buy a Precision at full price? Heck no, it is not even worth it. For me $1500 is already the upper boundary for a gaming or high-end notebook and if you need more power as a long-term investment, stick with a good desktop.

I would get high-end system like Alienwares and Precisions if there are in outlet prices. I would never buy them full and at retail.

 

it all really just comes down to the buyers personality and financial situation.


laptop speed will always a big margin behind desktop, but the dollar/performance ratio of laptops seem to be getting better compared to 4 years ago. the new 6990m arent half bad and not super expensive either.

 

I personally think desktops will be gone in 20-30 years. Everything will be laptops or tablets.

 

This will happen if the OEM's and Computer Corporations start developing a more universal and open platform for laptops that has user-customization and accessibility options (MXM for instance). Furthermore, lowering the price can help a bit. If they can nail those down then desktops are going to face their demise.

Otherwise, desktops are to stay for now and still growing decently strong and stubborn for now.

 

If they want to continue to make more profit, then they need to make portable PC's modular like desktops. People will be much more likely then to hang on to their laptops for 3-4 years if they have no option to upgrade them. And this defeats the whole idea of getting smaller with less power, because a modular system requires a lot more room, and possibly higher power requirements.

 

The problem with MXM is that it's not a true standard. Every MXM card is different, Alienware has a different way of swapping out MXM cards than Clevo's do. The standard needs to become more standardized, right now it's a bit of a pain.

 

However it is still a standard that can be considered universal as long as all OEM's start following its protocol as they should .

 

But that's the problem, it's not truly universal yet. You have to go through a process if you want a 6970M from Clevo in an Alienware M17x. If it was a true universal standard, you'd take the card, plug and play, no issue, no worrying about screws and all.

 

Most people aren't. Laptops depreciated so fast now. Desktops a somewhat better. I built all of mine and if they get too old, I can put in a new board, chip and memory, then I'm good to go.

 

Even though desktops are so much more future-proof, I'm done with them. I like going to Starbucks and being able to do what I want on my laptop without being restricted by poor hardware. DTR's can be expensive but are far more maneuverable and easier to manage in my opinion.

 

I had a DTR for a while and it's not all it's cracked up to be. I can buy a good desktop for gaming plus a reasonably fast laptop for significantly less of the cost of a high end DTR like Alienware M18x.

 

Unless you get one for around $1400 like I did. Otherwise getting something like a M18x at face retail value is not worth it at all.

 

Some DTR's from certain companies are quite overly priced, I'd consider looking around for a more affordable DTR. Although you do have a point, DTR's are not nearly as well equipped as a similarly priced desktop.

 

Why not have both? My X220i, while imminently more portable, will never match the performance of my hexa core desktop, which I do need from time to time.

 

i think its funny how people will take thing like the m17x r2 and put dual 6990ms in them when the current m17x r3 can only hold one graphics card.

 

I do, but it's a cost thing, not everyone can put down the money on both, I sure didn't.

 

Its not wierd at all.
The m17x r2 being a 17" 16:10 ratio screen just has the extra space required for a CrossfireX setup.
What it doesent have is a powerbrick that will supply the needed power without getting stressed.
If they made a bios mod that would accept the m18x powerbrick then it would be great.

Oh how i miss my 15" 1920x1200 screen.

 

I already had a DTR, didn't work for me, although I know it will for some. My point is that I will end up with a powerful desktop and a reasonably powerful laptop for about $1600 total between the two, compared with a DTR that costs at least $2000 alone.

 

^ Basically that, though be warned you'll have to spend quite a bit of money (albeit less if you get a 6990m vs a 580m). Add the best available CPU and you have something to last.

But to expect more than 3 years at reasonable framerates and resolutions from a mid-range GPU is (IMHO, not intended to hurt anyone) to dream a lot.

 

Why is it funny? What does the R3 holding one card have to do with people upgrading the R2? Not trying to be sarcastic I just don't get what you mean.

 

Probably the fact that the previous iteration of the laptop actually supported two cards, and the newer one only a single card.

 

Also the fact that it has a better screen too.

 

I am glad for this community because it made the R2 more "future Proof", with the Video card upgrades to the 6970, also they are working on the 6990's and an Nvidia solution as well. I didn't really like Dell's branding this time around as it makes it seem that the R3 is the successor to the R2, but it is really not. The M18x truly is the successor to the R2 while the R3 is a replacement for the M15x.

 

I don't get it either. Alienware's are big for the screen sizes they carry, and rarely can fit similar components as the competition at least for 15"-17" laptops. Asus, MSI, and Clevo all fit 100W cards in their 15" machines, dual cooling systems, 4 slots for RAM, dual drive bays plus optical (well not Clevo). Yet Alienware requires a 17" to do all that, and a large 17" at that. They seem to be losing their edge. Even the M14x, while a nice machine, is overpriced for what you get.

 

Hopefully, it will cause Alienware to stand up and pay attention and get better with their future "R4" products. We gamers win out in the end thanks to competition.

 

minor correction MSI and asus dont fit 100w cards in their 15 machines, only clevo does that. And what is the TDP of the gtx 570m? if its lower neither company does put 100w TDP cards in their laptops, unless MSI launched a model with a gtx 580m

 

You're right, I stand corrected. For some reason I was thinking Asus put a 6970 in theirs.

 

I agree the m14x weighs almost as much as my clevo p150hm and my machine has a 485m in it, and its a 15inch. and alienware systems seem to be more boxy, than clevos.

 

The P150HM is a solid machine, my only gripe with it is the lack of a switchable graphics card which other models from other companies offer.

 

Yes. I love the NP8130 I have. But dismal battery life is making me return it and go with the HP unfortunately. Saves me about $500 but still, the Sager is preferable, by far the best combination of components except for switchable graphics.

 

There are lower end Clevo's that offer Optimus, and their dedicated cards are GT555M's, not bad machines. Although it would be nice if the P150HM and P170HM offered switchable graphics.

 

honestly i don't want switchable graphics. whats the point of using a laptop like this on battery if it can't even run at its full potential. just get a netbook, and one of these. i have a droid og, and i just use pocket cloud to access my computer files from anywhere and then i can use my computer over the internet if i need to do something more demanding.

 

The Clevo's are surprisingly compact and lightweight compared to other company's gaming machines, and getting a netbook is another thing for customers to research and purchase and carry around. Having everything you need in one laptop makes things much easier.

 

Ya but your laptop/desktop is probably 9999999 pounds?

 

Ya but why pay so much now so you can have a laptop for 5-6 years when you can get a new laptop every 3 years and get better specs for less, Like my dad says, "Technology advance 2x more every 2 years. i.e year 2000=2 2001=4
2002=8." So you can never buy a future proof laptop.

 

whats future proof to you guys? to me when you can at least run games playable at medium. my 9800m gts (bought at the end of 2008 summer i think) still can run i believe every game on the market, however i dont play every game, i barely game. hitman series, splinter cell series, nba, pes, silent hunter and pretty much it. I try sometimes hit games.

 

future proof, to me, means that it will not under-perform in the near future. a future proof GPU is one which will last a few years, at a respectable level of gaming.

I only keep notebooks for 2 to 3 years. I will spend whatever is necessary to keep me from having to compromise graphics and resolution settings within that span.

The last thing I want to have to do, with a brand new gaming notebook, is click on a graphics menu, and start deciding which eye candy must be sacrificed.

I may not be alive in three years, so tomorrow's technology doesn't matter to me. I buy the best of today.

 

oops double post

 

That's a good way of looking at it, but may also be the same mentality that causes so many people to go into debt and jack up the economy, but let's not talk about that

I agree with your viewpoint though, I don't buy new tech very often, but when I do, it's the best of the best. A DTR can last long if you put enough into it.