Which is better for gaming?

Hi,
Im looking at the HP dv9500t to use as a gaming laptop. Im not a hardcore gamer so i dont think i have to go for a real gaming notebook. I only play games like Sim City 4, Caesar IV, Medieval 2: Total War, 1701 A.D., and games of that sort so i dont need i need a very powerful notebook. Im trying to decide if I should get the 17.0" WSXGA+ High-Definition HP BrightView Widescreen Display (1680 x 1050) or the 17.0" WXGA+ High-Definition Ultra HP BrightView Widescreen Display (1440 x 900). The Ultra Brightview has an improved color gamut by 72% but it adds a pound to the already 7.6 pound notebook.

 

I thought Medieval 2 was quite graphics intensive. I don't think a IGP will cut it.

 

the system requirements on the box says that it only requires a 128mb graphics card. The dv9500t has a 512mb graphics card.

 

Well, if its anything dedicated, then thats fine. I would get the lighter one if you plan to lug it around a lot, but if you are like me, I only my laptop like 3 times a year so I would get the slightly heavier one.

 

last time i checked it didnt have 512mb video ram......it has 511 for that matter which means 256 dedicated and 255 shared

if you can find yourself a notebook with 512mb dedicated that would be great, otherwise go with the 256mb i guess. total war is graphics intensive unless you want to play the game at low resolution or medium-low settings. just my opinion

 

so which screen should i choose?

 

nothing less then 15.4", ideally get a 17" glossy finish, higher resolution (17.0" WSXGA+ High-Definition HP BrightView Widescreen Display (1680 x 1050)). I always think they look nicer

Really though, it might be better for you to take a trip into your local laptop store and have aplay with similar models - then you can choose what you think is the nicest, not what others think are the nicest.

 

I made a thread about this choice myself a while back. I got more people saying to go with the high res than the brighter one. One person even said that they got the bright one and had to turn the brightness down. Why add an extra pound, loose resolution, and cost more? If I were you I would go with the High Res choice. Let me know how it works as I will be buying a laptop for college in about a year.

 

i'd take the high res choice.

in response to blackwidow99's comment about the 512mb of vram, i don't think any mobile card can effectively use 512mb of vram. it's just there for marketing purposes.

 

Alright i will be getting the dv9500t with the WSXGA+ screen

 

To some extent thats true, but since youve got dx10 games coming out soon like crysis, they tend to use more than 256 vram at max setting . I also just read the poster's thread again and hes not gonna be using intensive graphics on this system. If thats the case then its pretty decent for what hes wanting.

But i still wonder about total war.....I have not played or have the game myself to test it out, but people who have this game says that its intensive. hmmm....i could be wrong!

 

Good choice. I still maintain though that you should go and have a try before you buy session at your local hardware store.

 

thanks for all the help guys