Do I dare do this??? CF-19 trade up?

So my wife is getting uneasy with the CF-19 for a few reasons:

1) Not powerful enough to play her new Alice, madness returns game
2) No optical drive
3) Screen is too small

So I've devised some options, and I'm actually leaning towards the Dell!

Option 1:
$400 in my pocket trade for brand new purple Sony Vaio laptop
- 4GB RAM/640GB/i5 2.3GHz
- Backlit keyboard
- USB 3.0
- HDMI output
- No WWAN option (NO ATT)
- Windows 7
- 5+ hour battery
- No dock capability
- Bluetooth

Option 2:
Trade in CF-19 + dock for $1000 and pay $400 more for CF-53.
- 4GB RAM/320GB 7200 RPM/i5 2.5GHz
- Backlit Keyboard
- USB 3.0
- HDMI output
- GOBI 2000 card gives ATT and GPS
- Windows 7
- Semi rugged with handle
- 6+ hour battery
- Gobi 2000 with ATT and GPS
- Bluetooth
- NO FINGERPRINT READER
- NON TOUCH
- Need new docking bay in the future

Option 3:
Trade in SX270 for a full sized tower with dedicated video card
- Powerful to play game
- Dedicated video.
- BIG, and clunky
Option 4:
Dell Latitude E6420. Trade and pay $250 more ($1250 total cost)
- i5 2.5/4GB/250GB
- 14” HD multi touch TOUCHSCREEN
- 3 Year warranty
- Bluetooth
- GOBI 3000 with ATT activated and GPS
- Dedicated NVS 4200M 512MB Dedicated video
- Fingerprint reader

Current setup:
CF-19 MK1/Touchscreen/100G/1.5G/Emmisive keyboard/Fingerprint/Bluetooth/NO GPS/ATT card

Thoughts?

 

I actually saw one of those dells the other day. I quite liked it, seems sturdy too. And that high praise coming from a dell hater like me.

The older quadro cards tended to overheat though. I dunno if this is a problem on the new ones also. Regardless, cleaning it out regularly wont be a problem for you, so i doubt that is an issue for concern.

Avoid the Vaio's. While I didn't have any problems with mine. Users report a load of faults with em. Everything from unreliable batteries to faulty GPUs mobos and screens. Think of a component, and they've they've reported it.

 

Same problem I run into and try to do work arounds for every time I am home for gaming on toughbooks. For the amount of graphics power needed for that game you can't just do a graphics driver tweak or a software booster. You are going to need a dedicated card. I just purchased a used alienware m11x for that reason. Small and light weight for travel. This is what I have come up with for your problem.

Let's look at your minimum requirements needed just to make the game work and keep in mind this shows desktop video cards so you will need more in a mobile graphics card.

Alice Madness Returns Minimum System Requirements

OS: Windows 7 SP1, Windows Vista with SP2, Windows XP with SP3

CPU: Intel Core2 Duo (or equivalent) running at 1.60GHz or greater; AMD Athlon X2 (or equivalent) running at 1.60GHz or greater.

RAM: 2048MB or greater

HDD: 8.5 GB

GFX: NVIDIA GeForce 7600 256MB or ATI Radeon X1650 256MB or greater*

Direct X: DirectX 9.0c compatible

* Please note that NVIDIA GeForce 8400, 9400, 210; ATI Radeon HD 2400, HD 3200, HD 4300 as well as integrated versions of supported chipsets are below minimum system requirements

[Minimum requirements are the bare minimum to get the game playing. In some cases you may even need to reduce the screen resolution.]


Option 1:
$400 in my pocket trade for brand new purple Sony Vaio laptop
- 4GB RAM/640GB/i5 2.3GHz
- Backlit keyboard
- USB 3.0
- HDMI output
- No WWAN option (NO ATT)
- Windows 7
- 5+ hour battery
- No dock capability
- Bluetooth

Option 2:
Trade in CF-19 + dock for $1000 and pay $400 more for CF-53.
- 4GB RAM/320GB 7200 RPM/i5 2.5GHz
- Backlit Keyboard
- USB 3.0
- HDMI output
- GOBI 2000 card gives ATT and GPS
- Windows 7
- Semi rugged with handle
- 6+ hour battery
- Gobi 2000 with ATT and GPS
- Bluetooth
- NO FINGERPRINT READER
- NON TOUCH
- Need new docking bay in the future

Option 3:
Trade in SX270 for a full sized tower with dedicated video card
- Powerful to play game
- Dedicated video.
- BIG, and clunky
Option 4:
Dell Latitude E6420. Trade and pay $250 more ($1250 total cost)
- i5 2.5/4GB/250GB
- 14” HD multi touch TOUCHSCREEN
- 3 Year warranty
- Bluetooth
- GOBI 3000 with ATT activated and GPS
- Dedicated NVS 4200M 512MB Dedicated video
- Fingerprint reader

Current setup:
CF-19 MK1/Touchscreen/100G/1.5G/Emmisive keyboard/Fingerprint/Bluetooth/NO GPS/ATT card

1: Sony's seem to hold a little more value than some of the other laptops. Usually have a thin and light approach. I will need more info on the video card, but the other specs are fine.


2:No go on the CF-53 integrated graphics, Intel® HD 3000 graphics. That have made a good leap, but still not good enough.


3 esktop, good option, CHEAP to build. More later.


4:All good BUT the quadro card. That is a cad/graphics design card. It's close to a 520m but the drivers are what holds those type cards back. I had a nvs140 in a thinkpad. Good card, but fell on it's face with low unplayable frame rates on games like resident evil 4, even though the card was above minimum specs. She may be very unhappy trying to play a slide show instead of a game. I am unsure of this card.
NVIDIA NVS 4200M - Notebookcheck.net Tech
It may work, but at lower settings.

OPTIONS:

1: VIDOCK it is a external video card that plugs in though the express card slot. You can use a desktop video card on your toughbook. I have ASUS XG station. ( same thing, just short lived product, discontined) You can also upgrade the video card later on just like a desk top. Here on NBR look up "DIY VIDOCK" for the thread on how to make your own. I have used my XG station on my MK1 CF-30 and CF-19.
Cons: you will need a external monitor for it to work so you might as well do the whole external keyboard and mouse too.

2: CF-52 with 3650 mobility ati, need to do more research on this card, not sure it it will do it. I don't know if the ati in your CF-31 will or not either, the drivers may be slowing the card down so??? I just haven't had a chance to play with them.

3: desktop: this is going to be your cheapest option. You can get a cheap desktop with a dual core, 4 gb of ram for cheap with out blinking. Throw as 450 to 550 power supply in there and make sure it has a pci express x 16 slot for a video card. You won't need the latest top of the line card, but do a little home work and get a good one. You won't spend over 130 max probably less.
Off of ebay last time home I have a Aurora R4 Alienware desktop I got for under 200 shipped to my door. They stripped the older cards out of it and put a cheap card in there for it to work. I have put one, but will drop the other 250 video card I have in there. On the windows index I am already at 6.8 with just one card. There is one more like it on ebay I am working on getting for my son right now if it doesn't go too high. (that works good, he brings good grades home and gets computer upgrades) But this type is as you call it "bulky"
eBay - New & used electronics, cars, apparel, collectibles, sporting goods & more at low prices

On the small side you can get something like a LAN BOX case or a ARMOR case. Very small but you can put all the bigger components in them. This is the travel around rig I just bought. It usually only takes one card. I plan to upgrade this one to a core2duo and drop one of the older video cards I have at home in it. I have found matching ram for it and it's sitting at home waiting for me already.
eBay - New & used electronics, cars, apparel, collectibles, sporting goods & more at low prices

( My rig before the alien is a HP multia-media platform dual 2.3, 250 video card, 550 power supply, 3gb ram, w7/ My sons current rig is dell optiplex 745, dual 2.4, 6gb ram, 6850 low profile card (needed for case clearance )
Also check out http://www.tomshardware.com/
Tom's builds three desktops each month for gaming big dollar rig, med rig, and budget rig. Look for SYSTEM BUILDER MARATHON http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/core-i5-fx-6100-overclock-benchmark,3099.html Now his budget machine is 600 but then again they are using all new parts to make a new machine.

Now if you just want to get crazy go with the new AMD x8 core, 16 gb ram, ssd drives, and three graphics cards in one machine.

4: Gaming Laptops - XOTIC PC - Gaming Notebooks - Custom Laptops - Custom Notebooks
Gaming boutique seller. Have a very good rep. I haven't personally but next time I buy new it will be from them. You can even buy a laptop with them with no windows on it to save money if you already have the disk. Come with warranty and customer support. Check them out, and even check there rep online. First few on there site are under 750 with 520 and 540 cards in them.

 

Definitely the( /or a) CF-53. Hold off and wait for a TS.

My personal favorite bugs and all is the CF-52 TS. I think the "normal" CF-52 has too wide a screen...prone to flexing and damage. The 53 with a 14 screen would be sweet. Then there is the dual touch- touch pad. All kinds of coolness. And best of all it's a Panasonic.

BWDIK

Jeff (but what do I know )

 

I'd go with the CF-53 + Vidock or the new Cf-52. I believe it has the only 15.4" LED 1920x1200 display on the market and a fairly decent graphics card. Only downside is the battery life since switchable graphics is not an option in this model afaik

 

She has decided to go with the Dell Latitude.

I have some more info here.

That Alice game runs FLAWLESSLY in HIGH graphics on my CF-31 in ATI video mode. It ALSO RUNS FINE IN LOW video mode in Intel shared GPU!

My wife doesn't care to have the high graphics with 16x antialising blah blah blah! It's one game. When she beats it she'll be done playing games until the next Alice comes out (in 5+ years no doubt). She isn't a gamer! PERIOD.

I know that the NVS is a workstation GPU, NOT a gaming GPU. I understand that they are 2 completely different things.

That Dell really is nice. I was reading up on it more too. I'd say it's ALMOST (almost because Dell will NEVER be up to snuff to Pansonic on this matter) ALMOST as durable as the CF-53. It's WAY more powerful and has more features too (dual touchscreen), Better video, fingerprint reader).

Ordering it today

 

Are the touchscreens available on the regular E-series Dells now? They used to only be an option on the ATG models.

 

It appears to be that way. The XPS (Inspirons on steroids) offer touch screens too. Normal Inspirons & Alienwares don't have touch option.

It's a multi touch screen too. You can use it like an iPhone/Android to make stuff bigger and smaller.

Here is a pretty decent review here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SL7ODhcpFk4