bob_nj

My Feedback: (62)

I may be getting a job that will take me out of my home state for about 3 months.
I want to buy a laptop and a new copy of AFPD to take with me.

I know nothing about laptops.
The requirements for ram and a video card are making it difficult for me, and I'm getting frustrated.

I want a good system with more than the minimum requirements listed on the aerofly site.
It's also understood that a 128mb video card is the way to go.

A friend priced out a Dell online today with all of the specs I needed.
He emailed me the cart, but I can't get into it.

The system was what I wanted and was about $1300 with some warranty and extended what's its and doo dads.

Can anyone give me an item number, brand name, yada yada yada that works for them so I can order one soon?

Thanks and have a good holiday_bob

rfaster

My Feedback: (1)

Dell - you will need to get either the 9300 series - or the XPS Gen 2. Either one would suit your needs - the later being a bit more expensive due to an ultra video card. I'm running AFPD on a XPS Gen 2 and it runs like a champ!

bob_nj

My Feedback: (62)

Thanks for the reply.

I will look at those models and see what I can determine.

Can you explain to me the type of RAM needed?
My friend was explaining something about shared ram versus non shared, but I missed the point and the difference.

Thanks, and have a good holiday_bob

LeeU

My Feedback: (5)

I second the XPS Gen 2, AFP D screams on it and the 17" LCD is perfect for AFP D. PC Magazine would not rate the XPS G2 against other laptops, so they rated it against desktops, it came in 5th. LeeU

gboulton

My Feedback: (15)

I'm running AFPD on my Lattitude D800, 2GB RAM, 64 MB Nvidia G-Force4 video card.

It runs flawlessly, and the ONLY time it hesitates is if I load the screen up with smoke. (I can fly with smoke on no problem...if I saturate the screen with smoke, like hovering with smoke on for example) it'll drag a touch...nothing unflyable, just noticable.

Beyond that, it runs like a dream.

rfaster

My Feedback: (1)

He is probably talking about main memory being shared and used to process VIDEO. I would stay away from "SHARED" anything! - In fact you won't find shared memory on any of the newer performance laptop's - go with 128 Megs of memory on your laptop video at a Minimum since this is not something you can change "easily"...

The 9300 is probably going to be your best VALUE - check out the Dell refurb site since they have super deals from time to time.

bob_nj

My Feedback: (62)

Thanks rfaster!
Dell lists the memory for the 9300 as 512MB Dual Channel DDR2 ****M at 533Mhz 2 Dimm.
Does any of that say, "shared"?

I'll take your advice and lood at the refurb site_bob

ramitdayal

Hi !!

As u are well aware buying a sim can be really frustrating especially when you dont have a state of the art machine and some cosely matched sims to choose from....

Im confused regarding the specs of my laptop and doubts whether it can support AFPD...saw your post and felt your remarks might be very relevant....

I currently have a Toshiba Laptop (A75 S226). Its a P4 with a ATI Mobility Radeon 900 graphics card with 64 MB shared Video RAM upto 128MB.

The clock speed is 3.00Mhz with 512MB DDR ****m

Looking forward to your advise....

Thanks!!

ramitdayal

Hi !!

As u are well aware buying a sim can be really frustrating especially when you dont have a state of the art machine and some cosely matched sims to choose from....

Im confused regarding the specs of my laptop and doubts whether it can support AFPD...saw your post and felt your remarks might be very relevant....

I currently have a Toshiba Laptop (A75 S226). Its a P4 with a ATI Mobility Radeon 900 graphics card with 64 MB shared Video RAM upto 128MB.

The clock speed is 3.00Mhz with 512MB DDR ****m

Looking forward to your advise....

Thanks!!

ramitdayal

[:@] I wish i had done this much research before buying my laptop .....

opjose

That particular Mobility Radeon, uses a "shared"memory scheme.

As so succintly posted, shared memory is awful for 3D application.

Laptop's and some desktops utilize inexpensive single chip video controllers, which are soldered directly onto the system board.

To save space, weight, power consumption but most importantly COSTS, the vendors will offer these on the majority of their systems.

The on board chip uses or borrows RAM memory from the main system memory.

Usually dedicated video memory system use RAM which operates at a much higher speed than system memory. This used to be designated as VRAM for Video Ram.

When a chip "borrows" system memory, it must use/access the memory when there is nothing else using the data access pathes to the memory. e.g. when the processor is not accessing it.

As a result this scheme produces VERY poor performance for 3D. However it lets the vendor CLAIM 3D capabilities on laptops that otherwise would not have it.

More expensive "gaming" systems, use descreet video controller hardware. On these systems a seperate set of IC's (or chips) with their own RISC like processor handle graphics tasks. This processor has it's own dedicated VRAM.
128 to 256 megs of VRAM is pretty standard with this configuration.

Some purchasers are available of this distinction, as a result some vendors have purposely obfuscated the whole issue by offering "Turbo Cache" video adapters touted as having 128megs (such as the aforementioned mobility...) when in point of fact the memory is being "borrowed" from the main board ram.

In actuallity, these are nothing more than a variant of the older shared memory schemes. STAY AWAY!

If the system you are looking at does not have a significant price increase over similiarly equipped models, then it is likely using a shared memory scheme.

Dedicated units typically have a minimum cost difference of about 200-300.00, which encompases the extra hardware.

However this is WELL SPENT.

Windows Visita will take advantage of all of this. Users with shared memory laptops will be SOL.

All of this has a big impact on 3D programs, games and similiar applications.

Laptops with the ATI X600's, Nvidia Go 5700-6800's etc will do very will with AFDP and other graphics intensive applications.

If the laptop will run DOOM 3 or HL2 w/o problems, then you will have no problem with AFDP and other sims.

With a laptop you are usually stuck with what you initially purchase.

DON'T shortchange yourself. It will cost you more later!

Opt for the 1+ gig RAM memory, 256megs video ram, 100 gig hard drive, etc.

Yes it hurts the wallet, but if you don't get it right away, your new baby will not last you as long, and you will be pining for a newer better unit before you would have otherwise.

The extra expense will translate into an extra year or two of ownership.

matt3D

I have a older dell inspiron 8500 and it can play HL2, BF, afp(d), just fine, with only a 32mb video card. I am going to upgrade to an ati radeon 9600 pro turbo 128mb, so I can play BF2...(I'm waiting for my gpu to come in.) To me, Dell is good, but they are expensive, only because of their name. Dell doesn't make their laptops, except for the xps version ones. A different company makes them. I wish I would have knew about Sager laptops before I got my dell, but thats ok, because my dell is fine. They have great components at a cheeper price. Here is an excellent laptop: http://www.discountlaptops.com/index...egory_theme=c1

Matt