[Stratodog]

I like the desktop better IMHO...if a component blows out, go throw another one in for relatively cheap. I went through HELL trying to keep that laptop running for the 5 years I had it. Bought it for $1200 at the time...sold it for $200 when it became a paper weight. 8)

I agree about the desktop. Although my gaming laptop runs Il-2 very well, with high fps, I'd rather have a desktop rig that I could modify/fix/tweak more freely. Unfortunately I live in a very small house and I'm gone from home a lot so I need a portable situation.

[Eexhaton]

I'm using a Dell Vostro 1500 as my default machine.

2.0 Intel Centrino Dualcore
1024 DDR Ram
256 MB Nvidia Geforce 6800M GT unshared video.

And with my IL2 set to my 2nd core it runs somewhere in between 12-40FPS @ 1024x768 windowed OpenGL mode.
Settings; - I guess it's Perfect or "Near Perfect" - as I like to call it.

VisibilityDistance=3
Sky=2
Forest=3
LandShading=3
LandDetails=2
LandGeom=3
Water=4
TypeClouds=1

IL2 (most demanding) mods:
HG,P&W Uranium FX & 3D 50cal smoketrail
Philip.ed Smoke
Flushy's Clouds & Bumpmap
OLC Fps Boost V2
VpMedia's Mapmods
Tiger33 Sound
ZloyPetrushkO AAA mods
Certificate AI mod

It suffers from long loading times and sometimes a little low FPS when i'm running FireFox and Photoshop in the background, but it manages quite nice If I may say so.
The machine is starting to show some age - and I should have bought an Asus instead of a Dell, but that is what I know now, 3 years later :lol:

[Fireskull]

Good day,

Have a look at the large list of u-build and customizable gaming laptop companies:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POvI8yLHJRc

[Guest]

Sony vaio here. 2.00 dual core pocessor, 4gb ram and an ati 4650 gpu Plays il-2 and bob2 really well

[AKA_Mountain]

Good thread.

One of the features I'd like to have is a port replicator but these are usually associated with business laptops that don't come offered with the higher end gaming graphics cards. Looked at the Dell Latitude and Toshiba Portege.......just reading up on specs. I've got a Latitude at work with port replicator and am very satisfied. It runs process simulators and CAD software with ease.

I'm avoiding the thought of a USB docking station entirely.

[Fireskull]

Good day, bro

The Dell Latitude seems to be a great product line to consider after I looked more closely into it. Personally, I tend to prefer products by USA companies, but I do sometimes get non-USA products if it is vastly superior. The Latitude line of laptops has a bunch of options-wow!, and I'm impressed with that. Now you have me reconsidering Dell.

As you seem to already know, business laptops tend to be very lame when it comes to high powered gaming. With IL-2 and the coming Storm of War in a few months, you will need to look for DirectX 11 graphic cards which also are powerful and included in the laptop which you are considering.

In a couple months, NVIDIA will have their new line with DirectX 11 and the next generation PhysX techology. If you can wait, then I recommnend to keep looking until that time.

If you just can't wait to scratch your itch, then ATI has a bunch of great cards right now with DirectX 11. The upper 5000 series would do nicely, but of course get the best that you want to afford. Some guys are having driver issues with some of the ATI cards. This is only an issue for an agressive user and knowledgeable person to handle.

So, you are looking at what is available from Toshiba. By the way, since you seem to not mind overseas companies for laptops, look into the Sony line, too. Sony and Toshiba just might be the best business laptops in the world, but this doesn't mean that they could render IL-2 and Storm of War the best. Here is where you must pay close attention to the details.

By the way, I have read that there are plugged port replicators available. I don't use them yet, so I don't know the details.

ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5870

At the website from the link below this, look at the right of the page for the classes of gaming graphics cards. Especially, look at the Mobility Radeon HD 5870.

"At the time of announcement (Jan 2010) the 5870 paired with GDDR5 memory should be the fastest laptop GPU (except SLI/CF) available." My comment on this is that getting a Dell Latitude with ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5870 and GDDR5 memory would run IL-2 quite nicely, and likely Storm of War, too.

Here are the links:
My favorite website about laptop and notebook reviews:

Laptop, Notebook, and Graphic Cards Reviews - links to the reviews
http://www.notebookcheck.net/Intel-Grap ... 883.0.html
(Notice the long list of laptops under review further down the page. Graphic cards reviewed in the list to the right-get DirectX 11!)

ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5870 with DirectX 11 for laptops Reviewed - "fastest laptop GPU" ( Jan 2010 ) ( other than SLI and Crossfire)
http://www.notebookcheck.net/ATI-Mobili ... 073.0.html

Dell Latitude Laptops
http://www.dell.com/latitude
Dell Latitude E5500 15.4" Laptop
http://www.dell.com/content/products/pr ... l=en&s=bsd

AKA_Mountain, I hope that I helped. It was good of you to post your laptop quest issues in this topic-good thinking!

[Nadia]

Been on a Toshiba "Satellite" notebook since first introduced to IL2 in 2004. This 3Ghz pentium4thread lasted 6 Years before the Ati card started giving up,
(GForce whent bad first), and some plugging power issues, (switching to battery when plugged) forced me out.
Cooling was always an issue too. That was a beast. Very good WIDE screen and superb-sound; XP sp2.
Now I am on a SAMSUNG with i3 core 2,13ghz and windows7, 'temporarily', cause I would really really like a monster of
a portable with a i7 core!!! Sure to OVERHEAT AGAIN! HP and Toshiba said to have one each. :twisted:

[Fireskull]

Been on a Toshiba "Satellite" notebook since first introduced to IL2 in 2004. This 3Ghz pentium4thread lasted 6 Years before the Ati card started giving up,
(GForce whent bad first), and some plugging power issues, (switching to battery when plugged) forced me out.
Cooling was always an issue too. That was a beast. Very good WIDE screen and superb-sound; XP sp2.
Now I am on a SAMSUNG with i3 core 2,13ghz and windows7, 'temporarily', cause I would really really like a monster of
a portable with a i7 core!!! Sure to OVERHEAT AGAIN! HP and Toshiba said to have one each. :twisted:

Yes, HP and Toshiba have gaming laptops that can be used for all the other typical computer things and still be able to run games and simulations like IL-2 fairly well. If you can afford it, then look into getting an Alienware PC with i7 and SLI.


IMPORTANT: Storm of War will be released in a few months. It will run DirectX 11. Current late model ATI cards run DirectX 11 now and NVIDIA will have their line of DirectX 11 cards in full production in a few months.

I am saving my money over the next few months to get a lightning fast PC for Storm of War and IL-2.

[Glider]

I started out with a Dell XPS but am a diehard Sager fan these days having owned two of them. I fly with perfect settings and have no stutters whatsoever. The one I currently have is a 17" Core2Duo, 2G Ram, 7950GTX vid card, XP Pro. At home I connect it to a 22" LCD but use the laptop most the time as my internet connection is crap at home so I go to the office and fly using the WiFi there on the Weekends.

[Fireskull]

Here's a link to my tech topic where I cover cooling of laptops:

viewtopic.php?p=311642#311642


Should I put this link in the first post? Maybe I should make this into a special tech topic for laptops?