Gaming laptop - guidance for an idiot - HP DV6-1216sa?

olibrofiz

Hope I can get some advice and someone can point me in the right direction. I've searched but the tech speak baffles me

My mum and I want to get DD a laptop for xmas that she can play games on, particularly the sims. I've looked at alienware and various other laptops but feel that £800 + is a bit too much for a 14 year old just to play sims on. £800 would be the limit.

Can anyone give me the names of some makes that might meet the spec for such gaming? Then I can have a look and weigh up the pros and cons before I make a decision.

thanks in advance

DCFC79

Dell, maybe mesh, is the sims the only game she plays

totalsolutions

Read and read and read reviews in WH Smiths. Try PcPro for a start. £800 is a lot for a 14 yr old. Things will change over the next few months anyway read, bide your time and don't spend half that.

martin8_2

Probably better deals out there but a quickie search came up with the Dell Studio 15 with a dedicated graphics (ATI mobility HD4570) card would be more than adequate to play the sims plus most 3D semi-intensive games tbh...!

there's one for 479 GBP incl p&p over at Dell with free Win7 upgrade and choice of colour atm.

gingerscot

2nd the Dell Studio 15, I've had 2 dell laptops recently with no issues and yes, nothings perfect but they are VERY good value for money.

The ATI HD3570 is a good graphics card for a kid playing Sims 3 etc and anything but the latest high etch games will run fine. It's well within budget as well. For gaming its 90% about the graphics card, that's what you look for. Look for Nvidia 9500 or higher or a radeon 3570, or 3800 series.

Don't go for an integrated card, that's the main thing.

Mobeer

Dell Studio XPS 16 with £10 upgrade to Full HD screen should do the job at just over your budget - £809.

The difficult thing to get a for a reasonable price is a decent graphics card. You can check the graphics card against the list at Notebookcheck:
http://www.notebookcheck.net/Comparison-of-Graphic-Cards.130.0.html

The best graphics solutions are at the top of the list, worst at the bottom. The laptop above has Radeon 4670 graphics, near the top of the class 2 midrange graphics cards list.

olibrofiz

Thanks for the tips

Yes, it's mainly the sims that she plays, and moviemaker

olibrofiz

I've been having a look this afternoon and have decided (I'm no expert please remember) that I think we need the following:

320gb or more hard drive
4gb memory
Intel core 2 duo (2.1 Ghz)

Not 100% on the graphics tho, the Dell 15 has 512 MB ATI Radeon HD 4570, is that OK?

The Dell 15, with a few extras/upgrades, looks promising. Can you tell me though, is the 3yr cover and accident cover worth it? Or would I be better with just the basic 1 year bog standard and put money aside in case it needs anything doing?

And totalsolutions what did you mean by things will change over the next few months?

olibrofiz

Hello! I'm talking myself into things here, without knowing what I'm doing. Help!

We've been and had a look round PC World and Comet and dd has decided she likes the HP Pavillion DV6 1216sa. It has AMD Turion x 2 dual core T6400, 350GB and 4MB and an AIT HD4530 graphics card which is nearish the top of class 3. This any good £549.99 in Comet..

asininity

Acer, cheaper than most for the same spec, there some nice 18' laptops with impressive specs perfect for gaming for around 800.

tomsutton529

I would seriously consider not getting a laptop for games. I have seen toooo many people not take my advice and they have gone out and bought a laptop for a kid to play games on only to sell it, loose money and buy a decent spec PC.