The Great 'Cheapest Decent Laptop' Hunt

angus1

I think it's old stock, which is why it was reduced. I'm not really bothered about the printer - didn't really want one - it was just in with the package. Really just need to know if the specifications of this laptop are good enough for my daughter to play games, eg sims and go on MSN etc. I don't understand specifications but there's nothing in that list that I recognise about graphics so am worried that it doesn't have the capability to run the games etc.

Please help, thanks

HCDayantis

Just to clarify - is this The Sims or The Sims 2? If it's the Sims (1), graphics card shouldn't really be much of a problem, as I can't imagine the integrated graphics card being less than a 64mb in this day and age, as a bare minimum. Still, you never know.

That processor can be found here.

It's a 1.5Ghz, so it's okay speed-wise. MSN shouldn't be a problem with it. The only thing I could find about it was on Iqon's Site, here. This says 5016WS, not 5010, but it seems to me that the specs are the same.

steve1221_2

Without a spec for the graphics it's hard to tell.
I would have thought that if it is old stock it could struggle to play the newer stuff. The 3D rendering may very well be beyond it ( I guessing Sims 2 here ?). If the cpu speed is fast enough and if you can allocate enough memory to the graphics you might be able to run stuff in it’s lowest settings but I would imagine that would be about all. (sorry)…

angus1

Thanks Steve and HCDayanthis. She has sims 1 at the moment but will prob get sims 2 for xmas so don't want her to be restricte too much.

I know this sounds a really daft question but can you tell from those specifications that it even has a graphics card? or do they all have one?

If the graphics in the computer isn't enough as she gets better games, is is easy and reasonably cheap to update them?

thanks again

i-luv-free-stuff

whats the best deal anyone can find for this

http://www.laptopsdirect.co.uk/Aspire_Aspire_5101_AWLMi_Laptop_LX.ABH0J.083/version.asp

as recomended by HCDayantis.
i found £486.45 delivered but its not in stock

HCDayantis

angus1 wrote:

Thanks Steve and HCDayanthis. She has sims 1 at the moment but will prob get sims 2 for xmas so don't want her to be restricte too much.

I know this sounds a really daft question but can you tell from those specifications that it even has a graphics card? or do they all have one?

If the graphics in the computer isn't enough as she gets better games, is is easy and reasonably cheap to update them?

thanks again

Laptops are a grey area for updates, I'm afraid. The q-thing is a company I've never heard of before (based in Ireland, it seems), so I have no idea, I'm afraid.

Every computer has a graphics card - without one, it couldn't display anything at all. I found nothing on the machine online - it appears they don't tend to deal to the UK.

I found this on them as a company here, but nothing on graphics cards. I'll keep an eye out, though.

The laptop which seems identical to the one you have is on eBay here, with more specs. Still no Graphics Card info. Strange.


Here, try calling this number, it's Iqon's techies.

0800 279 9808

0800 is freephone (I think...), and this is their UK offices. They, if anyone, will know the graphics card.

HCDayantis

i-luv-free-stuff wrote:

whats the best deal anyone can find for this

http://www.laptopsdirect.co.uk/Aspire_Aspire_5101_AWLMi_Laptop_LX.ABH0J.083/version.asp

as recomended by HCDayantis.
i found £486.45 delivered but its not in stock

Again, 'awaiting stock', from here.

Beware, though, as it is the same product but the specs are different. This one has only a 60GB HD, and 512mb RAM for example.

Of course, the problem with the laptop I linked you to in the first place is that it has an AMD Turion processor. This is a decent speed of 2.0Ghz, but it isn't a core Duo. For multitasking, and a more futureproof laptop, Core Duo is the way to go. Still, it depends entirely on your needs.

pin

angus1 wrote:

Thanks Steve and HCDayanthis. She has sims 1 at the moment but will prob get sims 2 for xmas so don't want her to be restricte too much.

I know this sounds a really daft question but can you tell from those specifications that it even has a graphics card? or do they all have one?

If the graphics in the computer isn't enough as she gets better games, is is easy and reasonably cheap to update them?

thanks again

Upgrading a dedicated graphics card (GPU) on a laptop is pretty much impossible. Probably doable, but two things, it will invalidate your warranty and also be very very tricky to do.

You will probably want to buy a laptop with dedicated graphics card if you want to play sims 2. If you go on the sims 2 website, it will give you an indication of what you need. Also they have forums where you can ask what the recommended specs are for a computer.

i-luv-free-stuff

HCDayantis wrote:

Again, 'awaiting stock', from here.

Beware, though, as it is the same product but the specs are different. This one has only a 60GB HD, and 512mb RAM for example.

Of course, the problem with the laptop I linked you to in the first place is that it has an AMD Turion processor. This is a decent speed of 2.0Ghz, but it isn't a core Duo. For multitasking, and a more futureproof laptop, Core Duo is the way to go. Still, it depends entirely on your needs.

i sent you a pm

angus1

about my messages bout the Iqon Companion 5010 and whether it is suitable for playing games like Sims, as you suggested, I phoned the technical support number and was told that it has an integrated graphics card and would not be suitable for playing such games - would only very basic games such as solitaire and sonic hedgehog. So that's not much use.

He said all I needed to do was buy a graphics card - nvidia or something like that - he said was easy to install. Does anyone know anything about this - is it as easy as that and what sort of price are they? Is it going to be the case that I would be better buying a more expensive laptop? I think i can take this one back ok.

Am in such a muddle - it's very difficult when you don't understand all the terminology!