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[bug]

Apologies for the silly question, I'm pretty clueless when it comes to laptops... >.<

How can you tell if a laptop can run games like TF2?

I'm looking buy a laptop that's small and light (because my current laptop of 4.8 lbs kills my shoulder after carrying it around for hours), can run games like TF2 (though I'm not expecting them to look pretty like on my desktop), and isn't too expensive (less than $1000 would be really nice, though my parents are helping as they're getting my old laptop, so $1500 is probably manageable), but I don't even know where to go to read about my options. All the "gaming" laptops I've seen are massive. Do you have any suggestions about how I should do my shopping research? Are there any brands/models you would particularly recommend? 

[Maijclue1]

what kind of small, small as in netbook {6" to 10"} or small as in {11"-12"}

i could suggest this one
http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-NC10-13P-Netbook-Hours-Battery/dp/B002JVWBOQ/ref=dp_ob_title_ce?ie=UTF8&qid=1256565488&sr=8-2
in pink of course {not trying to be sexist, is the one that my sister have so i can recommend it}, is almost weightless, 1gb ram expandable to 2 GB {if my memory serves well}, 128mb video with VGA output {a rarity in netbooks}

of course you could go the apple way with a macbook, but you'll need to install the windows of your choice.

How can you tell if a laptop can run games like TF2?

by viewing the system requirements?
ill see if i can install the game in my sister computer, so i can tell you if it runs well {or at least decent}
you will not play crysis in this one though

[Petah Parker]

sub 4.8lb, so you say.....

try:
(most any asus U series, most all are sub 4lb)
http://usa.asus.com/ProductGroup1.aspx?PG_ID=1quIC6RvvlvcvNbn
Acer timeline 3810(3.5)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834115653
Ion powered netbook
HP 311 (pretty good price to performance ratio) http://www.shopping.hp.com/webapp/shopping/computer_series.do?storeName=computer_store&category=notebooks&series_name=mini311_series&a1=Category&v1=Mini

just some suggestions, i have never used any of these, but keep in mind, my aspire one can run TF2, and it has a 1.6ghz single core atom, and a GMA 950, so it really dosent take much.

hope this helps

[Maijclue1]

ill see if i can install the game in my sister computer, so i can tell you if it runs well {or at least decent}

so long for that dream.. i tried everything i could to run the game, it start but it crashed every time i wanted to modify a config, create a server or even report bug{get it?}...

braid run decent when it start with: -half, -novsync, -nopost & -windowed

dead mans folly is half playable because the size of the screen {1024 * 600}

so caveat emptor.

TheStallion have good laptops {except the second one, it has been terminated deactivaded}.
 

[macho man]

This thread is relevant to my interests as I've also been having trouble carrying my 6.2 pound Gateway lappy. It can run TF2, Bioshock and Crysis (at medium level), but it's still sorta heavy for everyday use.

I find the 7-9" netbooks to be very uncomfortable to type in, even for my small and somewhat feminine hands. If I were to get one, I'd get a 10-12" lap/netbook.

[bug]

Thank you both so much for these suggestions! I hadn't even considered a netbook... I'd just figured anything that small couldn't run TF2. I'll definitely have to look into the options you posted. I found this site, too, but the list of cards is a bit overwhelming:

http://www.notebookcheck.net/Computer-Games-on-Laptop-Graphic-Cards.13849.0.html

[Petah Parker]

TheStallion have good laptops {except the second one, it has been terminated deactivaded}.
 

that was actually my bad typing, it is still available, and i edited the link to work

[Flyboy]

even for my small and somewhat feminine hands

mmmmm yummmy

[Fank Jankler]

You could try looking for setting TF2 to SUPER LOW settings. I think someone had a link here once....

...although I guess you want to be playing things that aren't TF2, too...

[Redwine]

You could try looking for setting TF2 to SUPER LOW settings. I think someone had a link here once....

...although I guess you want to be playing things that aren't TF2, too...

I have a laptop with a core 2 duo, 2 GB of ram, and (downfall) a generic intel graphics chip. (not card.)
And even with m0re's highfps config I still run at ~20-30 fps with a constant lag.  (Like compute lag, not fps lag.)

If you are looking for something that runs tf2 well, you don't need to go overkill on ram/cpu, if you get a slid gpu in the laptop it can run fine, Source engine is heavy on graphics, light on the processor.

My laptop was 600$ and weighs about 3-4lbs (not recommended for tf2, although I did manage to demoguy a sentry nest on the touchpad.)

[Fank Jankler]

demoguy a sentry nest on the touchpad

Skillz.

[Petah Parker]

I dunno exactly what you are looking for, but this one is certainly intresting
http://www.maximumpc.com/article/news/gigabyte_booktop_m1305_beefs_while_docked_external_geforce_gt220

[Maijclue1]

relevant to this threat... well, not the NAS or the Home Server...
http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/news/2009/11/holiday-gift-guide-2009.ars/3

[bug]

I dunno exactly what you are looking for, but this one is certainly intresting
http://www.maximumpc.com/article/news/gigabyte_booktop_m1305_beefs_while_docked_external_geforce_gt220

Ohhh, that looks so nice! I wish it had a price and release date already.

[Koldar]

What you're really looking for is a laptop with a dedicated graphic card. When you check the specs and it says it's an integrated one, pass on it, it's not what you're looking for. The resolution at which you will game will also be a factor, forgot what typical resolutions laptop run as, but the bigger resolution means more work for your dedicated card to render on your whole resolution.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2034940032+1292318470+4022&QksAutoSuggestion=&ShowDeactivatedMark=False&Configurator=&Subcategory=32&description=&Ntk=&CFG=&SpeTabStoreType=&srchInDesc=

This should point you to models with specs you're looking for; the only issue will be the weight. I haven't seen any sporting the weight/price range you wanted.  At that point you could always go for a really buffed up netbook, but, with the price it might cost you; you'd be better off with a heavier laptop.

And for that external docked GT220, was about time they thought about doing that. I hope more companies start doing it. :>

Hope this helped.

[Intellect]

They've actually been experimenting with external video cards via USB for a while now.  Thing is, it sucks.  Its gonna have like half or even a quarter of the power an internal video card.

I may be wrong about this, since I read this a couple years ago....  But yea.  they've been experimenting with it.

[pugglesmuggs]

i play exclusively on an hp 12.1" tablet pc. It runs perfectly fine...don't even ask me about the graphics card cuz that stuff goes over my head but the other specs is, 3 gb ram and 2.1 ghz AMD dual core. If ur not a graphics snob you can get by with anything really cuz its not slow its just not as pretty as my bf's quad core with fancy graphics.

[Petah Parker]

Dont know if you care about looks, but alienware just released a new laptop, the m11x, from what i have read it will weigh about 4lb
http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/07/alienware-m11x-hands-on?icid=sphere_blogsmith_inpage_engadget

[Koldar]

Hmmm.. I don't know. Ion platform will get better and better, and a new gen of atom will start shipping soon(I heard dual core atoms, too, lol).

I would hold on for a gaming netbook, though it will definitely be something that'll exist fairly soon at a good price. I love mine, though, but not for gaming. There are some programs(I forgot the name... Game@Home I think? I forgot.) But it allows you to render on your PC the graphics of a game, and send a video through network to your netbook, in which you can send controls back to your computer... I heard it's playable. But I haven't tried it yet.

[Monty]

I'll be getting $660 as a graduation present to buy a laptop... (Willing to spend $999 at most)
So far, it looks like I'll be getting this one. Can anyone suggest anything better for around the same price range?