hook up an alienware computer or other to my laptop?

[linux_0]

lcd, replace the monitor or is this a desktop your talking about? I'm confused could I upgrade my laptop or just build a new desktop?

Laptops are very challenging to upgrade. I can upgrade it for you but there is not much we can do, the motherboard will be the bottleneck and your graphics choices will be severely limited.


Here is a brand new desktop with virtually everything included for $1586 or so delivered from newegg including a nice Sony LCD.

https://secure.newegg.com/NewVersion/Wishlist/PublicWishDetail.asp?WishListNumber=3219386

Lian Li PC-7A plus II Silver Aluminum ATX Mini Tower Computer Case - Retail

ASUS A8N-E Socket 939 NVIDIA nForce4 Ultra ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail

eVGA 256-P2-N565-AX Geforce 7900GT 256MB GDDR3 PCI Express x16 Video Card - Retail

Antec TRUEPOWERII TPII-550 ATX12V 550W Power Supply - Retail

AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+ Manchester 2000MHz HT Socket 939 Dual Core Processor Model ADA3800BVBOX - Retail

CORSAIR XMS 2GB (2 x 1GB) 184-Pin DDR SDRAM DDR 400 (PC 3200) Unbuffered Dual Channel Kit System Memory Model Twinx2048-3200c2pt - Retail

Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD2500KS 250GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM

LITE-ON SK-1788U Grey USB Wired Standard Keyboard - Retail

SONY SDM-S75AB Black 17" 12ms LCD Monitor - Retail

Logitech MX518 931352-0403 2-Tone 8 Buttons 1x Wheel USB + PS/2 Optical Mouse - Retail

LITE-ON 16X DVD±R DVD Burner Black IDE Model SHW160P6S05 - OEM

Creative Sound Blaster SB0570 Audigy SE 7.1 Channels PCI Interface Sound Card - Retail


I'm preparing another config with ATI graphics.

 

[angry_ducky]

The builds that linux_0 has put together are all very nice looking.

 

[linux_0]

The builds that linux_0 has put together are all very nice looking.

Thank you :-D

Here's 2 more:

https://secure.newegg.com/NewVersion/Wishlist/PublicWishDetail.asp?WishListNumber=3219506

https://secure.newegg.com/NewVersion/Wishlist/PublicWishDetail.asp?WishListNumber=3219506


These are all desktops for under $2000.


A Gaming laptop with similar / lesser specs from VoodooPC will cost $5500 USD


Sorry these images are not very clear

 

[Caboose-1]

lcd, replace the monitor or is this a desktop your talking about? I'm confused could I upgrade my laptop or just build a new desktop?

Sell your notebook for cheap and build a desktop.

 

[Atolsammeek]

basic idea I would do is build it my self. But the major problem you have is your new to building computers. buy a book like upgrading and repairing Pcs or a how to build a pc. $20 to $50. Or if you have a secondary computer there how to build computers on some websites. http://www.pcmech.com/byopc/

You can ask about cpu Motherboards video cards and such when you need answers.

 

[patrick9]

Thanks for the info. So basicly what could I do to my laptop to get it to run oblivion. I will probably buy a desktop at some point. I just don't want to let go of my laptop just yet. could I even get 2.0ghz or higher in my toshiba? It is very thin, not that that would have anything to do with it. Once again I have no idea myself. But if there were someway to upgrade the processor, and graphics chip just to support the game and at least 1 gig system memory I would like to do that first. I'm usually just home for 3 hours to sleep. However, I could bring my laptop with me. So what would be my options using
my existing computer?

 

[patrick9]

I probably want to build it in the next couple of months. I want to rebuild my laptop before I start with a desktop. Anything available to upgrade my toshiba laptop. M45-S331

 

[Maestro1988]

Patrick, I doubt that there is much anyone could do to upgrade your current laptop, for the following reasons:

1) Processor and graphics core upgrades are indeed limited by the size of your laptop--not that the chips/cards themselves are big, but more powerful chips generate more heat and require larger heatsinks and/or fans. There is no room for these in most laptops, especially not toshiba satelites.

2) The toshiba you own will (most likely) not have the proper ports to interface with a modern, obvlivion-capable graphics card. Very few laptops have pci-e, or even agp slots. Either of these would be a prerequisite to the upgrade you have in mind. Because most laptops rely on integrated graphics chipsets, it would be highly unlikely that your laptop's motherboard would be capable of these upgrades.

In light of these two reasons, I would suggest keeping your laptop as it is and building a new box sometime within the next few months (but not before the summer quarter).

 

[michaelahess]

Yeah, that laptop is useless for modern games. One thing you could do is get an MSI barebone laptop for around 900, the msi-1039 for example, then put a nice cpu, ram, and hard drive in it. It'd be decent for oblivion and cost around $1500, but like someone else said, expect to pay way more than 3000 for any high end gaming laptop.

 

[patrick9]

Are there any laptop cases available w/nothing so I can rebuild the whole thing? I know you can buy a tower w/nothing for a desktop computer. I just don't want to buy a cheap computer and toss parts if I don't have too. Also this next question might make some people aggrevated. But what if I just buy a x-box 360 w/ game I would rather not, but what is the real difference between the console version and computer.

 

[linux_0]

I probably want to build it in the next couple of months. I want to rebuild my laptop before I start with a desktop. Anything available to upgrade my toshiba laptop. M45-S331

I'm sorry to say, I agree with everyone else, there is not much that can be done to upgrade your laptop.

It has integrated Intel graphics and there is no way that can be upgraded. Which means there is nothing that can be done on that front.

Oblivion requires a 7900GT/GTX or X1800XT / X1900XT/XTX to play at acceptable frame rates. It also requires a 2.0GHz processor minimum and as much RAM as you can throw at it ( ideally 2GB ).

As you can see in the VoodooPC quote a posted above a laptop to play oblivion would cost about $5500 USD.

The only thing that can be upgraded in your current laptop is the RAM however it takes old PC2700 DDR SDRAM SO DIMMs which are still rather expensive and since the machine only has 2 SO DIMM slots you will have to remove what is installed in it now and purchase 2 new matched SO DIMMs.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820144198

It would cost at least $300 to upgrade the RAM and you will not see a real benefit because your are stuck with your intel graphics and upgrading the CPU will be challenging.

 

[michaelahess]

Not that I've ever found. ya just have to accept that laptops are no where near as configurable as desktops. The motherboard HAS to be custom built for the laptop case, and that's what restricts most everything.

 

[linux_0]

Are there any laptop cases available w/nothing so I can rebuild the whole thing? I know you can buy a tower w/nothing for a desktop computer. I just don't want to buy a cheap computer and toss parts if I don't have too. Also this next question might make some people aggrevated. But what if I just buy a x-box 360 w/ game I would rather not, but what is the real difference between the console version and computer.

I believe Oblivion is pretty much crippled on the Xbox. On the PC you have so much flexibility better graphics, better performance and you can tweak it all you want.

The Xbox is a locked platform so you can't do anything they don't want you to and that means you can't do anything.

A custom built $1000 gaming machine will play Oblivion and many other games quite well and you will not be locked in.

Not to mention over time the Xbox will cost you a fortune in games and extras.

Oblivion for the PC sells for $50 while the Xbox version sells for $60.

I guess the extra $10 goes to pay you know who.

 

[Detson]

From what I've heard, there aren't significant differences betweent the X-box and PC versions. I've not played the console Oblivion, but the interface seems like it'd port over pretty well, and the 360 has a lot of graphics muscle going for it. For someone like yourself, who's not an especially hardcore gamer or computer DIY'er, the console might make more sense. Better than dropping 2k+ for an Alienware. Keep you laptop for productivity and get an X-box for gaming at home, IMHO.

 

[linux_0]

From what I've heard, there aren't significant differences betweent the X-box and PC versions. I've not played the console Oblivion, but the interface seems like it'd port over pretty well, and the 360 has a lot of graphics muscle going for it. For someone like yourself, who's not an especially hardcore gamer or computer DIY'er, the console might make more sense. Better than dropping 2k+ for an Alienware. Keep you laptop for productivity and get an X-box for gaming at home, IMHO.

You have a point, but I strongly believe the PC offers a much better experience and a lot more freedom.

The xbox is locked and you have a vendor-lock-in situation. Most of the time you are also overpaying for the games and accessories because M$ makes their $ on kickbacks from game publishers and hardware manufacturers.

Over time the xbox may end up costing you a lot more than a PC.

On the PC you have a lot of options and you can use it for virtually anything you might want to use it for besides gaming.

 

[Detson]

I agree with you 100% about the flexibility bit; I have a homebuilt gaming rig that I love dearly. All the same, It'd take a heck of a lot of game/peripherial purchases for that $10 premium to make up the difference between a PC and a console.

 

[linux_0]

I agree with you 100% about the flexibility bit; I have a homebuilt gaming rig that I love dearly. All the same, It'd take a heck of a lot of game/peripherial purchases for that $10 premium to make up the difference between a PC and a console.

Sadly, enough people spend enough on their Xboxes that M$ can afford to sell them at a loss and still make a profit.

Although M$' true goal is to dominate the market not make a profit on the Xbox.

I could probably configure a PC with specs similar to the Xbox for about the same amount.

 

[patrick9]

Thanks, I can see myself having a very nice gaming rig built. It will be six months before I will have the time to have it built. X-box does seem for feasible, however I still deal with the fact that I can't just carry it with me. I guess I will just let the laptop thing go. I mean if I do drop 3-4k just to play a game. What happens when I finish it? My schedule will be a lot easier in 4 months or so. I can spend some more time at home. So thank you for all the comments. I think I will wait an build a really good home computer. I am not a good microsoft fan. I just like the elderscrolls games. I like sony a lot better as far as consoles. But that is a totally different topic all together.

 

[patrick9]

I am breaking down and buying a desktop tower to upgrade. I figure the technology will be there for the laptop in 5-6 years anyway. If I get just a case what individual items will I have to buy. I am looking at high end. If I am
not getting a new laptop. I am only interested in the very high end of desktop performance. What processors, and graphics cards and so on are out now or about to be out. I would rather build slowly with some of the best parts than to
build immediately with parts that aren't high end. I would like to keep it around 4,000 or under, however I would consider more if the parts are indeed worth it.

 

[Detson]

If you're going to build a desktop, wait for Core 2 (Conroe) to come out. The preliminary benchmarks are very impressive. I've been out of the graphics card loop for a bit, but I've heard good things about the ATI x1900 series. PC Gamer magazine published a guide for first-time PC builders a while back; I'm not sure it's still on shelves, but it's a good resource.

 

[davidflet9]

your laptop will be very difficult if possible to upgrade at all, your CPU might be replaceable but only with the older pentium M CPUs, perhpas the Gfx card but unlikely it would also be very expensive to change it, get a new PC