Laptop for Computing WITH Games Development

Robot111

My college course is about 75 percent computing..as in It apps,programming,web design,web design for multiple platforms,visual communications,maths,digital imaging,and then 25 percent games development..so what kind of laptop should I invest in?....Im starting from scratch with no previous experience in this field.My lecturer is fairly confident in my determination..so I need to get a laptop to get working ..or at least a start....also any suggestions about price,brands,shops v.muxh welcome.
THanks very much.

mk6705

Robot111 wrote: »

My college course is about 75 percent computing..as in It apps,programming,web design,web design for multiple platforms,visual communications,maths,digital imaging,and then 25 percent games development..so what kind of laptop should I invest in?....Im starting from scratch with no previous experience in this field.My lecturer is fairly confident in my determination..so I need to get a laptop to get working ..or at least a start....also any suggestions about price,brands,shops v.muxh welcome.
THanks very much.

You don't need anything amazing. 4GB memory, any decently sized hard drive (250+ GB) (If you really want to gain a good understanding, you might want to put another operating system on there eg. a Linux distro), any 1366x768 display will do you fine. A good graphics card will be needed for serious game development. But for normal programming purposes will not be required, and one of the newer generation Intel processors eg. Core i3 or Core i5 should be fine. The most important thing is the maintenance of the laptop. Don't install anything that takes up too much resources, don't clog up your startup, keep it defragmented etc.

alxsoky

I'm starting computer science this year so did loads of googling on this, minus the game dev section.

I don't mean to be rude but I disagree with the 4GB RAM, I think you'll need an 8. You're gonna be running multiple programs at one go, the extra RAM does wonders. In addition to running your game, you'll have all your tools running as well, you'll want them to be responsive.

I think the screen is a big thing for you. Other than the graphics, you'll need good vertical resolution for your programming. Most 15 inch laptops run 1366x768 though so not much selection there.

NVIDIA Quadro FX Go1400 is good for rendering apps like 3Dmax and Maya. If not the geforce go6800 is another one you could look into.

Good luck. (:

Hal Emmerich

I came across this the other day, don't know what your budget is but I doubt theirs much that this yoke wouldn't do.

ASUS €800

Specifications Product Description
Asus 15.6" X5QSF-S1123V-NL

Display
15.6" LED Widescreen FullHD TFT (1920 x 1080)

Processor
Intel® Core i7-2630QM Processor 2.0GHz /up tp 2.9 GHz

RAM
6GB DDR3 SODIMM

Hard Drive
750GB - 7200rpm

Optical Storage
Dual Layer DVD±ReWriter

Graphics Card
NVIDIA GeForce GT555M - 2GB

Connections
2 x USB3.0, 2 x USB2.0, HDMI, VGA, LAN RJ45, Jack in, Jack out

Operating System
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit Edition

Built-in Devices
Stereo speakers, wireless LAN aerial, Bluetooth

Network
10/100/1000, 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth V3.0

Audio Output
Sound Card

Webcam
HD Webcam

Input Device
Keyboard- US layout, Touchpad

Card Reader
SD(XC/HC)/MMC/MS(PRO)

Dimensions
37.9cm (W) x 26.1cm (D) x 3.7cm (H)

Weight
2.7KG

It's hard to give a good suggestion without knowing exactly what spec you'd need or the names of the programs you'd be using.

That graphics card is ranked 64th, the quadro FX recommended above is ranked 218th.

alxsoky

Hal Emmerich wrote: »

That graphics card is ranked 64th, the quadro FX recommended above is ranked 218th.

Hahaha god I'm outdated. But yeah listen to this guy, he knows his stuff. (:

mk6705

alxsoky wrote: »

I'm starting computer science this year so did loads of googling on this, minus the game dev section.

I don't mean to be rude but I disagree with the 4GB RAM, I think you'll need an 8. You're gonna be running multiple programs at one go, the extra RAM does wonders. In addition to running your game, you'll have all your tools running as well, you'll want them to be responsive.

I think the screen is a big thing for you. Other than the graphics, you'll need good vertical resolution for your programming. Most 15 inch laptops run 1366x768 though so not much selection there.

NVIDIA Quadro FX Go1400 is good for rendering apps like 3Dmax and Maya. If not the geforce go6800 is another one you could look into.

Good luck. (:

Personally I don't mean to be rude, but I'm also starting computer science, and have been experimenting with it from a young age. I mean to go really in-depth and single-handedly make your own 3D, highly advanced game you'll probably want a desktop anyway, because graphics cards will blow if you strain them too much. Unless you want to blow all your money of course. And the battle in a laptop for space is between hardware and ventilation. There's little point putting so much money into a laptop when you're strapped for cash in college. The course is largely computer science. Programming can be handled quite easily on the aforementioned spec (from doing it myself, a mixture of VB, Android, java) and it's comfortable. You'll never see the benefit of any resolution above 1366x768 on a laptop screen, it's just too small. So that gives game development a slight knock anyway. So my advice is focus on the computer science (which game development is closely related to) and use your college's computers for game development. If you're financially well-equipped then get an expensive very high spec laptop or a custom built desktop for game development. Otherwise save your money. What I will say is start programming ASAP. It's a mindset more than anything and the more practise you have the better.

Hal Emmerich

Ok, if an i3 or an i5 will do, these are decent ones.

If you want a custom desktop, throw a thread up here with your budget and want you want it for and they'll spec you out one. Knowledgeable lads there on desktops.

marco_polo

Adro947 wrote: »

Personally I don't mean to be rude, but I'm also starting computer science, and have been experimenting with it from a young age. I mean to go really in-depth and single-handedly make your own 3D, highly advanced game you'll probably want a desktop anyway, because graphics cards will blow if you strain them too much. Unless you want to blow all your money of course. And the battle in a laptop for space is between hardware and ventilation. There's little point putting so much money into a laptop when you're strapped for cash in college. The course is largely computer science. Programming can be handled quite easily on the aforementioned spec (from doing it myself, a mixture of VB, Android, java) and it's comfortable. You'll never see the benefit of any resolution above 1366x768 on a laptop screen, it's just too small. So that gives game development a slight knock anyway. So my advice is focus on the computer science (which game development is closely related to) and use your college's computers for game development. If you're financially well-equipped then get an expensive very high spec laptop or a custom built desktop for game development. Otherwise save your money. What I will say is start programming ASAP. It's a mindset more than anything and the more practise you have the better.

A graphics card won't "blow" if you strain it too much, they are designed for countless hours of operating at 100% load.

Hal Emmerich

Adro947 wrote: »

Personally I don't mean to be rude, but I'm also starting computer science, and have been experimenting with it from a young age. I mean to go really in-depth and single-handedly make your own 3D, highly advanced game you'll probably want a desktop anyway, because graphics cards will blow if you strain them too much. Unless you want to blow all your money of course. And the battle in a laptop for space is between hardware and ventilation. There's little point putting so much money into a laptop when you're strapped for cash in college. The course is largely computer science. Programming can be handled quite easily on the aforementioned spec (from doing it myself, a mixture of VB, Android, java) and it's comfortable. You'll never see the benefit of any resolution above 1366x768 on a laptop screen, it's just too small. So that gives game development a slight knock anyway. So my advice is focus on the computer science (which game development is closely related to) and use your college's computers for game development. If you're financially well-equipped then get an expensive very high spec laptop or a custom built desktop for game development. Otherwise save your money. What I will say is start programming ASAP. It's a mindset more than anything and the more practise you have the better.

Some people say they can.....I don't know.

marco_polo

Hal Emmerich wrote: »

Some people say they can.....I don't know.

I think 1600 X 900 is the optimal resolution on a 17"+ laptop, there is the benefit at that size of having a little more screen real estate to work with while text, icons remains a comfortable size for working with.

There are some 1080p laptops at that size but I would imagine that resolution would be a little too high to be comfortable for the majority of people (I haven't actually seen a full HD laptop in the flesh).

mk6705

marco_polo wrote: »

A graphics card won't "blow" if you strain it too much, they are designed for countless hours of operating at 100% load.

Heat will blow it. My point is that designing a laptop to handle more heat will make it more expensive, and buying such a laptop mightn't give you great value for money while in college. While it would be great to have an overspecced laptop, I can't really see much benefit in it. Especially when you're in college and your finances are probably stretched.

marco_polo

Adro947 wrote: »

Heat will blow it. My point is that designing a laptop to handle more heat will make it more expensive, and buying such a laptop mightn't give you great value for money while in college. While it would be great to have an overspecced laptop, I can't really see much benefit in it. Especially when you're in college and your finances are probably stretched.

Yes but any laptop with a powerful graphics card will be designed to with appropriate ventilation in mind, so card damage is not likely at all. Value for money is a seperate issue and I would happen to agree 100% with you on that score.

scotty_irish

the purpose of a laptop is portability. if you're gonna be doing the type of programming that can severely stress a system over a prolonged period (which you're not gonna be doing for the first few years - possibly at all) you don't want to be doing it on a laptop, especially your own laptop. Buy a half way decent spec, high build quality, highly portable laptop with a good battery life - these aspects will impact your life a lot more on a day to day basis than a high spec will- try lugging a three kg+ laptop around with you - not fun. Also, you're studying computing, if you can't keep a machine clean and running quickly you shouldn't be studying that. you'll learn a lot more keeping a machine in good shape. In college, use their machines for programming - you'll see the machines they have won't even be that high end - and at home if you reach the time that you can max out your laptop - build a good desktop. i do the most computationally intensive programming possible - scientific computing. i use a base level macbook pro for my day to day work and we have a cluster for large jobs.

Hal Emmerich

This one or this one so.

Good brand, decent spec, light but have to go small screen to get good battery, 13.3inch.

ED E

alxsoky wrote: »

I'm starting computer science this year so did loads of googling on this, minus the game dev section.

I don't mean to be rude but I disagree with the 4GB RAM, I think you'll need an 8. You're gonna be running multiple programs at one go, the extra RAM does wonders. In addition to running your game, you'll have all your tools running as well, you'll want them to be responsive.

I think the screen is a big thing for you. Other than the graphics, you'll need good vertical resolution for your programming. Most 15 inch laptops run 1366x768 though so not much selection there.

NVIDIA Quadro FX Go1400 is good for rendering apps like 3Dmax and Maya. If not the geforce go6800 is another one you could look into.

Good luck. (:

Pff, 4GB for a laptop, even in CS is PLENTY. You wont be running 10 VMs on a laptop, most extensive thing is eclipse and 120 tabs in chrome(some of us have issues).

If this is the course in Letterkenny, then you wont need any power for first year at least anyways.

Also, get a monitor, programming on a 15" is so tedious, I use a 22" with a second 19" for the handouts or w/e. When you're at home you'll be so glad of it, and a nice keyboard

For games dev get a good GPU though, 540M or something at least.

alxsoky

Lethal_Bullet wrote: »

Pff, 4GB for a laptop, even in CS is PLENTY. You wont be running 10 VMs on a laptop, most extensive thing is eclipse and 120 tabs in chrome(some of us have issues).

If this is the course in Letterkenny, then you wont need any power for first year at least anyways.

Also, get a monitor, programming on a 15" is so tedious, I use a 22" with a second 19" for the handouts or w/e. When you're at home you'll be so glad of it, and a nice keyboard

For games dev get a good GPU though, 540M or something at least.

REALLY? I have had seniors and techie guys here swearing by 8gb. Haha 120 is slightly excessive, but hey, its cool.

Ah well I suppose its the ego talking when we aim for fancy specs.

ED E

Yeah, if you're building a rig for CS, get 8 for sure, but not in a laptop. For lectures a s nice light ULV 13" is a far better choice. A few people in JF last year had powerhorses, rest had very average spec. Thing is as you go up through the years less and less bring machines in with them.

As a student value is always the number one concern, and spending 1500 on a high spec laptop that will be obsolete before third year doesnt sound like value to me.

alxsoky

Lethal_Bullet wrote: »

Yeah, if you're building a rig for CS, get 8 for sure, but not in a laptop. For lectures a s nice light ULV 13" is a far better choice. A few people in JF last year had powerhorses, rest had very average spec. Thing is as you go up through the years less and less bring machines in with them.

As a student value is always the number one concern, and spending 1500 on a high spec laptop that will be obsolete before third year doesnt sound like value to me.

True that. Is it possible to go through class without your laptop?

ED E

Totally. Several people dont even own a laptop. When you need one, you'll be in a lab.