Laptop for SL

Hi.

I want to buy a laptop.
I'm in SL with a station PC so long, but now i want to have a laptop for SL, Emails, Internet...

I see that SL isnt working with much graphic cards.

I want to buy a sheep dell laptop.
This laptops have a "Integrated Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator X3100"

Does somebody know something about this graphic cards ?

Read This: SL WORKS POORLY ON INTEGRATED GRAPHICS CHIPS.

If you buy that laptop you will be visiting SL via Ajax or SLeek - because the graphics chip on that laptop will sputter, choke and fry under the load which is way beyond its capacity.

#1 - SL fries and eats up laptops so if you get one get a Laptop Cooling Pad with it.

#2 - Get a laptop with a Nvidia or ATI video memory of 256mb

#3 - Get a laptop with no less than 2 gigs of ram

#4 - Do not get a laptop

#5 - Get a desktop

In my opinion, to get the best possible performance out of Second Life you want to have a laptop with a discreet video chip. This means the laptop may have a mobile ATI or Nvidia Go graphics chip. I am not 100% sure of the requirements for Second Life, but any video chip that is "integrated" such as the one that comes with the laptop you are considering, usually do not have all the required OPENGL or Direct3D functions in order for the game to work properly.

I am running a discreet video chip on my laptop based on the Nvidia 7600 Go, and even it has a tough time keeping up with the demands of the game when I'm in a crowded area.

I agree.

I know laptops are popular, but for SL you are going to have to compromise if you insist on getting one...........unless you are willing to fork over a pretty large chunk of your paycheck. Even then you have potential problems that are easy to solve with desktops but not with laptops.........heating being the biggest.

If your laptop has a graphics accellarator instead of a dedicated graphics card then you are almost guaranteed to have less than good SL. Laptops work, obviously, but take a look at the threads in this forum alone about the problems people have and the solutions (which are, commonly, "sorry, you'll have to live with it".

mh ok thanks for the answers.

i have a desktop allready.
with a Intel 2,56 Ghz Dual Core and 4GB DDR2 RAM dualchannel and an invida graphic card DDR3 and 756 MB RAM...

So a laptop would only be for "playing" in the bed or couch...
but ok i notice that it wouldnt work.

Would a laptop like this work?:

Intel® Core™2 Duo-Prozessor T5870 (2,0 GHz, 2 MB L2-Cache, 800 MHz FSB)
3.072 MB 667 MHz Dual-Channel DDR2 (1 x 1.024 + 1 x 2.04
256 MB nVidia® GeForce™ 8400M GS (64 Bit) - Grafikkarte

?

yes but its not going to be a huge performer

what does something like that's price tag look like?

(goto ibuypower.com)

If you're buying a computer for Second Life (or any other 3D game), do NOT buy anything with integrated graphics. I wrote a computer buying guide that has benchmark results that show what a huge detriment integrated graphics are to SL performance. I provide recommendations for both laptop and desktop computers, and it's written especially for people who are ordering new computers from sites like Dell or Gateway that let you choose the components that go into your system.
Link: http://wildefirewalcott.blogspot.com/2008/07/buying-or-upgrading-computer-for-second.html

The problem with a lap top is that it interferes with access to your lap.

lee

Wildefire (/me waves- hi Hun!)-

Great article on computers, should be very useful to folks looking to buy or upgrade their computers.

My own experience with laptops is that nVidia graphics rule for SL and that the faster your computer, the better off you are. Searching for a laptop with nVidia graphics can be tedious, but if you focus in on that, it eliminates a lot of machines quickly.

~Jenni~