Comparing new (potential) Laptop buy with existing Home PC's...

[HomeGamer]

Hey Everyone,

I think I've finally persuaded the wife to *let* me get a new laptop, and I've fallen in love with the Alienware M11x (it's so teeny tiny and SOOOO sexy lol) - i needed something ultraportable for work/study as well as something capable of running games (MMO's like LOTRO or the occasional CoD fest whilst away from home) on decent(ish) settings.

So, the M11x ticks all the boxes.

Now, despite looking at all the various sites comparing graphics cards etc. i am still struggling to get a *feel* for where the laptop will sit in terms of performance compared to my existing Home PC's.

Potential Purchase:

Alienware M11x Stealth Black
Intel® Core™ i5 2467M 1.6GHz (3MB Cache)
1GB DDR3 NVIDIA® GeForce® GT 540M
4096MB 1333MHz Dual Channel DDR3 SDRAM [2x2048]

Current Systems:

*Older* Base Unit
AMD Athlon 64 3000+
Gigabyte GV-R465OC-1GI Radeon HD 4650 Graphics Card
3GB (3 x 1GB ) DDR DIMM 400Mhz RAM

*Main* Base Unit
AMD Athlon(tm) 64 X2 Dual Core Processor 5200+ (2 CPUs), ~2.7GHz
Asus 1GB Radeon HD 5670PCI-E 2.1 HDMI
4GB Crucial (2GB x2) DDR2 RAM

I know i don't exactly have the best/sexiest kit at home, but my Base Unit can run the games mentioned above on High, looks decent enough on a nice monitor and has served me well for years - and the *old* base unit can run everything on low, and has allowed the wife and i to game together, so no real complaints there.

What i would like, is the feedback from the community here as to where the M11x will sit in terms of performance. From my (admittedly non-expert research) it looks like it will be miles more powerful than the *Old* base unit, and approximately as powerful as my *Main* unit. If this is the case then it could be really useful to potentially replace the *Old* unit completely - and plug in a USB keyboard/mouse/monitor to play when i am at home (as a very mini desktop replacement potentially...) and then i can simply unplug it all when out on my travels.

Is all this making sense? Or has this wall of text stopped making sense a while ago? lol

Thanks al!

- HG

 

[WR2]

Hello HomeGamer;

The Geforce GT 540M should get you performance somewhere between a Radeon HD 5570 and Radeon HD 5670 desktop graphics card.
Right around a desktop GT 430 (which you can pick up for under $50 these days).

Since the CPU is a ULV Core 2467M 1.6GHz you'll give back some overall performance because of that. More so on RPG, MMORPGs and SIM type games, less on FPS games.
If you look at the Big List of Mobile Processors (CPU Benchmarks)
you'll find the 2467M ranked a respectable #87 in performance
There are some desktop CPUs ranked for comparison
@ # 103 Intel Core 2 Duo (Desktop) E6600
@ # 108 AMD Athlon 64 (Desktop) FX-62
@ #169 AMD Athlon 64 X2 (Desktop) 4800+

And the new AMD Llano AMD A8-3500M quad core APU is ranked #129.
Core 2467M is putting up a good showing for being ULV and a laptop CPU.

I'd say the Core 2467M and GT 540M are a reasonably good match for each other.

 

[HomeGamer]

Hello HomeGamer;

The Geforce GT 540M should get you performance somewhere between a Radeon HD 5570 and Radeon HD 5670 desktop graphics card.
Right around a desktop GT 430 (which you can pick up for under $50 these days).

Since the CPU is a ULV Core 2467M 1.6GHz you'll give back some overall performance because of that. More so on RPG, MMORPGs and SIM type games, less on FPS games.
If you look at the Big List of Mobile Processors (CPU Benchmarks)
you'll find the 2467M ranked a respectable #87 in performance
There are some desktop CPUs ranked for comparison
@ # 103 Intel Core 2 Duo (Desktop) E6600
@ # 108 AMD Athlon 64 (Desktop) FX-62
@ #169 AMD Athlon 64 X2 (Desktop) 4800+

And the new AMD Llano AMD A8-3500M quad core APU is ranked #129.
Core 2467M is putting up a good showing for being ULV and a laptop CPU.

I'd say the Core 2467M and GT 540M are a reasonably good match for each other.

Hi there - thanks for the reply.

I've looked at these charts/benchmarks etc. and it was from these i based my initial assumptions that the laptop would be pretty much 'on par' with my current main desktop, and a significant improvement over my *Old* one. - That is a correct assumption isn't it? (just to make sure...)

Of course, now i'm torn between the M11x or the XPS 17 - both amusingly around the same price, with the XPS 17 being much more of a traditional desktop replacement, much more powerful all round (i think...) and a huge screen - whereas the M11x, well, it's beatufiully portable, and powerful with it - Decisions decisions!!

Any other thoughts/comments on the laptop vs desktops anyone?

- HG

 

[WR2]

Correct assumption.

Compromise on the XPS 15?

 

[Aeir]

Though if you're willing to go into the 15" market, there are far more cost effective models out there for you than most Dell models you'll find (especially Alienware).

 

[AntiZig]

Though if you're willing to go into the 15" market, there are far more cost effective models out there for you than most Dell models you'll find (especially Alienware).

your input would be that much more valuable if you bothered to suggest some

 

[Aeir]

It would be far easier to suggest specific models if the basic form were to be filled out, Antizig. The 15" market is so large that it's hard to narrow it down to specifics without more precise usage and budget in mind.

 

[HomeGamer]

It would be far easier to suggest specific models if the basic form were to be filled out, Antizig. The 15" market is so large that it's hard to narrow it down to specifics without more precise usage and budget in mind.

I didn't fill out the form because i wasn't asking for advice on *what* laptop to buy, just to sense check where my potential purchase sits in comparison to my existing hardware. Although in fairness - the MX11 being £800 implies budget, and my usage is actually stated above (i.e. gaming and office work whilst travelling, and then a potential desktop replacement at home) - but anyway, the point is somewhat moot.

The Alienware netbook is expensive yes, but it is also the only one i have seen that is ultraportable whilst still being capable of do everything i want out and about, whilst also acting as a desktop replacement when i am at home.

If you chaps know of any other 11/12/13" netbooks that are as powerful and cheaper, and available in the UK, then i will gladly consider them - and be appreciative for the suggestions.

Thanks all.

HG