LF advice on a new laptop computer

[change4gas]

Update: purchased the MSI i5-2430M, GT540M 2gb, 4gb, 500gb 7200rpm for $678 from Memory Express. Thank you everyone.

Hello. Long time lurker and avid fan of RFD. I'm just looking for opinions and I appreciate any help. TL;DR at the bottom.

I am a university student in my 4th year of school and my previously budget desktop that I purchased 3 years ago is somewhat limiting me in its lack of mobility. The desktop I have is fine, but I would also like to purchase a laptop for the convenience of portability. Additionally, one caveat that I have is that I enjoy gaming and the game that I would use the laptop for has the following requirements:

Processor - 2.4GHz Core 2 or i3 / 2.2GHz i5 or i7 / AMD 3500+ or faster
RAM - 2.0+ GB for Win XP / 3.0+ GB for Win 7
Video Card - 256MB Geforce 7800+ or Radeon X1900+
OS - 32-bit Windows XP, 64-bit Windows 7
Network Connection Required (Broadband)

Anyway, I've been considering some options and have come to a bit of an impasse as to what sort of machine to get. The two options I am considering are:

1. An AMD A-6, 4gb (from Lenovo or Toshiba) with integrated graphics. I'd be looking for pricing at around $399 and would poach for it. Hopefully, the sales would start popping in before September :).

2. A $599 Asus K53V-XP1 with a i5-2410M, 4GB, 640GB, DVD+/-RW, 15.6in LED HD, GeForce GT 540M, Win 7 Home Premium 64-bit (recommended by DavidY in another thread; thanks). The link is here: http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/MX34508. Additionally, if I bit on that deal, how much and how difficult would it be to install another 4gb of RAM in that laptop?

My circumstances:
I have a friend who owes me about $300 dollars and I also have a bit of disposable income (originally, I was hoping to spend around $400). In the past, I've cheaped out and payed (figuratively) for poor craftsmanship. That being said, is the ASUS quality worth paying for and will the investment pay itself off in the long run or is the economic choice the best? I really just want opinions and any help is appreciated :D

TL;DR - insert generic brand AMD A6, 4gb ($399) or ASUS i5-2410M, 4gb, GeForce GT540M ($599)

[DavidY]

Here's the hierarchy chart for graphics cards:

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gaming-graphics-card-review,3107-7.html

Are those the minimum or recommended requirements for the game? 540M may be borderline?

Option #1 is out...integrated graphics is typically too slow for decent gaming. Diablo 3 can play at low on Intel HD 3000.

You probably need to increase your budget a bit to game decently...Lenovo Y570 with an i5 and GTX 555M starts at $699 (i7 models start at $749) with e-coupon? Took 5 mins to install new memory in my Lenovo Thinkpad Edge E420....not sure what it's like on the Ideapad. To my understanding, the build quality on the Ideapads is not at the same level as their Thinkpad line (Thinkpad Edge is a lower level than their regular Thinkpad series). Shipping on the Ideapads is all over the place....in some cases, over 4 weeks right now.

Dave

[change4gas]

It's actually the recommended specs for the game :)

[DavidY]

Light-moderate gaming laptops with the 540M appear to be common in the $600-$700 range. There was that $499 HP DV6 laptop on sale at Staples awhile ago that had a pretty fast gaming chip.

Dave

[change4gas]

Thanks for all your help so far. I did a little more research and came across a $469 IdeaPad Z575 1299-27U w/ AMD A8-3500M, 6GB, 750GB, DVD+/-RW, 15.6in LED HD, Radeon HD 6620, Win 7 Home Premium 64-bit. I know the llano processors and the integrated 6620 graphics are questionable, but will this computer become obsolete much too quickly? The 6620 is much better than the 6520 it would seem.

Link: http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/MX38719

[DavidY]

Thanks for all your help so far. I did a little more research and came across a $469 IdeaPad Z575 1299-27U w/ AMD A8-3500M, 6GB, 750GB, DVD+/-RW, 15.6in LED HD, Radeon HD 6620, Win 7 Home Premium 64-bit. I know the llano processors and the integrated 6620 graphics are questionable, but will this computer become obsolete much too quickly? The 6620 is much better than the 6520 it would seem.

Link: http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/MX38719

Both 6620 and 6520 are low-midrange (#197 and #239 at Notebookcheck.net)....540M is a midrange at #135. 555M is also midrange at #95. 560M is high end at #57.

[lostintransit]

is the laptop intended to be a replacement to gaming on the desktop?
Why not get netbook or nexus tablet and upgrade your desktop.
That being said option one might be enough since these amd fusions are actually decent at playing games and would/should beat the onboard intel hd 3000 (but not the i5 cpu ) which someone else says diablo works with.
I would buy that laptop, because it is cheaper, and install and test the game and see if it is playable, otherwise return it.
They seem pretty low specs(for the game)

[change4gas]

no, the laptop isn't supposed to be a replacement, but I still want to go LAN and game at friends' houses. The thing with hierarchies and rankings is that they're not in linear accordance to what they can run. I'm not the craziest gamer and my needs aren't that crazy. Despite that, I have more or less decided to choose a notebook in the 600 dollar range and have come down to the ASUS and this MSI laptop: http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/MX37040 that has similar specs.

[DavidY]

no, the laptop isn't supposed to be a replacement, but I still want to go LAN and game at friends' houses. The thing with hierarchies and rankings is that they're not in linear accordance to what they can run. I'm not the craziest gamer and my needs aren't that crazy. Despite that, I have more or less decided to choose a notebook in the 600 dollar range and have come down to the ASUS and this MSI laptop: http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/MX37040 that has similar specs.

Specs are similar...the biggest difference is the MSI's 14 inch vs. Asus's 15.6 inch. Personally, I prefer 14 inch laptops for better portability. Otherwise, the extra 1+ inch or so is nice to have for viewing pleasureS. The difference in weight may matter too. No USB3 on the Asus...currently out of stock too. Limited stock on the MSI. If one has the US keyboard, I would likely get that one.

Dave

[change4gas]

Are any of the extended coverage plans worth the money?

[DavidY]

Are any of the extended coverage plans worth the money?

My 1 year warranty with Lenovo just ended last week. I didn't extend it...it was an option until the 1 year warranty had expired.

Dave

[george__]

If you are set on a gaming laptop. I've had decent experience with Asus, specifically G60. Only issue I found was it was really heavy and ran very hot (which might reduce life expectancy of the laptop??). MSI - never owned a MSI product in my life, so no clue there.