Curse

Lucifer PVP · Apr 02, 2008, 08:20 PM // 20:20

I have been doing some research for a new notebook and I only have three requirments

1. Has to have a serial port (Don't inform me of usb2serial etc I have to have a serial port)
2. Has to offer 3 year warrenty with onsite
3. Has to be under $2,000 dollars US
4. I would like it to have a good video card and not a 3100x, Quadro, firegl etc card

These notebooks for dell are the only ones I have been able to find,but they have crap video cards

Latitude D830 D630 D531 D530 ATG
Precision M4300

Anyone know of another brand that sells basicly a gaming notebook with a serial port

moriz · Apr 02, 2008, 08:38 PM // 20:38

to be fair, nvidia quadro cards are very good. they are essentially geforces but stress-tested to ensure maximum quality (hence why they are more expensive), and have different drivers to enable CAD and other professional features.

they are so similar that you can softmod a geforce into a quadro and vice versa using rivatuner.

FXCW · Apr 02, 2008, 09:19 PM // 21:19

You can get any laptop you like, within your price range of course. The serial port is a non issue as you can easily purchase USB to Serial port adapters.

I can recommend Sony Vaio laptops, they have come down quite a lot in price lately and they look very nice too. we currently own 5 and all of them work very well.

This model seems perfect, it is well under your price range, has a very good card, great screen, Blu Ray. Can't go wrong really.

I do not know about Sony in the USA but here in the UK they tend to not be competitive in their own stores so you might get it even cheaper than that. If that is the case you could even get the top of the range model in that series as it is only just above your price.

If screen size is an issue then you might want to go for the Vaio AR, but I would not if I were you as they have been around for a while and might be getting replaced soon. Furthermore the FZ range is quite new, so might be a better bet. You also want to take into account that the FZ will be much more portable, I have owned a 17" laptop and luggin 3.9kg around for any length of time is not much fun.

Hope this helps.

Quaker · Apr 02, 2008, 11:41 PM // 23:41

Unfortunately for you, the serial port is basically dead, and the parallel port is on it's last legs. Very few new laptops or motherboards come with one. Hell, some new motherboards don't even come with a PS/2 style mouse port any more (my new ASUS for example). Other than some oddball or legacy devices, who uses serial ports any more?

I Dont Do Coke · Apr 02, 2008, 11:48 PM // 23:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by FXCW

get the top of the range model in that series as it is only just above your price.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lucifer PVP

4. I would like it to have a good video card

Top of the range and it has an 8400M GT... 8400 = bad card.

Malice Black · Apr 03, 2008, 12:08 AM // 00:08

Yes. The 8400 is bad. It'll run old games, but nothing new.

Dell Vostro 1500

or

http://configure.us.dell.com/dellsto...=DYDWHF1&s=dhs

One of the best notebooks within your price range. The 8600 is a capable card. It'll run most games, but high req games like Crysis etc are a no go.

eggrolls · Apr 03, 2008, 03:40 AM // 03:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lucifer PVP

1. Has to have a serial port (Don't inform me of usb2serial etc I have to have a serial port)

Good luck with that. 99% if not all decent gaming laptops will not have a serial port. I know telling you that isn't being very helpful, but you will have to sacrifice one of your requirements. Either no serial port with good graphics, serial port with Quadros, or find someone to mod the laptop to add on a serial port. If that last one is even possible, your warranty will definitely be voided.

lord_shar · Apr 03, 2008, 06:04 AM // 06:04

My co-worker has had excellent luck on www.delloutlet.com. These units are scratch/dent, refurbs, canceled orders, etc... but are essentially new units. Cosmetically they are perfect, and hardware-wise they deliver a lot more than than any retail store equivalent for the same price. Just one word of warning: the good units move FAST. You have to refresh their order page every few minutes. I found a XPS M1530 with a 2.8ghz C2D extreme processor, 3gigs ram, 200MB 7200RPM HD, and nvidia 8600GT video card for under $2k USD. I stared at it for about 1 min, then hit the refresh button -- it was already gone.

EDIT: oops, the above may not work if a serial port is required.

FXCW · Apr 03, 2008, 07:11 AM // 07:11

I don't know what you guys are on about, I can run Crysis on my Geforce Go 7600. Not on max settings of course but an 8400 is a better card than that.

I Dont Do Coke · Apr 03, 2008, 02:57 PM // 14:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by FXCW

I don't know what you guys are on about, I can run Crysis on my Geforce Go 7600. Not on max settings of course but an 8400 is a better card than that.

I have a Sony VAIO AR with an 8400M GT and it lags on Crysis with low settings. Once again, 8400 = bad card. Just because it's an 8 series card doesn't mean that it's any good.

FXCW · Apr 03, 2008, 03:39 PM // 15:39

Well that sucks then.

Brianna · Apr 03, 2008, 04:52 PM // 16:52

Yeah.. basically a 7900GT blah blah video card is better than an 8600, and so on.

That's the thing about Nvidia, they make 3 types of cards in every series: the Low end, Mid range, and High end.

For instance mainly in the 6 series they had 6200, 6600, and 6800, the mid/high end ones are the only ones worth getting.

So in theory a 6600GT would be better than a 7300LE (which I had), because the 7300 is a complete piece of crap, where as the 6600 has some more gaming power.

So yeah the high end card from the last series passes up all the cards in the next series until it reaches the new series high end card.

Out of curiosity: Why must it have a Serial port? I haven't seen any laptops you specify with one.

Pasha the Mighty · Apr 03, 2008, 05:10 PM // 17:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brianna

Yeah.. basically a 7900GT blah blah video card is better than an 8600, and so on.

That's the thing about Nvidia, they make 3 types of cards in every series: the Low end, Mid range, and High end.

For instance mainly in the 6 series they had 6200, 6600, and 6800, the mid/high end ones are the only ones worth getting.

So in theory a 6600GT would be better than a 7300LE (which I had), because the 7300 is a complete piece of crap, where as the 6600 has some more gaming power.

So yeah the high end card from the last series passes up all the cards in the next series until it reaches the new series high end card.

lol I have the 7300 le as well. I'm upgrading my rig on monday (can't wait!), but just getting a mid end 8 series card for the simple reason that I want to get the 9900 gtx in june lol.
Btw, I have to say, most laptop video cards are bad, because, for example, Fujitsu-Siemens have their own custom drivers, and those cause random crashes with Vista. They refuse to acknowledge the problem, and therefore don't bring out new drivers. The nVidia drivers don't work, so you're stuck with a laptop which has the infamous nvlddmkm.sys problem, while a 7900 Go isn't even that bad.

FXCW · Apr 03, 2008, 06:55 PM // 18:55

The solution for drivers is to just not bother with the OEM ones, I use Nvision to get mine.

Lucifer PVP · Apr 03, 2008, 08:14 PM // 20:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by moriz

they are so similar that you can softmod a geforce into a quadro and vice versa using rivatuner.

Ill look into how well that works. Dell doesn't sell great quadro cards, but i guess better then nothing

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brianna

Why must it have a Serial port? I haven't seen any laptops you specify with one

Some old networking equipment
And according to this page under the port tab they do have serial ports
http://www.dell.com/content/products...=04&l=en&s=bsd
Dell
Latitude D830 D630 D531 D530 ATG
Precision M4300
I reallly don't want a dell

FXCW · Apr 03, 2008, 09:09 PM // 21:09

What's wrong with using an adapter? You can have ones integrated into PCMCIA cards if you do not want to use a usb port on one.

Lucifer PVP · Apr 04, 2008, 04:32 AM // 04:32

My boss will not let me get a notebook without one..
Many USB-serial adapters don't properly translate all of the serial control signals, this can hold true with notebooks, which some/most barely have compliant USB power available.
Maybe i should look into PCMCIA or express card

Thanks

Admael · Apr 04, 2008, 05:58 AM // 05:58

Easy

Just find a laptop that fits your needs, then buy a docking station that has a serial port. Most standard laptop docking stations are accommodated with a serial port

Jumping Is Uselss · Apr 04, 2008, 01:54 PM // 13:54

If you need a good business laptop Dell Vostro 1500 is the way to go. It meets the requirements you need. Also it is a busniess type laptop so dell offers some discounts if it is bought through a business. My father used the company he works for to order my laptop, the cost of mine was around $1200 not including shipping and handling. The 8600 on the vostro 1500 is good enough to run GW and CoD4 perfectly without any issues.