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General discussion (archive)Netbooks(34 posts)(34 posts)
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This is my favourite topic
Posted January 13, 2009
I'm thinking about buying a netbook (running win xp/vista) before uni goes back and I was hoping a few people here might be able to give me opinions on the various options. Currently I'm looking at an Eee PC, Acer Aspire One & MSI Wind but am open to other options if they do the job & aren't too expensive.
Assuming they're all capable of net surfing & running Office 2007, I've got to focus on the most important function of any computer bought for study: Gaming ("But mum, it'll help me with my homework").
What sorts of technical limitations are there for gaming on a netbook? I know the CPU and GPU aren't exactly top notch gaming hardware but would I run into trouble playing any game on GOG or with ScummVM?
They mostly use a Intel GMA950 GPU don't they? What's the most powerful game you'd likely to be able to run on it? Would Operation Flashpoint run okay? Thats probably the most advanced game I'd be likely to put on, that or Broken Sword 4. Actually thats a lie, I'd try and set up FEAR & NWN2 because I like trying to push new hardware to see just how much it can take...
Are there any netbooks that run vista? I'm not planning to use vista on the netbook itself, I just want a licence for home premium, since I prefer the vista media centre I'd put that on my home theatre PC which is running XP media centre.
Possibly the most important question, do you get OS install media with them or just one of those crapy restore partitions/discs that only puts all their crap back on?
Posted January 13, 2009
I am currently writing this on my notebook. It's a Gateway with Intel 965 integrated graphics. I can run Oblivion in medium to low settings. Fallout 3 is currently collecting dust at this time because I can't play it on here.
The problem with ANY integrated graphics is that a lot of the times they are not supported by some games and will not run at all. If I were you, I would get a notebook you can upgrade. There are some out there. I will look up a site that tells you if a notebook is upgradeable or not. Your best bet would be to get something with a brand name like Nvidia or ATI.
I have two GOG games BASS and Lure of the temptress and I have had almost no trouble with them other than the fact that those games don't like being alt-tabbed out of because then you can't move or do anything(but you're still able to save your progress and restart the game). ScummVM works fine as does DOSBox.
Let me give you a run down of how some games run on this computer.
Dawn of War 1 = runs damn near flawlessly except for the opening video being stuttery as all hell.
The Witcher EE = runs okayish but I can't tell if the lag I experience is due to the Aurora engine or if it's my PC.
Neverwinter Nights 2 = Aurora engine vs. PC again don't know the real cause of lag....although Storm of Zehir runs really well in moderate settings (1024 x 860 or one of those resolutions ...can't be arsed to remember at this time).
Jagged Alliance 2 (non GOG version) = runs well after some minor compatibility settings almost no crashes.
I tried running the L4Dead demo on this PC......it wasn't pretty ....I've seen slide shows of turtles move faster.
Mine came with one of those crappy restore disks unfortunately as I rather prefer a clean OS disk for the occasional reformat and make everything new time.
My notebook came with some Office 2007 apps on it so I can assume it can run them but I never use them because I have no need for them.
I think most netbooks run a flavor of Vista although I have seen some that come with XP pre-installed.
That's all I can think of right now. Ask more questions if you like.
EDIT: Here's a website that tells you which notebooks have the MXM standard which allows you to upgrade them. Also, ASUS is supposed to be coming with a fully upgradeable line of notebooks soon.
And last thing, for now, is research each notebook you're considering of buying(reviews, testimonials etc..) so you don't get stuck with a dud.
Post edited January 13, 2009 by JudasIscariot
Posted January 13, 2009
i have a 965 chipset and I have gotten L4D running smoothly, of course it doesn't look pretty, it still runs.
Posted January 13, 2009
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Weclock: i have a 965 chipset and I have gotten L4D running smoothly, of course it doesn't look pretty, it still runs.

Steam or non-Steam??? Or does it make a difference? I was using the Steam version of the demo...
Posted January 13, 2009
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Weclock: i have a 965 chipset and I have gotten L4D running smoothly, of course it doesn't look pretty, it still runs.
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JudasIscariot: Steam or non-Steam??? Or does it make a difference? I was using the Steam version of the demo...

There is no non-Steam version, is there? It's a Valve game. Even if you buy it retail, it'll still install and run under Steam only.
Posted January 13, 2009
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JudasIscariot: Steam or non-Steam??? Or does it make a difference? I was using the Steam version of the demo...
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Wishbone: There is no non-Steam version, is there? It's a Valve game. Even if you buy it retail, it'll still install and run under Steam only.

My bad. I didn't know. I haven't really kept up with it hehe.
Oh well. The game didn't satisfy me at all so I'm not worried about it.
Posted January 13, 2009
http://www.gog.com/en/forum/general/games_to_play_on_netbooks
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=329518
Posted January 13, 2009
Don't mistake Notebooks and Netbooks. They are not really the same class of computer. Netbooks have a 10" screen or smaller and don't have a CD Drive. Oh and they are an inch or two bigger than a DVD box set.
Anyway
I just got an Acer Aspire One netbook. The one with 160gb hard Drive, XP and 6 cell battery that lasts five and a half hours on a charge (Yeah I just tested it. For the past 5 hours... on a single charge.)
Installed Starcraft, Diablo II, and Warcraft III on it. (If you have these with the keys you can plug the keys in at Blizzard's Store and download the digital versions for free.) Haven't run any GOG games on it yet. But I have a link to a site where they have been testing all sorts of games.
www.aspireoneuser.com
They have a forum for software under Windows XP that can tell you a long list of games that are compatible on, Not just the AAO, but all netbooks with the same set up.
There's also a tutorial for installing CD/DVD games through your main computer's CD/DVD drive through a router. So you may not even need an external CD drive.
Theoretically you should be able to run most stuff that runs at 800x600 Resolution. Nvidia is just now starting to make graphics chips for netbooks. It'll be a few months though. (Remember, I'm talking about Netbooks, NOT Notebooks!! Nvidia and ATI have been around on those for a long time.)
You get a restore Partition with the Acer Aspire One. Which is ok in this case because there isn't a CD Drive.
They usually come with Linux or XP Home. Vista is too much of a hog and very few netbooks come with it. I've read some good things about Windows 7 on a netbook though.
Post edited January 13, 2009 by Sadnasser
Posted January 13, 2009
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JudasIscariot: I am currently writing this on my notebook. It's a Gateway with Intel 965 integrated graphics. I can run Oblivion in medium to low settings. Fallout 3 is currently collecting dust at this time because I can't play it on here.
The problem with ANY integrated graphics is that a lot of the times they are not supported by some games and will not run at all. If I were you, I would get a notebook you can upgrade. There are some out there. I will look up a site that tells you if a notebook is upgradeable or not. Your best bet would be to get something with a brand name like Nvidia or ATI.
I have two GOG games BASS and Lure of the temptress and I have had almost no trouble with them other than the fact that those games don't like being alt-tabbed out of because then you can't move or do anything(but you're still able to save your progress and restart the game). ScummVM works fine as does DOSBox.
Let me give you a run down of how some games run on this computer.
Dawn of War 1 = runs damn near flawlessly except for the opening video being stuttery as all hell.
The Witcher EE = runs okayish but I can't tell if the lag I experience is due to the Aurora engine or if it's my PC.
Neverwinter Nights 2 = Aurora engine vs. PC again don't know the real cause of lag....although Storm of Zehir runs really well in moderate settings (1024 x 860 or one of those resolutions ...can't be arsed to remember at this time).
Jagged Alliance 2 (non GOG version) = runs well after some minor compatibility settings almost no crashes.
I tried running the L4Dead demo on this PC......it wasn't pretty ....I've seen slide shows of turtles move faster.
Mine came with one of those crappy restore disks unfortunately as I rather prefer a clean OS disk for the occasional reformat and make everything new time.
My notebook came with some Office 2007 apps on it so I can assume it can run them but I never use them because I have no need for them.
I think most netbooks run a flavor of Vista although I have seen some that come with XP pre-installed.
That's all I can think of right now. Ask more questions if you like.
EDIT: Here's a website that tells you which notebooks have the MXM standard which allows you to upgrade them. Also, ASUS is supposed to be coming with a fully upgradeable line of notebooks soon.
And last thing, for now, is research each notebook you're considering of buying(reviews, testimonials etc..) so you don't get stuck with a dud.

You can run Oblivion?!!! I don't see why Fallout 3 won't run, they are more or less the same engine.
Posted January 13, 2009
Thanks for the info guys/gals/miscellaneous, it does sound like the average netbook is going to basically do what I expect, if ever the universe will stop shovelling piles of expensive hardship on my immediate relatives, I may be able to get one. As long as it won't explode trying to play fallout tactics I'll be happy.
The lack of DVD drive isn't exactly something that would bother me, I'd just set up a shared DVD drive from my HTPC or other laptop to install software through, the only real challenge would be installing a new OS.
Is there actually much difference between netbooks of the same spec?
How hot do they get when doing stuff like gaming? My current lappy is a furnace when it's doing basic stuff & gaming only makes it worse.
Posted January 13, 2009
I for one can confirm that Windows 7 runs better on netbooks than Vista. There's always the whole 'its a beta and you have to buy retail after august' thing, but its worth a shot for now imo.
Posted January 14, 2009
I was actually thinking of putting win7 on my current lappy when I get the netbook since I'll at least have 1 computer if I stuff it up...
Posted January 14, 2009
avatar
JudasIscariot: I am currently writing this on my notebook. It's a Gateway with Intel 965 integrated graphics. I can run Oblivion in medium to low settings. Fallout 3 is currently collecting dust at this time because I can't play it on here.
The problem with ANY integrated graphics is that a lot of the times they are not supported by some games and will not run at all. If I were you, I would get a notebook you can upgrade. There are some out there. I will look up a site that tells you if a notebook is upgradeable or not. Your best bet would be to get something with a brand name like Nvidia or ATI.
I have two GOG games BASS and Lure of the temptress and I have had almost no trouble with them other than the fact that those games don't like being alt-tabbed out of because then you can't move or do anything(but you're still able to save your progress and restart the game). ScummVM works fine as does DOSBox.
Let me give you a run down of how some games run on this computer.
Dawn of War 1 = runs damn near flawlessly except for the opening video being stuttery as all hell.
The Witcher EE = runs okayish but I can't tell if the lag I experience is due to the Aurora engine or if it's my PC.
Neverwinter Nights 2 = Aurora engine vs. PC again don't know the real cause of lag....although Storm of Zehir runs really well in moderate settings (1024 x 860 or one of those resolutions ...can't be arsed to remember at this time).
Jagged Alliance 2 (non GOG version) = runs well after some minor compatibility settings almost no crashes.
I tried running the L4Dead demo on this PC......it wasn't pretty ....I've seen slide shows of turtles move faster.
Mine came with one of those crappy restore disks unfortunately as I rather prefer a clean OS disk for the occasional reformat and make everything new time.
My notebook came with some Office 2007 apps on it so I can assume it can run them but I never use them because I have no need for them.
I think most netbooks run a flavor of Vista although I have seen some that come with XP pre-installed.
That's all I can think of right now. Ask more questions if you like.
EDIT: Here's a website that tells you which notebooks have the MXM standard which allows you to upgrade them. Also, ASUS is supposed to be coming with a fully upgradeable line of notebooks soon.
And last thing, for now, is research each notebook you're considering of buying(reviews, testimonials etc..) so you don't get stuck with a dud.
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michaelleung: You can run Oblivion?!!! I don't see why Fallout 3 won't run, they are more or less the same engine.

Yep I can run Oblivion. Granted it is not at the highest possible settings but it still runs and I don't really care about the highest settings anyways. I'm quite content with a 1024 x whatever resolution. But Fallout 3 ?? Forget it. Will not run even with patches, updated drivers, sacrificed first born. Nothing will make that game run on this laptop.
I don't know what Bethesda did with that engine but I can tell you right now it can't be the same exact engine that was in Oblivion.
Posted January 14, 2009
yes you can run oblivion on a netbook BUT you need a fanmade patch/mod called Oldblivion.
what oldblivion does is alter quite a few shader scripts to work on gfx cards that dont have pixel shader capabilities or limited capabilities.
oldblivion does NOT work on fallout 3 because it wasnt designed for it and because the engine has changed substantially, thus you cannot run fallout 3.
the author of oldblivion has made some progress in making something similar for FO3.
but its far from being finished, and its not definite that he will ever finish it.
as for nvidia making chips for netbooks - they already do, and already are at retail. the asus n10j has a 9xxx chip in it already.
Post edited January 14, 2009 by custardcream
Posted January 14, 2009
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custardcream: yes you can run oblivion on a netbook BUT you need a fanmade patch/mod called Oldblivion.
what oldblivion does is alter quite a few shader scripts to work on gfx cards that dont have pixel shader capabilities or limited capabilities.
oldblivion does NOT work on fallout 3 because it wasnt designed for it and because the engine has changed substantially, thus you cannot run fallout 3.
the author of oldblivion has made some progress in making something similar for FO3.
but its far from being finished, and its not definite that he will ever finish it.
as for nvidia making chips for netbooks - they already do, and already are at retail. the asus n10j has a 9xxx chip in it already.

I'm not running Oldblivion though. And I finally managed to see a bit of Fallout 3. I got to see a small portion of the "One Year Later" part of the game but then the game crashes after I crawl up to Liam Neeson's character in the game. Of course I had people with no heads in the parts of the game I managed to see....so all that leads me to believe there are some bugs somewhere within the game.
Post edited January 14, 2009 by JudasIscariot
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This is my favourite topic
Community
General discussion (archive)Netbooks(34 posts)(34 posts)
(34 posts)