Buying a laptop, concerned that it might not run TS3

[leptoon]

I'm about to buy a laptop but I'm confused as to whether or not it will run TS3 (+ all expansions including Pets). According to most reviewers, the graphics card runs much slower than its desktop equivalent due to no dedicated memory, and neither the CPU nor GPU are listed on MST2 recommended hardware lists.

Specs
Model: Gateway NV55S07u
CPU: AMD Quad-Core A6-3400M 2.3GHz (OC'd)
RAM: 4GB DDR3 1066MHz
Graphics: AMD Radeon HD 6520G 512MB
OS: Windows 7 Ultimate

[ellacharmed]

That's not a good purchase; the Graphics is an integrated chip. You gonna have all the issues people are complaining about with integrated chipsets/onboard graphics for Pets.
And 0 value of 3DMark to Price ratio? Yikes! http://www.videocardbenchmark.net/gpu.php?gpu=Radeon+HD+6520G

[leptoon]

After a bit more research, I found someone playing Crysis 2 on a laptop with (almost) the same specs as mine.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foDgv2kADw4

I have a feeling it will play TS3 and then some, but thanks for the <sarcasm>helpful</sarcasm> response.

[leesester]

Well, I think it WAS a helpful response, Sims3 is VERY hard on graphics cards, and most salespeople don't actually seem to KNOW that - they more seem to assume that its sims - come on, you can use any cheap card. Not so.

I have a desktop PC now - so when Sims2 or Sims3 fries my graphics card I just need to replace the card - not the whole damn motherboard (which I didn't do of course when my laptop died - one very expensive paperweight later.....)

[whiterider]

The 6720G2 is not "very similar" to the 6520G. In fact, the 6720G2 is a 6520G plus a dedicated graphics card (6650M) - so the 6520G will provide less than half the performance of the 6720G2. 6720G2 is also very well-suited to games like Crysis 2, because it has a bunch of performance-boosting features which work with with DirectX10 and 11 (Crysis 2 uses DirectX 11), but which don't work with DirectX 9 or older (TS3 uses DirectX 9).

http://www.notebookcheck.net/AMD-Radeon-HD-6720G2.57274.0.html http://www.notebookcheck.net/AMD-Radeon-HD-6520G.55734.0.html

Don't assume that one little number can't make a huge difference. :)

As you say, the CPU used by that author's video and the one you're thinking of buying are indeed the same. However, RAM is a big issue here. 4GB is the minimum to play TS3 on Win7, so you want more than that. Because that laptop has integrated graphics, the graphics will be sucking up a goodly chunk of your RAM, leaving less for the game to use. Compared with that situation, the guy in the video has 6GB to start with; and because he has a 1GB dedicated graphics card, his graphics are sucking much less of his 6GB of system RAM. In practise, he has almost twice as much RAM as that laptop has.

If you want to go ahead and buy that laptop, feel free, it's your money. But it will not run TS3 well, if at all.
You asked for advice, and you got correct advice. I'm sorry if you don't like what you heard... but it's better to know now than to find out after you've thrown a load of cash at it.

[ellacharmed]

I didn't compile the benchmarks, yanno. They're all auto-calculated based from contributors' inputs. Battlefield 3 has become the new Crysis 2, when it comes to benchmarks now. And so...I'll let the coded colors in the image do all the talking. [source (http://www.notebookcheck.net/Computer-Games-on-Laptop-Graphic-Cards.13849.0.html) ]
http://thumbs2.modthesims2.com/img/1/5/1/5/0/0/2/MTS_ellacharm3d-1246620-ss611.jpg
Well, I'm thinking my rebuttal is no longer needed, but I'd just like to know why ask for advise if you're gonna shoot down what they say when it is not something you want to hear?
If Sims 3 is the only game you play, you want to take the chance, or play at that low framerate (for Crysis 2), then sure. But I'd rather not see folks return in Help with issues (as that means I'm not doing my job), when I have a chance to recommend new hardware.
Worst case scenario is you need another PC purchase inside of 6mths when that unsupported hardware fails on you. If you have that much money to throw around, well then, good for you! :)

However, I still feel compelled to present my case.
Have you done a true comparison and watch Crysis 2 gameplay on an actual 6520G? The videos I saw also have the 6720G which the uploader claim has been turn off. As I have not done any research whatsoever to see if that is even possible (as the AMD specs states the 6520G+6650M works in Crossfire), depending where the Xfire settings is set (hardwares' firmware or combination of hardware+drivers); because the texture details look similar. Do you notice how long it takes to load and the texture details, on this one http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6eD0U16FlU ? Do you notice how glass and mirrors look on the 2 videos?

Of course, all these videos show that they can load and play. The laptops are still brand new!
But the true litmus test is for how long can they sustain the same level of gameplay? 6 months, a year, 2 years, of 4hrs average gameplay daily on mid resolution and mid settings? Compared to a laptop/desktop with dedicated graphics? I know of folks who can play on the same machines even after 4 years on their "gaming" machines. And they finally upgrade because they got the "itch" or wanted to play newer games, not because the hardware crapped out.

How many threads have you come across of folks with onboard graphics who cannot play Pets? And EA is not even done with the Sims 3 franchise, there are more to come, with increasing and higher demands on hardware if the trend is to continue.

[leptoon]

I've been playing TS3 + all expansions and stuff packs (including pets) for hours on med-high settings with no lag. I also played Dead Island on med-high settings, Metro 2033 on med-high settings, Anno:1404 on high settings and Civilization 5 on med-high settings, all with no noticeable lag.

@whiterider, All of the performance boosting features are the same for the entire mobile 6000 series. They all support DX11, are optimized for DX10 and none of them work very well with DX9 according to the reviews I've read. But it also depends on the manufacture of a laptop. If you have two laptops with the same specs but one is from a manufacture that has poor cooling design and overheats, and another that is designed better and doesn't overheat, you'll get better performance on the one with less heat. Same can be said for monitor refresh rates and probably a couple other things but I'm too tired to get into more detail.

Btw, the 6520G is not integrated. The A6 series is an APU, meaning the CPU and GPU are located on the same chip. It's technically a discrete video card merged with the CPU. Same book, different cover.

[ellacharmed]

Btw, the 6520G is not integrated. The A6 series is an APU, meaning the CPU and GPU are located on the same chip. It's technically a discrete video card merged with the CPU. Same book, different cover.That is still "integrated" in my book. As it still means "combine together to make a whole", which means it won't work on its own (ie non-discrete).

From http://www.amd.com/us/products/technologies/fusion/Pages/fusion.aspx
Leverage the AMD Radeon™ design DNA for discrete-level graphics in a single-chip PC
All that, translates to me as more PR, Marketing spin; APU is another term for "integrated" as per the AMD New Products Marketing team (I'm sure Nvidia and Intel would come up with their own new acronyms). They just wanted to differentiate it as the next big thing in technology advancements. I just hope others are able to tell the difference.
It also states discrete-level graphics: "discrete-level", does not mean that there's actually a "discrete video card merged with the CPU". They just try to emulate the performance. But there's so much emulation it can handle if the hardware is not there. There are still a lot of things being limited by the fact that the hardware is not there, being just a "discrete-level" graphics chip versus a discrete graphics card.

Just like so much I can do in coding in Ruby as I don't have the background in that programming language at all. I can bluff my way around it sure, by using my knowledge of other programming languages and extrapolate the similarities, but I'm gonna fumble once the hard questions are fired hard and fast. Guess, I'm rambling in providing an analogy.

I'm excited for its potential for the form-factor, the mobility and longer battery life in mobile devices that it provides, don't get me wrong. But it is still not suited for heavy gaming. And as it sounds like you've already purchase it and have made up your mind, my further attempts at convincing you otherwise is moot.

Enjoy your new laptop, and Happy Simming!