System requirements/buying advice for new computer

[dynia]

Hej, I'm looking for some hints, because I need a new computer (a notebook). It need not to be a top-notch gaming machine, but I'd like to play Carrier Command: Gaea Mission on it.

Will a machine like the Acer Aspire M3-581TG-72636G52Mnkk do? It has the following specs:
- Intel Core i7 2637M (1.70GHz), 4MB Cache, 17W TDP, Turbo Frequency up to 2.8GHz (low consumption CPU)
- 6 GB DDR3 RAM
- nVidia Geforce GT 640M with 1GB
- WXGA HD (1366 x 768)
- 500 GB HDD + 20 GB SDD
- 15.6", LED Backlight, Diamond View (glare)

Or do I need something like a MSI GT683DXR (with nVidia Geforce GT 570M) or Toshiba Qosmio X770-107 (GT 560M)?
Does anyone know, what the system requirements for mobile components is?

Thanks a lot for any advice!

[Zothen]

notebook != gaming pc
Will never work out properly. Folks never understand that.
(I bet we now get a handful of replies of people who have fantastic experiences with their "gaming notebook...)

[dynia]

I know that a notebook isn't the best solution for gaming, but I don't want to buy a big computer. I just need a solution for CCGM and I have no idea, what I need, as I've never played games with complex 3D-graphics.

[Harbinger]

I'll oblige.

I have an Acer 8943G laptop. 90gb SSD, 750Gb HDD, 1.73GHz i7 Q740, 16Gb RAM, 2Gb ATI 5850, 5.1 surround sound, 18.4" 1920x1080 display, Windows 7 64 bit.

Everything I've thrown at it runs beautifully, and it makes a nice portable gaming machine. It's not perfect, but it's certainly 90% perfect for me. The main issue is the graphics RAM - it's only DDR3 - which means shadows and anti-aliasing run slower than I would like. Acer were too cheap to put GDDR5 on it

You will of course get better results out of a proper gaming box. Those are kind of hard to transport though.

[NeoArmageddon]

[...] but I don't want to buy a big computer. I just need a solution for CCGM and I have no idea, what I need, as I've never played games with complex 3D-graphics.

Do you want to be mobile and play CC anywhere? Or do you jsut want a "small" solution for playing CC?
If you just want to play CC, a normal desktop computer (~400-500 €) should be enough. A notebook that runs CC as good as a small desktop computer will cost probably over 800 euro. CC needs more than 2.5 Ghz CPU... most notebooks are under 2.2 Ghz for power saving/head exhaust reasons. It will be hard to find a "cheap" notebook, that nearly meets CC's minimum requirements.

If you don't play any other games and you have a notebook, keep your old one for working or whatever you do with a notebook, and buy a desktop for playing CC. This will save you money, headache and eyecancer (from notebook grafic chips).

[aggressorblue]

Plus, to build on what NeoArmageddon said, Notebooks don't actually save space on your desk. They're usually a more cluttred solution by the time you have all the cables hooked up, than a desktop PC. In reality, a desktop is just a monitor and a Keyboard/mouse on your desk. The tower goes on the floor, and keeps itself and it's cables out of the way.

[DarkSilver]

Depends on how much your willing to spend personally i'm running

i7 930 @ 2.8
24gb DDr 3 1600
2x 480gtx hydrocoppers
64bit win 7 pro
and a partridge and a pair tree. cant say i have had a single graphic hicup or issue yet