PC advice :)

mishmash · Post by **mishmash** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 8:58 pm

Hello all!

I'm an old time player of ALFA, a couple of years ago I played on Pirate Isles when Soulcrusher and Fionn were dming there... Good days they were and what a great server that was. Sadly my laptop broke and I haven't been able to afford one since then so my days on ALFA1 were numbered.

I'm now in a position where I'm considering buying a new one though and that got me thinking that I would like to buy one that I could play NWN 2 and specifically ALFA 2 on.

Now I know that the system requirements for NWN 2 are:
- 3+ GHz Intel Pentium 4 or equivalent processor
- 1+ GB System RAM
- NVIDIA GeForce 7800GT series or higher video card (or equivalent ATI card)

My problem is that I am thinking of buying an alienware laptop with
Intel® Core™ 2 Duo Processor T5500 1.66GHz 2MB Cache 667MHz FSB
128MB ATI® Mobility™ Radeon® X1400

The processor looks way too slow but it is a Duo, does that mean it is actually double the power and thus 3.32 ghz? And has anybody had any experience with the graphics card?

My apologies for my lack of education on this subject; I'm a language student and almost completely ignorant of the technical world.

Many thanks, and best wishes
Misha

indio · Post by **indio** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 9:29 pm

I don't think you'll have any problems, unless there are checks the NWN2 engine makes that demands the minimum requirements be met. Perhaps it demands 256MB of video RAM to run, whether or not the card can actually run the game.

But the laptop has grunt, and is designed for light 3D gaming. I think the CPU spec is a Pentium 3 or 4 with a 1Ghtz CPU, so the alienware cpu is fine. And I've run the game using a 6600GT, so I'm pretty sure the 7600GT is inaccurrate also.

Someone with deeper exposure to notebooks and NWN2 will help more however.

Curmudgeon · Post by **Curmudgeon** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 9:43 pm

I'm currently using a Dell Inspiron 1705 laptop with that same graphics card (Radeon Mobility X1400) and a similar Duo processor to run NWN2. I have turned a lot of the graphics settings down, but it still looks pretty good.

fluffmonster · Post by **fluffmonster** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 9:44 pm

the second core will help a little, but not a lot...nwn2 is single-threaded. The only boost you get from the second core is offloading other system tasks to it.

Of more concern is the vid card. nwn2 is a tremendous graphics hog. you'll have to turn off a lot of eye-candy, and with the low ram likely have to run at a resolution less than native. NWN2 does do a system compatability check for install, but like many games these days 'minimum requirements' means more 'will load' and less 'will play'.

darrenhfx · Post by **darrenhfx** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 1:25 pm

Looking forward to your return.

Wynna · Post by **Wynna** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 3:51 pm

I checked your account and found it active. You're still a member and most welcome in your return. Play on.

Burt · Post by **Burt** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 4:23 pm

mishmash · Post by **mishmash** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 5:25 pm

Thanks everyone (except Burt). Just the kind of helpful and friendly reply I remember from ALFA, it will be a pleasure to play again provided I can make ends meet and get this laptop. Hope to join you soon

HATEFACE · Post by **HATEFACE** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 6:23 pm

Welcome back. Mind the sticky floors, odd stares, and strange muttering.

JaydeMoon · Post by **JaydeMoon** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 6:27 pm

Burt's just mad from the time you went to visit his mom in that house of ill repute in TPI.

Remember? When you played 'Pirates' together? She really likes that game.

Note for censors: Come on!!! It's BURT! He'd say the same about me!

HATEFACE · Post by **HATEFACE** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 7:28 pm

Yar Haar! All that swill and a bottle of grog, drink up me harties, Holt Ho!