Hi all,

I'm interested in re-playing some of my favorite RPGs - Baldur's Gate, Planescape, Icewind Dale, etc. and was wondering if folks had suggestions for a net/notebook. I'd like to get something more on the budget end, but would want to run these games. Do y'all have specific models or brands you could suggestion?

thanks!

Any netbook can run those games - they don't require much at all, so if you're really looking for something cheap, a simple $200 netbook with an integrated Intel graphics chip and an Atom CPU will be fine if you want to play Infinity Engine games, or most other games on this site actually.

Pretty much most games up to 2003 or so are playable on a simple netbook. A lot of newer indie games are also fine.

GoJays is right. Just make sure you've got a fairly decent hard drive and you're set.

+1

Although I'd personnaly opt for a low end notebook for 3 reasons

- screen size. Not every game is comfortable on EEEpc sized screens
- to have a larger HDD and some more RAM
- because you may eventually want to do something else

I would look for something like ASUS A52F-XA1 ( Intel platform) or the Acer AS5552-3036 (AMD platform )

That's another thing I didn't really consider - processor type. It's been years since I've been computer gamer and I remember that certain games worked better on intel machines than AMD. I guess that's not really a big issue these days?

At least not for older games or for modest ones. There are still small differences in some processor instruction sets though. And there are differences in raw computing power. The safe bet would be to go for a core i3 based laptop. But it's a bit more expensive than the two above and needlessly powerful for the intended use.

I have both AMD and Intel platforms at home and never had any trouble with games such as neverwinter nights, baldur gates or fallout I or II. What can happen though is that older games have difficult time with modern GPUs. But my understanding is that intel X familly GPUs and their AMD counterparts ( 880 chipset f.i. ) are actually less troublesome than the Nvidia 4XX's or Radeon 5XXX you will find in higher specs systems.

Awesome! Thanks for the suggestions, everyone!! (but don't let me stop anyone from posting more if they have them!)

Hope you don't mind me asking but do you have a fetish for vegetarians?

Agreed. Especially about the screen size. The only issue now is that buying a CPU from Intel is like taking out a loan from Mad Kneecapper McNorris. Generally speaking I prefer to do business with a more legitimate breed of company than the kind of backstreet vermin Intel have degenerated into.

Keyboard size, too.

Capability-wise, a netbook should have no problems outside of OS incompatibilities. An old Celeron laptop I used to own maybe 5-8 years ago had no trouble running those titles, and current netbooks blow that old rig away with regards to CPU power and RAM capacity.

The resolution of netbook screens MIGHT become an issue if you don't plan to mod the games. Most netbooks are at 1024x600 which is a bit weird and in some cases you have to run at 800x600 & suffer horizontal stretching. Good thing is that with the infinity engine games, the gibberlings three widescreen mod has support for netbook resolutions so you should be right there

I too am quite bored of Intels's attitude. But sadly, the finest AMD mobile platforms are hard to find. Just have a look at the MSI FX610MX. Seems to be a fine piece of hardware, powered by a Phenom mobile and a 5470 GPU. At a very decent price tag too. Way cheaper than comparable i5 platforms. Just try to find one . If I wanted to buy one, I'd have to order it 1000 km away.

AMD fusion platform also comes with a quad-core Phenom X950. Guess what ;.. even more difficult to find and if you do it's aimed to the small business segment, paired with the integrated GPU. The same with a 5650 mobile GPU would be a better than those silly overpriced i7 mobile .

That is also down to Intel's blackmail and extortion, unfortunately.

Though there is difference with the situation a couple of years ago. Toshiba, Acer, HP and Dell all have laptops with a phenom ( actually a boosted, rebranded Athlon II x3 or x4 ) mobile. Most of the time based on à 830N 3-core coupled with a basic Radeon. Toshiba even features one with a 5650. Asus has one too ( X52) but does not advertise it. But only a few dealers actually list tem. Officially because most demand goes towards i5 or i3 based laptops.

And some dealers keep saying that AMD laptops are prone to failure.

On the other hand, even if benchmarks are optilzed for intel procs, one cannot deny that core i5-i7 offer some solid performance, especially when coupled to Nvidia GPU. That's why my desktop is an AMD ( phenom ii 965 BE , Radeon 5850 ) platform while my laptop an i5 / GTS360M