Need help finding AMD gaming laptop

[MotoMan]

...looking for a new gaming laptop. Primary concerns are at least a 17" screen, AMD processor, and solid graphics capability.

Have an MSI GT735, which is great, but may be handing it down to my wife - so I'd need a new one. MSI seems to not be making AMD-based gaming laptops anymore...and I will not consider an Intel-based system of any kind. So please don't suggest any.

...but if anyone has any advice or recommendations on a good AMD-based gaming laptop, please let me know!

 

[Decembermouse]

Wait for the AMD Danube platform, supposed to be out in not too long

Dual, tri, or quad cores processors based on the Phenom II, K10.5 architecture. And the new Radeon 5000 series graphics cards. Also DDR3, and new power saving features as well. I think USB 3.0 too. I also hear the graphics will be switchable. So if you're not gaming, it will use the integrated Radeon 4200/4290 graphics, but will switch to the discrete graphics for more intensive tasks.

 

[MotoMan]

That would be nice - but I may not have that long to wait. Any ideas when those laptops might hit the streets?

 

[Kantastic]

Wait for the AMD Danube platform, supposed to be out in not too long

Dual, tri, or quad cores processors based on the Phenom II, K10.5 architecture. And the new Radeon 5000 series graphics cards. Also DDR3, and new power saving features as well. I think USB 3.0 too. I also hear the graphics will be switchable. So if you're not gaming, it will use the integrated Radeon 4200/4290 graphics, but will switch to the discrete graphics for more intensive tasks.

Thanks, I was about to jump on the ASUS N61JQ-X1 but I wanted a better balance between the CPU and GPU.

 

[MotoMan]

...looks like, at best, any such new platform laptops will hit the streets in May.

I might not be able to wait that long - any ideas on currently available models?

 

[Decembermouse]

Well there are the ZM-series Turion X2 Ultra processors, but they're based off of the K8 architecture still. The newer "Athlon II" and "Turion II" and "Turion II Ultra" are much better. However I haven't seen any around that have faster video cards than the Radeon 4200, which is integrated with no dedicated memory. 40 shader processors. Real nice as far as integrated graphics go, and it'll do DirectX 10.1, but not nearly as fast as mobile Radeon 4570 and up... preferably, something from the Radeon 5000 series.

 

[jaydee]

Really, there's no such thing right now. You have three options:

1. Bad-Average gaming AMD laptop
2. Good C2D or very good/great Core i3-i7 series gaming laptop
3. Wait a few months for a good/very good AMD Danube-based laptop

 

[Phynaz]

Since you are looking for an AMD laptop, can I assume you haven't been paying attention to cpu's lately?

Stay away from a Turion.

 

[Decembermouse]

Since you are looking for an AMD laptop, can I assume you haven't been paying attention to cpu's lately?

Stay away from a Turion.

Pretty sure you meant stay away from Turion X2 and Athlon X2. These are K8-based... an architecture from 2003.

The new Turion II and Athlon II are actually not something to steer clear of. They are based on the K10.5 architecture, which comprises the Phenom II desktop processor series.

The Turion II compete with Core 2 Duos clock for clock. And obviously, they are cheaper, and come with better integrated graphics. And a 128b FPU, if anyone cares.

 

[jaydee]

Pretty sure you meant stay away from Turion X2 and Athlon X2. These are K8-based... an architecture from 2003.

The new Turion II and Athlon II are actually not something to steer clear of. They are based on the K10.5 architecture, which comprises the Phenom II desktop processor series.

The Turion II compete with Core 2 Duos clock for clock. And obviously, they are cheaper, and come with better integrated graphics. And a 128b FPU, if anyone cares.

From what I've read, a Turion II Ultra M600 @ 2.4GHz (AMD's top of the line) is slightly below the Intel C2D T6600 @ 2.2GHz and that's a 2MB L2 cache, 800MHz FSB processor (like the popular T6600 series). This is according to a synthetic cpu PassMark test (cpubenchmark.com). I haven't seen any "real" benchmarks comparing the two, this is all I've got.

Intel's C2D has variants with 3,4,6 MB of cache and/or 1066MHz FSB, so the C2D should pull away handily with these higher end processors. Not to mention the chipset handles faster/lower voltage DDR3. Generally the AMD's will have higher power draw as well.

Honestly, unless you find a really great deal, I'd stay away from AMD mobile's right now if gaming is your primary use. I wouldn't recommend a C2D either, the Core i3's and i5's aren't that much more and are that much better. When the Danube platform is released, AMD will have a good quad with DDR3 on the market, improved battery life and discrete DX11. But even then, per core, the AMD's are still slower and more power hungry than the Core i3-i7 series.

I'm an AMD fan btw, it's just not a good year for AMD mobile cpu's (actually that's been true for quite awhile). While Danube will be more competitve, things aren't going to get interesting until 2011: 32nm Sabine/Llano.