Windows XP laptop purchasing advice

[Via]

I'm looking for something that can handle games from maybe 2000-2005 that run best in a native XP environment. I have a good Windows 98 laptop that handles anything earlier, and my Windows 7 main gaming rig is pretty much ok with everything beyond the mid 2000s.

I don't have any space for another desktop, I just want a laptop I can pull out occasionally for some retro gaming. I've had pretty good success buying used laptops on ebay, but there are like 10,000 XP laptops listed on there and I really don't want to scroll through every listing and analyze it, so I'm just looking for a little guidance on makes and models (and GPUs) that were pretty solid back then.

I do want something that can handle 3d acceleration without any issues.

Thanks for any help

 

[Darknite39]

How about a thinkpad t42 with a 32 mb ati card? I've got a similar R series laptop that still runs great.

 

[Via]

So maybe something like this?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/IBM-ThinkPa...66121991?pt=Laptops_Nov05&hash=item3f28b88907

Those are pretty cheap. I never would have thought to go in the Thinkpad direction (I've never owned one), but it sure seems like it would fit the bill. I actually still have a desktop ATI 9600; it was pretty good for the day.

Thanks for the help, I'll check it out.

btw - I have a copy of Windows XP, so the linux is a non-issue.

 

[EliteRetard]

You should really look for something better, at least twice that good...if the goal is really some classic XP gaming. Mobile 9600 is horrid, slower than the notorious Intel GMA graphics.

Here's a decent example locally:
http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/sys/4030526688.html

120$ 2GHz CD, 2GB, X1600 256MB (would say ~2.5x faster)
Includes Win7 (free OS for another PC?)

I see 2 listed at ~150$ OBO with a Nvidia 8600M 512MB card (~3.5x faster)
One with an AMD Turion 2.2GHz and one Intel C2D 2GHz, both 2GB.

I think something like these would be much preferable, even for old school games.

 

[DaveSimmons]

Have you thought about running a virtual machine on your desktop?

If it's old enough to be XP-only I'd expect it to be OK with the slower 2D / 3D in a VM. VMWare continues to improve 3D and now supports up to DirectX 9.0c.

(I haven't tried this, I'm not currently trying to play anything that won't run in Windows 7.)

 

[Via]

You should really look for something better, at least twice that good...if the goal is really some classic XP gaming. Mobile 9600 is horrid, slower than the notorious Intel GMA graphics.

Here's a decent example locally:
http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/sys/4030526688.html

120$ 2GHz CD, 2GB, X1600 256MB (would say ~2.5x faster)
Includes Win7 (free OS for another PC?)

I see 2 listed at ~150$ OBO with a Nvidia 8600M 512MB card (~3.5x faster)
One with an AMD Turion 2.2GHz and one Intel C2D 2GHz, both 2GB.

I think something like these would be much preferable, even for old school games.

Wow, I looked at Tom's charts and had no idea the 9600 mobility was ranked so low. Pure speed is not the issue, but I think the 9600 is likely too limiting for what I want. I'll focus on GPUs in the 8600 range. The 8 mobility series wasn't the one with all of the failures, was it?

Have you thought about running a virtual machine on your desktop?

If it's old enough to be XP-only I'd expect it to be OK with the slower 2D / 3D in a VM. VMWare continues to improve 3D and now supports up to DirectX 9.0c.

(I haven't tried this, I'm not currently trying to play anything that won't run in Windows 7.)

I've done VM, and it's too flaky for me on those older games.

 

[infoiltrator]

How good are the AMD Trinity/Richland ~ mobile graphics. I t might be easier to find one and reconfigure or dual boot XP?
Not my area of expertise

 

[Via]

How good are the AMD Trinity/Richland ~ mobile graphics. I t might be easier to find one and reconfigure or dual boot XP?
Not my area of expertise

Maybe a modern solution would work, but nostalgia is definitely part of the deal for me.

This gives me a chance to buy a laptop pretty cheaply that may have cost a few thousand dollars back then, something I never could have afforded at the time, and have some fun with it.

 

[Via]

Would this work for what I want? It has an X600; I guess that's about as good as a desktop 9600.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dell-Latitu...88788684?pt=Laptops_Nov05&hash=item565ab1cacc

This one appears to be one tier higher, but with a smaller screen:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/HP-6910p-Co...90068695?pt=Laptops_Nov05&hash=item565ac552d7

But that's only on the first few pages of thousands of listings. That's why I need help.

 

[infoiltrator]

maybe something here?
http://www.cowboom.com/Computers/La...ice_low&store=fixed&query=&view=grid&keywords=

 

[infoiltrator]

or
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Alienware-Area-51-M-/161098686147?pt=Laptops_Nov05&hash=item25823adec3

better
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Alienware-A...45338506?pt=Laptops_Nov05&hash=item3cd36f838a

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dell-XPS-M1...54764594?pt=Laptops_Nov05&hash=item19e1571b32

http://www.ebay.com/itm/DELL-InSpIR...53535512?pt=Laptops_Nov05&hash=item41760e7e18

 

[Via]

I did check out some XPS m170s; those auctions tended to go a but higher than I wanted, but that's a model I'm still looking at. I actually have a XPS m1710, but it's running Windows 7 and I'm happy with it and don't want to mess with installing XP on it.

I actually think I might want to stick with single core. Some games from that era never were optimized for multi-core.

I'm pretty sure I don't want to mess with a fixer upper. Thanks for the suggestions.

 

[Aarondeep]

instead of spending money why not try running inside a VM and use something like virtualbox?

 

[Via]

I've done that, it didn't work well (at least when I tried it).

Besides - a nice, (at one time) top-of-the-line XP laptop is really the only thing that's missing from my PC collection. I might as well complete it.

 

[EliteRetard]

Would this work for what I want? It has an X600; I guess that's about as good as a desktop 9600.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dell-Latitu...88788684?pt=Laptops_Nov05&hash=item565ab1cacc

This one appears to be one tier higher, but with a smaller screen:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/HP-6910p-Co...90068695?pt=Laptops_Nov05&hash=item565ac552d7

But that's only on the first few pages of thousands of listings. That's why I need help.

x600 is barely faster than mobile 9600, one gen newer, same 4/2 128bit but 400 vs 300 Mhz.

x2300 is also barely faster than the 9600, was an x1300 which was an x600, all 4/2 128bit @ ~450Mhz.

The x1600 I mentioned earlier has 12/5 128bit (pixel/vertex shaders) @ 450Mhz, again about 2.5-3 times real performance of the 9600 (or x600, x1300, x2300).

The mobile 8000 series was indeed the one with thermal issues, but if it hasn't failed by now...
Also, a midrange like the 8600 should have less heat issues than the high end chips did.

You can look at Nvidia 6800, 7700, 8600, 9500, or 220/320/420m or better
AMD X 800/1600/2500, HD 2600/3500/4500 or better

Higher up the list the newer the chip. If you can, watch out for the odd (and bad) 64bit versions of many of these chips. You want at least 128bit or better, 256MB+ preferred.

You definitely do want a dual core, a core duo or core 2 duo would be great options even if your older games were single threaded only. They were usually clocked higher than older chips and had better IPC so even if you only use one core you'll be better off this way.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Shameless plug: I do have an Asus G50 series gaming laptop I was going to sell for a friend, he wanted $350 for it, but I could ask if he'd be willing to go under $300 if your budget goes that high. Its got a ~2-2.5GHz C2D, ~4GB, ~250GB HDD, 9800M, Vista...he replaced it with a newer laptop.

It was modded with a hole cut in the bottom with a metal screen silicone'd in for extra cooling...but still it seems to be in great shape. I just reset it to factory updated it and installed AVG and such.

 

[Via]

Thanks for the offer, but I probably don't want to go higher than $150, maybe $200 max for something really nice right in my wheelhouse.

 

[EliteRetard]

Ran into a possible option for you, the HP 8510p.

Seems to be several on ebay, comes with an HD2600, a 2+GHz C2D, and 2GB+.

Example:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/HP-8510P-Co...10773388?pt=Laptops_Nov05&hash=item232ee76a8c

 

[Warsam71]

Thanks for the offer, but I probably don't want to go higher than $150, maybe $200 max for something really nice right in my wheelhouse.

hmm, are you will to go up to $250 to $300? If so, you can get your hands on a new laptop with good specs, look here: http://shop.amd.com/us/All/Search?N...acets=category:Notebook&SortBy=priceLowToHigh

 

[Via]

Just wanted to update this (with my 4000th post,lol). I appreciate all of the suggestions in the thread.

After all of my exhaustive research I did end up getting a Thinkpad t42 with a Radeon 9600 mobility. It seemed to be right in the zone I wanted to replicate: 1999-2004, and after receiving it and playing around a little I have to say: what a nice machine. The construction quality is incredibly solid; the screen is still great, and the keyboard is one of the best I've used on a laptop. I like opening Windows with the fingerprint reader. It makes me feel like a secret agent (It hasn't failed to recognize my fingerprint once yet).

I've installed:

Rally Trophy
Freelancer
Alice
NFS: Porsche unleashed
Crimson Skies
Star Wars: Pod racer
DTR & DTR2
SS2
Rune
Scarface:TWIY
Gothic

Rune is the only game that didn't play perfectly out of the box: the motion is too fast, even if you reduce the game speed to 50% (the lowest it will go). The rest run beautifully and smoothly.

Man is it fun to play games like Rally Trophy and Crimson Skies in all of their XP glory again.

If you grew up on games from that era and are tired of messing with compatibility issues you might want to check out a t42. I'm sure there are millions floating around, and you can get a nice one for well under $100. I would definitely go for the 9600 model just to be safe.

So thanks again, Darknite39. Like I posted before: I never would have thought to go the Thinkpad route. These boxes seem built to last for 50 years.

 

[Darknite39]

Sweet. Congrats!

 

[marcplante]

If you need a backup machine, you can run Windows 7 Pro in XP Mode. You can even associate it with specific apps so it will turn on emulation for those apps.

Then again, you found a new box, so...congrats.

 

[Via]

I tried Windows 7 XP mode sometime last year, and I couldn't get a single game to run properly on it. iisc I couldn't even get full screen to work and was stuck in a window.

After spending a long time trying to get my old games to work in a variety of ways I have to say: buying an old XP machine is the way to go. It's not that expensive.

Something I was wondering about: has compatibility mode ever worked for anyone trying to run and older game? I remember for years dutifully clicking on windows 98 or Windows xp compatibility every time an older game didn't run, and I don't think it helped a single time.

It's more for older business applications and older hardware, isn't it?

 

[marcplante]

Broderbund Living Books? I know, not that compelling...Also, if you have a tower, you could format an extra drive with WinXP and set up a multi boot. I run a 32 bit cycling Sim for my trainer on a second drive.

 

[corkyg]

Consider this also - get a EZ-Swap 4 rack - direct SATA insert - no tray. You can change OS's easily just by swapping HDDs. I use it and can run XP, Win 7 and now 8.1 - each on its own HDD.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817986001

 

[Sheep221]

I tried Windows 7 XP mode sometime last year, and I couldn't get a single game to run properly on it. iisc I couldn't even get full screen to work and was stuck in a window.

After spending a long time trying to get my old games to work in a variety of ways I have to say: buying an old XP machine is the way to go. It's not that expensive.

Something I was wondering about: has compatibility mode ever worked for anyone trying to run and older game? I remember for years dutifully clicking on windows 98 or Windows xp compatibility every time an older game didn't run, and I don't think it helped a single time.

It's more for older business applications and older hardware, isn't it?

There is no game that particularly work on XP and not on Win 7.
If you speak explicitly about DOS based games, than install Dos box or similar environment.
The compatibilty mode worked for me many times, I still use some programs daily under compatibility, it however as you said won't change much of games functionality.
About the XP tho, with abit of luck, get new computer and install XP in dual boot mode would do the trick, drivers might be a problem but I'm sure they could work, swapping HDDs for multiple OSes is hassle of deep past.