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Beta Testers -- Good laptop for CMBN?


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I'm looking at replacing my current laptop and want to get one that will run CMBN on the higher graphics settings. Any suggestions as to particular models, or at least the minimum parameters I should require? I don't want to drop Alienware money on this machine, but could spend up to a grand on it.

Steve

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Currently I think I would go with one that has an Nvidia graphic adapter. I've also heard good things said about Windows 7 64-bit, but that's pretty much standard already. Other than that, just about any decent laptop should be okay, you can't go terribly wrong. A system that can comfortably run heavy action in CMSF should be okay with CMBN. Of course, I'm sure that people will come up with 1:1 recreations of the Omaha beach that will bring any machine to its knees...

The answer also depends a little bit on how you like to play it. If you're mainly a WeGo/PBEM player, you will come along just fine with the Hello Kitty laptop that you've been dreaming of. But if you're primarily a Real time/TCP/IP player, you may want to get a more powerful machine.

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No specific models to recommend (far too many in the market place to keep track).

I would suggest one with a 'dedicated GPU' of either the Nvidia or ATI/AMD variety. The other, much more common choice of 'integrated' video will probably work, but you will most likely have to reduce the graphics settings to get decent performance. All Intel video chipsets are 'integrated' and some ATI/AMD chipsets are also 'integrated' (video memory consists of shared system memory).

We've seen some problems with the Theatre of War series and the Nvidia Optimus line of dedicated GPUs (usually some of the higher end Nvidias for laptops). Laptops with Optimus Nvidia chips have an integrated video and a dedicated GPU. For power savings the integrated is run most times, but for a 3D game or DVD/Bluray video the GPU kicks in. The problem we've seen so far is that the GPU doesn't want to turn on with the TOW series and possibly the CMx1 series. I would assume that the CMx2 series (CMSF, CMA and CMBN) would work, but there is a possibility that there may be issues since the driver controls when the GPU is turned on. Hopefully in the future there should be a driver update to fix this issue. Right now I don't expect it to be a problem with CMBN, but until someone is running one, we don't absolutely know.

Regarding CPU, memory and OS. Windows 7 64-bit should be fine, though it is NOT a requirement. The 64-bit OS just allows you to address more than the maximum 4GB of RAM (CMBN will only use 2-3GB at the most, since it is 32-bit). The faster the CPU the better, Intel or AMD should be fine, though you may want to aim for the higher-end/newer CPUs. For memory 4GB and up should be fine. It's not a requirement to have 4GB, you could probably run OK on 2GB or possibly even 1GB, but you may be pushing it (though you're probably not going to find new laptops without 2GB or more of memory anyway).

Netbooks are probably NOT a good idea with CMBN. At the very least I don't think that they will fully work with the minimum resolution, which is 1024x768 since a number of them have lower vertical resolutions. The processors also are a bit on the anemic side for gaming (though they may run internet and productivity apps fine).

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Here's what I have.

Cut and pasted from my systems information (with minimal editing).

AMD Phenom II N620 Dual-Core Processor

Memory (RAM) 4.00 GB

Graphics AMD M880G with ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4250

Gaming graphics 1917 MB Total available graphics memory

Primary hard disk 76GB Free (277GB Total)

Windows 7 Home Premium

System

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

Manufacturer Hewlett-Packard

Model HP Pavilion dv6 Notebook PC

Total amount of system memory 4.00 GB RAM

System type 64-bit operating system

Number of processor cores 2

Graphics

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

Display adapter type ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5470

Total available graphics memory 1981 MB

Dedicated graphics memory 320 MB

Dedicated system memory 0 MB

Shared system memory 1661 MB

Display adapter driver version 8.770.2.2000

Primary monitor resolution 1366x768

DirectX version DirectX 10

It has two graphics cards. One is an energy saver.

I bought it just so I could play CMSF. It works great. I play with high settings. I leave the shadows off though. They annoy me. Runs very smooth. I also only play WeGo. But it still seems to run pretty good during real time.

I hope this helps.

PS. My laptop is about a year and a half old now. It still runs pretty good. There have been a few minor issues as of lately. But nothing that has stopped me from using it.

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Oh geez I just got a great deal on RAM, DDR3 8GB... I'm now so sorely tempted to upgrade/rebuild my computer around the RAM! Curse you Newegg!!!

Of course not!! Who would want to put shiny new Ram Dimms in an old outdated system, I know I wouldnt. ;)

... Human justification is the route of all evil ...

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On a somewhat related note I am seriously contemplating building a new gaming rig just for CM:BN :P.

It's a brutal battle between Logic and desire.

A little of both for my new Photoshop/CM:BN rig:

Processor: Intel Core i7 2600K 3.40GHz

Mobo: ASUS Sabertooth P67

Memory: 8GB DDR3 1600MHz

Video Card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570 1.2GB

Hard Drive: 1TB Western Digital Caviar (7200 RPM)

OS: Windows 7 Ultimate 64-Bit

Desire:

Processor: Intel Core i7 990X 3.46GHz

Mobo: ASUS Rampage III Extreme

Memory: 12GB DDR3 2000MHz

Video Cards: Dual NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580 1.5GB

Hard Drive 1: OS: Intel 80GB Solid State

Hard Drive 2: Media/Data: 1TB Western Digital Caviar

Money saved listening to the big head: :D

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A little of both for my new Photoshop/CM:BN rig:

Processor: Intel Core i7 2600K 3.40GHz

Mobo: ASUS Sabertooth P67

Memory: 8GB DDR3 1600MHz

Video Card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570 1.2GB

Hard Drive: 1TB Western Digital Caviar (7200 RPM)

OS: Windows 7 Ultimate 64-Bit

I was thinking something similar but with a SSD. But is it still so that 64 bit Windows use 6gig bit ram max? Or is that an old Notion?

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No specific models to recommend (far too many in the market place to keep track).

I would suggest one with a 'dedicated GPU' of either the Nvidia or ATI/AMD variety. The other, much more common choice of 'integrated' video will probably work, but you will most likely have to reduce the graphics settings to get decent performance. All Intel video chipsets are 'integrated' and some ATI/AMD chipsets are also 'integrated' (video memory consists of shared system memory).

We've seen some problems with the Theatre of War series and the Nvidia Optimus line of dedicated GPUs (usually some of the higher end Nvidias for laptops). Laptops with Optimus Nvidia chips have an integrated video and a dedicated GPU. For power savings the integrated is run most times, but for a 3D game or DVD/Bluray video the GPU kicks in. The problem we've seen so far is that the GPU doesn't want to turn on with the TOW series and possibly the CMx1 series. I would assume that the CMx2 series (CMSF, CMA and CMBN) would work, but there is a possibility that there may be issues since the driver controls when the GPU is turned on. Hopefully in the future there should be a driver update to fix this issue. Right now I don't expect it to be a problem with CMBN, but until someone is running one, we don't absolutely know.

Regarding CPU, memory and OS. Windows 7 64-bit should be fine, though it is NOT a requirement. The 64-bit OS just allows you to address more than the maximum 4GB of RAM (CMBN will only use 2-3GB at the most, since it is 32-bit). The faster the CPU the better, Intel or AMD should be fine, though you may want to aim for the higher-end/newer CPUs. For memory 4GB and up should be fine. It's not a requirement to have 4GB, you could probably run OK on 2GB or possibly even 1GB, but you may be pushing it (though you're probably not going to find new laptops without 2GB or more of memory anyway).

Netbooks are probably NOT a good idea with CMBN. At the very least I don't think that they will fully work with the minimum resolution, which is 1024x768 since a number of them have lower vertical resolutions. The processors also are a bit on the anemic side for gaming (though they may run internet and productivity apps fine).

I got a new laptop and had the problem he mentioned. I've got the 2 gpu lapi, one intel intigrated for power saver, one nvidia 310m for games. When I installed cmsf there was sound issues and lag, I suspected it was running on the intel. I disabled the intel card and only run the nvidia card, plus I updated the drivers. The 3d performance is better, but now I got the weird / jumbled text problem in the menus and UI. I tried 3 different drivers but just can't fix the text, but the 3d performance is fine.

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I just bought a new laptop and I have to spill....

Ok, still beta and I am not a tech guy, so no idea as to min specs etc. I have no association with the computer company so not a plug, just an subjective assessment BUT

ASUS G73S (i7 and 8 gig Ram) w a GTX 460 NVida 1.5 gig card, hi-def screen.

I cranked everything to max and when I first loaded it up...I wept tears of joy.

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I have a HP EliteBook 8440 with an SSD, i7 with dedicated nVidea graphics. It’s got the magnesium/aluminium enclosure (magnesium alloy chassis) so feels nice under the fingers.

Everything looks jolly nice on it.

One thing though is the screen aspect ratio, which is 1600 x 900 and so a little lacking in the Y axis – make sure you check that when you're buying.

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For CM in the forseeable future you really want to get as much per-core speed as possible (as opposed to many cores).

That can be quite complicated because the modern Intel CPUs overclock themselves when there is only one core in use and the temperature isn't too high. For those CPUs you want to look up the effective max frequency for single-core use, which is what you are going to use with CM and many other games such as LOTRO. This data isn't directly in a web shop's unit data.

Go here and similar.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Intel_Core_i7_microprocessors

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Intel_Core_i5_microprocessors#Mobile_processors

Take the base speed, then add the "Turbo" spec multiplied by 133.

Example:

The Core i5 430M is 2.27 GHz but "only" has a turbo of 2. So the max speed is 2270 + 2 * 133 = 2536 MHz max.

The Core i5 450M is 2400 + 2 * 133 = 2666 MHz max, but the i5 520M is 2400 + 4 * 133 MHz = 2932 MHz max, at the same base speed.

The i7s are kinda useless expensive because they have more cores that you won't use but they have turbo multipliers up to 11.

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