Which computer for gaming + browsing?

[auronini]

Currently i have a acer aspire 5742 with i5-480m 2.67ghz processor(turbo boost 2.9Ghz), 4gb ram(expandable to 8gb), Intel HD graphics.
I want to return it and get one with better graphics capabilities because i'll be keeping it for around 5 years and will undoubtedly want to play a decent game on it at some point in that time.
I was thinking about changing to one of these:

TOSHIBA A500-1GL £379
Intel Core i3-330m(first generation), 2.13Ghz
4GB RAM (expandable to 8 which i will)
NVIDIA® GeForce® GT 330M with CUDA™ technology
Windows 7 home premium 64bit
TOSHIBA A665-14Q Cheapest 3D Laptop, Intel Core i5 M460, 4GB, 500GB, WIN 7 PRO, 15.6 Display

Asus P53E-SO102X £379
Intel Core i3-2330m(second generation sandy bridge technology), 2.2Ghz
2GB RAM (Will be expanded to 8gb straight away)
Intel HD 3000
Windows 7 home premium 64bit
P53E-SO102X


Which do you think would be better for occassional heavy gaming such as skyrim, GTA, etc and will i see a difference in general speed when browsing the internet between i3-330m, i3-2330m and i5-480m?
Will it be better to just keep the faster i5 with intel HD in the long term?

Any help would be appreciated!

[Gearsguy]

I would go for the Toshiba. If you ever want to play any games the 330M will be your best bet. Could you fill out the sticky to maybe help us get you a better option?

### What Should I Buy FORM (Must Read Before Posting!) ###

[RiddlelddiR]

Well, the 330M is certainly better than than the Intel graphics, but it's still pretty weak. Playing games with Skyrim type requirements might be a bit iffy. If that's the most you can spend (or close), I might try getting something used with a better GPU off of Ebay or from an outlet or something.

[auronini]

Apologies i didnt see that!
General Questions

1) What is your budget?
£380

2) What size notebook would you prefer?
d. Mainstream; 15" - 16" screen


3) Where will you buying this notebook? You can select the flag of your country as an indicator.
UK

4) Are there any brands that you prefer or any you really don't like?
Nope


5) Would you consider laptops that are refurbished/redistributed?
Yup, if reputable distributer

6) What are the primary tasks will you be performing with this notebook?
Internet browsing, word processing, Gaming

7) Will you be taking the notebook with you to different places, leaving it on your desk or both?
Both (student)

8) Will you be playing games on your notebook? If so, please state which games or types of games?
Yes, Skyrim, Rome total war, GTA, Maybe minecraft, Maybe Need for speed

9) How many hours of battery life do you need?
around 3-4 hours is fine

10) Would you prefer to see the notebooks you're considering before purchasing it or buying a notebook on-line without seeing it is OK?
Require picture online

11) What OS do you prefer? Windows (XP or Vista or Windows 7), Mac OS, Linux, etc.
Windows 7 64bit

Screen Specifics

12) From the choices below, what screen resolution(s) would you prefer? Keep in mind screen size in conjunction with resolution will play a large role in overall viewing comfort level. Everyone is different. Some like really small text, while others like their text big and easy to read. Click here for Screen resolution information.

13) Do you want a Glossy/reflective screen or a Matte/non-glossy screen?
any

Build Quality and Design

14) Are the notebook's looks and stylishness important to you?
not particularly, as long as it isn't pink

15) When are you buying this laptop?
asap

16) How long do you want this laptop to last?
5-6 years

Notebook Components

17) How much hard drive space do you need; 80GB to 640GB? Do you want a SSD drive?
anything above 160GB is plenty i think.

18) Do you need an optical drive? If yes, a CDRW/DVD-ROM, DVD Burner or Blu-Ray drive?
CDR/DVD-ROM

19) Also, i require a HDMI output for dual displays

Well, the 330M is certainly better than than the Intel graphics, but it's still pretty weak. Playing games with Skyrim type requirements might be a bit iffy. If that's the most you can spend (or close), I might try getting something used with a better GPU off of Ebay or from an outlet or something.

Would it be generally ok if the settings were set low/medium? i mean i wont be playing games LOADS, i dont need them to run perfectly smooth, playable and quite smooth would be good enough

[Bill Nye]

Even on low, 330m won't last you 5 years. Are you really that short on budget?

And dual displays? What?

[auronini]

But will the gt330m be much of an increase on my current setup which I'm able to play low settings on skyrim 800x600 res with some stuttering. If so that'll suit my needs I think.
(dual display as I'll be using hdmi output to connect to another screen and use extended display feature)

in regards to the budget, it would be double but i have to set aside at least £300 for my law books for uni =/

[idiot101]

HP G6-1336sa 15.6" Laptop - Charcoal at cheap prices | Pcworld

LENOVO Z575 15.6" Laptop - Gun Metal | Pcworld

I would rather recommend an AMD APU like the ones above. Should allow some gaming on low settings.
The GT330M is a decent card. But the laptop is a refurb.

Crysis 2 HD Gameplay on AMD A6-3400M - YouTube
Amd Line A6-3400m apu playing elder scrolls skyrim - YouTube
Minecraft 1080 HD (AMD A6-3400) - YouTube
TF2 on AMD Llano A6-3400m with Radeon 6520g GPU (HP-g6) - YouTube
AMD A6 3400M/6520G Llano - TESV: Skyrim Gameplay - Medium Settings, 720p, No AA/AF - YouTube
Amd Line A6 3400m apu playing Need For Speed The Run - YouTube
Battlefield 3 HD Gameplay on AMD A6-3400M - YouTube
AMD A6 3400m - Gaming test - YouTube
GTA 4 gameplay on hp g4 a6-3400m processor with radeon 6520g - YouTube
Amd Line A6-3400m apu playing NBA 2k12 - YouTube
Mass Effect 2: A6-3400m, 6520g - YouTube
Fallout New Vegas: A6-3400m 6520g
Left 4 Dead 2 on AMD A6-3400m with Radeon 6520g (HD)
Call Of Duty Modern Warfare 3
DiRT 3 Gymkhana - Radeon HD 6520G Graphics Card
World of Warcraft Radeon 6520G Gameplay (720p)
World of Warcraft on HP Pavilion G4

This might be a longer lasting option.

For better build quality, good web cam and a matte screen,
Hewlett Packard HP Probook 4535S A6-3400M A1F22EA - Laptops Direct
You will need to add 4GB more of RAM to make it perform slightly faster. A worthwhile upgrade. I believe it has HDMI. Please verify. And please read the reviews before you make a decision.
HP ProBook 4535s Notebook PC - specifications and warranty
Review HP ProBook 4535s-LG855EA Notebook This one is with the A4 that is slower than the A6 laptop that I have linked to. Hardware is the same.

Look for more A6 or A8 options. Have a look at the laptops in a store if possible.

Just my 2 cents.

[auronini]

Wow thankyou i didnt even glance at AMD! Very much inclined to buy the HP G6-1336sa from PC world now after seeing some of those videos.
BUT would the AMD Radeon HD 6520G be better than NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M? (or very close to it)

[idiot101]

The 3DMark Vantage scores are about the same. The PCMark Vantage and Cinebench R11.5 scores too. As a discrete card, the performance of the 330M is better(slightly lower than a 5650M which is about 10-30% better than the 6520M), so, I would say - not by much at lower resolutions, but you will notice the performance gulf as you go for higher settings. This is where the 330M will perform significantly better. Others should also chime in with their opinions concerning this. But you should find the integrated card performance to be really good for your needs.

[auronini]

i could get the dedicated one but its a refurb and worse processor...i had a look around and saw one which said ''AMD Radeon HD 6520G Graphics with 1GB Dedicated Memory'', does the amount of dedicated memory vary with the 65520g or will that HP i linked to also come with 1gb dedicated memory?

Also does anyone know if this one is any better than the HP with,instead, a Radeon HD 7470m, 1.7ghz quad core for the same price + 1tb hdd
HP Pavilion DV6-6c05ea A8K02EA#ABU

or...
Samsung NP305V5A AMD Quad Core CPU 15.6" 4GB 750GB Radeon HD 6520G Brand New!! | eBay