(Urgent!!) Diablo III Laptop Build — Any beta testers on laptops?? o

[SanjaV]

I intend to take Diablo III very seriously, and the open beta opened my eyes to the fact that my 4-year-old MacBook Pro just isn't up to the task (15 fps at 800 x 600 with the widescreen aspect ratio locked — ridiculous).

Here are the key variables in my proposed solution - a Metabox 17' gaming laptop:
- i7-3820K processor (3.6 - 3.8Ghz)
- Nvidia GTX 675M with 2GB VRAM
- 128 GB Crucial M4 SSD
- 16GB RAM @ 1600MHz (I wanted 8 @ 1866 ideally, but can't get it on this model)

My question is this: should I plunk down the money ($500!!!) to get two 675M's in SLI, or is this system gratuitous enough as it is? I want to be able to run the game on high, at 60fps minimum, everywhere. If this system as it stands, won't get that, then it's money well spent in my eyes.

Some anecdotal evidence from beta testers playing on laptops is a huge huge plus—so ask your neighbours, PM your friends on the forums, whatever. If anyone is running the game at 60 fps on high (and on a laptop!) please post your specs to allay my concerns. And ensure it runs at 60 fps through the Royal Chambers and the Cathedral, with 3 other human players and huge mobs, where the game really slowed down on my Mac.

Needless to say, this is immensely important, as we're talking a lot of money, and time is of the essence. I have to order in a couple of days to be assured of my machine before May 15th. If significantly cheaper machines achieve the gameplay I'm after, I can save myself even more... so if anyone can take a few minutes out of there day to double check their laptops performance, I'd be immensely grateful.

Thanks you so much everyone, I appreciate it this more than I can say...

[aerial]

I would be careful with sli when it comes to blizzard games, it might take some times before d3 will use sli/cf setups to its full potential, even beta has problems with it, in many cases disabling second cards results in better performance. You should be more than fine with one of these cards.
Also note that sli laptops are ridiculously loud and hot.

[Berwulf]

Those specs are more than fine. You should never touch to SLI in laptops, it just boils your system at a long run.

Core 2 Duo P8600 2.4Ghz
4GB ram
9700M GT

Thats my laptop and the game runs at 50-60fps, if i remember i was using everything high but with a lower resolution.

[SanjaV]

I would be careful with sli when it comes to blizzard games, it might take some times before d3 will use sli/cf setups to its full potential, even beta has problems with it, in many cases disabling second cards results in better performance. You should be more than fine with one of these cards.
Also note that sli laptops are ridiculously loud and hot.

Right. Okay then, that's very helpful, thank you. I suppose if the need arrises, I can buy a second card down the track and have it put in, right? I'm not really a techie person, but, that's possible, right? It's not something that has to be installed during the initial build?

Those specs are more than fine. You should never touch to SLI in laptops, it just boils your system at a long run.

Core 2 Duo P8600 2.4Ghz
4GB ram
9700M GT

Thats my laptop and the game runs at 50-60fps, if i remember i was using everything high but with a lower resolution.

Are you serious? I find that very hard to believe, not that I'm doubting you. My MacBook Pro has a 2.53 GHz dual core, 4 GB of RAM, and a GeForce 9600M, and it was really chugging along absolutely awfully, and on the lowest settings! Is the Mac build of Diablo III just an inferior port or something? By my reckoning our machines are eerily similar—could something else be in play here? My fps rating isn't affected by latency or something like that is it?

Hmmm...

[aerial]

Wait for final release, because beta has some serious issues, regardless of specs, some people experiencing very low fps, using monstrously powerful dekstop PCs.

As for laptops and optional adding another card, it depends. It must be correct model with motherboard and space inside to fit that extra card, because usually laptops don't allow adding another graphic card (to save space, and reduce cost). So if you want laptop with such option, you need to be very specific that you want one with such feature (it will cost more).

I'd strongly suggest wait till release, when retail fully optimized version shows up.

[Berwulf]

I agree with aerial, im 100% sure that the beta is just badly optimized and the full release will be alot better.. What i realized with the beta that longer you play better it runs, for me the start was stuttering even if fps is normal, but after several hours it was better.

Just gotta wait to may 15th and hope for a smooth experience!

[SanjaV]

I appreciate the additional insights, even if they leave me in a bit of a bind. Waiting is obviously the safest option, but I'm really keen to get off to a flying start on release day. *Sigh* I don't know what to do. I thought a beta would be reflective of the final thing...

[gruenel]

The i7-3820 is a desktop processor, you sure you listed the right one?

[SanjaV]

The i7-3820 is a desktop processor, you sure you listed the right one?

Yes. Have a look here.

[Felix]

The GTX675M is really just the GTX580M, given a new name. You can hardly in other words, get a bigger GPU for your laptop. I think it performs on par with a desktop AMD HD 6850/GTX 460, which should have no problems playing Diablo III. Whether you'd always get 60 FPS I don't know, but any serious dips in FPS would be an error on Blizzards side.

SLI in laptops is not a good idea, and this is even moreso with the topend cards. Now if Blizzard has done it's job, SLI scaling will be pretty good and it will make the machine quite abit stronger (giving it a score somewhere in the neighbourhood of the GTX 480 desktop card). But asides the usual gripes about SLI such as micro-stuttering, you may have to face a laptop with a short longevity, or griefing you in other ways, because it just can't deal with the heat.

Personally I'd accept the current limitations of laptops and go with a single GTX675M. It will play Diablo III for you.

If you really are set on spending that much money, I would not leave out an SSD drive. It's quiter, faster, cooler and use less battery.