Computer-savvy BoSers! I need ur help! (1 Viewer)

[The_highwayman]

I have an NEC Versa M540 laptop which is about a year old.
I also have a liking for the sims 2 (and it's multitude of expansion packs).

Since i have installed the most recent expansion the laptop has been frequently overheating during gameplay. It doesnt overheat when i'm not playing the game.

The Laptop Stats are as follows:

- Intel Pentium M Processor 755 2.0GHz
- 2GB DDR RAM
- Ati Mobility Radeon 9700 with dedicated VRAM up to 128MB
- 80GB HDD 5400RPM

Besides the option of ceasing to play the Sims 2, is there anything i can do to stop the laptop from overheating?

i was considering buying a desktop solely for my games because i don't really play games anywhere except at home. if that is the only thing i could do then are there any particular Desktops you Bosers know of that would be suitable for this purpose?

 

[mr_brightside]

sit in the fridge to play?

 

[The_highwayman]

haha.

no, srsly.

 

[S1M0]

the way that you would normally cool down a computer would be to install more fans inside, but since you own a laptop that can't be done. Thats what you get for buying NEC, the quality's horrible. The only way to cool down the pc is to reduce the clock speeds of the processors, which i'm forgot exactly how to do it (hopefully someone can clarify), but that would reduce the heat produced. Otherwise, perhaps sitting next to a cool place with a breeze/air conditioner?

 

[S1M0]

As always, with HP you really won't go wrong. Try looking at Harvey Norman or somewhere for a decent pc. I assume a $1000-$2000 range would keep you happy for a while. But if you wanted to play games...how about a console?

 

[Flaming Ninja]

What exactly do you mean by 'overheating'? Does the computer say it is too hot, or do you say it? Because laptops are supposed to get hot when you play games or use other CPU intensive applications.

 

[The_highwayman]

it gets hot on the bottom and then shuts off completely.

 

[withoutaface]

Do what I did when my old modem kept overheating. Grab a towel, dampen it slightly, place it underneath in a large area where the water will not seep into the electronics, repeat every hour or so. The water dissipates the heat far better than a wooden desk or air ever could.

As for a desktop, get anything with an AMD64 processor, a gig of ram and video card such as 7300GT or better and you should be able to run the Sims fine on a sub $1000 machine.

 

[The_highwayman]

ok.

so something like this would be excessive/stupid, hey?
http://www1.ap.dell.com/content/products/productdetails.aspx/xpsdt_710?c=au&cs=audhs1&l=en&s=dhs

 

[mr_brightside]

if all you want to do is play sims, then yes.

 

[S1M0]

According to what i can see, its a good pc.

It'll play the Sims 2 nicely.

 

[The_highwayman]

if all you want to do is play sims, then yes.

i play sim city 4 and aoe3 as well.

 

[ianc]

that's a powerful laptop - it should be able to handle most games very well so theres no point rushing out and buying another one.

try getting a laptop cooler - something like this would be good
http://www.antec.com/us/productDetails.php?ProdID=75004

it'll probably set you back about $50 - but it does make a difference. my HP laptop gets really hot and although it wasn't shutting off, it was almost too hot to touch but the cooler has made a significant difference

also, before you buy it see if you can go to a computer shop and try it on your laptop to see if it actually does make a difference


PS - another random tip - with AOE3 in the graphics options turn the "bloom effect" off as it doesnt really affect the graphics but will make the game run so much smoother

 

[The_highwayman]

Thanks. i didnt know they made things like that for laptops.

It might just be the solution i'm looking for. I find that, when i play the game in a well ventilated area, the computer doesnt shut off (although it still gets very hot to the touch)

 

[DeathB4Life]

screwy video card drivers could cause overheating, might want to try out some new ones and maybe underclock it if possible.

 

[The_highwayman]

I hear alienware is ridiculously overpriced?

 

[HotShot]

Sell Ur Laptop On Ebay And Buy Another Nec One.

 

[S1M0]

I hear alienware is ridiculously overpriced?

Yes. But one of the best pc's you'll ever buy.

But thats from a pc entusiast such as myself, doubt you'll find it nice. How about one of those Asus (or something) laptops? The ones with leather. That'll definately be good for you. If you want to get a laptop that is.

 

[The_highwayman]

i think i'd prefer a desktop.

there's more room for expansion.

 

[blackkatz]

^ Go get a desktop. They have more room for modifications and more powerful than any laptops there is at the same price.

I also played games using my laptop and recently it tends to overheat and shuts off completely. I was playing the NFS: Carbon at the moment.

Or get a heavy-duty laptop cooler, like already suggested earlier. My technician also recommended me to own one, would help with cooling a lot.