Getting a Laptop for "Trainz: A New Era"

[Viroco]

Hello! I am thinking of getting a laptop and I want it to run Trainz well. I currently have a Dell desktop computer which has Windows XP ( yeah, I know, XP ) and it runs trainz, but not good. Lots of lag. I am looking for something under $400, nothing too fancy, but something that will run Trainz well, and something that will run the upcoming TANE when it comes out. I currently have Trainz12 (and also Train Simulator 2014). I am not an expert at computers, I know them well, but not too well. Thanks!

 

[shaneturner12]

Welcome to the forums.

$400 may not get you much in terms of what Trainz requires, as it's a demanding game on both the CPU and graphics card.

For Trainz: A New Era, it needs to have a quad core processor, a 64-bit operating system (with plenty of memory) and a graphics card that supports DirectX 11.

Shane

 

[Viroco]

Thanks!

I don't need something that will run Trainz perfectly, but just something that will run it smoothly. Basically something that is better than my current Windows XP computer.

 

[cascaderailroad]

A $400 laptop will not be adequate ... $800 desktop, or a $1200 laptop (caution: some $1200 laptops are boosted up in price (400% markup over cost) at BigBox stores, and actually contain inferior hardware, that is no better than a $375 laptop bought online).

Most laptops rate their CPU speed in GHz, which is at it's highest speed during TurboBoost (TurboBoost is not for long durations of gaming, but is for short bursts of speed during general computing), so a 2.7GHz CPU may only have a raw speed of 1.70 GHz.

You only need 2-4 GB RAM, but a good dedicated video card is required ... So you could get a 16GB RAM laptop, and it would not play Trainz any better than a 4 GB laptop.

A desktop beats a laptop in performance by far ... Even a $3600 Alienware laptop, will never beat a desktop PC.

For T;ANE you will need a 64 bit PC

 

[ryanstrains]

A $400 laptop will not be adequate ... $800 desktop, or a $1200 laptop (caution: some $1200 laptops are boosted up in price (400% markup over cost) at BigBox stores, and actually contain inferior hardware, that is no better than a $375 laptop bought online).

Most laptops rate their CPU speed in GHz, which is at it's highest speed during TurboBoost (TurboBoost is not for long durations of gaming, but is for short bursts of speed during general computing), so a 2.7GHz CPU may only have a raw speed of 1.70 GHz.

You only need 2-4 GB RAM, but a good dedicated video card is required ... So you could get a 16GB RAM laptop, and it would not play Trainz any better than a 4 GB laptop.

A desktop beats a laptop in performance by far ... Even a $3600 Alienware laptop, will never beat a desktop PC.

For T;ANE you will need a 64 bit PC

T:ANE is 64bit so more than 4gb of ram can be used, so I would think the more the merrier on the ram end now.

 

[Viroco]

I have been referring to the T:ANE Kickstarter questions "
The new engine is designed for current hardware, and will perform even better the higher the spec.
The key aspects to running T2 will be a graphics card that supports DX11, a 64 bit Operating System ( Win 7 or 8) and a quad core processor. (Dual core might be ok, but we won't be certain until things are optimized).
You can search on google to see if your hardware meets these requirements.
Remember also, that T2 will be released in a year from now and an $750 PC will be fine - that's $15 a week to save up for a shiny new PC."

And I found this: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/dell-inspiron-15-6-touch-screen-laptop-intel-core-i3-4gb-memory-500gb-hard-drive-black/3840039.p?id=1219093972934&skuId=3840039&st=categoryid$abcat0502000&cp=1&lp=7

Will that make the cut?

 

[KingConrail76]

I have been referring to the T:ANE Kickstarter questions "
The new engine is designed for current hardware, and will perform even better the higher the spec.
The key aspects to running T2 will be a graphics card that supports DX11, a 64 bit Operating System ( Win 7 or 8) and a quad core processor. (Dual core might be ok, but we won't be certain until things are optimized).
You can search on google to see if your hardware meets these requirements.
Remember also, that T2 will be released in a year from now and an $750 PC will be fine - that's $15 a week to save up for a shiny new PC."

And I found this: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/dell-inspiron-15-6-touch-screen-laptop-intel-core-i3-4gb-memory-500gb-hard-drive-black/3840039.p?id=1219093972934&skuId=3840039&st=categoryid$abcat0502000&cp=1&lp=7

Will that make the cut?

NO.

"Remember also, that T2 will be released in a year from now and an $750 PC will be fine"
--A $750.00 Desktop is equal to a $1500.00 Laptop...you still need to save another $1100.00 ...

The link you provided is for a $400.00 laptop, which is the equivilent of a glorified Tablet. With "Integrated" graphics, and "shared" memory, it will be useless for Trainz T:ANE

If you must have a Laptop, AND you MUST be able to run T:ANE on it, it must have, at a MINIMUM, A Quad Core processor running 3.7Ghz (Core i7), 8 Gig or RAM, A DEDICATED video card with 2 Gig of dedicated Ram, a 64-bit Operating system (Win7 64 bit), Highspeed Wireless access, (or highspeed ethernet) and a full sized Keyboard with Numberpad.

 

[Viroco]

Well... I am not made of money. I am 15. It looks like, obviously, that T:ANE is not for me.

 

[captainkman]

Do not worry Viroco - I'm in the same boat as you. My current laptop handles TS2010 very well, TS12 marginally, and won't be good enough for T:ANE. And, being only 17 and also not having a part-time job, I also do not have very much money.

Kieran.

 

[cascaderailroad]

There is allot of grass to cut at $20 a lawn (I made hundreds of dollars in one summer as a kid).

If you can not physically cut lawns, start a home lawncare business, hiring your own workers, to cut grass for you.

 

[Viroco]

Well, anyway, my budget is remaining at $400 or less. I know that the laptop may not run Trainz properly, I know. But what kind of laptop would be the best choice to run Trainz as best as possible while remaining under $400. Thanks you!

 

[cascaderailroad]

It will probably not run Trainz, at all, and if it does, it will display a locked up slideshow of 1 FPS ... A $375 laptop is lucky that it even boots up, and runs.
Some I7's have difficulty running trainz, and an I3 or an I5 have low end hardware.
Trainz is a high graphics program, one of the most demanding on a video card, requiring a fast CPU speed ... over that of other video games.
Why ? Trainz has allot of high poly assets ... and games like WOW, and GTA do not have those high poly assets

 

[Zeldaboy14]

A laptop won't be able to handle trainz, if at all, very well. My advise is to go and build yourself a pc, or just get one that at the minimum meets the aspects of TS12. I know this because my laptop has a hard time running trainz, and doing so usually overheats the poor old laptop (which BTW has vista on it ).

 

[dricketts]

A laptop won't be able to handle trainz, if at all, very well.

Incorrect. My laptop runs Trainz great. Even on very large routes, heavy scenery, and speedtreez galore. So did my old laptop that wasn't as nice as this.

OS Microsoft Windows 8.1
Version 6.3.9600 Build 9600
System ASUS-Notebook
Processor Intel Core i7-4700HQ CPU @ 2.40GHz, 2394 Mhz, 4 Core(s), 8 Logical Processor(s)
Installed Physical Memory (RAM) 12.0 GB
HD Size 910.06 GB 5400 RPM
Adapter RAM (2,147,483,648) bytes
Display 15 in.
Resolution 1920 x 1080 x 59 hertz
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760M
BIOS Version/Date American Megatrends Inc. N56JR.204, 10/31/2013

 

[Zeldaboy14]

Well, the one I mentioned is from 2008, and only has 2GB or so of ram. And since we bought it, it has overheating issues, which we are currently trying to get repaired.

 

[gary6204]

I agree, a laptop will, especially the modern ones, be able to play trainz. I had trainz 2009 on a single core pentium 4M with a gig of ram and a 64 meg ati 7200 ( I believe that's what it was), and it ran just fine (some lag (alot of lag)). I don't know about Tane, but most laptops now are beyond the recommended specs of 2010 and probably 201, not to mention what the game is actually able to use.

 

[Viroco]

Okay, maybe I'll start looking into a PC for Trainz. I do still want a laptop for photo editing, video editing, internet, etc.

 

[Paulsw2]

Incorrect. My laptop runs Trainz great. Even on very large routes, heavy scenery, and speedtreez galore. So did my old laptop that wasn't as nice as this.

OS Microsoft Windows 8.1
Version 6.3.9600 Build 9600
System ASUS-Notebook
Processor Intel Core i7-4700HQ CPU @ 2.40GHz, 2394 Mhz, 4 Core(s), 8 Logical Processor(s)
Installed Physical Memory (RAM) 12.0 GB
HD Size 910.06 GB 5400 RPM
Adapter RAM (2,147,483,648) bytes
Display 15 in.
Resolution 1920 x 1080 x 59 hertz
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760M
BIOS Version/Date American Megatrends Inc. N56JR.204, 10/31/2013

Looking at those specs, I doubt your laptop cost only $400!

Viroco - is there a reason it has to be a laptop? For $400 you might get a PC that could have a chance of running TANE.

Paul

 

[Viroco]

Hi Paul,

I would rather have my own laptop, because I use it a lot and I have lots of files, than rather use a "family PC." I could just buy a laptop, and then maybe my family could upgrade our Windows XP PC to something that supports TANE.

 

[gary6204]

If i were you, I would go the AMD route, most people here have posted specs with intel chips, but AMD tends to cost less and usually performs about the same as an intel chip. You can find alot of these with quad core A8's for around $400-$600. These may not have high end graphics chips, but most come with at least 512 megs of dedicated video ram, and depending on how much ram is in your system, can use up to 2 gigs. Granted the processor has to do the graphics along with the normal processing, but most (even the processors rated at 1.1 or 1.2gz) can run any game on medium to high settings. I would look into a system like this, it will be a little cheaper but should perform the same. All of my personal computers (except my laptop) have these processors in them, and they run trainz just fine. Wne has a quad core A8 @ 3.6ghz, with AMD hd 7000 series graphics and the other is a dual core A4 at 2.7Ghz with AMD hd6000 series graphics. both run Trainz well, and I know the latter comes in laptop.

I am in the same boat as you, I am 18 with no job and needing a new laptop for school. I have looked around, and I know someone with a laptop with specs like the ones I listed above.

Just an Idea.
Chris