Upgrading Laptop to gaming laptop

[Brutaka]

I have a Toshiba Satellite L455D that i got for christmas 2010, i have decided that i want to turn it into a gaming laptop since i want to start PC gaming. On its own without upgrading it can play low end games without problems, but when i want to play more high end games like Iracing and Simraceway, it tends to skip and have low frame rates even at the lowest settings.

I looked up the computer on the toshiba website and found what it is comprised of:
AMD Sempron Si-42 processor
ATI Radeon 3100 graphics engine
2GB DDR2 800MHz memory
250GB hard drive

I already know that i have to upgrade the memory and graphics card, i am currently planning on getting an improved internet connection as well. I will not be able to spend over $400 on parts if even that. All i really want right now is for the laptop to be able to play Simraceway and small games, later on in the future i will upgrade it again since money is limited at this time so i do not need the best equipment that runs Simraceway at its best settings right now. If any more information will be needed please let me know and i will try my best to find it.

And yes i know it is a very bad/outdated laptop but as i said before i do not have the money to get a new one.

 

[Saidur_Ali]

You won't be able to turn it into a gaming laptop really as you can't upgrade GPU. Better off saving for a new one.

For just over $300 you can get a laptop that has 10 times faster cpu and 4-6 times faster GPU probably that should be able to play games like iRacing and SimRaceWay reasonably well. For $650 you can get laptop that can play most resource intesnive games out on ultra or high detail at 30 FPS.

Games like SimRaceWay don't take much power to run, is your setting on lowest resolution and lowest detail? Have you tried rFactor which is what SimRaceWay is based off, I managed to run that on a graphics card much less powerful than yours so should be playable. I think your CPU is a problem though for games like that. If you upgrade that, you might see a slight increase in frame rate but really it is not worth hassle or money.

Another alternative could be is to buy used say a laptop or desktop. I don't know your prices in local area but at a guess you should be able to buy something decent for $200 that could run all them games well.

 

[Brutaka]

I have tried the trial version of rfactor and it worked well, there wasn't much lag. I did put settings on low for simraceway and it would work well from time to time but would eventually lag.
If the cpu is the main problem and you say I can get a better one for $300, Can you please put up links for the laptops?
I also have an unused desktop that I can upgrade but I do not know what is inside it so I didnt add it to this.

 

[Saidur_Ali]

I have tried the trial version of rfactor and it worked well, there wasn't much lag. I did put settings on low for simraceway and it would work well from time to time but would eventually lag.
If the cpu is the main problem and you say I can get a better one for $300, Can you please put up links for the laptops?
I also have an unused desktop that I can upgrade but I do not know what is inside it so I didnt add it to this.

It is sometimes in stock on Lenovo Outlet Store, any laptop with Ivy Bridge CPU, like i5 3210m. The integrated graphics is powerful enough to play them games and does well against AMD APUs too and CPU beats fastest AMD laptop and most of their desktop range too. For about $550 you might be able to get a more powerful laptop with discrete GPU that should help play games at higher detail and FPS. Depends on budget. Also Haswell is coming out within 6 months and the integrated CPU on that will be much more powerful and hopefully cheap to buy too so might be worth waiting until then.

How old is desktop? Can you find out specifications. If it has a decent CPU in it, you should be able to spend a smaller amount to play all games at 1080p 60fps and really high / ultra settings.

 

[Tornado]

You'd be far, far better off selling the laptop and combining the money from that and the money you are willing to spend on getting a better one. And that's true even if your laptop did have modular components that were easy to upgrade, which isn't particularly common as it is.

 

[Brutaka]

How old is desktop? Can you find out specifications. If it has a decent CPU in it, you should be able to spend a smaller amount to play all games at 1080p 60fps and really high / ultra settings.

The desktop is OLD, I would guess 11 years. It is a dell 2300's or something like that. With that desktop basically everything will need replacing. I can find the default specs when I get home.

 

[Saidur_Ali]

The desktop is OLD, I would guess 11 years. It is a dell 2300's or something like that. With that desktop basically everything will need replacing. I can find the default specs when I get home.

There is no point then regarding current desktop. Best option would be to build a gaming PC or decent laptop. Less than $350 should get you a decent system. If you do decide to get something new, what would your budget be?

 

[Racedude]

The desktop is OLD, I would guess 11 years. It is a dell 2300's or something like that. With that desktop basically everything will need replacing. I can find the default specs when I get home.

What processor and motherboard do you have on it? You may be able to put some life into it. But don't go around expecting much. Probably 3GHz P4 at most. No idea on Graphics or RAM.

 

[Brutaka]

Here is a list of all the specs the computer should have, about 5 years ago the computer was refurbished and has been inactive since, it now fails to turn on properly when i actually find use in it

I would open it up myself to see what the problem is but my dad suggests that i shouldn't since we do not know too much on repairing computers.

If i was to create a gaming computer from the leftover parts on that computer i would say it would cost $400+ which i can pay for but it probably wont be done until the end of the year (or summer if i can get a summer job).

 

[Racedude]

Hmm. It's pretty much helpless. The 400 FSB lets the EE P4s out, and that 1GB max RAM is not going to take you anywhere. You might find a compatible graphics card, but it would be way below today's standards.

What other stuff is there on it?

 

[Brutaka]

Hmm. It's pretty much helpless. The 400 FSB lets the EE P4s out, and that 1GB max RAM is not going to take you anywhere. You might find a compatible graphics card, but it would be way below today's standards.

What other stuff is there on it?

Thats all that should be on it, since it was refurbished it has no software or anything else added. I expected that the only good that thing will be is the case.

 

[TB]

I expected that the only good that thing will be is the case.

Not necessarily. If you're replacing the processor, you'll have to replace the motherboard. The likelihood that the mounting points will line up, while possible, is unlikely.

And a case, albeit a cheap one, can be had for $20. The least of your expenses.

 

[Brutaka]

So basically, i might as well buy a new gaming computer/laptop by saving up whatever money i can salvage? I guess it can't be helped.
Im sorry you guys have to deal with such an inexperienced guy like myself.

 

[djinline]

So basically, i might as well buy a new gaming computer/laptop by saving up whatever money i can salvage? I guess it can't be helped.
Im sorry you guys have to deal with such an inexperienced guy like myself.

Yes, I think there's no point trying to improve your current laptop, you may use it as a secondary/travel PC and save money to build a new desktop PC for gaming.

 

[Brutaka]

Well i guess thats the end of this thread. I would ask you guys to aid me in finding parts but prices and availability changes all the time so it wouldnt be much help.
Thanks to everyone who helped.
Mods can close now.

 

[Infinital-NG]

One thing that might help a little is to see what the max allowed RAM is on your laptop.

Your running 2gb now, you could see if you can go to 3gb, and generally laptops video cards use memory from RAM for their processing. Usually you have to go into BIOS to change that setting.

So with a little more ram (7 on 2gb isn't the greatest) you might yield a little better result.

DDR2 laptop memory isn't that expensive. Now if your still running the 32-bit windows 7 anything past 3GB is wasted on the OS side. I'm not sure if you put 4gb in and tried to give the video card 1gb, and the 3gb remaining for the OS then that might work. Never tried. You'd have to upgrade to a 64-bit version of windows 7 to benefit from any more memory.

Just an option, probably the best bet is to start building a new desktop for gaming.

 

[Saidur_Ali]

Well i guess thats the end of this thread. I would ask you guys to aid me in finding parts but prices and availability changes all the time so it wouldnt be much help.
Thanks to everyone who helped.
Mods can close now.

Try and look at for bargains on outlet stores such as from Lenovo or Dell or look on some deal websites for latest offers. If you are saving up for later, try and get a system based on Haswell with a Intel GT3 based graphics, it should be available at lower prices towards end of year and I am sure outlet stores will have it cheap then. You will then get a laptop with a super fast processor and decent graphics, while being also very frugal on power. This advice is if you go down laptop route.

Desktop route, quite a lot of above still applies but try and get good deals on the parts, aim for Intel Haswell when it is out or Ivy Bridge now, there are also usually very good AMD offers but the CPU is not as fast as Intels and takes much more power. Also aim to get AMD HD 7850 graphics, it should come down in price in a few months time.

 

[Sumo098]

If you don't mind making the switch to desktop. Give this a watch and see what you think:

 

[djinline]

This is from newegg.com. Roughly $350 with a good case.

 

[Infinital-NG]

He would still need an operating system.

 

[Brutaka]

He would still need an operating system.

I have a cd of Windows Vista if thats what you mean.

 

[Infinital-NG]

Do you have a license for it? Is it a 32-bit or 64-bit license.

You'll need a 64-bit to use the 8gb ram in the example.

Windows 7 Home premium 64-bit is like $100 bucks from newegg.

 

[Brutaka]

Do you have a license for it? Is it a 32-bit or 64-bit license.

You'll need a 64-bit to use the 8gb ram in the example.

Windows 7 Home premium 64-bit is like $100 bucks from newegg.

Yes it is licensed but I dont know if its 32 or 64. My laptop came with windows 7 but I dont know if it came with a disk or where it would be.