Mobile Computing Buyer’s Guide: Gaming Notebooks

Gaming Notebook, Rp. 5.000.000 – 6.499.000 (US$ 550-750) Price Category ,-

Our Recommendation

MSI FX400

This notebook arrived on our testing center some time ago and managed to capture everyone’s attention, thanks, in large part, to its appealing overall value. An Intel Core i3 350 processor, coupled with 2 GB of memory, powers the MSI FX400. A 320 GB hard drive serves as its storage media. You can read the full review here.

As for the graphics subsystem, the FX400 comes equipped with the GeForce GT325M switch able GPU with NVIDIA Optimus technology. It means that you can turn the discrete graphics card off and revert back to the IGP whenever you want to conserve power. The GT325M itself is sufficiently fast for gaming at medium resolutions under reasonable graphics settings on FX400’s 14 inch (1366×768) screen.

Given FX400’s technical specs, we found the Rp 6.300.000 (US$ 690) non-OS price tag very attractive. No other notebook in this category can quite match its remarkable price-performance ratio, so the MSI FX400 is definitely your best bet.

Gaming Notebook, Price Category: Rp. 6.500.000 – 7.999.000 (US$ 750-900),-

Our Recommendations

Acer Aspire 4745G

New wine in old bottle, that’s the first thought that came across our mind when we first saw the Aspire 4745G. We have previously tested another notebook from Acer with the exact same type as this one, but apparently Acer has revamped the specs a little bit by upgrading the processor to a Core i5 460 with 2 GB of DDR3 memory. Hard drive capacity remains similar at 640 GB, which should be large enough for most users, including mobile gamers.

Acer Aspire 4745G is equipped with the mobile version of ATI Radeon HD5650 graphics chip. According to our test, it can run games with adequate frame rate on Asipre 4745G’s 14 inch screen, albeit with limited graphics detail settings and resolution. It’s also DirectX 11 capable, but you’ll have a hard time trying to enable DirectX 11 features on this notebook since the HD5650 is somewhat underpowered when it comes to that. Still, the Rp 7.850.000 (US$ 860) price tag is tough to beat in this category. The Acer Aspire 4745G brings you dependable performance at a reasonable price.

Asus K42JA

Asus K42JA fought toe-to-toe with the Aspire 4745G in this category. Its admirable outer shell is an added value if you’re looking for a relatively powerful notebook solution that also looks good on the outside. Its technical specification and asking price are about equal compared to Acer’s offering.

The K42JA is powered by an Intel Core i5 460 and 2 GB DDR3 memory. What sets this notebook apart from the Aspire 4547G is its Radeon HD5730M graphics chip, which is clocked a tad faster than the Radeon HD5650 on the Acer Aspire 4745. This chip should allow you to play modern games quite comfortably on the notebook’s 14 inch screen, while its 500 GB hard drive provides enough space to contain dozens of games along with personal files.

Runner Up

MSI FX400

A spiced up version of the MSI FX400 can be included into your consideration as well. Unlike the sub- US$ 700 variant, this model comes equipped with the Intel Core i5 450 with 2 GB DDR3 memory. Hard drive capacity is also improved to 500 GB. Other components, including the 14 inch screen and GeForce GT325M graphics chip, are unchanged. The Radeons on Acer Aspire 4745G and Asus K42JA are slightly more powerful compared to FX400’s GT325M, but it’s still up to the task when casual gaming is all that is required. In our opinion, those upgrades provide enough reason to justify the Rp 7.700.000 (US$ 850) price tag. Although it still can’t quite compete with the Acer Aspire 4745G and Asus K42JA, the FX400 deserves a runner-up position in this category.