Gaming for prolonged periods of time

Hey guys, a few questions for the veteran M14x owners-

I'm trying to decide between this particular laptop and an Alienware desktop for gaming. I've always been a desktop kind of guy so naturally I went right for them, then I stumbled upon this beauty. My concern is how the M14x would handle prolonged periods of gaming? I'm not looking to play the newest flashiest FPS all day long, but I am a fan of MMORPGs and mainly looking for a new machine to play Diablo 3 and SC2. Is this laptop the right choice for someone who spends sometimes 8+ hours of straight gaming daily? I don't play this much, but I do game a lot and on weekends I probably will play for 6+ hours straight, sometimes more.

Bottom line: Can the M14x handle my prolonged periods of MMORPG gaming or should I be in the market for a desktop to prevent overheating issues?

 

A lot of people seem to report high temperatures which I would not be comfortable having on my laptop for extended periods of time. Reports go as high as 100 degrees C. Then again, some people report reasonable temperatures in the mid 60s. If you want to game a long time I'd do a repaste and use a good cooling pad.

Why in particular an m14x, especially since your other alternative is a desktop? Do you want to be carrying this around frequently and using it on the go or on a small desk? Maybe you could consider an m17x which has more power and cooling, which you could still carry around, even if it's less convenient to do so.

 

I don't plan on traveling with it much. It will mainly be used around the house.

The most attractive part of the M14x is the price. If I had a bigger budget I'd go with the M17x or even M18x.

I should note that I have a zalman nc2000 that I can use to keep it cool. Plus temperatures in my house stay pretty cool, around 60 degrees.

Any other mmorpg gamers out there using this as their main gaming machine? Am I being ridiculous to consider it over an Aurora or another desktop?

I'm sticking with Dell also, as I've had nothing but great computers from them thus far. Also I have an open line of credit with them which allows me to purchase a much nicer machine compared to other companies where my budget would be very limited at the moment.

 

I play SC2 into the late hours of the night and my processor reaches 98c while my GPU stays below 80c. I am very disappointed in the heat and noise this laptop makes while gaming. On the other hand this laptop is just about perfect for everything else, so if you don't mind the heat and noise while gaming it's pretty much the perfect laptop on the go.

 

Wow that's not good since these processors have a max TDP of 100C, could melt some silicon there.

 

i had a bit of a session with my m14x on thursday. i have coolermaster u3. live in the UK i was on fallout new vegas from 10ish til 3pm ish. my temps were stuck around 60-70. the laptop was warm but no probs.

 

I also have a Zalman NC2000 and it works really nicely with this computer (though you have to set the computer a bit toward you on the cooling pad to make the vents line up with the pad's fans). I've played SC2 for several hours and the temperatures remain in the 60s. Works great!

In multiplayer, I usually play on High graphics but Ultra is definitely feasible (I just prefer High because it gives me perfect 60fps from the start, as opposed to Ultra which gives me more like mid 40s).

 

I appreciate all the replies.

Obviously gaming for a few hours straight on a gaming laptop shouldn't be an issue. If it is then there's a huge problem.

More specifically, I'm referring to playing for much longer. I'm talking about if have D3 or WoW running for 8+ hours straight, is this going to cause problems?

I'm not trying to spend $1500 on a laptop that I'm going to burn up from overuse after a few months. I need a computer that's going to last me at least 2-3 years. If the M14x can't handle that type of usage, then I need to stick to a desktop.

 

This is more of the type of "session" I'm referring to, maybe slightly longer, but on a daily basis.

Any further help/advice is much appreciated, as this is a huge decision for me.

 

i play SC2 for 8+ hours sometimes and although the fan gets loud i cant hear it over the game sound. My temps reach a peek of about 80C but remain between 60-80C....I have yet to see the 90's

btw I play on all ultra settings and have a crappy target cooling pad

 

Cool, this is what I want to hear. Thanks for replying.

I'm wondering what games the people who are experiencing high temps are playing. I'm sure a cutting edge FPS like Crysis 2 would cause some heat in any laptop, or desktop for that matter. I don't play those types of games but it's good to hear SC2 doesn't push it too hard as Diablo 3 is expected to have similar requirements.

 

the other thing to bear in mind bud is that ambient temperature of the room that the laptop is in. If its summer temps then the laptop will be a lot warmer than if its winter.

I am in the uk, and on a warm day(as i have a u3 cooling pad) the processor can get into the 80's and the gpu 60s/70s. Ambient temp of high teens centigrade.

 

i heard from a lot of ppl that does have a laptop cooler base that just dont work at all... i was planing to buy one but after that im in doubt.

 

I am using a Coolermaster Notepal X2. It didn't change anything at all. As far as the repaste thing goes...would it really make a difference? Is it worth opening up the whole laptop for that?

 

ALWAYS, always, ALWAYS!!! Use a chill pad if your going to game this long, using a good $40 or greater chill pad will ensure gaming for extended periods without over heating. Don't ever game beyond 8 hours all the time without a chill pad, and never game that long with the laptop on your lap. It gets hot and it will burn two organs that all men know and love to not function over time.

 

The system is designed for gaming, I have never ever used a cooler for a notebook. I also wouldnt be gaming on my lap.

The thermal threshold of the cpu is 100 degrees, the gpu is less but the temps you quote are pefectly acceptable.

If you lived in india or brazil where its absolutely scorching then yes a cooling pad might help. If it overheats under normal gaming use then its faulty and should be repaired by dell.

 

Can anyone comment on how games like Mass effect 2, Assassins Creed series, NFS perform on the M14x in performance and temperature?

 

If you plan to game for hours on end get a cooler and keep your room at 23 C or so definitely. If you're gaming for like an hour or 2, prop up the M14x with a book or something and it should do fine. Originally, my M14x got pretty hot under gaming (80-90 C) but now it's hovering around mid-80s when stressed and I'm OK with that. Definitely OK for gaming, just gotta watch your temps.

 

A M18x 6990m CF or 580m SLI will serve you well. Since you where talking about a desktop.

If you have room for a desktop build one youself. More powerfull and half the money of a basic Alienware desktop.

 

Yeah, I got the m14x because I needed the best gaming machine in the 14-15" form factor.

I needed it to be powerful yet mobile. Again, why I choose the m14x.

Had I only used my laptop at home, and had no use to carry something around, I would have just purchased the m17x or m18x and rooted it on my desk, like other people are suggesting.

 

Odd...I've seen cooling pad tests which showed teperature differences as high as 10 degrees C, I think. On this forum. I'll try and dig them up.

 

As far as the average room temperature goes that would be 65 degrees in my case. Never higher than 75, never lower than 55.

My desktop had WoW running for 12 hours yesterday. Granted not every day is a Sunday. Most of the time was sitting around or afking, not really pushing the system basically. Diablo 3 will push the graphics card and processor even harder.

Can any laptop, let alone a 14", handle that kind of heat?

 

ive been looking for a good laptop cooler and it might be the cheapest one in m14x case .... coolermaster got the U2 its a simple stand up base that you point the fan directly in to the fan holes ... i mean maybe one exausting on the left and other blowing in the right!