Veritable Quandry

I'll second that...I have the workstation version of the same Nvidia chipset in my work computer, and it will do OK if the graphics settings are fairly low. Boy Lane's Rainbow Viewer does well on this chipset...it is made to be lighter than the regular viewer for entry level hardware. If you don't mind sharing your price range and what country you are in, I might be able to make some suggestions.

You might want to take a look at Nvidia's current notebook GPU lineup. There is a table about halfway down the page with their cards listed by category. In general, I would not buy anything in the Value or Mainstream for running SL. Although the better ones will run at low settings, heat will be an issue and can impact the life of the laptop. The Performance cards will give medium settings, and should allow some eyecandy. They will still have heat issues, especially in smaller laptops with less cooling. High Performance and Enthusiast cards are capable of giving good visual effects and usually have better cooling systems. Whatever you get, invest in a good notebook cooler to improve airflow and keep temps down.

It will help on a low-end system if you use Boy Lane's Rainbow Viewer. It is much more friendly to limited hardware.

That's where the previous owner is buried...

Less horrible might be the phrase I am looking for. But Boy Lane has a viewer that's pre-windlight for netbooks. It's OK for quick access and catching up, I wouldn't want to have it a s a primary browser.

Saikiki.Moriguchi wrote: ....now if money isn't an object and u rlly rlly want a laptop then i would buy a mac book or a mac book pro so u can get the best looking graphics ... I'm afraid I'd have to disagree here. I have nothing against Macs, and have owned and used many of them, but the best you can do on a MacBook Pro right now is an Nvidia 9600m GT (32 cores/128 bit memory bus) on models starting at $1999. For under $1500, there are several WinTel machines running an Nvidia GTX 260m (112 cores/256 bit memory bus). I will say that OS X (like other Unix derivatives) has better OpenGL support, as that is the native graphics system. ATI's biggest problem for SL users is that they have been really pushing Windows graphics...the 5000 series is the only graphics cards supporting DirectX 11.

Irene.Muni wrote: No Advertising or Commercial Promotion Except as expressly provided below under “Exceptions,” we do not allowadvertising or the promotion of specific merchants, marketplacelistings, products, services, or commercial websites, including offersto trade, “wanted” posts, charitable solicitations, and posts onaffiliate or referral programs. “Advertising” and “commercialpromotion” include promotion of your own business as well as others’businesses. A persistent focus on a particular merchant, listing,product, service, or commercial website is also considered“advertising” or “commercial promotion.” A “commercial website” is awebsite where you can buy, sell, or trade any product or service. ... ... ... Exceptions: Exceptions for Designated Commerce Forums: ... ... ... ... (Guidelines) If we apply that to mean no discussion of the merits of different hardware and computer sellers in terms of accessing Second Life, than this entire discussion area should be closed. It is impossible to discuss hardware without mentioning brands. Links to Newegg, Toshiba, and Nvidia are provided here in order to help a resident with a legitimate question about hardware. This thread does not in any way encourage competition with Linden Labs of Second Life: just the opposite, these responses from the community are intended to enhance a user's experience in Second Life and ensure that they are able to get the most from their time here.

I've had an Alienware, and my wife's current laptop is also an Alienware. They are now fully under Dell, but that seems to have improved their access to designers and materials. The new models feature excellent cooling (one of the most important features in a gaming machine). They sell Alienware periherals, but the laptops can connect to anything with a Windows driver (most of the peripherals are customized parts from gaming suppliers with AW logos and lights to match the AW cases).

Look for a current Nvidia GPU. Their list of laptop cards is here. Do not get anything listed as Value or Mainstream, as these are geared towards basic 2D and video playback. The Performance level GPUs will run SL at medium-high, but the heat will eventually kill them. High Performance or Enthusiast GPUs will give the best performance and longevity. For an idea of off the shelf systems capable of running SL, check this page from Newegg. You can get something that will run SL for about $800, but I would say that, realistically, you should expect to pay at least $1000 to get something that will last. If you want to go with a more expensive system that you can get customized, there are a few more options: the Asus G51 or G71 laptops sold through resellers (from about $1500); a Clevo/Sager based system (most resellers use these for their gaming models, prices start around $1700) or an Alienware M15x or M17x will all do very well (expect to pay $1800+). A warning on the "Best" Buy Asus laptops: the two-year global Asus warranty DOES NOT APPLY to these models. You get a one-year "Geek" Squad warranty in its place, and you do not get the one-year accidental damage coverage. By the time you add tax and that extended warranty from Best Buy, you can get a better deal from Newegg. Don't forget to invest in a good cooler for your laptop, This works well for me on an Asus G51Vx-A1. To answer your question about models and makes, I love my Asus G51, and they have a good reputation for reliability.

I have two problems with passive cooling pads: 1. They block airflow underneath the laptop. How bad that is depends on how the cooling system of your laptop is configured, but on mine all of the intake is underneath. 2. They only work as long as they can shed heat faster than your laptop creates it. Once the surface gets as hot as your laptop, it will cause what we like to call melting. And your laptop melts before silica. On a low-watt laptop, it probably won't be an issue. On a gaming machine with a quadcore and a GTX card, it will happen quickly.