FM 2009 minimum requirements and new laptop

ATTENTION ALL TECHIES!

Hi everyone

Apologies if this has been mentioned before but do you know if any announcement has been made by SI regarding the minimum system requirements for FM 2009?

Also I will imminently be buying a new laptop. I am likely to use the 3D mode. Just wondering if anyone with a better knowledge of this kind of thing would know if this machine is any good? http://www.amazon.co.uk/Samsung-R510-Core2-T5750-2-0GHz/dp/B001BS9GKK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1222551538&sr=8-1 or one of the top 2 laptops from this site? http://www1.euro.dell.com/content/products/category.aspx/notebooks?c=uk&cs=ukdhs1&l=en&s=dhs&~ck=mn#subcats=&navla=41106~0~199319&navidc=Hard%20Drive&navValc=160%20-%20320%20GB&a=40189~0~196668,41106~0~199319&page=1

Which one of thes 3 would be the best buy?

If none of them, can you recommend any other models?

Any help will be very much appreciated.

Thanks,

Matt

All of the laptops will run it fine, just buy whichever would be best to use.

Any new laptop would be fine to run FM as it's obviously going to have enough memory to hold the game. The game itself doesn't take up much room at all.

I know absolutely nothing about computers, so am I right in guessing that it's all about processing where FM is concerned? Could someone give me a quick crash course of an explanation, please?

I know absolutely nothing about computers, so am I right in guessing that it's all about processing where FM is concerned? Could someone give me a quick crash course of an explanation, please?

Its more complicated than that, certainly.

Crash Course? Well, nothing that would do the subject justice. It can be quite complex as to what makes one machine run any particular program better than another.

OTOH, the range of options available to the average consumer is narrow(IE, someone who is not going to custom build their own machine, and likewise not someone running a custom OS for research, etc..). So, which of the consumer options are important in running something like FM?

Processor Speed

RAM Speed, Quantity (cache too, but lets not get into that)

Hard Drive Speed

Minimal Graphics Card. (You'd have a hard time finding a new machine that would be challenged by FM, even in 3-D).

Other Processes Running (do you run a bloated machine or not).

Of these, Processor Speed and RAM quantity are probably the biggest bang-for-buck options, followed closely by how bloated/infected/maintained your machine is.

Keep minimal programs running. Run a streamlined or optimized OS, Have plenty of HD space, and it does in the end boil down to the processor and memory.

Financially, the model has been the same for 20 years: There is a curve of $$$ to power that has optimal ROI right around where you'll find you most common products being sold. Typically, however, RAM is still skimped on by the retailers. Thankfully it is cheap as dirt to buy, and easy to install.

Hope that helps.

Thanks everyone for your help.

I was thinking specifically regarding the graphics card.

I know the Samsung would be fine running the 3D mode but would someone be able to tell me if the Dell models http://www1.euro.dell.com/content/products/productdetails.aspx/inspnnb_1525?c=uk&cs=ukdhs1&l=en&ref=bnr&s=dhs would be able to cope with the 3D mode?

I have read on a couple of review sites that it might struggle to play 3D games so was wondering what anyone else's opinion is?

Thanks,

Matt

They would be fine with FM I expect, but don't expect to be playing any other games on them at a decent framerate

As Smac said, you want to be looking at memory (at least 2GB imo) and the processor (dual core & at least 2.0GHz imo) to be able to play FM with several leagues loaded and not taking ages to load

Hi everyone

Thanks VERY much for all your help.

You will be glad to know this is (probably) my last question!

In FM 2009 I am likely to use the 3D mode and will only be running one country's leagues (England)

Therefore, based on this, would I be able to get by with having the £369 Dell http://www1.euro.dell.com/content/products/productdetails.aspx/inspnnb_1525?c=uk&l=en&s=dhs

or would I require the slightly more powerful Samsung http://www.amazon.co.uk/Samsung-R510-Core2-T5750-2-0GHz/dp/tech-data/B001BS9GKK/ref=de_a_smtd/202-0028435-0776653

Basically I'm being a cheapskate and trying to save a bit of money but if it is essential to have a more powerful graphics/video card I will be happy to get the Samsung to run the game better.

Cheers,

Matt

I can't really imagine that the 3D mode will be demanding, so I think the Dell would do the job.

However, it would be nice to hear from SI about how demanding the 3D mode will be.