Laptop Recommendations

[Betty]

I buy our laptops for designers in my office. I always try and buy them from Costco if I can. I usually spend about $1200 or so - and can get a computer that's not bottom of the line but nowhere near what I would consider a gaming computer. I'm guessing they would run RCT2 fine and might need to have the settings scaled back a bit for RCT3. I like buying from Costco because of their 6 month return policy. For any reason, bring the laptop back and get cash or exchange on the spot. I've found that, generally speaking, if there's something wrong with the laptop, it turns up pretty quickly. We've had them that didn't come with a sound card, a 2 that had the screens just shut off and never come back on.

I think you're going to have a hard time finding a laptop that's powerful enough to run all the games and that's under $1000. You get more for your money with a desktop of course, but it sounds like you don't want to go that way.

I would take the specs of the game that takes the most spec's-wise and use that as your guide when looking around... and not the minimum but the recommended.

BTW - you can't look at Costco online and see what computers on in the store. They are entirely different online/in store. You can't usually even call them and ask what they have either. You have to go in and see for yourself.

I've bought Gateways before, but have had trouble with both of them after the warranties ran out. We've had a bunch of Toshiba's - which run well but really really hot. We've got a bunch of HP's - which are compaq and um.. I forget their other brand, but I really like them. Their customer service has recently returned to the USA and it's done them world of good. Either that, or they've hired people with no accents and a step up in service level.