Laptop suggestions...

No worries Dennis, i've made it a habit to back everything up in my computer since i fried my first desktop 7 years ago.
At any rate, i'd let you guys know how my laptop turns out to be and hopfully i could afford a 64-bit vista premium and a 200GB 7200rpm HD.

 

Excellent

 

Which one would be better for the laptop i bought, Vista premium 64-bit or vista ultimate 64-bit?

 

So to fully utilize my 4GB RAM, i would need a 64-bit vista?

 

From a hardware view ... yes.
The discussion between Vista 32/64 is endless. Technically the advantages are real (hardware), but the road (software) is still a under construction, a work in progress ... as with any trip, your MMV (mileage may vary).

 

guess i should spend another hundred over dollars for a vista 64-bit then.

 

Vista 64-bit will be able to address all of your 4GB memory. From a performance view this may / may not show a noticeable advantage on your system. Most of us have a limit to how much we can initially invest in a computer. Once the real use of the computer has been establish (for yourself, gaming is primary), hardware becomes a key issue. Focusing on GPU, CPU, and MOBO since these items are not generally upgradable on a notebook. For additional performance, more/faster memory, HDD and OS's can always be added later as monies become available.

 

I guess my current Hardware is sufficient to run most of the things is need, but i'm more concerned about full utilizing the RAM that i have.

On the other hand, most of the games that i'm playing like WC3 and CS 1.6 don't really need a 32-bit OS.
So i'm like stuck in between not knowing what to do.

 

Wait until you get your new system. After a couple of weeks getting your settings / tweaks set, look up a friend with Vista64. Running the same game, can you see any noticeable difference(s). Most higher end games are about fps, a GPU limitation. Also pursue any situations per driver(s) / other applications that may have 64-bit issues. 64-bit is a developing technology, their will always be a little pain / blood during the transition.

 

What setting and tweaks are we talking about here?
I'm still waiting for my laptop which only has a 32-bit system in it.
Is there alot of tweaking to do on a 64-bit system compared to a 32-bit system?

 

Give 32-bit a chance is all I'm saying. If you want 64-bit, by all means install it. Once you have verified 64-bit driver compatibility you should be go to go.

 

Alright then, i'll have to wait till i get the real thing first.

 

The following is one of the best / short version explanations of why one may want to consider Vista 64-bit OS ...
....

And yes, your Intel® Core™2 Duo Mobile Processor P8400 is a EM64T type processor. It was released June 13, 2008.

 

Basically, i won't be running at the speed i'm supposed to run at on a 32-bit OS but on a 64-bit OS, i get to maximize the memory utilization.
Whereas i would have a problem finding 64-bit drivers for most of my stuff.

I'm just wondering, what kinda drivers issues are we talking about here?

All i have plugged into my laptop is a razer copperhead, a standard USB keyboard, an external USB hub, Creative Live external souncard and an external USB 120GB hard drive.

Would i have problems with any of these?

 

I would expect your standard keyboard, external USB Hub, and external HDD should not be a problem, as these should be handled by the normal OS drivers.

Razor Copperhead mouse Driver v6.10 and Firmware v6.19 - Supports XP/Vista: 32-bit and 64-bit.

Creative Live external soundcard could be the tricky one. I know I've read articles per Vista managing audio at a device level which gave a number of the popular sound card companies problems. Without knowing which one you have (possible Live 24 bit external)?, states they have Vista drivers availble .. hopefully 64-bit version. You may have to upgrade to a newer version.

 

As far as i can remember (need to look through a whole stack of cds) i think i remember seeing a Vista driver for the soundcard. And yes its a Creative Live! 24-bit.

What about WC3:Frozen Throne and Counter-Strike 1.6, would it have any problems with 64-bit Vista?

Cause i've read that installing those games on a Vista platform have caused problems but i'm not sure which ones.

 

For all of these, go to manufacture website and download latest Vista 64-bit driver(s). If applicable, check for patch / fixes / update(s) links for each game, as you will need to apply these after you run game installs. While you are there, check site's forums for any issues you should be aware of with 64-bit versions.
Also, any 3rd party applications you wish to load on new computer, go to manufacture/author site for 64-bit information.

 

Thanks for all the advice and comments posted in here. I absolutely learned alot from reading all of the posts.

The new laptop is completely awesome. Runs all my games without problems of any sort. All i can say is i'm definitely a proud owner of the ASUS M50 Series M50Vm-X1 NoteBook!

 

Awesome is always nice to hear after the purchase ... glad your new laptop gaming rig is getting the job done.

We have frequent gamers visit the site, but unfortunately most of us regulars (including myself) are not gamers. Your input would be invaluable. As you travel through Vista 32/64bit migration (not sure if/did this already) keep us informed as how it went. In time, as 16bit fell to 32bit, all of us will be using 64bit. If Vista ever has a legend(?), it will come from it's solidification of hardware / software and a stable 64bit platform.