Sub £300 UK pounds laptop performance
jay2dx
Member Posts: 611
Hi guys, I'm hopfully starting an introduction to game design school this year and I'm using GameSalad to teach the fundamentals with, I've only ever used GS on my very decent Mac and hi spec PC, I'm starting the class size as 10 puples so wondering about laptop hardware.
I'm looking at purchasing 12 £300 PC laptops using Gamesalad for, eg, platformers, puzzle games, casual games.
Does anyone have any experience with Gamesalads performance on the £300 price range laptops ?
Thanks in advance 
Jay
Comments
Not sure what the PC version is like nowadays but last time I tried it I really couldn't get along with it as it was way too slow and frustrating on my old windows 7 Acer with decent ram and CPU.
Its great your planning on using GS to teach so best of luck!
Don't forget we have a 170 games pack for sale over at GSH if it's useful for you.
Thanks man
I think I'm just going to get the store to install GameSalad and open some projects to test the performance etc, I'll take a look at your game pack ta
Everyone here must be using pretty good systems! Can anyone from the GS team help out @CodeMonkey @CodeWizard I haven't a clue who works with them to be honest
just some minimum system specs and general performance 
Try contacting the support team with the blue chat bubble on the lower right corner of the website. They can help you.
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@jay2dx I used the latest stable PC build on my ageing core2duo laptop with 4gb of Ram about 2 months ago, and was shocked at how well it ran, and how good the PC version is these days.
I just became a mature student, so just upgraded to a more modern, lighter laptop for lugging to college. Got a nice HP Envy (AMD A10 cpu, 8gb ram, Windows 10) for £330. Ive just installed GS on it to try out, and can report that it runs very well.
So anywhere between those laptop system specs and your going to be good.
Thanks mate, you based in the Uk then? What you studying
good luck with it and thanks for the info
The PC version works great these days (it didn't always). I think 300 pounds gets you a fairly decent laptop these days ($500-ish, correct?). The main thing for GS I've noticed is that you need a good graphics card with OpenGL 2. I would think most new laptops have this, but better check.
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Cheers @JScott
@jay2dx ...yup Im UK based, in Grimsby on the east coast.
Ive just started a 3 year degree in Games Design and Development. Ive actually worked in games for 28 years as an artist, 3d modeller and designer, but recently had a few opportunities to move into teaching the subject, that ultimately fell through, due to not having a degree. (I got into the industry straight from school at 16).
So I took the plunge, and committed myself to 3 years of student life, and student debt, so that I can ultimately move into teaching
Sounds awesome mate, I worked for PlayStation in Liverpool as a games tester for 8 years from the age of 19, did a degree in 3D design and animation that they paid for while I worked there, took 4 years on day a week, ressesion hit the industry like many others when I was 26 so I decided to go to university proper to become an architect, which I now am, that took 7 years! But I've always worked at PlayStation part time testing games, work in an architects now but using everything I've learnt I'm trying to make some games
also looking at teaching at some point so need to get my game design portfolio up to speed, may move into environment design as my passion really is with games, and I can use my architecture to furfural that,
Great to hear your following your dream
Great to have people with your two experiences. good luck with your courses.
Cheers @Toque
When GS isn't at a 'crazy memory munching I'll go off and search for life on Mars version' it has very basic hardware requirements and any half decent current £300 or so laptop/netbook will do very well. As for asset creation it's a whole different story, broadly speaking the more money you chuck at your setup the faster you will be able to create gloriously detailed complex assets (sounds like you have that covered with your current setup) and you already knew that
But honestly why suffer the pain.... ? If you hit the VAT threshold Mac minis would work out around £300 for the base spec and then get a good deal on 12 displays (should be easy). I'm sure your local Apple store would let you do some pretty thorough testing with GS.
I guess it boils down to your students and Apple familiarity but 99% of the time people love Macs after a few hours - they just get it
And if they don't chances are their creative output is going to be mediocre at best anyway (running for cover)
@tmann thanks man, some good points raised there, I think I'll need to stay down the laptop route though as I will be transporting the laptops in a case for each lesson to be honest, mobile game design tutor if you will! I've been looking at a HP model that seems good so will give that a shot! I would love 12 Mac minis though
Of course... doh... missed the obvious as usual. A mobile studio is a great idea - very best of luck with what could really take off I would think. The timing is perfect even if the euro bums on seats slush funds have dried up a bit. Something tells me you will be on to a winner
Cheers @tmann