Running OOTP 18 on Budget Laptop

angryyew · 04-26-2017, 09:16 PM

I'm going to be away from home for a few months and I'm shopping for a laptop.

I'd like to be able to play OOTP18 on the laptop.

Looking at the system requirements, it seems like it should run pretty well on just about anything, but I'm curious if anyone has run into issues trying to run the game on a cheaper laptop?

I'm looking at laptops in the $400-800 range.

Thanks

eriqjaffe · 04-27-2017, 09:39 AM

I run OOTP on a $400 laptop (2nd-generation i3) that I bought a few years ago. 3D makes the fans go into overdrive, but it runs. I put an SSD in it a while ago and it's quite a bit snappier than it was before, but it was fine even with the original standard hard drive, it just took longer to do any disk-intensive operations.

The Yurpman · 04-27-2017, 11:35 AM

Prior to purchasing the new laptop I have now, I played OOTP18 (and every version from 13 onwards) on a six year old, crappy laptop. I had no issues.

andyhdz · 04-27-2017, 12:52 PM

You can't have a discussion on computer performance without also discussing what kind of a world you want to run. For the regular MLB quickstart you can have an entry level laptop and you'll be fine. However you if you want to build a large world you'll need something a bit faster. Remember their is no heavy graphics needed what we are talking about is processor speed to handle all the transactions needed.

Here is a very rough example of my setup to give you a good idea but of course results vary because of many other factors.

I have a lenova 11 laptop that I bought for $400. It has a pentium mobile chip. I would say it's a middle of the pack laptop. It's 2 years old.

I have a huge world with over 500 teams. During the offseason when you have a lot of activity with FAs going on it can take me about 1 minute 20 seconds to sim 1 day. However once the season starts and I've cleared out most of the dead weight FAs the sim speed drops to 30-40 seconds a day. However if I created a new world with a mlb quickstat the sim time would be around 5 seconds a day.

Reggie · 04-27-2017, 03:19 PM

Up to and including version 17 I was using an 8 year old laptop. Like an entry level 8 year old Dell. It wasn't the fastest thing in the world but I played with no problems.. other than the occasional data corruption. ( Probably from the hard drive being 8 years old? )

This year I am using a slightly newer laptop with the i3 in it. Still running fine.

angryyew · 04-28-2017, 02:58 AM

Thanks for the responses. I have several games going, but I'm just planning on playing the basic run of the mill current day sims while I'm on the road.

Sounds like I should be OK with whatever I end up getting.

Hasta la vista pelota · 04-28-2017, 04:57 AM

I have an older laptop and still can't run 3-D mode. I was told it has something to do with my video card (I think, I'm not overly computer savvy), but I would assume a newer model wouldn't have that problem. OOTP17 runs fine, it's just OOTP18 that gives me trouble.

Seems likely you'll be OK but just know there are some differences.

ThePretender · 04-28-2017, 06:48 PM

I'd also recommend a cooling pad as I find laptops get pretty hot when running OOTP. I'm running a 5-6 year old laptop which is outdated for most games at this point but it runs OOTP fairly smoothly.

NoOne · 04-29-2017, 09:52 AM

no modern laptop will have a problem with this game... it may or may not run quickly, but .... it will play. 3d mode would be the only hiccup you'd have to look into... and a new laptop won't have that problem, either (400+ as you are looking for).

here's my tips to maximize a cheap build:

don't waste money on e-peens...

you get less than what you pay for in tht packaged, large, slow HDD - those are cheap, and you should prefer an SSD if you can get one. even if it's just 256gb.

if you store tons of movies or tv shows or whatever, get a cheap external or an NAS. the kids go with online sotrage nowadays, eh? lol, i fall behind. pretty sure there are free options, there. ypi can always use your old equipment as a network attached storage, too.

if possible, get the laptop with the 3rd party video card. (use the onboard for 2d and the 3rd party card for 3d video games, like ootp -- there will be some software that controls this switching). the integrated intel graphics card is probably better at 2d, or at least as good as, plus less heat and power consumption. I think right now the cheap ati is a bit better than the cheap nvidia, but it's mostly inconsequential at that price point...can change each release cycle.

A better vid card even helps things load faster. anythign you see has to be loaded into vid ram... even websites or that window logo when booting (you can turn that off, btw).

Do not put too much value on the amount of RAM... you want hte right amount of RAM, not the most amount of RAM... unused RAM does absoutely nothign... reapeat, nothing for you. if ootp is the most advanced video game you use, 8gb is fine.. even 4-6 is fine for ootp.

with that said, an eye to the future is a good idea with RAM, too. i wouldn't go more than 150% - 200% of what current day softare would require and how you use it (how many at once is normal etc?). you also want 'some' empty RAM at all times for swapping stuff around, just like you don't want a 99% full system drive (15-25%, google it for right amount to want).

if you can get an ssd, an i5 or better and mayabe a bit less RAM, it's well worth it to sacrifice a bit on unused resources

(don't quote on specs here, just a b.s. example)

google the processors of your best options, once narrowed down. even if not tech savvy, some thigns may be obvious. Also, if you look for benchmarkin of equipment, look for real-world application benchmarking, not "FutureMark" or some nonsense like that... those things are easily manipulated, if they want to 'look' good on them. you can't fake the tiem it takes to process Xthings on a specific set of equipment that is only swapping out hte specific part to compare real-world results.

you'll want a review that has a variety of tests that provide a profile of strengths and weaknesses.. then realte those back to how you use your PC... i.e. ootp is heavy on db processing, but pretty pedestrian when it comes to 3d requirements... so a better cpu probably trumps a better vid card if it comes down to that choice, as one example of how to apply the research on teh CPUs or any other part for that matter.... if you play more 3d vid games o nthe side, you may want a priority on a better vid card rather than a better cpu.

Orcin · 04-29-2017, 09:54 AM

Cooling pad is an excellent suggestion.

NoOne · 04-29-2017, 05:16 PM

if a $400-600 machine, desktop or laptop, has heat issues, you should avoid that particular model.

if it's that cheap, heat shouldn't be a concern at all. unless it's 100% about your comfort, of course... i wouldn't argue that. nobody enjoys a ballsoup-bisque. you'd end up with a fungus infection or something from daily use, lol.... don't buy the cooling pad thinking it will provide some benefit to a cheap laptop.

definitely google for "<model> heat" or "heat problems" with model etc. googling with keywords of basic probelms will help find the duds.. they are out there. hehe that's how i choose to update just about any software on my computer... After i look on internet for problems, lol.

04-26-2017, 09:16 PM	#1
angryyew Bat Boy Join Date: Oct 2014 Posts: 3	Running OOTP 18 on Budget Laptop I'm going to be away from home for a few months and I'm shopping for a laptop. I'd like to be able to play OOTP18 on the laptop. Looking at the system requirements, it seems like it should run pretty well on just about anything, but I'm curious if anyone has run into issues trying to run the game on a cheaper laptop? I'm looking at laptops in the $400-800 range. Thanks

04-27-2017, 09:39 AM	#2
eriqjaffe Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2003 Location: Under The Christmas Fish Posts: 7,628	I run OOTP on a $400 laptop (2nd-generation i3) that I bought a few years ago. 3D makes the fans go into overdrive, but it runs. I put an SSD in it a while ago and it's quite a bit snappier than it was before, but it was fine even with the original standard hard drive, it just took longer to do any disk-intensive operations. __________________

04-29-2017, 09:52 AM	#9
NoOne Hall Of Famer Join Date: Apr 2015 Posts: 7,256 Infractions: 1/0 (0)	no modern laptop will have a problem with this game... it may or may not run quickly, but .... it will play. 3d mode would be the only hiccup you'd have to look into... and a new laptop won't have that problem, either (400+ as you are looking for). here's my tips to maximize a cheap build: don't waste money on e-peens... you get less than what you pay for in tht packaged, large, slow HDD - those are cheap, and you should prefer an SSD if you can get one. even if it's just 256gb. if you store tons of movies or tv shows or whatever, get a cheap external or an NAS. the kids go with online sotrage nowadays, eh? lol, i fall behind. pretty sure there are free options, there. ypi can always use your old equipment as a network attached storage, too. if possible, get the laptop with the 3rd party video card. (use the onboard for 2d and the 3rd party card for 3d video games, like ootp -- there will be some software that controls this switching). the integrated intel graphics card is probably better at 2d, or at least as good as, plus less heat and power consumption. I think right now the cheap ati is a bit better than the cheap nvidia, but it's mostly inconsequential at that price point...can change each release cycle. A better vid card even helps things load faster. anythign you see has to be loaded into vid ram... even websites or that window logo when booting (you can turn that off, btw). Do not put too much value on the amount of RAM... you want hte right amount of RAM, not the most amount of RAM... unused RAM does absoutely nothign... reapeat, nothing for you. if ootp is the most advanced video game you use, 8gb is fine.. even 4-6 is fine for ootp. with that said, an eye to the future is a good idea with RAM, too. i wouldn't go more than 150% - 200% of what current day softare would require and how you use it (how many at once is normal etc?). you also want 'some' empty RAM at all times for swapping stuff around, just like you don't want a 99% full system drive (15-25%, google it for right amount to want). if you can get an ssd, an i5 or better and mayabe a bit less RAM, it's well worth it to sacrifice a bit on unused resources (don't quote on specs here, just a b.s. example) google the processors of your best options, once narrowed down. even if not tech savvy, some thigns may be obvious. Also, if you look for benchmarkin of equipment, look for real-world application benchmarking, not "FutureMark" or some nonsense like that... those things are easily manipulated, if they want to 'look' good on them. you can't fake the tiem it takes to process Xthings on a specific set of equipment that is only swapping out hte specific part to compare real-world results. you'll want a review that has a variety of tests that provide a profile of strengths and weaknesses.. then realte those back to how you use your PC... i.e. ootp is heavy on db processing, but pretty pedestrian when it comes to 3d requirements... so a better cpu probably trumps a better vid card if it comes down to that choice, as one example of how to apply the research on teh CPUs or any other part for that matter.... if you play more 3d vid games o nthe side, you may want a priority on a better vid card rather than a better cpu. Last edited by NoOne; 04-29-2017 at 10:04 AM.

04-27-2017, 11:35 AM	#3
The Yurpman Major Leagues Join Date: Jul 2012 Posts: 320	Prior to purchasing the new laptop I have now, I played OOTP18 (and every version from 13 onwards) on a six year old, crappy laptop. I had no issues.

04-27-2017, 12:52 PM	#4
andyhdz All Star Starter Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Fresno, CA by way of Texas Posts: 1,754	You can't have a discussion on computer performance without also discussing what kind of a world you want to run. For the regular MLB quickstart you can have an entry level laptop and you'll be fine. However you if you want to build a large world you'll need something a bit faster. Remember their is no heavy graphics needed what we are talking about is processor speed to handle all the transactions needed. Here is a very rough example of my setup to give you a good idea but of course results vary because of many other factors. I have a lenova 11 laptop that I bought for $400. It has a pentium mobile chip. I would say it's a middle of the pack laptop. It's 2 years old. I have a huge world with over 500 teams. During the offseason when you have a lot of activity with FAs going on it can take me about 1 minute 20 seconds to sim 1 day. However once the season starts and I've cleared out most of the dead weight FAs the sim speed drops to 30-40 seconds a day. However if I created a new world with a mlb quickstat the sim time would be around 5 seconds a day.

04-27-2017, 03:19 PM	#5
Reggie Major Leagues Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 442	Up to and including version 17 I was using an 8 year old laptop. Like an entry level 8 year old Dell. It wasn't the fastest thing in the world but I played with no problems.. other than the occasional data corruption. ( Probably from the hard drive being 8 years old? ) This year I am using a slightly newer laptop with the i3 in it. Still running fine.

04-28-2017, 02:58 AM	#6
angryyew Bat Boy Join Date: Oct 2014 Posts: 3	Thanks for the responses. I have several games going, but I'm just planning on playing the basic run of the mill current day sims while I'm on the road. Sounds like I should be OK with whatever I end up getting.

04-28-2017, 04:57 AM	#7
Hasta la vista pelota Minors (Double A) Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 137	I have an older laptop and still can't run 3-D mode. I was told it has something to do with my video card (I think, I'm not overly computer savvy), but I would assume a newer model wouldn't have that problem. OOTP17 runs fine, it's just OOTP18 that gives me trouble. Seems likely you'll be OK but just know there are some differences.

04-28-2017, 06:48 PM	#8
ThePretender All Star Starter Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 1,321	I'd also recommend a cooling pad as I find laptops get pretty hot when running OOTP. I'm running a 5-6 year old laptop which is outdated for most games at this point but it runs OOTP fairly smoothly.

04-29-2017, 09:54 AM	#10
Orcin Hall Of Famer Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Indiana Posts: 9,847 Infractions: 1/0 (0)	Cooling pad is an excellent suggestion.

04-29-2017, 05:16 PM	#11
NoOne Hall Of Famer Join Date: Apr 2015 Posts: 7,256 Infractions: 1/0 (0)	if a $400-600 machine, desktop or laptop, has heat issues, you should avoid that particular model. if it's that cheap, heat shouldn't be a concern at all. unless it's 100% about your comfort, of course... i wouldn't argue that. nobody enjoys a ballsoup-bisque. you'd end up with a fungus infection or something from daily use, lol.... don't buy the cooling pad thinking it will provide some benefit to a cheap laptop. definitely google for "<model> heat" or "heat problems" with model etc. googling with keywords of basic probelms will help find the duds.. they are out there. hehe that's how i choose to update just about any software on my computer... After i look on internet for problems, lol.