I have used the Realflight simulator on display at the LHS and would really like to buy one. The problem is I don't have a desk top computer nor do I plan on buying one. The lap top I want to buy meets or exceeds the games requirements but the screen is only 15 inches. I will have a video card with HDMI port and can connect my lap top to my 50 inch plasma but was wondering if this is good enough for the simulator game.

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Lots of people with RF only have laptops. I don't know if you'll be fine. All I know about your laptop is what you said.

Sorry about that, it is a Dell
15 inch screen
Windows 7 64bit
2nd Gen Intel Core i5-2450M processor, 2.5GHZ with turbo boost
8gb memory dual channel 1333mhz
NVIDIA GEforce GT 525M 1 GB Graphics with Optimus
750GB 7200rpm Sata Hard Drive

You'll be fine.

I narrowed my options to the two computers below. Personally I would rather just have a loptop, but if this is not a good option, then I will go with a desk top.
Alienware X51, I like this because it is small and I can hide it in my entertainment center and hook it up to my TV. The problem with this is I would still have to buy a cheap laptop.
Intel® Core™ i3-2120 3.3GHz
Memory-4GB4 Dual Channel DDR3 SDRAM at 1333MHz
Hard Drive-1TB SATA 6Gb/s (7,200RPM) 32MB Cache
Video Card-1GB GDDR5 NVIDIA® GeForce® GT 545

Better yet I would like to get a lap top
Dell XPS 17
Operating System Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium, 64-Bit,
Processor 2nd generation Intel® Core™ i5-2450M processor (2.50 GHz, with Turbo Boost 2.0 up to 3.10 GHz) I52450M
Memory 6GB Shared Dual Channel DDR3 Memory
LCD 17.3" FHD (1080p) with 2.0MP HD Webcam 1080FHD
Video Card NVIDIA® GeForce® GT 550M 1GB graphics with Optimus 550MUS
Hard Drive 750GB 7200 RPM SATA Hard Drive

Dude, laptops are desktop replacements now days. I'm never getting a desktop again. i7 core 17" for $699 on a good deal. Can't beat it! i5 is fine, too.

Dude, desktops can be much more powerful than laptops can be. That is not to say that a proper laptop cannot run a program like RF.

I see you asked your question at the RF forums. You'll get a reliable answer that doesn't contain the word "dude" by 1PM EDT time, I bet. The guy who will answer is extremely knowledgeable about computers.

I wish I was a computer expert, but I am not even close. Thanks for the replies, and if I can I would definitely like to stay with a laptop.

To the original poster's question:

---- From Realflight forum ---

Both would work.

Check to see if the laptops use the Nvidia devices as their PRIMARY output.

Some do not and that can be problematic.

On these laptops, a low end video processor is used for the primary output, and you only get the full boat GPU when you switch to full screen mode....

And since you are switching modes from one device to another, that can be highly problematic.

You want a laptop that utilizes the Nvidia display AT ALL TIMES even for the Desktop....
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As to the "dude" comment...

Laptops are convenient, but in the long run they still do not beat desktops for overall value.

With a laptop you are stuck with what you purchase up front... no upgrades, replacements, enhancements... NADA.

Blow a power regulator on the motherboard 2 years out and you're SOL.

Want that new graphics GPU? Sorry it's another laptop for you.

Pick up the laptop screen the wrong way, and you'll be watching a crack from then on... etc.

With the laptop you are paying for low power consumption and small space.

Not that this can't be handy. The portablility has something to be said for it...

But you can also toss pretty high end hardware in a small case and get a better but small desktop system for the same price.

If you want best overall performance, get an SSD equipped desktop unit with a decent graphics processor, and it will run rings around the laptop(s).

A desktop would be nice, but I really don't have the space for it. Also I would only be using it for this game, since I do all my computer work on a laptop. I was looking at the small Alienware X51 because I can fit that in my Entertainment center and hook it up to the TV. I wish this game could be played on Xbox but that does not look like it is going to happen.

You really can't think of Phoenix or RF or any other RC flight sim as being a game. It's primarily a simulator. I don't even have an XBox or a PlayStation.

Good point.

RC plane 2 on the iPhone is always another option...

Dude.

Very intuitive. Thanks, kid.