On Thu, 17 Dec 2015 19:10:41 -0000 (UTC), Oscar
wrote:

On Tue, 15 Dec 2015 17:34:37 +0000, Oscar wrote:

What do I need to look for in a Windows laptop that will play such games?

Thank you for all the advice!

Based on my read of *all* the wonderful input, can you correct my
summary "shopping list" below so that I can print it and bring it
with me to the computer store?

0. Game requirements:
Fallout4: https://www.playstation.com/en-us/games/fallout-4-ps4/
http://www.pcgamer.com/fallout-4-sys...nts-released/#

1. Available consoles:
XBox One (~$300 to $400 depending on accessories)
Playstation 4 (~$300 to $400 depending on accessories)

What accessories do you recommend?

2. Minimum desktop (not laptop):
a. Windows 7/8/10 (64-bit OS required)
b. Intel Core i5-2300 2.8 GHz or AMD Phenom II X4 945 3.0 GHz
c. 8 GB RAM
d. NVIDIA GTX 550 Ti 2GB or AMD Radeon HD 7870 2GB

3. Recommended desktop (not laptop):
a. Windows 7/8/10 (64-bit OS required)
b. Intel Core i7 4790 3.6 GHz or AMD FX-9590 4.7 GHz
c. 8 GB RAM
d. NVIDIA GTX 780 3GB or AMD Radeon R9 290X 4GB

4. More than enough desktop:
A. Windows 7 and above (64-bit)
B. Intel i3 6300T
C. 8 GB RAM
D. NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 2GB or AMD ATI Radeon HD 7850 2GB
E. DirectX 11.0 Compatible video card or equivalent

5. Even better than enough desktop:
A. Windows 10 (64-bit)
B. Intel i5 6600
C. 16GB RAM
D. NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 4GB or AMD Radeon R9 290 4GB
E. DirectX 11.1 Compatible video card

How do I know if a video card is "directx" compatible?

The specs on the card will tell you which DirectX level it meets. Most
current is 12.

Go to a local computer builder and ask for price and extended warranty
for a desktop midtower that meets your specs:

Midtower case w/500+w PS,
Extra fans to cool the stuff inside the case,
Intel i7 CPU+heatsink and fan to play the game,
Current chipset mb to handle everything,
Video card to run the game properly (DX12),
16 or 32 GB memory (memory is cheap),
SSD for bootup and gaming,
4TB HDD for various data storage,
Win10,
MSE for antivirus, etc--it's free with Win10 and is decent,
Let the kid pick keyboard and mouse.

Get price of extended warranty (3-5 yrs) on the box.
Make sure the kid understands what that warranty means (what is
covered, what is not, service on-site or "bring it in", etc).

You ARE making an investment. Do it right.