FINALLY I'm getting a laptop for xmas

[mas]

So my father in law is going to give me his dell laptop for xmas. I'm not sure what model it is or what the thing looks like but finally.
So what do I need to make this a gaming laptop and what will I need to make it run fast and have no problems.
Like anyone knows of a free antivirus plan? Or what pic games can I use. I mean if I go to the thrift store and I see games like I don't know doom for a dollar will it work if I install it?
I know for a lot these are stupid questions but I'm new at this so let me know.
I'll find out later in a day or two what model it is and if anyone can help me with it that would be great

[samsonlonghair]

A "gaming laptop" typically means a laptop with its own graphics card as opposed to a laptop with onboard graphics from the motherboard. If your father in law's laptop didn't already come with an independent graphics card, you're not likely to fit one into that small space. That doesn't mean that all is lost. Plenty of old games run fine on a modern processor without an independent graphics card. Shoot for games about ten years old or more. Think Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, Rainbow Six: Vegas, original Bioshock or older.

Do upgrade the RAM. You can always use more RAM. There's no such thing as too much RAM.

Free antivirus? There's plenty. Avast is popular. I like Malware Bytes Anti-malware. I think AVG also has a free anitivirus option.

What PC games can you run? Anything from "Good old Games" http://www.gog.com should run fine. But you don't want to buy all your games online, right? Any games that were made for WinXP, WinVista, or Win7 should generally be compatible. The only exception would be games with arcane anti-piracy measures... such as requiring you to connect to an authentication server that's no longer online. Luckily that's more the exception than the rule.

What about even older games like that copy of Doom for a dollar? Doom runs on DOS, so you're going to need DOSBOX http://www.dosbox.com/ to run that. You can also install Win95 in DOSBOX. No bull.

No stupid questions here. Ask anything you need to know.

[mas]

Ok so just found out it's a latitude 2100 from dell. Is this a good laptop?

[samsonlonghair]

Ok so just found out it's a latitude 2100 from dell. Is this a good laptop?

This latitude? https://www.cnet.com/products/dell-lati ... 00/review/

No dude, it is not.

I bet you could still run Atari, Nintendo, Super Nintendo, and Sega Genesis emulators. That's about the most I would hope for, mas.

Is this the only PC you have?

[mas]

I think so Samson. I think it looks like that. I only seen him use it maybe 2 or 3 times.
Yes besides a tablet and my I phone that's it

[CRTGAMER]

So my father in law is going to give me his dell laptop for xmas. I'm not sure what model it is or what the thing looks like but finally. So what do I need to make this a gaming laptop and what will I need to make it run fast and have no problems.

Like anyone knows of a free antivirus plan? Or what pic games can I use. I mean if I go to the thrift store and I see games like I don't know doom for a dollar will it work if I install it?

I'll find out later in a day or two what model it is and if anyone can help me with it that would be great

Once you get the specs and operating system, perhaps edit this into your OP for an easy find reference as others post their suggestions. If Laptop is slow a good idea is complete fresh install; hopefully the original discs are with the used laptop. The wipe hard drive clean a good idea anyways to perk it up getting rid of all the software installed over the years since you will be starting fresh anyways.

If an older Windows 7 PC, keep Win 7 for better compatibility to all the Thrift Store games. Many likely the Win 95 32 bit era, good chance majority will run fine in your Laptop if it does not have Windows 8/10. For the Dos games as mentioned Doom, DOS Box very easy to install and setup. Multiple posts on this, just search the board.

No worries if vintage is Windows XP other then will be not up to par for many newer games. However just fine for Thrift Store games route and as Internet Browser will still fully function. Be sure it has latest Service Pack.

Of course go nuts with Mame and all the Arcade Roms, you will be tied up the next year discovering all the Arcade games.

Absolutely do not install Norton or Mcafee, so intrusive slowing down the PC bugging you with pop up boxes of "Buy next years renewal" and "Are you sure you want to install, run game, plug in the game controller and go to the bathroom"

[samsonlonghair]

Upon closer inspection, the latitude 2100 was not a good laptop for gaming even back when it was released... seven years ago. This was during the "netbook" fad of cheap, under powered notebooks. The spec sheet shows a 32-bit intel atom processor clocked at 1.6 Ghz with 1GB of RAM. Also, the latitude 2100 has no CD or DVD drive, so picking up games at the thrift store won't do you much good.

This machine has some utility, but not as a gaming machine.

If you're darn determined to try to run games on a Netbook, set your expectations accordingly. Rather than the ten-year-old games I mentioned in my first post, try setting your sights on fifteen to twenty-year-old games from Good Old Games. 8-bit and 16-bit console emulators should run fine. DOSBOX should be able to run DOS games on this machine, but you may encounter a bit of slowdown.

[mas]

Ok so I'll just wait for a thrift to get a actual pc. I don't have one now so I can wait. As far as retro gaming I'll just go downstairs and play what I want. As far as the latitude I'll just say thank you and put it in the closet

[samsonlonghair]

Maybe consider donating it to a Library or after school program for a tax break? This old netbook would be sufficient for a student to type up an essay.

[mas]

True never thought of that