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Issues, Workarounds & Localization

 
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Anyone tried EVE on a qHD XPS 15?

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Tar om
Octavian Vanguard
#1 - 2014-04-11 10:30:22 UTC
Folks,
I'm looking at a new laptop - mainly for work - which I'd like to play EVE. Has anyone tried EVE on an XPS 15 (The current model) with a qHD screen? I reckon the GPU should be up to it but I'm not sure if trying to play EVE on a qHD screen would be worth it, especially if the menus end up being 0.5mm high on each line Shocked
If I can set the resolution back to 1080p and it all jumps back, that's fine. I just don't want to blow cash on something that I won't be able to use fully.
Cheers
CCP Snorlax
C C P
C C P Alliance
#2 - 2014-04-11 11:02:59 UTC
There is a scaling option in the EVE user interface, that should help with such a high resolution. I should use this as an excuse to request a new laptop - need to verify it works well...

CCP Snorlax - Software Architect - Team RnB - @CCP_Snorlax - http://ccpsnorlax.blogspot.is/
mkint
#3 - 2014-04-11 12:15:56 UTC
I'm not running that specific machine, but I've been using a laptop with about the same size for a few years now. Yes, EVE works fine on it. Yes, even without scaling, you get eyestrain-o-vision. Even with careful UI management, you won't be able to get all the essential UI elements to fit on your screen at the same time. EVE has always had an incredibly bad UI, but with a smaller screen, you'll suffer. You won't get your overview to show everything important, have local separated from other channels, have your HUD where you can click it with your mouse, and have any other windows that allow for a minimum productivity, and still be able to see what's going on.

So, you'll either have to choose to suffer with not having quick access to essential tools, or not being able to read the on-screen text. I had an opportunity to replace my laptop this week, and I got one with the same screen size, because my real life is a state of constant travel, and the associated concerns are more important than EVE.

Maxim 6. If violence wasn’t your last resort, you failed to resort to enough of it.
Thercon Jair
Sebiestor Tribe
Minmatar Republic
#4 - 2014-04-14 14:49:14 UTC
The XPS15 runs off a Geforce 750m, if I'm not mistaken.

Usually, even in gaming notebooks, you find at best gfx cards that compare to middle class desktop graphics.

The issue with higher resolutions is, that they use increasingly more computing power to draw an image. For example, if you go from FullHD 1920x1080 to UHD 3840x2160 you increase the pixel count from 2MP to 8MP, so 4 times as many pixels need to be drawn. (I know, the XPS has something like 3200x1800 pixels)

Thus, your main problem will most likely be to run Eve at high resolutions with high graphic settings, so you can aswell settle for a cheaper laptop with lower resolution, unless the high pixel density will benefit your work related stuff.

You're probably better off with:

Get yorself a cheaper laptop around 13" with a lower resolution, better battery life and better portability and use the saved $1000 to build yorself a gaming desktop (the XPS is about $ 2000 from what I've seen)

Or

Get the XPS and buy yourself a 24" or bigger screen with max FullHD resolution and a keyboard and mouse, hook the XPS up to it, set it to only use the external display.
Tar om
Octavian Vanguard
#5 - 2014-04-15 15:01:53 UTC
Thanks folks, good info. Snorlax - you definitely need a new laptop to test this! If you could report back, I'd be grateful :)

The problem is that the XPS 15 looks ideal for my work. I currently have an M6500 Precision which runs EVE just fine on a 17" screen but it's too damn big to be something I want to take to meetings, plug into random switches, take up in cherry pickers etc etc. It moves from desk to sofa and back again.

I guess the external monitor is the best option.
Docile Stoat
Perkone
Caldari State
#6 - 2014-05-05 03:15:08 UTC
The XPS 15 QHD runs Eve fine for me. But with some caveats...

1. The scaling doesn't scale enough, text is still damn tiny.

2. GFX flickering like there's some kind of driver issue or clipping problem.

So what I do is knock the res down to 1600x900 (a perfect halving of native res so scales nicely onto the display) and everything runs super sweet! I expect both those problems to go away in the future so the full glory of the 3200x1800 screen can be utilised Smile

Happy to run tests if you want more info. It is an epic laptop, highly recommend it.
CCP Snorlax
C C P
C C P Alliance
#7 - 2014-05-05 15:44:35 UTC
I'll look into getting the scaling options changed - there shouldn't be anything stopping us from having higher scaling factors.

CCP Snorlax - Software Architect - Team RnB - @CCP_Snorlax - http://ccpsnorlax.blogspot.is/
Docile Stoat
Perkone
Caldari State
#8 - 2014-05-07 09:42:44 UTC
CCP Snorlax wrote:
I'll look into getting the scaling options changed - there shouldn't be anything stopping us from having higher scaling factors.


That'd be awesome, thanks. It doesn't need to go much higher. And any chance of a slider bar rather than a fixed set of options?