For just a few days, Diablo 4 was playable one last time before its release. The problem: MeinMMO editor Benedict Grothaus was still on his way during the Server Slam. The solution: he simply bought an overly expensive laptop to game on the go. Surprisingly, it worked really well.
Both my boss Leya Jankowski and our editorial manager Schuhmann asked me almost simultaneously: “Are you crazy?” I didn’t understand the question. So yes, I am, but what does that have to do with the purchase?
Just before the start of the Server Slam on May 12, I bought a new laptop, an MSI Katana with a powerful RTX 4070 in it. Cost: 1,500 euros on sale at Alternate, without an operating system. With Windows 11 and an external drive, I ended up at 1,700 euros.
Why did I do that when I just bought a new computer for 3,500 euros with a 4090? Simple: We had a training session scheduled for Thursday and Friday. It was already set before Blizzard suddenly announced the beta.
Since my journey was pretty long, I was still on the train at the start of the Server Slam. As the Diablo lead and a fan of the series, it was clear to me: I have to game on the go. Said and done, money spent.
Some of you may laugh now and say: “You fool, with the terrible network of Deutsche Bahn and the online requirement of Diablo 4?” But actually, it went really, really well and made the trip much shorter.
Though I could game really well, there were a few truly horrible moments. I have compiled the worst moments for you here:
1 Disconnect, 1 Death – Otherwise absolutely no problems
Overall, I was on the road for 6 hours: about two and a half hours on the ICE, about two and a half hours on the IC, and an hour layover in between. I could only game Diablo on the IC, as the servers hadn’t gone online yet. I had installed the Server Slam in advance.
Punctually at 9 PM, I wanted to start and … first had to download a new graphics card driver. Apparently, I forgot to do that when setting up the computer. The mere 800 MB took a whole half hour.
After the installation, I could finally get started. With experience from the last beta and concern about the server “slam,” I expected waiting queues. But nothing; I got in right away. Later, I read that many fans considered the launch one of the best from Blizzard so far.
I gamed for two hours almost without interruptions. Occasionally, there was rubberbanding, a single disconnect, and one death due to lags. The connection was noticeably worse than at home, but at least good enough for playing.
I must say that I cannot even blame the Bahn. The network was as fast as possible, but on the respective route, there are more dead zones than network coverage. Accordingly, my problems are due to the lack of expansion.
To test how bad it could really get, I ventured into a dungeon. Exactly on the segment where I knew the network was terrible. It wasn’t playable … but a very interesting experience.
This time I played a sorceress. Unfortunately, I forgot to take photos on the train – it was late, and I was tired. You can see the trailer for the class here:
The laptop is surprisingly good, I missed out for years
As a devoted PC gamer, I always scoffed at laptops. To me, they were nothing more than a crutch to bridge travel or to work on the go. I never found them good for gaming.
My new Katana has taught me otherwise. Even though I forgot the graphics card drivers at first, the games looked really good, I had no stutters, and the resolution is excellent. By the way, I passed the time on my journey on Thursday with Age of Wonders 4 diligent work.
Ironically, we currently have a deal on the site, where the successor to my laptop is available at Otto. This, however, is purely coincidental.
Aside from the size and a lack of a second monitor, I really can’t fault the thing. My last experience with gaming laptops was many years ago. And as my colleague and hardware expert Benedikt Schlotmann explained to my astonishment: a lot has probably changed in that area in the last 5 years.
Admittedly, I actually wanted to have a laptop for a while. Only my rational brain kept telling me that I didn’t need it. Diablo 4 was the perfect excuse to invest after all.
Ironically, Diablo also lured me to my last purchase, a gaming tablet for 250 euros. If you’re wondering: my tablet has been sitting on my desk since then and constantly complains about a low battery, but is hardly used otherwise … Whether the laptop will fare better remains to be seen.
