Help Choosing Next Laptop

[NarimaanV]

Hi,

    I'm sure these kind of posts are fairly common so I apologize in advance for adding to the plethora of "Help choose my next laptop" posts. My 2011 Macbook Pro just died the other day and I'm in the market for a new laptop. I'm a college student who also enjoys gaming so I'm mainly looking at gaming laptops with as best specs I can get for the $2000-ish range, with at least 3-4 hours of battery life when purely web browsing or viewing lecture material in class, and that will also last me another 5 years at least. Being completely sick of Apple's nonsense when it comes to both their hardware and software, I've narrowed my search down to the following 3 PC gaming laptops:

1. ASUS ROG GL702VS-DS74
2. ASUS ROG G752VS-XS74K
3. Dell Alienware 17 R4

Initially I was only looking at the Asus laptops and leaning towards the GL702 because it's half the thickness and half the weight of the G752. The slightly higher clocked 7820HK of the G752 still intrigued me which is why I kept that in the running still, though $500 more didn't seem very worth it to me. Then I came upon the Alienware laptop and that's got me impressed from specs alone. It's got the specs of the $2500 G752 at the price of the $2000 GL702, plus it has the largest battery of any notebook I've seen at 99Wh (which I've heard is the largest legally allowed on a plane currently). The main downside for me is the weight at 10lbs, which wouldn't be fun carrying around all day in a backpack, but I'm willing to compromise with that. So that's all the research I'm able to do, and that's where I need help. I have no experience with gaming laptops in the past 6 years, so I'm looking for input from people who have. What do you guys think? Is there anything I'm overlooking here or that online research alone isn't showing me? Thanks very much for any input!

[pelark]

What games do you play?

[NarimaanV]

8 minutes ago, pelark said:

What games do you play?

Most kinds of games. Pretty much everything between simple stuff like minecraft to complex shooters like GTA V and Battlefield

[pelark]

https://www.amazon.com/Razer-Blade-GeForce-Gaming-Laptop/dp/B01N4P5HKV/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1489260448&sr=1-1&keywords=razer+blade

4.16lbs, i7, 16gb ram, 1060 and more than cabable of 1080p gaming.

[pelark]

Definitely wouldnt recommend using such a heavy machine as a school computer, considering i already feel the heft of a sub 3 lbs ultrabook when im out and about. I would personally build a 1000$ gaming computer, 400$ or so in peripherals and a decent portable with an i5, 8 gigs of ram, 13.3 or 14 inch screen with a 256gb ssd with what you have left in your budget. Just a suggestion

[NarimaanV]

9 minutes ago, pelark said:

https://www.amazon.com/Razer-Blade-GeForce-Gaming-Laptop/dp/B01N4P5HKV/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1489260448&sr=1-1&keywords=razer+blade

4.16lbs, i7, 16gb ram, 1060 and more than cabable of 1080p gaming.

That looks pretty awesome, the form factor is amazing at that height and weight. I will look more into that but from first impressions and a google search, my main complaint is the storage: to save space they went only M.2 drives but that also means a 1TB drive goes up to $2500. Also from initial reviews it sounds like it runs hot when gaming which isn' the biggest of deals compared to the storage, but hot machine makes lap gaming impossible and for sweaty hands while playing. Not trying to sound dismissive just because it wasn't one of the 3 I found, I just need to find any possible issues I might have with a computer before I consider throwing 2 grand at it. That is a really nice find though thanks, Razer completely slipped my mind from companies to look at (wasn't kidding when I said I'm completely out of the gaming laptop loop!  ).

[pelark]

5 minutes ago, NarimaanV said:

That looks pretty awesome, the form factor is amazing at that height and weight. I will look more into that but from first impressions and a google search, my main complaint is the storage: to save space they went only M.2 drives but that also means a 1TB drive goes up to $2500. Also from initial reviews it sounds like it runs hot when gaming which isn' the biggest of deals compared to the storage, but hot machine makes lap gaming impossible and for sweaty hands while playing. Not trying to sound dismissive just because it wasn't one of the 3 I found, I just need to find any possible issues I might have with a computer before I consider throwing 2 grand at it. That is a really nice find though thanks, Razer completely slipped my mind from companies to look at (wasn't kidding when I said I'm completely out of the gaming laptop loop!  ).

I'm preparing a pcpartpicker list with a desktop and laptop to suit your needs, give me a few minutes

[NarimaanV]

21 minutes ago, pelark said:

Definitely wouldnt recommend using such a heavy machine as a school computer, considering i already feel the heft of a sub 3 lbs ultrabook when im out and about. I would personally build a 1000$ gaming computer, 400$ or so in peripherals and a decent portable with an i5, 8 gigs of ram, 13.3 or 14 inch screen with a 256gb ssd with what you have left in your budget. Just a suggestion

Yeah for a 10lb laptop, I'd probably only take it when absolutely necessary and try using my tablet for anything else while out. I've been used to carrying around my 5lb macbook for the past several years so anything up to that I shouldn't have a problem with, but yeah 10lbs would suck. That idea is actually intriguing, I'll also look into what kind of machine I can buy for $1500 and a cheapter laptop for $500-$800. I've actually been saving up for a sick gaming PC over the years and was planning on going for it soon but bare minimum I do need a laptop. So maybe instead of going all out in one big PC, I could start smaller with upgrade it over time. Not sure yet but I'll definitely look into that option as well!

[NarimaanV]

5 minutes ago, pelark said:

I'm preparing a pcpartpicker list with a desktop and laptop to suit your needs, give me a few minutes

Haha wow thank you!

[pelark]

http://pcpartpicker.com/user/Pelark/saved/#view=k3ND3C

does this link work? Havent shared pcpp links before...

[pelark]

oops sorry, heres the proper link:

https://pcpartpicker.com/list/FvX9BP

[NarimaanV]

4 minutes ago, pelark said:

http://pcpartpicker.com/user/Pelark/saved/#view=k3ND3C

does this link work? Havent shared pcpp links before...

Yes I can see that clearly! I like that list quite a bit, though since I do have an alright monitor and keybaord, I might trade some of those peripheral costs for something like a 7700k or a slightly better laptop. What do you think of the Dell Inspiron 15 Gaming?

[pelark]

The list i put together includes a i5 7600k, z270 mobo and a hyper 212x to get a solid cooling performance and high clocks, and gives you the potential to overclock the cpu. The gpu is an asus rx 480 4gig, which i reccomend upgrading to a 8gig if you need. In terms of ram, 16gb of ddr4 is perfect now, will have you set for a long time and is upgradable to 32gb in the future. The case is a NZXT s340 white, which matches the white and black motherboard. You can change the colors of the Mobo and case to red/black or another case if you wish. I included a 120gb SSD for a bootdrive, specifically the Hyperx fury which i have used myself and had only good experiences with. The mass storage drive is a well respected WD blue 1tb, and the whole system is powered by a quality semimodular 650w power supply that should give you all the power you need for overclocking and whatnot. I included a Asus 24 inch freesync gaming monitor, as it is a great option at its price point with support for AMD freesync, has a 75 hz refresh rate, 1ms response time and narrow bezels for a super clean look. I included a Corsair Strafe RGB keyboard, as it is an amazing keyboard with a plethora of functions and high quality build, stunning lights and great feeling switches. The mouse of choice was a Logitech G502, though you could change it for whatever you prefer. I chose the Wireless Corsair Void headset, as it has stellar sound quality, great comfort (I'd recommend you try it before you buy it) and a wonderful build quality. Windows 10 as OS. I included an Asus UX330, a wonderful performer with an intel core i5 delivering strong multitasking, 8gb of ram for your 600million wikipedia chrome tabs and a lightning fast 256gb ssd that'll store your files and boot into your desktop faster than you can admire its sleek aluminium body and fingerprint sensor on the touchpad. All this wonderful greatness packed in a 13.3 inch premium aluminium body, battery life that will last longer than you can imagine coming in at a mere $699US. Oh, and did i mention, it weighs 2.5lbs. Thats ya boy coming at ya a quarter of the weight of that alienware abduction of your money.

[pelark]

6 minutes ago, NarimaanV said:

Yes I can see that clearly! I like that list quite a bit, though since I do have an alright monitor and keybaord, I might trade some of those peripheral costs for something like a 7700k or a slightly better laptop. What do you think of the Dell Inspiron 15 Gaming?

What monitor do you currently have?

[NarimaanV]

8 minutes ago, pelark said:

What monitor do you currently have?

Hehe this run of the mill Samsung monitor my dad gave me a few years back. Pretty simple 1080p 60Hz monitor that I've played on with my 360 no problem. Is it that bad? 

[pelark]

Just now, NarimaanV said:

Hehe this run of the mill Samsung monitor my dad gave me a few years back. Pretty simple 1080p 60Hz monitor that I've played on with my 360 no problem. Is it that bad? 

It's not a bad monitor, I just think you'd have a much better experience with something like what i selected. First of all, it has a 1ms response time, meaning your actions with your mouse and keyboard will be displayed almost immediately, plus it supports freesync. Then again, if youre not a narrow-bezel whore like myself, Your current monitor should do fine for a while. (The asus monitor has bezels narrower than the career options of a retired chipmunk)

[NarimaanV]

9 minutes ago, pelark said:

It's not a bad monitor, I just think you'd have a much better experience with something like what i selected. First of all, it has a 1ms response time, meaning your actions with your mouse and keyboard will be displayed almost immediately, plus it supports freesync. Then again, if youre not a narrow-bezel whore like myself, Your current monitor should do fine for a while. (The asus monitor has bezels narrower than the career options of a retired chipmunk)

Wow that is a big jump at 5x faster response time than mine. Hmmm I'll consider keeping that but won't know for sure until I finalize the parts list. And yeah I don't mind too much having a fat bezel (probably because I'm used to my monitor's ).

[pelark]

32 minutes ago, NarimaanV said:

Yes I can see that clearly! I like that list quite a bit, though since I do have an alright monitor and keybaord, I might trade some of those peripheral costs for something like a 7700k or a slightly better laptop. What do you think of the Dell Inspiron 15 Gaming?

I'd personally stick with a portable laptop like the Asus, but the Dell inspiron is no slouch if you need portable gaming.

[NarimaanV]

23 minutes ago, pelark said:

I'd personally stick with a portable laptop like the Asus, but the Dell inspiron is no slouch if you need portable gaming.

Yeah in reality I'd probably not actually game on it, I just remembered Linus doing a positive review on it recently and also saw it on Tech Radar's best gaming laptops list. Only reason I'd consider the added weight is because I'm kind of a speed freak when it comes to wanting a fast computer no matter what it's used for

[pelark]

1 minute ago, NarimaanV said:

Yeah in reality I'd probably not actually game on it, I just remembered Linus doing a positive review on it recently and also saw it on Tech Radar's best gaming laptops list. Only reason I'd consider the added weight is because I'm kind of a speed freak when it comes to wanting a fast computer no matter what it's used for

In terms of speed theres not much to comment on with the asus. Even though the processor is a step up, which shouldnt matter much in day to day use at this processing level, the Asus is vastly superior in that it has a pure 256gb ssd, letting you maneuver through windows and all your apps much quicker than the HDD in the dell. Trust me, while you may not see a big difference changing from a hdd to ssd, going back to using an HDD after using an SSD is painful.  

[NarimaanV]

48 minutes ago, pelark said:

In terms of speed theres not much to comment on with the asus. Even though the processor is a step up, which shouldnt matter much in day to day use at this processing level, the Asus is vastly superior in that it has a pure 256gb ssd, letting you maneuver through windows and all your apps much quicker than the HDD in the dell. Trust me, while you may not see a big difference changing from a hdd to ssd, going back to using an HDD after using an SSD is painful.  

Absolutely agree, though fortunately I do have a 1TB 840 Evo from my dead macbook pro that I could toss in the laptop to make it zippier. Still haven't decided for sure on one or the other. One more (hopefully last) thing I would like a second opinion on is two Dell gaming 15's (if I went the Dell route):

1. Dell Inspiron 15 Gaming @ Micro Center: 6700HQ i7 with hyperthreading but 960M
2. Dell Inspiron 15 Gaming @ Best Buy: 7300HQ i5 with no hyperthreading but 1050

Both cost the same but my thought process is, if I don't game on it, the 4 added logical cores from the last gen i7 would benefit me more than the jump from 960M to 1050 which I know is a pretty big jump in performance. What do you think?

[pelark]

3 minutes ago, NarimaanV said:

Absolutely agree, though fortunately I do have a 1TB 840 Evo from my dead macbook pro that I could toss in the laptop to make it zippier. Still haven't decided for sure on one or the other. One more (hopefully last) thing I would like a second opinion on is two Dell gaming 15's (if I went the Dell route):

1. Dell Inspiron 15 Gaming @ Micro Center: 6700HQ i7 with hyperthreading but 960M
2. Dell Inspiron 15 Gaming @ Best Buy: 7300HQ i5 with no hyperthreading but 1050

Both cost the same but my thought process is, if I don't game on it, the 4 added logical cores from the last gen i7 would benefit me more than the jump from 960M to 1050 which I know is a pretty big jump in performance. What do you think?

I still stand by my opinion that the beefy GPU and cooling solutions with Gaming Laptops are completely superfluous when you dont game on them, and only come with an unnecessary price premium for essentially just extra weight and a more aggressive "gamery" look that i wouldnt personally use for schoolwork and travelling. This is just my opinion, its your money and youre needs so by all means if thats what you prefer then i say go for it. 

[pelark]

BTW would appreciate it if you could rate my comments as informative or whatever if they actually helped you, considering I did put some time into this  

Not saying i only did this for rates lol

[NarimaanV]

46 minutes ago, pelark said:

BTW would appreciate it if you could rate my comments as informative or whatever if they actually helped you, considering I did put some time into this  

Not saying i only did this for rates lol

Haha of course, I forget about the rating system a lot of the time

[NarimaanV]

Just for the sake of conclusions, this is the draft of a final parts list I ended up with for now.