Help with picking a laptop

[Draxidroid]

I know this gets posted every other minute, and I read through the most recent 3 pages of this topic before posting.

 

I will be doing basic stuff like web browsing and office programs. I would like to do either a lot of gaming or at least some light gaming.

 

The three I'm looking at is mostly heated by people here but,

-Surface Book 2 15 inch

-Razer Blade 15 RTX

-MacBook Pro 13in with i5

 

I would like a higher resolution screen, and TB3 if possible so I connect to a dock and/or eGPU

Weight does not matter but lighter wis nicer, decent battery life is a plus (8+ hours), 13-15in, and I would like good build quality. I would like it to be decently color accurate too

Always had Windows but I (think) I want to try MacOS

 

Located in the US. Budget up to or around $2000. 

[tarfeef101]

Have you considered, perhaps, a desktop and a chromebook? 

I don't use MS word, etc, so chrome OS is great for me. Runs fast on crap hardware, cheap, and last forever on battery. And desktops are well... desktops. Just so much nicer for gaming. 



If that's not an option, I'd recommend a decent gaming laptop (reviewers and others here know more about specific models than I). TB3 docks/eGPUs have too many weird bugs and still some performance overhead as well for my liking. I'd rather invest the saved money on the external setup for say, a nice monitor and keyboard to use at home to game it makes a big different to at least have a real monitor

[Draxidroid]

6 minutes ago, tarfeef101 said:

Have you considered, perhaps, a desktop and a chromebook? 

I don't use MS word, etc, so chrome OS is great for me. Runs fast on crap hardware, cheap, and last forever on battery. And desktops are well... desktops. Just so much nicer for gaming. 



If that's not an option, I'd recommend a decent gaming laptop (reviewers and others here know more about specific models than I). TB3 docks/eGPUs have too many weird bugs and still some performance overhead as well for my liking. I'd rather invest the saved money on the external setup for say, a nice monitor and keyboard to use at home to game it makes a big different to at least have a real monitor

Thank you for your reply!

 

I do have a pretty good gaming desktop currently, but I would want the laptop to take to school, or just be able to do my homework on the couch. I do also go to my friends for lan parties and such (which the eGPU or gaming part comes in) but I don't do that often.

[NumLock21]

The 3 laptops you've listed at different product categories. Surface Book 2 is more of a tablet than a regular laptop. MacBook Pro on the other hand, you'll have to learn everything from scratch and not every game will work or run best with MacOS. Razer Blade is your only option, but I would pick something elsewhere. I personally like HP Premium models for its business like design and none of the gaming aesthetics, even though it has a gpu that allows me to play games like Rise of the Tomb Raider and GTA V.

Try looking at Dell, Asus, MSI, and Gigabyte, they have plenty of options to choose from.

As for MSI, I don't know how are they now, but before, the letters on the keys are painted on. Sooner or later they the paint starts to chip off, and all you get is a unmarked key.

[tarfeef101]

1 minute ago, Ballien2 said:

Thank you for your reply!

 

I do have a pretty good gaming desktop currently, but I would want the laptop to take to school, or just be able to do my homework on the couch. I do also go to my friends for lan parties and such (which the eGPU or gaming part comes in) but I don't do that often.

I see. For just hmwk/school, unless you have needs that require windows software, I can vouch for chromebooks in this use case (doing so right now).


Have you considered maybe changing your desktop to ITX with say, a DAN case or Dr Zaber Sentry? I am a coop student, so I've encountered the pain of shipping a big 50lb computer around the continent to game when I'm away from home. Not fun. But, since I feel desktops are so much nicer than laptops experience-wise, I am building a rig in the Dan Case V4 so I can bring it around in a backpack. Maybe that can solve your LAN problem w/o compromise.

[Draxidroid]

1 minute ago, NumLock21 said:

The 3 laptops you've listed at different product categories. Surface Book 2 is more of a tablet than a regular laptop. MacBook Pro on the other hand, you'll have to learn everything from scratch and not every game will work or run best with MacOS. Razer Blade is your only option, but I would pick something elsewhere. I personally like HP Premium models for its business like design and none of the gaming aesthetics, even though it has a gpu that allows me to play games like Rise of the Tomb Raider and GTA V.

Try looking at Dell, Asus, MSI, and Gigabyte, they have plenty of options to choose from.

I'm ok with learning MacOS plus I might dual boot with Bootcamp. I like the "Premium" look of those three devices. I liked the HP Spectre but I don't care for the newest ones. I looked at the Dell XPS, and there are so many compromises I feel like I would have to do for a gaming laptop from Asus, MSI, and others. Like good performance but not great keyboard, or not great build quality. Or good build quality, but sub par specs or not a great screen.

[NumLock21]

1 minute ago, Ballien2 said:

I'm ok with learning MacOS plus I might dual boot with Bootcamp. I like the "Premium" look of those three devices. I liked the HP Spectre but I don't care for the newest ones. I looked at the Dell XPS, and there are so many compromises I feel like I would have to do for a gaming laptop from Asus, MSI, and others. Like good performance but not great keyboard, or not great build quality. Or good build quality, but sub par specs or not a great screen.

If you are really interested in the Mac and really want to learn about the OS, while still can run Bootcamp, then go for it. Just note that, you will still need to buy a Windows 10 license when you run Bootcamp.

[Draxidroid]

7 minutes ago, tarfeef101 said:

I see. For just hmwk/school, unless you have needs that require windows software, I can vouch for chromebooks in this use case (doing so right now).


Have you considered maybe changing your desktop to ITX with say, a DAN case or Dr Zaber Sentry? I am a coop student, so I've encountered the pain of shipping a big 50lb computer around the continent to game when I'm away from home. Not fun. But, since I feel desktops are so much nicer than laptops experience-wise, I am building a rig in the Dan Case V4 so I can bring it around in a backpack. Maybe that can solve your LAN problem w/o compromise.

So I do have an ITX build but Im just not really happy with it. Its heavy, it requires a mouse, keyboard, and monitor. So to move all that from place to place for a day isn't ideal. Plus I wouldn't be able to use it on my couch 

[Draxidroid]

3 minutes ago, NumLock21 said:

If you are really interested in the Mac and really want to learn about the OS, while still can run Bootcamp, then go for it. Just note that, you will still need to buy a Windows 10 license when you run Bootcamp.

I have a license so that is fine with me. I'm worried I'll be missing out on features but I can't think of any now.

[NumLock21]

12 minutes ago, Ballien2 said:

I have a license so that is fine with me. I'm worried I'll be missing out on features but I can't think of any now.

Every laptop will have its unique features that makes it stand out from the rest. You job is to see which features you would like to have and which ones you don't.

 

For example, Apple MacBook Pro with Touch Bar has TouchID and Apply Pay built in. Those who use Apple Pay will see that as a cool feature to have. Some don't want their webcam to be remotely accessed or people behind them, looking at what they have on their screen. HP newest Spectre has built in hardware camera kill switch, and a privacy screen.

[Draxidroid]

2 minutes ago, NumLock21 said:

Every laptop will have its unique features that makes it stand out from the rest. You job is to see which features you would like to have and which ones you don't.

 

For example, Apple MacBook Pro with Touch Bar has TouchID and Apply Pay built in. Those who use Apple Pay will see that as a cool feature to have. Some don't want their webcam to be remotely accessed or people behind them, looking at what they have on their screen. HP newest Spectre has built in hardware camera kill switch, and a privacy screen.

That's true. Plus I can't think of any Windows specific features I'd be missing. 

 

I see that the newest MBP 13in is still using DDR3L ram, do you think that would noticeably impact performance? In terms of general use and also "gaming" on bootcamp with eGPU (if that's even possible)

[NumLock21]

2 minutes ago, Ballien2 said:

That's true. Plus I can't think of any Windows specific features I'd be missing. 

 

I see that the newest MBP 13in is still using DDR3L ram, do you think that would noticeably impact performance? In terms of general use and also "gaming" on bootcamp with eGPU (if that's even possible)

I would get a laptop that runs on DDR4

[Draxidroid]

2 minutes ago, NumLock21 said:

I would get a laptop that runs on DDR4

That's what I was thinking. Only the 15 inch has DDR4

[NumLock21]

17 minutes ago, Ballien2 said:

That's what I was thinking. Only the 15 inch has DDR4

Then get 15" or just find some other laptop with DDR4.

[Draxidroid]

Think a Macbook could be a good option to start to get into MacOS? I can get it for 700-800 USD

[tarfeef101]

22 hours ago, Ballien2 said:

So I do have an ITX build but Im just not really happy with it. Its heavy, it requires a mouse, keyboard, and monitor. So to move all that from place to place for a day isn't ideal. Plus I wouldn't be able to use it on my couch 

Well like you said, you don't do many LANs. A proper ITX build in a ~7L case is very portable, and for a LAN a couple times a year, I'd personally find that justifiable. 

As for the couch, that's why you have your chromebook. Unless you're saying you want to game from the couch. In which case, you could actually still do that via steam link if you wanted.