Need help finding a decent lightweight RTX 3060 laptop

[H.K.]

I'm looking to buy a laptop around the $1000-1200 mark. Would prefer

• 12th gen i7,
• RTX 3060,
• weight within 5.5 lbs (2.5 KG),
• a 2.5 inch bay along with the m.2 nvme slot. (edit: Not needed)

 

My own research led me to the Asus TUF Dash 15 FX517ZM-AS73, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09RMH9B6F

 

But, I'm not sure if it has a 2.5 inch bay. If it doesn't can someone suggest me an alternative?

[8-Bit Ninja]

No it doesn't 

 

Can I ask why you need a 2.5 inch bay? I honestly don't know if any new gaming laptop has a 2.5 bay. M.2 is so much smaller and these days pretty much the same cost. 

[H.K.]

1 minute ago, 8-Bit Ninja said:

No it doesn't 

 

Can I ask why you need a 2.5 inch bay? I honestly don't know if any new gaming laptop has a 2.5 bay. M.2 is so much smaller and these days pretty much the same cost. 

Well, the 2.5 inch bay is for redundancy. Long term data storage and use age and such. Am I incorrect in thinking this?

[8-Bit Ninja]

4 minutes ago, H.K. said:

Well, the 2.5 inch bay is for redundancy. Long term data storage and use age and such. Am I incorrect in thinking this?

The laptop you're looking at has multiple m.2 slots? 

[H.K.]

Just now, 8-Bit Ninja said:

The laptop you're looking at has multiple m.2 slots? 

Yes, it has 2 from what I've found.

[8-Bit Ninja]

1 minute ago, H.K. said:

Yes, it has 2 from what I've found.

So why do you need a 2.5 specifically? You can have two drives in the laptop? 

[H.K.]

2 minutes ago, 8-Bit Ninja said:

So why do you need a 2.5 specifically? You can have two drives in the laptop? 

longevity of a 2.5 inch HDD

[8-Bit Ninja]

1 minute ago, H.K. said:

longevity of a 2.5 inch HDD

These days a HDD is less reliable than an SSD. Regardless it doesn't matter. If you have two drives in the system set to raid 1. Then if a drive fails, your data is still safe on the other one, you buy a replacement drive for the dead one and carry on. 

[H.K.]

8 minutes ago, 8-Bit Ninja said:

These days a HDD is less reliable than an SSD. Regardless it doesn't matter. If you have two drives in the system set to raid 1. Then if a drive fails, your data is still safe on the other one, you buy a replacement drive for the dead one and carry on. 

That is a good option, but kinda expensive in the place I live in. A 2 TB SSD Cost around $350-400 when converted from local currency.

And I have been fixated on this config as my Predator 15 (2016) had this SSD + HDD config.

[8-Bit Ninja]

Just now, H.K. said:

That is a good option, but kinda expensive in the place I live in. A 2 TB SSD Cost around $350-400 when converted from local currency.

And I have been fixated on this config as my Predator 15 (2016) had this SSD + HDD config.

In that case your best bet is going to be an external drive enclosure and just do backups. As far as I'm aware no gaming laptop still has 2.5 inch bays, as an m.2 does the exact same at a fraction of the size. Meaning more space for cooling and battery. 

[H.K.]

2 minutes ago, 8-Bit Ninja said:

In that case your best bet is going to be an external drive enclosure and just do backups. As far as I'm aware no gaming laptop still has 2.5 inch bays, as an m.2 does the exact same at a fraction of the size. Meaning more space for cooling and battery. 

Thank you, really appreciate that. Could you suggest me any laptop with RTX 3060 and the other preferences within $1200 then?

[8-Bit Ninja]

9 minutes ago, H.K. said:

Thank you, really appreciate that. Could you suggest me any laptop with RTX 3060 and the other preferences within $1200 then?

I mean you've already done that yourself lol. The ASUS one fits all your needs apart from the 2.5 doesn't it? 

[Newbl]

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/gigabyte-aorus-15-6-ips-gaming-laptop-intel-i7-12700h-16gb-memory-nvidia-geforce-rtx-3070-512gb-ssd/6499110.p?skuId=6499110

 

This Gigabyte Aorus laptop is currently $1,250, just slightly over the stated budget, but with the required 12th gen Core i7, RTX 3070, and a bunch of other things.  (RGB keyboard, 99Wh battery, etc.)