Ultrabook with GPU on a budget

[Bath Salts]

looking for a portable 13-15" well build laptop for uni with a dedicated GPU for playing basic 3D games (i'm thinking GT840m - GTX950m). Budget is around $1000 - 1400 US (~$1400-1800 AUS). preferable under 2.1KG, ips FHD screen, ideally 14" but there not very common, only need a small SSD (happy to upgrade myself if HDD), no CD drive, 4 hour+ battery, good keyboard.

 

I was looking at the Asus UX501 (15", i7HQ, 960m) which at 2.4KG is the biggest I want to go however its only available with a terrible washed out FHD glossy 200nits TN screen locally which is a deal breaker (not 4k ips like US). At the other end of the spectrum was the 1.5KG Asus UX303LB (13", i7U, 940m) which I liked a lot more but wonder if a dual core CPU is enough for running games like cities skylines or CAD.

 

The Acer V nitro 15 & MSI GE62 are similar to the ux501 but heavier / bulkier & i really dont need a 960m (I already a desktop for serious gaming) and then theres almost no other 13-14" laptops with low-mid spec dedicated GPUs which are reasonable well build & well priced, the Razor 14 & Aorus X3 are close to what I want just dont need the crazy performance (or price), I know im starting to ramble a bit but I do wish Asus made a 14" Zenbook with a GTX 950m, quad core CPU (skylake?), FHD ips touch screen and 5 hour+ battery life all for a decent price. I think I may be asking for too much but im hoping in a few weeks skylake can deliver something new that might fill my needs

 

Any recommendations?

 

Thanks in advanced (can we not start debating what constitutes a "mid spec GPU" is like the last thread I started did lol)

[Nineshadow]

The UX501 with an IPS 4K display costs more.

 

Honestly, the UX303LB is pretty good.

I would have picked one myself if I could find one with the FHD screen and in stock here.

[Senzelian]

[...] but wonder if a dual core CPU is enough for running games like cities skylines [...]

 

Cities Skylines loves cores and it eats them up like cupcakes.

You'll most likely need to turn down a lot of settings with only two cores.

Even my i5 struggles with really large cities.

[Bath Salts]

Honestly, the UX303LB is pretty good.

I would have picked one myself if I could find one with the FHD screen and in stock here.

Its only instock at one store & it was on special so I suspect its about to get replaced or discontinued.

[ShadowCaptain]

SNIP

 

Alienware 13? its a little bit thicker than the ultrabooks but its light at  1.96kg, its got a great display, 960m GPU, etc and is <$1000

 

If you can live with it being 28mm thick instead 20, then its a really good value well build and specced machine

[Nineshadow]

Alienware 13? its a little bit thicker than the ultrabooks but its light at  1.96kg, its got a great display, 960m GPU, etc and is <$1000

 

If you can live with it being 28mm thick instead 20, then its a really good value well build and specced machine

<$1000?

 

It's $1900 here for the model with 8GB of RAM.

 

Lemme do a quick google.

Wow.

Seriously Dell, what the hell.

[ShadowCaptain]

<$1000?

 

It's $1900 here for the model with 8GB of RAM.

 

Lemme do a quick google.

Wow.

Seriously Dell, what the hell.

 

its $899 - insane value

 

 

 

(in the UK its £949 = $1480 USD)

[Nineshadow]

its $899 - insane value

 

 

 

(in the UK its £949 = $1480 USD)

But for $899 you only get 4GB of RAM, a 1366x768 TN display and a 500GB HDD.Not so good value.

For $979 you can get a Lenovo Y50 , which comes with a FHD IPS display , 16GB of RAM and a 1TB HDD + 8GB SSD.Also with a full mobile chip(i7), not an ulv one. That is better value.

 

 

OT:

Wow @ Dell again.

 

$1099 for the model with 8GB of RAM.

$200 for 4GB of RAM!

Wooo Dell!

[ShadowCaptain]

SNIP

 

$200 for a 1080p display and 8gb of ram - still great value for $1100, much smaller and ligher than the y50 - but the y50 is good if you want a 15" but the alienware is a lot more portable and weights half a kg less

[Nineshadow]

$200 for a 1080p display and 8gb of ram

Still 1366x768.

It comes with a 1TB HDD though, instead of a 500GB one.

 

 

That resolution is unacceptable at this price point these days honestly.

[Nineshadow]

Its only instock at one store & it was on special so I suspect its about to get replaced or discontinued.

I don't think so.

The Asus UX303LN might get replaced by the 303LB. The difference isn't big though, 940M instead of 840M. Not a big deal.

They just are in low stock it seems.

[ShadowCaptain]

Still 1366x768.

It comes with a 1TB HDD though, instead of a 500GB one.

 

 

That resolution is unacceptable at this price point these days honestly.

 

Oh I see what you mean I though the $200 upgrade came with 1080p, still you can get the $899 one, get the screen upgrade and just buy some ram for $50 online

 

Sure its low but honestly 768p at 13" is not actually that bad, and means you can crank the details up in games

 

EDIT

 

1366x768 at 13" = 120 PPI

 

1920x1080 at 22" = 100 PPI

 

its sharper than 1080p on a larger display

[Nineshadow]

Oh I see what you mean I though the $200 upgrade came with 1080p, still you can get the $899 one, get the screen upgrade and just buy some ram for $50 online

 

Sure its low but honestly 768p at 13" is not actually that bad, and means you can crank the details up in games

 

EDIT

 

1366x768 at 13" = 120 PPI

 

1920x1080 at 22" = 100 PPI

 

its sharper than 1080p on a larger display

Yeah, my laptop from 2006 has a 1366x768 display. That's so sharp.

/s

[ShadowCaptain]

Yeah, my laptop from 2006 has a 1366x768 display. That's so sharp.

/s

 

120ppi is perfectly sharp, ive seen the display in person, its perfectly fine, mind blowing, no but its fine, and can easily get the 1080p ips upgrade for $200 and buy 8gb of ram (probably just need a cheap second 4gb DIMM)

[Bath Salts]

On cheaper laptops a 768p ips screen is acceptable & looks alright but at $1k+ US I expect a FHD IPS panel.

 

The problem is in Australia we dont get the range of models like you do in the US & even UK, in store is the cheapest but then they dont have the range of models, currently last years model is only available in stores but it has the same issue I had with the UX303LB, only a dual core 5500U CPU.