Looking For a Laptop

[Ryou-kun]

Hello LTT,

 

I am looking for a 13" or 14" with GPU laptop that I "might" plan to return my Surface 3 128GB plus the accessories.

 

Price: Under $800 dollarish UNLESS I can finance it like Dell/Apple which it can be under $1.5K

Tasks: Gaming (mostly CS:GO and Dota 2 but it can include Fallout 4, Battlefield 4, Skyrim, etc.), Programming (C++), Music Producing, Animation, casual usage (Email/Browsing/YouTube/Twitch/Etc).

Country: USA

Size and Resolution: 13" or 14" @ 1920x1080 or higher. 

Battery Life: Without the GPU turn on, 0% brightness (Thanks to IPS panel) and turn all unnecessary options off then I am hoping to get couple hours like between 4-7 hoursish. Not expecting it to last 9-12 hours on a laptop with GPU, lol.

 

I have found two "gaming" laptop in 13" and 14" which I am debating if it is worth it or you guys have some suggestions for it.

Alienware 13 r2. Yes, I know. It is Alienware. I can finance the laptop from Dell which it is nice, and it has a pretty beefy GPU, the GTX 960m.

Then there is Lenovo IdeaPad Y700 14". It isn't a bad laptop for its price (under $800 or $900 dollar), but it does have a pretty crappy mGPU that is even weaker than my own 15" gaming laptop, Lenovo IdeaPad Y580 @ 720p that has GTX 660m.

 

Now, why do I want another 13" or 14" laptop with a GPU when I have a 15" gaming laptop, Lenovo IdeaPad Y580 @ 720p? Well, I can easily bring it to school without having to lug my laptop, a tablet and being stressful from class assignments and works. Yes, I do plan to use it both school, work and home usage.

 

Surface 3 is a good PC tablet and excel at class but when it is outside of its class. It is totally useless especially when it is around $800 dollar price point, lol. Well, I got it on Black Friday, well, a day after Black Friday which it is Saturday, and I got the tablet plus the accessories, two Surface Pen and Best Buy 2 Years Warranty which it equals that amount. Just that I am considering if it is justifiable for its cost that is all, lol.

 

 

Thank you very much, LTT.

[don_svetlio]

Lenovo Y50

EDIT: The Y700 is the updated Y50 so I highly encourage getting it - the 960M is quite a decent card for what it is

 

EDIT 2: Y700 14' exist? - link please

[Ryou-kun]

Lenovo Y50

EDIT: The Y700 is the updated Y50 so I highly encourage getting it - the 960M is quite a decent card for what it is

 

EDIT 2: Y700 14' exist? - link please

 

http://shop.lenovo.com/us/en/laptops/ideapad/y700-series/y700-14-inch/

 

It uses AMD R9 M375 2GB but performance wise. It is weaker than GTX 660m, so I was disappointed.

Again, I only want either 13" or 14" laptop, lol.

[don_svetlio]

Just get the Y50 (15.6') for 850$
http://shop.lenovo.com/us/en/laptops/lenovo/y-series/y50/

[don_svetlio]

http://shop.lenovo.com/us/en/laptops/ideapad/y700-series/y700-14-inch/

 

It uses AMD R9 M375 2GB but performance wise. It is weaker than GTX 660m, so I was disappointed.

Again, I only want either 13" or 14" laptop, lol.

That GPU is MOST definitely more powerful than your current GPU as it offers performance on the level of the 850M

The Y50 weighs about 2.4Kg and is very slim. will work wonders for you

[mikat]

Just get the Y50 (15.6') for 850$

http://shop.lenovo.com/us/en/laptops/lenovo/y-series/y50/

djeez, didn't know laptops had those specs at that price point o_0

[don_svetlio]

djeez, didn't know laptops had those specs at that price point o_0

Not to mention the fantastic build quality and awesome JBL speakers <3

[Ryou-kun]

That GPU is MOST definitely more powerful than your current GPU as it offers performance on the level of the 850M

The Y50 weighs about 2.4Kg and is very slim. will work wonders for you

 

I am using the Notebookcheck for both R9 375m 2GB VRAM and GTX 660m 2GB vRAM and compare the game's performance.

For Battlefield 4 at 1366x768, R9 375m 2GB vRAM gets 43 FPS while GTX 660m 2GB vrAM gets 53 2GB FPS vRAM.

Every games, GTX 660m 2GB vRAM outperform R9 375m 2GB vRAM.

[don_svetlio]

I am using the Notebookcheck for both R9 375m 2GB VRAM and GTX 660m 2GB vRAM and compare the game's performance.

For Battlefield 4 at 1366x768, R9 375m 2GB vRAM gets 43 FPS while GTX 660m 2GB vrAM gets 53 2GB FPS vRAM.

Every games, GTX 660m 2GB vRAM outperform R9 375m 2GB vRAM.

Have those benches been run with the same CPU and most modern drivers?

[mikat]

Not to mention the fantastic build quality and awesome JBL speakers <3

do you know a cheap but good value laptop i could recommend to people when they ask me to recommend one? (300$, 400$, 500$)

[Ryou-kun]

Have those benches been run with the same CPU and most modern drivers?

 

I have no idea about the drivers but the CPU should be similar considering there are barely any difference between the Ivy Bridge i7 Quad Core mCPU to Skylake i7 Quad Core mCPU except the heat and power consumption which I believe Skylake excel at compare to Ivy Bridge, lol.

 

If only the 14" model uses NVIDIA GPU then I might consider it but it uses AMD ...

[don_svetlio]

I have no idea about the drivers but the CPU should be similar considering there are barely any difference between the Ivy Bridge i7 Quad Core mCPU to Skylake i7 Quad Core mCPU except the heat and power consumption which I believe Skylake excel at compare to Ivy Bridge, lol.

 

If only the 14" model uses NVIDIA GPU then I might consider it but it uses AMD ...

Just get the Y50 - I have it, it's light, slim, extremely easy to carry, very powerful

[Ryou-kun]

Just get the Y50 - I have it, it's light, slim, extremely easy to carry, very powerful

But but if I am using the 15" laptop on one of those tiny ass armrest desk table ...

[don_svetlio]

But but if I am using the 15" laptop on one of those tiny ass armrest desk table ...

it's going to be okay, the Y50 isn't that enormous.

The next best option is a chromebook for school for 100$ and a gaming laptop for home.

do you know a cheap but good value laptop i could recommend to people when they ask me to recommend one? (300$, 400$, 500$)

Lenovo B/G series or Dell Inspirons

Avoid Asus, Acer and HP for the mainstream

[Ryou-kun]

it's going to be okay, the Y50 isn't that enormous.

The next best option is a chromebook for school for 100$ and a gaming laptop for home.

Lenovo B/G series or Dell Inspirons

Avoid Asus, Acer and HP for the mainstream

 

What? Why avoiding ASUS? They are a good manufacture.

 

It should be avoiding Acer, HP and Gateway, lol.

[don_svetlio]

What? Why avoiding ASUS? They are a good manufacture.

 

It should be avoiding Acer, HP and Gateway, lol.

Asus laptops - from the bottom all the way up to the RoG series are now abysmal - the RoG ones I was looking into when buying my Y50 - plastic design, thermally locked to 74*C (on a single fan cooler which results in horrible throttling of the GPU and unplayable games), they have VERY crappy Customer Support to the point where you are better off without it and their quality control is bloody terrible

[Ryou-kun]

Asus laptops - from the bottom all the way up to the RoG series are now abysmal - the RoG ones I was looking into when buying my Y50 - plastic design, thermally locked to 74*C (on a single fan cooler which results in horrible throttling of the GPU and unplayable games), they have VERY crappy Customer Support to the point where you are better off without it and their quality control is bloody terrible

Interesting.

A lot of people tend to recommend RoG 15" gaming laptop because it has good price value compare to Alienware, lol.

 

Hmm, I do want the Lenovo IdeaPad Y700 14" but that GPU, lol ... If only it was using GTX 960m or something better than R9 M375m 2GB vRAM.

[don_svetlio]

Interesting.

A lot of people tend to recommend RoG 15" gaming laptop because it has good price value compare to Alienware, lol.

 

Hmm, I do want the Lenovo IdeaPad Y700 14" but that GPU, lol ... If only it was using GTX 960m or something better than R9 M375m 2GB vRAM.

Y50 or Y700 15' are with a 860M/960M (960m is a 860m rebrand)

EDIT: Specs aren't the be all and end all - I almost went for the G551 or GL551 because of the SSD and skylake/DDR4 but as soon as I dug deeper into independent reviewers I noticed a series of complaints on the quality and technical support offered by Asus

[Ryou-kun]

Y50 or Y700 15' are with a 860M/960M (960m is a 860m rebrand)

EDIT: Specs aren't the be all and end all - I almost went for the G551 or GL551 because of the SSD and skylake/DDR4 but as soon as I dug deeper into independent reviewers I noticed a series of complaints on the quality and technical support offered by Asus

 

Oh, I see. 

 

Why is that every time I mention Lenovo IdeaPad Y700 14". You always bring up Y50 or Y700 15", lol?

 

ASUS RoG laptop look sick though. Better price value compare to Alienware, however, Alienware does have their Graphic Amplifiers that allows for Desktop GPU which it is nice. Sadly, it is another $200 dollar to spend on I believe. Not sure how much it cost, lol.

 

Anyway, I would keep using my 15" laptop if only it has 3 things fixed. 1) Have IPS Panel. 2) It is 1920x1080. 3) Fix the heating issue, lol.

[don_svetlio]

Oh, I see. 

 

Why is that every time I mention Lenovo IdeaPad Y700 14". You always bring up Y50 or Y700 15", lol?

 

ASUS RoG laptop look sick though. Better price value compare to Alienware, however, Alienware does have their Graphic Amplifiers that allows for Desktop GPU which it is nice. Sadly, it is another $200 dollar to spend on I believe. Not sure how much it cost, lol.

 

Anyway, I would keep using my 15" laptop if only it has 3 things fixed. 1) Have IPS Panel. 2) It is 1920x1080. 3) Fix the heating issue, lol.

Becuase the 15' ones are only slightly larger but worlds better

Asus look good but fail in every other aspec. As for desktop GPUs in laptops - Look at Clevo for that and it's resellers

Y50 and Y70 fix all 3

Glorious IPS masterace

1080p

Good temps - I get 68*C on the GPU and 75*C on the CPU as max gaming temps

[Ryou-kun]

Becuase the 15' ones are only slightly larger but worlds better

Asus look good but fail in every other aspec. As for desktop GPUs in laptops - Look at Clevo for that and it's resellers

Y50 and Y70 fix all 3

Glorious IPS masterace

1080p

Good temps - I get 68*C on the GPU and 75*C on the CPU as max gaming temps

That is if I want to buy another 15" gaming laptop, lol.

If I do, then what will I do with my old 15" gaming laptop.

 

No, selling is out of question, lol.

[don_svetlio]

That is if I want to buy another 15" gaming laptop, lol.

If I do, then what will I do with my old 15" gaming laptop.

 

No, selling is out of question, lol.

Make a friend happy on Christmas eve?

[Ryou-kun]

Make a friend happy on Christmas eve?

 

By the way, what kind of charger does Y700 use?

It looks like a USB charger, lol.

[don_svetlio]

By the way, what kind of charger does Y700 use?

It looks like a USB charger, lol.

Single-pin 130W AC adapter