Laptop for Game Development

[farzher]

I've always used a desktop, but now I need to be mobile 

I've been having a lot of trouble finding a nice laptop, here are my requirements (In order of importance!):

1. An execllent keyboard! I type all the time and use an excessive amount of hotkeys. I tried some laptops at bestbuy and the only keyboards I liked were Lenovos
2. 15"+ display (It's not comfortable to work on something smaller)
3. 250gb+ SSD
4. 1080p res: any higher just kills battery
5. 5th+ gen intel i5+ (I'll miss my overclocked desktop cpu but it's not necessary)
6. Decent graphics (I'd like great graphics but it's not necessary and just doesn't make sense in a laptop. I wish eGPU were more practical and cheaper)
7. A responsive trackpad (I didn't know this was still an issue but I bought a dell inspiron 7559 and had to return it because the trackpad was so awful at detecting small movements)
8. Touch idk, I like it

I don't care about: monitor quality / color correctness, keyboard backlighting, webcam, mic, speakers, battery, weight

 

My budget is pretty big ~1,500$

Dell XPS 15 9550 was my top option, but it doesn't have touch@1080p and after trying it at bestbuy I noticed the keyboard feels cheap and the trackpad felt a bit buggy

Razer Blade 2016 is too small /:

Any help is appreciated!

[farzher]

Just now, wrathoftheturkey said:

Is battery important?

Men, not really. I forgot to list the things that aren't important I'll do that

 

[farzher]

12 minutes ago, wrathoftheturkey said:

https://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msusa/en_US/pdp/MSI-GE72-Apache-Pro-029-Signature-Edition-Gaming-Laptop/productID.328073000 I have this, the keyboard's amazing, decent graphics, awesome cooling, space AND speed for storage, no touch  but the battery life when under load is like an hour. 

Haha interesting, they moved the windows key from the left side to the right so you don't hit it on accident while gaming. That's a deal breaker for me though because I use the win key as a modifier key for a ton of hotkeys

[exercutor5]

http://www.xoticpc.com/sager-np8657-clevo-p650re3-p-8677.html

 

The keyboard is great, it feels tactile to use and is like one of the best laptop keyboards I've used in years. In terms of storage capabilities, you can have up to 2 M.2 SSDs and 2 SATA drives concurrently. Trackpad is accurate, I haven't felt anything wrong with my P650SG's trackpad. No touchscreen though (I mean, it is meant to be a gaming laptop in the first place), so this may be a small drawback for you.

[don_svetlio]

20 minutes ago, farzher said:

Haha interesting, they moved the windows key from the left side to the right so you don't hit it on accident while gaming. That's a deal breaker for me though because I use the win key as a modifier key for a ton of hotkeys

MSI GS60 Ghost Pro IS an option BUT that only has 2 hours of battery life.
Asus RoG GL502 strix is another option but Asus support aren't good
Lenovo Y700 is also a thing (960M is 60% slower than a 970M however)

XPS15 could work but the keyboard is nothing to write home about.

Best keyboards - Lenovo ThinkPad T-series, HP EliteBook series.

[Pendragon]

Maybe something like a T560 with a 940MX. Best keyboard, 1080p touch screen. I'd honestly upgrade the ram and storage myself cause it's a rip off anywhere else cept refurbs. But it's pretty hard to get it configured just right so if you have to, grab a cousin you know and use their student discount on Lenovo's website. 

 

edit: i forgot 940mx are only available in germany for some reason...LOL

[farzher]

22 minutes ago, Pendragon said:

Maybe something like a T560 with a 940MX. Best keyboard, 1080p touch screen. I'd honestly upgrade the ram and storage myself cause it's a rip off anywhere else cept refurbs. 

I didn't realize you could get a 15" thinkpad with touch. Looks like it ships in 6 weeks though /:
I don't see where you can upgrade to 940mx (or anything better than integrated)?

This is an interesting option because the keyboard is the best, and I like the idea of a trackpoint and It's pretty cheap if you get 4GBram/500GB HDD then upgrade yourself (which I assume is easy on a thinkpad)

[farzher]

1 hour ago, exercutor5 said:

http://www.xoticpc.com/sager-np8657-clevo-p650re3-p-8677.html

 

The keyboard is great, it feels tactile to use and is like one of the best laptop keyboards I've used in years. In terms of storage capabilities, you can have up to 2 M.2 SSDs and 2 SATA drives concurrently. Trackpad is accurate, I haven't felt anything wrong with my P650SG's trackpad. No touchscreen though (I mean, it is meant to be a gaming laptop in the first place), so this may be a small drawback for you.

I haven't heard of this one. A custom built laptop that's not >2,000$, cool

I'll check out the options there, thanks

[Pendragon]

2 hours ago, farzher said:

I don't see where you can upgrade to 940mx (or anything better than integrated)?

Yea I forgot that the 940MX for some reason that config is only available in Germany ):

 

I would normally agree with the P650RE recommendation but it's way too close to the Pascal mobile launch date to consider it. Either you pick up the new pascal mobile gpu laptops or the current gen maxwell ones take a steep drop in price. Really shouldn't be buying gaming laptop at this time, just wait a bit. Business laptops aren't affected by this. 

[farzher]

I decided to wait for pascal laptops, that was a good suggestion. Laptops finally have real graphics cards, unbelievable!

And until then I was able to upgrade a slow HP laptop I had with an SSD that I took from my desktop and 16GB RAM (for $58) which makes it much more usable while I wait

[don_svetlio]

1 minute ago, farzher said:

I decided to wait for pascal laptops, that was a good suggestion. Laptops finally have real graphics cards, unbelievable!

And until then I was able to upgrade a slow HP laptop I had with an SSD that I took from my desktop and 16GB RAM (for $58) which makes it much more usable while I wait

The bad news is - Pascal laptops overheat 90% of the time

[farzher]

1 minute ago, don_svetlio said:

The bad news is - Pascal laptops overheat 90% of the time

Really? Maybe the 1080 does but what about a 1060?

[don_svetlio]

Just now, farzher said:

Really? Maybe the 1080 does but what about a 1060?

Same - Pascal GPUs run insanely hot - a LOT hotter than Maxwell. Feel free to consult @D2ultima for a decently cooled Clevo

[Pendragon]

2 hours ago, farzher said:

Really? Maybe the 1080 does but what about a 1060?

P650RP6. 1in thick. 5.5 hours of battery life. 1060. 

 

Custom Bios:

http://www.hidevolution.com/evoc-p650rp6-15-6-custom-built-gaming-laptop-w-nvidia-gtx-1060-w-g-sync.html

 

Stock Bios:

http://www.sagernotebook.com/Notebook-NP8152-S.html

[D2ultima]

41 minutes ago, Pendragon said:

P650RP6. 1in thick. 5.5 hours of battery life. 1060. 

 

Custom Bios:

http://www.hidevolution.com/evoc-p650rp6-15-6-custom-built-gaming-laptop-w-nvidia-gtx-1060-w-g-sync.html

 

Stock Bios:

http://www.sagernotebook.com/Notebook-NP8152-S.html

Just so you know, LPC-Digital who rebrands Sager has claimed that they will allow people to contact them for a remote flash once the Prema vBIOS/sBIOS are released, making them effectively the cheapest Prema Partner (as far as I know, Pascal systems only)

[Pendragon]

Just now, D2ultima said:

LPC-Digital who rebrands Sager has claimed that they will allow people to contact them for a remote flash once the Prema vBIOS/sBIOS are released, making them effectively the cheapest Prema Partner (as far as I know, Pascal systems only)

OOHHH???????????????????? LPC Prema Partners now? I still live in Canada fucking rip Eurocom