New Laptop?

[hconverse02]

So I think I'm going to sell my pc and get a laptop.  My max budget is $2500 and my location is the US.  I'm looking for a laptop that is portable (obviously) as in good enough battery life to get through a school day.  I would like to still be able to play games on it, so 144hz and at least a 1060 imo is suitable.  I don't mind if the screen is 1080p because I have a separate monitor I can use at home.  I have looked around and at reviews and such, and the 2018 razer blade 15 has all of the perfect specs that I want and (only) costs $2199.99 right now on razer's website.  Is the 2018 model finally good enough?  What are my other options?  I would also like the laptop to be comfortable enough to use as a daily driver and as a school work machine, so that's why the razer blade 15 appealed to me.

 

Thanks for the help

[genexis_x]

1 hour ago, hconverse02 said:

Is the 2018 model finally good enough?

Sadly no, still have terrible QC+QA

1 hour ago, hconverse02 said:

portable

Preferred max weight in kg/lbs? Any preference on battery life? Any other requirements?

[hconverse02]

1 hour ago, GeneXiS_X said:

Sadly no, still have terrible QC+QA

Preferred max weight in kg/lbs? Any preference on battery life? Any other requirements?

Max weight probably 5 lbs/2 kilos. I'd like 6 hours at least and my other requirements for gaming and stuff are in the beginning of the paragraph, like 1060 or better preferred, 120hz/144hz panel and 1080p is ok.  Budget is $2000, can stretch it some.  EDIT: also I like the more sleek, thinner kinds of laptops, but not a thin and light laptop, more like "thin" as in not the 2" $9000 monsters

 

I'm gonna re-post this so it's more current at I can get more help

[genexis_x]

50 minutes ago, hconverse02 said:

snip

Most thin and light have bad thermals

 

Might want to consider AWm15 with 90Wh battery

[hconverse02]

3 minutes ago, GeneXiS_X said:

Most thin and light have bad thermals

 

Might want to consider AWm15 with 90Wh battery

That's why I said not a thin and light.  I don't mind too much about thermals, because I probably won't be gaming often on the laptop by itself.  What's the thing you mentioned?

[genexis_x]

2 minutes ago, hconverse02 said:

not a thin and light

5 lbs is considered 'thin and light' in gaming laptops

 

AWm15: https://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/dell-laptops/new-alienware-m15-gaming-laptop/spd/alienware-m15-laptop

[hconverse02]

1 minute ago, GeneXiS_X said:

5 lbs is considered 'thin and light' in gaming laptops

 

AWm15: https://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/dell-laptops/new-alienware-m15-gaming-laptop/spd/alienware-m15-laptop

I don't like the alienware laptops, dell isn't known for putting the best quality components in their computers.

[genexis_x]

29 minutes ago, hconverse02 said:

dell isn't known for putting the best quality components in their computers.

Every brand has good and bad models FYI. And Dell don't make their own laptops, this is done by ODMs

 

AW laptops has excellent build quality (chassis) in general

[hconverse02]

9 hours ago, GeneXiS_X said:

Every brand has good and bad models FYI. And Dell don't make their own laptops, this is done by ODMs

 

AW laptops has excellent build quality (chassis) in general

So the razer blade 15 is currently $2199.99 for the 256gb, gtx 1070 144hz  spec model, and the aw has the same exact specs at the same exact price, so why would I choose the alienware over the razer blade? I don't mind thermals and I like the look of the razer blade along with its thinness over the alienware. 

[genexis_x]

34 minutes ago, hconverse02 said:

so why would I choose the alienware over the razer blade?

Because Razer laptops have shit quality as I said in my earlier post

 

Seems like you already made your choice, so what's the point of asking recommendations here

[hconverse02]

4 minutes ago, GeneXiS_X said:

Because Razer laptops have shit quality as I said in my earlier post

 

Seems like you already made your choice, so what's the point of asking recommendations here

Because you say their quality is bad, and you are boasting alienware, I want to know why the quality is better in alienware than razer other than just "razer is shit" because that won't help me decide which laptop I want.  I don't really like the look or feel of an alienware laptop, and since I am used to the quality of a macbook pro, I would like something similar which I see in razer.  I don't know why the current 2018 razer blade 15 is bad in your eyes because ltt's review of it boasted many qualities that solved many issues of razer laptops in the past.  

[genexis_x]

44 minutes ago, hconverse02 said:

you are boasting alienware

I'm not boasting. I'm just telling the fact. In fact AW15/17 is kinda OKish IMO considering that the cooling isn't impressive, it is bulky and it has high price

44 minutes ago, hconverse02 said:

razer is shit

You'll find why in many Youtube videos. Here is one example. In fact @Pendragon owns RB15, he can tell you his own experience

44 minutes ago, hconverse02 said:

I would like something similar which I see in razer.

No, it isn't

44 minutes ago, hconverse02 said:

ltt's review of it boasted many qualities that solved many issues of razer laptops in the past

cherry picked units, Linus doesn't know how to review a laptop IMO

 

I had enough, I'm out of here. Try to help but it doesn't seem to be appreciated

[Bustapalapeno]

@hconverse02

So, I am going to try and sum up what you are looking for

• laptop that is actually a laptop, and can be used day to day as a portable work machine
• 144hz display
• GTX 1060 or higher
• <$2000

So there are actually lots of good laptops that fit this description. Using Newegg, you can make a filter for most of this stuff... https://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&amp;N=100167748 601205664 601206490 600136700 600165638 4023 4084 4085 4814&amp;IsNodeId=1&amp;bop=And&amp;Page=2&amp;PageSize=36&amp;order=PRICE

 

Before on, a quick opinion on the above conversation. Every computer maker is known for having "bad eggs," and with the exception of Apple, all manufacturers have some amount of people that say their QC is shit and to never buy their laptops. These problems are hard to gauge objectively. So with the exception of Acer, I am going to eschew talking about reliability in these suggestions, and focus more on support.

 

The Razer Blade 15 is probably the best laptop for this kind of thing out there. But if you are willing to sacrifice some looks, there are cheaper options. For example, the Dell G5 is very popular at my school. It's a little bigger, but you can get it much cheaper than the blade and since it is much larger, it is better cooled. IMO, you should care about thermals because it directly effects the performance and longevity of the product.

 

Other "thinish" laptops like the Asus Zepherus, MSI GS65, and Gigabyte Aero 15X are options, as is the Alienware mentioned by @GeneXiS_X. A nice thing about the Zypherus Line and the GS65 is that they are commonly in Best Buys so you can go look at them yourself. I will agree with you that the Alienware is a divisive laptop, the look isn't for everyone. 

[genexis_x]

15 minutes ago, Bustapalapeno said:

all manufacturers have some amount of people that say their QC is shit and to never buy their laptops

Razer is exceptionally bad

[hconverse02]

53 minutes ago, GeneXiS_X said:

Razer is exceptionally bad

That what I understand about their previous year models, but I wouldn’t be interested in the 2016-2017 versions, I want to know what makes the 2018 one bad or if they just didn’t change anything, which would mean it just has the same issues. 

[hconverse02]

1 hour ago, Bustapalapeno said:

@hconverse02

So, I am going to try and sum up what you are looking for

• laptop that is actually a laptop, and can be used day to day as a portable work machine
• 144hz display
• GTX 1060 or higher
• <$2000

So there are actually lots of good laptops that fit this description. Using Newegg, you can make a filter for most of this stuff... https://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&amp;N=100167748 601205664 601206490 600136700 600165638 4023 4084 4085 4814&amp;IsNodeId=1&amp;bop=And&amp;Page=2&amp;PageSize=36&amp;order=PRICE

 

Before on, a quick opinion on the above conversation. Every computer maker is known for having "bad eggs," and with the exception of Apple, all manufacturers have some amount of people that say their QC is shit and to never buy their laptops. These problems are hard to gauge objectively. So with the exception of Acer, I am going to eschew talking about reliability in these suggestions, and focus more on support.

 

The Razer Blade 15 is probably the best laptop for this kind of thing out there. But if you are willing to sacrifice some looks, there are cheaper options. For example, the Dell G5 is very popular at my school. It's a little bigger, but you can get it much cheaper than the blade and since it is much larger, it is better cooled. IMO, you should care about thermals because it directly effects the performance and longevity of the product.

 

Other "thinish" laptops like the Asus Zepherus, MSI GS65, and Gigabyte Aero 15X are options, as is the Alienware mentioned by @GeneXiS_X. A nice thing about the Zypherus Line and the GS65 is that they are commonly in Best Buys so you can go look at them yourself. I will agree with you that the Alienware is a divisive laptop, the look isn't for everyone. 

So which are actually worth getting as in sturdy build quality, similar to that of a MacBook but I know I’m sacrificing a lot, around 2000 and can both game and be used for normal school work? Is the 2018 razer blade 15 an option with it being too new to know it’s issues? Are any of the laptops you listed similar to what you perceive I would like from a laptop?

[hconverse02]

1 hour ago, GeneXiS_X said:

I had enough, I'm out of here. Try to help but it doesn't seem to be appreciated

Sorry I just want to be sure because a purchase like this is like buying a car so I want to enjoy it and not regret my purchase

[Bustapalapeno]

2 hours ago, hconverse02 said:

So which are actually worth getting as in sturdy build quality, similar to that of a MacBook but I know I’m sacrificing a lot, around 2000 and can both game and be used for normal school work? Is the 2018 razer blade 15 an option with it being too new to know it’s issues? Are any of the laptops you listed similar to what you perceive I would like from a laptop?

First, I would say that Razer probably makes these new laptops in the same factories as their old ones. If you don’t believe in their quality before, than I wouldn’t believe it now. It is too soon to say if they have improved or not. I believe in Razers ability to make good laptops just fine.

 

All the laptops I mentioned previously are what I think would be a good fit. If I had to give you one recommendation, I would get the Razer Zepherus M. It is built very well, has good cooling, is small enough to use in a lap, and Asus has good customer service.

 

The Zepherus S has better cooling but a bad design for lap use. The Gigabyte Aero 15X and MSI are cheaper, but don’t have as good customer service as Asus. 

 

ASUS ROG Zephyrus M GM501 (GM501GS-XS74) 15.6" Ultra Slim Gaming Laptop, 144 Hz IPS-Type G-SYNC Panel, GeForce GTX 1070 8 GB, Intel Core i7-8750H (Up to 3.9 GHz), 256 GB PCIe SSD + 1 TB SSHD, 16 GB DDR4 2666 MHz http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=34-234-953&ignorebbr=true

[hconverse02]

10 minutes ago, Bustapalapeno said:

First, I would say that Razer probably makes these new laptops in the same factories as their old ones. If you don’t believe in their quality before, than I wouldn’t believe it now. It is too soon to say if they have improved or not. I believe in Razers ability to make good laptops just fine.

 

All the laptops I mentioned previously are what I think would be a good fit. If I had to give you one recommendation, I would get the Razer Zepherus M. It is built very well, has good cooling, is small enough to use in a lap, and Asus has good customer service.

 

The Zepherus S has better cooling but a bad design for lap use. The Gigabyte Aero 15X and MSI are cheaper, but don’t have as good customer service as Asus. 

 

ASUS ROG Zephyrus M GM501 (GM501GS-XS74) 15.6" Ultra Slim Gaming Laptop, 144 Hz IPS-Type G-SYNC Panel, GeForce GTX 1070 8 GB, Intel Core i7-8750H (Up to 3.9 GHz), 256 GB PCIe SSD + 1 TB SSHD, 16 GB DDR4 2666 MHz http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=34-234-953&ignorebbr=true

So I went to best buy and looked at what seem to be my options, the razer blade 15, the asus zephyrus, the msi one, and the alienware (17" - 2017) (they don't have the aero 15x), and I liked the experience of using the razer laptop the most because it just felt easier to use right away and the keyboard and trackpad were similar to that of my preferences.  Now I know the m15 and 2017 17" alienware laptops are vastly different, but I think in my opinion that sacrificing that better support and fewer issues may be worth the premium feel that I enjoyed while using the razer blade.  It feels like I'm asking a 'change my mind,' but in retrospect, the blade versus the m15, which would probably suit my demonstrated wants from this laptop?

[hconverse02]

1 hour ago, Bustapalapeno said:

-snip-

Ok so I've done quite a bit of looking around and I've decided a few things:

1. Even though it seems this is most comfortable to use, I won't be getting the razer blade 15 because there are too many product/customer support issues and too many downsides for that price point and what I'm looking for

2. I think finding something that maybe has a couple of nicks that I can still comfortably use and get used to is going to be the best bet for getting what I want out of a laptop

3. I don't think the alienware is for me, just because of its look, even though it boasts almost every single aspect of what I want, it doesn't feel like the right buy for me and that's ok

4. My options seem to be the aero 15x, the asus zephyrus, the msi gs65, and maybe a few others

 

Just looking online, I think the aero 15x has similar to what I liked from the blade, but doesn't fall short in gaming performance.

 

 

[jonrosalia]

Linus just did this video and at the end said to look to the dell XPS 15 look at the link to the right about the blade being neutered good video.

[hconverse02]

14 minutes ago, jonrosalia said:

Linus just did this video and at the end said to look to the dell XPS 15 look at the link to the right about the blade being neutered good video.

I would, but the 1050ti isn't enough firepower at that price point in gaming for me

[jonrosalia]

Just now, hconverse02 said:

I would, but the 1050ti isn't enough firepower at that price point in gaming for me

I run a desktop 1050ti and most people think im running a 1060 with my overclock so idk what you mean lack by power I can see it having a lack of ram in some games but not power especially in a laptop where cooling dictates performance. 

[hconverse02]

1 minute ago, jonrosalia said:

I run a desktop 1050ti and most people think im running a 1060 with my overclock so idk what you mean lack by power I can see it having a lack of ram in some games but not power especially in a laptop where cooling dictates performance. 

Well in a laptop, it would be hard to replicate desktop power, and I also have a 144hz 1440p monitor at home, so that's why I want at least a 1060 in the laptop, but would prefer a 1070 so I can drive 144hz on the go and at home

[jonrosalia]

what about the MSI 15.6 GE63VR RAIDER-213 with the 1070?