2016+ Gaming Laptop Thread: Embracing Pascal's Wafer (Please Read OP)

Assuming all with GTX 870M?

I'd take the GT60. The Clevos don't have great speakers or headphone jack performance, while the GT60 is great there, as well as having the best keyboard.

The GS60 gets too hot for my liking. It sure does look nice though.

Yeah, with the 870. How's the thermals on the GT60?
 
Hello all, looking for some advice about a laptop i'm thinking of buying.

Country: Australia
Maximum Budget: $2300
Max Size: Screen size of 15.6 inches
Planned Usage: Supplementary gaming, i find it too much of a hassle to take my dedicated gaming set with me whenever i travel or am on campus at uni so my laptop takes the spotlight.

My current laptop runs games at 1366x768, framerates vary depending on the game but its generally been able to run whatever i've thrown at it without chugging badly (Crysis 3 absolutely murdered it though lol even on lower settings). Basically i'm looking for a laptop that can play current gen games in a manner that's similar to my current laptop for last gen games (PS360Wii).

My current laptop specs

I5 2.53Ghz
4GB Ram
NVIDIA Geforce GT 420M with 1GB memory + CUDA



So these are the specs of the laptop i'm currently looking at getting.

Radeon R9 M290X GPU with 2GB memory

1TB SATA HDD + 128GB SSD

16GB DDR3 Ram

5750M A10 Quad Core Processor at 2.50Ghz

For a total of around $2200

I have a general idea of how badly A10s stack up compared to I7s but would just how much of a hindrance would that CPU be in an Open World game for example and is the GPU quality enough for the CPU to not be too much of an issue in the long run?

So does this laptop suit what i'm looking for?

Hope i've included enough info.
 
Hello all, looking for some advice about a laptop i'm thinking of buying.

Country: Australia
Maximum Budget: $2300
Max Size: Screen size of 15.6 inches
Planned Usage: Supplementary gaming, i find it too much of a hassle to take my dedicated gaming set with me whenever i travel or am on campus at uni so my laptop takes the spotlight.

My current laptop runs games at 1366x768, framerates vary depending on the game but its generally been able to run whatever i've thrown at it without chugging badly (Crysis 3 absolutely murdered it though lol even on lower settings). Basically i'm looking for a laptop that can play current gen games in a manner that's similar to my current laptop for last gen games (PS360Wii).

My current laptop specs

I5 2.53Ghz
4GB Ram
NVIDIA Geforce GT 420M with 1GB memory + CUDA

So these are the specs of the laptop i'm currently looking at getting.

Radeon R9 M290X GPU with 2GB memory

1TB SATA HDD + 128GB SSD

16GB DDR3 Ram

5750M A10 Quad Core Processor at 2.50Ghz

For a total of around $2200

I have a general idea of how badly A10s stack up compared to I7s but would just how much of a hindrance would that CPU be in an Open World game for example and is the GPU quality enough for the CPU to not be too much of an issue in the long run?

So does this laptop suit what i'm looking for?

Hope i've included enough info.

The A10 is so bad that cards 1/2 the speed of the M290X, paired with Intel CPUs, can equal it's performance.

I'd get the MSI GT60 Dominator w/ GTX 870M.
 
This isn't really a gaming laptop question, but I'm looking for an ultrabook that I'd mostly be using for work, although I'd like if it could handle games like Path of Exile and Age of Wonders 3 on medium settings. I know that most ultrabooks have similar parts in them, though.

Country: USA
Screen Size: 13-14"
Budget: up to $1200, although closer to $1000 would be better
Battery Life: at least 6 hours, although preferably 8
Weight: I'm going to be carrying it around, so I guess up to 4lb?
Other Specifics: SSD and an IPS or top of the line TN panel are required, although I don't care about any resolution higher than 1080p. Backlit keyboard would be preferred. I'd also prefer a decent keyboard, considering I'll be working on it a lot.

I keep considering that 13" Clevo mentioned earlier a couple of pages ago, although I don't know whether the battery life will hold up with an 860M in there. I don't need extended battery life while gaming, just while web browsing and using Microsoft Office.
 
I was afraid of that

http://www.harveynorman.com.au/computers-tablets/computers/laptops/core+i7/16gb/1015-1035

Any particular one of the choices here you'd recommend instead then?

I'd go custom built but for various reasons that's not an option for me anytime soon.

What about this?

This isn't really a gaming laptop question, but I'm looking for an ultrabook that I'd mostly be using for work, although I'd like if it could handle games like Path of Exile and Age of Wonders 3 on medium settings. I know that most ultrabooks have similar parts in them, though.

Country: USA
Screen Size: 13-14"
Budget: up to $1200, although closer to $1000 would be better
Battery Life: at least 6 hours, although preferably 8
Weight: I'm going to be carrying it around, so I guess up to 4lb?
Other Specifics: SSD and an IPS or top of the line TN panel are required, although I don't care about any resolution higher than 1080p. Backlit keyboard would be preferred. I'd also prefer a decent keyboard, considering I'll be working on it a lot.

I keep considering that 13" Clevo mentioned earlier a couple of pages ago, although I don't know whether the battery life will hold up with an 860M in there. I don't need extended battery life while gaming, just while web browsing and using Microsoft Office.

Asus Zenbook?
 
I've seen that site before and that would be perfect if they had a physical location where i could pay at or collect the laptop from.

EDIT: I bumped it up to 16gb of Ram for a total of $2198.

Is there an MSY near you?
 
Perhaps not the best place to post, but I just found out that I am receiving a free laptop (yay!)

It comes with Intel HD 4600 (*gasp*).
I don't intend on doing hardcore gameplay, but I have a question regarding performance,
I know the laptop is going to be an HP Probook 450 G1, but I don't know which variation (Dual Core: i3,i5, or i7). Would I be able to play titles such as Bastion or Dust at 1080p60? (I intend to connect the laptop to an HDTV for gaming, the laptop itself has a maximum resolution of 768p)

Additionally, how will titles like Skyrim, BioShock Infinite and Mirror's Edge fare? I anticipate 720p30 at low settings.
 
It's hard to say what will be out in 4 to 5 months. If nothing changes the $1,399 GT60 w/ 870M is indeed what I'd go for then
Well than I hope I catch something nice on Black Friday or Cyber Monday.

I got two more things to say thou:

1-Sager NP7338 & Sager NP7358 links are dead

2-After doing some more research the OT recommends the GT60 Dominator which is priced at $1400 however I'm a bit confused on the models while the Bullet points on top of the page do say it has 8GB of RAM the Product Information says it only has 2GB and than we have the MSI GT70 Dominator-895 for the same price as the GT60 has but with a 17.3-Inch Screen instead of 15.6-Inch the GT60 has and it comes with 8GB RAM and we have this MSI GT70 Dominator-895 Configuration by Computer Upgrade King that for a mere extra $31 dollars the RAM is doubled (not that it's needed for games anyways)

So I have to ask wouldn't the vanilla GT70 be a better deal and does Computer Upgrade King have bad rep? Does the configuration by Computer Upgrade King void the system's warranty? Or is the GT60 generally just more stable than the GT70?
 
Perhaps not the best place to post, but I just found out that I am receiving a free laptop (yay!)

It comes with Intel HD 4600 (*gasp*).
I don't intend on doing hardcore gameplay, but I have a question regarding performance,
I know the laptop is going to be an HP Probook 450 G1, but I don't know which variation (Dual Core: i3,i5, or i7). Would I be able to play titles such as Bastion or Dust at 1080p60? (I intend to connect the laptop to an HDTV for gaming, the laptop itself has a maximum resolution of 768p)

Additionally, how will titles like Skyrim, BioShock Infinite and Mirror's Edge fare? I anticipate 720p30 at low settings.

Mirror's Edge ran at 720p30 on Intel HD Graphics (the original card, came out in 2010).
Skyrim ran at 900p30 on Intel HD 4000.
Bioshock: Infinite ran at 720p30 on Intel HD 4000.
 
Mirror's Edge ran at 720p30 on Intel HD Graphics (the original card, came out in 2010).
Skyrim ran at 900p30 on Intel HD 4000.
Bioshock: Infinite ran at 720p30 on Intel HD 4000.
Was this via a laptop configuration or a desktop one?
Also, is 1080p60 possible for 2D or moderate 3D indie games?
Thanks.
 
Is there an MSY near you?

Yeah i can get to an MSY, would they be able to provide something like the laptop you linked or potentially better ones for a similar price?

EDIT: Been looking through their stuff and it looks pretty good (Better than what i was looking at initially)

How does this sound to you spec wise, would it be able to do suit my intended goals

CPU: Intel 4th Gen. i7-4710HQ 2.5GHz(Turbo 3.5GHz)
OS: Windows 8.1 64 bit
RAM: 16GB DDR3 1600
HDD: 128GB SSD + 1TB SATA
Graphic: Nvidia GTX 870M Graphics
6GB DDR5 Dedicated VGA
Screen: 15.6” IPS FHD(1920x1080) LED Screen

It's for $2149 (I'm assuming the price will rise with any additional programs i purchase but i expect it to still be within my budget). It's a GIGABYTE brand laptop, i've had no experience with them before so i'm not sure if they're any good overall.


Why would you ever need 16 GB of RAM?

Wouldn't 16gb be better for gaming purposes in the long run?
 
I would upgrade to an Intel card. You never know how well cheap OEM cards will perform.

I think all of them are Intel cards? At least that's what they claim.

The Clevos don't have great speakers or headphone jack performance

Woah woah woah, I knew and don't care about the speakers, but bad headphone jack sound is kind of a deal breaker for me. Are all Clevos that way? There is a LE in PC Specialist with a sound blaster card supposedly, would that be better, or is the problem with the jack itself?

Wouldn't 16gb be better for gaming purposes in the long run?

Yeah, in theory, in the pretty long run. But RAM is the most easy to upgrade component in a laptop, imo there is no reason to get 16gb now. Get 8gb and if and when you feel the need for more, you just put it in.

Thanks valouris. How much did that knock off the price?

Also, remember to enter CS76P on the voucher section when ordering to get £15 off :P

I didn't order yet, I'll get the computer in September, so I don't know.

Thanks for that code! How log will it last?
 
Was this via a laptop configuration or a desktop one?
Also, is 1080p60 possible for 2D or moderate 3D indie games?
Thanks.

It was on a laptop. It'll probably do 1080p60 with 2D games and some 3D indie games as long as they're not too demanding.

Wouldn't 16gb be better for gaming purposes in the long run?

It wouldn't make that much of a difference unless you plan on having this laptop well after the CPU/GPU is powerful enough for gaming.
 
Well than I hope I catch something nice on Black Friday or Cyber Monday.

I got two more things to say thou:

1-Sager NP7338 & Sager NP7358 links are dead

2-After doing some more research the OT recommends the GT60 Dominator which is priced at $1400 however I'm a bit confused on the models while the Bullet points on top of the page do say it has 8GB of RAM the Product Information says it only has 2GB and than we have the MSI GT70 Dominator-895 for the same price as the GT60 has but with a 17.3-Inch Screen instead of 15.6-Inch the GT60 has and it comes with 8GB RAM and we have this MSI GT70 Dominator-895 Configuration by Computer Upgrade King that for a mere extra $31 dollars the RAM is doubled (not that it's needed for games anyways)

So I have to ask wouldn't the vanilla GT70 be a better deal and does Computer Upgrade King have bad rep? Does the configuration by Computer Upgrade King void the system's warranty? Or is the GT60 generally just more stable than the GT70?

Thanks I'll fix the links.

If you want a bigger screen, then yeah the GT70 is the way to go. I love mine. I can't vouch for CUK, as I've never dealt with them.

Yeah i can get to an MSY, would they be able to provide something like the laptop you linked or potentially better ones for a similar price?

EDIT: Been looking through their stuff and it looks pretty good (Better than what i was looking at initially)

How does this sound to you spec wise, would it be able to do suit my intended goals

CPU: Intel 4th Gen. i7-4710HQ 2.5GHz(Turbo 3.5GHz)
OS: Windows 8.1 64 bit
RAM: 16GB DDR3 1600
HDD: 128GB SSD + 1TB SATA
Graphic: Nvidia GTX 870M Graphics
6GB DDR5 Dedicated VGA
Screen: 15.6” IPS FHD(1920x1080) LED Screen

It's for $2149 (I'm assuming the price will rise with any additional programs i purchase but i expect it to still be within my budget). It's a GIGABYTE brand laptop, i've had no experience with them before so i'm not sure if they're any good overall.
Gigabyte is a good brand. I'd go with that if you like how the machine looks.


I think all of them are Intel cards? At least that's what they claim.

Woah woah woah, I knew and don't care about the speakers, but bad headphone jack sound is kind of a deal breaker for me. Are all Clevos that way? There is a LE in PC Specialist with a sound blaster card supposedly, would that be better, or is the problem with the jack itself?

t
I said it isn't "great", but wasn't saying it's horrible. Just average.
 
What headphones do you have?

I've had the Sennheisers HD 202 for some time, but the cable on one of the two is quickly dying. Sure, they're not the most premium ones but they're not Beats or earbuds either. For the price it's probably one of the best sounds I could get 3 years ago.

But since they are dying I'll get new ones, and they will probably be at a bit higher price range. Suggestions would be welcome :)
 
I've had the Sennheisers HD 202 for some time, but the cable on one of the two is quickly dying. Sure, they're not the most premium ones but they're not Beats or earbuds either. For the price it's probably one of the best sounds I could get 3 years ago.

But since they are dying I'll get new ones, and they will probably be at a bit higher price range. Suggestions would be welcome :)

I picked these up back when they were closer to $30. Well worth the cost. They have really good and clear mids and highs and while the bass is a bit subdued it still punches through when it needs to and doesn't muddy up the rest of the sound. My only complaint is that the pads are cloth, and that bothered me when I first used it (because I was used to a leather set--those were good because they were $90 and one of the colors was selling for $30 on Amazon. Heavy bass with ok mids and highs, now discontinued.)
 
I've had the Sennheisers HD 202 for some time, but the cable on one of the two is quickly dying. Sure, they're not the most premium ones but they're not Beats or earbuds either. For the price it's probably one of the best sounds I could get 3 years ago.

But since they are dying I'll get new ones, and they will probably be at a bit higher price range. Suggestions would be welcome :)

Let us corrupt your ears and sense of value in the headphone thread.
 
I'm looking for something that looks like a Razer Blade or MBPr without the 2k price tag. Small as 13/14 inches. I don't know a lot about gpu's, so I'm kinda lost.

I play games mostly on consoles (I have a PS4 and a Wii U), but I like to play somethings on PC and I don't care about ultra-high settings, just medium - high 720p are ok for me. I don't have and don't plan to buy a desktop anytime soon. Just want a future proof laptop, that I still can play games (some MMO's like Elder Scrolls Online, The Sims 4 and other pc exclusives) for a couple of years.

Country: USA
Maximum budget: 1000 USD (1500 max)
Max size: 14 inches
Planned usage: Gamming and 1080p porn
 
I'm looking for something that looks like a Razer Blade or MBPr without the 2k price tag. Small as 13/14 inches. I don't know a lot about gpu's, so I'm kinda lost.

I play games mostly on consoles (I have a PS4 and a Wii U), but I like to play somethings on PC and I don't care about ultra-high settings, just medium - high 720p are ok for me. I don't have and don't plan to buy a desktop anytime soon. Just want a future proof laptop, that I still can play games (some MMO's like Elder Scrolls Online, The Sims 4 and other pc exclusives) for a couple of years.

Country: USA
Maximum budget: 1000 USD (1500 max)
Max size: 14 inches
Planned usage: Gamming and 1080p porn

You have a few choices there. If you're just aiming for med/high 720p almost any low-end chip will get you that. Aiming for a Razer Blade/rMBP either means you want a super high-res screen or just a thin body. At your budget it's easier to get a thin body than a super high-res screen. This is likely the best choice for you, but good luck finding it--it seems availability is spotty here in the states. This is the closest I can get--very close to your high end but better GPU and availability on Amazon starting in August.
 
You have a few choices there. If you're just aiming for med/high 720p almost any low-end chip will get you that. Aiming for a Razer Blade/rMBP either means you want a super high-res screen or just a thin body. At your budget it's easier to get a thin body than a super high-res screen. This is likely the best choice for you, but good luck finding it--it seems availability is spotty here in the states. This is the closest I can get--very close to your high end but better GPU and availability on Amazon starting in August.

Thanks! I love how these zenbook looks.

I mentioned the Razer and the MBPr mostly because of their design. I don't really care about the retina screen.

I forgot to say that I work as television producer. So I have to do some video editing sometimes, nothing too heavy. It's really rare and mostly freelance stuff. But I have to be able to use Photoshop and Premiere Pro to edit some 1080p videos.
 
Thoughts on the MSI GE60? I'm currently eyeing this. Or should I try my luck with Clevo?

Edit: I guess also at this point, is it worth waiting for 20nm?
 
Thoughts on the MSI GE60? Want to mostly be able to play Civ: Beyond Earth on high settings this fall. I'm currently eyeing this.

Has one of the worst touchpads in existence, if that matters to you.

Worth waiting? Depends on how long the wait is, I suppose.
 
How is gtx850m for gaming. All laptops with gtx860m ate very expensive and look ugly. Btw live in Saudi Arabia
It's great. Underclocked GTX860m basically, so you could potentially overclock it to 860 levels if laptop's cooling allows it.
Beware that it has both GDDR3 and 5 versions.
 
I am looking for a new laptop, gaming is not a priority. Mostly it will be a desktop replacement kind of laptop focusing on watching videos, web browsing and gaming only if it's possible. Games I would like to play are CS:Source, CS:GO, Football Manager.


Country where it will be purchased: I will buy it from Amazon to be shipped to a US address.
Maximum budget. $800
Max size (can be in screen inches, dimensions, weight). 14-15"
Planned usage Web browsing, listening to music, watching movies, games: CS Source, CS GO and Football Manager. For more demanding games I am ok with 720p 30fps with Low/Med quality (not a priority)
Resolution I would prefer 1080p but for that money I will have to settle for 768p

I am planning to add an SSD (not included in the $800 budget). I would prefer to buy it in Amazon since they seem to be the only shop where they will take my credit card. I like Asus laptops.
 
I am looking for a new laptop, gaming is not a priority. Mostly it will be a desktop replacement kind of laptop focusing on watching videos, web browsing and gaming only if it's possible. Games I would like to play are CS:Source, CS:GO, Football Manager.


Country where it will be purchased: I will buy it from Amazon to be shipped to a US address.
Maximum budget. $800
Max size (can be in screen inches, dimensions, weight). 14-15"
Planned usage Web browsing, listening to music, watching movies, games: CS Source, CS GO and Football Manager. For more demanding games I am ok with 720p 30fps with Low/Med quality (not a priority)
Resolution I would prefer 1080p but for that money I will have to settle for 768p

I am planning to add an SSD (not included in the $800 budget). I would prefer to buy it in Amazon since they seem to be the only shop where they will take my credit card. I like Asus laptops.

You don't need to settle for 768p, you'll get at least 900p in this day and age. If you're willing to go integrated graphics, which will run your games fine and get 720p30 on low everything in most games, this is what you'll want. Otherwise if you want a dedicated GPU there's this which is just barely on the edge of your budget.
 
I am ok with integrated, how reliable would that tablet/laptop combo would be? Spec wise looks decent.

It looks like Asus's version of the Lenovo Yoga, which is a normal laptop with a hinge that lets you bend it all the way around to use like a tablet. Outside of the one Amazon review on the page (which is quite in-depth and positive) there doesn't seem to be any press reviews of it, not that I'm surprised. Asus is pretty bad at launching their laptops--they quietly release them on Amazon and a few other retailers and most press outlets don't realize they've become available unless they actively look for it, and then request a review unit from Asus.
 
I'd spend $849.99 for an MSI GP60, that way you get your 1080p screen.

768p screens are horrible and should be avoided at all costs.

It looks like Asus's version of the Lenovo Yoga, which is a normal laptop with a hinge that lets you bend it all the way around to use like a tablet. Outside of the one Amazon review on the page (which is quite in-depth and positive) there doesn't seem to be any press reviews of it, not that I'm surprised. Asus is pretty bad at launching their laptops--they quietly release them on Amazon and a few other retailers and most press outlets don't realize they've become available unless they actively look for it, and then request a review unit from Asus.

Thank you both for your recommendations
 
It's great. Underclocked GTX860m basically, so you could potentially overclock it to 860 levels if laptop's cooling allows it.
Beware that it has both GDDR3 and 5 versions.

Its DDR3 version. I haven't seen any one with Gddr5. its Asus NB N550J. it is costing me 1.4k$ with 16gig of ram and i7 . will it run watchdogs or upcoming ac unity etc. just want to play current gen games with xbox settings
 
Its DDR3 version. I haven't seen any one with Gddr5. its Asus NB N550J. it is costing me 1.4k$ with 16gig of ram and i7 . will it run watchdogs or upcoming ac unity etc. just want to play current gen games with xbox settings

A. You don't need 16 gigs of RAM.

B. I was able to run Watch_Dogs at 900p20-30ish at high everything on my 765m. It's slightly less powerful than a 860m, so as long as you're willing to get XB1 results (792p) something around my GPU should be fine.
 
Anyone want to recommend a laptop around $800 that's just used for general everyday tasks(like browsing internet), very very light gaming(low is fine) and streaming games off a Elgato game capture card? Need it shipped to Montreal.
 
Anyone want to recommend a laptop around $800 that's just used for general everyday tasks(like browsing internet), very very light gaming(low is fine) and streaming games off a Elgato game capture card? Need it shipped to Montreal.

You don't need to settle for 768p, you'll get at least 900p in this day and age. If you're willing to go integrated graphics, which will run your games fine and get 720p30 on low everything in most games, this is what you'll want. Otherwise if you want a dedicated GPU there's this which is just barely on the edge of your budget.

.
 
Anybody here have a Lenovo Y50 with an IPS screen replacement and something like a MX100 256GB SSD? I'm thinking about going this route for a gaming/Photoshop laptop for $1200.

SSD seems really important for laptop and I couldn't find any laptops with y50 specs and at least 256GB SSD. If I missed such a laptop let me know please.
 
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