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[Ninja_Hawk]

So what are some good FPS games I should try?

This is the hardware i'm picking up again...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834152378

 

[brettchalupa]

I am looking to buy a laptop for playing games, but I am a bit out of touch w/ Windows and laptops.

• Country of Purchase: USA
• Maximum Budget: $1500
• Max Size: 15" or less, I use an 11" MacBook Air and would love to use something that is 13" or 11"
• Planned Usage: Most intensive game would be The Witcher 2. It just needs to run at medium levels smoothly. Other than that, most of the games I own are 2D indie games and a few 3D games that are not too intensive physically.
• Misc: Must have an SSD, no less than 5 hours of battery life and the smaller the screen size the better. I plan on using it at my desk, on the couch and coffeeshops/traveling. SDD should be at least larger than 100GB so I can put some music, games and Linux partition on it.

Any suggestions or laptops that pop into mind?

I have a pretty big Steam library from bundles and just over time, so I have games I'd like to play and enjoy.

I owned a Windows gaming desktop that I built around four years ago, but I ended up selling it since it was a full size tower and just too large. I am looking for something small, portable and powerful.

I primarily only use OS X since I need a Unix environment for work. I'd ideally dual-boot the gaming laptop with a linux distro and consider jumping ship from Apple (iPhone + Mac Air and Mac Mini) to Windows/Linux and Android.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Neckbeard]

Another 580 question:

When I connect an external monitor via HDMI and extend the desktop, it totally screws up the aspect ratio on the secondary monitor. It says it's 1920 x 1080 but games don't scale right on it...

 

[Ethics Gradient]

I was so close to pulling the trigger on a Sony S15 15.5". The Win7 model has a bios mod out that basically mods the 640M LE into a 650M.

Still though, a 650M doesn't seem like it will have much graphical longevity.

 

[K.Jack]

Awesome new thread, thanks kjack!

Question...

I just received my y580. I can't tell how the HDDs are formatted. Is there a guide somewhere describing how to upgrade the ssd?

This video shows where everything is and how to access them.

Another 580 question:

When I connect an external monitor via HDMI and extend the desktop, it totally screws up the aspect ratio on the secondary monitor. It says it's 1920 x 1080 but games don't scale right on it...

Look in the Nvidia Control Panel, as there should be scaling options.

So what are some good FPS games I should try?

This is the hardware i'm picking up again...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834152378

Consider this $819.99 Y580, while it's on sale. The extra $120 gains a quad core and an overclocked GDDR5 version of the 645M.

I am looking to buy a laptop for playing games, but I am a bit out of touch w/ Windows and laptops.

• Country of Purchase: USA
• Maximum Budget: $1500
• Max Size: 15" or less, I use an 11" MacBook Air and would love to use something that is 13" or 11"
• Planned Usage: Most intensive game would be The Witcher 2. It just needs to run at medium levels smoothly. Other than that, most of the games I own are 2D indie games and a few 3D games that are not too intensive physically.
• Misc: Must have an SSD, no less than 5 hours of battery life and the smaller the screen size the better. I plan on using it at my desk, on the couch and coffeeshops/traveling. SDD should be at least larger than 100GB so I can put some music, games and Linux partition on it.

Any suggestions or laptops that pop into mind?

I have a pretty big Steam library from bundles and just over time, so I have games I'd like to play and enjoy.

I owned a Windows gaming desktop that I built around four years ago, but I ended up selling it since it was a full size tower and just too large. I am looking for something small, portable and powerful.

I primarily only use OS X since I need a Unix environment for work. I'd ideally dual-boot the gaming laptop with a linux distro and consider jumping ship from Apple (iPhone + Mac Air and Mac Mini) to Windows/Linux and Android.

Thanks in advance!

If you really want "as small as possible" Look at the Sager NP6110 in the OP.

I was so close to pulling the trigger on a Sony S15 15.5". The Win7 model has a bios mod out that basically mods the 640M LE into a 650M.

Still though, a 650M doesn't seem like it will have much graphical longevity.

The only GPUs with guaranteed longevity are the ultra expensive ones.

 

[DivineRage002]

Here's what I'm looking at right now:

Sager NP9170 - Gaming Laptop (Clevo P170EM)
- 12 DAYS of CHRISTMAS Giveaway – Automatically registered with any purchase! Make sure to ‘Like’ XOTIC PC on Facebook to complete your contest entry!!!
- SAGER Holiday Sale!!! - $100 OFF When you spend $1350.00* or more! (*excludes non-sager parts, accessories, shipping, & taxes) - [NP9150, NP9170, & NP9370 Only]
- 17.3" FHD 16:9 "Glare Type" Super Clear Ultra Bright LED Glossy Screen (1920x1080) (SKU - S1R506)
- Sager - 3rd Generation Intel® Ivy Bridge Core™ i7-3740QM (2.7GHz - 3.7GHz, 6MB Intel® Smart Cache, 45W Max TDP) (SKU - S2R202)
- - IC Diamond Thermal Compound - CPU + GPU
- nVidia GeForce GTX 680M 4,096MB PCI-Express GDDR5 DX11 with Optimus™ Technology [User Upgradeable] (SKU - S3R406)
- No Copper Cooling Upgrade
- 16GB - DDR3 1600MHz Dual Channel Memory (4 SODIMMS) (SKU - S4T822P)
- Remove All Branding
- Standard Laptop Finish
- 128GB Crucial M4 mSATA SSD - Preconfigured as an OS Drive ( Operating System – Drive C: )
- 750GB [w/ 8GB SSD Memory] Seagate XT 7200RPM NCQ Hybrid [Serial-ATA III 600 - 32MB Cache] (SKU - S5R421)
- 750GB [w/ 8GB SSD Memory] Seagate XT 7200RPM NCQ Hybrid [Serial-ATA III 600 - 32MB Cache] (SKU - S5R423)
- Raid 0 Stripe Enabled (Requires 2 or 3 Hard Drives. Combines Hard Drives for performance) (Sager)
- FREE - Sager - Bigfoot Networks Killer™ Wireless-N 1202 + Bluetooth 4.0 (Dual Band) (SKU – S8T008)
- Sound Blaster Compatible 3D Audio - Included
- Smart Li-ion Battery (8-Cell)
- YES - Redline Boost™ Overclock My System (Operating System Required) (XPC Service - requires shipment to XOTIC PC: will add to build time)
- ~Windows 8 - 64-Bit (64-Bit CD Included) + MS Office Trial 2012


Total 2574$

Any alternatives?

Few questions:

IC Diamond thermal compound and copper cooling upgrade, worth it for 35/79$ respectively?

Also, has anyone had experience with Xoticpc in-house overclocking? How it it?

Are the 7200rpm 750Gb +8Gb SSD hard drives actually a big difference? Or would I be fine with two 5400rpm 1Tb?

For the wireless card, I can get any of those for free:
Intel® Advanced-N 6235 - 802.11A/B/G/N Wireless LAN Module + Bluetooth™ 4.0
Bigfoot Networks Killer™ Wireless-N 1202 + Bluetooth 4.0 (Dual Band)
Built-in 802.11 Wireless B/G/N - Stock Wireless Card + Bluetooth™ v3.0

And last question, should I get a notebook cooler? Or would I be fine without it.

I live in Quebec (Eastern Canada), and I'll be mostly playing DOTA 2, Skyrim and GTA V once it comes out, and I'd like to make sure I can play all of those at 1080p 60fps.

 

[Tizoc]

OK did some Laptop hunting the other day but sadly couldn't find a shop that sells the Levono Y580 =/
Managed to find these however and they're all under $750:
Levono G560: Interl Core I3 2.53 GHz CPU, 4 GB RAM, doesn't mention the graphic card though
Lenovo Z570: Intel Core I3-2330M 2.2 GHz CPU, 4 GB RAM 1 GB VRAM, forgot to check the graphics card though >_<.

 

[K.Jack]

Here's what I'm looking at right now:

Sager NP9170 - Gaming Laptop (Clevo P170EM)
- 12 DAYS of CHRISTMAS Giveaway &#8211; Automatically registered with any purchase! Make sure to &#8216;Like&#8217; XOTIC PC on Facebook to complete your contest entry!!!
- SAGER Holiday Sale!!! - $100 OFF When you spend $1350.00* or more! (*excludes non-sager parts, accessories, shipping, & taxes) - [NP9150, NP9170, & NP9370 Only]
- 17.3" FHD 16:9 "Glare Type" Super Clear Ultra Bright LED Glossy Screen (1920x1080) (SKU - S1R506)
- Sager - 3rd Generation Intel® Ivy Bridge Core&#8482; i7-3740QM (2.7GHz - 3.7GHz, 6MB Intel® Smart Cache, 45W Max TDP) (SKU - S2R202)
- - IC Diamond Thermal Compound - CPU + GPU
- nVidia GeForce GTX 680M 4,096MB PCI-Express GDDR5 DX11 with Optimus&#8482; Technology [User Upgradeable] (SKU - S3R406)
- No Copper Cooling Upgrade
- 16GB - DDR3 1600MHz Dual Channel Memory (4 SODIMMS) (SKU - S4T822P)
- Remove All Branding
- Standard Laptop Finish
- 128GB Crucial M4 mSATA SSD - Preconfigured as an OS Drive ( Operating System &#8211; Drive C: )
- 750GB [w/ 8GB SSD Memory] Seagate XT 7200RPM NCQ Hybrid [Serial-ATA III 600 - 32MB Cache] (SKU - S5R421)
- 750GB [w/ 8GB SSD Memory] Seagate XT 7200RPM NCQ Hybrid [Serial-ATA III 600 - 32MB Cache] (SKU - S5R423)
- Raid 0 Stripe Enabled (Requires 2 or 3 Hard Drives. Combines Hard Drives for performance) (Sager)
- FREE - Sager - Bigfoot Networks Killer&#8482; Wireless-N 1202 + Bluetooth 4.0 (Dual Band) (SKU &#8211; S8T008)
- Sound Blaster Compatible 3D Audio - Included
- Smart Li-ion Battery (8-Cell)
- YES - Redline Boost&#8482; Overclock My System (Operating System Required) (XPC Service - requires shipment to XOTIC PC: will add to build time)
- ~Windows 8 - 64-Bit (64-Bit CD Included) + MS Office Trial 2012


Total 2574$

Any alternatives?

Few questions:

IC Diamond thermal compound and copper cooling upgrade, worth it for 35/79$ respectively?

Also, has anyone had experience with Xoticpc in-house overclocking? How it it?

Are the 7200rpm 750Gb +8Gb SSD hard drives actually a big difference? Or would I be fine with two 5400rpm 1Tb?

For the wireless card, I can get any of those for free:
Intel® Advanced-N 6235 - 802.11A/B/G/N Wireless LAN Module + Bluetooth&#8482; 4.0
Bigfoot Networks Killer&#8482; Wireless-N 1202 + Bluetooth 4.0 (Dual Band)
Built-in 802.11 Wireless B/G/N - Stock Wireless Card + Bluetooth&#8482; v3.0

And last question, should I get a notebook cooler? Or would I be fine without it.

I live in Quebec (Eastern Canada), and I'll be mostly playing DOTA 2, Skyrim and GTA V once it comes out, and I'd like to make sure I can play all of those at 1080p 60fps.

First of all, you did pay for the Canadian warranty and shipping, right? You'd be crazy to not do so.

The IC is fine if you don't want to do it yourself, but the Copper is a joke. You can buy a pack of those on eBay for like $6. I love Xotic, but smh guys. Same deal with paying them to overclock for you. It's easy enough that I can walk you trough it for free in a few minutes.

The Momentus XT drives are only useful as boot drives. If you're putting the OS on the mSATA, just get standard drives for your bulk storage.

Anandtech's review of the Bigfoot Killer Wireless. It's pretty impressive. You'd lose out on Bluetooth though.

Finally, skip the cooler. These machines are built to run cool, especially with the ICD7 treatment.

OK did some Laptop hunting the other day but sadly couldn't find a shop that sells the Levono Y580 =/
Managed to find these however and they're all under $750:
Levono G560: Interl Core I3 2.53 GHz CPU, 4 GB RAM, doesn't mention the graphic card though
Lenovo Z570: Intel Core I3-2330M 2.2 GHz CPU, 4 GB RAM 1 GB VRAM, forgot to check the graphics card though >_<.

Both of those are garbage. Is the Asus G55 available around you?

 

[Danj]

Yes, the completely pedestrian looks are the tradeoff with Clevo. Now's a good time to note that the Alienware M17x is an option . It'll run about ~£1,500 with everything at stock except the 7970M and 1080p LCD upgrades.

What about the MSI, Samsung and Toshiba 17" gaming laptops? (for example see here)

Is there some reason those aren't worth considering over the Clevo or Alienware models? Also, I don't think the Alienware's a terribly realistic option, if I try and configure it with the sort of options I want the price goes waaay over my budget.

 

[K.Jack]

What about the MSI, Samsung and Toshiba 17" gaming laptops? (for example see here)

Is there some reason those aren't worth considering over the Clevo or Alienware models? Also, I don't think the Alienware's a terribly realistic option, if I try and configure it with the sort of options I want the price goes waaay over my budget.

Well, your goal of Crysis 3 @ 1080p/30fps sounds realistic on two mobile cards, and Alienware and Clevo are the only companies which are delivering the 680M and 7970M near your budget. Thus I left the others out of the discussion as they look like terrible values. They cost as much or more while packing far weaker GPUs.

 

[Danj]

Well, your goal of Crysis 3 @ 1080p/30fps sounds realistic on two mobile cards, and Alienware and Clevo are the only companies which are delivering the 680M and 7970M near your budget. Thus I left the others out of the discussion as they look like terrible values. They cost as much or more while packing far weaker GPUs.

Ah. So I do definitely need the 680M or 7970M for that particular objective? Okay.

I do note that Scan have a 48 month finance option available as well as the standard 36 month, so it's not impossible that the budget could be stretched a bit. I guess it does beg the question as to whether nice looks are worth paying the extra for though.

 

[Noogy]

Thanks K.Jack, another awesome thread. Hoping to make this the year where I finally jump into laptop gaming and development.

 

[Deleted member 81567]

If the wireless card/adapter of my laptop is busted, what's a good substitute?

 

[K.Jack]

Ah. So I do definitely need the 680M or 7970M for that particular objective? Okay.

I do note that Scan have a 48 month finance option available as well as the standard 36 month, so it's not impossible that the budget could be stretched a bit. I guess it does beg the question as to whether nice looks are worth paying the extra for though.

There's one cheaper way to get the GTX 680M. MSI sells unbranded versions of their laptops, for way less money. You just lose all of the flare and frills, but hey, GTX 680M for ~$1600.

If the wireless card/adapter of my laptop is busted, what's a good substitute?

Intel 6300 is the good standard answer. Or Bigfoot Killer if you want to try something different.

 

[Tizoc]

Both of those are garbage. Is the Asus G55 available around you?

Hmm nope both shops I checked didn't have them but I'll look around for it.

 

[StunandStab]

Thinking about pulling the trigger on a Lenovo Y580...

I'm starting up school in January and I kinda want a new laptop because my current one is starting to show its age, which is 3 and a half years old and has never been capable of playing games.

Being that I am a gamer, something capable of running games would be nice, even though I would be using it mostly for school work and stuff.

My budget is going to be tight next month, but I CAN fit a $1000 laptop in there. Just debating whether I should be using that money for something else or not, especially since it's probable (although not guaranteed because I'm not sure how much life my current laptop has left) that my current laptop would get the job done just fine.

Opinions/advice would be welcome, thanks.

 

[Pinkuss]

Wondering if anyone can help me; I'm looking for a Gaming laptop (ordering online in the UK). I'm not looking for something too powerful, the newest games it will be playing are Left 4 Dead 2/ TF2 and probably Civ 4. Can I reasonably get something for £500 - £600 that will play these at a solid frame rate at medium and if possible high settings?

I miss the days when I kept up to date with hardware; these days I can't even understand the PC GPU market.

 

[SteveWD40]

Wondering if anyone can help me; I'm looking for a Gaming laptop (ordering online in the UK). I'm not looking for something too powerful, the newest games it will be playing are Left 4 Dead 2/ TF2 and probably Civ 4. Can I reasonably get something for £500 - £600 that will play these at a solid frame rate at medium and if possible high settings?

I miss the days when I kept up to date with hardware; these days I can't even understand the PC GPU market.

Pcspecialist.co.uk will be a good bet, you can custom build and they have a good reputation.

The games you mentioned will run on anything though, including intergrated cards (HD4000) found in almost all non gaming laptops now.

 

[Pinkuss]

Pcspecialist.co.uk will be a good bet, you can custom build and they have a good reputation.

The games you mentioned will run on anything though, including intergrated cards (HD4000) found in almost all non gaming laptops now.

Cheers, take it the HD4000 will run at high settings? (assuming also decent amount of Ram/ Good CPU). Would a GT610M be better than a HD4000?

 

[Risk Breaker]

I would suggest maybe adding a little section for non-NA buyers in the OP, maybe?

 

[SteveWD40]

Cheers, take it the HD4000 will run at high settings? (assuming also decent amount of Ram/ Good CPU). Would a GT610M be better than a HD4000?

Probably on high but not at the best fps, if you have decent CPU and Ram. Not sure about the GT610m, try notebook check.

You could run those games on the last gen HD3000 at medium.

 

[Yopis]

Will Sager or MSI offer the 680mx in the future?

 

[K.Jack]

Wondering if anyone can help me; I'm looking for a Gaming laptop (ordering online in the UK). I'm not looking for something too powerful, the newest games it will be playing are Left 4 Dead 2/ TF2 and probably Civ 4. Can I reasonably get something for £500 - £600 that will play these at a solid frame rate at medium and if possible high settings?

I miss the days when I kept up to date with hardware; these days I can't even understand the PC GPU market.

Get this.

Throw in the i7-3630QM, 4GB RAM, and whatever size HDD you want.

Or if prebuilt is better for you, This Acer.

I would suggest maybe adding a little section for non-NA buyers in the OP, maybe?

Please believe me, I'm working on it.

Will Sager or MSI offer the 680mx in the future?

I'm skeptical. We're still trying to figure out whether Apple commissioned an exclusive card. Then some Dell/Alienware customer reps told callers that the card was coming to their laptops, but they generally have no idea what they're taking about.'

All we can do is wait to see.

 

[DivineRage002]

17.3" Sager FHD 16:9 "Glare Type" Super Clear Ultra Bright LED Glossy Screen w/ 90% NTSC Color Gamut (1920x1080)

Is that 90% NTSC thing worth 165$?

 

[K.Jack]

17.3" Sager FHD 16:9 "Glare Type" Super Clear Ultra Bright LED Glossy Screen w/ 90% NTSC Color Gamut (1920x1080)

Is that 90% NTSC thing worth 165$?

I got it in my laptop back when it cost +199, and have never regretted the purchase once. It's objectively the best non-IPS glossy screen available for 17" laptops. It's freaking beautiful, and the viewing angles are stellar.

But...

Its worth is completely subjective. Having had it, I wouldn't trade it for anything. But I'd spend the $165 on a GPU upgrade and SSD first. And there are times I wish it was a MATTE screen instead of glossy.

It's the ultimate finisher to a good build, for those who can afford it.

People love the premium Matte option a lot also, fyi. The sickest thing about that is there's a random draw on the +30 Matte screen, and one of those screens is a Chi Mei product which is technically superior to the +149 LCD. If I could guarantee everyone a Chi Mei, I'd steer everyone towards the $30 option.

 

[ShellyDeKiller]

Advice: Never buy HP laptops.

 

[Djin1979]

Advice: Never buy HP laptops.

Why not ?

 

[twinturbo2]

So, what should I expect to be announced at CES? Refreshes? Or something more?

 

[metalslimer]

I'm just wonder when the hell the shitty laptop resolutions are going to go away. It's sad that 200 dollar tablets have higher resolutions.

 

[ShellyDeKiller]

Why not ?

Driver support, man. I have a Pavillion DV6 with Radeon 6550M. The ONLY driver available for it is the original one. -_- (2010).
They launch and forget about it. Can't download from AMD either because only HP can provide the stupid drivers.

Heating problems too.

 

[Danj]

Driver support, man. I have a Pavillion DV6 with Radeon 6550M. The ONLY driver available for it is the original one. -_- (2010).
They launch and forget about it. Can't download from AMD either because only HP can provide the stupid drivers.

Heating problems too.

So this doesn't work with it?

 

[Zeroth]

Out of curiosity, I'm wondering how efficient a set like this is, from CyberPower PC:

CPU: Intel® Core&#8482; i7-3740QM Mobile Processor 2.70 GHz 6M Smart Cache, Max Turbo Freq. 3.70 GHz
HDD: 64GB SanDisk SATA III 6.0Gb/s SSD - 490 MB/s Read & 240 MB/s Write (Single Drive)
MEMORY: 8GB (8GBx1) DDR3-1600 SODIMM Memory (Corsair Vengeance Gaming)
MOTHERBOARD: Mobile Intel HM77 Chipset Mainboard
SOUND: Built-in 3D Premium Surround Sound
VIDEO: NVIDIA Geforce GTX 680M 4GB GDDR5 Video (NB-379-102)

Total: $2,023.50

What I need is a laptop that can play recent (and future) games decently and that also has a good lifespan to work as a desktop replacement for some years. I'm wondering how good of a deal this is (originally the set included a GTX 670MX SLI for less, but due to the power usage I opted to go with a 680MX instead), and if it's really worth getting it.

For comparison, it's either this or Hazard's Excellent PC build (due to getting it in my country, the price would be about $3000), but since I will need a laptop as a student and the one I'm using is on its last legs, I'm inclined to get the laptop instead since I can simply ask someone to get it in the US for me and bring over.

 

[ShellyDeKiller]

So this doesn't work with it?

No.

Big mistake.

 

[Row]

I'm just wonder when the hell the shitty laptop resolutions are going to go away. It's sad that 200 dollar tablets have higher resolutions.

yea it's shitty, 1080 should be standard by now, but on windows laptops it's rare and when it is available there's a high additional cost involved most of the time

 

[Dylan]

http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834158248

Seems to be a good deal at 36% off, though are HP really that bad?

 

[Xena]

How sturdy are these Alienware laptops? I'm going to be in a sandy and hot environment for half an year and I'd like to know if there is any brand in particular known for being "tough" built.

 

[sgjackson]

How sturdy are these Alienware laptops? I'm going to be in a sandy and hot environment for half an year and I'd like to know if there is any brand in particular known for being "tough" built.

I have an m14x and I'd say it's a little sturdier than the average consumer laptop, but if you really have serious durability concerns that involve the word "sand" it may be worth looking into workstations like Lenovo Thinkpads, Dell Precisions, and HP Elitebooks (if your budget permits) or even something more substantial, depending on what you're doing.

So you should fill out the list of questions from the OP and tell us what you're doing.

 

[Xena]

I have an m14x and I'd say it's a little sturdier than the average consumer laptop, but if you really have serious durability concerns that involve the word "sand" it may be worth looking into workstations like Lenovo Thinkpads, Dell Precisions, and HP Elitebooks (if your budget permits) or even something more substantial, depending on what you're doing.

So you should fill out the list of questions from the OP and tell us what you're doing.

Thanks for your input, I'm checking now these brands you mentioned.
I didn't make a list yet because I like to research a bit before hand so I know what you guys are talking about and have a better idea of possible laptops, but here it goes:
=======================================
Country where it will be purchased. USA

Maximum budget. $1500

Max size (can be in screen inches, dimensions, weight): 11 to 15"

Planned usage: May not end up using it for games at all in the six months I'm boots on ground, but I still want to be able to do so when I come back. I play mainly rpgs such as skyrim, dragon age, fallout, mass effect, torchlight 2, diablo 3. Occasionally Borderlands and Dead Island. Would like to be able to play decently eventually X-COM and Civ 5. I don't count fps, as long as it's not sluggish like Skyrim on PS3 was. Aside from gaming I plan to use it to watch blurays/dvds, read pdfs, work with docs and spreadsheets, convert dvds to mp4s to play on my nexus7 and ipod.

Whatever else you find relevant, such as desired battery life, screen resolution, fan noise, etc: This laptop may have to stand a tough environment that's sandy and hot. It will probably stay in my bunker but I still want to make sure I'm not getting something that's gonna melt even if inside a bldg.
========================================

 

[Alienups]

A friend needs a new laptop but my knowledge about laptops ain't up to scratch so i ask your help gaffers.

Laptop is gonna be used for games like Assassins Creed, Skyrim etc. Nothing too intensive. Screen doesn't need to gigantic but still around 15inches and above. Gonna be used for a bit bit of schoolwork and watching movies as well.

Budget is around €600/800$ and it's gonna be purchased in Malaysia. There doesn't seem to a massive difference in prices over there compared to the US or Europe.

 

[sgjackson]

Thanks for your input, I'm checking now these brands you mentioned.
I didn't make a list yet because I like to research a bit before hand so I know what you guys are talking about and have a better idea of possible laptops, but here it goes:
=======================================
Country where it will be purchased. USA

Maximum budget. $1500

Max size (can be in screen inches, dimensions, weight): 11 to 15"

Planned usage: May not end up using it for games at all in the six months I'm boots on ground, but I still want to be able to do so when I come back. I play mainly rpgs such as skyrim, dragon age, fallout, mass effect, torchlight 2, diablo 3. Occasionally Borderlands and Dead Island. Would like to be able to play decently eventually X-COM and Civ 5. I don't count fps, as long as it's not sluggish like Skyrim on PS3 was. Aside from gaming I plan to use it to watch blurays/dvds, read pdfs, work with docs and spreadsheets, convert dvds to mp4s to play on my nexus7 and ipod.

Whatever else you find relevant, such as desired battery life, screen resolution, fan noise, etc: This laptop may have to stand a tough environment that's sandy and hot. It will probably stay in my bunker but I still want to make sure I'm not getting something that's gonna melt even if inside a bldg.
========================================

The problem with the models I mentioned is that from a cost to performance ratio perspective they're kind of shitty (they're more for like, working, but they're made to be more durable). If it's gonna live in a building I'd probably chance one of the normal suggestions - at that budget I'd be looking into a Clevo/Sager or a MSI from a reseller.

 

[K.Jack]

So, what should I expect to be announced at CES? Refreshes? Or something more?

Expect nothing. The industry is on hold until Intel releases its new CPUs, and that isn't happening for another quarter.

Out of curiosity, I'm wondering how efficient a set like this is, from CyberPower PC:

What I need is a laptop that can play recent (and future) games decently and that also has a good lifespan to work as a desktop replacement for some years. I'm wondering how good of a deal this is (originally the set included a GTX 670MX SLI for less, but due to the power usage I opted to go with a 680MX instead), and if it's really worth getting it.

For comparison, it's either this or Hazard's Excellent PC build (due to getting it in my country, the price would be about $3000), but since I will need a laptop as a student and the one I'm using is on its last legs, I'm inclined to get the laptop instead since I can simply ask someone to get it in the US for me and bring over.

It makes no sense to buy an SLI monstrosity, if you only want one GPU. It weighs 10+ pounds and you don't get the battery life extending advantages of Nvidia Optimus. You should be looking at the NP9170.

http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834158248

Seems to be a good deal at 36% off, though are HP really that bad?

The laptops in the OP have much faster GPUs in the same price range.

Thanks for your input, I'm checking now these brands you mentioned.
I didn't make a list yet because I like to research a bit before hand so I know what you guys are talking about and have a better idea of possible laptops, but here it goes:
=======================================
Country where it will be purchased. USA

Maximum budget. $1500

Max size (can be in screen inches, dimensions, weight): 11 to 15"

Planned usage: May not end up using it for games at all in the six months I'm boots on ground, but I still want to be able to do so when I come back. I play mainly rpgs such as skyrim, dragon age, fallout, mass effect, torchlight 2, diablo 3. Occasionally Borderlands and Dead Island. Would like to be able to play decently eventually X-COM and Civ 5. I don't count fps, as long as it's not sluggish like Skyrim on PS3 was. Aside from gaming I plan to use it to watch blurays/dvds, read pdfs, work with docs and spreadsheets, convert dvds to mp4s to play on my nexus7 and ipod.

Whatever else you find relevant, such as desired battery life, screen resolution, fan noise, etc: This laptop may have to stand a tough environment that's sandy and hot. It will probably stay in my bunker but I still want to make sure I'm not getting something that's gonna melt even if inside a bldg.
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I think an NP9150/NP9170 w/ 7970M build would do you well. They're in the OP under the $1200+ section.

A friend needs a new laptop but my knowledge about laptops ain't up to scratch so i ask your help gaffers.

Laptop is gonna be used for games like Assassins Creed, Skyrim etc. Nothing too intensive. Screen doesn't need to gigantic but still around 15inches and above. Gonna be used for a bit bit of schoolwork and watching movies as well.

Budget is around €600/800$ and it's gonna be purchased in Malaysia. There doesn't seem to a massive difference in prices over there compared to the US or Europe.

Hmm Malaysia? The best I can think to do is to tell you to try to find some of the laptops in the OP in Malaysia.

 

[Tizoc]

Found a lenovo y570 gonaa ask about its specs and see if thye got y580 as well. But overall is 570 as good as 580?

 

[Tizoc]

My previous post was made on my iPhone, so here are the laptops I found during my search today:
1- Lenovo Y570
It has a 2 GHz processor, Intel i7 IIRC, Graphics card is NVIDIA G-Force GT55, has 6 GB RAM

2- Asus K423
Has an I4 Processor at 2.53 GHz, 4 GB Internal RAM. Couldn't check the graphics card sadly.

 

[foogles]

Found a lenovo y570 gonaa ask about its specs and see if thye got y580 as well. But overall is 570 as good as 580?

Nope. Y570 has a GT555M that has been factory downclocked to 550M speeds, and you're already pushing the heat envelope on that (source: I have a Y570 with just an i3 CPU and it will overheat and throttle itself unless I clean the dust out of it every couple of weeks, and I never get much out). The Y580 has a 660M which is significantly more powerful. Presumably it has a better cooling solution, too.

 

[Dylan]

The laptops in the OP have much faster GPUs in the same price range.

OK, I bought that one. Thanks!

 

[chunk3rvd]

Been using a work laptop for years so I'm thinking I'll put my Christmas money to good use and grab myself one of my own. It won't be anywhere near as good as the ones most of you in here are buying but I was hoping I could call on people's advice as I'm well out of the loop on laptop specs

I'm in the UK and looking to spend around £400. It will mainly be used for watching media and running stuff to my tv so HDMI out is a must. Any games it could play would be a bonus - I'm not looking for Crysis on max settings obviously but the more of the little cool indie steam games I can play the better as I haven't had my own pc or laptop for over 5 years and there's tonnes I've missed out on

Basically, what's the most bang for my buck at roughly £400-500 but preferably closer to £400?

 

[brettchalupa]

I ended up purchasing the Samsung Series 7 Chronos 15.6" from Best Buy. I have decided to return it though, as I am not really sure what other use it has for me other than playing games.

It has 8GB of RAM and 1GB Nvidia video card. It's a fine laptop, but I feel that should really just build my own PC again (but just use a smaller case). I find Windows 8 incredibly alienating and things like Dark Souls and Just Cause 2 were a pain in the ass to get working. It is a good laptop and seems to be a decent price, but I do not think it is for me. A desktop PC w/ Linux and Windows 7 seems like a better investment since I have a keyboard, mouse and monitor I can use with it already.

 

[The Abominable Snowman]

I'm waiting for a transformer-style W8 laptop. I'm guessing for one that would be halfway decent for gaming, I'd be waiting for Intel's Haswell? Or are there any AMD Fusion APUs announced in Transformer form factor yet? (Maybe at CES?)

I have heard that even the higher end AMD APUs are quite terrible for Wii/PS2 emulation. Is this still true?

 

[Mairu]

What's the best 13" laptop for gaming? I'm just curious as to what's available as it seems like the majority of "gaming" laptops are 17"+

 

[Tizoc]

Gonna call the Lenovo laptop retailer in my region just to see if there's any shop within my area that can provide a Lenovo Y580, searched some shops today but couldn't find it.
Did find these Lenovo laptop specs:
Lenovo Z580
Intel Core i5 Processor 3210M
NVIDIA GForce GT 635M
6GB RAM

Lenovo G580
Intel Core i5 Processor 3210M
NVIDIA GForce 610M
6GB RAM

Both were running Windows 8 but I'll ask them if they can give me one with Windows 7