TechnOkami needs a laptop! [Archive] - Giant in the Playground Forums

TechnOkami

2013-09-12, 05:38 AM

It's really as simple as that.

I'm coming to you guys because I need some help as to picking a new one and I'm rather at a loss as to what specific type of laptop I should buy or which manufacturer I should get it from.

Things I would use the laptop for: schoolwork, which basically means word processor and all that jazz, but I also use a laptop primarily for playing video games and using to run Photoshop as well. Now, those are basically all the things I absolutely need, and there's no if-and-or-but about them. What would be a nice added bonus though is if I could do things like streaming or doing Let's Plays via my laptop. It's not a necessity per se, but it would be really nice if I could do those sorts of things. (Oh, and an HDMI port would be cool.)

Now, to fulfill all of what I need as a baseline, I would basically need a good CPU and a strong Graphics Card, as well as a decent amount of RAM (4 Gigs or so) for the machine to run well.

Um... yeah, I can try to explain and describe something in more detail and answer questions you might have as to what I'm looking for in a laptop, but to be entirely honest, I'm not that tech-savvy.

Please help me. :smalleek:

To recap~

Things I Need in a Laptop
-It must be a Windows.

-I intend to use it for Gaming, Photoshop, and School Work.

-I want it to have a strong CPU.

-I want it to have a strong Graphic's Card.

-Enough RAM to function and not be cranky.

Ikialev

2013-09-12, 05:42 AM

Maybe you should buy a desktop instead? Laptops aren't really geared towards heavy GPU CPU usage

TechnOkami

2013-09-12, 05:47 AM

Maybe you should buy a desktop instead? Laptops aren't really geared towards heavy GPU CPU usage

I enjoy the mobility too much, and I move around regularly enough that I need a laptop over a desktop.

Ikialev

2013-09-12, 05:55 AM

Buy a retina macbook pro then, it's pretty much the pinnacle of mobile computing.

TechnOkami

2013-09-12, 06:09 AM

Buy a retina macbook pro then, it's pretty much the pinnacle of mobile computing.

...right, I forgot to mention that...

It also must be a Windows. :smallredface:

Grinner

2013-09-12, 08:08 AM

What's your budget?

Krazzman

2013-09-12, 09:06 AM

Buy I Macbook with Retina Display.
Format.
Install Windows, Laugh while cleaning your monocle and drink wine.

OR

Buy either an Alienware one geared for Gaming mostly or wait until I am home and give you the link to the one I bought my wife (for playing WoW and using for her University stuff).

Things you should focus on:
CPU and GPU are separate entities. <- VERY Important for you.
USB 3.0 Ports as well as HDMI port.
I would tend to say a better Soundcard but well the standard is sufficient enough most of the times if you don't want to record your Singing in top quality... but you would need extra equipment then anyway.

But really Alienware is one hell of a thing. Amazon has some awesomely price efficient laptops too.

EDIT:
ALSO THE MOST IMPORTANT THING I COULD SAY TO THAT: STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS 8!
(all caps due to importance!)

Erloas

2013-09-12, 10:13 AM

Really? I mean really? Not only 1, but 2 people recommend a Macbook Pro for someone asking for a gaming laptop?
They have crap for GPU, you can get a $400 PC with the same integrated graphics chip that the Macbook Pro uses. This $530 laptop beats it in both GPU and CPU (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834312820), granted it is missing a few bells and whistles but you could get double the screen space or battery life by buying 2 of them for less then the cost of the Macbook Pro. :)

The primary 2 additional questions for you is what is your budget and what size are you looking for. 13" is the most portable but hardest to find decent GPU and processor capabilities. 17" is going to be the best for gaming but the least portable. 15" is in between.

Personally I would have a hard time even using a 17" laptop for very long, of course I'm used to a desktop with a 26" screen, so I would hate to use anything smaller. But I'm also not moving it around much.

The budget really is the biggest thing to consider. I wouldn't worry too much about the brand, you will find people that had amazing experiences and horrible experiences with every brand. And in a given price range and spec they will all be pretty close. Although I would avoid alienware unless you really feel like paying a lot more for their name and logo.

Djinn_in_Tonic

2013-09-12, 10:47 AM

Things I Need in a Laptop
-It must be a Windows.

-I intend to use it for Gaming, Photoshop, and School Work.

-I want it to have a strong CPU.

-I want it to have a strong Graphic's Card.

-Enough RAM to function and not be cranky.

Important question is your budget range. We can definitely give you some good recommendations once we know how much you're willing to spend.

Ideal budget range and maximum budget range is best, as well as one or two of the highest requirement games you'd like to run (as that can help us figure out what you need).

TechnOkami

2013-09-12, 08:08 PM

I'll be frank: I don't know what my budget range is. I won't be paying for it, my dad will most likely be. If anything it'll be a Birthday/Christmas present at this point.

brutii

2013-09-12, 08:59 PM

I'm personally looking into buying a Sager laptop from Xotic PC.

In general, Sager laptops have adequate screens (few complains, but few glowing endorsements), poor-to-adequate audio (they may have fixed this in the latest batch, but for casual music listening and gaming it's most than fine, but for audio or music editing/engineering, you might want a USB soundcard. It They also tend to have a fairly plain look when compared to an Alienware or MSI, but some people prefer the minimal styling. Batteries life and weight are midrange as well, for the most part, batteries sometimes a little low.

There is, however, a good reason for all those shotcomings. Bar none, they've got the best price:performance ratio I've seen for laptops, especially once you start looking at higher end laptops with discrete video instead of onboard (usually $1,000+). they're also known to have some of the best customer service in the business if something goes wrong and you need a return. the battery life is also explained by the fact that higher-end machines just need more power.

If you're going to have it plugged in all the time, don't mind carrying an extra pound or two and don't want a flashy looking laptop, I'd recommend a Sager 10 times out of 10 (if you're in that price range).

ShadowFireLance

2013-09-12, 09:09 PM

ALSO THE MOST IMPORTANT THING I COULD SAY TO THAT: STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS 8!

...Why? I'm in love with mine, it's awesome for what I do:
Starcraft 2 Major League Gaming, WoW, School, Etc.

TechnOkami

2013-09-12, 09:31 PM

Sager eh?

I'll be honest, I wouldn't care if the damn thing had a brick casing. Sexiness, though appreciated, is not what matters to me; its what's inside that counts.

#romantic

As far as what you've said, the sound card might be the only slight issue. I have a decent pair of headphones, so if it affects only the built-in speakers and not overall audio quality, then I can live with it.

Also, I don't particularly have any grief over Windows 7 vs. Windows 8. I'll take what they give me.

brutii

2013-09-12, 09:39 PM

It was actually the audio jacks that had the issue. Like I said, it was a problem with them 2 years or so ago, and I have no idea if it's been resolved by now. The speakers follow the same "Not spectacular but not objectionable" route of most other components.

Something I forgot to mention: Even when the parts aren't necessarily tip-top quality (screen, audio jacks, etc) the actual build quality and construction is pretty top-notch. Solid and well put-together.

If you do get a Sager, I've done some shopping around to the various resellers and Xotic honestly seems like it's going to be your best bet.

EDIT: Oh, one selling point of Xotic for me is that they'll install your choice of OS, and they'll do a clean install. Drivers and utilities only, none of the bloatware you normally see with Dell/HP/Toshiba laptops. If you want it without an OS (to install your own) they'll discount the PC by the amount the license would have cost.

Erloas

2013-09-12, 09:41 PM

You should have some idea on budget even so. You should at least have an idea if your parents would really have to stretch to get you a $600 laptop or if they can get you a $2000 laptop without even thinking about it.

I would say these are two kind of middle of the line "desktop replacement" style of laptops. Not the most mobile, but "desktop replacement" is what you are looking at for most gaming laptops
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834216040
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834314148

TechnOkami

2013-09-12, 09:49 PM

I'll talk with my dad and ask him what he'd be willing to pay.

brutii

2013-09-12, 09:56 PM

At the $1k price point, I'd advise pretty strongly for something like the Sager NP7352 (http://www.xoticpc.com/sager-np7352-clevo-w350st-p-5842.html). 8gb of ram, i7-4700 processor, and a 765m graphics card. 15" screen, 1920x1080 resolution. Most part of the components are upgradable as well, either by customizing at purchase or by taking it apart and doing it yourself (Sager laptops are "barebones" machines, Clevo ships out the case with the motherboard installed to Sager, the reseller in NA. They assemble the components and sells the completed laptops through distributors like Xotic. It's possible to buy the barebones system and the parts and assemble it yourself, and the design also makes it easier than most laptops to take apart and upgrade, though nowhere near as easy as a modern desktop).

Djinn_in_Tonic

2013-09-13, 12:09 AM

I'm personally looking into buying a Sager laptop from Xotic PC.

Completely agreed. I picked up a Sager myself when I needed a new machine, and I have nothing but rave reviews of the thing. It doesn't look flashy, but it's a helluva good laptop for what I paid for it (admittedly, mine gives many gaming desktops a solid run for their money, so take that with a grain of salt).

Still, the company is reliable, the products are great, and I, for one, heartily recommend them.

TechnOkami

2013-09-13, 12:29 AM

Completely agreed. I picked up a Sager myself when I needed a new machine, and I have nothing but rave reviews of the thing. It doesn't look flashy, but it's a helluva good laptop for what I paid for it (admittedly, mine gives many gaming desktops a solid run for their money, so take that with a grain of salt).

Still, the company is reliable, the products are great, and I, for one, heartily recommend them.

Noted.

As far as laptops I've had, the current one I'm using until I can replace it is a Dell Latitude E6500, and the previous one before that was a Toshiba Qosmio F25-AV205.

Krazzman

2013-09-13, 03:43 AM

I don't know the exact one I bought for my wife (just gaming and uni, mind you) but it was a Lenovo with Windows 7 and I think it is a 17". Seriously spoken if you use Photoshop and think about gaming, take the biggest screen possible.

About Windows 8:
I ran a test version in a virtual machine on my system and I have to admit I don't like it. It felt clunky and I more or less thought jeah nice for tablets but not so much for non-touchscreen pc's.
Windows 7 has it's own problems and I would still use XP if it weren't for more RAM.
The best OS would probably a Linux/Unix derivate for that you implement everything yourself.

About the Macbook Pro: it was a joke. I thought the monocle thing was hint enough... next time I include tags.

FLHerne

2013-09-13, 03:53 AM

Ikialev

2013-09-13, 11:18 AM

Do keep in mind that choosing a laptop for gaming will rob it of any mobility

TechnOkami

2013-09-13, 11:46 AM

Do keep in mind that choosing a laptop for gaming will rob it of any mobility

If it's a laptop, I sincerely doubt that. And besides, although playing games is a must, I do intend to be using it for more than just games.

tyckspoon

2013-09-13, 11:53 AM

If it's a laptop, I sincerely doubt that. And besides, although playing games is a must, I do intend to be using it for more than just games.

I think he was referring to mobility in the 'using it unplugged and away from desk-like surfaces' sense. A desktop-replacement/seriously gaming capable laptop is usually heavy, hot, and power-hungry enough that it's only 'mobile' in the sense that it's relatively easy to unplug it, pack up, and carry it to the next wall socket.

TechnOkami

2013-09-13, 11:59 AM

I think he was referring to mobility in the 'using it unplugged and away from desk-like surfaces' sense. A desktop-replacement/seriously gaming capable laptop is usually heavy, hot, and power-hungry enough that it's only 'mobile' in the sense that it's relatively easy to unplug it, pack up, and carry it to the next wall socket.

To be honest, plugged in is how my laptop is 99% of the time. That 1% is when I'm in transit from one location to another.

Ikialev

2013-09-13, 01:59 PM

Fine
Just be careful enough not to burn your balls off, always put a ~*gaming laptop*~ on a table when you pc game.

brutii

2013-09-13, 02:37 PM

Get a nice solid Thinkpad, second-hand if necessary for your budget. There's more to laptops than nice paper specs, and a nasty keyboard/screen/battery makes more difference IMO than slightly fewer FPS. :smallwink:

W5x0 are ridiculously powerful (and correspondingly expensive new), the versions of T4x0/5x0 with discrete GPUs are more affordable but still quite reasonable.

A quick look at the W530 indicates that it lacks a full numpad and is built using a workstation graphics card, not a gaming one. They have different architectures and while capable of gaming, you end up paying a ton more for the same gaming performance. They're typically better at CAD drawing and number crunching.

TechnOkami

2013-09-13, 03:00 PM

Fine
Just be careful enough not to burn your balls off, always put a ~*gaming laptop*~ on a table when you pc game.

No Sir, I do not need my boys sunny side up.

Edit: @brutii: thank you for checking. The manufacturer you and Djinn seem to agree on has my attention, to say the least.

I should have the rough estimate of money up some time today.

FLHerne

2013-09-13, 04:02 PM

A quick look at the W530 indicates that it lacks a full numpad and is built using a workstation graphics card, not a gaming one. They have different architectures and while capable of gaming, you end up paying a ton more for the same gaming performance. They're typically better at CAD drawing and number crunching.Yup, I could never see why they didn't add a numpad to their 500-series things, there's easily the space for it...Decent 'workstation' cards are at least as good for games as typical 'gaming' ones (several of the latest high-end GeForce things are essentially rebadged Quadros anyway), admittedly the extra cost for the CUDA is maybe a bit high if you're not using it. T530s have less overspecified GPUs, and are rather more affordable, but a W530 is definitely what I'd buy if I won a lottery. :P

TechnOkami

2013-09-13, 06:00 PM

:frown:

:furious:

:annoyed:

:sigh:

Well, I asked my dad, and right on cue, he stuck to his guns about the laptop when he first got it for me.

The laptop is strictly for school use, and not for playing Games on.

...yet he knew damn well that I'd be using it to play games on since that's what I did with the first laptop I had and he's still being obstinate about it and Graaaaaaa-

:smallsigh:

Thank you all for your suggestions, but I frankly don't have the money at all to buy the computing device I want for my purposes.

Joy.

Erloas

2013-09-13, 09:55 PM

TechnOkami

2013-09-13, 11:33 PM

I was under the impression your old one was dead or something. If you need a new one there are some budget systems that will still do ok with games if you wanted to just not tell him that. The standard integrated graphics card is a lot better now then they were a few years ago so while they still won't do great they can at least play most games.

It's far too late for that, unfortunately. His decision is final, and there's little I can do about it in the immediate.

Currently I'm testing my old laptop to even see if decent gameplay is a possibility. It'll be inconvenient, but at least I won't be entirely bored up at college.

brutii

2013-09-13, 11:55 PM

Yup, I could never see why they didn't add a numpad to their 500-series things, there's easily the space for it...Decent 'workstation' cards are at least as good for games as typical 'gaming' ones (several of the latest high-end GeForce things are essentially rebadged Quadros anyway), admittedly the extra cost for the CUDA is maybe a bit high if you're not using it. T530s have less overspecified GPUs, and are rather more affordable, but a W530 is definitely what I'd buy if I won a lottery. :P

The K1000M (the card that comes in the W530 advertised on Lenovo's website) can't hit 30 FPS on Skyrim on the lowest possible settings. To make that game smoothly playable, you'd need to go out and download even lower resolution textures and even lower polygon models. By comparison, the 765m in the less expensive Sager laptop get over 30fps on the highest graphics settings. You need to go out and reduce the graphics setting beyond what is actually possible in game to match a mid-range gaming card on Ultra.

The Quadro K4000 costs about 800-900 dollars, and is an absolute beast when it comes to 3D modeling in workstation environments. Probably the best card for the money, right now, in terms of workstation use. In gaming, it tends to lose out to cards like the Radeon 7850, which costs more like $200. Workstation graphics cards come absolutely nowhere close to gaming graphics cards in terms of gaming performance.

Also, you have very low expectations of what to buy if you win the lottery. The W530 is very much a mid-range laptop. Most people's needs fit well within a mid-range laptop (or even a low-end laptop), but that doesn't make it a high end one.