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Gaming Laptop
Hello,
Within the next few weeks/month and a half or so I will be recieving around 1300 in Amazon.com giftcards to buy my self a gaming laptop. I was wondering if anyone here could look at their inventory and help me pick one out. Please post links and why you suggest this laptop. I currently play DCUO and DDO as well as some single player games.
Thanks,
Dustin
Comments
http://www.amazon.com/G53JW-XA1-Republic-Gamers-15-6-Inch-Gaming/dp/B00486USL8/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1306322859&sr=8-4
ASUS just plain rocks. They are generally the best deal dollar wise for the hardware you get, come with no bloatware, have awesome Asus utility software. This one is far above the ASUS I use and my $900 laptop rocks new games like The Witcher 2 on high settings.
if you are planning to spend all the money on the gaming laptop i would suggest the alienware m11x R2 or the m11x R3
http://www.dell.com/us/p/alienware-m11x-r3/pd.aspx
why i suggest it?... I have the m11x R1 and it is a little beast, but the R1 only comes with a core 2 duo processor at 1.3Ghz overclockable to 1.7 Ghz.... while the R2 and R3 comes with i5 and i7 processors. Even though my m11x R1 has a 1.3 core 2 duo i can play Rift, dead space 2, and other latest games opn high quality pretty smooth. But i dont recommend the R1 anymore cos the processor is not upgradeable. maybe next year i will upgrade to the R3 or if a R4 version ever comes out... i really love my m11x and as far as gaming laptop goes, im not switching to other brands.
So the Alienware costs $1,199 and has
Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium, 64bit, English
Intel® Core™ i7 2617M 1.5GHz(2.6GHz w/Turbo Boost, 4MB Cache) with 2GB DDR3 NVIDIA® GeForce® GT 540M
6GB DDR3 at 1333MHz
500GB 7200RPM SATA 3Gb/s
Internal High-Definition Surround Sound Audio (5.1)
Intel® Centrino® Wireless-N 1000 a/g/n 1x2
11.6" High Def (720p/1366x768) with WLED backlight
For $100 more Asus gives
Intel Core i7-740QM (1.73GHz Quad-Core with Turbo Boost up to 2.93GHz)
6GB DDR3 1066MHz, 4 SODIMM Sockets, up to 16GB; Illuminated Keyboard
Nvidia GTX 460M Graphics with 1.5GB GDDR5
500GB HDD (7200RPM); Super-Multi Optical Drive; 802.11 b/g/n; 1x USB 3.0; 3x USB 2.0; 8-in-1 card reader; 2.0MP Webcam
15.6-Inch Full HD (1920x1080) LED Display; Windows Home Premium 64-bit Operating System
Also, if you read the OP he wanted AMAZON.
the amazon gift card he mentioned just slipped out of my mind.......indeed taht asus is a very good deal, but i have never trusted sites like amazon, ebay, and such.... but thats just me.
Amazon is nothing like Ebay. Amazon is a digital storefront, eBay is a person to person trade site. Amazon is a larger online retailer than Dell with a A+ BBB rating where Dell only scored a B. Why wouldn't you trust Amazon, who is quickly becoming one of the world's largest retailers?
thats how far i was from these websites, ive never bought from amazon cos i thought it was a auction-like site like ebay.
for technology related items i tend to buy from newegg, and retail stores only... i guess i was wrong about amazon then
I just read through this again and realize I'm coming off a little harsh. I'm typing fast and not thinking. I know you didn't say there was but before anyone thinks I'm a jerk there wasn't any hostility intended with my posts, I was just trying to explain things.
But yeah, Amazon is a full on digital store. You can get things from their site that are sold by them or other retailers but they make it very clear if it's from them or another retailer. They're very trustworthy.
no worries, i didnt even notice any harsh comings here. actually now i got clear that amazon is a good place to buy
anyways, back to the gaming laptop topic... that asus looks nice, the only reason i didnt pick something else over the m11x is the size besides power. i do have a gaming desktop so i just wanted a small (11 - 13 inches) laptop that can handle new games while on the move. If i didnt have my desktop for games i would definitely grab something like that asus
The Asus "G" line is getting refreshed very soon -- if you want top of the line, you may want to wait a short bit, or if you want to possibly score a clearance deal on a slightly older, "current" model you can...wait a short bit. ( ' :
If you're looking at a G73, there was a recall in effect due to the buggy Intel sandy bridge chip.
Hello,
Thank for the advice but yea I was looking at a refurbish one...
http://www.amazon.com/ASUS-G73JH-RBBX05-Refurbished-Notebook-PC/dp/B00405WVVW/ref=sr_1_16?m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1306074393&sr=1-16
If they still have any in stock would this be a good deal?
I do only have at max around 1300 to spend.
Thanks,
Dustin
looks good but all i can say is, if you buy a refurbished electronic device definitely buy the insurance / warranty for it.. tho that would sum up to the brand new price so.... i would look for a new one, maybe wait some time (before the giftcard expire) till they get more new ones available or something
That's not a gaming laptop. Most games will run smoothly on it at moderate settings, though sometimes you may need to turn things lower than that. But if you run into a game that is very processor-intensive, it will completely choke, and you'll be forced to either accept terrible frame rates, quit the game, or replace the laptop. And that could happen the day it arrives, depending on which games you play.
-----
Is it a done deal that you're getting Amazon gift cards, and can't possibly take the same money and spend it elsewhere? If so, that means you get no customization at all, and may have to choose between several obsolete options. Indeed, that's pretty much the case if you buy it today. Asus and MSI seem to be the major vendors of completely pre-built gaming laptops that don't let you customize anything (which means they can sell through sites like Amazon), and they're long overdue for a refresh.
As I see it, you've basically got four options.
1) Get a desktop rather than a laptop. $1300 (excluding peripherals) will get you a desktop with gaming performance that handily beats a $3000 gaming laptop. Desktops are also more reliable, easier to fix if they break, easier to upgrade rather than needing to replace, and ergonomically better, among other advantages.
Even if you need both a laptop and a gaming machine, it doesn't follow that you need a gaming laptop. On your budget, you could get both a $350 Zacate E-350 based laptop and a $950 gaming desktop that will dramatically outperform any $1300 laptop.
Now, that might not be an option for you. There are some people who really do need a gaming laptop, such as because they travel a lot and want a gaming machine that they can take with them and play games in a hotel or whatever. If that's you, then you can ignore this option and move on. But if you want a gaming machine and merely thought that a laptop form factor might be nice to have, then don't do it.
2) Wait for some vendor to combine the various modern gaming laptop hardware into a single machine and sell it on Amazon. On your budget, you should probably look for a Core i7 2630QM and a Radeon HD 6870M or 6850M with GDDR5 memory. It's just a question of how long it will take for someone to integrate that all into a single machine and put it on Amazon. I guess the "put it on Amazon" is the part that you'd be waiting for right now.
3) Wait for Llano to launch, and buy a laptop based on the top bin of that. Depending on what memory it ships with, you may need to toss it and buy your own 1600 or 1866 MHz DDR3 memory for it. And maybe buy an SSD and use it to replace the hard drive, so that you'll have a genuinely nice laptop, with snappy performance and long battery life. Even with the upgrades, that will come in far under budget.
The drawback of this is that you give up quite a bit in frame rates. The integrated graphics in Llano will run older games at max settings, but you'll have to turn things down to moderate settings in order for more demanding games to run smoothly. Well, I guess the other drawback is that you have to wait for Llano to launch. AMD says the chip started shipping for revenue in March, so it could launch any day now.
But the huge advantage is that you'll avoid some of the traditional problems of gaming laptops. The low power consumption means relatively little heat, so that it's not constantly at risk to fry. That plus an SSD means it won't be unduly fragile, so it should last for a long time. Coming in far under budget means you may have options from a number of vendors, and be able to take things like the screen and keyboard into consideration.
4) Buy something that is rather old the day you get it, and merely accept that you'll have to replace it as obsolete a good year sooner than if you had gotten a laptop with sensible hardware.
I have a gaming desktop..That due to health problems I am slowly becoming unable to use due to not being able to get out of bed. It is a done deal with the Amazon gift cards..It is a friend getting the cards for me because they know that I need something to do while I am stuck in bed. I will also be taking it with me and using a text to speech program on it because I am unable to speak most days..
Dustin
If you've got ideas about playing games on a gaming laptop while sitting in bed, I don't see that ending well. That would be ergonomically horrible, and a repetitive strain injury waiting to happen. Gaming laptops can also put out enough heat that you'd have to be careful how you set it up so as not to burn yourself.
What is your intended usage model for the gaming laptop? And how do you plan to use it, where the gaming desktop wouldn't work?
Don't use a Laptop...
I would really not recommend it unless you really can't wait to play your fav game until you get home or have a long ride in the train or some sort. Otherwise I really would recommend a regular installed PC at home.
You can't barely upgrade a Laptop, that's why you mostly literally "waste" your money on it. If that is not your concern, then feel free to buy and earn as many as you want, with no regret.
Don't go for Alienware. The value of the hardware is not their end-price. You pay for the brand like 40-50%.
In my case I always build all PCs by myself, which saves you a ton of cash and on the otherhand you can create a perfect system where everything fits exactly like you want it. Brands like "DELL" etc put exactly this "feature" in their advertisment, to built the PC/whatever exactly like you want it. Just with the plus that you pay extra for the brand and stuff is also more expensive.
I recommend you a ASUS gaming notebook. ASUS is ment for gaming. thru and thru. I will always stick with it because it was the best decision I've ever made in my entire gaming-career to buy their gaming TFTs. brilliant quality and reaction time. the rest? well they put not only asus stuff in their laptops but ofc for sure their displays and that's a major point.
I can't name you a specific type of their series. I'd go with a rather new one and read some reviews of independant gaming-/hardware-magazines you know of.
If you live in Germany I would tell you stuff like: chip.de, pcgames-hardware
atleast NOT amazon for reviews!
Hello,
I know that it may be somewhat uncomfortable but I have a set up in my bed room where I would be able to use it comfortably. As for people who have been saying get a desktop, I have a gaming desktop. I am getting to the point where I can not use it because I am unable to get out of bed. To be quite blunt the reason I am getting a gaming laptop is that I want something to do that is some what fun and relaxing while I lay in bed waiting to die. I can sit at a comfortable angle in bed when I need to and have a little tray to set up to put the laptop on.
This isn't out of lazyness or anything of the sort, I am dying and would still like to do things which I enjoy when I become totally stuck in bed. Right now it happens at least once a week or so. I also have other plans for the laptop as well. I am going to get a text to speech program to speak for me because my vocal cords are rendered paralyzed due to what is wrong with me.
Anyways if anyone else has any other laptop suggestions feel free to post the links and write why you would get it and what not.
Thanks,
Dustin
I'm sorry Dustin, wish you all the best...
Asus is a great brand. My brother has had two Asus gaming laptops (first one got ran over by a car - long story) but they have both been extremely reliable, lightning fast, and able to play modern games at moderately to very high quality graphics.
And, right around your 1200-1300 price range.
I'll see if I can find a model number or something...
Why not get a TV and mount it in your room? You could mount it on the wall, place it on a dresser or a TV stand, or even have it put on a mobile stand, so it could be moved around/hover over your bed. Then you could hook your gaming desktop up to it and use it while it bed. A lap mat to hold a wireless RF/Bluetooth keyboard/mouse (would be a lot lighter than a "gaming laptop", and they wouldn't put off heat, which is a major concern if you are trying to use it in bed), and that would be considerably less than any gaming laptop.
A nice 36" LCD can be had for significantly less than $1000 (even 3D ready, which most modern video cards can use), and can hook up to your existing gaming desktop via HDMI/DVI converter and game at 720p (easier to read text) or 1080p (better graphics, but not really that noticeable from a distance). Plus, you could do more stuff with a TV than just hook up the computer - such as gaming consoles, or even watch TV.
As far as text-to-speech goes, "There's an app for that", and a smartphone will fit in your pocket (or sit on your nitestand), without having to boot up a laptop to use.
Go with the G53 series. Either the JW or the SW. Should run you $1200 usd or less if you can time a sale. You can most certainly use it in bed, just get a laptop cooler to set it on. Maybe prop the cooler on one of those "breakfast in bed" stands that people use. Yes laptops run hot but the G53 series has a dual exhaust that works really well. It will need to be plugged in at all times when gaming though. Any laptop worth it's gaming cred has to be plugged in as good GPUs suck power like crazy. At most you would get 30-45 mins of gaming on battery. Anyway I have the G53JW (see my signature) and I 100% recommend it for the $1200 range. You will be able to play any older game on high settings and I can confirm Rift & Witcher 2 play excellent on medium, fps slows a bit on high. The laptop is 1920x1080 too!
In my opinion, a laptop can't be considered a gaming laptop at this point in time unless it has AT MINIMUM a GTX 460M or the 5870M. This series has the 460M. Best of luck with your health problems and I hope you have better days in the future.
if your issue is being in bed rather then having to travel, then you can easily convert your desktop into a "bed side" computer. a LONG hdmi cable(15 to 25 feet), 802.11n network card, etc... it's abit of work but if you know a handyman or sorts, they can easily convert your existing machine to work around your bed. you'll need to buy one of those hospital bed sliding table things
http://www.amazon.com/Invacare-Over-Bed-Table/dp/B000QA0EHI
for wireless keyboard/mouse, you can also bolt your monitor onto that table. but thats the extent of your "big purchases". with the sliding table, you can also eat your meals on it so it's not that bad of a purchas. with everything tiewraped neatly, it's a very viable solution if your limitation is being in bed rather then having to travel.
with a gaming laptop, you'd still need the sliding table because the "laptop" might light your bed on fire as hot as they get:D and you will still need to plug it into the wall since the battery will only last maybe 20min's
If you can't get out of bed some days, then you're probably not the sort of traveler for whom a gaming laptop makes sense. You'd probably be better off using your existing gaming desktop, but setting a keyboard, mouse, and/or gamepad so that you can use them while sitting in bed, and the monitor so that you can see it while sitting in bed. That would get you better performance for a lot cheaper than a gaming laptop.
It would also be a generally nicer system to use. The processor and video card put out most of the heat for a computer, and a desktop would let you have that way off to the side and out of the way. In a gaming laptop, that heat has to go right underneath the keyboard, which means that the keyboard gets hot enough to be awkward to use. It's also more awkward to have to set things up so that the laptop is elevated and you won't get burned.
Desktop parts for a keyboard, mouse, and monitor mean you can position them however you want. In a laptop, the keyboard and monitor are attached, which is awkward. When people can place the keyboard and monitor independently in a desktop, very few put them right up against each other, as they are in a laptop.
I would look at the Taiwan's 3 big hardware developers first in that price segment. ASUS, MSI, and Acer. They will come closest to giving you top of the line in that price range. I would also look at CyberPowerPC, and Sager. CyberPowerPC bought Clevo.
Agreed. I have arranged to have my screen close to my couch, a keyboard in my lap and a trackball I can hold still on any surface when I game. I also have a laptop for travels but it is always a lot comfier to sit in the couch than lying in bad with the laptop.
Trust me OP, I tried both.
Of course can you always add a monitor, mouse and keyboard to a laptop but the really bad performance for the buck makes a laptop a bad gaming alternatives for people that don't travel a lot or need the laptop for work/school.
Gaming laptops wiill always cost at least twice as much as a similar desktop, more if you want state of the art and the best desktops will still beat the best laptops in performance no matter what.
If you must play in bed instead of the couch, get something to keep the screen on close to the bed (2 cases of beer works) and get a long cable, get a keyboard that is either cordless or with a long cord and get a Logitech trackman mouse. I promise you it is both comfier and cheaper unless you only play 5 year old games and older.
And if you still buy a laptop, avoid HP. They get so hot that having them in bed is a bad idea.
I hadn't heard that CyberPowerPC bought Clevo. Could you provide a reference? A number of sites used to sell rebranded Clevo laptops, and I think they still do.
I didn't know that Acer made gaming laptops. The only one I could find on their site was some old Clarksfield-based Aspire Ethos. It might have been a nice gaming laptop a year ago, but rather dated today.
I do travel some.. all of my doctor visits are 2+ hours away, so that as another reason for thinking laptop. Anyways you have given me a lot to think about.
Thanks,
Dustin