Wait till you have enough money and buy this AlienWare x51 i7-Processor, 8 GB RAM, 1TB disk space
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Why the i5 though? I mean isn't the i7 better for gaming what with the 8 threads and all?
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No. Games don't benefit from the i7's hyperthreading functionality. The i5 and i7, would have identical gaming performance.
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Gaming Laptops are good, but for one equivilent to a Desktop, you are looking at around $2,000.
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One of the reasons why I was considering a laptop in the first place. I am an expat and work in a foreign country and so the issue of carrying the device when I need to go back home is an issue
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+1 I think gaming laptops are in the 1500 and up range
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How would the Asus compare to the Lenovo? They both seem to have the same specs more or less but the Lenovo is a little cheaper
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I am no expert and my opinion may be a bit biased, but why do you suggest staying away from Acer? As far as I'm concerned, the specs are what's really important, not the make. Of course, some manufacturers make poor cooling systems and stuff, but my Acer works just fine since I replaced the dried-out thermal gel, it's ok for my needs.
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I've worked for over 3 years in a small computer store (repairing computers and laptops also) Acer was (and still is) the number 1 brand that breaks after 1-2 years after purchase. The reason their prices are so low is because their hardware doesn't have long life expectations.
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Lenovo y580 209942U i7 3610QM 6GB Ram, 750GB hdd 5400 rpm, 2GB gtx660m. 15.6".
I suggest you to make a desktop but the Lenovo is perfect :>
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You will always get better performance out of a desktop with the same specs as any of these laptops. and they might even cost less. /most of those laptops have a 5400rpm HDD which is pretty slow, especially for gaming.
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Well the laptops is easier for me because I don't really know the computer specs that well. I wouldn't know the best system for say 1000 usd on a desktop... Laptops make it easier for me because I know more or less what each system, which is prebuilt, has and can compare the features to he specs. If I were to go wih a desktop, should I go wih a prebuilt one like the Alienware one, as a commenter above suggested or build it myself (with help from someone who knows obviously)?
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here's a little secret: you don't need the "best" system, pretty much all games run great on a ~$700 or whatever desktop. and don't go with alienware unless you like overpaying for stuff
i don't know why you're saying features instead of specs?? aren't those the same thing
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you get the same performance with same hardware as Alienware from other brands
with alienware you pay for that alienhead on your PC
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Ok so what are the specs that I should look for in a desktop?
Ps: yes features and specs are more or less the same thing.
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I myself run a Y580. If you go on the Lenovo site there is a 45U version (1000 at least at the time, but thats if you want 1920x1080 res) that I personally thought was the best. Its sleek, good looking, and performs very well. For reference, I can play every game on high settings (minus anti aliasing and HDR [but should work with those up if you like it]). Saints Row 3, CS:GO, GTA 4, etc. so performance-wise, it is very solid. Price-wise, the Lenovo Y580 is unbeat across multiple metrics.
The 660M is the highest end mobile graphics card out of all those computers, and is the best at that price point from my research. To get better you have to significantly go up a price point. 650M is very close to 660M and still good. Lower cards, they have significant gaming tradeoffs.
And because you're an expat, DEFINITELY get a laptop. As a college student constantly going places and back home, etc. and with all the pros and cons of carrying around a desktop, I do think it is definitely worth getting a laptop over a desktop. While they don't upgrade nearly as well and are not as cost effective, the portability is definitely great.
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NEVER BUY A Laptop for gaming! NEVER EVER!
Buy yourself a desktop! Something like this:
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A 400€ Desktop-PC has more Performance than a 1500€ Laptop! Laptops are not made for gaming. Alot of Power=>Heat=>Need cooling and Laptops just have not enough Space so you can't have a powerful GPU or CPU in there. If you would look at my CPU Cooler and my Graphics-Card ...you wouldn't believe how huge they are. Great performance needs good cooling and Laptops just can't do that.
If you are a serious Gamer, there is nothing than a Desktop-PC!
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That is blatantly not true. A $600-800 desktop is about a $1000 laptop. The strong advantage comes from reusing of parts. You'll never need to buy fans, cases, hard drive , monitor, RAM etc. unless you want to upgrade. Vastly upgrading the system is viable through swapping out just the video card, processor and perhaps motherboard if necessary. The biggest performance difference is on the video card and processor.
In addition, the guy said he travels a lot, so in that case, portability is important.
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Well, i can run new games on medium-high on my laptop so i am fine.
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No, YOU have no idea what you're talking about. The low end i5s are about equal to standard i7s in laptops. $1000 laptops typically have 2nd tier-ish graphics cards at increased price, i.e paying $200 for a $100 card in a notebook. Everything else is almost equal, RAM, power supply, hard drives. If you think a $1000 laptop has the performance of a $300 desktop, prove it, because I can 100% guarantee you no $300 desktop will equal this laptop.
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ok the part i said isnt true is
"NEVER BUY A Laptop for gaming! NEVER EVER!"
this doesnt help anybody ok. if you work in customer service and someone asks you for tips on building a laptop that they can play games on you dont tell them "no" just because they can get a desktop for better value ok. convenience is a major factor not just value
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Pc builds, very good for the price http://www.kbmod.com/2012/08/06/pc-build-guide-august-2012/
and get some nice 120hrz monitor if you're a fps gamer.
never buy a loptop for gaming. unless you live on the road and/or travel.
here's why IMO.
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Most laptops aren't optimized for gaming
A gaming desktop however is cheaper than a gaming laptop
people above me have more info on that I Reckon
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Laptops are fine for gaming and don't need to be $1500 or more. The above laptops he listed are under $1000 and they have impressive specs. Quad core Intel processor, plenty of RAM, solid graphics card. I in fact have one of the models listed and it runs everything on high settings. It probably won't age as well, but the difference between laptops and desktops is slowly closing in.
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hmm anyway I think the difference isn't that big anymore
I'm also buying a gaming laptop somewhere in december and my local retailer recomended me to look for the somewhat higher end gaming
and I think you should choose a HDD with 7200 rpm...
laptops that can be modified later on and with HDD's in a RAID configuration (I don't know what that is though)
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Higher end laptops are the biggest ripoff. Their price to value is awful once you go over $1000. I would suggest nothing over $1200-1300. 7200 rpm is ok, but I honestly don't see that much of a bit difference.
Laptops also typically can't be altered into a RAID configuration it at least requires two hard drives, which are hard to fit within the confines of a laptop. RAID supposedly makes it faster, but from some friends anecdotal evidence, its overrated. Also, places that do RAID configurations tend to charge obscene amounts of money.
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Hmm well MSi has 2 laptops that can be setup with 2 hard drives or one HDD and an SDD
and I know someone who has it and I'm probably getting the GT60 so
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the retailer is an friend of mine so :p
and this isn't the only forum I check for good advice
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Laptop gaming is pretty awesome! The only thing you need to take note is the cooling. You NEVER, EVER want your CPU getting throttled and reduce your performance a lot. (or goes over 105C and gets auto-shutdown.)
Link Here's a useful site for your reference!
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I have a cooling pad for my laptop that works well.
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Home built desktop is the way to go. Its not that hard, and there's a decent guide on newegg if your new to such things. Plus you dont pay extra for brands and random crap you dont need.
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Also BEWARE the i5 processors found in most retail pcs and laptops are only dual core and not quad, ALWAYS CHECK THE TYPE Of i5.
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No part is making the majority of the price without a reason and parts shouldn't be bottleneck(that is limit the performance) of the other parts. I would look at some major tech site they usually have quite good suggested builds.
Basicly: You don't need things like 32GB ram, multiple SSDs, the most expensive CPU or GPU or the 1,2kW PSU alone while rest of the parts are the cheapest possible.
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Thanks for your input guys... I am a little more confused than when I had started the thread but anyway... :P. I guess it comes downtown whether i want the mobility or the power and price-performance efficiency, the former preferring laptops and the latter desktops... The issue of working abroad is also the warranty- hardware manufacturers do not always provide international warranty; on the other hand quite a few laptop manufacturers offer international warranty that comes standard with their manufacturer warranty. Going to have to decade soon...
What kind of build should I go for if I am to choose a desktop? Price point ~$1000
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Budget: $800-1000
Preferred Device: laptop
Questions: Should I go for a laptop or PC for best bang for the buck?
Alternatives (laptop):
Acer Aspire V3-571G-9435 i7 3610QM, 6GB ram, 500gb hdd 5400 rpm, 2gb gt 640m, 15.6". Price: 800
Acer Aspire m5-481TG-6814 i5 3317U 4gb ram, 500gb 5400 rpm, 1gb gt 640m le. 14" Price: 780
Lenovo y580 20994CU i7 3610QM 6GB Ram, 750GB hdd 5400 rpm, 2GB gtx660m. 15.6". Price: 900
Asus NV56VZ-ES71 i7 3610QM 4GB Ram, 500GB hdd 5400 rpm, 2GB gt 650m. DDR3 (I think) 15.6". Price: 1000
MSI GE60 0NC-006US i7 3610QM 6GB Ram, 750GB hdd 7200 rpm, 2GB gt 650m DDR5. 15.6". Price: 1100
Lenovo y580 209942U i7 3610QM 6GB Ram, 750GB hdd 5400 rpm, 2GB gtx660m. 15.6" fhd Price: 1100
Asus g53sx-NH71 i7 2670qm 8gb ddr3 1333 ram, 500gb hdd 7200 rpm, 2gb gtx 560 15.6" fhd. Price: 1180
Asus g55vw-es71 i7 3610qm 8 gb ram, 500gb 7200 rpm, 2gb gtx660m, 15.6" fhd. Price: 1220
At these prices, which system offers best price and performance? Can I get a better pc system than the laptops in terms of performance at these prices? If so, what kind of build should I go for?
I appreciate all your constructive input :)
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