Sorry your browser is not supported!

You are using an outdated browser that does not support modern web technologies, in order to use this site please update to a new browser.

Browsers supported include Chrome, FireFox, Safari, Opera, Internet Explorer 10+ or Microsoft Edge.

Geek Culture / Good God I want this laptop...

Author
Message
Yodaman Jer
User Banned
Posted: 16th Aug 2014 22:12
I've been playing around with the Unreal Engine, which is like Unity 3D, but significantly better in several areas (although I wish it had better scripting support, instead of relying on Blueprints), but I've been running it on my Mac, which as you can imagine means I can't get it to work at even half of its full potential. However, I would never want a full Windows desktop again, so I started looking around at laptops that can really pack a punch, and I found this little beauty!

http://www.razerzone.com/store/razer-blade

The one bad thing about it (other than the $2200 price tag!) is that it only has 8GB of Ram, which really, in this day and age, shouldn't something like this come with at least double that? It's 2014 for goodness' sake, surely they could've aded that and kept the price the same?

One major reason I really would want this is the fact that its native resolution is 3200x1800, which is even higher than the resolution on my Mac. Programming would be so much easier, as well as the art work I do almost day-to-day.

However, I can't justify the cost, even if I could take advantage of the impossibly high-res display. I still want it though.

What do you guys think, amazing, jaw-dropping epicness, or overpriced hype?

And while I'm at it, I might as well ask if anybody has any recommendations for a good gaming laptop with a fairly nice resolution (something ABOVE 1080p!) that I might be able to look into?

\r\nCome check out my new website!
swissolo
14
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 9th Jan 2010
Location:
Posted: 16th Aug 2014 22:58 Edited at: 16th Aug 2014 22:59
Hm well I haven't looked at the specs but in my opinion no good gaming laptop would have a resolution above 1920x1080. You're only going to get so much out of a laptop. I don't think the frame drop would be worth the improved dpi I'll admit I love higher resolutions for a good work space, but no devices can really keep up with some of these crazy high res screens in games. On a laptop you can't really take advantage of the higher resolution because everything is too small. Plus for whatever reason no OS seems to scale comfortably that I've seen (to make your environment big enough to see) Certainly not windows

Phaelax
DBPro Master
20
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 16th Apr 2003
Location: Metropia
Posted: 16th Aug 2014 23:51
Quote: "Hm well I haven't looked at the specs but in my opinion no good gaming laptop would have a resolution above 1920x1080"


So don't set your game resolution above that, problem solved!


I first discovered this laptop 2 years ago during its initial release. Back then, though I really wanted it, it was way overpriced for the specs it had plus its inferior screen. Apparently, Razor got enough complaints they put in a high-res screen, something to keep with Apple's retina display. But I didn't know it was a touch screen now.

8GB is still plenty of memory for most people, and even though its 2014, I still don't see a "laptop" having more than that. Heck, my friend just bought a brand new laptop last month and it came with only 2gb ram! (I added another 4gb to it for her)

The Pro version comes with 16GB, but it's a 17" instead of 14" and only does 1080 res.

For the price, I'd really want to try one in person before buying it.

Dar13
15
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 12th May 2008
Location: Microsoft VisualStudio 2010 Professional
Posted: 17th Aug 2014 00:09
1440p or 4K is a lot for a mobile graphics card to power when dealing with games. I'd even be hesitant to put more than one 1440p screen on my 7870 though it would probably be just fine.

Honestly the Blade is probably the best "gaming" laptop you can get as I haven't seen too many alternatives(of course, I haven't been looking especially hard either).

The Microsoft Surface Pro 3 comes with a 1440p screen, but you have to rely on Intel's HD Graphics 4400 on-chip graphics.

Phaelax
DBPro Master
20
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 16th Apr 2003
Location: Metropia
Posted: 17th Aug 2014 01:20
Quote: "onestly the Blade is probably the best "gaming" laptop you can get as I haven't seen too many alternatives"


Oh there are plenty of other and even more powerful alternatives. They just come at around 3" thick and weigh like a cinderblock!

Fuzz
17
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 14th Nov 2006
Location: Tasmania, Australia
Posted: 17th Aug 2014 02:51
Oh my... AU$3,299.95

I could pay for two of the PC I built which would be a lot more powerful than the laptop.

How come you don't want a Windows desktop again?

Phaelax
DBPro Master
20
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 16th Apr 2003
Location: Metropia
Posted: 17th Aug 2014 03:55
Quote: "e PC I built which would be a lot more powerful than the laptop."

Well duh, building a better desktop for the price of a laptop has always been true!

Fuzz
17
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 14th Nov 2006
Location: Tasmania, Australia
Posted: 17th Aug 2014 04:09
I know that but I'm saying for the price of that laptop, you could get two of my PCs that I built and they would be a lot better. Very expensive laptop for what you get.

My main question was what's wrong with a Windows desktop.

Yodaman Jer
User Banned
Posted: 17th Aug 2014 04:45
Nothing is really wrong with a Windows desktop, it's just that I would prefer a laptop for gaming, because my main desktop is my iMac. Windows desktops just take up too much room to fit comfortably, and there's really no goon all-in-one gaming machine anywhere in the market, which sucks for someone like me who is a minimalist.

And Phaelax, good point about RAM. I guess I was thinking of desktop standards and was just surprised that 8GB was what this little beast came with. Processor and GPU kinda make up for it though, eh?


Come check out my new website!
MrValentine
AGK Backer
13
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 5th Dec 2010
Playing: FFVII
Posted: 17th Aug 2014 05:08
Quote: "Windows desktops just take up too much room to fit comfortably, "


Really?

http://www.overclockers.com/gaming-tight-spaces-miniitx/

Yodaman Jer
User Banned
Posted: 17th Aug 2014 05:37
Still takes up more room than I would like.

I like all-in-ones best because everything is right there, behind the screen - no tower to worry about, just plug it in and it all works.


Come check out my new website!
MrValentine
AGK Backer
13
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 5th Dec 2010
Playing: FFVII
Posted: 17th Aug 2014 05:44
You can get thin clients too you know which attach to the back of a monitor running NVidia GPU's

swissolo
14
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 9th Jan 2010
Location:
Posted: 17th Aug 2014 05:49
Quote: "So don't set your game resolution above that, problem solved!"

That defeats the point of the higher resolution screen though. Especially when it isn't set at its native resolution it won't look so pretty.

Quote: "there's really no goon all-in-one gaming machine anywhere in the market"

Then build one! There's sure to be a case somewhere that'll fit your needs. It can be fun too

Phaelax
DBPro Master
20
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 16th Apr 2003
Location: Metropia
Posted: 17th Aug 2014 19:44
If it doesn't exist, build it!

I think the biggest issue as far as gaming mini-itx machines are the fact that graphics cards are so incredibly long these days. If gaming wasn't a concern, I could build you a nano-itx system inside a popcan!

MrValentine
AGK Backer
13
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 5th Dec 2010
Playing: FFVII
Posted: 17th Aug 2014 19:47 Edited at: 17th Aug 2014 20:18
Quote: "I could build you a nano-itx system inside a popcan!"


You mean a Raspberry Pie ^^

Mind you, Yodaman Jer, check out the Intel NUC's, they can handle Battle Field 3/4 so maybe that is what you want

EDIT

http://www.intel.co.uk/content/www/uk/en/nuc/overview.html

mr Handy
16
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 7th Sep 2007
Location: out of TGC
Posted: 17th Aug 2014 20:36 Edited at: 17th Aug 2014 20:37
Quote: "or overpriced hype?"


overpriced hype indeed.

1)

128 GB for base model - it is laughable. New Order wants 50 GB of space. Just LOL for GAMING laptop. Top model - 512 GB. Pfft. In russian rubles worst model is 100000 and the best one is 125000. When Samsung ultrabook with 1000 GB + 32 SSD costs 25000.

So storage space is AWFULL and you can't buy the laptop without it.

2)

Touch screen. Maybe it is fun but in my universe touch screen not equals playing games. So it is funny overpriced useless thing.

3)

Seriously, how long is battery life? Serious gaming = serious power.

End)

Buy a 4K TV screen! It is time.

Or try Monitor TFT IPS ~24" 3840x2160 for ~$1000 (or way cheaper same but TFT TN)
in rubles they are ~40000 and ~20000, i.e. ~$1000 and ~$500
I'd go for TFT TN.

All your TGC are belong to us.
Yodaman Jer
User Banned
Posted: 17th Aug 2014 21:26
Indeed, the more I look around on the internet, the more I see people saying how heavily overpriced the Blade is.

Most people seem to recommend an Alienware laptop for gaming, I thought I remembered people saying those used to be kind of crappy in the build quality category? That might've been true years ago, I suppose.

This is a pretty good deal, twice the RAM, a 1TB drive +80GB SSD for cache, full 1080p anti-glare screen, for $1749 USD. I know I said I wanted something above 1080p, but I'm quickly realizing that's not an option unless I want the Blade.


Come check out my new website!
mr Handy
16
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 7th Sep 2007
Location: out of TGC
Posted: 17th Aug 2014 23:00
Quote: "full 1080p anti-glare screen"


Srsly, only today I got to know that ultra hd (3840x2160) monitors exist and affordable (~$500). Blurays are full HD and OK to watch, but GAMES are not, so full hd for gaming is a bad choice today.

Also, IMO laptop is not a gamer's choice. Serious gamer's choice. I mean, that laptop will be always on power cord, plus heating problem will cause less computer power in comparison to PC to not to burn your laptop.

So laptop is always overpricing for games.

Also laptop is a computer, and all computer problematic crap like drivers, compatibility and other are here too. So maybe you should choose PS4 (or xbo)

p.s. don't forget that you may buy 3d monitor for games!

All your TGC are belong to us.
Yodaman Jer
User Banned
Posted: 17th Aug 2014 23:32 Edited at: 17th Aug 2014 23:58
How is 1080p a bad choice for games when that's today's standards...? Seriously, the Xbox One and PS4 are the first mainstream consoles to support full HD, and now you're saying that's bad?

And how many times do I have to say, I DO NOT WANT A DESKTOP! I understand that a laptop isn't going to give me the same performance as a whole desktop computer, but I don't NEED a desktop, or want one, because all of main work will be done on my iMac, and the laptop can sit off to the side just fine without taking up a ridiculous amount of extra space. It would be used exclusively for gaming + game design with Unreal, and virtually nothing else. There are many PC games I bought through Steam a few years ago that I've really started to miss (and aren't available on Mac), such as Anno 1404 (or "Dawn of Discovery" here in the states) that I would love to play again, but I do not want to have to purchase a monitor, a new mouse + keyboard, speakers, and a tower that would take up a bunch of extra space - I like everything contained within one body, if possible. Thus, my decision for a laptop, as impractical as that may seem to you.

Alienware does seem to be in the lead for gaming laptops, I think I'll do more research before making a final decision of any kind. Any advice (pertaining to LAPTOPS SPECIFICALLY ) would be appreciated!

EDIT: So I think a 14" screen would be a bit too small for my tastes, so I looked into the Alienware 17 model.

Not only can I get a bigger screen, but a better GPU, for $100 less than the 14" model. Granted, I had to take the RAM back down to 8GB, but that really isn't a big deal.

I think this might be the best deal for me - $1650, or $50/month if I somehow magically qualify for that deal.


Come check out my new website!
mr Handy
16
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 7th Sep 2007
Location: out of TGC
Posted: 18th Aug 2014 00:03 Edited at: 18th Aug 2014 00:12
Quote: "How is 1080p a bad choice for games when that's today's standards...?"


I have stated that buying FHD monitor is a bad choice because UHD monitor price is affordable today.

You can buy UHD TV screen and plug a) console b) PC (mini or midi tower). In that case you will not need "ridiculous amount of extra space" for excellent gaming.

Here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/8K_resolution

Quote: "8K is a display resolution that may eventually be the successor to 4K resolution. 4K is speculated to become a mainstream standard in televisions by 2017"


That's for media - movies, TV. Media is raster as you know. And games are vector-type media (except textures), so resolution is everything.

Every year ATI or Nvidia presenting new AA tech just to get rid of 3D "stairs", especially on consoles which are "today's standards".

edit: I can understant having a "gaming" laptop for limited (due to computing power) amount of games when you have a gaming desktop power monster (or PS4\XBO (better to have PC and console so that is why I recommend UHD TV to save money and space on monitor) )

another edit: hmm... but but but If you are really obsessed with gaming laptop... I recommend you to forget about that "blade". IDK if you want to play GTA V, but aim on a laptop that could handle it on MAX settings. Also try to find FHD 3D screen laptop with passive 3D as many games are too awesome to not to try 'em in 3D.

last word about 3D: try to get Oculus Rift, I heard Far Cry 3 is astonishing with it.

All your TGC are belong to us.
Yodaman Jer
User Banned
Posted: 18th Aug 2014 00:12 Edited at: 18th Aug 2014 00:17
4K gaming isn't going to become common place for at least another half-decade or so. And that very line you quoted even says that it's only speculated that 4K will become a standard for television by 2017, whereas other reports I've read in the past have said that probably won't happen until the early 2020s, at least, due to the cost of manufacturing.

Now please, if you have no further input other than to try to continue shoving something I don't want down my throat, kindly leave the thread so that others don't get distracted and can help me out with advice pertaining to LAPTOPS, something you are continuously ignoring.

In response to your edits...

mr Handy wrote: "hmm... but but but If you are really obsessed with gaming laptop... I recommend you to forget about that "blade"."


Did you even read my earlier posts, other than the first? I quickly forgot about the Blade, and started asking about Alienware and other brands. I guess you were a bit distracted researching 4K technologies, which admittedly are cool, but I'd be perfectly content with a 1080p res for gaming.

Oh, and as cool as 3D would be, it gives me headaches (the 3DS was kind of a bad choice for me, I have to play everything in 2D after 25 minutes or so), so I'll probably stay away from that, too...


Come check out my new website!
swissolo
14
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 9th Jan 2010
Location:
Posted: 18th Aug 2014 00:16
Quote: " the laptop can sit off to the side just fine without taking up a ridiculous amount of extra space"

This doesn't make any sense to me yoda. If it isn't going to be moving why is it a laptop?

Also 4K and high res screen aren't worth it yet. There isn't media that supports them. It's just silly at this point

Yodaman Jer
User Banned
Posted: 18th Aug 2014 00:19
swissolo wrote: "This doesn't make any sense to me yoda. If it isn't going to be moving why is it a laptop? "


Oh, I would only keep it off to the side while it wasn't being used. I would move around it too, of course, probably use it in on the couch for Netflix some, and also probably code on the couch, too.

Can't do that with a desktop, can you?


Come check out my new website!
mr Handy
16
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 7th Sep 2007
Location: out of TGC
Posted: 18th Aug 2014 00:23 Edited at: 18th Aug 2014 00:36
Quote: "4K gaming isn't going to become common place"


You just imagine Anno 1404,1701,2070 in UHD and then in FHD. You then forget about playing Anno in FHD

Plus here: http://www.engadget.com/2014/04/08/netflix-begins-4k-streaming/

Some people told me Asus making good laptops, you can try to look at ASUS ROG GX500 (4K), but price is unknown to me.

Quote: "kindly leave the thread"

no offence, I just have another POV on laptops and would not bother you with desktops, ok.

Quote: "Also 4K and high res screen aren't worth it yet. There isn't media that supports them."

Gaming, heard of? Wolfenstein New Order in UHD is the same as in FHD? ORLY?

super-edit: hey hey hey I am so slooow that only now I have realized that blade is not UHD!!! why for that price?!

Quote: "I guess you were a bit distracted researching 4K technologies"

Yep

extra edit: tonight is my night of edits! c-c-c-combo edits! sorry for inconvenience.

All your TGC are belong to us.
Yodaman Jer
User Banned
Posted: 18th Aug 2014 00:59
I just had a ridiculous thought...

Suppose I shop around and don't find a very reasonable laptop, so I do decide to go with a desktop. Would I be able to use a program like TeamViewer to effectively turn my iMac into a monitor, and play games that way?

Probably not, like I said, a ridiculous thought, but a fun one nonetheless.

In all honesty, I probably would go with building another gaming PC, IF I could use my iMac as the monitor, which I have researched and have found it to be impossible, hence my whole reason for wanting a laptop (that and as I've said, all of my main work is done on my iMac, the laptop would be purely for gaming/developing with Unreal).


Come check out my new website!
mr Handy
16
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 7th Sep 2007
Location: out of TGC
Posted: 18th Aug 2014 01:04
Not a bad idea - https://discussions.apple.com/thread/2246912?tstart=0 I guess someone did it, but alas pictures are broken.

All your TGC are belong to us.
Indicium
15
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 26th May 2008
Location:
Posted: 18th Aug 2014 01:05
Quote: "Suppose I shop around and don't find a very reasonable laptop, so I do decide to go with a desktop. Would I be able to use a program like TeamViewer to effectively turn my iMac into a monitor, and play games that way?"


Haven't heard about Steam streaming then?
Slow Programmer
17
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 5th Apr 2006
Location: USA, Tennessee
Posted: 18th Aug 2014 01:13
Depending on the specs of your iMac you could run windows in Parallels under OSX. I use Parallels daily and it is not bad at all. When i want to show off to friends I run Commodore 64 games by the C64 Forever emulator in Windows 7 running on parallels on my iMac. Always gets a good laugh. C64 or Amiga Forever both run flawlessly though. My lowest windows 7 score is 7.4 for graphics. I did add an SSD last year which helped performance a lot.

Thinking of something witty to put here.
Yodaman Jer
User Banned
Posted: 18th Aug 2014 01:23
Indicium wrote: "Haven't heard about Steam streaming then?"


I have, but not all of my old games are through Steam, most of them I got from... well, from Amazon, embarrassingly enough.

I found what looks to be like a pretty good machine from Lenovo!


8GB RAM, nVidia Geforce GTX 860M (2GB), 15.6" FHD screen, 1TB hybrid drive with 8GB SSHD, and up to five hours of battery life for $1500 USD. Doesn't have an optical drive, but I barely use those anymore anyway!


Come check out my new website!
mr Handy
16
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 7th Sep 2007
Location: out of TGC
Posted: 18th Aug 2014 01:36
Quote: "15.6" Full HD Display Boasting 10-Point Multitouch"

You can play twister with your fingers!

Lenovo? In my experience not a good manufacturer.

Just google fresh "lenovo recall"
Quote: "Lenovo has begun a worldwide recall on lithium-ion batteries from several ThinkPad models, saying they pose a fire hazard risk."


Also once I was given a Lenovo laptop to reinstall windows from Lenovo's shipped CD. Guess what - laptop can't see the CD! But other CDs boot okay.

All your TGC are belong to us.
Yodaman Jer
User Banned
Posted: 18th Aug 2014 02:01
Really, I thought Lenovo were one of the leading laptop manufacturers? I've heard nothing but good things of them, and all reviews I've seen of that laptop are pretty positive.

The battery recall is for certain types for laptop models that aren't even in the Y50 designation, and only the ones manufactured between mid-2010 through early 2011, which is quite a long time ago in technological terms! Kind of surprising it took them that long to recall them, though...

Also, I found a better version of this laptop on Amazon (and on Lenovo's site itself), with twice the RAM and twice the VRAM on the GTX 860, for $1250, which I could almost afford now...

I think Lenovo would be the best bang for my buck, and most reviews are very, very positive on the Y50, so I think that's the one in the lead right now!


Come check out my new website!
MrValentine
AGK Backer
13
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 5th Dec 2010
Playing: FFVII
Posted: 18th Aug 2014 02:07
Really, just look at Toshiba and Lenovo...

Wait for it...

Indicium
15
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 26th May 2008
Location:
Posted: 18th Aug 2014 02:11
Is 16gb of ram necessary for gaming?
mr Handy
16
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 7th Sep 2007
Location: out of TGC
Posted: 18th Aug 2014 02:17 Edited at: 18th Aug 2014 02:18
I don't say Lenovo is strictly bad, but definitely not the best one.

So to buy a proper laptop and not pay extra for stuff you don't need (like multi-touch), you should not race for a brand name. Here is the plan:

1) How much you can spend?
2) What screen resolution do you want?
3) What screen (laptop) size do you want?
4) Do you want extra features (3D? bluray?)
5) What do you NOT need to pay less (multi-touch? usb 3.0?)
6) What games are you wanna play? -> system specs for max graphics + add some extra on top
7) Hard drive capacity

All your TGC are belong to us.
Seditious
10
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 2nd Aug 2013
Location: France
Posted: 18th Aug 2014 02:18
Quote: "Is 16gb of ram necessary for gaming?"


Not to my knowledge. I can't imagine you'd need much more than 4GB for the vast majority of games.
mr Handy
16
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 7th Sep 2007
Location: out of TGC
Posted: 18th Aug 2014 02:20
Not for games, indeed. But 16 GB could be useful for UDK he is planning to work with.

All your TGC are belong to us.
Yodaman Jer
User Banned
Posted: 18th Aug 2014 02:35 Edited at: 18th Aug 2014 02:43
16GB is not necessary for gaming, but it would definitely come in handy for working with Unreal, and other render-intensive programs like Blender and Photoshop would definitely benefit from that, as well.

To answer your questions, mr Handy...

1 - I'm not willing to spend more than $1500 MAX
2 - At least 1080p, would love a higher res but can't find any in my price range
3 - At least 15.5" screen size
4 - Not really, only extra feature I would want is BluRay, but that can easily be fixed with an external drive
5 - Do not need a touchscreen at all, or 3D, or anything that could add a ridiculous amount to the cost of the device
6 - Bioshock, Battlefield 4, Elder Scrolls Online, Civilization games, Anno 1404 and Anno 2070 are the major games I'll want to play when I first get the laptop, and the GTX 860M 4GB can handle most of those games on high with an average of 45-50fps, so this machine can pack even more of a punch than my old gaming rig I sold in order to buy my iMac.

Hard drive capacity would be at least 512GB, but I would prefer 1TB, although it's not necessary since this will be purely for games/game development. So far, I cannot find a better deal than the Lenovo Y50!

EDIT: So apparently, the screen quality of the Lenovo Y50? That's why it's so cheap, it's really poor quality according to PCMag, which I tend to trust.

If I save up a little more, I can get a pretty decent machine for $1900 USD, by MSI, which has really high ratings, a much better screen, AND a BluRay drive. Also, the GPU has 8GB of VRAM, so it can definitely handle just about any current game. No wonder they call it the dominator, haha!


Come check out my new website!
mr Handy
16
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 7th Sep 2007
Location: out of TGC
Posted: 18th Aug 2014 02:58 Edited at: 18th Aug 2014 03:16
Warning: these offers are from huge list of russian shops (like if I were buying). You may have other results depending on where you live.

starting from ~$1200

ASUS N550JK
Core i7, 2400-2500 MHz, 8-16 GB, 750-1500 GB, 15.6", NVIDIA GeForce GTX 850M, 2.6 kg, Blu-Ray / DVD-RW, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi

ASUS N750JK
Core i7, 2400-2500 MHz, 8-16 GB, 750-3000 GB, 17.3", NVIDIA GeForce GTX 850M, 3.4 kg, Blu-Ray / DVD-RW, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi

ASUS G550JK
Core i7, 2400 MHz, 8-16 GB, 1000 GB, 15.6", NVIDIA GeForce GTX 850M, 2.6 kg, DVD-RW, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi

~$1600

ASUS ROG G750JS
Core i7, 2400-2500 MHz, 12-16 GB, 1000-1756 GB, 17.3", NVIDIA GeForce GTX 870M, 4.8 kg, DVD-RW, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi

MSI GT60 2PC Dominator
Core i7, 2400-2800 MHz, 8-16 GB, 1000-1256 GB, 15.6", NVIDIA GeForce GTX 870M, 3.5 kg, DVD-RW, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi

MSI GT70 2PC Dominator
Core i7, 2400-2700 MHz, 8-16 GB, 1000-1256 GB, 17.3", NVIDIA GeForce GTX 870M, 3.9 kg, DVD-RW, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi

~$2200

ASUS ROG G750JZ
Core i7, 2400-2500 MHz, 16 GB, 1756-2012 GB, 17.3", NVIDIA GeForce GTX 880M, 4.8 kg, Blu-Ray, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi

All your TGC are belong to us.
Yodaman Jer
User Banned
Posted: 18th Aug 2014 06:02
Wow, so I did some searching on Newegg, and it turns out MSI make an all-in-one gaming PC, with better specs than the Alienware model I linked to earlier, for $1300 for the 24" model.

Reviews are very generous towards it, saying that it performs well with all current games they throw at it, even with just the baseline model (though for some of the higher-games, they had to put settings to medium), so I know at least the games I'd want to play would work very well! Which also means it would run Unreal without many issues!

Best of all, it would next to my iMac without any problems! I could use the same keyboard for both computers by using a USB hub so I'd have less cables, and it also means I could have both computers running at once if I needed.

I think that's probably what I'm going to get, instead of a laptop. Being able to get similar specs for ~$500 less? Always a win!


Come check out my new website!
Dark Java Dude 64
Community Leader
13
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 21st Sep 2010
Location: Neither here nor there nor anywhere
Posted: 18th Aug 2014 06:10 Edited at: 18th Aug 2014 06:12
Quote: "So far, I cannot find a better deal than the Lenovo Y50!"
Ah, I have the Y500 myself!!! The Y50 definitely looks very similar to mine, and the specs seem pretty similar too (besides the graphics; the Y50 is much better than my Y500 in that regard). I'd say it's a good laptop, but indeed, the build quality could be better. I just use mine folded up, inside my desk, connected to an external monitor and input peripherals. When I got mine, it was a $1,300 or so laptop, but Lenovo was offering a screaming deal that made it only $850; I had to get it.

For what I paid, the Y500 is excellent. I have no idea how else the Y50 compares to it, but maybe it's a bit lighter since there is only 1 zero in the name as opposed to 2. The embossed emblem bearing the name could be lighter, you see.

Oh by the way, Lenovo isn't kidding when they say that the JBL speakers deliver premium sound. I have never heard a laptop sound so good. But really, I think the quality of your headphones is what really matters when it comes to laptop audio.

Flash is falling out of... Flashion.
Yodaman Jer
User Banned
Posted: 18th Aug 2014 06:50
Yeah, I think the Lenovo Y50 will probably end up winning, honestly. I just watched a bunch of videos of it in action, someone played Battlefield 4 on Ultra and it was able to still chug along nicely at 35-42 FPS, still completely playable! Drop the res down to something like 1600x900, and it would work just fine I imagine!

The screen quality looks fine from most videos, as far as I can tell. Sure it's not IPS or OLED or anything awesome like that, but as far as a laptop screen goes it looks pretty outstanding, I really don't know why some reviewers are picking it apart so much. It's a great, powerful gaming laptop for $1500 or under (depending on promos going on), so it's going to cost something somewhere!

The reason it will win over the MSI all-in-one I linked to is because of the 2 extra GB of VRAM in the GPU, for only $200 more and being able to play on-the-go? Worth it.


Come check out my new website!
Phaelax
DBPro Master
20
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 16th Apr 2003
Location: Metropia
Posted: 18th Aug 2014 15:54 Edited at: 18th Aug 2014 15:57
Quote: "ome people told me Asus making good laptops, you can try to look at ASUS ROG GX500 (4K), but price is unknown to me."

I have an Asus (N55S) and it's been a really nice laptop. It's only 2 years old though and my battery already needs replaced. I have a 635M gpu, which at the time was about as good as you got in a laptop. I'm not a huge gamer, but it's run every game I've played on it. I think when it comes to laptops, people forget you don't need the latest graphics chip for games to be playable. And with the 870M in the razerblade, I'm pretty darn sure it would run whatever you wanted.

Quote: " saying that it performs well with all current games they throw at it,"

Which uses only the 860M gpu!

Yodaman Jer
User Banned
Posted: 18th Aug 2014 17:03 Edited at: 18th Aug 2014 17:04
Phaelax wrote: "I think when it comes to laptops, people forget you don't need the latest graphics chip for games to be playable."


True, although if I'm going to sink some money into a gaming laptop, I want to make sure it would be able to play newer games as they come out, too.

The 860M has tons of great reviews, it can run almost anything if settings are set to medium, but can also run some games on Ultra settings depending on how recently they were released.

With that said, right now it's a toss up between the Lenovo Y50 and MSI all-in-one I linked to earlier. The all-in-one has the advantage of more RAM, slightly better processor, and of course the screen quality would be significantly better than the Lenovo Y50. The only downside for that decision that I see is that the 860M only has 2GB of VRAM, so it probably wouldn't be able to run Battlefield 4 on Ultra. However, I'm sure it would run on High just fine!

And besides, that chip would still be significantly more powerful than any gaming machine I've owned before, so.... I'd still be happy with it!

Ooh, also the all-in-one has a proper DVD drive, with the upgrade to the touch model having a BluRay drive as well. So there's that as an advantage, too!


Come check out my new website!
Seditious
10
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 2nd Aug 2013
Location: France
Posted: 18th Aug 2014 17:23
Quote: "True, although if I'm going to sink some money into a gaming laptop, I want to make sure it would be able to play newer games as they come out, too. "


It's fine, you can always upgra-oh wait.

If you're really serious about gaming and heavy UDK use you should really consider whether you really need a laptop or not. You'll be able to save so much money, and will have the option of upgrading any component you want, as well as replacing individual components if they go bad (rather than send the whole machine in to be repaired). Get a slim desktop, put it on its side, and put on top of it a nice LCD monitor with built-in speakers. Tada, less space required and less hassle.

You wouldn't want to sit a gaming laptop on your lap anyway, unless you wanted to sterilise yourself.

Still, if you insist on getting a laptop, make sure it's future-proof. And has a good, long warranty.
Quik
15
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 3rd Jul 2008
Location: Equestria!
Posted: 18th Aug 2014 17:24 Edited at: 19th Aug 2014 00:59
Quote: ""I think when it comes to laptops, people forget you don't need the latest graphics chip for games to be playable.""

True - but then, in a year or two it's very outdated. IMO it's much better to buy a fairly good one, than a mediocre one, if you're interested in modern games if you're okay with what you got and not "too into it" then that's perfectly fine.



Whose eyes are those eyes?
Yodaman Jer
User Banned
Posted: 19th Aug 2014 00:37
What about something like the X51? I'm not sure how upgradeable it is, but general reviews are quite positive, and it has better performance than any of the laptops I've been looking at. It could also fit in my right shoe, it looks like.

I think I will start looking at mini desktops, just to get an idea of what's available. The X51 is more powerful than any laptop I've looked at, and the model I would want it is $900 USD, even throwing in a monitor at that point, it would still come out to be the better deal!


Come check out my new website!
Phaelax
DBPro Master
20
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 16th Apr 2003
Location: Metropia
Posted: 19th Aug 2014 05:15
Quote: "slightly better processor"

From a strictly gaming standpoint, I don't think that will make much difference.

Yodaman Jer
User Banned
Posted: 19th Aug 2014 05:35 Edited at: 19th Aug 2014 08:54
Found what I'm going to buy!

It's a mini PC, and with the specs I chose (8GB RAM, nVidia GTX 780 3GB, 1TB &200 RPM HD, BlueRay drive, and wireless internet), it came to under $1500.00, which is DEFINITELY the best deal I've come across yet.

That also includes a 3 year warranty.

This would definitely be able to run Unreal, and anything else I throw it at. To run Battlefield 4 on Ultra, it requires a GTX 760 3GB, and I chose the 780 model, so that should definitely pack a punch for a good long while.

Best thing is that I can upgrade the card if I need to at a later date.

AND this thing is small enough to easily fit on my desk with my iMac, and I could even connect it to an old 24" HDTV my brother has lying around, until I could afford a bigger screen, where this thing would become my all-in-one media hub - games, movies, music, etc.,.

EDIT: Managed to get the price down to $1142.00, by dropping the card down to a GTX 750 2GB (EVGA Overclocked), so I was able to then also choose a liquid cooling system and better processor, PLUS a 20% overclock mode, so this thing could potentially run a warp engine.

Sadly, upon further inspection of the tower, it is not as "small" as they make it look on their site - in fact it's probably about the size of the Xbox One, so it would NOT fit next to my iMac like I thought...

But now that I know I can get this beauty for this cheap, I'd be willing to figure out a way to house the machine somewhere, like I said it would probably basically become my console+media entertainment center, so I can definitely see hooking it up to a TV for now. It would just be weird to develop with Unreal in that setup, but hey, if that's how I have to make it work, that's how I have to make it work!


Come check out my new website!
Airslide
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 18th Oct 2004
Location: California
Posted: 19th Aug 2014 18:47 Edited at: 19th Aug 2014 18:50
I've got an iBuyPower desktop that's lasted just about 7 years now that's still holding its own with fairly modest upgrades, so I would heartily recommend the brand for a gaming desktop.

If not at the time of purchase, consider adding an SSD later. It doesn't have to be big, just enough for the OS, core apps, and some swap space. I added a 128GB SSD for the OS and my desktop felt like a new machine.

EDIT: Also, you may want to look into your iMac's target display mode, if your Revolt's card has Mini-DisplayPort or DisplayPort. It may only work Mac-to-Mac though, not sure.
MrValentine
AGK Backer
13
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 5th Dec 2010
Playing: FFVII

Login to post a reply

Server time is: 2024-03-28 08:17:49
Your offset time is: 2024-03-28 08:17:49