Gaming laptop
- Thread starter sarabose
- Start date
greatman05
Posts: 423 +0
Personally, I'd stay away from Dell; they have a bad track record when it comes to support.
If you're looking for OEM companies, Asus is the best in my opinion; their laptops are reasonably priced and come with some pretty good components.
If you want to try something different, go with a system builder; XoticPC is pretty good according to reviews. I've talked with their customer support and they are fantastic. They'll help you make a pretty good build, and their prices are not too crazy. They're a bit more expensive than other system builders, but the extra price is worth the great support and reassurance that what you get has been quality tested, will work to your satisfaction and also give you a great warranty.
If you're steadfast about Dell, then go with the XPS series and get at least a 15 inch laptop; anything less than that is not gonna do you justice in the parts nor the screen resolution.
If you're looking for OEM companies, Asus is the best in my opinion; their laptops are reasonably priced and come with some pretty good components.
If you want to try something different, go with a system builder; XoticPC is pretty good according to reviews. I've talked with their customer support and they are fantastic. They'll help you make a pretty good build, and their prices are not too crazy. They're a bit more expensive than other system builders, but the extra price is worth the great support and reassurance that what you get has been quality tested, will work to your satisfaction and also give you a great warranty.
If you're steadfast about Dell, then go with the XPS series and get at least a 15 inch laptop; anything less than that is not gonna do you justice in the parts nor the screen resolution.
dustin_ds3000
Posts: 918 +49
i think Asus makes the best gaming laptops, i have the G73SW-3DE. How much do you have to spend.
gaming laptop is a myth i tried the xps and alienware both sucks and till now my alienware having loads of problems even its 1 month old so i guess the best option for a gaming get a DESKTOP because the laptop is 1 hour without plug in and it will get hot and stuff so take me as example
greatman05
Posts: 423 +0
They're definitely not a myth. I owned a gaming laptop myself and it was a pretty good performer; one of the fastest computers I've ever used. It was also very cool and quiet; I ran this computer 24/7 for a while and would barely be able to tell it was on without viewing the lights. The battery life wasn't great (2-3 hours on average, an hour or less under heavy usage), but if you're really concerned about that, take a look at the NVidia Optimus/AMD Dynamic Switchable Graphics technologies. Dedicated GPUs in laptops are significant power drains, and these technologies aim to increase battery life by making use of the integrated GPU during times of low graphics usage (Youtube, office work, etc.).
If you're still thinking about a gaming laptop, here are a few things to look for:
Processor: Intel 2nd-Gen Core i5 minimum (i7 if you can afford it; the 1st-Gen Core i5s and i7s are also pretty good performers, but I believe they have higher power consumption. Don't quote me on that though.)
RAM: 4GB minimum (8GB is standard)
HD: 500GB minimum (standard size now; SSDs still aren't mature enough and too expensive so I wouldn't recommend those for now)
GPU: NVidia and AMD have been putting out some really good stuff lately, so either or is fine. For NVidia, GT500 series is preferred; AMD, HD6000M series (make sure it's dedicated for both brands)
Any other features you want are for you to decide; those are just what I think makes a decent gaming laptop.
Zilpha
Posts: 316 +4
Well, I have both an Alienware m15x and an m11x and have had no such issues with either machine. The m15x is a powerhouse that has handled anything I have thrown at it, and the m11x is perfect for travel, when I want to be able to do some gaming on the go. I even got the little guy out of the Outlet store, and it runs like it was built new for me. Seriously, when I see comments like this that have absolutely no detail and just bash the brand, I have to wonder how much the user actually knows about the hardware and software on their machines. It sounds more like user error than anything actually wrong with the laptop.
Dell support is also not anywhere near as bad as some people are claiming, at least on the AW side. I called to get some software that wasn't included on my disc for some reason, and they uploaded it to the laptop, no questions asked. It took me all of five minutes to get what I needed. Perhaps I was just luckier than the rest of you.
Vrmithrax
Posts: 1,609 +679
I really don't understand the mentality of replies like this... The OP asked about a gaming laptop, which usually implies there is a reason (or reasons) that they are looking for a laptop and not a desktop. So, rather than throwing in the "get a desktop instead" banter from the peanut gallery, maybe stick with the topic and try helping instead?
Or, if you absolutely must get your anti-laptop message heard, maybe you can take me as a counter-example. On the road constantly, have a fast gaming rig that just sits at home collecting dust, and have put far more gaming hours into my various Dell and ASUS laptops over the years.
I have a Dell Vostro with a Radeon HD 6630M at the moment, and it's just ok for gaming... Chokes on some higher end stuff, the Switchable Graphics system is a little flaky (not nearly as fluid as nVidia's Optima system), but it does alright if you aren't going to try to chunk major fps at high rez in newer games. And it was about half of some of the gaming rigs I was eyeing at the time. Plus, it gets good battery life, which was one of my concerns in my current situation (away from outlets more than usual for the next 6 months). My next system, I feel, will be an ASUS - as mentioned by a few others here, their gaming laptops are solid and zippy, and would serve a gamer on the road well.
I'd take you as an example of someone who speaks before they think. You yourself had a problematic laptop, so surely everyone else must have as well. Alienware is representative of ALL laptop makers, everyone tries to game on the battery, and they do so while running at 90C+, etc etc. Try adding something useful to the topic or don't bother posting at all.
To OP:
If you insist on a Dell, the M17x or M18x are really your only worthwhile options. I wouldn't recommend the M14x unless you really value portability, because the GT555m it comes with is rather weak for gaming at screen's native 1920x1080 resolution.
Between the M17 or 18x, it's really up to you, if you want the most powerful graphics solution, take the M18x and you can get an SLI or Crossfire setup. For best bang for your buck overall, I'd recommend the M17x with an HD6990M, it'll provide most of the performance of a GTX580m but for $300 less. If you want the best display with 3D capabilities, I'd take the M17x 3D with a GTX580m. Whether you use the 3D or not, the 120Hz panel will provide you with a smoother looking gaming experience, especially if you tend to use Vsync in games.
You can't really go wrong with any combination of components you choose, but since you'll be playing at 1920x1080, I recommend skipping the HD6870 and GTX560m options, and going for either a HD6990 or GTX580m.
Once again, if you could please engage your brain for a second, you could see that we are discussing LAPTOPS and their corresponding MOBILE GPUs, such as HD6870m/HD6990m, GTX560m/GTX580m....see the m? How you got around to thinking that I was suggesting DESKTOP GPUs is beyond me.
They are decent cards, but they pale in comparison to their desktop counterparts.
Desktop HD6870 = 1120 sps @900MHz , mobile = 800sp @675MHz.
Desktop GTX 560 = 336sp @ 810MHz, mobile = 192sp @ 775MHz.
On the other hand:
HD6990m = 1120sp @ 715MHz, basically a desktop HD6870 underclocked
GTX580m = 384sp @ 620MHz, underclocked desktop GTX560Ti
The first 2 are still capable of gaming @1080, but when compared to the HD6990m/GTX580m, they come up quite short. As you mentioned, the desktop HD6870/GTX560Ti are great cards to use @ 1080, and that's why I recommended their mobile counterparts.
Desktop HD6870 = 1120 sps @900MHz , mobile = 800sp @675MHz.
Desktop GTX 560 = 336sp @ 810MHz, mobile = 192sp @ 775MHz.
On the other hand:
HD6990m = 1120sp @ 715MHz, basically a desktop HD6870 underclocked
GTX580m = 384sp @ 620MHz, underclocked desktop GTX560Ti
The first 2 are still capable of gaming @1080, but when compared to the HD6990m/GTX580m, they come up quite short. As you mentioned, the desktop HD6870/GTX560Ti are great cards to use @ 1080, and that's why I recommended their mobile counterparts.
)Similar threads
