The Furious Angels
FA Discussion => Support => Topic started by: Enoch on November 12, 2010, 01:30:57 pm
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I was going to threajack Subb's Laptop Problem thread, but I figured it would be better to start a new one instead. I'm looking to buy a gaming laptop in January, and was wondering if anybody else had or has used one that they could recommend.
Based on the research I've done so far, I'm looking at the ASUS G73Jh. Webiste here: http://usa.asus.com/product.aspx?P_ID=8je5Ot4HBnKOdT81
The things I'm considering is cost, screen size (preferrably 15in, but they usually have lower specs because of a smaller body), cooling efficiency, and tech specs. Thanks in advance for the help.
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I am surprised that asus doesn't offer a ssd as an option given the other specs. As far as heat goes, a spinning hdd does heat things up more. If you have to skimp on price, do it with the memory, that's easy to upgrade later (so is the hdd). Speaking from experience, don't go less than a 5800 series ati or 480 nvidia if you want to future proof the laptop for five years out. That one has a solid 5870 (granted laptop architecture can't be as fast as it's desktop counterpart, but they're comparible). Also there really is no benefit to 7 ultimate, another place to save money. As far as cooling goes, you'll just have to read anecdotal evidence, look for bsod problems and other hardware related problems. Most hardware failures are due to inadequate cooling rather than manufacturer defect.
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Cool, thanks for that advice. I probably will upgrade the memory soon after buying it, and I am def. looking into an SSD hard drive, but they're still so darn expensive that I'm not sure on that one yet.
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SSD are soooooooooo expensive.
Im looking at a laptop from Sager (http://www.sagernotebook.com/) and adding an 80G SSD costs an extra $225!
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In brutal honesty, I would HIGHLY recommend using a Desktop for gaming instead. Laptops are fully capable of gaming but don't scale nor last as long.
If you're stuck and absolutely need one (like me ;P) then here is my two cents.
I wouldn't go for the Asus. I've read on the Asus boards about how most people are impressed if they can keep their temps below 80c. Their build quality and cooling isn't so great. On my Alienware M15x with a Clevo 5870 i never went above 73c in ANY game. Furmark is the only thing i've managed to use that will bump me to 79c but that is after 20 minutes or so and then it goes back down once the fans full blast.
I can personally vouch for the 15in. Alienware ( I know subb and others are having problems with the 11in. one) that this thing has extremely good build quality. It also has dual fan cooling which helps with the temps tremendously. I'm gonna hit a year in Jan. and haven't had any major problems.
As Dag said, skimp on the ram and Windows 7 ultimate ( unless you run LOTS of programs that aren't compatible with 7) and you can save that money for either an SSD upgrade, which in my opinion is amazing, or something else like warranty.
In any case i would either recommend the 15in model laptops for either Alienware or Sager. Sager is probably what i see as the main competitor in terms of specs and build for Alienware. Not to mention that both can be upgraded to a certain extent.
The thing with Asus and upgrading the GPU is that they use reverse MXM which can make it a pain to upgrade aftermarket.
If you stick with the Asus just makes sure to extend that warranty. I honestly think the most important thing for a laptop is the warranty. At least with Dell, they tend to upgrade you for free after numerous problems or flat out replace the system with something equal or better.
This is also very easy to exploit but i won't get into that since it is straying a bit off topic. :P
Oh, and one last thing. I'd recommend sticking to the ATI cards if it is STRICTLY for gaming. The Nvdia cards are good but they don't justify the price increase over ATI in terms of gaming.
The cards are great if you do lots of work since Cuda and Physx are used. Otherwise, save some extra money and just get the ATI 58xx series.
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I own an ASUS gaming laptop and I have to say that I love it. It can get quite hot at times but I have never had any issues with it.
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Thanks for that in-depth post Arch. I'll start looking at Alienwares again. Honestly, the biggest turn off with those is that I think they're bulky and kind of ugly. But if they give me the performance I'm looking for, I'm all for it.
I currently have a half-decent desktop, but I'm selling it to Lazarus in January. I'm moving away from home next summer, and wherever I go, I don't know if I'll have much space which is why I'm looking for a laptop instead. As a film student, I've been using a Macbook Pro for the last 3 years or so, but now that I'm graduating and don't need to edit as much, I want to have a Windows laptop.
Without going into too much detail, I'm not worrying about spending on an operating system. RAM I know is easy to upgrade down the line. Hard drives a bit less easy, but still doable. So I pretty much want something with a CPU and GPU that will run SWTOR and other games over the next couple of years at least at medium specs. I'm mostly a console gamer anyway, but I don't want to be out in the cold when there's a PC game I can't play.
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Why not just build a pc?
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Like I said, space and mobility are at a premium or else I would.
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I got my desktop from these guys:
http://www.ibuypower.com/IbpPages/Notebook.aspx
If you're wanting to make sure it can handle gaming, these are the guys to go to. Their website even has an option where you can pick the game and graphics setting and it will tell you which laptops will run it.
I found them to be much more customizable than Dell/Alienware for a much better price as well. My desktop hasn't given me any problems at all (had it for a year and a half).
As mentioned earlier, if you're going with a laptop, you're gonna want to make sure that baby can stay cool. All of my gaming laptops from Dell have had overheating/fan problems.
P.S. I was just informed that this was the 100,000th post on our forums!!
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I got my desktop from these guys:
http://www.ibuypower.com/IbpPages/Notebook.aspx
If you're wanting to make sure it can handle gaming, these are the guys to go to. Their website even has an option where you can pick the game and graphics setting and it will tell you which laptops will run it.
I found them to be much more customizable than Dell/Alienware for a much better price as well. My desktop hasn't given me any problems at all (had it for a year and a half).
As mentioned earlier, if you're going with a laptop, you're gonna want to make sure that baby can stay cool. All of my gaming laptops from Dell have had overheating/fan problems.
I had an XPS before my M15x. That bitch would go all the way up to 89c.
Terrible cooling on that sucker. The 15 and 17 inch Alienware laptops have some of the best cooling in a laptop though. 2 fans with the 15 inch and 3 on the 17 in since it can support SLI.
All you gotta do is go searching those laptop model forums and you'll find all the info you'd want. Everyone of those sections will have plenty of common problems for that particular model so you can decide and weigh them all to see what you'd want to take a gamble with.
Also, remember that it won't be that way with EVERYONE. Nocry's m11x (as far as i know) hasn't given him any problems and Subb got a lemon on his first try =/
I would still say go for a Desktop if possible though. I can't stress that enough especially if you like running everything maxed out like i do.
Every six months you'll want to upgrade the card or get a new laptop. If you're ok with bumping down graphics / having mediocre settings than it won't feel like such a waste of money.
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Cool. Everything seems to be leaning me towards an Alienware now, though I'm still looking at that link Tbone put up. Those look pretty sweet too.
Again, please no more suggestions for a desktop. I've had a custom built desktop for the last 8 years. I know the benefits of building your machine from scratch. I love my current desktop and have been upgrading it when needed for the last 3 years. I understand the positives over a laptop.
However, I need a laptop to conserve space. I'm probably moving to NYC next year. I'll probably be living in a tiny apartment sharing a room with a friend. I won't have space for a desktop. Plus, my work often requires me to be mobile, so a laptop is a must. If I'm going to be forced by this situation to have a laptop, I want it to be a good one. Hence, this topic.
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I know Subb had a shocker with his but M11X is splendid. Plenty powerful enough to game and the battery life is rather impressive if you are not gaming. All in all, over the moon with it.
EDIT - just seen your screen size requirment. Clearly the M11X might be a little small therefore.
I too had a sager for a long time (19 or 21 inch monster) and it was put together very well indeed.
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100,000 posts!
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We have been looking at gaming laptops for a long time and really nothing out there can compare to an Alienware mx17 fully loaded. Its the most expensive but what you get plus the Dell support on top of it is unrivaled in my opinion. They are built well and Alienware has a reputation of being the best. And they were in MxO, end of discussion!
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I like the M17x but it's more of a desktop replacement then anything else. I like the M15x due to the fact it's still a powerful machine without being to heavy to ever bother carrying it around. If you're gonna go for a M17x, might as well just get a desktop. I'm sure carrying it around will get old fast.
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Yeah, that's one of the big debates I'm having. This will essentially be a desktop replacement, but I want to still have some mobility. I'm really thinking I'll go with the M15x and upgrade some of the components myself.
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I guess it just depends on how much you plan on carrying it around. I have a 17" laptop I carry to and from work everyday. However I dont have to carry it vary long distances so it doesnt bother me to much and I enjoy the added screen size. I suppose if I was carrying it on a train or bus and walking long distances it would be a different story. I would probably want a lighter machine.
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Not to mention these laptops are a bit bigger and heavier than their respective size counterparts. My old xps m1530 weighs about 5-6 lbs while my M15x is about 10 lbs. I'm pretty sure the M17x has a similiar size and weight increase.
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I'm uninstalling programs one by one to see if my BSODs are software issues. So far no success. I'll be ringing up if my latest uninstall doesn't work and demanding for my money back and compensation for my time. Thinking of going to Asus.
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Sagers are pretty good. I'd say look into them if you don't get a replacement / different model from AW. I'm sorry to hear about your misfortune with it =(
It's never good hearing about someones nightmare when it comes to computers.
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So I am looking into upgrading to a new gaming laptop, Im on the road all the time and never home much so a desktop is out of the question. I read the above posts and have been looking at the following. Im wondering what people think about this build and price point.
Sager NP8170-S1 (Clevo P170HM)
Display: 17.3" Full HD LED-Backlit with Super Clear Display
Video & Graphics Card: AMD Radeon HD 6970M w/2GB GDDR5 DX11
CPU Processor: Intel® Core™ i7-2820QM (8M Cache, 2.30 GHz)
Thermal Compound: IC Diamond Thermal Compound - CPU + GPU
Operating System: Genuine MS Windows® 7 Home Premium 32/64-Bit Ed
Memory: 16GB DDR3 1333 (4x4GB)
RAID Storage Options: RAID-0 Storage ( Data Strip) *
Primary Hard Disk Drive: 500GB 7200rpm SATA 300 Hard Drive
2nd Hard Disk Drive: 500GB 7200rpm SATA 300 Hard Disk Drive
Optical Drive Bay — Optical Drive or Hard Drive: 6X Blu-ray Reader/8X DVD±R/2.4X +DL Super-Multi Drive
Wireless Network Card: Intel Advanced-N 6230 Wi-Fi + Bluetooth
Primary Battery: 8 cells smart Lithium-Ion battery pack 76.96Wh
Integrated Security Device: Integrated Fingerprint Reader
Warranty: 3 Year Labor and 1 Year Premium** Parts Warranty
Carrying Bag: Standard Carrying Bag
Shipping Method: UPS Ground (FREE!)
Subtotal $2,474.00
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How heavy is that? Seems like a laptop with that much beef would be pretty heavy. That said, I think that's a fair price for those specs.
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for that price just buy a desktop lol. Also check out the Asus G53Jw (http://usa.asus.com/Notebooks/Gaming_Powerhouse/G53Jw/#specifications), its also 1k cheaper.
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DON'T GET A FUCKING ALIENWARE.
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Says 8.6 lbs
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DON'T GET A FUCKING ALIENWARE.
I agree but check out ASUS. The laptop I recommended is just as good as the one your looking at but it also is way cheaper and almost a pound lighter.
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whats wrong with alienware btw?
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Subb has had an absolutely horrible experience with his M11x.
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Ibuypower.com
Trust me.
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Ibuypower.com
Trust me.
Go with this you can get one more powerful than the one your looking at and the one I recommended with an additional 128G solid state drive for $1400.
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Ok, I know what subb and some others were saying about alienwares, but I just couldnt pass up the pretty lights and system specs. I bought this alienware. What do you guys think of the specs? I know some will say its too big to travel with but I already have been traveling with my 17 inch gateway so Im used to it. And the reason Im not going with a desktop is because Im NEVER home with any time to use it when im there. When I am home I have to take care of my 2 gardens 40 fruit trees and all the honey do's that come with it.
Alienware M17x R3 Laptop Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 1
$1,629.00 out the door
Alienware M17x R3 Laptop
8X DVD +/- RW Drive
Dell Wireless 375 Bluetooth Module
Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium
2 GB GDDR5 AMD Radeon HD 6970M
Intel 6300 Wireless-N (2x2) Half Mini-Card
Internal English Single Pointing Keyboard
9 Cell Battery
Operating System DVD
Operating System DVD
12 GB DDR3 SDRAM 1333MHz (4 DIMMs)
Soft Touch Stealth Black
750 GB SATA Hard Drive (7200RPM)
Alienware AVATAR 1
210W/240W switchable Slim 3P A/C Adapter 125V Power Cord
AUTO-UPDATES,ON
Processor: Intel Core i7-2720QM processor (2.20 GHz with Turbo Boost 2.0 up to 3.30 GHz)
17.3 inch Wide FHD (1920 x 1080 60Hz) WLED Display
Dell WebCam Central
Hinge Cover
Image Restore Software
64BIT Operating System
Roxio Software CD
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You won't be disappointed with the computer. The customer service, though...
I love my M11x R1. First and only Alienware I've ever owned. I've never had an issue with it besides the faulty hinges. That was fixed with a phone call.
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Their customer service is pretty good, the over the phone and on site technicians are very hit or miss.
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Don't go with a Dell:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110517/ap_on_hi_te/us_earns_dell
They are making huge profit by selling computers at the same marked up price when the components are getting cheaper.
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Their customer service is pretty good, the over the phone and on site technicians are very hit or miss.
The Alienware guys are always great. It's the Dell people I can't stand.
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I've been using a Dell XPS M1210 for almost 5 years now as my portable. I have no complaints.
I'm interested to see what becomes of the XPS 15z... hopefully not another Adamo.
http://www.slashgear.com/dell-xps-15z-confirmed-coming-soon-by-ceo-video-14151956/
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In all honesty ... go desktop You'll be much more pleased in the long run. More cost efficient and much more reliable for gaming
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I think it's the Euro alienware customers that get screwed over.
A) I can't understand them - I think they're from Iceland.
B) They don't know jack shit.
C) I emailed them how I fixed my second M11xR2's BSOD problem. Basically - don't install AVG Free with the Free Zone Alarm firewall.
D) My HDD wiped itself although I just reinstalled a GFX driver.
E) Overpriced (phone them up to get over $500 discount, that's what I did).
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A desktop would just collect dust for me, I dont have time to game at home.
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Yeah, i get ya Saint. That's why i bought an M15x a year and a half ago. It's still going strong too. Runs most things maxed out with no problems.
As for subb, You are right. After looking it up, Dell is TERRIBLE over seas and even MORE over priced. This is why you always call a rep instead of just buying a config online. At the VERY LEAST you can get away with free express shipping and maybe even some other goodies. If you have a silver tongue, you can easily shave off a few hundred bucks.
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So the XPS 15z turned out to be a thousands of dollars cheaper PC version of the junk they call a MacBook (maybe an 'i' or 'pro' I'm missing in there, but whatever). Turns out it's a great for media, mediocre gaming, with a super hi-res screen for a decent price.
http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/23/dell-xps-15z-review/