Need help buying a gaming laptop

[cider float 2,539]

Someday I would try a hoof on building a gaming desktop but because I might be traveling a bit I'm looking to get a gaming laptop for now I have to replace my smoldering piece of plastic that I call my laptop. Can anyone help me get one in these specs?

 

Let me warn you my n00b level is over 9000. I don't know crap. I just think big numbers = good.

 

CPU: 2.4GHz+ Intel Core (preferably higher but meh going to have CPU take a hit)

Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 980M 4+ GB GDDR5 RAM (if you can find one without the bad switcheroo thing please let me know)

RAM: 16 GB

Storage: 256+ GB SSD, 1TB HDD

Screen: 15-17 inches

Price: Willing to invest up to $1500 or lower

Edited June 16, 2015 by cider float

[long gone 8,929]

Do you need a 980M and 16GB RAM?

[MoltenKitten 342]

I'm a little new to the whole computer tech thing but I am pretty sure the cpu is gonna bottleneck.

[cider float 2,539]

Do you need a 980M and 16GB RAM?

Yes... I mean when I read 960M is vastly inferior to 980M...  I felt I should get the 980M since I'm going to be using this thing for the next 6-10 years and the graphics card matters tons.

 

 

 

I'm a little new to the whole computer tech thing but I am pretty sure the cpu is gonna bottleneck.

 

What's that mean?

Edited June 16, 2015 by cider float

[long gone 8,929]

 

 

Yes... I mean when I read 960M is vastly inferior to 980M...  I felt I should get the 980M since I'm going to be using this thing for the next 6-10 years and the graphics card matters tons.

 If that's the case then will the 970M or 965M do? If you just want 1080p/60FPS you don't really need much more than those right now. Also, are you sure you'll still want a laptop like this in 6 - 10 years? It'll be like using a computer from the '90s right now, it'll be so outdated things will barely work on it.

 

 

I'm a little new to the whole computer tech thing but I am pretty sure the cpu is gonna bottleneck.

It won't be a bottleneck.

 

 

 

What's that mean?

"Bottleneck literally refers to the top narrow part of a bottle. In engineering, it refers to a phenomenon where the performance or capacity of an entire system is limited by a single or small number of components or resources."

[cider float 2,539]

I can sit with a 970M or 960M unless that is going too low. So what would you suggest is better than 2.4ghz for CPU?

 

Is having better CPU better than the graphics card?

Edited June 16, 2015 by cider float

[long gone 8,929]

A 965M is about equal to a 960, which in turn is about equal to my 760, so for 1080p/60FPS gaming it should be fine for a good few years. 970M however comes stock with another gigabyte of RAM.

[cider float 2,539]

If I can get a Nvidia 970M SLI though that would be even more beast.

 

CPU: 2.4GHz+ Intel Core (preferably higher but meh going to have CPU take a hit)

Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 980M 4+ GB GDDR5 RAM or 970M SLI (if you can find one without the bad switcheroo thing please let me know)

RAM: 16 GB

Storage: 256+ GB SSD, 1TB HDD

Screen: 15-17 inches

Price: Willing to invest up to $1500 or lower

[Velcorn 279]

For gaming, the CPU isn't the most important thing... Just go with anything that's good enough to back up your GPU...

 

16 GB RAM is utterly useless especially in a laptop unless you want to do some hardcore rendering which I don't assume... 8 GB is sufficient for everything in my opinion...

 

My gaming laptop has the 860M and I can tell you if you go for the 970 that will be sufficient... The upper classes are always a big waste of money like e.g. the GTX 980 in comparison to the 970 is almost double the price and it will still be obsolete in almost the same time span... Just go with the 970, it will suffice...

 

I just don't like the concept of gaming laptops because you simply can't really change any components and you have to buy one you find in a store and can't create your own one just from the parts you'd like to which makes it almost as expensive as a high-end gaming desktop...

Edited June 17, 2015 by Velcorn

[ponypowa96 106]

Some games will be much more CPU-heavy than others though. I'd still say it's never a good idea to skip out on a good CPU.

 

CyberpowerPC have some nice gaming laptops, for example:

 

http://www.cyberpowerpc.com/system/Fangbook_Edge_Gaming_Laptop

 

costs $1289 and you can get an i7 4870hq, 970m + 8gb ram. you could upgrade to 16GB of RAM easily using their configurator given the budget you have. I bought a laptop from the british counterpart to cyberpowerpc (cyberpowersystem) a year ago and it still works perfectly. Just make sure you get a cooling platform for it to rest on.

[cider float 2,539]

For gaming, the CPU isn't the most important thing... Just go with anything that's good enough to back up your GPU...

 

16 GB RAM is utterly useless especially in a laptop unless you want to do some hardcore rendering which I don't assume... 8 GB is sufficient for everything in my opinion...

 

My gaming laptop has the 860M and I can tell you if you go for the 970 that will be sufficient... The upper classes are always a big waste of money like e.g. the GTX 980 in comparison to the 970 is almost double the price and it will still be obsolete in almost the same time span... Just go with the 970, it will suffice...

 

I just don't like the concept of gaming laptops because you simply can't really change any components and you have to buy one you find in a store and can't create your own one just from the parts you'd like to which makes it almost as expensive as a high-end gaming desktop...

From what I've been reading the GTX 980M comes close enough to bringing the laptop to desktop speeds. The 970M SLI (Eons seems to be the only laptop with a 970M SLI right now) exceeds even desktop speeds in some games.

 

I might sit for a GTX 960M though if I find a good deal.

 

 

Some games will be much more CPU-heavy than others though. I'd still say it's never a good idea to skip out on a good CPU.

 

CyberpowerPC have some nice gaming laptops, for example:

 

http://www.cyberpowerpc.com/system/Fangbook_Edge_Gaming_Laptop

 

costs $1289 and you can get an i7 4870hq, 970m + 8gb ram. you could upgrade to 16GB of RAM easily using their configurator given the budget you have. I bought a laptop from the british counterpart to cyberpowerpc (cyberpowersystem) a year ago and it still works perfectly. Just make sure you get a cooling platform for it to rest on.

Is there any risk in not having a SSD?

Edited June 17, 2015 by cider float

[Jora 164]

i have an ASUS G73Jw they are great older gaming laptops mine is a 2010 model but i may upgrade to a G75 here soon as my G73's keyboard is slowly dying the w key d key the 2 key and esc keys and almost not able for work anymore is their any fix for it???  

[cider float 2,539]

i have an ASUS G73Jw they are great older gaming laptops mine is a 2010 model but i may upgrade to a G75 here soon as my G73's keyboard is slowly dying the w key d key the 2 key and esc keys and almost not able for work anymore is their any fix for it???  

 

If your keyboard looks like that you could probably replace it on your own but the keyboard will cost you about 59 bucks.

 

http://www.laptopinventory.com/ModelDetail.php/Asus/G%20Series/G73JW/Keyboard/72

[Jora 164]

thats not to bad then i can find it cheaper on Ebay any ho