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[Parallax Scroll]

One thing I didn't bring up about the Sager NP8268-S that I had recently is that the monitor is not very bright. Even when turned up to maximum it's still on the dim side. The MSI GT60 I got yesterday has a much brighter monitor.

Some of the installed software is ok/semi-useful but hard to find. The steelseries engine or utility or whatever it is, is well hidden and seems to only modify the colouring of the keys; can't find any way to modify the key functions themselves and right Ctrl/Alt keys are not acting as real keys at the moment.

Where is the Steelseries utility? I haven't customized the colors on my MSI's keyboard yet.

 

[K.Jack]

One thing I didn't bring up about the Sager NP8268-S that I had recently is that the monitor is not very bright. Even when turned up to maximum it's still on the dim side. The MSI GT60 I got yesterday has a much brighter monitor.



Where is the Steelseries utility? I haven't customized the colors on my MSI's keyboard yet.

To change colors, you need the KLM, which is the rainbow icon in the notification area on the taskbar. Double-click it and it pops up.

 

[artful_dodger]

Thanks for all the tips, I just picked up a Pro-Star / Clevo P150SM-A.

Upgraded to the 128GB SSD but base model otherwise.

$1250 plus tax.

 

[K.Jack]

Thanks for all the tips, I just picked up a Pro-Star / Clevo P150SM-A.

Upgraded to the 128GB SSD but base model otherwise.

$1250 plus tax.

You really should upgrade to the GTX 970M. It's almost 2x the speed of the 870M, and will extend the lifespan of your laptop immensely. It's worth more than the SSD even.

 

[Parallax Scroll]

I mean that Clevo doesn't put as much care into the externals, as they do the internals. Shell design, keyboard, touchpad, etc. Everything is just average.

"Average" is being generous.

 

[artful_dodger]

You really should upgrade to the GTX 970M. It's almost 2x the speed of the 870M, and will extend the lifespan of your laptop immensely. It's worth more than the SSD even.

It's a compelling argument. They're out of stock on the 870m right now, too...

 

[JinjoUnchained]

*Note: I originally posted this question as an OT in this thread.
Per suggestion by Terrisus, I'll re-post here instead as this seems to be the place for such queries.

Here's my situation: I've been creaking by with a 7 year old MacBook Pro at home for years, mostly for media/web browsing/Garage Band and some professional development (took some courses in R, XCode, and ASP.Net using VM Ware Fusion). I'm not a CS major or engineer, but I've programmed since I was a kid and my job in corporate finance has evolved over the years where it's now probably 80/20 between programming/business; mostly scripting with SQL, SSIS, VBA, and some basic Windows Form development with Visual Studio and C#/LINQ, all on a company HP EliteBook 8570.

So automating Accounts Payable and tying out different SQL servers is fine and all, but I'm ready to develop further beyond the things I'm allowed to do on my work PC. Hence, I'm shopping for a powerful, but cost-effective laptop for the first time and am a bit lost!

Here's are my main interests and what I need the laptop to handle well:

• Data science (both traditional stand-alone and big data/cloud architectures)
• Analyzing web data (with Python or something similar) and web programming
• Software development (C++ and/or Java)
• Messing about with computer graphics (e.g. Maya) and programming (i.e. Unity); lower priority.

Here are my desired features:

• Modern two-in-one functionality with a traditional PC side and a Windows 8 touch screen side (doesn't have to be all slick like a Yoga Pro, just highly functional)
• Decent media performance and streaming (don't need more than 1366/768 resolution on 15.6'' screen)
• Ability to play indie/older games on at least medium settings with decent performance.
• Form factor is not that important, rather get more computer than a slicker build for the same price.
• Sub $1000 price range

Best option I've seen in my local Best Buy is this Lenovo EDGE 15. Spec-wise and feature-wise it looks good, but it's not even on Lenovo's site anymore and customers on BB have complained about bad Wi-Fi. Not sure if they're idiots or if the complaints are legit, or if I should be looking at something else.

Anyone here have a similar situation and can share a recommendation?

TLDR: Need a good PC laptop for under $1,000 for professional development in data science/web data/software development. Ignorant about such things because I've stubbornly clung to my MacBook for too long. Decent performance for two-in-one tablet functionality, media, and medium sized gaming are appreciated. Help!

 

[Parallax Scroll]

To change colors, you need the KLM, which is the rainbow icon in the notification area on the taskbar. Double-click it and it pops up.

Huh, I guess it only has 3 color zones. I thought it was supposed to have more than that.

 

[shockdude]

Also for those with quad-core CPUs (especially in 15.6 inch laptops) I strongly recommend getting Intel Extreme Tuning Utility and undervolting. I've set a Dynamic CPU Voltage Offset of -85mV and gotten a decrease of about 7C under load. I'm going to fiddle with underclocking and undervolting a bit and see if I can get any more. Always make sure you run stress tests and thoroughly check temps and settings if you decide to do this.

Funny you mentioned XTU. I checked it out the other day, and undervolted CPU, cache, and integrated graphics by 50mV each. Haven't done any benchmarks or formal tests, but it seemed perfectly stable when running Battlefield 3 and when running Dolphin with CPU at full turbo boost, and temps seemed to be lower as well.

IIRC there is no risk of permanently damaging the CPU from undervolting. The worst that can happen is a computer crash or shutdown, though a crash can cause secondary issues like file corruption or SSD corruption if you're really unlucky.

 

[Quixzlizx]

There's a bunch of bloatware on the Acer V15 Nitro, so I'm thinking of just loading a fresh install of WIndows on there. I know I'll have to reinstall the drivers, but are there any Acer utilities that I should reinstall that are actually helpful instead of just bloat?

 

[Munin]

I just got a external monitor for my Clevo. Does anyone know if running the laptop with lid closed from here on would negatively affect the airflow/cooling while playing games?

 

[K.Jack]

"Average" is being generous.

Well, it's subjective imo. There are tons of people (just check the NBR subforum) who are 100% okay with what Clevo offers, because they only have the budget to go after the fastest components.

It's a compelling argument. They're out of stock on the 870m right now, too...

Do it. Do it. Do it. You'll thank me later, I can promise you that.

*Note: I originally posted this question as an OT in this thread.
Per suggestion by Terrisus, I'll re-post here instead as this seems to be the place for such queries.

Here's my situation: I've been creaking by with a 7 year old MacBook Pro at home for years, mostly for media/web browsing/Garage Band and some professional development (took some courses in R, XCode, and ASP.Net using VM Ware Fusion). I'm not a CS major or engineer, but I've programmed since I was a kid and my job in corporate finance has evolved over the years where it's now probably 80/20 between programming/business; mostly scripting with SQL, SSIS, VBA, and some basic Windows Form development with Visual Studio and C#/LINQ, all on a company HP EliteBook 8570.

So automating Accounts Payable and tying out different SQL servers is fine and all, but I'm ready to develop further beyond the things I'm allowed to do on my work PC. Hence, I'm shopping for a powerful, but cost-effective laptop for the first time and am a bit lost!

Here's are my main interests and what I need the laptop to handle well:

• Data science (both traditional stand-alone and big data/cloud architectures)
• Analyzing web data (with Python or something similar) and web programming
• Software development (C++ and/or Java)
• Messing about with computer graphics (e.g. Maya) and programming (i.e. Unity); lower priority.

Here are my desired features:

• Modern two-in-one functionality with a traditional PC side and a Windows 8 touch screen side (doesn't have to be all slick like a Yoga Pro, just highly functional)
• Decent media performance and streaming (don't need more than 1366/768 resolution on 15.6'' screen)
• Ability to play indie/older games on at least medium settings with decent performance.
• Form factor is not that important, rather get more computer than a slicker build for the same price.
• Sub $1000 price range

Best option I've seen in my local Best Buy is this Lenovo EDGE 15. Spec-wise and feature-wise it looks good, but it's not even on Lenovo's site anymore and customers on BB have complained about bad Wi-Fi. Not sure if they're idiots or if the complaints are legit, or if I should be looking at something else.

Anyone here have a similar situation and can share a recommendation?

TLDR: Need a good PC laptop for under $1,000 for professional development in data science/web data/software development. Ignorant about such things because I've stubbornly clung to my MacBook for too long. Decent performance for two-in-one tablet functionality, media, and medium sized gaming are appreciated. Help!

How much GPU power to you need?

Huh, I guess it only has 3 color zones. I thought it was supposed to have more than that.

Yeah it's 3 zones, keyboard only. The new GT72 has way more lights to play with, for better or worse.

There's a bunch of bloatware on the Acer V15 Nitro, so I'm thinking of just loading a fresh install of WIndows on there. I know I'll have to reinstall the drivers, but are there any Acer utilities that I should reinstall that are actually helpful instead of just bloat?

I don't know what comes with the Nitro. I usually delete all of the security crap, but keep the actual proprietary apps.

I just got a external monitor for my Clevo. Does anyone know if running the laptop with lid closed from here on would negatively affect the airflow/cooling while playing games?

AFAIK Clevos don't draw air in from the keyboard, so you'll be fine.

 

[phierce]

I'm placing my order tomorrow (Sager 8278-S). Before I do, can anyone break down the main differences between the 970 and 980?

Is there a big lifespan difference between the two?

 

[artful_dodger]

Do it. Do it. Do it. You'll thank me later, I can promise you that.

Done. Thanks for the tip!

 

[JinjoUnchained]

How much GPU power to you need?

Good question, I'm not entirely sure. My preference in a GPU is computational power over graphics power. I'm interested in, say running regression analysis on a million data points without the GPU/CPU choking. I'm not going to be playing Assassin's Creed Unity on this thing. So maybe something like a mid range Ge Force? Hope that's specific enough.

 

[Diomedes]

One thing I didn't bring up about the Sager NP8268-S that I had recently is that the monitor is not very bright. Even when turned up to maximum it's still on the dim side. The MSI GT60 I got yesterday has a much brighter monitor.



Where is the Steelseries utility? I haven't customized the colors on my MSI's keyboard yet.

In the GS60 (not GT60) it hides in the taskbar

 

[Quixzlizx]

I don't know what comes with the Nitro. I usually delete all of the security crap, but keep the actual proprietary apps.

I've already gotten rid of everything else, but here's what's left:

Acer:
abDocs
abFiles
abMedia
abPhoto
Acer Care Center
Acer Explorer Agent
Acer Launch Manager
Acer Portal
Acert Power Management
Acer Quick Access
Acer Recovery Management
Acer User Experience Improvement Program Framework
AOP Framework

3rd Party:
Dolby Digital Plus Home Theater
Pokki Start Menu

I just want to get rid of any of this stuff that doesn't actually matter for the operation of the laptop. I don't really need Acer's cloud stuff or office suite or whatever.

 

[Parallax Scroll]

In the GS60 (not GT60) it hides in the taskbar

Yeah I found it. The GT60 came with two separate utilities to color the keyboard for some reason.

 

[King Tubby]

I've already gotten rid of everything else, but here's what's left:

Acer:
abDocs
abFiles
abMedia
abPhoto
Acer Care Center
Acer Explorer Agent
Acer Launch Manager
Acer Portal
Acert Power Management
Acer Quick Access
Acer Recovery Management
Acer User Experience Improvement Program Framework
AOP Framework

3rd Party:
Dolby Digital Plus Home Theater
Pokki Start Menu

I just want to get rid of any of this stuff that doesn't actually matter for the operation of the laptop. I don't really need Acer's cloud stuff or office suite or whatever.

Of all those things the only things I decided to keep are Care Center, Power Management, Recovery Management, and Dolby Digital.

 

[Anon67]

I recently bought the Acer Aspire V17 Nitro laptop recently here. Was $1300. Comes with some good specs. Here

Overall the laptop seems to be fine. Going form a 900p screen (old laptop) to a brand new 1080p IPS screen is amazing. Things look a bit darker, but I think that is suppose to happen. IDK. Looks fine to me.

I wish the keyboard was a bit more clickier, but at its current state, I really like the keyboard. The mouse pad is...well, fine. When it works, it works really well. But the problem I have is that its not very sensitive. Like if I move about a millimeter or two on the pad, the computer doesn't register. When I move my finger a bit farther, then it registers and continues to register no matter how far I move my finger. This problem occurs only went I touch the pad initially and want to make a slight adjustment to the cursor. Hope that makes sense. Anyone know how to fix this problem?

I have another problem. I've been downloading Steam games recently, and I've been seeing my downloads drop from 1.9 MB/s to as low as 80 bytes/s. At one moment, I'm getting max speeds, but soon, the speed slowly drops down to around zero. When this happens, I go to my browser and see if I can load pages and guess what, I can't load any pages. This problem usually gets fixed within a couple of minutes, which is meh, but I'm worried that this problem will occur when I play online games like DOTA and CSGO.

I don't want to lag for a couple of minutes in these games...so does anyone have any suggestions on how I can fix this? If I can't fix this, then I'll definitely return it, which I don't want to do since I like this laptop and I'm particularly lazy.

Oh yeah, I update the wireless drivers to the latest and deleted much of the bloatware.

 

[Quixzlizx]

I recently bought the Acer Aspire V17 Nitro laptop recently here. Was $1300. Comes with some good specs. Here

Overall the laptop seems to be fine. Going form a 900p screen (old laptop) to a brand new 1080p IPS screen is amazing. Things look a bit darker, but I think that is suppose to happen. IDK. Looks fine to me.

I wish the keyboard was a bit more clickier, but at its current state, I really like the keyboard. The mouse pad is...well, fine. When it works, it works really well. But the problem I have is that its not very sensitive. Like if I move about a millimeter or two on the pad, the computer doesn't register. When I move my finger a bit farther, then it registers and continues to register no matter how far I move my finger. This problem occurs only went I touch the pad initially and want to make a slight adjustment to the cursor. Hope that makes sense. Anyone know how to fix this problem?

I have another problem. I've been downloading Steam games recently, and I've been seeing my downloads drop from 1.9 MB/s to as low as 80 bytes/s. At one moment, I'm getting max speeds, but soon, the speed slowly drops down to around zero. When this happens, I go to my browser and see if I can load pages and guess what, I can't load any pages. This problem usually gets fixed within a couple of minutes, which is meh, but I'm worried that this problem will occur when I play online games like DOTA and CSGO.

I don't want to lag for a couple of minutes in these games...so does anyone have any suggestions on how I can fix this? If I can't fix this, then I'll definitely return it, which I don't want to do since I like this laptop and I'm particularly lazy.

Oh yeah, I update the wireless drivers to the latest and deleted much of the bloatware.

Have you tried using the Ethernet connection to make sure that the problems only occur when you're on Wifi? At least then you'll definitely know what the problem is.

 

[PaulExcellent]

Hey, K.Jack! Got a few questions.
You recommended a GS60 or GS70 earlier to me as a replacement for my current XPS 15. I was going to buy it until I had a talk with my advisor, who mentioned I should get something with around 4 hours of battery life. Although the specs are still perfect, the GS60 appears to die rather quickly. Is there anything else you recommend?

 

[scottnak]

Hey K.Jack, back again for your advice. Thanks for the help 3 years ago

I've re-confirmed that water + laptop doesn't mix, so ... yeah...

Anywhoo:
Country where it will be purchased: US

Maximum budget: aiming 1500 max, keeping it in the 1300s would be nice, but i'm willing to spend s'more

Max size (can be in screen inches, dimensions, weight): Interested in giving a 17" a shot, no qualms in a 15" though

Planned usage (what kind of games or specific games it must run, if heavily gaming at all). Ideally you'll point out what resolution and settings are your standard, based off of what I've laid out in the OP: Civ BE, Tropico, Diablo 3, Starcraft2 are the big games I play lately. Just want to be able to play these games comfortably. Ultra is nice, but not really a priority

Whatever else you find relevant, misc. things such as desired battery life, screen resolution, fan noise, etc: HDMI out is a must, but otherwise pretty open to hear options

Any guidance on where/what to look at is appreciated.
Thanks in advance

 

[Collete]

Need help finding a laptop for gaming and streaming Hulu.

Country where it will be purchased.: USA
Maximum budget.: $2,000
Max size (can be in screen inches, dimensions, weight).: 17.5 inches is the max, (weight does not matter)
Planned usage : Gaming and streaming, as I said, but games can vary to Thief, Witcher, TF2, Borderlands, etc
Ideally you'll point out what resolution and settings are your standa: High GPU: Medium to High settings at 1920x1080 (GTX 770M, GTX 860M, GTX 870M)
Whatever else you find relevant, misc. things such as desired battery life, screen resolution, fan noise, etc. : Would need a Nvidia card instead of AMD like stated in the OP of the thread.

Would appreciate any help!

 

[K.Jack]

I'm placing my order tomorrow (Sager 8278-S). Before I do, can anyone break down the main differences between the 970 and 980?

Is there a big lifespan difference between the two?

Only difference between the two is power, which is 25% in the 980M's favor.

Good question, I'm not entirely sure. My preference in a GPU is computational power over graphics power. I'm interested in, say running regression analysis on a million data points without the GPU/CPU choking. I'm not going to be playing Assassin's Creed Unity on this thing. So maybe something like a mid range Ge Force? Hope that's specific enough.

If you need a dedicated GPU and touchscreen, I'm not sure you'll be able to go cheaper than this. Unless you deem the 840M that's in the EDGE to be fast enough for your needs.

Hey, K.Jack! Got a few questions.
You recommended a GS60 or GS70 earlier to me as a replacement for my current XPS 15. I was going to buy it until I had a talk with my advisor, who mentioned I should get something with around 4 hours of battery life. Although the specs are still perfect, the GS60 appears to die rather quickly. Is there anything else you recommend?

According to Laptop Mag, the battery life is over 4 hours.

Hey K.Jack, back again for your advice. Thanks for the help 3 years ago

I've re-confirmed that water + laptop doesn't mix, so ... yeah...

Anywhoo:
Country where it will be purchased: US

Maximum budget: aiming 1500 max, keeping it in the 1300s would be nice, but i'm willing to spend s'more

Max size (can be in screen inches, dimensions, weight): Interested in giving a 17" a shot, no qualms in a 15" though

Planned usage (what kind of games or specific games it must run, if heavily gaming at all). Ideally you'll point out what resolution and settings are your standard, based off of what I've laid out in the OP: Civ BE, Tropico, Diablo 3, Starcraft2 are the big games I play lately. Just want to be able to play these games comfortably. Ultra is nice, but not really a priority

Whatever else you find relevant, misc. things such as desired battery life, screen resolution, fan noise, etc: HDMI out is a must, but otherwise pretty open to hear options

Any guidance on where/what to look at is appreciated.
Thanks in advance

This.

Need help finding a laptop for gaming and streaming Hulu.

Country where it will be purchased.: USA
Maximum budget.: $2,000
Max size (can be in screen inches, dimensions, weight).: 17.5 inches is the max, (weight does not matter)
Planned usage : Gaming and streaming, as I said, but games can vary to Thief, Witcher, TF2, Borderlands, etc
Ideally you'll point out what resolution and settings are your standa: High GPU: Medium to High settings at 1920x1080 (GTX 770M, GTX 860M, GTX 870M)
Whatever else you find relevant, misc. things such as desired battery life, screen resolution, fan noise, etc. : Would need a Nvidia card instead of AMD like stated in the OP of the thread.

Would appreciate any help!

Best bang for buck is one of these configured with the 980M.


For a more high-end machine, spend for this.

 

[ZERATUL PL]

So I'm looking for new gaming laptop. The max I'm willing to pay is $1000. In 2011 i spent $1600 on MSI GX740 and it served me well...

This time my budget is a lower because I'm thinking to replace my laptop every 2 years, instead of 3... so I was browsing newegg.com hoping to find something good.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834152646

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834152668

Can you please take a look, advise and/or suggest one of the above or something else... Thanks

Country where it will be purchased.: USA
Maximum budget.: $1,000
Max size (can be in screen inches, dimensions, weight).: 17.5 inches is the max, (weight does not matter)
Planned usage : Gaming and streaming

 

[King Tubby]

So I'm looking for new gaming laptop. The max I'm willing to pay is $1000. In 2011 i spent $1600 on MSI GX740 and it served me well...

This time my budget is a lower because I'm thinking to replace my laptop every 2 years, instead of 3... so I was browsing newegg.com hoping to find something good.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834152646

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834152668

Can you please take a look, advise and/or suggest one of the above or something else... Thanks

Country where it will be purchased.: USA
Maximum budget.: $1,000
Max size (can be in screen inches, dimensions, weight).: 17.5 inches is the max, (weight does not matter)
Planned usage : Gaming and streaming

For $1000 you should get at least a GTX 860M.

 

[Parallax Scroll]

This MSI GT60 is real nice so far. Games run great without any heat issues. The fans are louder than the Sager I had when running a game, but not unbearably so. The touchpad isn't as good as the one in my old Asus laptop, but it's a lot better than the Sager and is at least usable. No problems with the wireless card like I had with the Sager. Keyboard feels great.

 

[ZERATUL PL]

How's Asus? I never had Asus?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...=ASUS_ROG_GL551JM-DH71-_-34-232-122-_-Product

 

[phierce]

K. Jack, you're the man! Thanks for all the help/advice throughout this thread.

Couple last questions...if I go with the 970 in the 8278-S, is it possible to upgrade later on to the 980 or higher?

Also, what's the lifespan of the 970, in terms of gaming, vs. the 980 (how long will it serve me well)?

I'm more than likely going with the 980 out of the gate, but I'm just curious really.

If it matters, I'll be upgrading the stock 128 to 256 regardless (plus the 2yr warranty and windows 8, as you mentioned previously).

Thanks!

 

[NEO0MJ]

How's Asus? I never had Asus?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...=ASUS_ROG_GL551JM-DH71-_-34-232-122-_-Product

Asus makes pretty good laptops if I'm not mistaken, and it seems to have good specs for its price.

KCouple last questions...if I go with the 970 in the 8278-S, is it possible to upgrade later on to the 980 or higher?

It's possible, but might be hard to actually buy the GPU separately.

 

[ZERATUL PL]

Please help

This

http://www.newegg.com/Special/ShellShocker.aspx?cm_sp=Homepage_SS-_-P1_34-317-890-_-12082014

or this

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834152668

 

[JinjoUnchained]

If you need a dedicated GPU and touchscreen, I'm not sure you'll be able to go cheaper than this. Unless you deem the 840M that's in the EDGE to be fast enough for your needs.

Thanks K.Jack! Through employee discounts, I can get the Y50 Touch for $1,050 this week, so I'll take the plunge by Friday, barring some other surprise deal.

Out of curiosity, some others have recommended waiting a few months for more Broadwell-based laptops. Given my interests, do you think that would matter to me? Or consumers in general?

 

[Fezan]

Please help

This

http://www.newegg.com/Special/ShellShocker.aspx?cm_sp=Homepage_SS-_-P1_34-317-890-_-12082014

or this

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834152668

One is printer other is laptop . so it depends on your needs

So any one here played unity or farcry 4 on gtx860m ?
Thinking of buying gs60 as i cant wait any more for 960m

 

[scottnak]

Thanks K.Jack, the laptop is on the way now

 

[Quixzlizx]

Just as a warning to anyone who bought an Acer V15 Nitro Black during BF weekend. I just read this Anandtech article about $1000 laptops. They have a section about the Acer V15, but mention that part# NX.MQLAA.001 is the only V15 with an IPS screen. The Acer V15s being sold on Newegg are part#s NX.MQLAA.003 and NX.MQLAA.004.

If you go to Acer's website, the NX.MQLAA.004 just has "Comfyview" listed under screen display technology. The same for the NX.MQLAA.003.

The viewing angles on my laptop seemed good so far, but tbh I've been busy lately and have only fooled around on it for a couple of hours, and I haven't done any gaming yet. One of the main reasons why I bought this model and not one of the 970M laptops is because I wanted an IPS screen, and none of the reviews mentioned anything other than IPS, so I'm going to have to look into this. If it's true, I think it's kind of scummy to send out review units with an IPS panel and have other models with the same model#, but different part#, which I did not even know existed until reading that Anandtech article.

 

[K.Jack]

K. Jack, you're the man! Thanks for all the help/advice throughout this thread.

Couple last questions...if I go with the 970 in the 8278-S, is it possible to upgrade later on to the 980 or higher?

Also, what's the lifespan of the 970, in terms of gaming, vs. the 980 (how long will it serve me well)?

I'm more than likely going with the 980 out of the gate, but I'm just curious really.

If it matters, I'll be upgrading the stock 128 to 256 regardless (plus the 2yr warranty and windows 8, as you mentioned previously).

Thanks!

The 980M is a $300 now, or an $800+ aftermarket upgrade. I know which route I'd go.

I don't know how long they'll last, because we have hit the point where major games are current-gen development only.

Just as a warning to anyone who bought an Acer V15 Nitro Black during BF weekend. I just read this Anandtech article about $1000 laptops. They have a section about the Acer V15, but mention that part# NX.MQLAA.001 is the only V15 with an IPS screen. The Acer V15s being sold on Newegg are part#s NX.MQLAA.003 and NX.MQLAA.004.

If you go to Acer's website, the NX.MQLAA.004 just has "Comfyview" listed under screen display technology. The same for the NX.MQLAA.003.

The viewing angles on my laptop seemed good so far, but tbh I've been busy lately and have only fooled around on it for a couple of hours, and I haven't done any gaming yet. One of the main reasons why I bought this model and not one of the 970M laptops is because I wanted an IPS screen, and none of the reviews mentioned anything other than IPS, so I'm going to have to look into this. If it's true, I think it's kind of scummy to send out review units with an IPS panel and have other models with the same model#, but different part#, which I did not even know existed until reading that Anandtech article.

I wonder how they confirmed that. Every Nitro on Newegg references the IPS in the tour section. It'd be ultra crummy, if they don't actually have the panels.

 

[NEO0MJ]

I don't know how long they'll last, because we have hit the point where major games are current-gen development only.

Don't the 970m and the 980m have close to 75% of the performance of there desktop counterparts? The 980m can run heavy games such as Ryse and Shadow of Mordor at 60 FPS on Ultra so they should last you most of this gen, right?

 

[Minsc]

Don't the 970m and the 980m have close to 75% of the performance of there desktop counterparts? The 980m can run heavy games such as Ryse and Shadow of Mordor at 60 FPS on Ultra so they should last you most of this gen, right?

No, it can fall to 50% or less in some cases, especially as you go over 1080p (which still isn't horrible, given a 970M > 880M which was already fairly decent at serious gaming), and when you start looking at actual graphs of the framerate for the two cards, you can really see where they tend to fall short as they dip more frequently. Average is probably closer to 50-60% of their counterparts, and best case scenarios tend to be around that 75% from what I've seen.

 

[NEO0MJ]

No, it can fall to 50% or less in some cases, especially as you go over 1080p (which still isn't horrible, given a 970M > 880M which was already fairly decent at serious gaming), and when you start looking at actual graphs of the framerate for the two cards, you can really see where they tend to fall short as they dip more frequently. Average is probably closer to 50-60% of their counterparts, and best case scenarios tend to be around that 75% from what I've seen.

That's unfortunate. Still, that performance is nothing to scoff at.

 

[K.Jack]

Nvidia was shooting for the 980M to be 75% of the 980, at 1080p.

 

[Macheezmo]

I'm getting a new job where I'll be away from home 44 weeks out of the year, so I definitely need an new laptop before I start.

Country where it will be purchased: USA
Maximum budget: Ideally around $1750, but I can go up a bit if I need to
Max size (can be in screen inches, dimensions, weight): I really want a 17" screen, that's what I'm used to
Planned usage (what kind of games or specific games it must run, if heavily gaming at all): This will be my main source of gaming now, so I need to be able to run newer games (Dragon Age: Inquisition, the new stuff, etc..) ideally at high settings
Whatever else you find relevant, misc. things such as desired battery life, screen resolution, fan noise, etc. I'd really like a SSD for my main drive, but I'm not sure how big it needs to be, or if it might be best to just wait on that and add it later to save money now.

 

[Vitor711]

I'm getting a new job where I'll be away from home 44 weeks out of the year, so I definitely need an new laptop before I start.

Country where it will be purchased: USA
Maximum budget: Ideally around $1750, but I can go up a bit if I need to
Max size (can be in screen inches, dimensions, weight): I really want a 17" screen, that's what I'm used to
Planned usage (what kind of games or specific games it must run, if heavily gaming at all): This will be my main source of gaming now, so I need to be able to run newer games (Dragon Age: Inquisition, the new stuff, etc..) ideally at high settings
Whatever else you find relevant, misc. things such as desired battery life, screen resolution, fan noise, etc. I'd really like a SSD for my main drive, but I'm not sure how big it needs to be, or if it might be best to just wait on that and add it later to save money now.

Go to PowerNoteBooks and get a Sager with the 980m. XoticPC would also work but is generally every so slightly more expensive. Sager/Clevo are interchangeable brand names in case you see either. Pair it up with an i7-4810MQ and you're good to go.

 

[NEO0MJ]

I'm getting a new job where I'll be away from home 44 weeks out of the year, so I definitely need an new laptop before I start.

Country where it will be purchased: USA
Maximum budget: Ideally around $1750, but I can go up a bit if I need to
Max size (can be in screen inches, dimensions, weight): I really want a 17" screen, that's what I'm used to
Planned usage (what kind of games or specific games it must run, if heavily gaming at all): This will be my main source of gaming now, so I need to be able to run newer games (Dragon Age: Inquisition, the new stuff, etc..) ideally at high settings
Whatever else you find relevant, misc. things such as desired battery life, screen resolution, fan noise, etc. I'd really like a SSD for my main drive, but I'm not sure how big it needs to be, or if it might be best to just wait on that and add it later to save money now.

Like Vitor said, Sager offer better specs, though their build quality isn't as good as the other brands.

Other option are the Asus ROG G751, the MSI GT72, and the MSI GS70 stealth. The Asus is cheaper than the MSIs but has lower Vram. There's an even cheaper variant without a SSD drive. The GS70 stealth has a thinner and smaller form factor but a smaller SSD and can get hot. Another Variant is cheaper and has 256GB SSD but lower Vram. The GT72 is priced between the two and has both good vram and SSD size but like the Asus is pretty big.

 

[BobbyColtrane]

Country where it will be purchased: USA
Maximum budget: IDK man I'd like to stay under $1,500
Max size (can be in screen inches, dimensions, weight): I like small laptops, def no bigger than 14"
Planned usage (what kind of games or specific games it must run, if heavily gaming at all): NBA 2K15, GTA V, Project CARS, etc.
Whatever else you find relevant, misc. things such as desired battery life, screen resolution, fan noise, etc. I'd like a SSD boot drive, This is replacing an ASUS ROG G46VW that I added an SSD to. I just want to play the latest games on high settings/60fps, I have a PC but this will be my portable gaming machine this gen.

My main question is - coming from a 660m, should I buy something with an 800m card or get the 900m series? And what is available at that form factor with a 900m card?

 

[K.Jack]

The 960M and 965M have officially been found in the latest drivers

Country where it will be purchased: USA
Maximum budget: IDK man I'd like to stay under $1,500
Max size (can be in screen inches, dimensions, weight): I like small laptops, def no bigger than 14"
Planned usage (what kind of games or specific games it must run, if heavily gaming at all): NBA 2K15, GTA V, Project CARS, etc.
Whatever else you find relevant, misc. things such as desired battery life, screen resolution, fan noise, etc. I'd like a SSD boot drive, This is replacing an ASUS ROG G46VW that I added an SSD to. I just want to play the latest games on high settings/60fps, I have a PC but this will be my portable gaming machine this gen.

My main question is - coming from a 660m, should I buy something with an 800m card or get the 900m series? And what is available at that form factor with a 900m card?

This is the only laptop that meets your expectations.

 

[Ultimadrago]

K. Jack, I see that XoticPC offers a Lifetime upgrade service for past computer customers covering labor + testing, along with giving nice discounts on the new parts (5% above cost). Would this be a viable method to tune my PC in future years or would getting a new one be preferable?

Not that I'm planning to get rid of my current one anytime soon, but hearing how good the 900 series is over the 700 series has me tempted (I knew what I was getting into, dammit!).

 

[bigzgod]

I'm getting a new job where I'll be away from home 44 weeks out of the year, so I definitely need an new laptop before I start.

Country where it will be purchased: USA
Maximum budget: Ideally around $1750, but I can go up a bit if I need to
Max size (can be in screen inches, dimensions, weight): I really want a 17" screen, that's what I'm used to
Planned usage (what kind of games or specific games it must run, if heavily gaming at all): This will be my main source of gaming now, so I need to be able to run newer games (Dragon Age: Inquisition, the new stuff, etc..) ideally at high settings
Whatever else you find relevant, misc. things such as desired battery life, screen resolution, fan noise, etc. I'd really like a SSD for my main drive, but I'm not sure how big it needs to be, or if it might be best to just wait on that and add it later to save money now.

http://www.xoticpc.com/sager-np8278s-clevo-p170sma-p-6985.html?wconfigure=yes

You can either configure that with a 980M to hit roughly your budget or go with the 970M and add more RAM plus increase the size of the SSD main drive.

 

[bigzgod]

Need help finding a laptop for gaming and streaming Hulu.

Country where it will be purchased.: USA
Maximum budget.: $2,000
Max size (can be in screen inches, dimensions, weight).: 17.5 inches is the max, (weight does not matter)
Planned usage : Gaming and streaming, as I said, but games can vary to Thief, Witcher, TF2, Borderlands, etc
Ideally you'll point out what resolution and settings are your standa: High GPU: Medium to High settings at 1920x1080 (GTX 770M, GTX 860M, GTX 870M)
Whatever else you find relevant, misc. things such as desired battery life, screen resolution, fan noise, etc. : Would need a Nvidia card instead of AMD like stated in the OP of the thread.

Would appreciate any help!

If you can hold off buying till late January, the Sager/Clevo P75xZM would be exactly what you're looking for if you're willing to spend the full $2,000. Based on US prices and the current preorder prices for European retailers, $2000 should get you a configuration of an i7-4790K, Nvidia GTX 980M, 8 gb RAM, 1 TB HDD, and 1080p screen.

 

[GaimeGuy]

Still chugging along with an Asus g72gx. It's lasted me 5 years. But just now I tried plugging in something to the rear usb port. Not only could I not plug it in, but the screen went black, the fan died, and the power button wouldn't do anything no matter how long I held it. The underside was still warm though, so power was still running.I had to take out the battery and put it back in, then the power button worked.

Guess that the usb connector on the motherboard is bent, looks like I'm down to 1 USB port. Wee.


Probably going to end up getting a new laptop some time in 2015 - This core 2 duo + 260m hunk of junk just isn't going to last much longer, I think