Gaming Laptop Discussion Thread

MrGerbils · Mar 3, 2019

Anyone pair a modest gaming laptop with a beefy eGPU? I know it'll be expensive to setup, but outside of the cost it seems like kind of best of both worlds?

How are drivers with eGPUs? Any unexpected hiccups like when can you plug-in/unplug the GPU with windows, etc?

Skel1ingt0n · Mar 3, 2019

Just got an update from XoticPC that my Area 51m is still in order processing. Looks like the original estimate of late March is going to be more accurate than I hoped. Drats... at least they warned me.

The 9900K/2080 combo is still in the "wild west" era of trying to get quality benchmarks and thermals from. Some scattered videos and screenshots, and other posters on Reddit/NBR seem to have countering statements - some saying CPU never breaks like 85c gaming; others claiming it hits 95+ and throttles pretty quickly - even when talking about the same games. I have mine coming with a Thermal Grizzly repaste and FujiPoly extreme pads added, which I'm hopeful helps. So long as I stay under 90c and at full clocks on a few synthetic runs, I'll happily keep. If it goes over 90c on CPU just gaming, though, it'll be getting returned.

Full specs:

i9 9900K
RTX 2080 @ 190W with 200W Bios update coming in April
64GB Corsair Vengeance @ 2666 but clocked at 2400 cause Dell sucks, lol
2x 970 Evo Plus in RAID0

Mavrick07 · Mar 4, 2019

Quick update on the MSI GS75. Been running a lot of games on it to see how it compares to other benchmarks online. It seems that the RTX 2060 mobile is actually producing better fps results than the 2070 Max Q. So if you are looking at the GS75 then I couldn't recommend the 2070 Max Q.

I haven't seen any benchmarks from the GS75 2060 yet. But other laptops with the same CPU/GPU set up are pushing out higher framerates at the same settings than the 2070 Max Q. So save yourself £200/£300 and get the 2060 if you are set on the GS75. I don't think the extra £1000 is worth it for the 2080 Max Q especially when there's thermal throttling on the 2070 Max Q as it is.

Slackbladder · Mar 6, 2019

Right. Got my Asus RoG GL702V back from Asus Repair Cntre and...fuck up. Well, issue with blurring or 'ghosting' on display not fixed. Still there. Pretty sure they didn't even test to see if it were fixed as when I got it back g-sync was off in control panel and the issue only shows with g-sync on. Also, now, my CPU hits 95c when gaming when before it'd hit high 70's. Apparently they swapped out the mobo which obviously means taking the cpu out etc. Looks like they did a shit job. So I'm pissed. Getting back in touch with Asus Support but may contact the seller I got it from. Still under warranty. If I'm lucky might get a replacement. Though to be honest I'm not impressed with Asus at all.

Ra · Mar 6, 2019

neoak said:
welp, this 13 R3's 7700HQ is pretty good silicon

-0.175 Vcore and -0.107 Vcache so far on ThrottleStop

My 17 R4 7820HK would have BSOD'd at those already

The HKs are power hungry SOBs. My 6820HK doesn't like undervolting much either, I think I can do like -.100 in XTU.

That's the price of access to 4Ghz+ overclocking I guess.

MrGerbils said:
Anyone pair a modest gaming laptop with a beefy eGPU? I know it'll be expensive to setup, but outside of the cost it seems like kind of best of both worlds?

How are drivers with eGPUs? Any unexpected hiccups like when can you plug-in/unplug the GPU with windows, etc?

How modest are you talking? The only concern for me would be making sure you have a CPU strong enough to avoid severe bottlenecking.

The eGPU scene gained a lot of legs when Thunderbolt 3 and the official enclosures came about. It's pretty close to "plug-n-play" these days.

Skel1ingt0n said:
Just got an update from XoticPC that my Area 51m is still in order processing. Looks like the original estimate of late March is going to be more accurate than I hoped. Drats... at least they warned me.

The 9900K/2080 combo is still in the "wild west" era of trying to get quality benchmarks and thermals from. Some scattered videos and screenshots, and other posters on Reddit/NBR seem to have countering statements - some saying CPU never breaks like 85c gaming; others claiming it hits 95+ and throttles pretty quickly - even when talking about the same games. I have mine coming with a Thermal Grizzly repaste and FujiPoly extreme pads added, which I'm hopeful helps. So long as I stay under 90c and at full clocks on a few synthetic runs, I'll happily keep. If it goes over 90c on CPU just gaming, though, it'll be getting returned.

Full specs:

i9 9900K
RTX 2080 @ 190W with 200W Bios update coming in April
64GB Corsair Vengeance @ 2666 but clocked at 2400 cause Dell sucks, lol
2x 970 Evo Plus in RAID0

Alienware flagships and wildly inconsistent reports of CPU temps seem to go hand and hand. I hope you get a good one.

Mavrick07 said:
Quick update on the MSI GS75. Been running a lot of games on it to see how it compares to other benchmarks online. It seems that the RTX 2060 mobile is actually producing better fps results than the 2070 Max Q. So if you are looking at the GS75 then I couldn't recommend the 2070 Max Q.

I haven't seen any benchmarks from the GS75 2060 yet. But other laptops with the same CPU/GPU set up are pushing out higher framerates at the same settings than the 2070 Max Q. So save yourself £200/£300 and get the 2060 if you are set on the GS75. I don't think the extra £1000 is worth it for the 2080 Max Q especially when there's thermal throttling on the 2070 Max Q as it is.

Yeah the 2070 Max-Q is the worst option of the RTX mobile line. It's inferior or equal to both the RTX 2060 and the last gen GTX 1070, each which can be had for cheaper prices.

This RTX 2000 line really is like the old days, where the desktop chips were too much for 95% of laptops. These massively nerfed chips are lame.

Slackbladder said:
Right. Got my Asus RoG GL702V back from Asus Repair Cntre and...fuck up. Well, issue with blurring or 'ghosting' on display not fixed. Still there. Pretty sure they didn't even test to see if it were fixed as when I got it back g-sync was off in control panel and the issue only shows with g-sync on. Also, now, my CPU hits 95c when gaming when before it'd hit high 70's. Apparently they swapped out the mobo which obviously means taking the cpu out etc. Looks like they did a shit job. So I'm pissed. Getting back in touch with Asus Support but may contact the seller I got it from. Still under warranty. If I'm lucky might get a replacement. Though to be honest I'm not impressed with Asus at all.

Wait, it doesn't happen with G-Sync off? I thought it was happening no matter the setting. Huh. You don't have the vertical sync setting in the Nvidia CP set to Fast, do you?

That sucks that they obviously did a shit job repasting the CPU. I wouldn't be happy either.

Slackbladder · Mar 6, 2019

K.Jack said:
The HKs are power hungry SOBs. My 6820HK doesn't like undervolting much either, I think I can do like -.100 in XTU.

That's the price of access to 4Ghz+ overclocking I guess.

How modest are you talking? The only concern for me would be making sure you have a CPU strong enough to avoid severe bottlenecking.

The eGPU scene gained a lot of legs when Thunderbolt 3 and the official enclosures came about. It's pretty close to "plug-n-play" these days.

Alienware flagships and wildly inconsistent reports of CPU temps seem to go hand and hand. I hope you get a good one.

Yeah the 2070 Max-Q is the worst option of the RTX mobile line. It's inferior or equal to both the RTX 2060 and the last gen GTX 1070, each which can be had for cheaper prices.

This RTX 2000 line really is like the old days, where the desktop chips were too much for 95% of laptops. These massively nerfed chips are lame.

Wait, it doesn't happen with G-Sync off? I thought it was happening no matter the setting. Huh. You don't have the vertical sync setting in the Nvidia CP set to Fast, do you?

That sucks that they obviously did a shit job repasting the CPU. I wouldn't be happy either.

Nah, v-sync is usually off and I tried it with it on and off and same problem. I thought it was the display overdrive feature basically being out of whack. Maybe that's on the mobo? Anyway it means I have a £2000 laptop that isn't of the quality it should be.

Tizoc · Mar 6, 2019

I only just now bothered to look up dlss, as someone who prefers downsampling, multi and super sampling via nvidia inspector, are rtx lines worth it? I dont think t we will see rtx implementation on laptops offer good performance for a while.

Mavrick07 · Mar 7, 2019

I can't really complain too much since I didn't own any gaming laptop at all before this one so it's a million miles better the pos I had before this.

I think the biggest issue might actually be the CPU throttling more so than the GPU under performing. The CPU seems to be hitting max temps long before the GPU ever comes close.

I also saw a video yesterday benchmarking an RTX 2060 vs a GTX 1070 and yes, the 1070 peformed better in most games, although only by a few FPS here and there. But what I don't understand is how the RTX managed to get 80+ fps in the Shadow of the Tomb Raider benchmark, when on other sites the 2060 has managed no more than 60-65fps at the same 1080p High settings.

The 2070 Max Q barely hits 57 fps at the same settings so I have absolutely no idea how the 1070 and 2060 managed to reach 80+ fps in that test. Unless running dual channel memory makes up a 20fps advantage?

Ultra · Mar 7, 2019

My laptop is on it's way out, and thought why not get a fairly decent mid-range one. I saw a ROG Strix GL503 model on 'deal' for £800 in a local electronics store. Is that a good price?

Poutine · Mar 7, 2019

I'm looking to change the laptop I use for work to something more "gamey" but still business focused. I'm currently using a dell xps 15 9575 and looking for something like the Razer Blade 15 (money is not a problem around here). Question is, should I go with the RTX 2060 or the 2080? Is there a huge difference between both in terms of heat, power consumption and specs in general? The RTX 2060 Mercurial White model is kind of sexy too...

neoak · Mar 7, 2019

K.Jack said:
The HKs are power hungry SOBs. My 6820HK doesn't like undervolting much either, I think I can do like -.100 in XTU.

That's the price of access to 4Ghz+ overclocking I guess.

I guess

Mavrick07 said:
I can't really complain too much since I didn't own any gaming laptop at all before this one so it's a million miles better the pos I had before this.

I think the biggest issue might actually be the CPU throttling more so than the GPU under performing. The CPU seems to be hitting max temps long before the GPU ever comes close.

I also saw a video yesterday benchmarking an RTX 2060 vs a GTX 1070 and yes, the 1070 peformed better in most games, although only by a few FPS here and there. But what I don't understand is how the RTX managed to get 80+ fps in the Shadow of the Tomb Raider benchmark, when on other sites the 2060 has managed no more than 60-65fps at the same 1080p High settings.

The 2070 Max Q barely hits 57 fps at the same settings so I have absolutely no idea how the 1070 and 2060 managed to reach 80+ fps in that test. Unless running dual channel memory makes up a 20fps advantage?

What are the CPU speeds?

Ultra said:
My laptop is on it's way out, and thought why not get a fairly decent mid-range one. I saw a ROG Strix GL503 model on 'deal' for £800 in a local electronics store. Is that a good price?

Need more info than just that. There are plenty of models named GL503.

Poutine said:
I'm looking to change the laptop I use for work to something more "gamey" but still business focused. I'm currently using a dell xps 15 9575 and looking for something like the Razer Blade 15 (money is not a problem around here). Question is, should I go with the RTX 2060 or the 2080? Is there a huge difference between both in terms of heat, power consumption and specs in general? The RTX 2060 Mercurial White model is kind of sexy too...

2060. The 2080 Max-Q will throttle like crazy in that chassis.

Slackbladder · Mar 7, 2019

So my CPU is a 7700HQ which is normally at 2.8ghz. But it's oc'd to 3.4 on my laptop. How can I unclock it and make it 2.8ghz? This is because since it's 'repair' (it wasn't) my CPU hits 95c even with fans at 100% (before it would hit 80c max)?

Ultra · Mar 7, 2019

neoak said:
Need more info than just that. There are plenty of models named GL503.

ASUS FX503VM

it's that model.

Intel Core i7-7700HQ 2.8GHz Processor, with Max Turbo Speed 3.8GHz Quad Core Processor
15.6" Full HD Display (1920 x 1080 Resolution), NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 6GB GDDR5 Dedicated Graphics
8GB (1x8GB) DDR4 Memory
1 TB+128 GB SSHD Stoarge

Anddo · Mar 8, 2019

Mavrick07 said:
I can't really complain too much since I didn't own any gaming laptop at all before this one so it's a million miles better the pos I had before this.

I think the biggest issue might actually be the CPU throttling more so than the GPU under performing. The CPU seems to be hitting max temps long before the GPU ever comes close.

I also saw a video yesterday benchmarking an RTX 2060 vs a GTX 1070 and yes, the 1070 peformed better in most games, although only by a few FPS here and there. But what I don't understand is how the RTX managed to get 80+ fps in the Shadow of the Tomb Raider benchmark, when on other sites the 2060 has managed no more than 60-65fps at the same 1080p High settings.

The 2070 Max Q barely hits 57 fps at the same settings so I have absolutely no idea how the 1070 and 2060 managed to reach 80+ fps in that test. Unless running dual channel memory makes up a 20fps advantage?

Yes Dual vs Single makes that big of a difference.
Crazy how many laptops are shipping with single channel in 2019; way more than last year.
I guess it's to even out the cost for the 20 series cards.

Tizoc · Mar 8, 2019

The first laptop I've ever seen was my dad's Toshiba Tecra from the late 1990s.
I feel like joining the ranks of those who like owning such old tech and tracking one down that has Windows 98 installed in it :P

Alt. I may just track down a good ye olde Laptop that could have USB ports in it.

Minsc · Mar 8, 2019

Just wanted to check for some thoughts here, what's the current top pick(s) for the $1-2,000 price range for a more compact (and also quiet when not gaming), 15" laptop? The MSI GS65 the one to get? If there's others with more bang for the buck or just to consider if they're marked way down on sale that'll be good to know too, but I feel like people were saying how great that MSI GS65 was a little while back.

Also, most laptops don't have g-sync or freesync (at least it's not very common right)? If you were to use it to play on a HDTV with a bluetooth controller it's a pretty painless process right? Just plug in a cable and you're good, no rebooting or anything weird? Would whether the HDTV has freesync or not be relevant going from a laptop? I'm trying to figure out what I want when the time comes and keep changing my mind, but am leaning towards the laptop again now.

Tizoc · Mar 8, 2019

OK that's good....
(Must resist til 2020 Must resist til 2020 Must resist til 2020 Must resist til 2020)

AlexFlame116 · Mar 8, 2019

What is this problem and is there any way I can fix it on my laptop?

I tried taking a picture of it. It's only on that side of the laptop screen and it is bothering me a lot. It's probably something that I can't fix which is the worst thing I can think of.

EDIT: Apparently it's a pressure issue and I have to replace the entire screen??? Oh no....

derFeef · Mar 9, 2019

Hey, so I finally want to make the step and buy a laptop which also should be capable of some gaming (like Warframe, Overwatch and the occasional new release).
13" is okay, cost about 1000€/$. I guess I am looking for a Blade-esque setup which is portable and light enough but not too loud when gaming.

RR30 · Mar 9, 2019

Hey inner-G I watched your updated video on the OP, would you be able to take a picture of your settings page with the overlays for MSI afterburner and Throttlestop? I followed what you had posted but you didn't have the main screens and I'd like to copy your settings. My firestrike score was pretty even with yours after I changed the clocks.

Tizoc · Mar 9, 2019

derFeef said:
Hey, so I finally want to make the step and buy a laptop which also should be capable of some gaming (like Warframe, Overwatch and the occasional new release).
13" is okay, cost about 1000€/$. I guess I am looking for a Blade-esque setup which is portable and light enough but not too loud when gaming.

Why not get a 15" laptop? You can get one with a GTX 1060 6GB for $1000ish.

Starfire22 · Mar 9, 2019

Tizoc said:
Why not get a 15" laptop? You can get one with a GTX 1060 6GB for $1000ish.

Yeah. That's how much my Dell G7 laptop was. Still serves me well.

Tizoc · Mar 9, 2019

Starfire22 said:
Yeah. That's how much my Dell G7 laptop was. Still serves me well.

There's also this Acer Helios model
https://www.amazon.com/Acer-Predato...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=XG0WXHXXPYVY013TF818

inner-G · Mar 9, 2019

RR30 said:
Hey inner-G I watched your updated video on the OP, would you be able to take a picture of your settings page with the overlays for MSI afterburner and Throttlestop? I followed what you had posted but you didn't have the main screens and I'd like to copy your settings. My firestrike score was pretty even with yours after I changed the clocks.

Hey, thanks for watching! I left everything default on the main screen. I didn't change speed shift or BD PROCHOT or anything, I only made changes in the FIVR menu.

(In the main options, I set it to start minimized and to minimize on close, but that's just preference)

RR30 · Mar 9, 2019

inner-G said:
Hey, thanks for watching! I left everything default on the main screen. I didn't change speed shift or BD PROCHOT or anything, I only made changes in the FIVR menu.

(In the main options, I set it to start minimized and to minimize on close, but that's just preference)

Thanks! What about your display settings for MSI Afterburner? I tried to set it to what you had but mine looks nothing like it when I go to play a game. Also what browser do you use? I've been using chrome like I have forever but I'm getting intermittent stutters while watching videos and it's driving me crazy.

inner-G · Mar 9, 2019

RR30 said:
Thanks! What about your display settings for MSI Afterburner? I tried to set it to what you had but mine looks nothing like it when I go to play a game. Also what browser do you use? I've been using chrome like I have forever but I'm getting intermittent stutters while watching videos and it's driving me crazy.

I just use Edge lol. Works for me, I use a Mac for work and iOS phone so mostly I really use safari 🤷‍♂️

The MSI settings for the rivatuner overlay are crazy man, I'm still kind of a noob at it. I'd watch a full tutorial or just play with it. You have to tick off each thing you want in the OSD from a huuuuge list, and you can put in custom text for the labels, that's why mine says 'GTX 1060' and stuff. There are tons more options in there like graphs for voltage and frametimes, averages, etc. you can also scale the size of the OSD up in the rivatuner app itself. Hope that helps! They can kind of be a bear to figure out

Ra · Mar 9, 2019

Minsc said:
Just wanted to check for some thoughts here, what's the current top pick(s) for the $1-2,000 price range for a more compact (and also quiet when not gaming), 15" laptop? The MSI GS65 the one to get? If there's others with more bang for the buck or just to consider if they're marked way down on sale that'll be good to know too, but I feel like people were saying how great that MSI GS65 was a little while back.

Also, most laptops don't have g-sync or freesync (at least it's not very common right)? If you were to use it to play on a HDTV with a bluetooth controller it's a pretty painless process right? Just plug in a cable and you're good, no rebooting or anything weird? Would whether the HDTV has freesync or not be relevant going from a laptop? I'm trying to figure out what I want when the time comes and keep changing my mind, but am leaning towards the laptop again now.

Pretty much all laptops are quiet while not gaming now.

The GS65 isn't a runaway choice. There are many options these days. ASUS has the thin STRIX line worth looking at as well.

Most laptops do have G-Sync these days, outside of the thin/light segment.

Yes gaming on a TV should be completely plug and play. I've been doing it since HDMI's inception.

Tizoc said:
OK that's good....
(Must resist til 2020 Must resist til 2020 Must resist til 2020 Must resist til 2020)

Dave reviews the same segment of laptop over and over. Without watching I can pretty much guess it'll be 15.6", thin, and have a Max-Q GPU.

Dude needs to branch out.

AlexFlame116 said:
What is this problem and is there any way I can fix it on my laptop?

I tried taking a picture of it. It's only on that side of the laptop screen and it is bothering me a lot. It's probably something that I can't fix which is the worst thing I can think of.

EDIT: Apparently it's a pressure issue and I have to replace the entire screen??? Oh no....

If it's pressure, can you remove the frame around the screen and reapply it yourself, just less as tight?

derFeef · Mar 10, 2019

Tizoc said:
Why not get a 15" laptop? You can get one with a GTX 1060 6GB for $1000ish.

Hmm good point, the Nitro 5 would fit that price/performance spot for me.

52club · Mar 10, 2019

This is pretty interesting:

Would love for notebooks to move towards this instead of away.

Tizoc · Mar 10, 2019

K.Jack said:
Dave reviews the same segment of laptop over and over. Without watching I can pretty much guess it'll be 15.6", thin, and have a Max-Q GPU.

Dude needs to branch out.

Well he reviews the laptops that are available on the market from the main producers of gaming laptops, so of course they would have such specs.
What do you mean by branching out though?

Shawn The Wonder · Mar 10, 2019

I was going to ask what kind of computer I should get, but I never have any money. Seems like I'm going to be stuck with this sucky ass shit forever.

WillyFive · Mar 10, 2019

Dave2D is getting stale, his reviews are too short and repetitive.

GrinningColossus · Mar 10, 2019

I did some job training (pc retailer) and max Q is being touted as the biggeat revolution in shrinking pcs, reducing heat, and extending battery life. Is this accurate?

Dash Kappei · Mar 10, 2019

Hey guys is there a more fitting thread to ask advice on a NON-gaming laptop or I should try to ask about it here?

I know it sounds crazy but I need to buy a laptop like... yesterday, lol
Meaning I don't have time to wait and do proper research myself unfortunately.
99% I'd use this laptop like a desktop pc, so I'd probably focus on it having a decent screen and whatever I need to write (web/paper) content, do a bit of (light) video editing and Photoshop. €800 budget, if it's sold on Amazon it's even better...
...help? 🥺

WillyFive · Mar 11, 2019

GrinningColossus said:
I did some job training (pc retailer) and max Q is being touted as the biggeat revolution in shrinking pcs, reducing heat, and extending battery life. Is this accurate?

No, it's just an improvement in efficiency compared to the chips from the year before.

Minsc · Mar 11, 2019

K.Jack said:
Pretty much all laptops are quiet while not gaming now.

The GS65 isn't a runaway choice. There are many options these days. ASUS has the thin STRIX line worth looking at as well.

Most laptops do have G-Sync these days, outside of the thin/light segment.

Yes gaming on a TV should be completely plug and play. I've been doing it since HDMI's inception.

I took a look at ASUS and ended up really liking their ROG Zephyrus S, for some reason I really like the way the keyboard is pushed back and won't get hot, and the digital numpad/trackpad space saving feature I really like as well. Plus it's got a GTX 2070 which is probably the lowest I'd really consider, and just a hair under $2k, but I'm in no big rush so whatever I buy will be on sale, so ideally I can save 20% or more as well, bringing it closer to 1.5k.

Main drawback on paper (besides any sort of throttling from the small form factor - which notebookcheck doesn't indicate it does in any noticeable fashion) is the lack of g sync again. But I don't know how important it really is - and if it's worth the drawbacks (less battery)? I guess on newer laptops you can toggle it on/off too?

If you have a few moments, give me a few other laptops to consider, upcoming or released is fine, just trying to make a better decision when the time comes, thanks.

chandoog · Mar 11, 2019

A laptop RTX 2060 card packing laptop for just $1300 guys ..

Dell G7 15 Laptop: i7-8750H, 16GB DDR4, 128GB SSD + 1TB HDD, RTX 2060

$1291

Dell via eBay has Dell G7 15 Laptop for $1434.39 - $143.44 w/ coupon code JOY4TECH = $1290.95.
Specs:

8th Gen Intel Core i7-8750H

15.6'' 1920x1080 FHD IPS LED Display

16GB DDR4 2666MHz

128GB SSD + 1TB HDD

NVIDIA RTX 2060 6GB GDDR6

Windows 10 Home

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Dell-G-Ser...l-i7-8750H-NVIDIA-RTX-2060-128GB/223437787879

Dash Kappei · Mar 11, 2019

[xposting from the pc builders thread]

In the end after a bit of research it came down to the HUAWEI Matebook D.
I'd prefer to go with a latest model for obvious reasons but I have no idea how much these CPUs differ in performance. Again, main use will be writing content and light use of Photoshop and video editing.
Is there a significant difference?

•(2018) AMD Ryzen R5-2500 (€600)
•(2018) Intel i3 8130u (€650)

•(2017) i5 7200u (€700)

Any advice is really appreciated!

Ra · Mar 11, 2019

Tizoc said:
Well he reviews the laptops that are available on the market from the main producers of gaming laptops, so of course they would have such specs.
What do you mean by branching out though?

By that I mean he should also review enthusiast/desktop replacements. Dave seems fearful of covering the machines people will say "that's too thick/too expensive/too heavy". Or it's that he only reviews the segment of laptops he himself would buy.

Either way it makes his reviews very samey and makes it seem like he has a very narrow view of the gaming laptop landscape.

52club said:
This is pretty interesting:

Would love for notebooks to move towards this instead of away.

Back in the good ole days the market was all about laptops like this.

GrinningColossus said:
I did some job training (pc retailer) and max Q is being touted as the biggeat revolution in shrinking pcs, reducing heat, and extending battery life. Is this accurate?

Taking a GPU and power limiting it so heavily that it performs a tier worse than its namesake, while still charging the price of a laptop with the beefier spec'd version of the chip, is not a revolution, no. I'm sure the Nvidia PR from which they were training you certainly wanted to paint it that way.

Minsc said:
I took a look at ASUS and ended up really liking their ROG Zephyrus S, for some reason I really like the way the keyboard is pushed back and won't get hot, and the digital numpad/trackpad space saving feature I really like as well. Plus it's got a GTX 2070 which is probably the lowest I'd really consider, and just a hair under $2k, but I'm in no big rush so whatever I buy will be on sale, so ideally I can save 20% or more as well, bringing it closer to 1.5k.

Main drawback on paper (besides any sort of throttling from the small form factor - which notebookcheck doesn't indicate it does in any noticeable fashion) is the lack of g sync again. But I don't know how important it really is - and if it's worth the drawbacks (less battery)? I guess on newer laptops you can toggle it on/off too?

If you have a few moments, give me a few other laptops to consider, upcoming or released is fine, just trying to make a better decision when the time comes, thanks.

G-Sync automatically means no switchable graphics, so yes it does also mean worse battery life. If this will be a portable machine where longevity away from a plug matters, then you will want to make the sacrifice of not having it.

I don't have a ton of recommendations in this category. The Gigabyte Aero 15 is there as well.

chandoog said:
A laptop RTX 2060 card packing laptop for just $1300 guys ..
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Dell-G-Ser...l-i7-8750H-NVIDIA-RTX-2060-128GB/223437787879

Damn good deal right there.

Dash Kappei said:
[xposting from the pc builders thread]

In the end after a bit of research it came down to the HUAWEI Matebook D.
I'd prefer to go with a latest model for obvious reasons but I have no idea how much these CPUs differ in performance. Again, main use will be writing content and light use of Photoshop and video editing.
Is there a significant difference?

•(2018) AMD Ryzen R5-2500 (€600)
•(2018) Intel i3 8130u (€650)

•(2017) i5 7200u (€700)

Any advice is really appreciated!

If performance is a priority there is no comparison. The R5-2500U with it's 4 cores and 8 threads is going to utterly destroy the 8130U and 7200U with their 2 cores 4 threads. The AMD APU also has a far more powerful Vega 8 GPU attached.

The i5-7200U SKU shouldn't even be considered.

Dash Kappei · Mar 11, 2019

Thanks for the answers and help guys!

K.Jack said:
By that I mean he should also review enthusiast/desktop replacements. Dave seems fearful of covering the machines people will say "that's too thick/too expensive/too heavy". Or it's that he only reviews the segment of laptops he himself would buy.

Either way it makes his reviews very samey and makes it seem like he has a very narrow view of the gaming laptop landscape.

Back in the good ole days the market was all about laptops like this.

Taking a GPU and power limiting it so heavily that it performs a tier worse than its namesake, while still charging the price of a laptop with the beefier spec'd version of the chip, is not a revolution, no. I'm sure the Nvidia PR from which they were training you certainly wanted to paint it that way.

G-Sync automatically means no switchable graphics, so yes it does also mean worse battery life. If this will be a portable machine where longevity away from a plug matters, then you will want to make the sacrifice of not having it.

I don't have a ton of recommendations in this category. The Gigabyte Aero 15 is there as well.

Damn good deal right there.

If performance is a priority there is no comparison. The R5-2500U with it's 4 cores and 8 threads is going to utterly destroy the 8130U and 7200U with their 2 cores 4 threads. The AMD APU also has a far more powerful Vega 8 GPU attached.

The i5-7200U SKU shouldn't even be considered.

Well there you go, I'm glad I've picked up the right one then!

cartoon_soldier · Mar 13, 2019

What the hell is Optane memory? Someone in family wants a laptop and some tech person they know is recommending a Dell laptop with 4GB + 16G Optate Memory configuration.

Is optane good? I had suggested them to go with normal 8GB RAM.

Both options have 1TB 5400 RPM HDD. Budget is on the lower side.

neoak · Mar 13, 2019

cartoon_soldier said:
What the hell is Optane memory? Someone in family wants a laptop and some tech person they know is recommending a Dell laptop with 4GB + 16G Optate Memory configuration.

Is optane good? I had suggested them to go with normal 8GB RAM.

Both options have 1TB 5400 RPM HDD. Budget is on the lower side.

Optane is basically a cache for the hard drive. Nothing to do with RAM.

derFeef · Mar 13, 2019

I decided against the Nitro 15. I saw it in a store and realized it would be too big/thick for me - I guess like all 15" laptop in that range.
I currently use a Surface Pro 3 for my little gaming time and that form-factor is just perfect for what/when I need it. It's just that I would like to have a bit more horsepower for a bit more demanding games. The Razer Blade stealth would be perfect I think but it's too expensive.

Minsc · Mar 13, 2019

K.Jack said:
G-Sync automatically means no switchable graphics, so yes it does also mean worse battery life. If this will be a portable machine where longevity away from a plug matters, then you will want to make the sacrifice of not having it.

I don't have a ton of recommendations in this category. The Gigabyte Aero 15 is there as well.

It seems my criteria is sort of becoming more clear. I'm ok with branching out to less thin/light laptops too, but I do tend to gravitate towards the designs of the thinner ones. I imagine the less thin ones would be a little cheaper though on the plus side.

This Acer Predator Triton 500 is a bit more than I'd like to spend, but using it as an example of what seems to be a laptop where you can switch between the graphics even though it is g-sync. In the customer reviews at the bottom:

"In the bios I have an option for switchable graphics - "MSHybrid" and "dGPU"."

It's possible they're wrong above in their comments, but I am ok with a shorter batter life anyway. I think I'll like the smoother g-sync gameplay, even if it means ~3 hours battery life when not gaming. It'll most be used at home, so power won't be a huge issue.

So basically I think I'm looking for:
-15-16" laptops, with a thinner bezel
-144hz, gsync
- newer RTX cards (2060-2080)
- nice display (Dolby HDR maybe a nice bonus)

Some of the older laptops that met most but not all of those criteria tend to have much thicker bezels which does imo look a bit worse to me.

The Lenovo Legion Y740 while good in the other aspects above, is a bit weaker in its display from the notebookcheck review. Slower response times (compared to the Acer Triton 500) and bad bleeding / uneven brightness.

I think I probably just need to be patient for a while and wait, because there's not a whole lot of 15-16" laptops with the above criteria under or around 2k (basically just the Lenovo Y740 I think - the rest are closer to 2.5k or even 3k). Unless there's any candidates I'm missing from the non-light & thin categories.

Also, one final question, would a non- g-sync laptop be able to use any sort of g-sync/freesync feature while it is connected to an external HDTV/Monitor? I'm pretty sure I want the g-sync on the laptop itself, but if it's possible for a laptop without g-sync built in to still use it on an external display, that wouldn't be a terrible compromise.

Edit: Thinking more about it, the display being the biggest knock against the Y740 from that one review maybe isn't that bad to take it off the list. So that's probably the forerunner for me now actually. I'll keep my eyes open for a while and see if I still feel the same way down the road a bit - if so I'll likely get that it.

Caz · Mar 13, 2019

So tonight is going to be troubleshooting hell so I thought I might as well ask here:
I recently bought a new SSD (HP EX920 M.2 1TB NVMe) for my Acer Helios 500 laptop that arrived today. Upon installing the drive, the laptop made one beep and will no longer get past Acer's logo and I have no idea why; this has never happened before with any drive installation i've ever done. Removing the drive will let me get past this but I want to be able to actually use the drive. I do have a SATA m.2 that I can use just to see if the issue is with that particular slot since the website says that slot 1 is the only one capable of using an NVMe m.2, not unless the model I have swapped the labels for the two slots around. Anyone have any suggestions?

Hogendaz85 · Mar 14, 2019

Thinking of getting an open box Legion with the 1050ti. I have a PC with a 2070 so I think for something to carry around and use from time to time a lower spec laptop is perfect. Is there anyone else here who has that kind of a setup?

xir · Mar 14, 2019

are there any 13 (or 14 if they exist) laptops with a 2060?

neoak · Mar 14, 2019

xir said:
are there any 13 (or 14 if they exist) laptops with a 2060?

Nope. Chip is 1070 size class.

Maybe if they release a 1660 mobile version.

statham · Mar 14, 2019

Slackbladder · Mar 14, 2019

Found a great website about blur, overdrive etc on laptops and monitors - https://www.testufo.com/ghosting#ba...ion=160&pps=1920&graphics=bbufo.png&pursuit=1
I'm sure you all know of it.
It would seem the inverse ghosting or corona I can see in games is caused by the overdrive on the display. It seems to be set too high but I don't see how i can change this. Why the hell the mobo was replaced when I had my laptop RMA'd beats me. It's so bloody obvious wht the issue is. That said maybe the display overdrive is controlled via the motherboard?
Anyway I can change the settings on my laptop display?

Gaming Laptop Discussion Thread

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