Spec Me: The thinnest, smallest, lightest and cheapest gaming laptop you can

Caporegime
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As title, whats the best (compromised) gaming laptop that I can get that's as thin, small and light as possible? Nothing bigger than 15" ideally.
 
Caporegime
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Cheaper than a 15” MacBook Pro.

I currently have a Dell XPS13 for work and its crapping out on me. I'm going to try and get a new one but a few people have been allowed to choose their own or get Macs, so I'm thinking of finding my own. But, the lightness and portability of my XPS13 is great as I'm a traveling consultant. I wouldn't want a massive heavy laptop.
 
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Caporegime
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I've been doing extensive research in the more portable gaming offerings.

In terms of the most power for the size, your main options are:

MSI GS40 (1.85kg)

Good spec (6700HQ + 970M) in a thin and light case, with an good screen (good brightness, average blacks, average contrast, good colour after calibration) at an average price. 2 year warranty.

Hot and noisy though, with a sub-standard keyboard.

Gigabyte P34W V5 (1.81kg)

Good spec (6700HQ + 970M) in a thin and light case, with an average screen (average brightness, below average blacks, below average contrast, average colour, even after calibration). Runs a bit quieter and cooler than the GS40. 2 year warranty.

Pricier than the GS40. No thunderbolt or Displayport.

Aorus X3 (1.8kg)

970M in a thin and light case. Looks nice (if that matters). 2 year warranty. Cools better with no throttling when compared to the GS40 and P34W.

Pricier than the GS40 and P34W. Poor screen (good brightness, poor blacks, poor contrast, average colour). No 2.5" slot. 4th gen cpu.

Alienware 13 (2.05kg)

Very good build quality at a decent price.

Heavier and thicker than the competitors. ULV i7 and 960M limit performance. Screen brightness very low unless you opt for much pricier QHD panel. Only 1 year warranty.

Clevo P640RE (2.2kg)

Configurable even up to a 6820K with 970M. Cheapest of the lot for the specs. Good screen (average brightness, great blacks, great contrast, average colour).

Bulkiest of the options. Throttles a bit if not kept cool. Poor battery life. Slowest display response time (so not for 'pro' fps gamers).


There is no perfect machine. They all have their pros and cons, you just need to decide which are the most important for you.

I opted for the Clevo in the end as I wanted good contrast, wasn't fussed about battery life or portability, and it was the cheapest :p
 
Caporegime
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Battery and portability are major factors for me so I'm on the flip side of you.

If I look at 960Ms then theres actually a lot of choice. I think there is a Dell XPS15 with the 960M in which might be a good compromise.
 
Caporegime
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Is there a laptop thats as small, thin and light as the XPS15, has at least the same internals as the XPS15 (i7, 512GB SSD, 16GB RAM, nVidia 960M), has the same super thin bezel as the XPS15 or is a 14" so has the same overall dimensions... but isn't a Dell?
 
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Soldato
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Is there a laptop thats as small, thin and light as the XPS15, has at least the same internals as the XPS15 (i7, 512GB SSD, 16GB RAM, nVidia 960M), has the same super thin bezel as the XPS15... but isn't a Dell?

im not sure anything else has the same thin bezel as the dell
 
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Is there a laptop thats as small, thin and light as the XPS15, has at least the same internals as the XPS15 (i7, 512GB SSD, 16GB RAM, nVidia 960M), has the same super thin bezel as the XPS15 or is a 14" so has the same overall dimensions... but isn't a Dell?

Put a sticker over the Dell logo?

I don't think there is...
 
Caporegime
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Ha! Its not the Logo, its the fact we have a wide range of XPS12 and 13s at work covering a couple of generations of them, and an equally large list of issues that we have had with them. Theres a general feeling of not wanting to go Dell again because of it.

Unfortunately, they are the only people making Laptops in that style :(.
 
Soldato
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I've been doing extensive research in the more portable gaming offerings.

In terms of the most power for the size, your main options are:

MSI GS40 (1.85kg)

Good spec (6700HQ + 970M) in a thin and light case, with an good screen (good brightness, average blacks, average contrast, good colour after calibration) at an average price. 2 year warranty.

Hot and noisy though, with a sub-standard keyboard.

Gigabyte P34W V5 (1.81kg)

Good spec (6700HQ + 970M) in a thin and light case, with an average screen (average brightness, below average blacks, below average contrast, average colour, even after calibration). Runs a bit quieter and cooler than the GS40. 2 year warranty.

Pricier than the GS40. No thunderbolt or Displayport.

Aorus X3 (1.8kg)

970M in a thin and light case. Looks nice (if that matters). 2 year warranty. Cools better with no throttling when compared to the GS40 and P34W.

Pricier than the GS40 and P34W. Poor screen (good brightness, poor blacks, poor contrast, average colour). No 2.5" slot. 4th gen cpu.

Alienware 13 (2.05kg)

Very good build quality at a decent price.

Heavier and thicker than the competitors. ULV i7 and 960M limit performance. Screen brightness very low unless you opt for much pricier QHD panel. Only 1 year warranty.

Clevo P640RE (2.2kg)

Configurable even up to a 6820K with 970M. Cheapest of the lot for the specs. Good screen (average brightness, great blacks, great contrast, average colour).

Bulkiest of the options. Throttles a bit if not kept cool. Poor battery life. Slowest display response time (so not for 'pro' fps gamers).


There is no perfect machine. They all have their pros and cons, you just need to decide which are the most important for you.

I opted for the Clevo in the end as I wanted good contrast, wasn't fussed about battery life or portability, and it was the cheapest :p
What made you go for the p640re over the p650re? Was it just a case of smaller size/weight?

Otherwise it looks to me on paper that the p650re is a better machine with better battery life.
 
Soldato
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Caporegime
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2 weeks lead time on my XPS15 even turning up, and then the IT guy needs to build it and co-ordinate a time when I'm in the office to pick it up :(.
 
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