Need a budget gaming laptop max £1.4k (possibly more?)

zyzzyzus · 30 Apr 2020 at 14:35

Hi,
I'm looking into getting a new laptop after my current non-gaming one has slowly started to break. I set myself an absolute max of £1.4k so don't really want to go above that.
I was looking at this:
https://www.overclockers.co.uk/asus...4900h-metal-grey-gaming-laptop-lt-29y-as.html

I can wait and hope my current laptop lasts. I'm not hugely fussed about how good games look or of making use of the 144hz screen. Plus I don't play many new games anyway. Wont be using it for anything else major.

Would that be a good option or should I get a cheaper one with a worse cpu considering I am unlikely to be doing cpu intensive things? Though that isn't guaranteed to stay that way it is probably not going to change. Would love to stream at some point but don't have the confidence. Would it be able to do that if I do start?

If anyone is wondering, my current laptop needs a new power jack soldered on and I don't fancy doing it myself until I have a new laptop and not worth paying someone else. Tested everything else so it has to be that.
Thanks.

Edit:
Things might change and the budget may too so gonna wait and hope my current laptop lasts. I'll come back when I need to.

manic111 · 30 Apr 2020 at 14:48

I think this thread should help you out, lots of pointers there!
https://forums.overclockers.co.uk/threads/gaming-laptop-recommendations-around-1500.18884674/

zyzzyzus · 30 Apr 2020 at 15:52

Thanks I'll keep an eye on that. Probably best waiting until the new ryzen laptops actually come out rather than preordering. From what I can see it is definitely worth getting one over intel.

MiSJAH · 1 May 2020 at 15:01

zyzzyzus said:
Thanks I'll keep an eye on that. Probably best waiting until the new ryzen laptops actually come out rather than preordering. From what I can see it is definitely worth getting one over intel.

I think only Asus took the risk to use the new ryzen chips, so the pre-order products are what there will be for this generation. The rest of the gaming laptop manufacturers have stuck with intel's 10th gen.

zyzzyzus · 3 May 2020 at 13:32

Wondered why only asus ones were up for preorder, I'll definitely wait a bit then. Don't expect this laptop to last much longer but I still have my desktop and phone when it does go completely. Plus I might actually be able to fix it myself when it breaks. Should really fix it now but I worry about messing it up since I only have a little experience with soldering.

zyzzyzus · 26 May 2020 at 17:13

So I have waited a bit and not sure what to do now. Current laptop probably wont last much longer and don't trust myself to fix it.
Since they are all out of stock anyway everywhere I'll have to wait anyway.

So if I bumped the budget up to £1.7k what could I get? I was going to get the TUF with an R7 4800 and RTX 2060 but the apparently bad display put me off. I don't really need a 2070 though, just want something with a good display and I may have to go intel. A 1660ti may even be good enough. But I may consider something with a 2070.
What are the displays like on the ROG STRIX G15? Is it the same or different one to the TUF?

MrRockliffe · 26 May 2020 at 17:26

zyzzyzus said:
I'm not hugely fussed about how good games look or of making use of the 144hz screen. Plus I don't play many new games anyway. Wont be using it for anything else major.

This contradicts your budget and preferences in a laptop.

I’d suggest getting a good laptop you can game on if you want. Something like a Dell XPS 15

I was in a similar position a few years ago, bought an Alienware 15, immediately regretted it. I personally ended up in a MBP 15, but switching to a premium laptop that I could game on if I wanted to was a better idea, regardless of whether it was a Mac/XPS/similar.

I didn’t end up playing a single game on it.

zyzzyzus · 26 May 2020 at 18:05

Yeah not sure yet how things will end up budget wise and I do often end up getting more than I need. I'd play a couple of new games probably but mostly ones that'd be fine on a cheap gpu. Just tempted to pay more even though I know it's not worth it for me. Mostly now want the display to at least be decent rather than dull like many of the budget gaming ones.
Edit:
Also now looking at the RX 5600M. Might be a good choice and decent price. The dell one looks really tempting so I probably will just order that even if the display isn't amazing and put up with it. I'll probably end up not noticing.
Need to wait at least for the money from the preorder I cancelled to be released.

michty_me · 27 May 2020 at 12:04

zyzzyzus said:
Yeah not sure yet how things will end up budget wise and I do often end up getting more than I need. I'd play a couple of new games probably but mostly ones that'd be fine on a cheap gpu. Just tempted to pay more even though I know it's not worth it for me. Mostly now want the display to at least be decent rather than dull like many of the budget gaming ones.
Edit:
Also now looking at the RX 5600M. Might be a good choice and decent price. The dell one looks really tempting so I probably will just order that even if the display isn't amazing and put up with it. I'll probably end up not noticing.
Need to wait at least for the money from the preorder I cancelled to be released.

On a deals website, Apparently using code dailymail8 gets you 8% off the price too.

manic111 · 27 May 2020 at 12:14

I'm in a similar position, I've got the money for a decent gaming laptop but the reality is that my needs would be best served by something slim and portable, with enough power for older games. I'm waiting to see what the Lenovo Yoga with the new Ryzen chips looks like and will otherwise go for the Zephyrus G14. Much as it would be nice to get the Dell (especially as I've got £100 cashback with my Amex), I know that I'd regret getting something that big

zyzzyzus · 27 May 2020 at 12:56

michty_me said:
On a deals website, Apparently using code dailymail8 gets you 8% off the price too.

Yeah it works.
To conclude this thread, I ordered that dell last night since it was too good to pass up. I can put the rest towards either a desktop upgrade and/or a new tv depending on what happens. I started out not realising I could get a good enough one in that price range since I haven't had a gaming laptop for years (last one was dell too). I thought a £1k one would just be bad.
In terms of size for me it wont matter since it's just for sitting on the sofa and playing. I tend to play with the tv on at the same time a lot and prefer a laptop on the sofa to sitting at a desk.

Once I get it and I am sure I have transferred anything I want I will try to fix this one. Shouldn't be that hard and not much to lose if I break it.