Business laptops vs gaming laptops

[dewi]

I currently have a Dell 7440, which I use for my small business. In the office, it's connected to a Dell docking station and two 1920x1200 monitors. In normal times, I travel a fair bit, so it's important to me that the laptop is lightweight. I tend to keep my laptops for about 5 years.

I've been consdering buying a Dell 7490, since it's the fastest laptop that Dell made to fit the Dell E/Port docking station (Dell have switched to USB-C and Thunderbolt for their more recent designs). However, it's no longer made, so I'd have to buy a refurbished model.

If I bought a new Dell, I'd probably buy a Dell 9410. That costs £1,919 with an Intel Core i7-10610U.

It seems to me that for the price of a Dell 9410, I could buy one of the new ultraportable gaming laptops.

OC are charging £1,799.99 for an Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 with an AMD Ryzen 9 4900HS and an RTX 2060. The only drawbacks with the G14 are that the display is QHD (I'd prefer FHD) and that it doesn't have a Thunderbolt connector.

OC are charging £1,899.95 for a Razer Blade 15 Base with an Intel Core i7-10750H and an RTX 2060. I could even go for a Razer Blade 15 Advanced with an Intel Core i7-10875H and an RTX 2080 Super at £3,099.95. However, the Razer Blade weighs quite a bit more than the Dell and the Asus.

I know the Asus and the Razer both have faster CPUs and much more capable discrete graphics than the Dell. What would I be losing out on if I bought the Asus or the Razer instead of the Dell? Would I be losing out on durability? I'm aware that the gaming laptops will run hotter than the Dell 9410 and I suspect they're not built to be as tough as the Dell business laptops. Should I be worried about the lack of Thunderbolt on the Asus? Should I be worried about the additional weight of the Razer?

Which would you recommend?
1. Dell 7490
2. Dell 9410
3. Asus ROG Zephyrus G14
4. Razer Blade Basic
5. Razer Blade Advanced

 

[dewi]

Have a look at the Lenovo Legion 7i. You can spec that really well for about £1500. The thermals are good and it’s got a subtle gamer aesthetic.

https://www.lenovo.com/gb/en/laptops/legion-laptops/legion-7-series/Lenovo-Legion-7/p/88GMY701410


As it’s for work I’d opt for the 4 year on site warranty.

Thanks for the very helpful suggestion. £1,799.99 for an Intel Core i7-10750H and an RTX 2070 seems very competitive compared to the Dell, Asus and Razer. I like the idea of a 4 year on-site warranty.

https://www.overclockers.co.uk/leno...-intel-i7-10750h-gaming-laptop-lt-00x-lv.html

 

[dewi]

Thanks for the advice. The Lenovo Legion 7i is my favourite at the moment. It seems worth accepting a little more size & weight compared to my current Dell in return for much more capability. I'm going to wait for a larger selection of configurations to become available on the Lenovo site since I'd like to purchase Windows 10 Pro and the 4-year warranty. The Intel Core i7-10750H with the RTX 2070 looks like the best bank for the buck, though the Core i9-10980HK with the RTX 2080 is very tempting!

 

[dewi]

I'm still torn between the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 and the Lenovo Legion 7i. The specifications I'm interested in are only available to pre-order in any case.

I could get the Asus with an AMD Ryzen 7 and an RTX 2060 for £1,499.99. I like the fact that the Zephyrus G14 only weighs 1.6 kg and that it has an 8-10 hour battery life, but I don't like the fact that it doesn't support Thunderbolt or that it doesn't have a webcam.

I could get a Lenovo Legion 7i with an Intel Core i7-10750H and an RTX 2070 Super for £1,999.99. The RTX 2080 Super was also available on the Lenovo web site earlier, but it's not available to order at the moment. I like the fact that the Lenovo has a faster GPU, that it supports Thunderbolt and that you can get it with Windows 10 Pro and a 3 year on-site warranty, but it does weigh 2.1 kg.

I'm leaning towards the Asus. I like the fact that it's lighter and has a longer battery life. I suspect I'd find the faster CPU in the Asus more useful more of the time than the faster GPU in the Lenovo. However, I like the fact that the Lenovo is more powerful than my desktop PC and the reassurance of a 3-year on-site warranty.

 

[dewi]

An update: I eventually bought a Razer Blade 15 Advanced 2021 with an Intel Core i7-10875H and an RTX 3080. I also bought a Thunderbolt dock. I'm very impressed by the build quality of the Razer. It's a bit heavier than I'm used to, but I'm doing much less travelling than I did pre-COVID. The 15.6" display is usefully larger than the 14" display on my previous laptop.