Convince me - tempted to buy gaming laptop

PaulStat · 5 Mar 2015 at 08:41

So it's been some years since I had a machine capable of PC gaming and recently my old Dell XPS 1530 is getting pretty slow, but it's had a good run of 7/8 years so it's about time I upgraded.

I don't particularly want a desktop and I know I'll pay a premium for a laptop, another reason for looking at gaming laptops is the need for a high resolution when I'm doing programming as well as running VM's.

So I'm >this< close to ordering a re-conditioned (couple of minor scratches on the case) Lenovo Y50-70 15.6 inch UHD Notebook plus a 250GB SSD for £985, I just can't quite bring myself to click buy.

So convince me, what am I missing? The last game I bought was probably Fallout 3.

Musty Pie · 5 Mar 2015 at 08:56

If you need other people to convince you to spend your money you dont need to spend your money.

PaulStat · 5 Mar 2015 at 08:59

need no, want however......

BuffetSlayer · 5 Mar 2015 at 09:22

Well, you could get a better system for only a couple of hundred quid more if you went to one of the custom laptop people.

I think the laptop you metnion only comes with an 860M GPU (?). If you are gaming I would advise a 970M or above, and indeed you can get them new for £1200.

I want a gaming laptop myself but the loss I would make on selling my PC after only just over a year of building it would limit my options (and upset the wife!

)

Also is there any reason you want 15.6''?

ci_newman · 5 Mar 2015 at 09:23

A gaming laptop is still going to be a couple of years behind what a gaming desktop PC could achieve.

BuffetSlayer · 5 Mar 2015 at 09:26

ci_newman said:
A gaming laptop is still going to be a couple of years behind what a gaming desktop PC could achieve.

Even more so if you buy one with an 860M GPU.

I think he would be best served getting the best GPU he can afford, imo, seeing as it is a laptop.

I would also consider a 17.3'' chassis / screen too.

Surfer · 5 Mar 2015 at 09:35

The last two pcs i have had have been gaming laptops...now that im back with a desktop i wouldnt go back.

i had a DELL xps1710 17" good for its time but overheated (albeit after 2 years) due to crappy heatpipe configuration (known issue which DELL refused to answer for)

Most recent one was an Advent 7555GX great great laptop i got at bargain price of £650 (basically a MSIGT725 build) very good laptop. Lets see after 3 years the laptop lid collapsed and i had to use it with a monitor. The laptop still works to this day though it does overheat as well a bit.

Laptop and gaming doesnt really work in the long run... (and this is coming from a diehard fan of gaming laptops)

17" screen and best graphics card you can squeeze into that is minimum...of course then it will be a brick and battery life will be seriously minimal. And you will be using it like a desktop! Why do you not want a desktop?

PaulStat · 5 Mar 2015 at 09:37

Well I was looking at the ASUS ROG G751, but I can't quite bring myself to spend over £1200.

I may wait a while longer and get the ASUS

Perhaps I'll treat myself for my birthday (June)

clartymarty · 5 Mar 2015 at 09:39

I have one and its great

PaulStat · 5 Mar 2015 at 09:42

clartymarty said:
I have one and its great

What the ASUS?

neoboy · 5 Mar 2015 at 10:02

Half Life 3.

PaulStat · 5 Mar 2015 at 10:06

neoboy said:
Half Life 3.

?

rwm24 · 5 Mar 2015 at 10:39

15.6 inch is kinda small imo, unless you'll be hooking that up to a monitor, in which case it doesn't matter.

Haggisman · 5 Mar 2015 at 10:56

rwm24 said:
15.6 inch is kinda small imo, unless you'll be hooking that up to a monitor, in which case you may as well get a desktop.

Fixed!

Unless there is a particular reason you can't use a desktop (i.e. you need to carry it around for work), you'd be better to get a desktop

Zethor · 5 Mar 2015 at 11:03

I have a gaming laptop, I hate it but it's useful when I'm away with business and I require my gaming fix.

TonyTurbo78 · 5 Mar 2015 at 11:14

gaming and laptop should not appear in the same sentence. Hugely overpriced, you'll always need to run off mains when gaming, they get incredibly hot and performance is never that great.

I've got an £1500 Alienware in the spare room that collects dust...just dont waste your money on it. I just use it for work purposes now and my desktop for gaming. Only way to do it IMO

feedtheram · 5 Mar 2015 at 11:15

Bought an XPS15 from Dell a couple of years ago. Really like it and is great for my gaming needs. I only game lightly and am not fussed about latest graphics. Only cost £500.

Only regret i have is not going for the higher res option (although chose a better GFX card rather than this) and the backlit keyboard both of which would have been nice but was on a budget at the time.

Sega Mega Dave · 5 Mar 2015 at 11:19

Isn't gaming laptop an oxymoron?

Lifelong · 5 Mar 2015 at 11:22

I had a gaming laptop once.Once.

They are extremely poor for actual gaming, especially with how strenuous games are nowadays. They have good battery life, til you load up a game and then you're realistically hooked to the mains.

Unless you have a specific need for portability, I would just get a pc. Cheaper and will run better.

varkanoid · 5 Mar 2015 at 11:33

I wouldnt buy the Lenovo. Its the brand we use at work and I am not a big fan. USB 3 issues ongoing for months, poor build quality, running hot. (T440p)
The spec for that Lenovo the OP quote says upto 860m. Thats equivalent to a 560ti 2gb or gtx 470. Not sure who good that would be on a 4k screen @ 15.6"
Loads of people moaning that 27"/28" 4k screens are too small. 15.6" must be minute.
Okay you can connect a monitor to your laptop but then does that defeat the object ? Although does make it portable.
If I were OP I would confirm what the GPU is I am sure you could get a better laptop for gaming than the Lenovo.
OCUK have brand new ones with same GPU for £999. Ideally need to look at something like the ASUS ROG G751JT-T7019H for £1259