Laptop to replace 1080ti/6700k @ 5ghz rig

Soldato
Joined
8 Jun 2005
Posts
5,231
Hi all,

I’m looking to get a laptop to replace/compliment my desktop PC.

I currently have a 1080ti and an i7 6700k running at 5GZ.

I require something to use downstairs for gaming and I cba to move my PC, I’ve been using my steamdeck for this purpose so far, but it’s not really powerful enough compared to my desktop so I’m looking for something as powerful or more powerful than my desktop PC.

I’ll be using the laptop with external peripherals mostly, a good mic, keyboard mouse and headphones and an external monitor.

I was looking at the 2023 ROG Zephyrus Duo 16 cause I liked the idea of being able to play on it and watch UFC/Boxing on the extra screen, but it occurred to me that if I’m using an external screen it would be cool to be able to close the laptop and put it out of the way whilst I’m playing without thermals being impacted. That one also has a 4090 which is appealing, but would require purchasing on finance cause it’s £4000.

I saw the Rog Flow which looks cool cause you can fold the keyboard out of the way and still use the built in screen, but it only has a 4070 and I have no clue if that would be an upgrade from my current rig.

My current screen upstairs is 3440x1440 and downstairs is 2560x1080, I don’t have any plans in future to need a higher resolution.

I guess I could throw a couple of grand at this in terms of budget or more if I finance it.


Anyone have any solid suggestions please?

Thanks,

Guru
 
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if the budget is ONLY for finance... that gets tricky. There's about to be a LOT of 4080/4090 equipped laptops around (maybe a month or 2 away yet to be fair) for around £2K as folks ditch before 50xx laptops arrive (that they'll then be buying).

You might well be able to get something that suits in this sort of realm. Paypal does a 3 month interest free/various timescale payments if that kinda thing is UTTERLY required. £4k isn't going to get masses more, maybe a 180 to 240hz screen, maybe a slightly bigger nvme, maybe a better keyboard/etc but it's generally in that order of magnitude difference for about twice the price new. Even 139xx to 149xx CPU isn't leaps and bounds different (generally a '22/23 release to a '23/24 one).

Just... needs some care on where/who you buy from.

If you go new... Alienware are one of the best chassis this year, even sneaking ahead of Lenovo legion otherwise (who are still fine). The Asus stuff is... fine but the usual overmarketed, average gear and UTTERLY, UTTERLY DIRE "FU, WE HAVE YOUR MONEY NOW!!!" levels of customer support apply.

Spec wise... you'll definitely be able to hunt down:

13950hx/14900hx (or similar AMD, rarer though), 32GB, 1/2/4TB Nvme, 120-240hz 15.6-17" beyond 1080p screen with a 4080 (4070 desktop) 4090 (4070ti desktop) GPU for about £2K.

Most/all of these will have thunderbolt. You sound to be in a very similar usage setup I had so to add - if you put ANY proper thunderbolt 4 hub in the mix (not a dock/expander/etc, look for a 3/4 port TB4 HUB) plug all your old desktop peripherals/screens/etc into that (plug a USB hub in for keyboard/mouse/headset etc) and you have a 2 cable docking solution when you do get to take it upstairs to the big screen(s). 1 TB4 cable and the laptop power lead.
 
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Thanks so much for the quick response, it looks like the Alienware can be configured with from a 4060 to a 4090, do you have any idea which would definitely be an upgrade from the 1080ti?

Also I read some horror stories about the intel cpus, is that only with desktop cpus? Or should I try to avoid them in a laptop too?

Thanks,

G
 
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the 1080ti = 2080 = 3070 = 4060 (in REALLY broad/vague numbers they like +/- 10% from each other) so yeah. The 4090 should be a decent enough step up being roughly a 4070ti in desktop power. I'd still have MAYBE suggested some caution/restraint as the 40xx series are about to fair sized discounts everywhere as stock is cleared with 50xx coming early next year/maybe a bit before.

BUUUUT big gz on purchase :) The AMD chips nice in that for sure.
 
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Tysm!! I hope it’s better than my desktop or it’s definitely not staying ahahha

My bonus from work covers the cost thankfully :D
 
Well that was short lived, it’s broken, the second screen stopped working, I’ve been up all night trying to fix it and tried absolutely everything. Even ended up resorting to factory reset and it never started working again. :(
 
They don’t have any more to offer a replacement and are offering a refund instead unfortunately. If I went for a different laptop with a 4070 in does anyone know if it would still be an upgrade from my aging 1080ti?
 
Finally got my refund and wondering if I should wait for 5090 and buy a PC, will 5090 laptops not be for a long while yet?
 
Finally got my refund and wondering if I should wait for 5090 and buy a PC, will 5090 laptops not be for a long while yet?

If you have the budget to looking at gaming desktops at 5090 level, then buying any laptop is always going to be a very expensive compromise..

Laptop hardware just isnt equivelent to desktop stuff, the hardware is restricted and you have noise and cooling compromises on top of that.

Random example...An 11th gen i5 laptop cpu is 4.2ghz 4 cores, 4 threads for example... its desktop equiv. is 4.4ghz 6 cores and 12 threads...and it doesn't need to be power restricted to keep it cool or preserve battery life...

I'd only ever consider a gaming laptop if I had no choice... I have a reasonably powerfull gaming pc and a good 1440p monitor, and I have a mid range laptop for travel... 11th gen i5, integrated graphics, 8gb ram, OLED 60hz 13.9" screen
 
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The laptop idea was mostly because I move from downstairs to upstairs a lot, but since the laptop went back and I couldn’t put up with the performance of my steamdeck downstairs now I e started moving my PC instead and it’s not really that much of an ache so I think I’ll look to get a desktop machine instead.
 
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