Acer Predator v. MSI Laptop

[redsoxfanatic76]

I've narrowed it down to two, but I still need some advice.

The ACER Predator is 17.3in, 256gb ssd, and 1tb hdd, gtx 1060. It's at Costco for 1099. That would come with an extra two year warranty after the initial factory 2 year expires (so 4 years total covered)

The MSI is a 15.6in, 128gb ssd, 1tb hdd, gtx 1060 for 1179 on Newegg. That would come with a 2 year factory warranty.

Price wise, and if you add in the extra warranty and the bigger screen, the Acer should win, but I wanted to get some thoughts. I won't be using it only for endless hours of gaming. I'll be using it as a normal laptop for school work, web surfing, etc. But, occasionally, I do want to play for an hour or two here and there. I also needed a laptop because I travel and want to be able to play while staying at hotels.

This brings up my last question: I want to get a docking station while i'm at home, but I'm not sure if there are any docking stations that will power the laptop while it's attached? I think the MSI has a Thunderbolt connection, which I know has faster speeds, but I don't know if it's the only type of port that allows it to charge the computer. The Acer doesn't have a Thunderbolt, but it has the USB-C. I know a docking station with power isn't the end all, since I could just plug in the laptop to the wall and use it like normal, but I'm just curious. I've also read where there are some wireless docking stations out there. I do plan to use the DVI to hook up to a computer monitor, and also use the HDMI to connect to a large Samsung TV for when playing games.

Any Thoughts? I'm hoping to buy this ASAP. Your input will be extremely valuable. Thanks!

 

[feelinfroggy777]

Do both the laptops have the same 1060? There is a 6gb and a 3gb model of the 1060. I would make sure I got the 6gb model. If they are both the same then I would go with the Predator, mainly because of the larger screen, but it also has a bigger SSD. For a gaming laptop, I want a 17" screen. If you are wanting something ultra portable, then maybe the 15" screen is better, but for me, 17" is small enough.

 

[redsoxfanatic76]

otemsg=20782772,0,2380071]Do both the laptops have the same 1060? There is a 6gb and a 3gb model of the 1060. I would make sure I got the 6gb model. If they are both the same then I would go with the Predator, mainly because of the larger screen, but it also has a bigger SSD. For a gaming laptop, I want a 17" screen. If you are wanting something ultra portable, then maybe the 15" screen is better, but for me, 17" is small enough. [/quotemsg]

I'm not really swayed either way by the screen size. I've been using a 14in Lenovo ultra thin book, so I know whatever I get is going to be much bigger than what I'm used to. If I'm going to game on it, more than likely, I'll have it hooked through the HDMI to a TV. Both have the GTX 6gb

 

[feelinfroggy777]

I think I would still go with the Acer. Its cheaper, longer warranty, and bigger SSD. The additional size of the laptop will help with cooling to a degree (pun intended). A larger space is better to dissipate heat.