Choosing a gaming laptop

[Ohlins]

I am thinking of purchasing a gaming laptop now that prices have gone down, and overall footprint of laptops has decreased dramatically. I previously owned a Samsung Series 7 Gamer laptop which was pretty powerful,had very comfortable keyboard and an excellent screen but was terribly unreliable(sent it to Samsung after 8 months of usage to get both hard drives replaced as part of the warranty). So you understand that I am looking for a good quality laptop that will be at least reliable. I don't really play many demanding titles,cause I already have a PS4 as well, but I wouldn't mind if I could squeeze a GTX 970M for the price. I already say the Eurocom laptops but don't know if I should trust the company. I really like MSI laptops such as the GS60 2QE,which is really thin and light while being very powerful.
So my questions are:

1) Does form factor really affect performance and heat management?

2) Are the MSI laptops generally reliable?

3) If not MSI then which brand is best for reliability and performance?

My budget is £800-900 at most(live in the UK). What's the best I can get for my money?

 

[Illumynization]

Yes form factor does affect heat, but as long as you dont cover the vents and keey the power block in an open area (it gets pretty hot too) most manufacturers have tested the laptops under heavy load before putting them out on the market.

While I do like a lot of the new MSI laptops and I think they are taking steps in the right direction, I have had my fair share of customers who are too rough with theirs (even though they claim they aren't). I've had MSI gaming laptops with plastic breaks and LCD issues quite a bit. Take care of your laptop and it really shouldn't be an issue.

Acer Nitro
MSI Ghost, Dominator, Stealth
Asus ROG
Lenovo Y Series
Gigabyte Gaming laptop

As far as a specific model I cannot help with. I'm not familiar with what UK stores offer, their pricing, and such other details.

Be sure you get the GPU you want and the display you want as these will not be upgradable in the future. You can always increase RAM and add an SSD later on as upgrades. Also look for reviews and common problems on forums for the exact model laptop you end up wanting to buy, before you buy it. Lastly, take care of the laptop!!

 

[Ohlins]

Thanks for your quick reply. One last thing. Have you heard about the Eurocom laptops at all?

 

[Illumynization]

I have not since they do not offer them here in the US.

 

[Ohlins]

I have not since they do not offer them here in the US.

Of course they do, they are US and Canada based company. You should look into it,seems like they're too cheap for what you get but a review I saw on Youtube says that they're actually pretty good, given you're willing to sacrifice things like build quality.

 

[Illumynization]

Sorry, I should have specified, I don't know of any brick and mortar stores in the US that may carry their laptop thus I have not used them.