Considering buying MSI GT72 (vs custom built desktop)

[Arviee]

Hello,

I'm considering gifting myself MSI GT72 /w skylake, 32gb ram and 980m GPU. (like this http/www.amazon.com/XOTIC-Dominator-Skylake-i7-6820HK-Computer/dp/B015QBP0KC/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top?ie=UTF8)

It costs ~$2.3k. And I'm wondering is it worth it compared to similarly priced custom built desktop PC (without monitors and mouse!). I was under the impression that the price difference for the same performance is lower than it was a few years ago, so why not go mobile? Put it in a cooling dock, connect 2 monitors, keyboard+mouse and you're set. +GPU and ram are upgradeable.

But I'm not sure what kind of desktop I can get for the same price. Maybe you can show me some examples? I'm really out of touch with modern hardware

FWIW, I plan to be stationary most of the time.

 

[hang-the-9]

If it's "worth it" vs a desktop if you are ok with getting either, no. You can get a gaming desktop same speed for about half the price.

http/www.tomshardware.com/forum/id-2842550/build-500.html these are higher end builds, you can get a very good gaming desktop for $1,000 minus the display.

If you want a high end laptop, it may not be worth it either, since top of the line parts in laptops are a bit wasted due to limited upgradability and cost vs lower tier stuff. www.xoticpc.com has plenty of gaming laptops. Probably $1,500 - 1,800 is a good spot for a higher end gaming laptop.http/www.xoticpc.com/sager-np8678s-clevo-p670rg-p-8669.html

 

[Arviee]

Wow, for some reason I've never heard of Sager/Clevo before, really solid notebooks! Big thanks for pointing me to them! Now I'm kind of torn between MSI and Sager, hmm... Hmm, I wonder can they be used for ocassional twitch streaming games as well?


Regarding desktops, I just don't see the price difference being that big when we compare both with the same (more or less) specs. I look at under $2000 PC builds and just don't see how they are better than the $2-$2.2k laptop (I'm not very hardware savvy), it seems that theres even Geforce 980 for the laptop! Is the CPU a lot better or what am I missing? Cooling? I can buy a laptop cooler(?).

Really want to get something future proof on which I can ocassionally enjoy games as they were intended to be enjoyed and have everything else flying, mobility is a big plus. And it seems that nowadays notebooks can really replace a desktop PC. (?)

 

[johnsrudtf]

Well if you want to connect your laptop to monitors, mouse, and keyboard you'll have to buy those whether you get a desktop or a laptop no? As for gaming, for $1500 you can get a desktop with a 980Ti that will crush 1440p. That desktop will be a better gamer than the laptop.

One thing to know also is that a 17 inch laptop is not very portable. Especially a gaming laptop like that one. That laptop will be incredibly heavy, huge, and not something you stick in a backpack to use in an airport.

 

[Arviee]

Well portability is subjective, if anything I prefer them like that, heave and sturdy. I've got 2 new Dell monitors (1080p) and a mouse, only thing I'd need to buy extra is a new keyboard and a cooler if thats needed.


I'm still very torn between PC and laptop, where is the value? And I don't mean just money, mainly interested in other pros/cons.

 

[johnsrudtf]

Well, you should think about what you want to be doing with the computer then. The desktop will be able to achieve the same performance for half the cost roughly speaking. Then if you wanted to purchase a laptop you could get an $800-900 laptop and use that if you think it would suit your needs. If you just want one solution for 1080p gaming, and lugging around then the MSI GT72 is definitely a good choice. I'd say that 32Gb of ram is overkill unless you're doing CAD design or other intensive programs. You pay a premium for the performance to be condensed into a laptop though. In addition, a desktop has the bonus that if in you want to upgrade parts, it is extremely easy compared to a laptop. Want a new or second hard drive? Just add one. Upgrade the graphics card? Just take the old one out and put the new one in. The upgradeability of a desktop far exceeds that of a laptop, and then some parts like the powersupply, case, hard drives, and even ram can be reused in a new desktop. Laptops have the bonus that they are everything in one package, screen, mouse, keyboard and computer. Maybe if you told us what exactly you think you'll use the computer for we could give more informed advice.

 

[Arviee]

From what I've read in other topics it seems that MSI promised to make new GPUs compatible with current laptop models = upgradeable. And Sager seems to be designed for easy upgrades.

Ok, uses:
Using 2 external 1080p monitors
Multiple Tabs in a browser (20+)
Operations with Postgresql databases (RAM + space, correct?)
Rare Gaming on ultra at 1080p (have never experienced this, would really like to)

Having an option to watch a show/movie in lying position, so my back can have some rest or go work outside of home (big plus for laptop)

Likely uses:
Streaming my games on twitch at 1080p/60fps, while using at least 2 screens, 1 for gaming, 2nd for other stuff (super CPU intensive + cooling?)
Using "solver" soft that does millions of calculations with multiple trees (super CPU intensive)

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As for desktops ugradeability, not sure if it applies in my case. If I'll be buying, I'll try to buy pretty new stuff and forget about it for ~4+ years. Just like I did with my current PC, most parts of which are now obsolete. I expect the same thing to happen with a brand new PC.

The only thing that might be reused is HDD and PSU, but I'm not sure if HDD gets worse/slower after 4-5 years of usage and my PSU is only 560w.

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I guess after writing all this laptop is what I want, but can it REALLY handle all that work and not "blow up"? Won't the latops monitor lose it's colors after ~3 years of heavy usage (at least 8hrs everyday)? Do modern notebooks even have this kind of lifespan? Basically I'm back to "Can they replace desktops?" question. Because if the models we've mentioned in this thread are not build for endurance, than I MIGHT be better off buying a good hassle-free desktop and getting a cheaper laptop for movies/travel/work down the road.

 

[hang-the-9]

Well portability is subjective, if anything I prefer them like that, heave and sturdy. I've got 2 new Dell monitors (1080p) and a mouse, only thing I'd need to buy extra is a new keyboard and a cooler if thats needed.


I'm still very torn between PC and laptop, where is the value? And I don't mean just money, mainly interested in other pros/cons.

The only benefit to a gaming laptop is that it's a laptop. If you don't care if it's portable then a desktop is easily the better value. There is no laptop that will match a desktop dollar for dollar in speeds. The mobile video cards models do not match the desktop ones for speed, a 980m is not as fast as a 980 desktop video card.

There is probably a 30% difference in cost between a laptop and a desktop of similar power and once you get to a certain level you need a very high end laptop to match a good gaming computer.