Gaming/Engineering Laptop $1200

[stamper4]

I'm looking for a decent gaming laptop that won't cost a huge amount of money. It would also need to handle being used by an engineering student

Budget: near $1200-$1500

RAM: over 8 g

Internal storage: at least 250 gb Sdd

Graphics: good enough to play current/ coming out games at mid-high quality. Can handle moderate 3d design software use.

Processor:i7. i5 if need be.

If anyone can help me that would be awesome!

 

[Enthusiast Builder]

I think you're asking the impossible...

First, I don't think people do custom built laptops...the engineering of the small size for parts doesn't yield itself to custom builds.

Even if you bought a laptop, and then started to upgrade some parts, you're gonna have an issue... the type of video card you need for engineering does not do well in gaming. I took a quick look at the SolidWorks (an engineering program you likely will use) requirements, and all the video cards that are certified for its use are FirePro or Quattro cards (AMD or Nvidia); and they suck at most gaming benchmarks.

So...you're probably better off getting an engineering laptop, and then a gaming PC. Sorry to say Anyone else have a different opinion?

 

[jackeds]

Hi there I write a post on this exact topic with my laptop recommendations. Hope it helps

http/www.gamingbuild.com/best-gaming-laptop-under-1500/

 

[dasulman]

I think you're asking the impossible...

First, I don't think people do custom built laptops...the engineering of the small size for parts doesn't yield itself to custom builds.

Even if you bought a laptop, and then started to upgrade some parts, you're gonna have an issue... the type of video card you need for engineering does not do well in gaming. I took a quick look at the SolidWorks (an engineering program you likely will use) requirements, and all the video cards that are certified for its use are FirePro or Quattro cards (AMD or Nvidia); and they suck at most gaming benchmarks.

So...you're probably better off getting an engineering laptop, and then a gaming PC. Sorry to say Anyone else have a different opinion?

you're only focusing on the workstation GPU's being used for gaming
you haven't considered that gaming GPUs work for workstation and productivity programs - and the truth is they work quite well. obviously they won't be perfect but they will do a very good job for the price.

Jackeds your list has the MSI apache pro as the top. that's a terrible laptop. I'd do more research, there are plenty of others, besides a top 5 list for these type of products are inappropriate.

OP your best bet would be this: http/www.xoticpc.com/sager-np8651-clevo-p650se-p-7690.html
you'll have a gtx 970M - which is better than the 880M which plays almost every game, at ultra at 30 fps or over (not crysis 3, but you can't have everything.
you can get a custom config on xoticpc for a 250GB ssd, and an OS for around $1500.
the laptop comes with an I7 quadcore with HT. so its no slouch at all.

 

[Enthusiast Builder]

Dasulman - I disagree, only the workstation GPUs are certified for SolidWorks - so you'd have him show up to class with hardware that potentially can't run his software needed? You assumed I didn't consider using a gaming gpu, but I did...

 

[dasulman]

Dasulman - I disagree, only the workstation GPUs are certified for SolidWorks - so you'd have him show up to class with hardware that potentially can't run his software needed? You assumed I didn't consider using a gaming gpu, but I did...

sorry about the agressive / condescending tone of my last post - waking up on the wrong side of bed >_<
the only part that a gtx card won't work with for Solidworks is for Realview previews. The rest it works fine with the regular forceware 344.XX drivers. For the rest it handles fine

 

[Enthusiast Builder]

No problem - and thanks for that insight (about gtx cards working for most of it). I don't know anything about SolidWorks, but tried to help out based on the hardware reqs on the page. Sounds like you have much better knowledge of it so I'll bow out. Happy thanksgiving!

 

[dasulman]

No problem - and thanks for that insight (about gtx cards working for most of it). I don't know anything about SolidWorks, but tried to help out based on the hardware reqs on the page. Sounds like you have much better knowledge of it so I'll bow out. Happy thanksgiving!

well truth be told for solidworks I'm sure there's a way to exclude the GPU from being used if there are unforeseen errors with either solidworks or forceware drivers. Then you can just have the integrated graphics and processor handle it. It won't be as smooth or quick, but it'll work. However for the most part the gtx cards should be fine.
Actually i'm just going through websites researching like any other muppet i'm nothing special when it comes to workstations off my own knowledge - I just look for people and forums who are Happy Thanksgiving ^_^

 

[stamper4]

I think i'be narrowed it down to:

http/www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00IKF2H12/ref=pd_aw_sims_2?pi=SL500_SS115&simLd=1

Or

http/www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00OBA5AMI/ref=pd_aw_sbs_2?pi=SS115&simLd=1

Can anyone help me find the differences or which one would be better for my purposes?.

As far as I can tell one has a smaller screen but comes with an ssd and the other a larger screen but with a tb hard drive.

 

[dasulman]

I think i'be narrowed it down to:

http/www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00IKF2H12/ref=pd_aw_sims_2?pi=SL500_SS115&simLd=1

Or

http/www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00OBA5AMI/ref=pd_aw_sbs_2?pi=SS115&simLd=1

Can anyone help me find the differences or which one would be better for my purposes?.

As far as I can tell one has a smaller screen but comes with an ssd and the other a larger screen but with a tb hard drive.

The smaller one with the SSD (the G551) has just as high build quality and power as the other - however it is much THINNER. This is technically a multimedia laptop wherein the weight is going to be down to about 2.5-2.6kg so that it will both be portable and be useful for gaming.
However the downside to this reduced weight and reduced thickness is that the cooling might be hotter than the alternative, however the cooling in all Asus ROG Laptops is top notch.
The Larger one is the same power wise, though that SSD is a huge help! However it's bigger in screen but it weighs a huge 4.2kg. that sort of weight puts serious strain on the shoulders if you carry it around and it's not comfortable.
However the g750 line up has a very nice keyboard layout and build quality, cooling and sound repression is the best on the market.

If it were me I'd go with the G551 just because of that weight. the keyboard is almost as good as the other, and Asus do a great job with sound and heating anyways, even for their thinner gaming laptops.
Hope this helps.

 

[stamper4]

Thanks a lot for the input and help!