Solved! Good 15.6" Gaming Latptop

[RPB1975]

Ok, so I have to replace two laptops with one. My wife and I had two laptops die within a month of each other, and we don't have funds for two new laptops, so I have to get one that fits both of our needs.

That being said, my wife's requirements limit my choices. I want to be able to game (at least decently) and she DOES NOT want a 17" laptop. I have answered the normal questions, and I really appreciate the help.

I would prefer high resolution computers screens, but they have to look good (i.e. good viewing angles and acurate color). I am into gaming, and heavily into photography, so that is important to me for photography.


1_What is your budget?

Anywhere between $800 and $1,300 (possibly $1,400).

2_What is the size of the notebook that you are considering?

15-15.6"

3_What screen resolution do you want?

1080p if possible (1920x1080). However, I don't like 1366x768 monitors so please try not to suggest laptops with that resolution. Anything larger than 720p is acceptable.

4_Do you need a portable or desktop replacement laptop?

portable...but not weak.

5_How much battery life do you need?

The noraml range (3-4 hours). More is better, but I won't completely discount a laptop with lower battery life if I really like the specs. I will usually have power (even on a plane).

6_Do you want to play games with your laptop? If so then please list the games that you want to with the settings that you want for these games. (Low,Medium or High)?

Yes, Yes, and Yes.....Most Important are Call of Duty MW2, Just Cause 2, Saints Row 2, GTA IV, Splinter Cell Conviction, etc. I would like to play all of the games on high settings, but I am a relaistic person. I know that I will most likely have to turn off AA (or turn it down to 2x) and vSync, but I want the games to look good. Let's be honest, we all like our games to look good. However, it is MUCH MORE IMPORTANT that they play well (frame rates 38+).

7_What other tasks do you want to do with your laptop? (Photo / Video editing,watching movies, Etc.)

Photo work, i.e. Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop, Capture NX 2, watching movies, browsing, using MS Access, Word, and Excel, etc

8_How much storage (H.D.D Capacity) do you need?

Don't care at all. Will consider SSD.

9_If you are considering specific sites to buy from, please post their links.

Something reliable. I normally buy from tigerdirect.com, newegg.com, amazon.com, etc. I am open to suggestions if the price is right and you have had good experience with them.

10_How long do you want to keep your laptop?

At least 2-3 years. (I would like DX11 support....but it is not a deal breaker).

11_What kind of Optical drive do you need? DVD ROM/Writer,Bluray ROM/Writer,Etc ?

DVD Writer

12_Please tell us about the brands that you prefer to buy from them and the brands that you don't like and explain the reasons.

Don't want a brand with a lot of bloatware, and I really don't want a cheap feeling/flimsy latpop. Especially, I don't want flex in the chasis. I have had that kill motherboards before.

13_What country do you live in?

Texas, USA

14_Please tell us any additional information if needed.

I really appreciate the help guys. I have been looking around and so far, I have two possibles. I really would like to get a few opinions, so if you have an idea, please don't hesitate to post it. My ideas are below:

http/www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834115820&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-RSSDailyDeals-_-na-_-na&AID=10521304&PID=3463938&SID

http/www.amazon.com/Republic-Gamers-G51JX-X3-15-6-Inch-Gaming/dp/tech-data/B00361G0ZO/ref=de_a_smtd

Thanks all!

 

[sidewinderx2]

Ok, so I have to replace two laptops with one. My wife and I had two laptops die within a month of each other, and we don't have funds for two new laptops, so I have to get one that fits both of our needs.

That being said, my wife's requirements limit my choices. I want to be able to game (at least decently) and she DOES NOT want a 17" laptop. I have answered the normal questions, and I really appreciate the help.

I would prefer high resolution computers screens, but they have to look good (i.e. good viewing angles and acurate color). I am into gaming, and heavily into photography, so that is important to me for photography.


1_What is your budget?

Anywhere between $800 and $1,300 (possibly $1,400).

2_What is the size of the notebook that you are considering?

15-15.6"

3_What screen resolution do you want?

1080p if possible (1920x1080). However, I don't like 1366x768 monitors so please try not to suggest laptops with that resolution. Anything larger than 720p is acceptable.

4_Do you need a portable or desktop replacement laptop?

portable...but not weak.

5_How much battery life do you need?

The noraml range (3-4 hours). More is better, but I won't completely discount a laptop with lower battery life if I really like the specs. I will usually have power (even on a plane).

6_Do you want to play games with your laptop? If so then please list the games that you want to with the settings that you want for these games. (Low,Medium or High)?

Yes, Yes, and Yes.....Most Important are Call of Duty MW2, Just Cause 2, Saints Row 2, GTA IV, Splinter Cell Conviction, etc. I would like to play all of the games on high settings, but I am a relaistic person. I know that I will most likely have to turn off AA (or turn it down to 2x) and vSync, but I want the games to look good. Let's be honest, we all like our games to look good. However, it is MUCH MORE IMPORTANT that they play well (frame rates 38+).

7_What other tasks do you want to do with your laptop? (Photo / Video editing,watching movies, Etc.)

Photo work, i.e. Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop, Capture NX 2, watching movies, browsing, using MS Access, Word, and Excel, etc

8_How much storage (H.D.D Capacity) do you need?

Don't care at all. Will consider SSD.

9_If you are considering specific sites to buy from, please post their links.

Something reliable. I normally buy from tigerdirect.com, newegg.com, amazon.com, etc. I am open to suggestions if the price is right and you have had good experience with them.

10_How long do you want to keep your laptop?

At least 2-3 years. (I would like DX11 support....but it is not a deal breaker).

11_What kind of Optical drive do you need? DVD ROM/Writer,Bluray ROM/Writer,Etc ?

DVD Writer

12_Please tell us about the brands that you prefer to buy from them and the brands that you don't like and explain the reasons.

Don't want a brand with a lot of bloatware, and I really don't want a cheap feeling/flimsy latpop. Especially, I don't want flex in the chasis. I have had that kill motherboards before.

13_What country do you live in?

Texas, USA

14_Please tell us any additional information if needed.

I really appreciate the help guys. I have been looking around and so far, I have two possibles. I really would like to get a few opinions, so if you have an idea, please don't hesitate to post it. My ideas are below:

http/www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834115820&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-RSSDailyDeals-_-na-_-na&AID=10521304&PID=3463938&SID

http/www.amazon.com/Republic-Gamers-G51JX-X3-15-6-Inch-Gaming/dp/tech-data/B00361G0ZO/ref=de_a_smtd

Thanks all!

I was actually going to suggest the G51JX as well But it really really doesn't have the battery life you're looking for... :S But if that's not a big problem, I think that would be a great laptop that meets most of your needs. You just need to update the bios and drivers as soon as you get the laptop to avoid a BSOD problem that it's known to have.

 

[Maziar]

MSI GX640 would be a good choice,and it has a more powerful VGA than G51JX(5850M VS GTX 260M)
http/www.xoticpc.com/msi-gx640260us-p-2766.html

 

[vipers992]

Maziar beat me to it, but this is the best place i've been able to find for the GX640, free shipping, and it's the cheapest, the price is amazing for what it packs and it looks pretty nice.

http/www.jr.com/msi-microstar/pe/MSR_GX640260US/

If you want to customise your settings to a higher specification, MSI's website or XoticPC would be great to enable that.

 

[RPB1975]

MSI GX640 would be a good choice,and it has a more powerful VGA than G51JX(5850M VS GTX 260M)
http/www.xoticpc.com/msi-gx640260us-p-2766.html

A couple of quesitons about the MSI GX640:

1) I have heard of people having a problem where the laptop just shuts itself off during gaming.

2) How is the build quality? I have not have much experience with MSI laptops (although I like their motherboards)

3) Do you know how the heat is with this laptop?

 

[RPB1975]

Also, what about Sager laptops? They have a lot of options on XoticPC (i.e. a 15.6" with a core i7 CPU and 5870m GPU).

 

[sidewinderx2]

Also, what about Sager laptops? They have a lot of options on XoticPC (i.e. a 15.6" with a core i7 CPU and 5870m GPU).

i've heard good things, and my friend has owned one, which he liked, but arent they kinda expensive to spec to what you want (i7 + 5870m)?

 

[RPB1975]

i've heard good things, and my friend has owned one, which he liked, but arent they kinda expensive to spec to what you want (i7 + 5870m)?

They are at the top of my range with those specs, but the specs seem worth the difference. For example, the MSI with a 5850m and Core i7 720Q is the same price as the Sager with the 5870m and Core i7 740Q.

 

[sidewinderx2]

They are at the top of my range with those specs, but the specs seem worth the difference. For example, the MSI with a 5850m and Core i7 720Q is the same price as the Sager with the 5870m and Core i7 740Q.

Oh hey cool. If that works for you, go for it. I'd also suggest upgrading the screen to 1920 x 1080 to take advantage of what the 5870 can do

 

[RPB1975]

Oh hey cool. If that works for you, go for it. I'd also suggest upgrading the screen to 1920 x 1080 to take advantage of what the 5870 can do

Yeah, I would def go with the higher res with that laptop. Any other suggestions? I still have the quesitons about MSI and Sager if anyone else has experience with them. I appreciate all of the help so far guys!

-Ryan

 

[Maziar]

A couple of quesitons about the MSI GX640:

1) I have heard of people having a problem where the laptop just shuts itself off during gaming.

2) How is the build quality? I have not have much experience with MSI laptops (although I like their motherboards)

3) Do you know how the heat is with this laptop?

1_Well you can't judge much by the user reviews, every product has satisfied/dissatisfied users
2_Its quite good
3_Check this review for both performance and heat
http/www.anandtech.com/show/3766/msi-gx640-speedy-dx11-laptop

 

[RPB1975]

Ok, so I see some possible deal breakers with almost every laptop I look at. In the case of the MSI GX640, they are as follows:

1) The LCD is older tech and is not bright for use outdoors. Every review I read indicates that the color gamut and white/black performance is sub-par (which isn't good for color accuracy).

2) I have ready about the horrible keyboard (cheap backplate and key action), and that would really annoy me over time.

That being said, the Sager is too big and heavy for my wife...she wants a slimer laptop. The Sager is over 2" thick (I believe) and it looks like a brick.

The Asus G51JX looks decent but seems to come with worse video cards (i.e. the GTS260 or GTS360M)

Anyone else have a recommendation that beats the above mentioned laptops? I typically build my own PC's, so I am picky on components/performance along with build quality.

Thanks!

 

[sidewinderx2]

Ok, so I see some possible deal breaks with almost every laptop I look at. In the case of the MSI GX640, they are as follows:

1) The LCD is older tech and is not bright for use outdoors. Every review I read indicates that the color gamut and white/black performance is sub-par (which isn't good for color accuracy).

2) I have ready about the horrible keyboard (cheap backplate and key action), and that would really annoy me over time.

That being said, the Sager is too big and heavy for my wife...she wants a slimer laptop. The Sager is over 2" thick (I believe) and it looks like a brick.

The Asus G51JX looks decent but seems to come with worse video cards (i.e. the GTS260 or GTS360M)

Anyone else have a recommendation that beats the above mentioned laptops? I typically build my own PC's, so I am picky on components/performance along with build quality.

Thanks!

You can try to customize your own HP ENVY 15, which will have the Radeon HD 5830, which is a decent gaming card. You can upgrade the screen to 1920 x 1080, and you can even include the Slice battery upgrade if you want the battery life. Should come out to be about 1500 or so.

 

[Maziar]

+1^
HP Envy 15 is good too.

 

[RPB1975]

You can try to customize your own HP ENVY 15, which will have the Radeon HD 5830, which is a decent gaming card. You can upgrade the screen to 1920 x 1080, and you can even include the Slice battery upgrade if you want the battery life. Should come out to be about 1500 or so.

Does anyone have an HP Envy 15 that can speak to the gaming performance in their experience (of course, of the 5830). I have looked at reviews and youtube vids, and it seems decent. However, I trust a community more than bars and graphs. At home, my 5870 in my desktop runs 3 24" 1920x1200 displays at high settings for almost any game, so I expect I only need a graphics card about 30-40% as powerful to get decent 1920x1080 gaming. However, most of the vids on youtube show 720P resolution.

You guys have been awesome helping me out. I haven't bought a laptop in over 4-5 years now, so I am re-exploring the market. I think the HP Envy 15 has a sexiness factor, and I like the fact that I can get the external Blu-Ray reader and use it for the laptop and my desktop (I don't have a Blu-Ray in the desktop as I didn't see the point when I bought it)...but I do now!

 

[sidewinderx2]

Does anyone have an HP Envy 15 that can speak to the gaming performance in their experience (of course, of the 5830). I have looked at reviews and youtube vids, and it seems decent. However, I trust a community more than bars and graphs. At home, my 5870 in my desktop runs 3 24" 1920x1200 displays at high settings for almost any game, so I expect I only need a graphics card about 30-40% as powerful to get decent 1920x1080 gaming. However, most of the vids on youtube show 720P resolution.

You guys have been awesome helping me out. I haven't bought a laptop in over 4-5 years now, so I am re-exploring the market. I think the HP Envy 15 has a sexiness factor, and I like the fact that I can get the external Blu-Ray reader and use it for the laptop and my desktop (I don't have a Blu-Ray in the desktop as I didn't see the point when I bought it)...but I do now!

There's a pretty big community over here:
http/forum.notebookreview.com/hp-envy-hdx/450884-official-hp-envy-15-2nd-gen-owners-lounge.html

good luck