Help Finding a Gaming Laptop

[J_Rimmer]

     I’m looking for a laptop that packs the greatest amount of computing power, with an emphasis on gaming, in the smallest package. I prefer a smaller screen size something around 15” is ideal but I’ll keep an open mind. Screen resolution cannot fall below 1920 X 1080. I would prefer an Nvidia GPU no lower than the GTX 680M, or if ATI no lower than Radeon HD 8970M. The Intel i7 4710MQ with a base clock of 2.5 GHz is the lowest I’ll go with the CPU. The processor must be made by Intel. For Ram I need a minimum capacity of 8GB DDR3 with speeds no slower than 1600 MHz.

     I came up with my GPU and CPU minimums based off a list on Notebookcheck.net. Below I linked the two GPU’s and one CPU. Anything above them on the “Class 1” list displayed on the right in red will work, assuming the laptop remains within budget.

     I’m fairly open on the brand assuming there is some way to back up its reliability. I would pay a bit more for less computing power if the quality (hardware reliability, construction materials) was better. Amazon, Newegg, and Tiger direct are all websites I frequently purchase from.

     Some things that would be nice but are not required is an additional hard drive slot (making a total of two), backlight keyboard, and disc drive.

Budget: $2,300.00

     Thanks for taking a look!
Nvidia GTX 680M: http/www.notebookcheck.net/NVIDIA-GeForce-GTX-680M.72679.0.html

ATI Radeon HD 8970M: http/www.notebookcheck.net/AMD-Radeon-HD-8970M.90656.0.html

Intel Core i7 4710MQ: http/www.notebookcheck.net/Intel-Core-i7-4710MQ-Notebook-Processor.115117.0.html

 

[J_E_D_70]

http/www.sagernotebook.com/customize.php?productid=406

Configured with a 500GB SSD only comes to $1650.

Sager notebooks aren't pretty but they are rugged.

 

[Phil923]

if you need something really light, the msi gs60 ghost pro can be considered as well.

http/www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100006550%2050001312%2040003365%20600536650%20600004927&IsNodeId=1&Manufactory=1312&name=4%20-%204.9%20lbs.

 

[J_Rimmer]

http/www.sagernotebook.com/customize.php?productid=406

Configured with a 500GB SSD only comes to $1650.

Sager notebooks aren't pretty but they are rugged.

Thanks for the reply! I've checked out the link and it looks like Sager would be an excellent place to buy a laptop. I really like the fact that you are able to customize a lot of the features, specifically the SSD to a 256GB Samsung 850 Pro. That being said I have no background with this brand so it scares me a little to purchase something expensive from a company I know almost nothing about. I know you mentioned that they are rugged. Is there any additional information you can give about Sager? Personal experiences with there products?

 

[J_Rimmer]

if you need something really light, the msi gs60 ghost pro can be considered as well.

http/www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100006550%2050001312%2040003365%20600536650%20600004927&IsNodeId=1&Manufactory=1312&name=4%20-%204.9%20lbs.

Thanks for the reply! I do like the aspect of having a thin laptop. My current Asus N90Sv laptop is anything but light with a big 18.4" screen coming in at around 9.25lbs. It is more trouble than its worth and I found it awkward to carry from class to class. So I like the thin aspect with one reservation. How well does the laptop dissipate heat? I figure smaller/tighter build equals greater heat concentration which in turn reduces component lifespan. Depending upon what I find out, this may be the way to go.

 

[J_E_D_70]

Two dudes in Iraq had Sagers with dual GPUs. Ran like champs in that dusty, rough environment.