Lightweight 970M Gaming Laptop for School?

[jkteddy77]

I've been considering the MSI GS60 the most.

Need:
i7 4th or 5th gen
GTX 970km (3gb or 6gb if price is right)
1tb HDD
256gb SSD (128 if i have too, but that's not much)
15.6in or less
roughly 5lbs or less, I'll have to lug it everywhere.
Also, possibly a 3k/4k screen if it's at 60hz

Saw the older MSI had a 3k screen, but 870m is far too slow.

Is the 5700 fast enough over the 4710 to warrant the extra couple hundred dollars?
the GS60, last years model, is $300 less after rebate.
2014: http/www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834152656&cm_re=gs60-_-34-152-656-_-Product
2015: http/www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834152815&cm_re=gs60-_-34-152-815-_-Product

Anyone recommend me some models? I'm considering many brand, but weight is factor for me, roughly 5lbs at most.
Budget- under $2000, but I'm aiming for the $1500-1700 range

 

[lli10]

I think your msi 2014 is already very good, 5th intel only shines if you need extra 8~10% efficiency & better integrated graphic card, other than that, not worth price IMHO.

another two things you can consider if you want lightweight.

1. razer 14. it is expensive, and might have some heating issue to run a large full world 3D games.

2. acer nitro 15. it is using 960M, but cheap, stylish.

3. Aorus X3 Plus v3:
1.8 KG
3200 x 1800 QHD+ 13.9-inch notebook with 3x RAID 0 and GTX 970M
around 2400 EUR

4. Gigabyte P34W v3
1.8 KG 14-inch laptop

$1700

BTW, a piece of advice, do check out the heating issue, when laptop is under load for long hours.

I am using a GE60 with a 4810 CPU, the heat radiator just can not keep it up , even after i dissemble the cd drive replaced with a fan instead.

 

[jkteddy77]

I think your msi 2014 is already very good, 5th intel only shines if you need extra 8~10% efficiency & better integrated graphic card, other than that, not worth price IMHO.

another two things you can consider if you want lightweight.

1. razer 14. it is expensive, and might have some heating issue to run a large full world 3D games.

2. acer nitro 15. it is using 960M, but cheap, stylish.

3. Aorus X3 Plus v3:
1.8 KG
3200 x 1800 QHD+ 13.9-inch notebook with 3x RAID 0 and GTX 970M
around 2400 EUR

4. Gigabyte P34W v3
1.8 KG 14-inch laptop

$1700

BTW, a piece of advice, do check out the heating issue, when laptop is under load for long hours.

I am using a GE60 with a 4810 CPU, the heat radiator just can not keep it up , even after i dissemble the cd drive replaced with a fan instead.

Hmm, those sound like good options, and I was looking at the gigabyte. What about these laptops. They're raved as being best performance/dollar:
http/www.xoticpc.com/sager-np8651s-clevo-p650se-p-8223.html
http/www.xoticpc.com/sager-np8652s-clevo-p650sg-p-8133.html <-- 980m for $1600 0_o
http/www.xoticpc.com/sager-np9752s-clevo-p750zm-p-7854.html full 4790k!
http/www.xoticpc.com/sager-np8652s-clevo-p650sg-p-8133.html 4k full 4790k!

These models seem my happy medium. Any of them can be customized to add extra ssd/hdd/ram, even the option to drop in a different GPu or a 4k screen into nearly every model.
The NP8651 is only about 5.5lbs, fulfilling my weight need.
I honestly don't think the 4790k is necessary for the cost and weight gain. My desktop already runs one, I don't need that much power on the go.

What do you think about Clevo/Sager? Is a more customizable site like Xotic the way to shop for a laptop?

 

[lli10]

I think your msi 2014 is already very good, 5th intel only shines if you need extra 8~10% efficiency & better integrated graphic card, other than that, not worth price IMHO.

another two things you can consider if you want lightweight.

1. razer 14. it is expensive, and might have some heating issue to run a large full world 3D games.

2. acer nitro 15. it is using 960M, but cheap, stylish.

3. Aorus X3 Plus v3:
1.8 KG
3200 x 1800 QHD+ 13.9-inch notebook with 3x RAID 0 and GTX 970M
around 2400 EUR

4. Gigabyte P34W v3
1.8 KG 14-inch laptop

$1700

BTW, a piece of advice, do check out the heating issue, when laptop is under load for long hours.

I am using a GE60 with a 4810 CPU, the heat radiator just can not keep it up , even after i dissemble the cd drive replaced with a fan instead.

Hmm, those sound like good options, and I was looking at the gigabyte. What about these laptops. They're raved as being best performance/dollar:
http/www.xoticpc.com/sager-np8651s-clevo-p650se-p-8223.html
http/www.xoticpc.com/sager-np8652s-clevo-p650sg-p-8133.html <-- 980m for $1600 0_o
http/www.xoticpc.com/sager-np9752s-clevo-p750zm-p-7854.html full 4790k!
http/www.xoticpc.com/sager-np8652s-clevo-p650sg-p-8133.html 4k full 4790k!

These models seem my happy medium. Any of them can be customized to add extra ssd/hdd/ram, even the option to drop in a different GPu or a 4k screen into nearly every model.
The NP8651 is only about 5.5lbs, fulfilling my weight need.
I honestly don't think the 4790k is necessary for the cost and weight gain. My desktop already runs one, I don't need that much power on the go.

What do you think about Clevo/Sager? Is a more customizable site like Xotic the way to shop for a laptop?

$1600 with 980M is without O.S., unless you are going to use ubuntu/other o.s. play stream games, you have to spend x00 $ for the O.S. , but still a very cost-effective one though.

Sager is a cost effective brand, I was looking into their Sager NP9773, this was a g sync enabled laptop.

I think from your point of view,

Since you capped the cost, you look for cost-effective brands, then I think MSI , sager are better choices

Next, choose the model, that is a tradeoff choice you have to make, mobility vs performance.

If you play very demanding 3D gaming, you can choose 980M series, otherwise choose mobility models.

This depends on your use cases, like me need to bring my laptop to projects meetings as well as gaming, now I wish I had chosen GS60 rather than GE60. At that time, MSI GS30 SHADOW vs ALIENWARE 13 , were not available.

Another solution is MSI GS30 SHADOW vs ALIENWARE 13 , they are with docking station. but a little bit over price. but you know with GTX970 desktop graphic card, I think in theory it should out perform all the laptops in the list, in terms of gaming experience.

These days, just too many choices, cross out that you definitely don't like first, then do some reading on the rest reviews, weight from your daily use cases point of view, happy hunting.