MSI Laptop Customization what are worth upgrading and not.

[Quiqzal]

Hi everyone

So I am getting ready to bite the bullet on a Desktop Replacement Laptop. XOTIC PC was recommended to me from this site but still not sure if some customizations are worth the cost increase. The Laptop I finally have decided on is:

MSI GT70 2OD-039US - Dragon Edition 2 BAse Specs

17.3" FHD Matte
Intel® i7-4700MQ
NVIDIA® GTX 780M [4GB]
Up to 32GB RAM
3x 128GB mSATA + 1TB HDD
2+ Hours / 8.60 lbs
3D Score: TBA

Cost as is: 2700.00

I would love to stay between 3000 and 3500 but realize having the custom wraps and such not will take me closer to 4k.

I do have some questions I hope can get some answers to help me decide.

1.) Increasing the CPU from i7-4700MQ is the cost worth the upgrade.
i7-4800MQ (2.7GHz - 3.7GHz, 6MB Intel® Smart Cache) ( + 245 )
i7-4900MQ (2.8GHz - 3.8GHz, 8MB Intel® Smart Cache) ( + 425 )

2.) Upgrading Screen:
17.3" FHD 16:9 "Matte Type" Super Clear Ultra Bright LED Anti-Glare Screen w/ 72% NTSC Color Gamut (1920x1080) ( + 149 )

3.) I have not heard anything good about Windows 8 so thinking to change to:
Windows 7 Home Premium - 64-Bit (up to 16GB of RAM) (Disk Included) ( + 104 )

The Customization I am thinking of doing to the MSI is below. Any help or ideas on changes are greatly appreciated. The Customization from from http/www.xoticpc.com/msi-gt70-2od039us-dragon-edition-p-5771.html?wconfigure=yes

MSI GT70 2OD-039US - Dragon Edition 2

- 17.3" FHD 16:9 "Matte Type" Super Clear Ultra Bright LED Anti-Glare Screen w/ 72% NTSC Color Gamut (1920x1080)
- FREE!!! - 30 Day "No Dead Pixel" Guarantee! - ($35.00 Value!) (Limited Time Only / XPC Service)

- 4th Generation Intel® Haswell Core™ i7-4900MQ (2.8GHz - 3.8GHz, 8MB Intel® Smart Cache) (SKU – X2X917)
- IC Diamond Thermal Compound - CPU + GPU (Cools better than all Compounds) (XPC Service)
- NVIDIA® GeForce™ GTX 780M (4.0GB) GDDR5 PCI-Express DX11 w/ Optimus™ Technology
- COPPER COOLING UPGRADE - Extra Cooling Copper Heatsinks Applied to the Heatsink/Heatpipes (XPC Service)

- 32GB DDR3 1600MHz [SKU-844AP] (Dual Channel Memory (4x8GB SODIMMS)) - Default
- Custom Graphic Wrap [A+C Surfaces] – [Back of LCD Panel + Keyboard ] (Choose from our designs or your own) *Will add 7-13 business days (XPC Service)
- MSI Logo [Purple] - (XPC Service)

- mSATA Option: Operating System Installed [Default] w/ mSATA(s) selected below

- 128GB Solid State Drive (Super RAID 2) mSATA - [ In Primary Hard Drive Bay ]
- 1TB 7200RPM (SATA III - 6GB/s) (SKU - HDD005)
- 6x Blu-Ray Burner + 8X DVDRW/CDRW Super Multi Combo Drive (SKU - ODD006

- Bluetooth Included *With select wireless cards only* (See “Wireless Network” Section Below)
- Intel® Dual Band AC 7260 802.11 A/AC/B/G/N 2.4/5.0GHz + Bluetooth 4.0 / WiDi | Up to 300/867Mbps (2x2) (SKU - WIFI04)
- Internal 3-in-1 Card Reader (SD/SDHC/SDXC)
- Integrated Digital Video Camera

- Windows 7 Home Premium - 64-Bit (Supports up to 16GB of RAM) (Disk Included)
- Adobe Photoshop Elements 11 & Premiere Elements 11 (OEM)
- 2013 PC Security Essentials Software (Not Installed) (Trend Micro Titanium Antivirus + Security (2 Year Subscription) & Zemana AntiLogger)

- Microsoft OFFICE 2013 Home & Student Edition - [Word/Excel/PowerPoint/OneNote] (OEM/Medialess)

- 3 Year Parts & LIFETIME Ltd Labor Warranty 24/7 Tech Support w/ LCD Accidental Damage Protection (SKU - WTY009)
- No Certificate & Binder
- * 24/7 LIFETIME U.S. based technical support
* Extreme QA testing by dedicated technicians
* 24-72 Hour stress testing and benchmarking to ensure top performance and stability
- Standard Production Time

With Max items spoke of above Approx.Cost: 4200.00

A last question:
Sager NP9380-S (Clevo P370SM3) is it a comparison to the MSI?
I worked a customization up using the Sager have that I can post but thought I would not make this longer than it is for now

Thank you all
Happy New Year.
Nanette

 

[LummusMaximus]

Are you sure you want the minor performance gains for the processor, 200 megahertz isn't really worth that much more price, given your budget you want to stay into. Even downgrading to the 3.1GHz model won't exactly compromise your performance massively.

 

[Quiqzal]

Are you sure you want the minor performance gains for the processor, 200 megahertz isn't really worth that much more price, given your budget you want to stay into. Even downgrading to the 3.1GHz model won't exactly compromise your performance massively.

So upgrading the original processor speed (below) to the above mentioned i7 4800mq or i7 4900mq wouldnt make much of a difference? Even looking to the future I was thinking in upgrading the processor would keep it more relevant as the years go by.
4th Generation Intel® Haswell Core™ i7-4700MQ (2.4GHz - 3.4GHz, 6MB Intel® Smart Cache)

 

[LummusMaximus]

Are you sure you want the minor performance gains for the processor, 200 megahertz isn't really worth that much more price, given your budget you want to stay into. Even downgrading to the 3.1GHz model won't exactly compromise your performance massively.

So upgrading the original processor speed (below) to the above mentioned i7 4800mq or i7 4900mq wouldnt make much of a difference? Even looking to the future I was thinking in upgrading the processor would keep it more relevant as the years go by.
4th Generation Intel® Haswell Core™ i7-4700MQ (2.4GHz - 3.4GHz, 6MB Intel® Smart Cache)

What I'm saying is you'll get diminishing performance returns for the increased costs. If you really want the upgrade, I can't stop you, however I recommend only going up to the 4800mq.

 

[Quiqzal]

Thank you so much I guess I misunderstood your original response. Thank you for clarifying it for me.

 

[LummusMaximus]

Thank you so much I guess I misunderstood your original response. Thank you for clarifying it for me.

No problem! Another thing is you've gone with 32GB RAM, have you not? 16GB is generally considered overkill, what would you be doing with all of it?

If you still take 32GB, create a RAMdisc with a bit of it. One last problem, home premium and i think professional versions of windows support no more than 16GB of RAM, meaning you'd have to get win7 ultimate. So if you want all that memory, it's going to be very costly.

 

[nforce4max]

Don't get 8 as it is for noobs who know nothing about operating systems and it can be slower than 7. As for the cpu the performance between the two is only about 6-8% due to the cache so you are better off with the cheaper one. You can always force the turbo with throttle stop and it makes a difference. Just be sure to get a Good warranty when you buy this!

 

[Quiqzal]

Thank you so much I guess I misunderstood your original response. Thank you for clarifying it for me.

No problem! Another thing is you've gone with 32GB RAM, have you not? 16GB is generally considered overkill, what would you be doing with all of it?

If you still take 32GB, create a RAMdisc with a bit of it. One last problem, home premium and i think professional versions of windows support no more than 16GB of RAM, meaning you'd have to get win7 ultimate. So if you want all that memory, it's going to be very costly.

It is the default RAM on this model of MSI
http/www.xoticpc.com/msi-gt70-2od039us-dragon-edition-p-5771.html?wconfigure=yes

 

[LummusMaximus]

Thank you so much I guess I misunderstood your original response. Thank you for clarifying it for me.

No problem! Another thing is you've gone with 32GB RAM, have you not? 16GB is generally considered overkill, what would you be doing with all of it?

If you still take 32GB, create a RAMdisc with a bit of it. One last problem, home premium and i think professional versions of windows support no more than 16GB of RAM, meaning you'd have to get win7 ultimate. So if you want all that memory, it's going to be very costly.

It is the default RAM on this model of MSI
http/www.xoticpc.com/msi-gt70-2od039us-dragon-edition-p-5771.html?wconfigure=yes

Downgrading appears to be an option. You can save a few bucks like this.

 

[Quiqzal]

Thank you for your help. Out of the few I have spoken to and asked for help you have been the most helpful, this even after Xoticpc's CSR I found helpful.

What I will be doing with the laptop is basically replacing a desktop I need a strong laptop because of an injury. I play online games like EQ2, SWG, WoW (or will be replacement for City of Heroes) Skyrim, Halo. I will also be using it for work and mixing music and some video.

It has been basically a search in the dark with a pen light to figure first which manufacturer, then which version, then custom build option which then finding the right site to choose and once more back around to manufacturer etc. I heard alot about XoticPc and also that MSI had a good reputation all around.

 

[LummusMaximus]

Thank you for your help. Out of the few I have spoken to and asked for help you have been the most helpful, this even after Xoticpc's CSR I found helpful.

What I will be doing with the laptop is basically replacing a desktop I need a strong laptop because of an injury. I play online games like EQ2, SWG, WoW (or will be replacement for City of Heroes) Skyrim, Halo. I will also be using it for work and mixing music and some video.

It has been basically a search in the dark with a pen light to figure first which manufacturer, then which version, then custom build option which then finding the right site to choose and once more back around to manufacturer etc. I heard alot about XoticPc and also that MSI had a good reputation all around.

So, as it seems, your system will easily run of all of these games at high. If you find new games you want to play several years from now, you'll still be able to play them.

You didn't specify the size of the dark you're searching in with your pen light. Specifying can help myself and others on the forum more easily find... Something.

Well, glad I've been of assistance, and I hope I've saved you a bundle in doing so!

 

[Quiqzal]

LOL True I did not. I had been searching for a while and posted a few times on geekstogo and here. Had the initial ppl telling me I shouldnt buy a laptop to game blah blah even after I said in the beginning I know desktops are best for gaming. lol.

So I stepped back and slowly found out information on various laptops then from there ppl telling me if I was going to spend 3500 on a laptop I should look into having one made.

I originally was all gung ho for Alienware but more I read the more I wasnt sure if they were for me. Then looked into MSI and seems like a good choice. I honestly really appreciated you helping and if you had any other ideas I would gladly look them over. This week I will be biting the bullet and buying two of these and with dishing out close to 7-8k I want to make sure I will be happy with them but also get good bang for my bucks.

 

[LummusMaximus]

LOL True I did not. I had been searching for a while and posted a few times on geekstogo and here. Had the initial ppl telling me I shouldnt buy a laptop to game blah blah even after I said in the beginning I know desktops are best for gaming. lol.

So I stepped back and slowly found out information on various laptops then from there ppl telling me if I was going to spend 3500 on a laptop I should look into having one made.

I originally was all gung ho for Alienware but more I read the more I wasnt sure if they were for me. Then looked into MSI and seems like a good choice. I honestly really appreciated you helping and if you had any other ideas I would gladly look them over. This week I will be biting the bullet and buying two of these and with dishing out close to 7-8k I want to make sure I will be happy with them but also get good bang for my bucks.

Once again, very glad I could be of assistance. Just one last question before you do bite the bullet- why do you need two?

 

[Quiqzal]

My partner needs a new laptop and she wants one that she can play games like the ones I do.(Sims3, Sims4, Diablo3, City of Heroes(rip) and we both are awaiting the New Phoenix Project with hopes it will be the next greatest CoH)

She loves Wow and has been playing on her MAC but its aging. A MAC laptop would run us a lot more plus she now hates how many games she misses out because of platforms.

We may still end up investing in two table top machines in the future which I do have experience in building I had done my last 3 desktops.

 

[Quiqzal]

You know I should be giving you the commission the sales rep at XoticPC will be LOL.

 

[TheGoat Eater]

I would say just the screen upgrade would be best - I have the GT60 2OD-261 w/ 3K screen and coming from a GT60 0NE a better display is definitely worth it. I like to make things go fast ( xtreme overclocker --- LN2 etc) and the 4700QM is more than good for me. I might suggest going for 240GB~ SSDs for the increased capacity ( I have a lot of games on mine) as I just upgraded mine to 3x 240GB Crucial M500 MSATA SSDs... I get about 1320 seq read ... 32GB of RAM may be a good idea if you want to have a RAM disk - on my to do list. I will say that coming from a GT60 w/ win7 (I HATE win8) to a GT60 with win8 I plan to stay with win8 as the MSI software for the chassis and features just functions better.

The standard Killer E2200 networking solution is actually very good and has worked well for me on two notebooks and 2 motherboards

 

[LummusMaximus]

You know I should be giving you the commission the sales rep at XoticPC will be LOL.

Heh heh heh. That would be nice very nice.

 

[Quiqzal]

I would say just the screen upgrade would be best - I have the GT60 2OD-261 w/ 3K screen and coming from a GT60 0NE a better display is definitely worth it. I like to make things go fast ( xtreme overclocker --- LN2 etc) and the 4700QM is more than good for me. I might suggest going for 240GB~ SSDs for the increased capacity ( I have a lot of games on mine) as I just upgraded mine to 3x 240GB Crucial M500 MSATA SSDs... I get about 1320 seq read ... 32GB of RAM may be a good idea if you want to have a RAM disk - on my to do list. I will say that coming from a GT60 w/ win7 (I HATE win8) to a GT60 with win8 I plan to stay with win8 as the MSI software for the chassis and features just functions better.

The standard Killer E2200 networking solution is actually very good and has worked well for me on two notebooks and 2 motherboards

*blinks* I think ya lost me with all the numbers...Think you rec keeping the 32gb of ram instead of lowering it for a bit of discount that LummusMaximus talked about.

Also think you are onboard with LummusMaximus about the 4700mq more than enough for me and into the future.
(mainly I was upgradding because of that new car driving off the lot.....where the laptop would be falling behind in tech when it arrived. If that makes sense.)

The Screen I was going to upgrade:
17.3" FHD 16:9 "Matte Type" Super Clear Ultra Bright LED Anti-Glare Screen w/ 72% NTSC Color Gamut (1920x1080) for 149.

I dont fully understand this. " might suggest going for 240GB~ SSDs for the increased capacity ( I have a lot games on mine) as I just upgraded mine to 3x 240GB Crucial M500 MSATA SSDs... I get about 1320 seq read "

 

[LummusMaximus]

Alright, what that means is how fast the three drives are together. I'm assuming he's using the standard measurement of megabytes per second, meaning there are speeds of over a gigabyte per second when he reads data from the drive. The "seq" is short for sequential, and is a little trickier to explain.

Okay, so when data is written onto a drive, it's written in blocks. These blocks are usually sequential meaning they're right next to each other, so hard drives read it faster, due to the fact they have to spin to each block of data. The older the drive gets, as you delete some large files, you create gaps that are then filled by larger files, but those larger files are split up, making them non-sequential. Hard drives reas this slower as the have to spin to different sections of their disc. However, one if the strengths of an SSD is non-sequential reads, as an SSD doesn't have any moving parts and doesn't need to spin up. However, that speed of 1.3 gigabytes per second is very, very fast. But the capacities of the drives rarely actually affect how fast they are, so the only benefit of larger drives is more storage- not a bad benefit, actually.

 

[Quiqzal]

Thank you so much for that clarification. I guess never have installed them I didnt fully understand it all but I do now that was a great answer. I think I will be fine with my two external hard drives 1g mobile one and 1g Desktop that I already have.

Heading into the pool of ordering *pinches nose and leaps into the deep end*

Thank you again.