Razer Blade vs Dell XPS 15 vs Gigabyte Aero 14

Sellers Hill

Estimable
Dec 14, 2014
13
0
4,560
My current daily driver laptop broke and will cost more to repair than its worth so I am in the market for a new laptop. I need it to be able to handle light gaming and have an SSD and fast processor. These three seemed like the best choices. I like the Razer blade, but it is a bit expensive and not as grown-up as I want. The XPS seems great, but only has a FHD screen for the price I can afford. Finally the Gigabyte seems like a good budget option but with sketchy build quality. Is it worth the extra money to get a good laptop that will last longer?
 

Sellers Hill

Estimable
Dec 14, 2014
13
0
4,560
Gigabyte Aero 14 ($1,099)- i7-6700HQ, 16Gb of Ram, 512GB SSD storage, Gtx 965M 2gb, 2560 x 1440 IPS Display
Dell XPS 15 ($1600)- i7-7700HQ, 16 GB of ram, 512 GB SSD, Gtx 1050 4gb, 1920x1080 IPS Display
Razer Blade ($1680)- 7–6700HQ, 16 GB of ram, 256GB SSD, GTX 970M 6gb, 3200x1800 touchscreen IPS display
 

Junk4Brains

Prominent
Apr 2, 2017
1
0
510
Well if you're worried about the Gigabyte's build quality. I have the newer version which is essentially the exact same minus the interior upgrades and it feels fine. But as for the 965m gtx I'd be a bit worried about the lack of VRAM, I mean 2GB is enough but later titles can push its limits.
Now given the three you listed, I'm guessing portability is a big factor as well. If not there are PLENTY of other options at much cheaper prices if you are okay with a little bit more bulk to your form factor. Not only does this add more savings but it does add more efficient cooling and temperature management. There are tons of options so I won't go over then all.
Now if thin and light is what you want there is one other option. It is a bit more "gamer" looking but if you can get over the look of it it is the best option in your budget and gives you the most machine for your money in a thin and light form factor. And that is the MSI GS43VR. Now I know up until recently you could get the skylake model for as low as 1249 but those seem to have been snatched up but if you can find one, jump on it. You get a 1060 gtx for gaming, 1080p screen, ssd....but it is not a perfect machine, comes with a lot of bloatware so much so that a clean install is recommended and microstuttering is a concern. But those are minor things if you are even a tiny bit tech savy or know how to work a google search.
Another option scouting open box deals. I know when I was looking there was a Aero 14wv6 on excaliberpc for 1399. And just a quick search now has the Aero 14wv6 on newegg for 1549 open box. But you have to be quick to catch a good deal.

As for what gtx to shoot for. If you want to just do some light gaming I actually think the 1050ti is the card you want to aim for. The 1050 is nice and currently can play anything you throw at it. Not necessarily at the highest settings but still enough to be enjoyable but the 1050ti just adds a little more future use for not that much more of an investment. For that reason I opted not to get the XPS15. I don't mind playing games if they run at medium to low settings... don't care if its "pretty" just as long as the game is fun and runs smoothly is important.

All that said if you can afford the Aero 14, I'd highly suggest it. Love mine and can see myself using it for a while. If not, I think the GS43VR is the best value in the thin and light gaming laptop category but if you can't get over the gamer look, I'd suggest just going away from the thin and light and just look for light gaming notebooks with the 1050ti-1060 gtx as they are a lot better value for just a tiny bit more bulk.