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  1. #1
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    New Laptop need some advice

    Been nearly a decade with my HP HDX 18t got a nvidia geforce 130m. I know it is old but Starcraft II, FF11(ps2 as well) and FF14(ps4 as well) somehow allow me to play on it.

    Time for a new laptop, so need some advice. Console junkie but love the ability to game on my laptop when not home and on travel.

    Interested in a Sager and Origin Laptop, like my 18 inch screen but can't find a 18 inch laptop anymore, but 17 is okay. I've seen 4k on 15 inch monitors but not on the 17inchers.

    I would like to run Starcraft II and FF14 at max settings. Other games I play heroes of might and magic 4 / 5 which my current geforce 130m handles. I think dual 980m is over the top. I didn't even know they had full desktop graphics card in laptops, which is good news. Means you can pull it out and upgrade it as time goes on right?(makes sense to me). Is there a site that allows you to select a card and then game tell you if you can run it in max settings? Also looking for other companies other than Sager or Origin (got away from Alienware after Dell got ahold of them)

    I want a 17 / 18 inch screen with 4k if possible. Would love to see what SCII and FF14 look like on max settings been told FF14 on ps4 vs pc maxed isn't to far off. I do not believe it but want to test that for myself.

  2. #2
    Hyperion Cross
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    Sounds like you're going all-in for a laptop. In that case I also won't hesitate:

    I'm posting this with no knowledge of common American vendors:

    http://www.msi.com/product/notebook/...#hero-overview
    Any one of these


    .... I can't find any other 18nches -- you might have some better luck when the other guys get online to post.

    Oh, and 980m != Desktop 980. It's a mere 75% of it at best
    17inches are plentiful, I'll let the knowledgable guys recommend here.

    Another note is that a laptop 980m should in theory run games at 4k but even at the highest settings it should in theory struggle, unless a dual card is involved. Gut feeling here, I didn't look up any benchmarks.

  3. #3
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    I'll start by saying that I just bought 2 of these a few weeks ago: http://www.amazon.com/MSI-Computer-G.../dp/B0150PK3FQ So I might be a little bias...

    However I think 4k gaming is for desktops only right now, the amount of cash you'll splurge on a 4k laptop is ridiculous and without something like the ASUS ROG water-cooled GTX980 (not M) you're going to always struggle in terms of frames. If 2k over 1080p is important to you, then the 980M is a good choice over the 970M, but I think the price/performance winner is the 970M right now. You'll also get better battery life out of the 970M/skylake combo.

  4. #4
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    Thank you Stig and Enkidu. Stig 980 vs 980m is that different? I was looking at this Sager http://www.sagernotebook.com/customi...?productid=957 which has a desktop card in it. Figured 980m would be a little less not but not by much vs its desktop card. Origin PC has the 980m. Honestly, I want 4k to have a lot stuff (notepad++, borland compiler, pl/sql developer open at same time and a browser) on the desktop in terms of coding and debugging windows for work. So Stig you are right trying to get an "all in "laptop and keep it below 5k if possible, because my HDX 18t is near 8 years old, maybe older.

  5. #5
    Hyperion Cross
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    Oh shit that DOES have a full GTX 980 on it, and 980m as a choice. I was sure it was a typo. lol; but I'm not too surprised now as earlier this week i was reading about a desktop gpu being crammed into a laptop, but I didn't note down which model/company.

    I'm not the complete expert, but http://gpuboss.com/graphics-card/GeForce-GTX-980 has some numbers you can glance at in the middle of the page. That's where my "75% of the real thing" estimate comes in. I'm unsure how the full thing would behave in a laptop (I'm concerned about heat generation) as well as replacability (if it fails).

    I understand your desire for 4k, more space is good, but lets assume you're not going to take the laptop around much, have you looked at the possibility of getting a monitor with it? (or 2)

    I'm not able to find a laptop at the moment that's got 18inch, 4k resolution coupled with a high end GPU (970m/980m). We're stuck in a 3 requirements, choose 1 only situation here.

    Last resort, one of the only large screen (17) laptops I can find with 4k, but it only takes professional GPUs (for 3d rendering and stuff) on it rather than gaming GPU: http://www.dell.com/uk/business/p/precision-m7710-workstation/pd?oc=xctop7710emea
    (it's a business laptop afterall)

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    The ASUS GX700 is what I was talking about, pretty sure you can choose a 17.3" 4k screen with it, but it's not released yet afaik. It's pretty much the most beastly laptop you could imagine (hence the water-cooling dock).

    It'll probably be under 5k, but who knows...

    [EDIT] figured I could add a link: http://www.pcworld.com/article/29914...ng-laptop.html

  7. #7
    Hyperion Cross
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    OH THAT! Completely forgot! I think that thing is badass.

  8. #8
    Kevin Chang
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    So I know you stated apprehension with Alienware since the Dell acquisition, but I've had good experiences with two Alienwares since there. Obviously there have been some drawbacks, but I think it impacts the 13/15 lines more than the 17/18 lines which are the premium models.

    Now I'm not bringing this up because Alienware rivals some of the monsters being discussed here, but because Alienware basically has a proprietary dock that can house a full graphics card. Easy way to get 4k gaming would be to buy this dock, put a full GTX 980 in there, and call it a day.

    Obvious drawback of course is that it won't be fully mobile, if your intention really is to 4k game on the road. But if you simply want a machine that CAN 4k game, this might be a cheaper way to do it.

    EDIT: Just went to Alienware, the best screen on the Alienware 17 is 3840 x 2160 so if you want true 4k you'd need to hook up an external monitor. But if you go this route, you'd already be using a dock so maybe that's not an issue for you if you're just taking the laptop between home and office.

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    Kevin Chang
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    Quote Originally Posted by Juben View Post
    Figured 980m would be a little less not but not by much vs its desktop card.
    75% sounds about right but I do know that SLI GTX 980M > GTX 980 on most graphics hierarchies. There are tons of 17" class laptops (like the MSI laptops linked earlier) that offer SLI 980M, which can theoretically handle 4k gaming.

    But at the highest settings at 4k resolution, I don't think you're getting great framerates. I think the hardware could handle it in ideal circumstances, but thermal throttling will kick in after a while. I worry about the same thing happening even with laptops that have desktop class cards crammed in there.

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    Hyperion Cross
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    Oh the Alienware 17 can do 4k?!

    Just looked, I see why. The 18 isn't even available anymore in the UK (I looked at the US site), looks like it might be phasing out.

    In that case, yeh, Alienware 17 with 4k screen best ticks all your requirements. And it's true, I owned 2 Alienwares in my lifetime. One in 2004, one in 2009, and maybe another soon. Sure they all failed with age, but yeh, good quality stuff.

    Plus the fact Dell has them, it not a bad thing; better service (though this is debatable) and backing in general.

    And I also recommend not going SLI despite the benefits. New games or in scenarios where both cards aren't utilised, you're back down to 1 card. Plus there's always various conflicts here and there, it's just more work. Especially in a laptop where you can't pick and swap.

  11. #11
    Ridill
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    as mighty as the beast is, thats a 10 pound laptop. So it pumps up your triceps and biceps everytime you use it!

  12. #12
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    Gaming wise I just want to have max settings in terms of options on SCII and FF14.HOMM4 & 5 (old games) and C&CRA if i can even get it to work looks good on my geforce 130m. 4K is for my work and having debugging windows, sql windows and digital flowcharts windows and bs. Really surprised I can't find a single website that will allow you to select a game and tell you minimum card you need between Nvidia / ATI to Max the game out. Guess it is more complicated than that. Maybe using the wrong terminology use benchmark instead maybe?

    Contacted Origins say newletter should be coming for 4k 17 inch monitor and dual cards very soon, which is promising. The sager full desktop graphics card not sure my lapdesk much less anything could keep that cool. Even more curious if it has a full graphics card in it wonder if you can upgrade it later on? Gotta contact sager and ask the question. Any other companies i am forgetting falcon NW, alienware, sager and OriginPC?

  13. #13
    Kevin Chang
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    Running full settings in less than 4k resolution for gaming, then using desktop for 4k, isn't a problem. A single GTX 980 or GTX 980M should both have no problem with SC2 at ultra at FHD maybe even up to QHD. No clue about XIV.

    As far as whether having a full 980 means it's swappable, that depends on whether it's soldered to the board or not. I'm predicting that it will be soldered and therefore not switchable. They don't just plunk a full graphics card into those things; it just uses the original desktop version of the GPU chip. If you want swappable, the Alienware Graphics Amplifier dock is the way to go. A few years down the road when the internal doesn't cut it, shove whatever is the current monster card into the amplifier.

  14. #14

    Might be worth mentioning here that the laptop/mobile device version of PC part picker was released recently:
    http://portablepicker.com/

    It's still pretty new and doesn't have everything yet, but could help.

  15. #15
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    Lots of 4k-capable laptops here, with tons of customization options:

    http://www.xoticpc.com/laptop-manufa...=96-95&p=clear

    EDIT: Oops, my bad, all except Alienware are 15.6"s.

  16. #16
    Hyperion Cross
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    Quote Originally Posted by Katlan View Post
    as mighty as the beast is, thats a 10 pound laptop. So it pumps up your triceps and biceps everytime you use it!
    Hah that's nothing compared to my 2004 alienware ... my calculator tells me 4.5kg. The 2004 Alienware weighed just as much. So my body is ready! (My wallet isn't )

    Quote Originally Posted by Juben View Post
    Really surprised I can't find a single website that will allow you to select a game and tell you minimum card you need between Nvidia / ATI to Max the game out. Guess it is more complicated than that. Maybe using the wrong terminology use benchmark instead maybe?
    Indeed it's complicated. There are just far too many possible parts/configurations with no set standard defined to be able to carry out such a database. If everyone (unlikely) can agree to a specific "base" configuration where the only difference is the GPU then perhaps it's possible.

  17. #17
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    Check out some of the Asus RoG laptops. I got one for the wife last year that we sadly have to sell due to her carpal tunnel and it's just collecting dust. Our model wasn't 4K (Nvidia 860m graphics card) but that ran WoW and FF14 at max settings without any issues.

  18. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by Juben View Post
    Gaming wise I just want to have max settings in terms of options on SCII and FF14.HOMM4 & 5 (old games) and C&CRA if i can even get it to work looks good on my geforce 130m. 4K is for my work...
    So you don't care whether you're gaming in 1080p, 2k, or 4k? If you want a 4k screen just for the real estate and gaming-wise you're cool with 1080p then even a 970M is enough. Here's what I would say:

    970M: 1080p max settings most games
    980M: 1080p max settings all games
    980: 1080p max all games, 2k max most games
    980ti: 1080p/2k max all games, 4k max some games

    Depends on what you want.

  19. #19
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    Originpc just reopened its custom configuration in last 24 hours with an added option for 980 desktop graphics card or dual 980Ms. Enkidu, trying to understand the configurations I am walking into. If I have the desktop 980 or the dual 980Ms laptop cards looking at originpc, MSI and sager the displays is out putting at 1080 but my question can I hdmi out into 4k monitor and get the 4k resolution or even 2560 or will it drop to 1080? Also reading into m.2 sata vs PCIe? The rest seems straightforward 16 / 32 / 64 gbs of ram. I think 16 is more than enough my hdx has 8 and never ran into a problem.


    On some weird computer god bs. My hp hdx screen just died. Toggle the screen back and forth may get an image may not. but the hdmi port works so back in business.

  20. #20
    Kevin Chang
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    Quote Originally Posted by Juben View Post
    If I have the desktop 980 or the dual 980Ms laptop cards looking at originpc, MSI and sager the displays is out putting at 1080 but my question can I hdmi out into 4k monitor and get the 4k resolution or even 2560 or will it drop to 1080?
    No, your card will recognize the expanded range of resolution options on an external display when you connect one. So if the external supports 120hz or 4k, the card will offer those options so long as it has the power to do so. Either a GTX 980 or SLI 980Ms will be more than sufficient for standard 4k use on an external as long as you aren't trying to 4k game on the external.

    Also reading into m.2 sata vs PCIe? The rest seems straightforward 16 / 32 / 64 gbs of ram. I think 16 is more than enough my hdx has 8 and never ran into a problem.
    PCIe is faster, but iirc heat can be an issue. I personally think plain SATA is fine for most applications; you have to be transferring a tremendous amount of data to saturate a SATA pipeline. I'm also an advocate of staying with 8GB. It's more than enough for gaming and general applications. More than 8GB is really only when you are doing very specific tasks that are known to eat tons of memory

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