Powerful Laptop recommendations

[bonusmedia]

Been running 10 for about 2 weeks, I like it - and I wasn't a fan of 8.
It feels like a combination of the best of 7 and 8

No issues yet which is a pleasant surprise

 

[Skinner]

I think you're a little out of touch Edwin.

Modern high laptops are running desktop processors like the skylake 6700K, desktop graphics cards (the 2000 core nvidia gtx 980 is now in MXM form), they take up to 64gb ram, you can run Raid 0 PCIe 4x SSD (thats over 4000MBps/3000mbps read/write).

Related aside: does nobody rate desktops any more? Even a fairly modest spec desktop will run rings around a high end laptop - there's only so much power saving technology can do for a CPU and graphics card...

 

[Edwin]

Not in the price bracket admin was asking about, they're not...

 

[bonusmedia]

You'd probably pay double for a laptop equivalent of a high end desktop.

No laptop could match my desktop, there just isn't room for all the bits

 

[Skinner]

Just for fun, I thought I would pick the highest desktop PC World did the Acer Predator...

http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/compu...r-predator-g6-710-gaming-pc-10137780-pdt.html

This set the budget at £2,000+Screen, I'm aware that thats £500 over admins budget, but its the top PC that pc world has and high end were the term used.

I'm going to buy from MySN/Schenker, mysn offer 2 yrs standard warranty, so I'm going to discount about £150 for that, so my top budget is £2150.

I've chosen this base model...

http://mysn.co.uk/shop/xmg-u706-gaminglaptop.html

My Spec is...
1080 17" IPS Screen g-sync screen
GTX 980 with 8gb vRam
i7 Skylake 6700K
32gb Hyper-X 2133mhz ram
256gb SM951 PCIe 4x SSD
2tb Samsung SpinPoint
Atheros Killer AC + Bluetooth
Bluray Burner
£2175 - ops I'm £25 over budget :/

The predator has half the vram, but 25% more cores in the gtx 980, personally double the vram is more appealing to me.

The predator has the same processor.

The predator has half the ram, and is likely cheap trash ram, again I'd go for double the ram.

The predator has a standard 128gb SSD which would MAX out at 500mbps, the SM951 is double the size and THREE times faster on pcie 4x.

The predator has 2tb more storage, but I could pick up a 2tb hard drive cheaply and have room to install it.

The mysn has a bluray writer and killer wifi, the former the predator doesn't have.

I'd say toe to toe there isn't a while lot of distance between those two ?

 

[accelerator]

One thing I will say, is that I am also been a bit frustrated by Windows laptop reliability in general over the years. I think this is one of the major selling points of Apple, at least they are relatively reliable and they have the Apple Store if you need it fixed. Whilst I have had a few reliable Dells, I've also had Samsung, Toshiba and Dell laptops that have failed. When you try and evaluate reliability for a Windows laptop, it's pretty difficult, because all models are put together for a short sales period, then they change. It can be frustrating. The good thing is that Microsoft has started building laptops, so maybe they will be able to offer a similar kind of reliability as Apple, as Windows PCs are certainly behind in this respect at the moment. In general though, I think Microsoft and Windows are very much on the rise again.

 

[Adam H]

One thing I will say, is that I am also been a bit frustrated by Windows laptop reliability in general over the years. I think this is one of the major selling points of Apple, at least they are relatively reliable and they have the Apple Store if you need it fixed. Whilst I have had a few reliable Dells, I've also had Samsung, Toshiba and Dell laptops that have failed. When you try and evaluate reliability for a Windows laptop, it's pretty difficult, because all models are put together for a short sales period, then they change. It can be frustrating. The good thing is that Microsoft has started building laptops, so maybe they will be able to offer a similar kind of reliability as Apple, as Windows PCs are certainly behind in this respect at the moment. In general though, I think Microsoft and Windows are very much on the rise again.

I think in your case its probably a matter of the age old technicians term "PEBKAC"

*Problem exists between keyboard and chair.*

 

[spiderspider]

Running Win 10 on a Sony Vaio desktop touch screen system.

Had no issues at all, and seems to work really well with all the programmes we use.

For an OS, I would recommend 10 over 7 and 8.

 

[Admin]

It's a shame (and I dont understand why) you cannot buy many laptops with a nice 500gb SSD. I don't game and don't need a flying machine. I can increase my budget.... I just need easy, off the shelf. Just been reading some negative reviews on lenovo machines...argh! I was homing in on this...any thoughts...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B012VJ1BX2/?tag=acorn06-21

 

[Skinner]

Admin look at Scan's home build Clevo machines, you can pick ANY items off scan's website and they install them in your build.

You can pick the £700 base model, put in any 500gb SSD you want, go standard sata or go pcie. Its only companies like acer/asus/hp/sony (who coinsidentally won't be making any more laptops outside of japan according to the sony rep I spoke to recently) who stop you having choices.

It's a shame (and I dont understand why) you cannot buy many laptops with a nice 500gb SSD. I don't game and don't need a flying machine. I can increase my budget.... I just need easy, off the shelf. Just been reading some negative reviews on lenovo machines...argh! I was homing in on this...any thoughts...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B012VJ1BX2/?tag=acorn06-21

http://www.scan.co.uk/3xs/configurator/thin-and-light-gaming-laptop-geforce-intel-skylake-17in

Similar money but better options. add in whatever SSD you want

 

[Admin]

So scan are quality? Thanks for the tip..Ive spec'd a machine there, Going from the 3xs LG15 range...

Highlights, i7, 16gb Ram, 500GB Samsung SSD (200 gbp worth?), upgraded wifi, 4xusb 3, hdmi..

Looks good to me?

 

[Skinner]

I buy loads from scan, I have even banned myself from going to the shop. The machines are all built on clevo chassis.

I'm not sure I'd go with the 850, I would have been looking at the M.2 SSDs which are 3 to 4 x faster, I'd prob cough up the extra £90 for that kinda speed. However for your usage the 850 is probably fine, I just like speed. The added advantage is, you can add a larger storage device in, like on amazons black friday deals there are 1tb SSD's at £120 (sandisk so far) which make a nice bit of storage

If you want a bluray or bd writer you can have have scan put one in, just put a note on the order page.

Its also worth having a look at scans warranty http://www.scan.co.uk/products/scan...excess-of-manuf-warranty)-3-years-accidental- the accidental is a definite bonus. With say liquid damage, they just replace the machine no repair is even tried, and often home insurance doesn't cover laptops like these.

 

[Edwin]

Going down the power scale a bit... This may not be enough of a bump for you (others may know a lot more about the graphics card in it - I can't comment on how well it would work for video editing etc.) but the price looked good at just £799.98 as a Black Friday special.
http://www.cclonline.com/product/18...HDD-DVD-RW-Windows-10-Gaming-Laptop/NOT01960/

If that tided you over for a couple of years, you could then spend the same again on a then-better system...

They also offer a much meatier device with SSD and HDD, and a faster graphics card.
http://www.cclonline.com/product/19...0HQ/1TB/256GB/16GB/6-Cell/GTX-970M-/NOT02158/

 

[Admin]

You guys are the best, thanks Ed.

So, nearly ordered on Scan but it fell over repeatedly at checkout so I gave up. Started again and found that HP Envy has all the required bits including m2. 500gb SSD. So I've just ordered this:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B017UU79K6/?tag=acorn06-21

 

[Admin]

Anti glare screen and delivery to Spain sealed the deal lol.

 

[Edwin]

I'm surprised you're ordering today given that the biggest shopping day of the year (and hence, potentially, the best discounts) is tomorrow... Anyway, hope you find something that suits your requirements.

 

[Admin]

Pleased to say the laptop I ordered on the eve of black friday didnt change price. I set it up yesterday, record time. Finding Windows 10 just fine and its a flying machine, I am very impressed and happy. SSD is the way to go for sure. I dont think I will have a spinning disc again.

HP ENVY Notebook (17-n107na) - 17.3" Display, Windows 10, Intel Core i7-6700HQ, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD

 

[CatchDrop]

Welcome to the club!

 

[accelerator]

Pleased to say the laptop I ordered on the eve of black friday didnt change price. I set it up yesterday, record time. Finding Windows 10 just fine and its a flying machine, I am very impressed and happy. SSD is the way to go for sure. I dont think I will have a spinning disc again.

Good to hear.