Searching For A Gaming Laptop - Any Suggestions?

@The_Real_Koteyka  An Nvidia 1650 is around 40-60% faster than a 1050, although the gap is significantly larger in newer games than in older ones.  That's not surprising, given that the 1050 is two years older.  I don't think a 1650 would be 60% faster in Sims 4, although it should still be significantly faster.  A 1050 is currently capable of ultra settings, but only barely, and some people with that card may need to drop to a mix of high and ultra settings even now.

A 780M is much older and doesn't hold up well against the 1650 in newer games, but it can equal the 1650's performance in older games, which is not surprising either.  The 780M also does much better, relative to the other two cards, at lower graphics settings than higher, which is probably explained by the fact that higher settings have interesting graphics effects that the 780M wasn't built to handle.  For Sims 4 specifically, it looks like the 780M and the 1050 are about equal at ultra settings.

So the best choice for you really depends on your plans for the laptop.  If your goal is to play Sims 4 and nothing else (or maybe some older games), and the laptop with the 780M is still in good condition and is significantly cheaper than the others, it would probably work well, at least for a couple years.  If you're thinking about playing newer games, then the 1650 is clearly the best choice, followed by the 1050.  If you want to be able to do graphic design or other activities that involve graphics processing, the 1650 will be much faster than the others as well.

Still, the decision might come down to price and convenience.  Getting the secondhand laptop now and planning to buy something new in a couple years is a legitimate option.  On the other hand, if this laptop is supposed to last through college and maybe beyond, it would be better to get a new laptop now and not have to wonder how long it will be good enough.