6 years ago
Which one to go for?
So a few months ago I did a topic asking what the best laptop to go for that will play all Sims with no issues and the person who gave me suggestions was very helpful but now I’m really wanting to ge...
@WallFlower26 Nvidia is a manufacturer of graphics cards. RAM is system memory, where data currently being used is stored. Graphics cards have their own memory (video RAM) to handle their tasks separately instead of having to borrow from main memory. Hard drives have a certain amount of storage, also measured in gigabytes. If you're curious about these terms, you can google them and look for guides on computer terminology.
Which option is best for you depends on how much you want to spend. I can't tell you whether an upgrade is worth the price. If I were in your position and money wasn't a deciding factor, I'd get the last one I listed, the MSI with 16 GB RAM and a strong processor. If I wanted to save money and only really wanted to play Sims 4, I'd get this Asus (15" or 17") and add more RAM myself, or have a shop do it:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/ASUS-FX505DT-Gaming-GeForce-Graphics/dp/B082323L62/
https://www.amazon.co.uk/ASUS-Graphics-R5-3550H-Quad-Core-Processor/dp/B07S41LW71/
But I'm not the one getting a new laptop, you are. So it's about your own priorities.
@puzzlezaddict It’s not available anymore - the MSI.
I don’t want 8 GB RAM.
@WallFlower26 I'm not surprised the MSI is sold out; that was a really good deal for the hardware.
You have a couple of options here. One is you buy a laptop with 8 GB RAM and then have a computer shop upgrade it. This is an easy upgrade to do, it shouldn't be too expensive, and it doesn't void the warranty. Then you can choose from among the options that have the other features you want. These would be examples with otherwise the same hardware as the MSI (except for the hard drive in the second one):
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dell-15-6-inch-Anti-Glare-Gaming-Laptop/dp/B07TS97JKR/
This has a slower processor (still very good though) and is £100 cheaper:
https://www.box.co.uk/9S7-16W112-010-MSI-GF65-Thin-9SD-010UK_2737195.html
You could pay more for a model with 16 GB out of the box. This one is £1,100, has a weaker processor, and is somewhat back-ordered:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/ASUS-i5-9300H-GeForce-Graphics-NumberPad/dp/B07TPNJG8S/
Or you could configure a Cyberpower laptop with 16 GB RAM and the hard drive size and type of your choice. When this model is tweaked to have an Nvidia 1660 ti, 16 GB memory and a very fast 512 GB SSD, it costs £1,113. (With a 1650 instead, it costs £965.)
https://www.cyberpowersystem.co.uk/system/Tracer-III-17-Turbo-100-Configurator
The version of the above with a 15" screen costs £1,124 with the same hardware:
https://www.cyberpowersystem.co.uk/system/Tracer-III-15-Slim-Configurator
So you need to decide how you want to approach this, and then it will be easy to find the best option.
@puzzlezaddict what is there equivalent to the MSI?
@WallFlower26 I meant that the hardware was equivalent to the hardware in the MSI. But really, if you're willing to spend over £1,000, you can get what you want. Decide what that is, and I will point you towards a couple of good options.
I’d like a laptop that has 18 GB, equivalent specs to the MSI that’s sold out.
@WallFlower26 There are two other MSIs with the same specs at Overclockers, both for £1,200. The only difference is the screen size: 15" vs. 17":
You could get the 15" version for £1,127 from a third-party seller on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/MSI-Gaming-9SD-478UK-Notebook-i7-9750H/dp/B07RT1Z55R/
Or you could get a custom built PC with the same hardware. Cyberpower's 15" (slim) and 17" models are £1,147 and £1,136, respectively.
http://www.cyberpowersystem.co.uk/saved/1940982
http://www.cyberpowersystem.co.uk/saved/1940985
You could also get this one from PC Specialist:
https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/notebooks/optimusX-15/
which is £1,122 when it has the same hardware as the MSI. (I can't send you a direct link to that configuration for whatever reason, but I can show you how to get it.)
All other options I saw are more expensive or don't have exactly what you want.
@puzzlezaddict I like the look of the Tracers and the Optimus. Do you know why laptops that work best for gaming are ones from brands that aren’t mainstream and why mainstream ones are no good for gaming?
@WallFlower26 I wouldn't say that mainstream brands are bad for gaming. Some, like MSI, are very good. Other companies make good high-end laptops and also cheaper options that don't always run games as well, probably because the manufacturer cut some corners to keep the price down. But that all depends on the particular company and the specific model of laptop (or desktop).
The other issue is that many laptops are designed primarily for some other purpose, and gaming is kind of an afterthought. A model designed to be lightweight and portable might not have the necessary cooling for games, and it probably won't have a strong enough graphics card either. Even a laptop meant for graphic design or video editing will have hardware tailored to that, and not necessarily the best components to run games. But gaming laptops are specifically for gaming, and as long as you get a quality one, you should be fine.
@puzzlezaddict I’ve just seen that the Tracers don’t have operating systems. On the Tracer laptop it says ‘(Note: We will install your Windows operating system on your fastest hard drive)’ do you know what that means? Do you know if the prices of the operating system and Microsoft office packages are one time costs or subscriptions on the Tracer laptop?
@WallFlower26 Cyberpower would build you the laptop of your choice, according to your instructions, then install Windows 10 on the fastest hard drive inside the laptop. Windows is included in the price of the laptop and is a one-time purchase, just like any other time you buy a Windows 10 license. If you want Office, you can pay extra for a yearlong subscription; the price depends on what version you want. Scroll down to Software for a look.
@puzzlezaddict Is the hardware that’s selected on the Tracers the same as the MSI? Which is it: operating system included in the price of the laptop or a separate one off payment? This is what it shows on the software tab:
Is there more than one hard drive in laptops then? Do laptops need specific mouses? Or doesn’t it matter? Do the Tracers have a disk drive? I can’t tell.
@WallFlower26 That is strange; when I initially checked the configurations, they both listed Windows 10 as included. (I even went back to the original page once.) But you're right, it's not listed on the saved configurations. You could have it added, or pick a different configuration, but it looks like the prices went up in the last couple of days.
I put the same hardware in both Cyberpower laptops that was in the MSI, as you requested. Of course you could change the hard drives if you wanted, but as it stands, they each have two: a 256 GB SSD and a 1 TB mechanical drive.
Any mouse should work with any Windows laptop, excluding very old models that might not have driver support. Even those are usually fine with the standard Windows driver though.
The Tracers do not have a disc drive, and I think they don't have room for one either.
If you like the other custom build company better, let me know, and I'll list the components to tweak so you can have exactly what you want. I'd send you a saved configuration, but apparently you can't see it unless you login to the account that created it.
@puzzlezaddict That sucks ☹️
Pick a different configuration of what?
I’ll keep 2 hard drives.
I like the 17” Optimus.
@puzzlezaddict Did you miss the (email) notification that I replied to your last comment.
@puzzlezaddict I’ve ordered my laptop! 😃