The laptops I’ll be comparing should be similar in price, but different in specifications. My opinion is pretty biased based on what laptop I have and what setup I have at home.
Let’s start with what kind of bias I have.
As far as a laptop, I have a 13.5 Surface Book 2. It is a 2-in-1 laptop (it can become a tablet) and it comes in at about $2,000.
Specs:
Display – 3000 x 2000 with 267 P.P.I., 13.5 Inches
CPU – Core i7-8650U (4.2 GHz)
GPU – NVIDIA GTX 1050 (2GB)
RAM – 8 GB DDR4 1867 MHz
Storage – 256 GB SSD
Battery – 75.3 W/h (10 Hours under load)
My desktop is built for gaming, and is in the process of being upgraded. Computer and technology enthusiasts will know what I mean. The reason why this is important will become apparent later in this blog
Specs:
Display(s) – 3 x VG248QE, 1920 x 1080, 144 Hz refresh rate with 1 ms response time
Motherboard – ASUS ROG Strix Z370-G
CPU – Core i7-8700k (5 GHz)
CPU Cooler – Corsair H100i v2
GPU – NVIDIA GTX 1050ti (4GB)
RAM – 16 GB G.Skill TridentZ DDR4 3200 MHz
Storage – 500 GB SSD & 1TB HDD
Since you, the reader, will understand where I’m coming from, let’s get to the comparisons. You’ll be able to see why I have a surface book 2 as well.
Option #1: Gaming laptop
For the sake of being able to compare my laptop/setup, I’ll be looking at the Alienware 17 with the following specs:
Specs:
Display – 1920 x 1080, 60 Hz, 17.3 inches
CPU – Core i7-8750H
GPU – 1080 OC (8GB)
RAM – 16GB DDR4, 2400 MHz
Storage – 256 SSD & 1TB HDD
Battery – 99 W/h (Approximately 1 – 3 hours under load)
So this setup is pretty solid. It works as a workstation for college and class, but with a couple of drawbacks.
Pros – It is a beast of a gaming machine. It has desktop quality gaming efficiency and is big enough to see anything in any competitive game. The keyboard is has back-lighting which is an absolute must for me.
Cons – It’s big. A pro and a con is that is it very big. a 17.3 inch display is massive on your lap, and it’s supposed to be a laptop. It also consumes a massive amount of battery. Most very expensive gaming laptops that are in the 2-4 thousand dollar range require two power bricks to keep it fully supplied. A laptop this large must be heavy, and it is. they can range anywhere from 10-15 pounds, and that’s not counting the power bricks it comes with.
Option #2: Slim laptop
I will be talking about my experience with my laptop, the Surface Book 2.
I really like this thing. You can write on it, you can type on it, you can use it as a tablet, and so much more. Now at the beginning, I said college use AND gaming, right?
Well, since this laptop is so expensive, you should expect more than a laptop that you can write on. It has a desktop size graphics card in it.
It isn’t the most spectacular, and its pretty basic for most desktops. The fact that it has one is a major step up from the last iteration of the Surface Book family. A GTX 1050 is more than just something as well. This laptop can support light gaming and support 3D programs for classes.
Pros – It is one of the reasons why I’m able to do good in school. I write notes on it using One Note, and am able to draw in whatever color I want to. This laptops battery is insane. I’ve forgotten to charge it for 2-3 school days and it survives with enough battery to stay on until I get home and charge it up. Oh in case I haven’t mentioned it, its touch screen. It detaches and reattaches backwards and you can write on it like a notebook. Another massive pro for me is that the “on” button is on top of the display instead of where a delete or backspace button would be on any other laptop, which is fairly common now.
Cons – The laptop and the accessories you can buy for it are pretty pricey. I have a surface pen too, and mind it didn’t some with the laptop. It costed $100 to just be able to utilize its screen writing function. A replacement battery can cost up to $100 because of its very specific 102 watt battery brick.
Option #3: External gaming rig
As the subtitle suggests, the third option would be an external gaming rig. Now what does that mean…? (Yes, it’s real)
Purchasing a $600 laptop with an i5 or i7 CPU for school and its basic uses like PowerPoint, Microsoft Word or browsing the internet isn’t that bad. But, it is if you want to game too.
An External graphics card may be the thing you need. They’re quite heavy, but they sport the latest and greatest in graphics there is. They’re also much bigger than the two options.
Pros – It works. You don’t need to lug around a 5 pound brick of gaming equipment everywhere you go. They are pretty light compared to a gaming laptop, but they aren’t necessary everywhere. They can also go with any laptop that won’t bottleneck it.
Cons – Bottlenecking. If the CPU is too weak, the CPU may bottleneck the GPU. The laptop you choose doesn’t need to have its own discrete graphics card. It also will need a thunderbolt 3 port. GPUs need 16x PCIe lanes in order to operate at maximum potential, but those are only in desktop motherboards. The only way to get your power from the box to the laptop is what you think, a cord. The fastest cord around. This will limit your search on a laptop but may be a better alternative to a gaming laptop.
Conclusion:
In my opinion, I’d rank option #2 first because its my blog. Option #3 second because I personally hate the aesthetic of a gaming laptop, and they’re super heavy and sometimes require a special backpack to support its massive size. Option #2 third out of three because it’s just not for me. I have a desktop at home so if I wanted to use the laptop as a desktop too and connect separate peripherals, it wouldn’t make sense.
I’m not saying any of these options are bad, they’re my opinion on how you should think about your next purchase on a laptop that’s both for school and fun.
Trey's Tech Tips 