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slidebite posted:OK, so I was about to purchase a big MSI GTX980M based gaming laptop. Not sure how important the price is, but keep in mind that the 970M is only ~10% slower than the 980M in most games, and a i7-5700HQ is silly overkill unless you're doing on-the-go video processing. You could very easily step down to a i7-47xxHQ, minimal RAM (every gig it comes with is a gig you paid too much for), a 970M, and an open slot for a SSD you add in yourself and easily save $500. That said, MSI is a fine company, but also make sure you've taken a gander at Clevos and the like. slidebite posted:Really? I thought the consensus was it was fine now?
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Sep 20, 2015 00:17
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slidebite posted:Really? I thought the consensus was it was fine now? Consensus is "Wait until SP1". Which everyone seems to think is next month. (Also it won't be called service pack anymore.)
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Sep 20, 2015 00:24
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edit: ^^ yeah wait for SP1 I think right now, it's just fine for desktop use where your IT guy can just swap in another computer if something blows up or goes haywire. If I were on the road using my laptop for work ($$) and depended on it to work every day completely bug free, and then play vidya games on it at the hotel that night as well, I would stick with the extremely mature (2 years) Win 8.1 until next spring. Win 10 has only been out for what, six weeks? 7? Is having the latest and greatest OS really that important? Over in the Win10 thread some guy just reported that the latest Preview* release his start menu button just flat out stopped working. I mean yeah it's a preview release, but if something like the start menu button stops loving working in the preview release, what critical problems got missed behind the scenes in the versions that got pushed to production? Given two factories to work at, would you choose the one with "150 days without an accident" on the sign on the wall, or the one that says "0 days without an accident"? *Yeah I'm ragging on a preview release but still the Start menu is an item that should never ever break in a consumer's experience, even the preview version. That's like the steering wheel of your car coming off in your hands on a closed course at the dealership. Would you even ever consider buying that brand again?  All I'm saying is, when real money is at stake and you don't have an easy way to un-gently caress the OS, and there's no real feature improvements worth upgrading to 10 for, is it really worth it to go to 10 on a work laptop within six weeks of release?
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Sep 20, 2015 00:31
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He might not actually have a choice. I don't know how MSI works there.
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Sep 20, 2015 00:38
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Did some field research at my local Best Buy.  The keyboards on the cheaper Acer and Asus Chromebooks were crap. Strangely, the winner in comfort was the HP Chromebook. Didn't have a chance to check out the Dell Chromebook 11 though, which I've read has one of the best Chromebook keyboards in that category.
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Sep 20, 2015 00:54
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DrDork posted:Not sure how important the price is, but keep in mind that the 970M is only ~10% slower than the 980M in most games, and a i7-5700HQ is silly overkill unless you're doing on-the-go video processing. You could very easily step down to a i7-47xxHQ, minimal RAM (every gig it comes with is a gig you paid too much for), a 970M, and an open slot for a SSD you add in yourself and easily save $500. If it has an IPS display (I am doing some research, it might) that might make it a tougher decision for me. If I buy another 8GB of RAM and an SSD I am about halfway to the price difference between the two. The 970M is however Win 8.1 Clevo/Sager in Canada are not really price competitive to comparable MSIs from what I have found.
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Sep 20, 2015 03:10
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slidebite posted:I am considering a 970M as well and it is almost $600 cheaper. Being Win 8.1 is probably a feature, rather than a detraction--and if you really want Win 10 you can always simply upgrade from 8.1 for free, anyhow. 8GB RAM is fine--you really don't need any more than that unless you're doing video work or something fancy, it's perfectly fine for games. Swapping in a SSD should be pretty easy, too. IPS though. You want that. Bad. Sorry to hear about Canada's pricing 
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Sep 20, 2015 03:20
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plotskee posted:Fellow Canadagoon here, I was about to put a nice y510p up for sale (1080p, i7). If you'd be interested let me know, I'll make a SAMart thread. Sorry for a late response, thanks for the offer, but I think I'll just end up checking if I can get a discount on a y50 through my university. I shuffled some courses around and don't need a replacement laptop -quite- as soon as I thought anymore so if push comes to shove I can save up in the end. Hopefully the dollar doesn't nosedive again before that.
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Sep 20, 2015 06:37
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DrDork posted:Being Win 8.1 is probably a feature, rather than a detraction--and if you really want Win 10 you can always simply upgrade from 8.1 for free, anyhow. 8GB RAM is fine--you really don't need any more than that unless you're doing video work or something fancy, it's perfectly fine for games. Swapping in a SSD should be pretty easy, too. So, turns out the 970M unit I am considering has a "PLS" panel. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPS_panel#Plane_to_Line_Switching_.28PLS.29 Are those bad? If they are a good unit, I think I'll go with the 970M. Specs are: i7 5700HQ 8GB 1TB 17.3in FHD G-SYNC GTX970M 3GB DVDRW Win8.1 Notebook I can get a Crucial M.2 250GB SSD for $130 as well, so it'll still be $600 cheaper than the 980M unit. The Skylake based units are supposedly coming out within the next month and feature 6GBS RAID and Thunderbolt which, to be honest doesn't do anything for me. They'll probably cost $300+ more too compared to this. Not worth the wait? slidebite fucked around with this message at 20:19 on Sep 20, 2015 |
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Sep 20, 2015 20:13
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Nah PLS is just samsung's version of IPS.
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Sep 20, 2015 20:28
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slidebite posted:The Skylake based units are supposedly coming out within the next month and feature 6GBS RAID and Thunderbolt which, to be honest doesn't do anything for me. They'll probably cost $300+ more too compared to this. Not worth the wait?
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Sep 20, 2015 20:47
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slidebite posted:So, turns out the 970M unit I am considering has a "PLS" panel. That's good, but please don't get a Crucial SSD. Grab a Samsung 850 EVO instead, they're generally the best for all usecases and come in M.2 sizes iirc.
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Sep 20, 2015 21:22
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Cat Army 
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Thanks for the replies. I have been using a crucial Drive in my desktop for a few years now with no problems at all. Is that samsung much better?
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Sep 20, 2015 21:31
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slidebite posted:Thanks for the replies. I have been using a crucial Drive in my desktop for a few years now with no problems at all. Is that samsung much better? It's better, faster, more durable, and cheaper with better warranty service to boot.
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Sep 20, 2015 21:58
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I've had 0 issues with Windows 10 on any of my machines, never knew there were widespread problems.
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Sep 21, 2015 04:03
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Auron posted:I've had 0 issues with Windows 10 on any of my machines, never knew there were widespread problems. The only issue I had is with Chrome on my Surface Pro 3. It won't run in Win8 mode, so I can't actually do touchscreen stuff in the browser. Firefox and Edge work fine, but Chrome is being difficult. Could be fixed by now, haven't tried it lately.
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Sep 21, 2015 04:07
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Auron posted:I've had 0 issues with Windows 10 on any of my machines, never knew there were widespread problems. It seems to be hit or miss--lots of people are having zero issues, but some have had hilariously debilitating issues (reboot loops, etc). I strongly suspect a lot of the issues come from people doing 7/8->10 upgrades instead of fresh installs.
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Sep 21, 2015 04:28
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I upgraded my Surface 3 from 8.1 to 10 and have only had it lock up one time. The interface is superior to 8.1, imo.
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Sep 21, 2015 04:38
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DrDork posted:It seems to be hit or miss--lots of people are having zero issues, but some have had hilariously debilitating issues (reboot loops, etc). I strongly suspect a lot of the issues come from people doing 7/8->10 upgrades instead of fresh installs. I think you might be right. I did a fresh install and no issues at all.
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Sep 21, 2015 04:49
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What's the go--to recommendation for a razer-hydra styled ultraportable yet gaming-oriented laptop?
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Sep 21, 2015 06:04
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A The New Razer Blade.
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Sep 21, 2015 08:11
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Ok, so I have a much better idea of what I want. I have a budget of 700-1000 (willing to spend more for a mac though). I want a computer that can run Anime Studio Pro, photoshop (and possibly illustrator, but idk if I need it). And league of legends. The requirements for Anime pro seem pretty basic. 1.3 GHz Pentium 4 or newer, Athlon 64 or newer, 2 GB RAM recommended, 1.6 GB (Universal) or 800 MB (32-bit) free hard disk space minimum photoshop is 2 GB of RAM (8 GB recommended), 1 GB of Video RAM (VRAM). 2 GB of available hard-disk space. My biggest concern: I am not computer literate. Like at all. Which is why a mac is so appealing to me. I would be willing to go over budget for a refurbished mac book pro, if it meant a more hassle free experience, less viruses, and everyone I know who has one says they last a pretty long time. However, from what I understand, I get way more bang for my buck when I get a pc laptop. Also, I theoretically would be able to upgrade a pc laptop over time, giving it more longevity than the mac (right?) So after the system requirements, my biggest concerns would be user friendliness and longevity. Comedy option: I have a hand me down Compaq Presario CQ62. For whatever reason, it's slower than molasses in January (it takes me 15 mins to boot up the MTGO client). Would it be realistic/cheaper to buy new hardware and get it up to where I need to be? The downside to this is I would probably end up driving 6 hours to Rochester to a buddy of mine who's good with computers to put it together.
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Sep 21, 2015 14:54
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The apple tax for laptops isn't that bad at all, when you look at materials going into the laptop. The upgradablity(I don't think that is a real word) of laptops in general has gone way down due to everyone wanting something super thin and light. In general you can expect a good laptop to last you three to four years. The other important thing to remember when buying a laptop for graphics work is how important a high quality screen is. The TLDR suggestions in the OP are really good.
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Sep 21, 2015 16:16
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Just for an anecdotal Windows 10 experience: My desktop is perfectly fine after a Windows 8.1 upgrade. My laptop has a broken search/Cortana pane. Clicking the search does nothing and Cortana can't be activated. Pressing the start button and then search opens the pane, but it's blacked out. Typing with the Start menu up works to search, and makes all the search pane stuff visible though. Edit: actually getting around to looking up that error, it turns out it's because of something in Win10 that can disable geolocation in the registry which makes search break. Why those are linked even for local search, I cannot say, but they are. Aphrodite fucked around with this message at 17:16 on Sep 21, 2015 |
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Sep 21, 2015 16:47
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craigslist posted:Lenovo ThinkPad T450s - Ultrabook - Core i5 5200U / 2.2 GHz - Windows 7 Pro 64-bit - 4 GB RAM - 120 GB SSD - 14" 1600 x 900 I found a used Lenovo T450s locally in a base configuration still under warranty for about half what I see them going online. The gentleman said he would look for the receipt from when he bought it, but if he can't come up with that is there any resource to check if the computer was stolen? I'd like to avoid that hassle if possible. I understand that I will be able to open the case and put in additional RAM and a larger SSD without too much hassle, correct? I have experience building computers and such so a little screwing and prying doesn't bother me. I'm also seeing online that 1600x900 indicates the screen is a TN panel which the OP says isn't as good. I don't have any pressing need for the laptop right now so if it's worth paying more I can just save a little while longer and get one with a nicer screen. Laptop will be used primarily for browsing, email, unloading camera SD cards and uploading photos to clouds, watching HD video in hotels and maybe WoW or occasional steam games but doesn't have to perform for work.
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Sep 21, 2015 22:10
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What's the shortlist of laptops with a true quad core CPU, but no dedicated GPU, for software development and a couple local VMs? It seems like all of the quad-core laptops are more than a year since the last refresh.
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Sep 21, 2015 22:17
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Twerk from Home posted:What's the shortlist of laptops with a true quad core CPU, but no dedicated GPU, for software development and a couple local VMs? It seems like all of the quad-core laptops are more than a year since the last refresh. Thinking of getting a gaming laptop. Looking at the Lenovo Y50 & Asus ROG 751. Any suggestions on why either of them are terrible, or issues I should be aware of? edit: This is in addition to my desktop, mainly for wife to use, and me if I ever end up leaving the house.
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Sep 21, 2015 23:22
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Skandranon posted:Thinking of getting a gaming laptop. Looking at the Lenovo Y50 & Asus ROG 751. Any suggestions on why either of them are terrible, or issues I should be aware of?
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Sep 22, 2015 02:50
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I seriously considered an Asus rog but scared away due to some really negative recent customer reviews I read. I ended up just ordering an MSI which was cheaper as well. Here's to hoping..
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Sep 22, 2015 03:22
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Skandranon posted:Thinking of getting a gaming laptop. Looking at the Lenovo Y50 & Asus ROG 751. Any suggestions on why either of them are terrible, or issues I should be aware of? the rog is waaaaaay better. The y50 has a 960m which is fine, but you really want a 970m or better.
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Sep 22, 2015 03:28
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Any suggestion on where to buy in Canada? Canada Computers has the G751JT for the lowest (will replace hd with spare Samsung 840 pro), but I don't know if I want to go with 'open box' to save a few hundred...
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Sep 22, 2015 04:38
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When I drat near bought the ROG, Costco.ca had a GTX970M based unit for $1590 or something, but I see it's gone. Personally I would just buy something through NCIX and if you see it cheaper elsewhere get them to pricematch it.
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Sep 22, 2015 04:49
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Twerk from Home posted:What's the shortlist of laptops with a true quad core CPU, but no dedicated GPU, for software development and a couple local VMs? It seems like all of the quad-core laptops are more than a year since the last refresh. Lenovo T540p, 15" MacBook Pro, Lenovo T440p, ... some other choices if you want them.
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Sep 22, 2015 05:32
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So I'm thinking of getting a laptop for general use with some gaming, to last for 3-4 years ideally; I was looking at the lenovo Y50, however I'm in the UK so there aren't a lot of customisation options. The base model is Processor Intel Core i7-4710HQ Processor( 2.50GHz 1600MHz 6MB) Operating system Windows 8.1 64 Display type 15.6" FHD AntiGlare 1920x1080 System Graphics NVIDIA GeForce GTX 860M 4GB Total memory 16.0GB PC3L-12800 DDR3L SDRAM 1600 MHz Hard drive device 1TB + 8GB with the only upgrade being a change to the display type to 15.6" Ultra HD IPS Glare LED Backlit 3840x2160 for an extra £50 (£899-£949). Is this a good option for me? If not could you make some recommendations for the UK market, thanks.
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Sep 22, 2015 09:42
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Re: UK options, I'm looking at this laptop at the moment: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/notebooks/7976/ Which is 970m/i7/8g RAM/1080p screen/1TB Hard Drive for about £1050. Only £100 more and I reckon the 970 is worth it. Not sure about build quality though...
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Sep 22, 2015 10:20
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ThermosAquaticus posted:So I'm thinking of getting a laptop for general use with some gaming, to last for 3-4 years ideally; I was looking at the lenovo Y50, however I'm in the UK so there aren't a lot of customisation options. You cannot get a 900-series GTX there?
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Sep 22, 2015 14:09
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slidebite posted:You cannot get a 900-series GTX there? Isn't the 860m also Maxwell? They're both GM107 chips I think, the 960m is just very slightly higher clocked.
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Sep 22, 2015 14:14
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Sorry, should have been more clear. The 960 does, but the 965M+ is a GM204 and major leap over the 960 if you can find one of those. http://laptopmedia.com/review/nvidia-geforce-gtx-965m-benchmark-results-and-gaming-tests/ Unless you are getting an absolutely smoking deal on that 860, I'd do my best to find at least one of those if you want something with a separate GPU.
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Sep 22, 2015 14:27
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slidebite posted:You cannot get a 900-series GTX there? When I was looking at laptops back in May the 900-series Y50 wasn't available in Canada either. I don't know, maybe Lenovo just offloads their older models on non-US customers?
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Sep 22, 2015 16:01
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So I haven't pulled the trigger yet on the Dell Chromebook 13 but Toshiba just announced a refreshed Chromebook 2, with an i3 processor and a backlit keyboard. It's $100 less than the equivalent Dell model but I suspect the build quality isn't the same. http://www.androidcentral.com/toshi...m_medium=dlvrit
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Sep 22, 2015 16:05
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