Question Help Me Choose: Laptop for Gaming + AI Tools + Photoshop (Budget 20–30 million IDR)

[Syiva Ramadhani Pabo Putr]

Total budget (in local currency) and country of purchase:
Around 20 to 30 million IDR (Indonesia)


Are you open to refurbs/used?
No, looking for new only.


How would you prioritize form factor (ultrabook, 2-in-1, etc.), build quality, performance, and battery life?
Performance is my top priority, followed by build quality and cooling. Battery life is less important since I use it mostly while plugged in.


How important is weight and thinness to you?
Not a major concern. I’m okay with a bit of bulk as long as it offers good performance and thermals.


Do you have a preferred screen size? If indifferent, put N/A.
15.6" or 16" is preferred.


Are you doing any CAD/video editing/photo editing/gaming? List which programs/games you desire to run.
Yes. I use Photoshop (including Generative Fill), Illustrator with AI tools, some video editing (Premiere), and coding.
I also play AAA games like RDR2, Cyberpunk, etc.


If you're gaming, do you have certain games you want to play? At what settings and FPS do you want?
Yes – RDR2, Cyberpunk, and similar AAA games. I prefer running them at high or ultra settings with stable FPS (at least 60+ FPS).


Any specific requirements such as good keyboard, reliable build quality, touch-screen, finger-print reader, optical drive or good input devices (keyboard/touchpad)?
MUX switch is preferred. Good thermal system and expandable RAM/SSD would be a plus. RGB keyboard is a bonus but not required.


Leave any finishing thoughts here that you may feel are necessary and beneficial to the discussion.
Currently comparing between:

• MSI Sword 16 HX
• MSI Pulse 16 AI
• MSI Vector 16 HX
• ASUS ROG Strix G16 (G614JV-I746J7G-O)
  Looking for the best CPU + GPU combo (e.g., Intel i7/i9 HX, RTX 4070), good thermals, and future-proof for both gaming and productivity/AI use.
  Would appreciate any insights or recommendations!

 

[geofelt]

Do you need portability?
Gaming laptops are a difficult product. The coolers are, of necessity light, small, and not so efficient to allow portability.
Under full load, they are prone to throttling.

If you must. look for a laptop with a good cooling system.
Laptops are not a future proof product.
They are rarely capable of cpu or gpu upgrades and increasingly not capable of ram upgrades.

 

[Syiva Ramadhani Pabo Putr]

Do you need portability?
Gaming laptops are a difficult product. The coolers are, of necessity light, small, and not so efficient to allow portability.
Under full load, they are prone to throttling.

If you must. look for a laptop with a good cooling system.
Laptops are not a future proof product.
They are rarely capable of cpu or gpu upgrades and increasingly not capable of ram upgrades.

Thanks for the input! I agree that laptops are inherently limited in upgradability and thermal performance. I'm choosing a laptop mainly for mobility, and I’m aware it won't be future-proof like a desktop. That's why I’m prioritizing good thermals and possibly models with MUX switch and efficient cooling solutions.
I do plan to keep it plugged in most of the time for performance and thermal headroom. Appreciate the reminder!