High-end Desktop or High-end Laptop?

[I Am User]

Hello,

I'm buying a new computer soon. I want it to be able to handle the latest games with maxed settings in 1080p, today and the next couple of years. Should I take a laptop or a desktop? There are some really powerfully laptops, but you can put better components into a desktop pc. then laptops can be carried around. I would like to have another monitor later on too, I think you can put additional monitors to laptops.
Ok, there are two laptops I like, not sure which one more:
Asus N76VZ and G75VW.
I would take the best stuff they can have.
And then my desktop build (my first build) :

MOTHERBOARD: GIGABYTE GA-Z77X-UP4 TH

CPU: i7 3770

GPU: EVGA GeForce GTX 670 2GB

RAM: G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB)

PSU: Corsair Enthusiast Series TX850M - 850 Watt

HDD: WD Black 2TB

SSD: Vertex 4 128 GB

Optical Drive: ASUS BC-12B1ST Blue-Ray ROM

CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-U9B SE2

Case: Cooler Master HAF-X

On the Asus laptops I see they all have blu-ray readers, no writers. I would like a writer so I can put some movie on and watch sometime on the TV (ps3). Then I can't have an SSD in these two.
Can you play on max settings and 1080p on laptops, I mean can they have so strong GPUs that can handle all that?
I don't really have experience with these things.

So what do you guys think?
Laptop vs. Desktop

 

[techdude9]

A desktop will be more powerful as it can handle higher end components. Will you be gaming at home or on the go? I say desktop but if your the guy who wants to play BF3 or crysis on the go, the laptop. If you just want a gaming computer than can handle games on max and sit in a room all day, get a desktop.

 

[jkim3464]

Desktop

 

[I Am User]

Thanks for the replies.

It would be best to get a good desktop and laptop don't have the budget for that.

I would like to take a desktop and then save for a laptop.

Ok I wanted to hear your opinions, thanks.
Actually, the reason I'm asking is, we (family) are getting a computer, which my bro and I will .ostly use of course, but my father wants to get us a laptop, because you can carry it arround, and I don't really need that. maybe to school or when I go somewhere but I don't want to carry a $1500 laptop to school. We'd take it when we go somewhere for holidays, but we don't go to places more than 2x a year. I'm for a desktop, and I want to make him believe its better. he says a laptop is enough for what I need. it is, but I want to max out settings and have awesome fps.

anyway, thank you guys

 

[jimthenagual]

Just went through the same thing. Ended up getting an Alienware laptop, which I then ended up selling and now have a desktop almost identical to the one you list above.

Main points for me:
1. A gaming laptop is ******* heavy. 10 lbs. Really nice to be mobile, and I carried it with me for the first few months, but as time went on, got lazier, and eventually didn't feel like hauling it around anymore.
2. The gaming power you get for the same amount of money is 10x more on a desktop, and your upgrade options it to keep the system longer is great on a desktop. Gaming laptops are getting better, i.e., on most you can replace new CPU, GPU, HDD to SSD, ram. But the desktop has more room to grow.

 

[techdude9]

Just went through the same thing. Ended up getting an Alienware laptop, which I then ended up selling and now have a desktop almost identical to the one you list above.

Main points for me:
1. A gaming laptop is ******* heavy. 10 lbs. Really nice to be mobile, and I carried it with me for the first few months, but as time went on, got lazier, and eventually didn't feel like hauling it around anymore.
2. The gaming power you get for the same amount of money is 10x more on a desktop, and your upgrade options it to keep the system longer is great on a desktop. Gaming laptops are getting better, i.e., on most you can replace new CPU, GPU, HDD to SSD, ram. But the desktop has more room to grow.

Moral of the story. Don't get an alienware anything.

 

[I Am User]

lol

Which laptop of these two would be a better choice? or do you have some other suggestions? (just in case we :l decide for a laptop)

 

[marshallbradley]

Chromebook.

No but honestly I think gaming laptops are very rarely the right solution because of the cost to performance ratio. The heat some of them produce as well (not good if its on your lap :O).

You could also try a Mini ITX build for (somewhat) the best of both worlds. The Bitfenix Prodigy is a fantastic case. I'm not saying you could use it on the tube or anything, but I would definitely prefer to lug that around than my 650D.

M

 

[g-unit1111]

Just went through the same thing. Ended up getting an Alienware laptop, which I then ended up selling and now have a desktop almost identical to the one you list above.

Main points for me:
1. A gaming laptop is ******* heavy. 10 lbs. Really nice to be mobile, and I carried it with me for the first few months, but as time went on, got lazier, and eventually didn't feel like hauling it around anymore.
2. The gaming power you get for the same amount of money is 10x more on a desktop, and your upgrade options it to keep the system longer is great on a desktop. Gaming laptops are getting better, i.e., on most you can replace new CPU, GPU, HDD to SSD, ram. But the desktop has more room to grow.

#2 is wrong - there's a very thin market for aftermarket laptop parts. And the reason is because all laptop manufacturers have their own specifications. There are no standards for laptop components other than HDs and RAM (although a disturbing trend has arisen among mainstream manufacturers with Sony and Toshiba integrating their RAM into the motherboard ). Laptop motherboards and GPUs are designed to meet custom form factors. So there will never be a market for laptop GPUs as there are on desktops.

The thing you have to keep in mind too when considering a laptop is that laptop CPUs and GPUs are in no way shape or form performing identical to their desktop counterparts. They're made for small form factors and low power requirements. So as such laptop manufacturers will skimp on performance and customization.

Moral of the story. Don't get an alienware anything.

Definitely. :lol:

They're not the same company after being taken over by Dell - Dell sucks.

 

[I Am User]

Thanks for the replies

Laptop not an option anymore. Getting a desktop

 

[jimthenagual]

#2 is wrong

Funny, you and I are pretty much saying the same thing
unless it was the word 'most' that you are referring to. Perhaps I should have specified most top end gaming notebooks.

They are getting better. 5 years ago you couldn't do anything. But on my alienware a few months back, I had 2 hdd in raid 0, took one out to add an SSD but had the option as well to add a second GPU. Ram of course can be upgraded. But like I said in my post, desktops are far better for upgrading.

Mine was the M17x-r3 by the way. Would I recommend it to anyone? Maybe. For those who want portable gaming beasts, many would argue there are better ones for better prices, and some would probably be right. Asus makes a nice one I've heard.

But my bottom line is, unless you MUST have a portable, desktop is hands down the better choice.

 

[Marcopolo123]

I5-3570k is cheaper and performance the same
Get a 500/550w its enough...
Gigabyte/asus/xfx/ msi gtx 670 are better then evga (1fan)

 

[g-unit1111]

Funny, you and I are pretty much saying the same thing
unless it was the word 'most' that you are referring to. Perhaps I should have specified most top end gaming notebooks.

They are getting better. 5 years ago you couldn't do anything. But on my alienware a few months back, I had 2 hdd in raid 0, took one out to add an SSD but had the option as well to add a second GPU. Ram of course can be upgraded.

Mine was the M17x-r3 by the way. Would I recommend it to anyone? Maybe. For those who want portable gaming beasts, many would argue there are better ones for better prices, and some would probably be right. Asus makes a nice one I've heard.

But my bottom line is, unless you MUST have a portable, desktop is hands down the better choice.

Even on most top end gaming books you can't really upgrade a lot of the hardware. A lot of laptop manufacturers use that to your advantage to get you to buy the top of the line notebooks that you wouldn't otherwise pay for since the upgrading factor is extremely limited.

But like I said in my post, desktops are far better for upgrading.

Completely agree there.