970m, 980m or k2100m? Architecture Laptop: Autodesk 3ds Max/SketchUp

Hi there,

Had a question referring to GPU's. I have recently accepted an offer into an architectural program, now I have to decide what laptop is best for what I'm doing (with very little guidelines). I have been doing some research that has had me come to conclusion between the GTX 970m, GTX 980m and the K2100m. My question is, which one will do the best job for a reasonable price?

(I understand that the 3D benchmarks for the 980m are far more superior than the 970m, just wanted opinions from those who have a larger understanding of this field)

Here are some Laptops I have looked into:

MSI GS60 Ghost Pro
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E1683...

MSI WS60 Ghost Pro
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E1683...

Gigabyte P35xv3
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E1683...

Aorus X7(860m SLI)
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E1683...

Aorus X5
http://wccftech.com/aorus-x5-4k-gaming-notebook-nvidia-...

ASUS ROG G751JY
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E1683...

ASUS ROG GX500
http://rog.asus.com/324762014/g-series-gaming-laptops/g...



These are the Laptops I have looked into, whats your opinion? Remember i have to use the laptop for school, keeping it slim and light would be nice if possible.

 

autodesk use directx iirc so gaming card should be fine, but if it is for school, a igpu is suffice tbh. If they going to throw you a complex 3d project, the will/should let you know that you need a computer that meet certain spec.

anyways, k2100m is the safe bet in case the class use something other than Autodesk, but 970m/980 are better value.

Are you going to game on the laptop?

 

So you're saying the k2100m would run any directx programs just fine?

Yes, I will be gaming on the laptop. Games like Civs 5, Battlefield 4, Rome Total War (2)... Etc

 

I'm really not familiar with how a k2100m would perform with particular applications, but I can tell you that both the 970m and 980m are significantly better cards for gaming. The 970m is probably the best value, and it can generally come in a thinner, lighter machine.

You might have already seen this, here is some info from NotebookCheck:
"The Quadro series offers certified drivers that are optimized for stability and performance in professional applications like CAD or DCC. OpenGL performance, for example, should be significantly better than with GeForce graphics cards of similar specifications."

Here's another article that may be of some help: http://doc-ok.org/?p=304

I have a feeling that there is an artificial distinction being created here, with Quadro cards massively overpriced for their specs but made with particular optimizations that the GeForce line doesn't have.

IMO, you're better off with a GeForce card like a 970m. It's a much, much better card for gaming (and significantly more powerful overall), and it's hard for me to imagine that you would come into a situation where it would struggle with design programs.

 

Thank you for your input! I know I'm going to drop a large sum on money into something link this, is there any of the laptops above you can recommend me to? Or if you have any on the top of your mind? Thanks a lot.

 

Of the ones you listed, I would lean towards the MSI Ghost with the 970m or the ASUS ROG with the 980m. The Ghost would be thinner and lighter (at a slight cost premium), while the ROG would be more powerful overall (and the larger SSD it comes with is nice too), although certainly heavier and more bulky.

Both are great machines, although if you don't mind a little more customization, I would recommend getting a Clevo. There are a number of Clevo resellers, but the cheapest (and most often recommended) is XoticPC. You can find their options here: http://www.xoticpc.com/custom-gaming-laptops-notebooks-clevo-sager-notebooks-ct-95_51_162.html

There are other options too. There are a lot of custom builders that work off of Clevo bodies and offer great service/warranties. Some of these (OriginPC, Falcon Northwest) are extremely overpriced, but I've personally had good experiences with Digital Storm. Their Triton models ( http://www.digitalstormonline.com/triton.asp) might be worth looking at, and their prices are pretty competitive.

Anyway, I don't think there's a bad choice here, it just comes down to what you prefer.

 

Awesome thank you! Is there any Canadian websites you can link me to with these products on them?

 

Hmm, I think all of those sites would ship to Canada, but Reflex Notebook looks like the best local reseller for you: http://www.reflexnotebook.ca/

Here are some other resellers, although I can't personally vouch for many of them: http://www.reddit.com/r/SuggestALaptop/comments/l1xbj/sagerclevo_where_to_buy_sticky/

 

You can find many great resellers for the specific brands you want, right here on the forums. If you have any doubts feel free to ask on the respective subforum for the brand you want to ask about. Specific doubts for models etc.

Please avoid crossposting

 

Can you send me a list of resellers?

 

What do you think about the The Dell Precision 3800? I hear it's very thin, light weight and great for students. Will it have enough fire power? (I know it has the k1100m instead of the k2100m)

 

There also Eurocom when it comes to Clevo resellers... They are definetly reliable however prices are a bit higher then other resellers... Sager resellers from US also ship to Canada and they have special Canadian warranties... Have a look at XoticPC, GentechPC, LPC Digital, Prostar, Powernotebooks..

 

Reviews of it certainly seem positive, although the GPU it has (the k2100m) is very weak for gaming, and not much better than an integrated card. I don't think you'd be able to get Battlefield 4 or similar games playable at all. The Dell laptop also seems quite expensive for the components inside.

With that being said, of course I'm not familiar with how Quadro GPUs work with architecture/design applications, but I'll still fall back on what I said before- I think a 970m (or even a 965m) would be better in every regard, and I seriously doubt that they would be inadequate for your studies. I would strongly advise you to get a laptop with a GTX card.

Here is a video from LinusTechTips which attempts to break down the differences between GTX and Quadro GPUs:

Of course I can't personally verify any of this, having never used a Quadro GPU, but going for a laptop with a 970m (either Clevo or MSI) would be my recommendation.

 

The main thing is to go for a laptop with a single GPU.. SLI is out of the question.. Now, for the price of the GS60, you can get quite a well specced Sager 8652 with a 980M for the same price as the GS60 with 970M and the 980M should blow the 970M at stock out of the water!

 

A 980m would certainly be more powerful, although if NickSimp wants a thinner form factor, I do think the 970m gives more options in that regard.

 

The Gigabyte P35W is also thin and comes with 980M however the Sager is slightly thicker and has a better cooling system! The GS60 is just not worth it IMO.. I do like it but it's a pain if you need to replace the HDD/SSD etc... Also battery life sucks (2-2.5hrs web surfing tops)...