Gaming laptop build help! I'm a noob :P

Hello fist poster here. I'm a total noob when it comes to set up a computer or laptops. I wanted to build a dedicated laptop and the games Im aimming to play are blacklight retribution and diablo 3 ect. I'm not so sure on what I need and all but I do realize I need a laptop bottom case, motherboard, sound card, graphics card, Hard drive, processor and ram. Any advice and tips would be appreciated

 

If you are a total noob when it comes to building computers then attempting to build your own laptop is a BAD idea.

Just buy a pre-built.

I'm not ever sure there is a true build-it-yourself laptop other than the Asus C90 which is an old platform and most likely doesn't support any new parts.

 

there is an MSI barebone but it is best and cheapest to buy a prebuilt/custom built from a manufacture.

 

I don't want to be a downer, but I have to agree with rschauby here. Pre-built laptops are insanely more convenient and often very customizable. If you really want to build something, a laptop is a much harder place to start than a desktop would be.

 

I agree. You should buy a prebuilt laptop from Asus, MSI, Alienware or Sager and you can always upgrade the Wifi Card, CPU, GPU and Hard Drive. Other than those components I don't think anything else in a laptop is worthwhile to add/build.

 

Judging by this post, perhaps you have not done any research into barebones yet. I would not recommend you building one if you have little experience with desktops, or none with laptops. Laptops are much trickier than desktops and require more patience, care and research. Also, laptops are not built completely aftermarket (I.E. you don't buy an OEM motherboard and plastic case to house the laptop or even a sound card).

A barebone usually consists of the chassis, LCD, motherboard, heatsink(s) and fan(s), ODD and VGA (although some do not come with a VGA, so read carefully). Necessary aftermarket components can consist of: CPU, RAM, HDD(s) and WiFi/BT card. Every laptop barebone that is available is different, so like I said previously, there is a good amount of research involved in the process with each unit specifically. Be prepared to do a lot of Googling and forum browsing if you decide on it.

Another thing to keep in mind, if something goes wrong in the build process it is up to you to figure it out. Your reseller will most likely charge you a fee and make you pay shipping costs if you need their physical help getting it to work (That alone will not make getting a barebone even worth it in terms of price). Also, some barebone brands come will a cut-down warranty and support, so it is up to you to maintain it and troubleshoot. Thus I only advise well researched and experienced people to build barebones.

If you decide to go forward, which I don't recommend in your situation, RJTech sells Clevo barebones and RKComputers sells MSI barebones. I know there are more resellers, but these are probably the most well known.

 

Yeah unless you have several thousand dollars at your disposal, I would not recommend starting with a laptop. I would suggest starting with a desktop which is much easier and whose parts are not only more readily available but are also much cheaper than laptop parts.

 

I would suggest sager/clevo or alienware. Both are upgradeable, and are dependable.

 

one question?

Whats wrong with building your own laptop. that could be fun for one.

 

I don't think anyone who suggested against him building the laptop simply said "no". They all give reasons. No one said don't do it. All SUGGESTED against doing it. The end decision is up to OP.

 

Fun yes...

Expensive if you mess up and turn into a nightmare?!? Yes.

If you've built several desktops, spent time repairing laptops (replacing CPU's, GPU's, Panels, Cooling Systems), then go for it.

 

Go to rjtech.com. Buy the barebone clevo chassis, buy the separate components and have fun. I believe they will ship parts to you separately to let you build it if you'd like but no discount. It's about the closest you'll get to building a laptop. Although I don't know why you'd do that because it really isn't cheaper than buying one pre-built, unless you got a rock bottom deal on a CPU or GPU which is unlikely because they're hard to come by as retail parts anyhow, and even then you can order a full machine without CPU or GPU and install your own from a Sager reseller or Clevo builder.

For example the P150EM with matte screen, i7-3610qm, 8GB DDR3 1600, 7970m, 500GB HDD, HDD caddy for ODD is $1668 from RJTech. Same config is $1564 from a Sager resller and $1517 if you pay cash. And the only things you will be able to install anyhow are: CPU, GPU, Wi-fi, RAM, HDD/SSD. The chassis comes with the LCD and motherboard and all connectors already configured and installed.

I understand where you're coming from, but reason most users build their own desktops is for cost and selection of components. It's not cheaper to build your own laptop, and the selection of components is limited to what resellers offer anyhow. It's not like you have 10 different brands and 10 variations of video cards that you can choose from off the shelf at Newegg or Amazon.

I know users who do buy barebones only because they carry over some components from another laptop or scored a few components very cheap somehow. But those are usually enthusiasts anyhow.

 

Have you ever assembled your own desktop and hit the power button, only to have absolutely nothing happen and experience the horrific, if only momentary, feeling that your $1k - $1500 is currently a useless pile of metal, plastic and silicon? Now add on significantly more troubleshooting time and the knowledge that you really achieved no cost savings and it's just a recipe for sadness. It could be a fun project if you know what you're doing, but it's infinitely better to cut your teeth on a desktop (which can still be pretty frustrating even if you DO know what you're doing).

 

If you are a total n00b when it comes to building a computer or setting up one, I would not advise you to build a laptop or gaming computer alone, let alone a gaming LAPTOP. While doing this may be extremely fun and something to brag about, if you mess up even just a little bit, that a ton of money you are going to lose.

I advise you to start out with a $450 budget and build a cheap desktop, then work your way up to a mainstream, entertainment, premium, then gaming computer. While building a laptop yourself is possible, it is FAR harder than a desktop, so I advise you to get some experience with repairing and assembling a laptop computer.

Remember, you need to learn to crawl before you learn to run.

It would be recommended if you bought a PC.

 

There isn't anything wrong with building your laptop, we just advise someone whose a total n00b at doing so to not do it.

Yes, once you are done building it and have successfully powered onto your BIOS or OS all of a sudden you start becomming happy and want to brag about it.

And its fun. Agreed.

But, the problem with this is that a prebuilt gaming computer can cost $$$$$$$$$$$ and when you power it on to find out it doesn't work and that you fried a component, that's when you will not be so happy. Plus the fact that laptops are much more complicated to build and require more experience.

I would only recommend you try for a laptop after you understand how to build a gaming desktop and have disassembled and reassembled a laptop by memory.

 

That would be a very expensive way to learn. Better to just disassemble old computers of family members and see if you can put them back together in working order.

The long and short of it is don't build a laptop, especially if you've never built a computer and have no previous experience with high-end laptops. Laptops are a pain to build, and even worse to find parts for. Instead, use a site that allows you to customize a laptop while showing the current cost. In order to not plug a particular brand, I'll suggest a couple:

XoticPC, PowerPro, Malibal.

All of these sites let you customize far more than the normal manufacturers, especially on Sager/Clevo and MSI models. Hope that helps.