Help a mom out?

If you want a full quad core + a passable discrete GPU for under $1000, then the MSI GE60 Apache might be the best choice. Default config comes with a quad core 4710HQ and 850M GPU (DDR3 version), along with 8GB ram, a 1TB 7200rpm HDD, Win8.1 and 2 years of MSI warranty. All that for just $899. I do recommend splurging for the IC Diamond paste (extra $25) as it will help keep temperatures down a bit.

 

Doesn't the GE60 have severe overheating issues and a poor screen? I still think the Lenovo Y50 with an 860M GDDR5 for $50 more is a better deal.

Edit: I'm pretty sure the Y50 has much better build quality as well and is thinner & lighter.

 

i vote for AW 17 refub)

 

You're thinking of the GS60, which was basically a portable stovetop. The GE60 fares better according to AnandTech but yes GPU still runs a bit toasty when gaming.

Just note that the $949 Y50 doesn't come with an optical drive if that's of any importance, otherwise seems like a good choice.

 

As he is only 11, he has a lot of old games to catch up on. So instead of knocking the kid's choice, I'm going to suggest games that are fine for that laptop for the next 2-3 years.

Some are rated M, I "*" those that earn that rating due to some tangible sexual content or drug use other than health packs [D] with explanation. The ones in bold are my favorites. The ones in green are somewhat nearly appropriate for an 11 year old. You can look at game play of any of these on youtube.

If I was going to suggest one more mature game, it would be Skyrim [get the legendary edition through Steam [link] [...thinkof Steam as itunes for games] during the holiday sales that start the weekend before xmas. It's mostly swordplay violence.

FYI: A wired 360 controller can be used for most games that are also on the 360.

Also, here are some freebies:

Black Mesa Mod
Alien Swarm
Wreckage
The Dark Mod

Games [A lot of these are $5-$10 during the holiday sale at Steam.]

Batman: Arkham Asylum, Arkham City, Arkham Origins
Bioshock 1/2, Infinite *[D] [Use of Plasmids/Vigors for various powers like shooting ice bolts and fireballs]
Crysis
Dishonored
Dragon Age Origins* [Relationships with NPC can be romantic]
Fallout: 3/New Vegas *[D][Use of medicines to temporarily enhance stats]
F.E.A.R.
Grim Dawn
Half-Life 2 [Orange Box incl. Portal 1]
Just Cause 2
Mass Effect Trilogy* [Relationships with NPC can be romantic]
Portal 1/2
Psychonauts
Resident Evil [Gamecube port of original comes out next year]
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl
Skyrim
Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory
Styx: Master of Shadows
Titan Quest
Torchlight 2

 

Actually I might be thinking of the GE40, honestly not too sure at this point LOL. But I know there was one relatively recent MSI budget gaming notebook which was reviewed by AnandTech that overheated like crazy and had a palmrest that was on fire and one of the worst screens known to man. Like seriously, it was a worse screen than the infamous 2013 Razer Blade 14. Yeah, it was probably the MSI GE40.

The Y50 has no room for an internal optical drive, but some SKU's include a USB external DVD or BD drive. Like this 59425944 SKU on Amazon or Newegg, which adds an external DVD drive and has an i7-4700HQ and AC 7260 WLAN instead of 4710HQ and AC 3160 in the $950 base model on Lenovo's site.

 

I'd choose the Y50 over the MSI too.

 

you mean also

 

Too is a synonym for also.

 

Did eeryanee just try to correct the grammer of WingNut, or am I dreaming?

On a side note, I think the 100 dollar savings right now for buying a 3k machine is a bad idea. Clevo P650SE will serve him well, maxing everything for the next 1-2 years, and probably very usable even beyond that. If this is a laptop that is going to trash can pretty soon (happens ), then just get a chromebook for 250 which will be able to run minecraft ( http://ubuntuhandbook.org/index.php/2014/04/install-minecraft-in-ubuntu-14-04/ + ubuntu is much much better for school work as well) and leave the choice of laptop for a future date. Do not, please do not waste 1k on a ULV machine with 850m graphics card...

 

I would shape up or you're going to end up being reported.

 

NBR cracks me up sometimes.

If you're very strict on the <$1000 limit then the Lenovo Y50 might be as good as you can get. If you can just eek out a bit more the Clevo P650SE at around $1200 will perform much better at the expense of heat. But it also has no optical drive, and no room for an internal one so you'd have to get an external.

The Lenovo Y50 with an internal optical will run you $70 extra ($1029), or you can still keep under $1000 by buying a an extenal USB drive ($30 or less).

 

I kind of like the lesson about saving up money for the future and saving $300+ by going with the Y40 as a stopgap. It's a good lesson. I wish my parents bought me a $700 computer as a gaming machine when I was 11.

My TRS-80 Model I and then Model III were hand me downs from my Grandfather (I was lucky for that, I wrote a bunch of games for it.. so fun). I eventually scored a C64 around age 13-14 that started my Commodore love affair until I sold my tricked out Amiga 500 in 1993 and went PC.

 

LOL did you not see my last post? The Y50 has no internal ODD either.

 

I was referring to this model.

So the "DVD recordable" listed is an external drive then? They really ought to be less ambigious about that.

 

Yeah any ODD listed is an external one. I agree about it being ambiguous.

The sub-$1000 59425944 SKU on Amazon and Newegg has a 100 MHz slower CPU but a better WiFi card. Otherwise it's identical, including the external DVD drive.