Conflicted on whether to get a High Performance Laptop, or build a desktop and get a mobile laptop

I really need a new laptop, but I'm still having way too much trouble deciding. I want whatever I get to last me at least 5 years. My laptop is outdated. I can barely play my games (albeit I'm not the biggest PC gamer, more of a console gamer, and during the school year, I don't have time to game at all). I need to be able to play my game (StarCraft II on something other than low and barely pulling enough fps to play) as well as finally be able to try out some other games that I haven't been able to play (DCS A-10C, ArmA II, etc.). I also need to be able to use MATLAB, Autodesk Inventor Professional. And of course I'll be using different multimedia entertainment, Internet browsing, and office productivity software. Currently I dock my laptop to my external 1080p monitor, keyboard, and mouse only to undock it when I feel like laying down while watching something or need to go somewhere. I need a new battery since it only lasts me about 10 min, but I don't feel like spending $135 for a new battery, knowing that full charge will only last me 2 hours at best. It's a 4 year old laptop with a 5 year old low performance graphics card. So basically, I game at a desk (like a desktop), I live on a college campus so mobility is necessary. I pretty much only go home for a month during winter so again mobility is neccessary. I'm really trying to figure out a cost vs performance and my needs analysis but am still conflicted. I'll break down what I'm looking at below so hopefully you can help me out:


Current Laptop:
-Dell Studio 1535
-15.6" 1440x900 Glossy Screen
-Intel Core 2 Duo T8100 @ 2.1GHz (35W TDP)
-PM965 Chipset
-Windows 7 Professional 64bit
-320GB WD 5400rpm HDD
-2x2GB (4GB) DDR2 667MHz CL5 RAM
-AMD 3450M
-Dell Wireless 1397 b/g Card
-Backlit Keyboard

-Issues:
--Chasis is falling apart, using Ductape to keep from further breaking apart
--Battery needs to be replaced, but cost $135 and will only get about 2 hours at best
--Last year's typical "College Laptop" outpeformed mine both in processing and graphics capabilities
--Cannot play many newer games, mostly play StarCraft II at the lowest possible settings and at 720p, fps ranges from 5-60 depending on number of players and number units in play

Cost me $1250, 4 years ago [$312.50/year]


Option 1: High Performance Laptop:
-Clevo P150EM (Sager)
-15.6" 1920x1080 Matte Screen
-Intel i7-3610QM @ 2.3GHz-3.3GHz (45W TDP)
-HM77 Chipset
-Windows 7 Professional 64bit
-256GB Crucial M4 SSD
-2x4GB (8GB) Corsair Vengeance 1600MHz CL9 RAM
-Nvidia GTX 675M or GTX 680M
-Intel Ultimate-N 6300

-Cons:
--Expensive, need it to last at least 5 years with the 675 or 6 years with the 680 to relate to my current laptop in cost/year
--Not as mobile as most of today's "College Laptop" but still decently mobile
--Roughly a 3 hour average battery life (better than my current laptop but not as good as the mainstream laptop)
--Will be constantly docking and undocking the laptop depending on the task

-Pros:
--Powerful hardware, will easily last over 4 years (basing on current laptop) if no hardware fails
--One computer with all my items everywhere instead of some on one computer and some on the other, can use all of my software no matter where I am
--Sexy

Cost:
-675M about $1740 (~$350/year over 5 years)
-680M about $2180 (~$350/year over 6 years)


Option 2: High Performance Desktop & Mobile Laptop:
[Desktop]
-Self Built Desktop (already own a keyboard and mouse)
-23" 1920x1080 Matte Monitor (already own)
-Intel i5-3570 @ 3.4GHz-3.8GHz (77W TDP)
-Asrock Extreme4 Z77 Chipset motherboard
-Windows 7 Professional 64bit
-256GB Crucial M4 SSD
-2x4GB (8GB) G.Skill Ripjaws X 1600MHz CL8 RAM
-Nvidia GTX 480 (costs $210 new on Newegg, performs just below a 570, hard to beat price vs performance)
-650W SeaSonic PSU
-Corsair Carbide 300R Midtower Case

[Laptop]
-Clevo W240EUQ (Mythlogic)
-14" 1366x768 Glossy Screen
-Intel i5-3360M @ 2.8GHz-3.5GHz (35W TDP)
-HM76 Chipset
-Windows 7 Professional 64bit
-128GB Crucial M4 SSD
-2x4GB (8GB) Corsair Vengeance 1600MHz CL9 RAM
-Intel HD Graphics 4000 @ .65GHz-1.2GHz
-Intel Ultimate-N 6300

Pros:
-Higher Performance Desktop than the P150EM and a much more mobile Laptop than the P150EM
-About a 5 hours battery life on the laptop as well as much lighter
-Easier and cheaper to upgrade a desktop
-Laptop should easily last at least 5 years for processing needs on the go (comparing to my current laptop)
-Cost maybe cheaper in the long run (as in buying new mobile laptops and parts for a desktop would be cheaper than brand new high performance laptops over time)

Cons:
-Multiple computers, will need to use cloud, networking, and other storage plans to share data, may need to even allow remote connection to my desktop through my laptop for more advanced needs (not sure how that works yet if possible)
-Laptop has a 1366x768 glossy screen, I prefer Matte and cannot stand the resolution on today's mainstream laptops (1366x768), prefer 1600x900 or 1920x1080 only
-Cost just slightly more than the P150EM with a 680M in it
-Some software may need another liscence purchased to use on both computers (example: Adobe Acrobat X Pro & Office 2010 Professional Plus)
-Gaming is not mobile (visiting home or away from my computer means I cannot game unless I bring my whole desktop with me)
-Advanced Software is less easy to use (MATLAB and Autodesk Inventor Professional work on my current laptop but with very limited processing. These would be better suited on a high performance laptop or high performance desktop over the mobile mid performance laptop

Cost:
Desktop about $1200 (assume hardware changes over time when hardware can no longer perform to standards, mostly pertains to graphics card upgrade every few years)
Laptop about $1000 (~$200/year over 5 years)


So my question for you, the people that have had a lot more experience with computers than myself considering my Dell is my only owned computer. What would you recomend I do? As far as cost goes. I'm covering a decent amount of the RAM, OS, and SSD on Amazon with gift cards (have about $200 now but will have more later). Other costs will be covered by some saved up funds which equates out to $1600. So the remainder is out of pocket for me (which would be no more than $400). It has crossed my mind to just buy the new battery for my laptop and stick it out even longer, but, 3 things keep me from doing so, the bad fps I get in StarCraft II in large battles (makes it impossible to control and extremely annoying), the cost of the battery is ridiculous, and I worry that if I wait till next year to get a new computer, I will no longer be able to get an OEM copy of Windows 7 to use as I do not wish to get Windows 8. If you can offer up any feedback, that would be appreciated. Also, vote in the poll what you'd recomend I do. Thanks a lot for reading and responding!

 

Only a desktop that can be upgraded will last 5 years. I fully expect my current machine to last me 4 years but I don't play demanding FPS games. It may be possible to upgrade it to the next gen graphics card too.

Personally I'd pull the trigger on a Clevo/Sager with a 7970 for price/performance. Who's to say you won't have the funds to purchase new again in 4 years.

 

I can understand that the 680M runs cooler etc, or whatever reasons you may have. But it's just too expensive.

Build a desktop. $295 is too much I think, at least it's a breaking point for me for a budget on a laptop.

 

A laptop is so much easier, talking about portability and massive power... you don't anything stronger than the 680M, but sure a desktop + laptop should work

I would go for the laptop for shear portability though, I travel a lot

 

Despite the fact that I bought an NP9150 with a 7970M, I voted for Desktop+Mid-range laptop, which still has a nice Ivy Bridge i7 upgrade for $100, especially seeing that you plan to spend $1000 on that model.

The one main reason I bought the high end Sager is because there is LITERALLY no room for a destkop computer in my dorm. I will be one of 3 people in one small room, and our desks have no space under them except for the space for legs.

I chose the Sager over other gaming laptops because of how upgradeable it is, and with that the warranty is not void. If I feel I ever need more GPU power, I can expect to upgrade to the HD 8000M series and max out the CPU socket with an i7-3920XM. I can also add an mSATA SSD and more RAM. The Sager laptop is almost like a desktop in terms of lifespan.

The thing is that a desktop will have better performance for a lower price and will be upgradeable for an even longer time span. It will be more cool and more stable as well.

 

Why isn't there a Clevo P150EM (with AMD 7970M) ~$1550 option? I would totally vote on that one .

 

I need something that functions for mobility like Optimus, therefore AMD is out of the question for now. Plus I really want to go green over Red. AMD would cost me ~$1840 which isn't bad at all. But is if it doesn't work right.

 

You could possibly wait to see if Enduro gets fixed.

 

If you have the money, go for GTX 680M. 7970M are plagued with problems right now so I wouldn`t recommend that one until AMD have fixed the problems. You get a very cool running GPU that also overclock like a beast too if you pick the 680M. Plus you get Optimus that doesn`t take away performance of the GPU like Enduro do

Don`t go for the 675M since the 680M is miles ahead of 675M

 

Plenty of people have 7970s that run fine with factory drivers. Seriously, if you're spending $1600 - $2000 for a laptop then you can probably afford your choice of GPUs.

 

My personal experience:
I went with a desktop/cheap laptop setup last year and disliked it. The fragmentation of my data was annoying to me. I started relying a LOT on Dropbox, but there's limited space in there. When I traveled, which was often, I couldn't bring my desktop with me so I could be without gaming for a while. Even when I did try to game without my desktop, I'd forget to transfer over save files or mods.

Now, I use my laptop (W110ER) as an all-in-one machine. I hook it up to my monitor at my desk when I need it there and can easily unhook it and bring it to my bed. I'm very happy with this setup.The downside was that I took a huge hit in computing power, but since my computer can play any game out right now, I'm considering that a moot point. The same would go for your P150EM. It's weaker than a desktop, but so what if it can already do everything?

Also, I think the 680M sounds overkill for your needs. The 675M is already more powerful than most mainstream gaming laptops and you said you weren't too big of a gamer. If the money is no issue to you, the 680M would be awesome though.

 

I have 4 hours battery life and I can play Witcher 2 on high preset.

Hmm, seems it's working damn good to me.

 

I've been an apartment dweller all my life, and I completely understand your space issues. I have a desktop for gaming, and a laptop for mobile computing. About a month ago, I pondered selling my desktop and buying a very strong laptop. I'm glad I didn't; I HAVE the desktop, so there's really no need to get rid of it. If I didn't already have the desktop, I would probably sink the extra money into a powerful laptop.

Overall, I think 2 computers is best; I've found myself having both computers running simultaneously, like when you're troubleshooting problems on a forum while the other one is in pieces. If space is an issue, which I totally understand, I would recommend a powerful all-around laptop which will last a few years.

If it's your only machine, storage will be very important.

 

Put all your money into a Sager. You don't want to split all your files into two computers. Why be stuck at home when you could game WHEREVER you are? Trust me... You'll be extremely happy with it.

 

680M go big or go home...

 

I was also considering the same options for college. I don't know how your living setup is, but I decided that I just don't have room to take a desktop. There is barely enough room in our rooms for a laptop (the desks aren't very big, and you have to put papers/books on it too), let alone space for a desktop. Now, if I had plenty of room, I would have taken my custom desktop and bought a cheap, portable laptop and saved a ton of money. The fact that I was only spending about half the amount of money would have been worth the problems of having separate files and whatnot. But if you are going to be spending the same amount of money whether you go desktop/laptop or laptop, then I would just say get the laptop.

 

why not get a clevo w110r? it is small enough to carry around and powerful enough to dock to a 1080p monitor and game on.

 

Man... I think desktop computers will be going by the wayside one of these days. Eventually, mobiles will be just as powerful, if not, desktops will just be unnecessarily powerful and mobiles will still be a better option.

I made the same decision as you four years ago and didn't regret it. Mobile power is addicting =p.

Basically the choice goes like this:
1) you know for sure you'll never want to game anywhere but one location - choose the desktop/laptop combo.

2) you might want to take your portable monster somewhere other than where you desktop is - get the monster laptop.

Weigh those two options carefully. I went with the m570TU and it served me for a solid four years. I'm sure this current laptop will do the job for another four, maybe five.

I can just tell you from experience that I didn't regret getting a Sager, but I lanned with friends at different places all the time, so I didn't really have a choice.

If you want to take notes on a laptop in a lecture hall though, a 17" laptop would probably be too big, but if you're in a classroom setting most of the time, the battery life on these things should be good enough and the room big enough to warrant it.

Totally up to what you do with your time.

Good luck.

 

I have 2 offices and work a lot from home. I made the decision about 7 or 8 years ago to just have one very powerful laptop so I didn't have to find a solution (back then it was external drives) to keep my data available on multiple computers. I am very happy to not have to have a desk, tower, mouse and keyboard taking up room (although my son and wife have appropriated the Asus, which otherwise I would still have, so I lost back some of the room). I carry a mouse in my bag, and pull out my laptop wherever I am. I have never regretted giving up the desktop.

I also am not a hardcore gamer, I use my laptops mostly for work (photo editing, live simulcast of our auctions and various work like Excel, web site upkeep and using proprietary software. I do play the occasional game, but so far, I have no doubt that my 485m will last me another 3-4 years. And if I need to, I know I can upgrade most anything in my Sager, and fairly easy too. I see that people are already upgrading to the 680m, and I believe the 7970m too, with the HM Sagers, so down the line, if needed, I know I can, and it will be cheaper then too. IIRC the EM with either the 680m or the 7970m will be upgradeable for a long time. And I am sure the IB CPU will handle most anything you need for years to come. It won't be the fastest thing on the market, but it won't be any slower than it is now, which is faster than anything we have seen before.

I noticed you also have as an option waiting until 2013. I have no doubt even bigger, better and faster laptops will be out, but if we always wait until the next greatest thing comes out, we will never really get something that if we use daily for school (or work) makes our life easier. I say get whatever you decide on, and enjoy how much faster it will be. And good luck in school, work hard, and then go out and enjoy life. Congrats in advance.

 

In regards to splitting files between multiple computers:

At my college, each student got their own chunk of storage on the campus network (50gigs i think). We also had a program called express connect that would allow us to remotely connect to the campus network from personal computers. This made it easy to work on projects wherever I wanted, because I could work on something at my house and finish it/print it in a campus computer lab, assuming I had the software to do so (Pirating Pro-E ftw.) If your campus has a similar setup, you could just store all your files on your campus account, and then access them as necessary.

 

Out of the choices available in the poll I think the P150EM + 680M is the best one. Also some sort of Kensington lock.

 

the gtx 480 is slower then the gtx 680m so your desktop would actually be slower then the notebook and you would in the end expend 2,2 k anyway.

 

@cr0bar
OC'd GTX680M (853/2300) is about a desktop GTX580 at stock.

 

Well, it seems overwhelmingly that I should go with the high performance laptop based on popular opinion. I'm leaning more toward the 675M though since if I've survived this long with a 3450M, imagine how long I'll be okay with a 675M. If I'm able to play a game at low/medium at 1080p and still get over 60fps average and no dips under 30fps 6 years from now, I would continue to use that computer. Not until it is actually unable to function to necessary power (such as my current laptop). I do want the 680M though since it runs much cooler, uses less power, and of course, will probably outlast me the lifespan of the laptop as far graphics go.

I still have the desktop and mobile laptop in the back of my head. The fact I can't find a 14-15.6" laptop with at least a 1600x900 resolution (Matte if possible) screen and that uses a Ivy i5 and the integrated HD 4000 graphics is kind of puting me off from that option. Really, my only way is to get a Clevo with a GT 630M but, I only want integrated graphics for it. Plus, I feel the 15.6" Wxxxxx Clevos are all ugly as heck, terrible touchpad style and keyboard layout, and would drive me crazy. Plus, the combo is going to cost me more than the laptop in total since I've decided I'd either go with a GTX 670 or 660 if they finally release it so it could cost up to $200 more than originally planned. The only reason I'm still thinking about it is because my friend showed me how to use Windows Remote Desktop. Pretty easy setup and would definitely solve my problems for needing higher power on the go, but then I'm restricted by connection and stuck on an ugly 1366x768 monitor. The plus would be the desktop is more powerful than the laptop I'd get and the laptop I get instead is definitely going to last much longer in terms of battery life.


This all being said. I do have one question that may somewhat help my decision. Can the Clevo P150EM drive two external monitors (with the internal off)?

 

This guy's opinions on the 7970 are more warped than Obamas views on the economy

The 7970 is a great and very powerful card, if paying and extra $300 bucks is worth the slightly superior driver performance than by all means go for it. But to $300 is no small amount of cash and I will save wherever possible.

 

You can game on an airplane with a laptop....

 

You also asked this question in notebookreview.com. Which answer did you expect to get?

 

Well, I made my decision. Now I just need to act on it. Thank you all for the help and it is much appreciated. Those that have been extra helpful will get good rep when I get a chance to go back through my threads. In the end, I've decided on the P150EM from XoticPC. I'll be a college student for around 2.5-3 more years and from there still moving quite a bit. This in mind, no need to go too big. Because once I have my own salary going, things like a new car, new computer, and such always make the list.

I'm definitely getting a GTX 675M which somewhat irks me since it is Fermi and Kepler is right here. But in the end, I need to think what I'm using it for. My accumulation of PC games is small. Most are playable on my current laptop. Some are unplayable but I only play StarCraft II to be honest. And for me, if 5 years down the road. I can play all my games at 1920x1080, low preset, and never dip below 30fps, then my laptop is still good to go. Since my current laptop plays StarCraft II at 1280x720, low preset, and averages anywhere between 5-60fps, then I know it is time to upgrade. When I get a new computer, the only additional games I see myself getting are DCS A-10C, ArmA II, and maybe BF3 (but I already own it on Xbox, which is where I play the majority of my games). If anything, I'll be more inclined to play Bad Company 2 which I own but is currently unplayable.

Really a GTX 675M will probably outlast me the life of the laptop (as in when I decide to replace it). I don't see myself never being able to play a game with it with at least the settings I proposed above. Because of this, it is foolish to buy anything more expensive. Especially the 680M (not worth the extra $400 for me). The 7970M is close but with some of the headaches it has caused some people and the fact I just really want Nvidia, I would say I'm better off not spending the extra $100, especially since it will come out of pocket. With the GTX 675M, I hit my exact budget for my funds. Realistically, the GTX 660M is perfect for me probably (especially considering I almost bought a laptop with a GTX 560M last year). The GTX 670M being stock would be perfect, but as long as I have the 180W adapter and $100 more to spare, it doesn't hurt for the performance boost which is why in the end I've decided on the 675M. It'd probably be smarter to go with the P151EM1 and the GTX 670M, especially since a 120W adapter is slighty more portable than a 180W adapter, but I really hate chiclet keyboards and the P150EM having a full numpad, backlit, and a keyboard just like my dell makes me definitely want that.

This is my final build plan:
-P150EM
-1920x1080 Standard Matte Screen
-Intel i7-3610QM
-GTX 675M
-8GB Corsair Vengeance 1600MHz CL9 RAM
-256GB Crucial M4 SSD
-6x Blu-Ray Reader
-Intel Centrino Ultimate-N 6300
-No Branding

It will cost me about $1810, but luckily about nothing out of pocket.

 

+1
Great call Hellhog!

The 675M is stronger than most need, and indeed if you don't push games into ULTRA MASSIVE EXTRA MOD CRYSIS GOD TEXTURE ADD-ON nothing will dip below the necessary 30 FPS needed to have a good gaming experience thanks for the detailed answer on why you've done how you've done.

Have fun with your machine and have a nice day

 

I like your thinking. I'm deciding right now between the 9150 and the 9130. The deciding factor is the 670 vs 675 card. I can't decide if its worth the couple hundred extra bucks that the 9150 would cost. Especially since I don't really care about the other differences between the models.

 

i am a big clevo fan but did you see the mac book pro i know it wasnt one of your choices but i think that it a pretty sweet notebook and the highest retina display out right now not a fanboy i own a x7200 but its a good look imo
New 2012 MacBook Pro Retina i7 Quad Core - official Apple video - YouTube

 

I think somewhere he said he wanted to play games on his computer.

 

I personally chose the laptop option, as I prefer the portablility. I run several virtual machines as dev/testing sandboxes on my Clevo, . With a SSD and 16GB RAM the performance is outstanding and compares with any desktop.
One thing I have noticed in the past and with other people I know who use laptops is the cooling factor. That is, they do tend to overheat if you push them hard (as I do). If you were to choose the laptop option, I'd strongly suggest you get a cooling stand/docking station. The cooling stands are fairly portable, so there's no reason you couldnt carry one with you ( I use it on long trips). At home you can attach a monitor/kb/mouse and get the whole desktop 'feel as well.

 

If you are getting a desktop, I would suggest a newer GPU. I really think the GTX 680M is maybe a little better than GTX 480....