What to look for in a laptop for WoD

[WestonLords]

Hello,

I know the subject regarding budget "gaming laptops" comes up from time to time, and I am aware of the detriments to using a laptop over a tower system, but due to my travel requirements and several other factors, a new tower for WoD just doesn't make sense. A laptop would be useful for other personal projects and other gaming on the go.

Is there anything in particular I should look for in a laptop for WoD? My budget is about $1,000. I have been perusing Newegg.com and Xoticpc.com pretty regularly over the last few weeks, so I know about what I can get for the price, but are there any particular mobile video cards I should avoid? Should I prioritize 16 gigs of ram over 8 gigs and settle for a slower processor? Those are the kind of questions I am wrestling with. Any advice on a particular brand/model laptop would be helpful as well. Thank you!

[Deleted]

A good i7 processor and then the best GPU you can afford after that. An SSD would be nice but not a must, go for at least 7200RPM HDD. 8GB RAM is enough.

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Decide if you want 15.6" or 17." The bigger the screen the less portable it is if that's important to you.

Clevo/Sager has pretty price/performance.

[Deleted]

17.3", $988

http://www.xoticpc.com/sager-np7378-...ss-p-6990.html

15.6", $969

http://www.xoticpc.com/sager-np7358-...sq-p-6991.html

[WestonLords]

A good i7 processor and then the best GPU you can afford after that. An SSD would be nice but not a must, go for at least 7200RPM HDD. 8GB RAM is enough.

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Decide if you want 15.6" or 17." The bigger the screen the less portable it is if that's important to you.

Clevo/Sager has pretty price/performance.

I am more likely to go for the 15.6". Portability would be a big "pro" to have. I've gamed on a 14" laptop before and while not great, you get used to it, so I'm convinced a 15.6" would be fine.

I've been looking at the Sager's a bit, they seem like great machines. I'm a little surprised you'd prioritize an i7 over a GPU - can you elaborate on that a little further? Thank you!

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15.6", $969

That's a pretty spectacular machine. Thanks for the input.

[Drakain]

I am more likely to go for the 15.6". Portability would be a big "pro" to have. I've gamed on a 14" laptop before and while not great, you get used to it, so I'm convinced a 15.6" would be fine.

I've been looking at the Sager's a bit, they seem like great machines. I'm a little surprised you'd prioritize an i7 over a GPU - can you elaborate on that a little further? Thank you!

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That's a pretty spectacular machine. Thanks for the input.

Yeah, I don't understand why an i7 is more important than a solid GPU for WoW. An i5 or AMD chip would virtually indistinguishable and mounds cheaper.

[Masark]

Yeah, I don't understand why an i7 is more important than a solid GPU for WoW. An i5 or AMD chip would virtually indistinguishable and mounds cheaper.

1. It's not exactly "mounds cheaper". An i5 with comparable turbo would be $100 or so less, assuming all other components are the same, which isn't enough to upgrade the graphics beyond the 860m Notarget's suggested laptops have.

2. Where are you finding a laptop with an i5 that also has worthwhile graphics? From where I'm sitting, they appear to be a package deal.

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17.3", $988

http://www.xoticpc.com/sager-np7378-...ss-p-6990.html

15.6", $969

http://www.xoticpc.com/sager-np7358-...sq-p-6991.html

You're actually going a bit above their budget. Those prices are with Xotic's 3% cash discount, and are also without an OS (Xotic doesn't include Windows in the base price for whatever reason).

[Deleted]

Yeah, I don't understand why an i7 is more important than a solid GPU for WoW. An i5 or AMD chip would virtually indistinguishable and mounds cheaper.

Because mobile processors are different from their desktop counterparts. The i5's are generally much slower. Take the i5-4200U which is clocked at 1.6 GHz and turbo to 2.6 GHz whereas the i7-4710MQ is clocked at 2.5GHz and turbo to 3.5GHz. So no they're definite not virtually indistinguishable.

For WoW specifically the CPU is much more important, especially if you wanna do any sorts of raiding or PvP with lots of people. The CPU's are generally not overclockable so you want the best possible speed by default.

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You're actually going a bit above their budget. Those prices are with Xotic's 3% cash discount, and are also without an OS (Xotic doesn't include Windows in the base price for whatever reason).

My bad I missed that.

Windows 8.1 64-bit is $80 extra.

[Masark]

Because mobile processors are different from their desktop counterparts. The i5's are generally much slower. Take the i5-4200U which is clocked at 1.6 GHz and turbo to 2.6 GHz whereas the i7-4710MQ is clocked at 2.5GHz and turbo to 3.5GHz. So no they're definite not virtually indistinguishable.

You're comparing a U i5 to a regular i7. That's not a fair comparison. The U models are ultra-low-voltage parts designed for minimum power consumption, at the cost of performance. A regular i5, like the i5-4340M would give comparable WoW performance to the i7 (possibly slightly better thanks to the higher turbo speed), but as I noted above, you're unlikely to find this processor in a laptop with worthwhile graphics.

[WestonLords]

My bad I missed that.

Windows 8.1 64-bit is $80 extra.

Looks like a Lenovo Y50 is reasonably similar, both in hardware and price, but comes with Windows 8.1 64-bit as well. I've always been a bit sketchy of Lenovo due to a few roommates experiences with them, but these seems pretty well reviewed.

[Azgraal]

A great cpu (i7) and an SSD for both OS and WoW will work wonders. 4gb of Ram is the bare minimum. After that, just make sure the graphic card isn't one of the low or low/mid end laptop version cards and you'll be fine even if it isn't a beast.

WoW is much more processor dependant than graphic card. As long as the laptop doesn't have one of those that are just a step above intel hd graphics you'll be fine.

[WestonLords]

A great cpu (i7) and an SSD for both OS and WoW will work wonders. 4gb of Ram is the bare minimum. After that, just make sure the graphic card isn't one of the low or low/mid end laptop version cards and you'll be fine even if it isn't a beast.

WoW is much more processor dependant than graphic card. As long as the laptop doesn't have one of those that are just a step above intel hd graphics you'll be fine.

I'm going with 8 gig RAM minimum, maybe 16 gig pending cost. It seems to be dependent upon whether or not I want the i7 4700HQ or 4710HQ processor. Most of the machines I am looking at have a nVidia GTX 860M.

[Deleted]

You're comparing a U i5 to a regular i7. That's not a fair comparison. The U models are ultra-low-voltage parts designed for minimum power consumption, at the cost of performance. A regular i5, like the i5-4340M would give comparable WoW performance to the i7 (possibly slightly better thanks to the higher turbo speed), but as I noted above, you're unlikely to find this processor in a laptop with worthwhile graphics.

FAir enough, that was just the CPU I saw pop the most on the cheaper laptops.

[Denpepe]

Just a wee bit more on the CPU discussion, a mobile i5 is only dual core while a mobile i7 is quad core

[Masark]

Just a wee bit more on the CPU discussion, a mobile i5 is only dual core while a mobile i7 is quad core

Not all mobile i7 processors are quad core, some of them are dual core, but the point does still stand.

Though it's also rather beside the point for WoW, which doesn't have much use for 4 cores.

[chaddd]

Hello,


Is there anything in particular I should look for in a laptop for WoD?

Yeah, a desktop

[potis]

You're actually going a bit above their budget. Those prices are with Xotic's 3% cash discount, and are also without an OS (Xotic doesn't include Windows in the base price for whatever reason).

It doesnt include them cause its a Clevo/Sager and Clevo mass sells to smaller companies and they are supposed to put their OEM in.

I suppose Xotic keeps prices down that way.

To the OP.

Any laptop with an I7 and a X40/X50 (Example being 740/750 and so on) can run WoW decently even in raids even on High settings without Shadows/useless fluff on aka Textures high, rest a mix of Off/Fair even CMAA on.

Basically, think of the i7 4th Generation as good as those low wattage i5s in the 3000 series that arent that strong as an i5 but actually decent.. and the 860m as a good GPU of the older generation, so a gaming laptop of 2014, is like a desktop with a cheap i5 and an intro-gaming GPU of 2012 like a 7850 or around there, more like a 650 Ti boost? Something like that to give you an idea.

Now, the Xotic PC's linked are your best choice btw.. Its gaming laptops priced low because they are "Chinese" brands, they do tend to have cooling issues if they arent taken care off but not always, but generally if you take care of them, aka clean them once per year, they have nothing to lose compared to a 60% more expensive "Asus"MSI" and the similar.

[Masark]

It doesnt include them cause its a Clevo/Sager and Clevo mass sells to smaller companies and they are supposed to put their OEM in.

I suppose Xotic keeps prices down that way.

No, Sager includes Windows in their base price, but Sagers sold via Xotic don't.

And Xotic also gets the machines from Sager, not directly from Clevo. I know this as I own one, and it went from Sager in California, to Xotic in Nebraska, before finally shipping to me.

[potis]

No, Sager includes Windows in their base price, but Xotic doesn't.

And Xotic also gets the machines from Sager, not directly from Clevo. I know this as I own one, and it went from Sager in California, to Xotic in Nebraska, before finally shipping to me.

I am like 80% sure Sager is main reseller of Clevo are under the same company and on other resellers they do not include windows.

Edit: was right about the company thing.. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sager_Notebook_Computers

But since a company here does sell Clevo laptops too i think they sell their own OEM and it doesnt have anything inside since its like "We can put Windows 7, no problem"

[WestonLords]

Bit of an update, decided to get the Sager 7358 directly from Sager. Comes with Win 64-bit and free shipping for $1080. Hopefully have it by Friday! Thanks for the input.

[Deleted]

Bit of an update, decided to get the Sager 7358 directly from Sager. Comes with Win 64-bit and free shipping for $1080. Hopefully have it by Friday! Thanks for the input.

Good choice I think even if it was a little bit extra, good luck!