Cheap gaming laptop

SuperSayian

Hey guys,

I want to get a gaming laptop but I can't afford to spend a pile on it. I also have no clue about computers... any chance anyone could help me?

Digital Solitude

How much can you afford to spend?

Is a desktop any use, they're a good bit cheaper

john the one

Laptops have a lot of drawbacks for gaming so you are much better building a desktop to game on.

Laptops heat up rapidly, battery drains quickly, usually kitted with a sub standard graphics card and anything halfway decent costs a pile.

You also can't fully upgrade them without a lot of work so a gaming laptop will become less effective for games each year as more demanding games come out.

Why does it have to be a laptop?

Think own build desktop. 700 euro should get you something pretty decent.....

Severard

The cheapest laptop on dabs.ie at the moment costs €860. For that price you could easily build an impressive desktop PC and it will allow you to upgrade it whenever you want while the only things in a laptop that can be swapped out easily are the hard drive and the RAM. Unless you definitely want a gaming laptop you should build a PC instead.

SuperSayian

I could get a desktop instead, I just thought a laptop would be handier! I know absolutely nothing about computers in general as I'm a console gamer so I don't know what I would need in it.

Digital Solitude

Unless a few hours of it frying your sperm is worth more money for less performance, a PC is better.

Can you fill this out if you're willing to go PC

1. What is your budget? [€xxx]

2. What will be the main purpose of the computer? [Gaming/Video editing/3D Modelling/HTPC/Internet] (If gaming include which games)

3. Do you need a copy of Windows? [Yes/No]

4. Can you use any parts from an old computer? [Hard drive/DVD Drive/Case/PSU/etc.] (If possible state brand and model of the parts to ensure compatibility)

5. Do you need a monitor? [Yes/No]

5a. If yes, what size do you need. [19'/20'/22'/24'/etc.]

5b. If no, what resolution is your current monitor and do you plan to upgrade in the near future? [1920x1080/1440x900/etc.] [Yes/No]

6. Do you need any of these peripherals? [Keyboard/Mouse/Wireless Card/Card Reader/Speakers/etc.]

7. Are you willing to try overclocking? [Yes/No]

8. How can you pay? [Bank Transfer/Credit Card/Laser]

9. When are you purchasing? [In x days]

10. If you need help building it, where are you based? [South Dublin City/Cork City/Kerry/etc.]

Dave_The_Sheep

SuperSayian wrote: »

I could get a desktop instead, I just thought a laptop would be handier! I know absolutely nothing about computers in general as I'm a console gamer so I don't know what I would need in it.

Then you really should get a desktop. Yes, a laptop would be handier, however you'll get much much more bang for your buck with a desktop.

Check out this forum: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=842

Super helpful and knowledgeable - they'll help you max out what you get for your budget.

Skerries

yeah 'cheap gaming laptop' is a bit of an oxymoron

Wetbench4

A good chunk of the money you pay for a gaming laptop is being spent on the fact that its mobile. So as an example €1000 gaming laptop could be equalled in performance by a €600-€700 gaming desktop(if not cheaper).
Other advantages to a desktop include running cooler and easier to replace broken parts. Also when buying a laptop your paying for a smallish screen whether you like it or not, but if your getting a desktop you could put more money into the gpu or whatever now, and use on old hdmi tv while you save for a decent monitor later on(this is what i did for a while).

TerrorFirmer

It depends on the games you want to play as well. It's possible to get laptops with the GT840M and an i3 from ebay for about €400.

This would play games like CS: GO, WoW, Black Ops 2, etc at ultra settings fine.

It would play things like Battlefield 4 and Advanced Warfare adequately but not spectacularly.

It would have very little 'future proofing' though and will be obsolete quickly enough, but it would serve a decent purpose for a year or two.

It really does depend on what your budget is and what you want to play.

There's far, far better value out there even in gaming capable laptops than people seem to realise, the whole 'you need to spend 800-900' is years out of date.

imitation

TerrorFirmer wrote: »

It depends on the games you want to play as well. It's possible to get laptops with the GT840M and an i3 from ebay for about €400.

This would play games like CS: GO, WoW, Black Ops 2, etc at ultra settings fine.

It would play things like Battlefield 4 and Advanced Warfare adequately but not spectacularly.

It would have very little 'future proofing' though and will be obsolete quickly enough, but it would serve a decent purpose for a year or two.

It really does depend on what your budget is and what you want to play.

There's far, far better value out there even in gaming capable laptops than people seem to realise, the whole 'you need to spend 800-900' is years out of date.

I agree with this too, its quite possible get a machine more than capable of gaming for a reasonable amount. My approach is a gaming desktop, with a laptop capable of 720p gaming for travel. Spending 2k on an alienware laptop always seems a waste to me, unless you live from a suitcase.

Ri_Nollaig

You can get a gaming laptop not a bother, I'd recommend this crowd http://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/ if you really want one.
But really, bang for your buck, a desktop is a much better investment.

Gaming laptops have improved in recent years, you can get replaceable high-end GPUs for them but they cost a fortune and don't ever really get any cheaper even when newer tech comes out. Plus they are always restricted by heat/power limitations and would be underclocked compared to their desktop versions and yet you are still paying more!
All to have mobility and really? Are they mobile? They will be heavy, hot and loud.

Any gaming laptop worth talking about is going to be north of €1,500. That would be more then enough for a good desktop and a tablet if you wanted some light gaming on the go.

ShadowHearth

TerrorFirmer wrote: »

It depends on the games you want to play as well. It's possible to get laptops with the GT840M and an i3 from ebay for about €400.

This would play games like CS: GO, WoW, Black Ops 2, etc at ultra settings fine.

It would play things like Battlefield 4 and Advanced Warfare adequately but not spectacularly.

It would have very little 'future proofing' though and will be obsolete quickly enough, but it would serve a decent purpose for a year or two.

It really does depend on what your budget is and what you want to play.

There's far, far better value out there even in gaming capable laptops than people seem to realise, the whole 'you need to spend 800-900' is years out of date.

Any links to those laptops m8? i3 + 840m would be ideal playing something like Eve online in bed.

TerrorFirmer

Heres one on Amazon.de.

Z50-70 i3/4GB/500GB/GT840

I think with postage it was working out close to 400.

My gaming laptops are always budget ones, and I just upgrade every 2nd year because they hold value very well when they're that cheap.

As someone else pointed out, it was more to be able to play a few games while on the move, obviously I play them at 720P and middling settings, but that's perfect for me. It's just nice to be able play BF4 at those settings when I'm out at my parents or something.

I think too many people automatically think 'latest games at ultra settings' when someone mentions gaming laptops, when in most cases they just mean a laptop that can play the latest games at a somewhat respectable level.

I went from a GT640M to a GT740M, then to GT840M. None cost me more than €500 at the time and you get about €350 of that back.

ShadowHearth

TerrorFirmer wrote: »

Heres one on Amazon.de.

Z50-70 i3/4GB/500GB/GT840

I think with postage it was working out close to 400.

My gaming laptops are always budget ones, and I just upgrade every 2nd year because they hold value very well when they're that cheap.

As someone else pointed out, it was more to be able to play a few games while on the move, obviously I play them at 720P and middling settings, but that's perfect for me. It's just nice to be able play BF4 at those settings when I'm out at my parents or something.

I think too many people automatically think 'latest games at ultra settings' when someone mentions gaming laptops, when in most cases they just mean a laptop that can play the latest games at a somewhat respectable level.

I went from a GT640M to a GT740M, then to GT840M. None cost me more than €500 at the time and you get about €350 of that back.

Cheers. I sow those Laptops before mentioned. They look like sick value. Come with no OS, right? That thing would be ideal for me.

I never bought from Amazon.de. Do you change chrome to translate and use your normal uk account?

Digital Solitude

ShadowHearth wrote: »

Cheers. I sow those Laptops before mentioned. They look like sick value. Come with no OS, right? That thing would be ideal for me.

I never bought from Amazon.de. Do you change chrome to translate and use your normal uk account?

Yeah same sign in details

Maximus Alexander

What kind if games are you interested in playing OP?

I do all my gaming on a laptop and I would never go back to a desktop, but if you want to play the latest and greatest it's going to cost you. You're looking at a minimum of about a grand for what I would consider an acceptable experience on modern big budget titles, and closer to two if you want the bells and whistles.