Looking for a little advice, about to start a new job with heavy travel. So figured why not get a laptop and spend some evenings playing video games. Been a long time since I've really had time to play anything, and has really only ever been on a console for the last 15 years. I'm not sure what games I would really even play, so that may be a problem trying to give recommendations...

I'll be in hotels plugged into the wall, so I don't think battery life is a big concern. It will be in a backpack or carry on so weight/size is also not a huge concern. Beyond that I don't think I really even have a clue, I've researched a little but have a hard time really telling what the difference is between a 4060/4070/5050/5060/5070 ti this pro that blah blah.


If you had $1k (maybe up to $1,200) to spend on the best TURN KEY gaming laptop right now what would it be?




thx

I have a Dell XPS 15 for work with lots of RAM and a nice video card. It would suffice for gaming too.

Look for deals. Most OEM and custom shops are going to be running a XX50 or XX60 series card. Which is fine for basic stuff but will struggle with anything recent AAA. I wouldn't want to play Hogwarts Legacy or Clair Obscur on it.

https://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/dell-laptops/alienware-16-aurora-gaming-laptop/spd/alienware-aurora-ac16250-gaming-laptop/useac16250wbtohjzt

It'll be fine for Rivals or CS:GO with the screen it has. Or Civilization.

I'd honestly be trying to snipe something with a 4070 that might fall into that range.

Good luck!

https://www.bestbuy.com/product/asus-rog-zephyrus-g16-16-fhd-165hz-gaming-laptop-intel-13th-gen-core-i7-16gb-ram-nvidia-geforce-rtx-4070-512gb-ssd-eclipse-gray/6572582/openbox?condition=good

https://www.microcenter.com/product/696098/hp-omen-16-an0003nr-16-gaming-laptop-computer-shadow-black


Trying not to be annoying, but had these come up, used with 4070 in "good" condition for $830 or new 5070 for $1200. Either worth it??

meggy09 said:

---

https://www.bestbuy.com/product/asus-rog-zephyrus-g16-16-fhd-165hz-gaming-laptop-intel-13th-gen-core-i7-16gb-ram-nvidia-geforce-rtx-4070-512gb-ssd-eclipse-gray/6572582/openbox?condition=good

https://www.microcenter.com/product/696098/hp-omen-16-an0003nr-16-gaming-laptop-computer-shadow-black


Trying not to be annoying, but had these come up, used with 4070 in "good" condition for $830 or new 5070 for $1200. Either worth it??

---

Used I would buy if i could get a year warranty.

Also I would make sure to factor upgrading ram to minimum 32 (required IMO) and SSD to minimum 1T (good idea). 16gb ram is just not enough these days!

I bought a refurbished Gigabyte laptop from Gigabyte's eBay store. It has a 4060 in it with space for 2 NVME drives. It was under $800. It won't do 4k Ultra games, but it plays basically anything I throw at it at 1080p Med/High settings.

I had a Legion laptop with a 4070. Sold it later for a desktop Legion.

I ended up gaming at home in the same spot, and the 4070+ laptops need to have the fan running on full blast 100% of the time while gaming.

The battery is also more or less a UPS with about 1.25 hrs of life, so you'll need it plugged in wherever you end up sitting.

Just be aware of these things.

Have you considered a Steam Deck or one of the other Windows based gaming handhelds?

You mentioned that your only recent gaming was on consoles so I'm not sure if a gaming laptop would be the best solution unless you plan on playing a bunch of mouse/keyboard PC games.

If you are just looking to kick back with a controller and kill some time, the Steam Deck is an amazing option. The UI is very simple and the power they pack into that thing is equivalent to laptops that cost more. I take mine on every vacation and it's a great time to kick back in the hotel bed or if they have a cozy chair and just kill some time between activities.



It will play some of the more modern "AAA" or "high end" games OK, but where it really shines is with the Indy games and anything from the Xbox One / PS4 era or earlier. There are tons of "best games on Steam Deck" videos that have great recommendations.

jr15aggie said:

---

Have you considered a Steam Deck or one of the other Windows based gaming handhelds?

You mentioned that your only recent gaming was on consoles so I'm not sure if a gaming laptop would be the best solution unless you plan on playing a bunch of mouse/keyboard PC games.

If you are just looking to kick back with a controller and kill some time, the Steam Deck is an amazing option. The UI is very simple and the power they pack into that thing is equivalent to laptops that cost more. I take mine on every vacation and it's a great time to kick back in the hotel bed or if they have a cozy chair and just kill some time between activities.



It will play some of the more modern "AAA" or "high end" games OK, but where it really shines is with the Indy games and anything from the Xbox One / PS4 era or earlier. There are tons of "best games on Steam Deck" videos that have great recommendations.

---

This. I use my Steam Deck when travelling quite a bit. It's a great way to relax and much more compact. Also easier to use on a plane.

I've certainly thought about that, but keep coming back to the mouse/keyboard. I grew up playing Descent, Unreal Tournament, CS 1.6. and I kinda think I would enjoy that type of gaming again. Laptop would also double duty for other hobbies and light browsing.

I think I may just pick up that HP Omen from Micro Center. Don't seem to be able to find any reviews about the specific model, but feels like all the numbers look good.

Outside of your price range but maybe you can find a refurbished one. I bought an Acer Predator last year with a 4080 and it has been rock solid.

nm

We got my son an Asus Tuf f15. It's been good so far. He mostly plays fortnite and minecraft.