Laptop for photography, video & gaming

[fWord]

Good day folks, thank you in advance for taking the time to help me with this little dilemma. I'm not smart with computers so I thought you guys would be the best help.

General Questions

1) What is your budget?

AU$3000 and under, although I will consider slightly above that for an exceptional computer. The AU$ is virtually on par with the US$, but that does not mean we get US$3000 worth of computer here. Stuff in this country seems crazy overpriced so we get less for our bucks here.

2) What size notebook would you prefer?

"Mainstream" right up to "Desktop Replacement" but preferably not 18" screen. Originally I was hoping 15", and would like to hear any suggestions on those. However it appears the video cards on the smaller laptops might be a little anaemic so I've compromised and would really appreciate suggestions for 17" as well. If I travel with my laptop, I usually have a backpack with at least 7kg of photography gear, so weight is a slight concern, but rarely do I need to travel with both laptop AND photography gear.

3) Where will you buying this notebook? You can select the flag of your country as an indicator.

Australia. As mentioned earlier, stuff here is overpriced compared to in USA, and some brands popularly recommended (eg. Sager) are difficult to come by, and even if can buy them, I am concerned about who and where to send the laptop to for warranty repairs.

4) Are there any brands that you prefer or any you really don't like?

No bias. However we are limited by what we can find reasonably easily in this country and also get easily serviced while under warranty.

5) Would you consider laptops that are refurbished/redistributed?

Preferably not.

6) What are the primary tasks will you be performing with this notebook?

This is where is gets confusing and embarassing. About 60% of the time I use the computer only for forums/ facebook, general internet surfing. Around 20% of the time is for editing photos on Photoshop (sometimes dealing with large files and multiple layers), Adobe Lightroom, and making movie montages for things such as weddings and events (photography is my greatest hobby), and 20% of the time for playing games. The issue with me and games is that I don't play a lot of it, but when I do join my brother for games, then I really need something that can perform reasonably well and importantly, have an excellent cooling system so nothing burns out.

7) Will you be taking the notebook with you to different places, leaving it on your desk or both?

Mostly used as a desktop replacement. On occasion I will travel with this laptop and use it for the photography-related tasks as above.

8) Will you be playing games on your notebook? If so, please state which games or types of games?

Yes. Preference for first-person shooters (eg. Left for Dead 2, Dead Island, in the past also Counterstrike, Half Life, Borderlands etc) but will occasionally play just about any other co-op style game with my brother including Diablo II (maybe the upcoming III), Starcraft...I'm more a gaming enthusiast than a hardcore gamer. But I am strongly suspicious that my previous laptop (4 year old MacBook Pro) burned out the video card because the heat dissipation was insufficient. So a computer that keeps cool is really important. Also, I sometimes travel to Singapore (my second home, where it is humid and temps run over 32 degrees CELCIUS easy, prime for overheating a computer that is already loaded).

9) How many hours of battery life do you need?

Longer is better, but I appreciate that high-performing laptops generally have lower battery life. Most of the time I will be near an electrical socket.

10) Would you prefer to see the notebooks you're considering before purchasing it or buying a notebook on-line without seeing it is OK?

Generally, I'm more concerned about known performance and/ or issues with each computer rather than the 'feel'. Hence I would buy a notebook online. But it must have a good warranty and be serviceable under warranty within Australia, and more specifically, Melbourne.

11) What OS do you prefer? Windows (XP or Vista or Windows 7), Mac OS, Linux, etc.

Windows, for the sake of compatibility. But my previous laptop (which just died after over 4 years good service) was a MacBook Pro. Hence, I work well with both systems and would enjoy a system that allows me to use both Windows and Mac OS. I still have the hard disk from my old MacBook Pro, with OS X 10.5.8 installed on it.

Screen Specifics

12) From the choices below, what screen resolution(s) would you prefer? Keep in mind screen size in conjunction with resolution will play a large role in overall viewing comfort level. Everyone is different. Some like really small text, while others like their text big and easy to read. Click here for Screen resolution information.

1920 X 1080 seems to be the norm these days. High resolution is good from the point of view of working with digital photos.

13) Do you want a Glossy/reflective screen or a Matte/non-glossy screen?

Preferably matte, primarily because I work with digital photos and require more accurate reproduction of colours, contrast and sharpness. I tried viewing my photos on my brother's Alienware computer with a glossy screen. The differences are not huge but they are certainly there.

Build Quality and Design

14) Are the notebook's looks and stylishness important to you?

Secondary importance compared to functionality and ability of the computer. It'd be good to get something that looks 'nice', but I would still easily choose a 'business-looking' and plain laptop that works well, rather than one that looks real good but doesn't fit the bill with functionality.

15) When are you buying this laptop?

ASAP. Not doing well without a laptop unfortunately, and running off an old desktop at the moment. My offday is on Thursday, and would be stoked if I could buy on that day. Doesn't leave much time, but it's not a 'deadline' per se. I don't need a computer by then, but hope to at least have placed an order by then, if not already have it at home.

16) How long do you want this laptop to last?

Hoping to get a reliable computer with excellent build quality, like good quality plastics used singly or combined with aluminium/ magnesium for better durability. The chassis should be strong enough that it doesn't warp or deteriorate rapidly under high temperatures and high humidity. As mentioned earlier, I kept the MacBook Pro for over 4 years and would have kept it for longer if it didn't land up with a repair that was going to be too expensive (for an obsolete computer). I prefer to do research once and keep a good computer for several years, if possible.

Notebook Components

17) How much hard drive space do you need; 80GB to 640GB? Do you want a SSD drive?

Not critical as I backup often to an external hard disk. My last computer had 160GB and it was more than enough, but I understand 750GB is the norm these days. I would be more than happy to shell out for a SSD drive if it didn't blow the budget.

18) Do you need an optical drive? If yes, a CDRW/DVD-ROM, DVD Burner or Blu-Ray drive?

Yes. A drive that reads and writes to CD and DVD is a bare minimum (this is how I usually transmit my photos and movies to clients, friends and family), a blue ray drive would of course be fantastic.

Finally

In the course of some research, I have narrowed down the choices to three computers with a 17" screen.

Alienware M17x r4 (at base level customisation but with the AMD 7970, since I heard this is the bees knees of mobile cards at the moment), together with extended warranty it would run AU$2843.50. A pair of small Bose speakers comes free with it until this Thursday (although I don't need the speakers)

Asus GT75 at AU$2399 plus AU$109 to extend warranty to 3 years, at the config as shown on this page (still yet to arrive in store). Looks like the cheapest choice of the three, but not by much. The video card is vastly inferior to the one on the Alienware, based on what I've read here.

Asus G75VW-T1013V Gaming Notebook [G75VW-T1013V] - $2,399.00 - Scorpion Technology

MSI GT70 seems to have the most bells and whistles of the three computers here, but the same video card as the Asus GT75. Priced at AU$2699 plus AU$189 to extend warranty to 4 years, at the config as shown on this page:

MSI GT70 Gaming Notebook

See, I told you stuff in AU was overpriced?

Thanks so much once again. Any help would be appreciated.

[msjgriffiths]

Thinkpad W520. Since you're doing photography/etc the screen quality will be important.

Shame you can't vacation to the US and buy the laptop over there...

[pepper_john]

maybe I should start a reseller business for oversea customers.

[fWord]

Thinkpad W520. Since you're doing photography/etc the screen quality will be important.

Shame you can't vacation to the US and buy the laptop over there...

Thanks for the suggestion, I've just been reading the review on that computer and it does appear to have a very good screen, good build quality and a name we can trust. My only concern is that it might not run the games too well. I'm beginning to suspect that a computer might not be able to do a good job at photography and gaming at the same time, hence the big dilemma I'm currently facing.

In terms of buying, I could potentially get a good deal on a laptop in Singapore, my second home. But I am working in Australia 90% of the time, so if the computer happens to malfunction while I'm here, even under warranty, getting it fixed won't be easy. Brands like Sager for example look very promising...difficulty is finding a reputable local retailer and a warranty to back it up.

[fWord]

maybe I should start a reseller business for oversea customers.

It's a potentially good business in Australia!

[fWord]

Sorry for the bump. Just hoping for more responses before I buy. Would anyone have any other suggestions? At this time I'm leaning towards the Alienware M17x with the AMD card. The rest of the system is fairly bare bones but I figured it would be possible to upgrade RAM and hard disk down the track if necessary, whereas video card is going to be more tricky. Unfortunately it also means a compromise using a glossy screen for working with photos.

The MSI actually looks nice for the specs and the length of the warranty. Only issue is that video card...

[Stormyy]

See, I told you stuff in AU was overpriced?

In other words, it's like buying from Alienware... in the us.

[fWord]

In other words, it's like buying from Alienware... in the us.

Ahh, but if I'm buying from Alienware in Australia...that's DOUBLE overpriced! LOL

[idiot101]

If you decide on the Alienware, you should directly call Dell Sales and haggle with them. You will get some extra discounts. Don't upgrade the RAM on the Dell website if you are looking at the base model. It is much cheaper to get it from a store. You can add up to 32GB. 8GB(2x4GB) should not cost you more than $40-$50.

[msjgriffiths]

Thanks for the suggestion, I've just been reading the review on that computer and it does appear to have a very good screen, good build quality and a name we can trust. My only concern is that it might not run the games too well. I'm beginning to suspect that a computer might not be able to do a good job at photography and gaming at the same time, hence the big dilemma I'm currently facing.

The games you listed - apart from Diablo III - would be no challenge.

I would suggest looking at the performance of the Quadro 1000 and Quadro 2000.

NVIDIA Quadro 1000M - Notebookcheck.net Tech
NVIDIA Quadro 2000M - Notebookcheck.net Tech

The minnimum graphics cards supported by Diablo III are: NVIDIA® GeForce® 7800 GT or ATI Radeon™ X1950 Pro or better

The GeForce 7800 gets a PCMark 06 score of around 3,200; the Radeon X1950 around 4,200

The Quadro 1000M gets 8,300 on 3DMark06, and the 2000M gets 11,600.

Now, the AMD Radeon HD 6990M card (which I assume is in your m17x):

AMD Radeon HD 6990M - Notebookcheck.net Tech

...gets a whopping 21,300.

But frankly, your games don't seem GPU-bound. It's one of the reasons the W520 is a good choice, because you're getting (i) durability, (ii) an excellent screen, and (iii) is massively over-engineered.

Don't get me wrong, the M17xr3 is a great machine. It's just not nearly as good for photos.

If you were buying in the USA, a Dell M6600 or HP 8760w would be your obvious choices. You could get a very powerful machine plus a full 10-bit IPS display - one of the best displays around (see some of Bokeh's pictures here).