Buying a laptop. My last 5 laptops still run but overheat to the point of futility.

[Novah1]

I like to game on my laptops. I have a heavyweight custom built desktop PC that will take the brunt of my gaming, but I'd like my laptop to be able to run those games even if at mid to low settings.

I've had two HP's crap out on me from over heating within about a year. My current (and dying) dell has lasted me several good years but is starting to suffer from the same "oh, you're doing something complicated for a long while? I'd better shut off, it's getting hot in here".

I should clarify that I only put my laptops on glass or cooling pads.

Specs are listed below. My knowledge of which brands to buy and avoid are likely out dated because i have not laptop searched in a while. I absolutely refuse to buy an HP though.

I supremely appreciate the help.

What is your budget?
$1100

What country will you be buying this in?
USA

What size notebook do you prefer?
Mainstream (15 - 16-inch screen)

What brands do you like or dislike?
Dislike: HP

Would you consider a refurbished laptop?
Maybe

What are the primary tasks you need this notebook for?
Web Surfing, Office and Productivity Software, Listening to Music, Photo Editing, Video Editing, Computer Programming, Video Chat and Conference, Movie Streaming and Viewing, Output Video to TV or Large Monitor, Casual Gaming, Graphic Intense 3D Gaming

Video editing in Adobe Premiere Pro, VPN to work, maybe even virtual machines (not sure)

What games will you be playing?
MMORPG, RTS, mainstream FPS, Team fortress, steam games, etc.

Where will you be using this laptop?
Will be used different places and Will stay on desk

How many hours of battery life do you need?
4

Will you be buying online or in store?
online or in store

Which OS do you prefer?
Windows 7

List the screen resolutions that interest you:
High Resolution (1600 x 900)
Max Resolution (1920 x 1080)

Do you prefer a glossy or matte screen?
Matte is fine

Is the laptops design important to you?
No

Approximately what date will you be buying this laptop?
Around 06/15/2012

How long do you want this laptop to last?
4 years

How much storage capacity do you need?
750 GB

Are you interested in SSD for storage?
Maybe

Do you want a built-in optical drive, what type?
DVD Burner

[navdeepz]

you could wait for the Y580 from lenovo to come out .. or go in for a sager 9130 laptop

[Novah1]

My main question is, is there a brand of laptop thats particularly noteworthy for NOT over heating?

Otherwise, i'm looking for a decently sized screen, with outputs perhaps to two monitors. 4gb+ ram, 500gb HD, i5/i7 core, dvd burner. That's about it. everything else is flexible. I'd like to keep the price down if possible (obviously) i dont need anything extra really.

[Mr_Mysterious]

Sager is rather famous for its cooling capabilities .

Mr. Mysterious

[min2209]

My main question is, is there a brand of laptop thats particularly noteworthy for NOT over heating?

Otherwise, i'm looking for a decently sized screen, with outputs perhaps to two monitors. 4gb+ ram, 500gb HD, i5/i7 core, dvd burner. That's about it. everything else is flexible. I'd like to keep the price down if possible (obviously) i dont need anything extra really.

Doesn't exist. I've taken apart numerous brands of laptops for friends who complain about overheating, and the universal problem is radiator clogged with dust. Doesn't matter what you put it on, you MUST clean the inside facing side of the heat sink at least once a year.

[Novah1]

thanks for the input. Maybe i'll go home and do that and avoid having to purchase a new laptop. Can anyone confirm what Mr Mysterious said regarding their reputation? I'm excited, i like what they have to offer, just looking for more info.

[Mr_Mysterious]

Here you go: Clevo Guide v3.0 - FAQ and Reseller Info ****READ BEFORE POSTING****

Have fun!

Mr. Mysterious

[nipsen]

My main question is, is there a brand of laptop thats particularly noteworthy for NOT over heating?

Nope. I think these kinds of laptops will turn up more and more with kepler, the new i5/i3 dual cores, trinity and so on. But the options right now aren't exactly great.

Best I've seen is the x/k/n53tk series from asus. With an a6 quad-core, apu + a low-power gpu like the 7670m in crossfire. N53tk ran full load apu/cpu/dedicated gpu+ overclock to 2.8Ghz, and it ended stable at 60 degrees. Normal clock and the temp on the core stops at 31 degrees. Not exaggerating.

So I'm guessing that a setup with an a10 (trinity) and a 7970m/crossfire might turn up eventually. And that this might be a system with very low power-consumption and manageable heat.

In the meantime, you just have to make a tradeoff of some kind. G55 that weighs a ton with great and silent cooling. Or slightly low spec systems with better than average cooling, like the n56vz.

Or a system without a dedicated graphics card. But no one seems to have thought of making a slim 13 inch quad-core with an apu only, for example.. So it's not easy to find a good system for.. solid "work task" performance, with decent graphics and that doesn't run hot.

[Novah1]

I don't have an opinion on what size my laptop should be, maybe the bigger one nipsen mentioned would be up my alley. I am just sick of pouring 1300 into machines that run for like a year and explode. I appreciate the input and the help.

This has quite easily been the most useful website regarding computers I have ever joined. I (wrongly!) expected bad conversation about mainstream manufacturers and everyone's different speil on them. I'm glad I came, I have a lot of homework to do now! Thanks so much everyone.