Best laptop for $1,500 limit?

ManDance

I'm in the market for a new Laptop and it has to be able to be able to run maya, udk, and photoshop. I've been looking at the ASUS Republic of Gamers G74SX-AH71 but am a bit turned off by it's size. Is this something I'll just have to learn to accept, or are there other laptops I should consider? Does anyone have experience with this laptop?

jungleroomx

It seems like the ASUS is probably going to give you the best bang for your buck.

The only other professional laptops I ever recommend are Falcon Northwest or Lenovo, and feature parity with the ASUS with those two companies will probably send you over the $1500 range.

ManDance

I've had a Falcon tower before, gorgeous rig. But their premium is just to high.

Joolander

I've got an ASUS G53SX-XR1, which is slightly smaller than the G73. I run Photoshop CS5 on it and SolidWorks 2011 with no problems, so I think it will handle Maya (thats 3D modelling software right?)

I paid around $1100 about 6 months ago for it as well, and from what I understand there's a slightly newer model out now that does no-glasses 3D (it tracks where your eyes are or something) if you're into that kind of thing

ManDance

Yep, Maya is a 3d modeling software. How is the build quality Joolander? Have you ever experienced overheating or any other types of annoyances?

Joolander

the cooling system on this thing is amazing. after a 5 hour session of Skyrim (very high settings) the fan is still barely audible, and really the only indication that it's working hard is the hot air coming out of the back quickly and quietly. every other computer I've had has died from overheating, but this appears to be the one that won't

build quality is pretty damn good honestly, with the exception that keyboard seems to be stretched a bit too far so theres a very minor flex in the middle of it.

the only problem I've had is when I dropped it in a way that I sheared the power connector off (but the warranty it came with had free 2-way shipping, so really not that big of a deal). that was ENTIRELY my fault however

annoying things:
-despite it being classified as a 15" laptop, if you buy a case for it you need to get one that will fit a 17" laptop
-the power cord plugs in on the right side of the machine, which is a bit awkward if you are using an external mouse (or if you drop it too close to the left side of a table :P)

both of these things are due to the large exhaust vents coming out the back with the battery being mounted between them (it extends about 2" from where the screen hinges)

but really, its the best laptop I've ever owned by any metric

ManDance

Thank you, I think I'll end up buying it once the tax return comes in.

Pariel

You might also want to look at Sager, they have some excellent PCs in the $1500 range. My roommate has had one for four years or so, and the build quality is excellent.

For example, you can get this with a 6990M for about $40 more than the ASUS (or the lowest I've seen it, which was $1360).

ManDance

Hm, now that is tempting. I'm not a fan of the flashier looking gaming laptops, so the Sager's look work for me. In order to match the specs of the Asus which is 1384 I'm looking at, 1609,
amazon.com/Republic-Gamers-G74SX-AH71-17-3-Inch-Gaming/dp/tech-data/B005UUS6MO/ref=de_a_smtd

That's a hell of a price jump for a brand I'm not familiar with.

jungleroomx

I think the ASUS is the winner when it comes to bang for the buck.

That 300 dollars could go to RAM or other assorted bits.

Pariel

Most of the cash you'd be spending to get to $1609 is matching the RAM and HDD, the first of which is definitely unimportant, although the second might matter more. For $1409 you lose a few things that won't significantly impact performance, in exchange for a faster processor and much higher build quality. I've owned my current laptop for four years and expect it to last a few more, so for me build quality trumps all, but you might care more about performance and want to replace it in a few years. It's a balance.

Also, $1609 - $1384 = $225, jungleroomx. Sig figs are pretty important, and in this case there are 4 (or at least follow normal rounding rules).

floobie

A friend of mine has the 15" version of one of those Asus gaming laptops. It's pretty much the biggest 15" laptop I've ever seen, so don't expect it to be particularly portable. But, the build quality is pretty impressive. It feels very solid indeed. And they definitely are powerful. If you're looking for somewhat of a desktop replacement, it seems like an excellent choice.

ManDance

Damn, I'm torn. I'm considering going with the Sager and the 580 upgrade (which would bring it up to 1600, since i could just buy a harddrive at a later date). I think I may just flip a coin.

defreak

Another vote for the ASUS RoG laptops, other than the size issue, you won't be disappointed.