Gaming/3D Rendering Buy/Build Laptop...

[Alpin3star]

Occasion: College is coming and I need a well equipped laptop that is mobile, yet powerful, in every aspect so that it can outlast my four year endeavor.

Basics Requirements:
-Laptop
-Mobile (preferring smaller screen sizes)
-i5 or i7
-3D Rendering Programs (such as AutoCAD 3DS Max) running extraordinarily well
-Gaming is major. (Looking for at least an HD5870 gpu or equivalent)

Budget
$1400

I'm also open-minded. For example, if building a laptop would be feasible and save money, by all means, I'm down.

Choices Thus Far

--MSI GX660R $1187
-Pros compared to others: +Mobility, +Style, +Gpu, +Processor
Newegg.com - Open Box: MSI GX660R-060US NoteBook Intel Core i7 740QM(1.73GHz) 15.6" 6GB Memory 640GB HDD 7200rpm BD Combo ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5870 Broadway XT


--Asus G73JH $1200
-Pros compared to others: +Style, +GPU, +Processor, - Mobility
-- This is Newegg's refurbished, buy the specs remain the same.
Newegg.com - Recertified: ASUS G Series G73JH-RBBX05 NoteBook Intel Core i7 720QM(1.60GHz) 17.3" 6GB Memory DDR3 1066 500GB HDD 7200rpm DVD Super Multi ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5870



From these choices, I feel like the MSI is clearly the right choice... thus my reason for posting a thread on this forum, to check my work! I've never had a MSI product, so I'm not sure of the reliability and whatnot... Are there any suggestions on which one would better suit my needs, OR if there is a way to build a laptop for a cheaper price without sacrificing performance (Definitely down if it's possible).

Appreciate all the help!
-Matt

 

[MindoverMaster]

Try looking at a Lenovo. A bud of mine used one, and lasted him 4 years+ in engineering.

 

[Peter.Cort]

problem with a lenovo is it won't be good for gaming. they're business workhorses not gaming rigs.

any reason that you want a laptop over a desktop? for the amount of money you're going to spend you'll get a much more powerful desktop, and in terms of mobility, the only mobility you'll be able to get out of a laptop like that is enough battery to hold it on stand by while you go from your room to class. i'd expect battery life to be well under an hour, if your lucky, which kind of ruins the idea of mobility.

as far as building a laptop, MSI and ASUS have 'barebones' laptops that you can put parts into, but you're mostly limited to their products so it's just easier to buy it through them and get the warranty on it incase something goes wrong.

If you're set on a laptop either of those are good choices, MSI is one of the better laptop brands, they're reliable and have good customer support. same is said about asus. I'd get the MSI cause the specs are better and it's cheaper, and with the money you have left over from the $1400 budget, i'd strongly recommend an extended warranty. Laptop's are a ***** to fix yourself, and if something breaks from overheating, which with those components and with the things that you're going to do with it, wouldn't surprise me if it happened, it will be covered under warranty.

Also if something's going to break, I would say 9/10 people here can vouch for that fact that it rarely happens within the first year.

 

[Puddle Jumper]

HP ENVY 14 series | HP® Official Store

For $1,325 you can get the recommended configuration of the Envy 14 which includes a Core i7 720 quad core, 1GB ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5650, and 6gb of DDR3 ram all in a portable 14', 5.5lb Aluminum laptop that actually has decent battery life.

It does not meet your gpu requirement but unlike the other options it's actually portable and in my experience it would be a vastly superior system for college.

 

[Alpin3star]

Sorry for the delay, it's been hectic as of late.

MindLoverMaster
-I looked at some Lenovos, but I couldn't find any that really compare. Maybe I'm missing something?

Peter.Cort
-I'm pretty set on a laptop simply to take it to classes, friends' places, and the fact that I've always been a heavy laptop user around my house. The battery life was a factor I was looking at, but worse case scenario, I'm still just carrying around an AC adapter, rather than a tower and tons of cords. I also was checking the bare-bones packages out, but plan to take your advice on getting it with a warranty (hopefully extended depending on the price). My Asus G50vt-x5 has had numerous issues, although it is refurbished, so I was leaning towards the MSI.

Puddle Jumper
-I like the idea of an Envy for mobility, but my major concern is that I don't want to go from a 9800m GS which I can tolerate, to something worse. I appreciate the suggestion though! If you see any other possible deals, I'm all for suggestions.

I've still got another month or so, but as of right now the MSI is still my top choice. Any reason why I shouldn't get it, or a better deal out there? Thanks for the feedback so far!

Also, Macbook Pro? I don't feel like it should be on the list, but... should it?

 

[Alpin3star]

I might be raising my budget slightly, as I realized neither of these computers has a good amount of RAM which would be a necessity for Autodesk Maya, and other 3D programs. I noticed the Sager NP8130 is upgradeable to 16g of ram, which would be ideal. around $1600. Just an update, any thoughts?