buying new laptop best options

[liam gillespie]

hi all
im just stuck in a dilemma with new laptop because currently using a MacBook pro 2012 but its not running the best with arena 5 it keeps black screening after 20min or so only running 3 layers only so im down to a i5 none gpu laptop for a while
so looking to upgrade and move back to windows with the new mac and usb c not great
what would be the best bang for the buck
i was looking at the MSI laptops and Lenovo gaming or razor blade but cant decide

any other suggestion
thanks

[Joris]

The thing is that doing intensive realtime graphics for hours on end, will make a laptop get hot. Very hot. So you need a laptop that can get rid of its excess heat properly.

If you take a look at the MBP design, but also for instance the Razer, you'll see that the screen covers the heat exhausts The heat wants to leave, but it can't. It literally has nowhere to go.

So for a good laptop for Resolume, you don't need to get the latest dual 1080Ti SLI gaming monster. Graphic cards have become so powerful, that a refurbished laptop with a previous generation card will do you just fine. Just make sure you get a model that can get rid its heat.

We ran 2 times 4K output out of a PC Specialist laptop, running a 980M, at EDC Vegas for 10 hours every night, without any extra cooling, ice packs or AC units. Works just fine, because the laptop is designed so that the heat exhausts can actually get rid of the hot air.

[liam gillespie]

thanks Joris
the heat is what i killing my mbp thanks for the info i will look into the pc specialist laptops

[Arvol]

I have the Razer Blade and I use a Cooler Master U3 cooler with 3, 12v, 120mm fans.
I've had to give my cooler up to some artists using MBP's because their machines are thermal throttling down to 2fps.
I left my Razer Blade out in the open sunlight in Texas America for about 6 hours. I literally couldn't touch the laptop because it was so hot from the sunlight, HOWEVER, I was still pushing 80+ fps.
I can't say enough good things about the Razer Blades, It seriously has been the best purchase of my professional career. Adding a cooler under it doesn't hurt, but I can honestly say I don't need one.
I've had 4 of the Blades for a little over a year and have yet to have 1 problem with any of them. The Blade Pro however had some issues with their Raid controller, so that, along with it being to bulky for my tastes made me return it. I couldn't justify paying an additional $2k for an additional 2" on the screen and an additional 4 layers on top of the 23 layers it can already support at 1080p. I would highly recommend getting a touch screen model of laptop. Didn't think I would use that feature, now I couldn't imagine doing a show without it haha.

There are a lot of good options available these days. I would find one that fits your price point and do some online reviews for their thermal stability.
For me, the Razer Blades size, specs, and price matched my requirements.
Anything with a 10 series Nvidia card will probably be more than enough for your needs.

GPU and CPU exhaust ports:

[Digitrevx]

If you don't need a touch screen and don't want a monster laptop. There is this. https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product. ... -_-Product
The bottom back plate opens to vent hot air.
Touch screens on laptops are great when the hinge is strong. Personally unless someone drops a 3k machine on my lap I'm done with laptops.

[Arvol]

^Nice!
Not sure if I like the mouse keyboard layout, but mouse 1080 laptops have that ginormous unused space by the screen due to the GPU.
Can you exceed the 512GB SSD limit on these?
Is there a touch screen version of this?
For the price, there's a give an take on the gtx1080 vs other features. Any of the 10 series GPU's are going to kill it

[Digitrevx]

I'm not sure it has a 2nd m.2. But I believe this is the first model in a line up of a few versions. (Not sure however)
So maybe the option will be available. But a 1t nvme can probably be stuck in it.

The keyboard and mouse situation I'm ok with the track pad since I use regular usb mice. If I had one I'd sorta value the keyboard being toward the front closer to my midi controllers. It's ashamed this model isn't touch screen though!

But I like the razer as well. But I'm pretty happy with my little mobile tower that fits in a backpack. Has IO and video ports for days!

[Arvol]

Nice!
I'm just pumped that everything is getting more powerful and put in such small cases.

[Digitrevx]

Yeah that is very very true. I looked into other small FF cases like Dan case, Cerberus, M1, Ncase and even other funny options like Lian Li's -PC-TU300. I like the Ncase since they sell a travel bag just for it. But I don't have a reference card to fit in most of these.. EVGA gpu's are sorta wide.

Anyways laptops are ok, but have a narrow path on upgradability.. If only I could lease a laptop and trade it in for a new one at the end of the year.

[soren]

I'm a Lenovo user, and I'm happy with it