# Gaming laptop - thoughts? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [June 5, 2014, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gaming-laptop-thoughts/690114 "2014-06-05T13:45:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2014, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gaming-laptop-thoughts/690114/1 "2014-06-05T13:45:43Z")
I’m a few clicks away from ordering this, for $1109: Sager NP7378 (Clevo W370SS) 4th Generation Intel® Haswell Core™ i7-4810MQ NVIDIA® GeForce™ GTX 860M (2.0GB) GDDR5 PCI-Express DX11 w/ Optimus™ Technology 8GB DDR3 1600MHz [2x4GB] Dual Channel RAM 17.3" FHD 16:9 “Matte Type” Super Clear Ultra Bright LED Anti-Glare Screen (1920x1080) 1TB 7200RPM SATA II HDD Sound Blaster 3D Audio Thoughts? Criticisms? Alternatives? ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2014, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gaming-laptop-thoughts/690114/2 "2014-06-05T15:20:53Z")
At least double the RAM- 8GB will likely not be enough. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2014, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gaming-laptop-thoughts/690114/3 "2014-06-05T15:31:10Z")
I’ve read several articles stating 8GB is more than enough for anything short of intensive video processing and for most applications more than 8GB yields diminishing returns. But if I ever really need it, RAM is simple to upgrade and can be gotten cheaper than what the builder wants to charge me for it. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2014, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gaming-laptop-thoughts/690114/4 "2014-06-05T15:40:18Z")
Bumping the processor up to the i7-4910MQ at a cost of close to $400 isn’t worth the very slight bump in speed, but bumping the memory fro 8 to 12 for less than 50 dollars sounds like a good idea. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2014, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gaming-laptop-thoughts/690114/5 "2014-06-05T15:55:06Z")
What OS will it have? ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2014, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gaming-laptop-thoughts/690114/6 "2014-06-05T15:59:00Z")
The recommended memory spec for Watch Dogs is 8 megs. So there’s something to be said for having a little cushion in there although, as you say, it’s an easy upgrade later if you so choose. I only use Watch Dogs as a benchmark because it was supposedly the standard bearer for the next generation in games (designed around the next gen console hardware) so I’m guessing it’s reflective of where we’re heading. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2014, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gaming-laptop-thoughts/690114/7 "2014-06-05T16:21:19Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > What OS will it have? I’m having it shipped without an OS, but it will be Windows 8.1 Pro (which is currently on a partition on my Macbook Pro). When I get the new computer I’ll revoke the license, do a clean install, and re-activate on the new machine. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2014, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gaming-laptop-thoughts/690114/9 "2014-06-16T13:02:03Z")
Reported. ---
**Author:** ![StrangerThanFiction](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f05b48/32.png) [@StrangerThanFiction](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StrangerThanFiction)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2014, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gaming-laptop-thoughts/690114/10 "2014-06-16T16:34:47Z")
You’re way ahead of the curve cost wise since you’re looking at a Clevo, so good job there. Biggest bang for the buck performance improvement you can make will be an SSD. Spend $200 on a Plexus M5M and have the OS and your most used programs installed there, while using the 1TB hard drive for media storage. I honestly wouldn’t even consider installing an OS on a mechanical drive at this point. When you get it, toss Intel XTU on it to undervolt the CPU. I’m guessing you’re already on [notebookreview.com](http://notebookreview.com); if not, look to the forums there for instructions on its use. Undervolting will help keep the temps down at zero risk to your CPU and zero cost to you.