Gaming laptop vs Gaming PC

[Oracle]

My ol' gaming rig should be retired like a big year ago.. Last game I installed that needed an high specs was F3.. (quick wiz-uninstall) anyway my PC didn't handle is well at all.

So now there are some decent games I would like to play (Risen, dragon age, divinity 2 etc) so time for a new desktop I'll say.

Few years back if you wanted a gaming rig, the desktop was superior to the laptops. However nowadays you see allot of gaming laptops and I was wondering how they fare to the desktops.

What would you guys do in my position? Desktop or laptop? and please elaborate why.

Thanks!

 

[aenemic]

desktops will always be more powerful than laptops, and more comfortable to use. plus, you can build a desktop pc yourself and you can replace parts easily when you need an upgrade or something breaks. also, you won't risk having nearly as much problems with overheating.

laptops are mobile, sure. but if you want a really powerful rig that can match powerful desktop pc's, you're gonna end up with a pretty big and cumbersome laptop.

so for me it's a no-brainer, desktop all the way. unless, of course, you want to be able to move it easily.

 

[Sander]

Also, decent gaming desktops are much cheaper than equivalent laptops.

 

[Ausdoerrt]

I think it's all been said. There's only a need for a "gaming laptop" if you're in a situation like me (i.e. travel often/study abroad etc etc). Otherwise, if you have a constant "home" where you can keep a desktop, get one, unless of course you want to pay 2-3 times the price for an equivalent laptop.

 

[Oracle]

thanks for the replies.

It would be neat to bring the laptop to some friends, but I doubt I would do that often. The big negative point in buying a new desktop (for me that is) is that I don't have that much space to place it..

But i guess I'll better make some space instead of buying a laptop then.

 

[Maphusio]

thanks for the replies.

It would be neat to bring the laptop to some friends, but I doubt I would do that often. The big negative point in buying a new desktop (for me that is) is that I don't have that much space to place it..

But i guess I'll better make some space instead of buying a laptop then.

Yeah go for the desktop. I purchased a 2600 dollar Republic of Gamers notebook... don't even use it that much (largely because of my iPhone).

On top of that, I'm very finicky when it comes to what rig I game on. In fact, I can't play on my other gaming desktop because it "feels" different and I wind up getting my ass handed to me.

I'm not sure I agree with the statement that desktops will always exceed notebook performance. Some of the more expensive ones rank right up in there with some of the best desktops. But that $$$ thing is a big negative.

 

[victor]

Some of the more expensive ones rank right up in there with some of the best desktops. But that $$$ thing is a big negative.

You will invariably get more bang for the buck with a desktop. You can always build it yourself. There's not really such a thing as a "best desktop", not in the same sense anyway.

 

[Aphyosis]

I'm not sure I agree with the statement that desktops will always exceed notebook performance. Some of the more expensive ones rank right up in there with some of the best desktops. But that $$$ thing is a big negative.

Yeah, but ive seen some pretty fucked up laptops because they're packing. Those cases just don't have the air flow for high end parts.

 

[Sander]

I'm not sure I agree with the statement that desktops will always exceed notebook performance. Some of the more expensive ones rank right up in there with some of the best desktops. But that $$$ thing is a big negative.

Given that all laptop apparel can be made for desktop, but not all desktop apparel can be made for laptops this should be pretty obvious. You can at the most hope to equal desktop performance, and given the terrible airflow and the necessity to modify components to fit into a tighter space, it's unlikely that the top-end laptops equal top-end desktops in performance.

 

[Arr0nax]

If you want to play games, what you're interested in is the graphic card.
Fact is, mobile graphic cards are still way beyond desktop cards, both in terms of efficiency and in terms of what you get for a given price.

http://www.notebookcheck.net/Mobile...ort=3dmark06&vantage3dmark=&vantage3dmarkgpu=
If you want to make you an idea, a good gaming laptop will include something like a GeForce GTS 250M

So I'd say, take a laptop if you have a very good reason to (work, studies, moving to another city/country with just what you can carry) AND you need to play a few recent games.

But if you're playing at home and want power, take a desktop.

 

[aenemic]

I'm not sure I agree with the statement that desktops will always exceed notebook performance. Some of the more expensive ones rank right up in there with some of the best desktops. But that $$$ thing is a big negative.

Given that all laptop apparel can be made for desktop, but not all desktop apparel can be made for laptops this should be pretty obvious. You can at the most hope to equal desktop performance, and given the terrible airflow and the necessity to modify components to fit into a tighter space, it's unlikely that the top-end laptops equal top-end desktops in performance.

exactly. if I felt this needed to be said I would have been more clear, but I thought it was pretty obvious to be honest.