Cheap Gaming Laptops?

ThousandFootLashesThousandFootLashes Join Date: 2017-01-26 Member: 227295Members
I'm considering to buy a laptop to run my games on, since my Surface Pro 3 just isn't cutting it, but I'm not overly wealthy and dislike spending lots of money. Are there any gaming laptops (or laptops at all) under 1k US dollars that can run Subnautica? I figure if it can run Subnautica it can run the rest of the games I play, since Subnautica lags the most of them all.

Comments

  • narfblatnarfblat Utah, USA Join Date: 2016-05-15 Member: 216799Members, Forum Moderators, Forum staff
    edited January 2017
    I have this for about 500 on the way, it seems like it would do ok. The only downside is a regular hard drive, which I don't recommend for subnautica, but apparently easy to add a solid-state (also lacks a cd/dvd drive, but I plan to use usb dvd drive). I mainly use my desktop for Subnautica, but I may try it on the laptop.
  • 0x6A72320x6A7232 US Join Date: 2016-10-06 Member: 222906Members
    When this gets back in stock:

    https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834315712

    Only weak point is the graphics card is only a GeForce 940MX (Which is still quite capable).

    This one has a GTX 950M, $1,050:

    https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA6R44SW5854

    That's just from Newegg, though, and you might want to wait just a bit until the laptops with, say, GTX 1070 or RX 480 / Vega cards come down to under $1,000. So, give it six months.
  • OjakokkoOjakokko Finland Join Date: 2017-01-20 Member: 226999Members
    Cheap laptop? Oh yeah there's plenty...

    Wait what? Cheap GAMING laptop? What an absurd concept...
  • ThousandFootLashesThousandFootLashes Join Date: 2017-01-26 Member: 227295Members
    Ojakokko wrote: »
    Cheap laptop? Oh yeah there's plenty...

    Wait what? Cheap GAMING laptop? What an absurd concept...

    lmao ikr. the internet is always going on about it...but they're like El Chupacabras. plenty of people claim to have found them, but nobody's got the evidence
  • JamezorgJamezorg United Kingdom Join Date: 2016-05-15 Member: 216788Members
    God, I think mine came close to £700 (if you're in America or mainland Europe, translate that into whatever inferior currency you use) if I'm not mistaken...

    Okay, here's the exact laptop. It runs Subnautica like a charm, which is seemingly rare (I've never had problems with performance save for a bit of lag here and there). I'd recommend it, and if you don't like the green tint I'm sure there are options to get it without :)

    http://www.ebuyer.com/722490-hp-pavilion-15-gaming-laptop-n9r91ea-abu?mkwid=s_dc&pcrid=51508044419&pkw=&pmt=&gclid=Cj0KEQiA5bvEBRCM6vypnc7QgMkBEiQAUZftQGKozHvufZL6SQ_bPvYmKMN7maqYXGn97zd1WFleQ64aAqBi8P8HAQ
  • 0x6A72320x6A7232 US Join Date: 2016-10-06 Member: 222906Members
    Jamezorg wrote: »
    God, I think mine came close to £700 (if you're in America or mainland Europe, translate that into whatever inferior currency you use) if I'm not mistaken...

    Okay, here's the exact laptop. It runs Subnautica like a charm, which is seemingly rare (I've never had problems with performance save for a bit of lag here and there). I'd recommend it, and if you don't like the green tint I'm sure there are options to get it without :)

    http://www.ebuyer.com/722490-hp-pavilion-15-gaming-laptop-n9r91ea-abu?mkwid=s_dc&pcrid=51508044419&pkw=&pmt=&gclid=Cj0KEQiA5bvEBRCM6vypnc7QgMkBEiQAUZftQGKozHvufZL6SQ_bPvYmKMN7maqYXGn97zd1WFleQ64aAqBi8P8HAQ

    It has a GTX 950, which isn't bad, it's actually pretty decent, if last-generation (but a new one with a 1060 or 1070 would probably be 150% of the price).
  • ThousandFootLashesThousandFootLashes Join Date: 2017-01-26 Member: 227295Members
    0x6A7232 wrote: »
    Jamezorg wrote: »
    God, I think mine came close to £700 (if you're in America or mainland Europe, translate that into whatever inferior currency you use) if I'm not mistaken...

    Okay, here's the exact laptop. It runs Subnautica like a charm, which is seemingly rare (I've never had problems with performance save for a bit of lag here and there). I'd recommend it, and if you don't like the green tint I'm sure there are options to get it without :)

    http://www.ebuyer.com/722490-hp-pavilion-15-gaming-laptop-n9r91ea-abu?mkwid=s_dc&pcrid=51508044419&pkw=&pmt=&gclid=Cj0KEQiA5bvEBRCM6vypnc7QgMkBEiQAUZftQGKozHvufZL6SQ_bPvYmKMN7maqYXGn97zd1WFleQ64aAqBi8P8HAQ

    It has a GTX 950, which isn't bad, it's actually pretty decent, if last-generation (but a new one with a 1060 or 1070 would probably be 150% of the price).

    thank you both! I'll be sure to check those out.
  • Racer1Racer1 Join Date: 2002-11-22 Member: 9615Members
    I am running Subnautica right now on a 3 year old "gaming laptop" and it plays fine. It isn't awesome framerate, and certainly can't do VR, but it plays most games just fine, albeit at 1080p.

    I highly recommend the MSI G* laptops as both my wife and I have one, and play games on them regularly. I recommend getting one with at least a GTX 960 or 1050 if you want to support gaming. If you wait for a reasonable sale, you can get one for around $725-850 USD.

    Tip 1: Its better to sacrifice a bit of CPU (even get an i5 or use 6th generation intel if necessary) to get a better GPU, if you must.

    Tip 2: SSDs make many games (including Subnautica) load much faster between "areas". However, often times laptops with this are WAY more expensive. So, you might want to buy a cheaper laptop (with no SSD), and buy an SSD later, and add it yourself as a 2nd hard drive.
  • Kouji_SanKouji_San Sr. Hινε Uρкεερεг - EUPT Deputy The Netherlands Join Date: 2003-05-13 Member: 16271Members, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue
    edited January 2017
    Yeah the thing about laptops is, they are very quick to phase out old models, which are pretty decent at gaming. Instead of slapping them in the bargain bin, so you can pick up those "cheap gaming laptops" :(

    ^Ebay, Amazon that stuff perhaps...

    Quite unlike PC, where you can throw around a few bucks for previous generation components and call it a fairly decent rig.
  • DaveyNYDaveyNY Schenectady, NY Join Date: 2016-08-30 Member: 221903Members
    Kouji_San wrote: »
    Yeah the thing about laptops is, they are very quick to phase out old models, which are pretty decent at gaming. Instead of slapping them in the bargain bin, so you can pick up those "cheap gaming laptops" :(

    ^Ebay, Amazon that stuff perhaps...

    Quite unlike PC, where you can throw around a few bucks for previous generation components and call it a fairly decent rig.

    I know laptops are popular, but there's nothing like playing this game in full 1080p on my 55" HD LED TV using my upgraded PC.

    Once I moved beyond the 17" monitors, there was no looking back.

    B)
  • ThousandFootLashesThousandFootLashes Join Date: 2017-01-26 Member: 227295Members
    Racer1 wrote: »
    I am running Subnautica right now on a 3 year old "gaming laptop" and it plays fine. It isn't awesome framerate, and certainly can't do VR, but it plays most games just fine, albeit at 1080p.

    I highly recommend the MSI G* laptops as both my wife and I have one, and play games on them regularly. I recommend getting one with at least a GTX 960 or 1050 if you want to support gaming. If you wait for a reasonable sale, you can get one for around $725-850 USD.

    Tip 1: Its better to sacrifice a bit of CPU (even get an i5 or use 6th generation intel if necessary) to get a better GPU, if you must.

    Tip 2: SSDs make many games (including Subnautica) load much faster between "areas". However, often times laptops with this are WAY more expensive. So, you might want to buy a cheaper laptop (with no SSD), and buy an SSD later, and add it yourself as a 2nd hard drive.

    thank you!
  • 0x6A72320x6A7232 US Join Date: 2016-10-06 Member: 222906Members
    Another thought: If you don't have a 2nd HDD slot on the laptop, or if the slot doesn't have connectors, you can use an optical bay to HDD / SSD adapter with great success (I personally use 2, for myself & my wife). Just be sure to get the correct adapter for your model of laptop.
  • NerdyEricNerdyEric Join Date: 2016-11-15 Member: 223876Members
    edited February 2017
    Ojakokko wrote: »
    .but they're like El Chupacabras. plenty of people claim to have found them, but nobody's got the evidence

    I love this comment so much
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