The best gaming laptop for under $800?

This topic doesn't need to be just about me, you can all post what you think to be the best gaming laptop for under $800 so that the community can know and decide from the list we create.

 

 

I have been planning on getting a gaming laptop for a while now, and I have been searching far and wide for a good one that is reasonably priced. My price point was $800, and I think I have found the perfect system. I plan not only to game on this system, but also do some productivity stuff like rendering and 3-D modeling. I could build my own computer, but this laptop has what I need, and it's also extraordinaily portable at "14 inches.

You can see it in the store here: http://shop.lenovo.com/us/laptops/ideapad/y-series/y400?cid=us|semd|se|google|K124739|Lenovo_Y400||IIP_NE_Lenovo_Ideapad|100003&

 

Now, I can give you the specs.:

-intel core i7-3630QM @ 2.4Ghtz

-8 Gb DDR3 SDRAM @ 1600 MHz

-NVIDIA GeForce GT650M 2GB graphics

-14.0" 1366x768 screen

-1TB 5400 RPM Hard-drive (or 750Gb 7200rpm)


It seems perfect, but I want to know wht you all think. Please reply with some other possibilities of a laptop at this price-point. Also, let me know how a configuration like this would work in some games. (however, I don't really play games too much, so I would like a minecraft benchmark, as I am familiar with that game.) It also has a cool $750 price point.

 

I hope to hear some feeback!

 

Also, I've been looking (just for fun) at desktops from retailers, and I don't know how they're priceing things. A dual i5 (less than the one in the laptop), GT630 graphics, 400gb HD tower at dell is $850!! I don't know what is going on. I haven't been able to check hp as their website doesn't want to work, but these prices just seem outrageous.

Save up a bit more and get a y580 the 1366x768p version because the gtx 660 is not going to run at its best in 1080p but it still will play many games 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=34-312-438&Tpk=N82E16834312438&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_sp=&AID=10446076&PID=4238077&SID=skim7917X667306X714dbfe3d38c746cd841564e10467aea

 

I can't really save up more. (getting a job has been hard lately). I was wondering how this laptop would perform, and if there were any more for less than $800.

that's a nice laptop...  the only problem is it's spec'd wrong.  they're selling you a bill of goods.  At that monitor resolution you don't need a gt 650M.  Nor do you need 8gb of ram.  They're hitting you with flash and you're getting hosed.  Basically you'll get a laptop that will run for 3 hours on it's battery, and with that slow ass hard drive and low res screen you'll never be able to tell the difference between your $750 laptop with that fancy i7 and some poor schlubs duel core a4 laptop... except that a4 will last like 12 hours on battery.

A friend of mine just got a laptop with the same (actually it's slightly bigger) monitor and same speed hard drive as yours.  It lasts 8-10 hours on battery, and games all the new games on high-ultra (granted only at 1366x768, but it's a bigger screen and he has a fully lit and full sized keyboard).  It's an a10-4600m, and he paid just $600 for it.

Much better laptop for the money... at least it fits it's "parts" better.  you're not paying for performance you won't see with it anyway.  Just food for thought.  I know i've seen plenty of i7 laptops with discrete GPUs, and they don't look any different from his... except the ones with the true HD monitors... but then you'll pay for that type of premium.  

 

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/HP---ENVY-15.6%22-Laptop---6GB-Memory---750GB-Hard-Drive---Natural-Silver/7701076.p?id=1218858735324&skuId=7701076

I'll take a look, but I will be running dual (extrnal monitor + built-in screen) screens. Also, I will be recording content, so I need every frame in a game that I can get. I'll also be able to deal with the battery life. alsthough I don't think it would be that bad idleing, as my friend has a laprop with crazier specs, and a similar battery, and his can last fro 4 hours. (which iis enough.)

Just looked it up, and with the info. I could get from bestbuy (not much) about the computer you mentioned it this. (higher # is better, and this info. is from passmark):

 

CPU-best A10 (probably for a desktop) was 4753

Graphics-695

The lenovo:

CPU-i7 3630QM (at 2.4ghtz)-7687

Graphics-1270

 

Also, I could choose to get a 750 gb 7200rpm drive for the same price, which I still need to decide on.

I don't disagree.. that your i7 is spec'ed higher.  that was never my point.  My point was you'd never know it with that monitor and hard drive.  That in the real world, with the two laptops sitting next to eachother, and the chip id covered... you'd never tell the difference.  They'd function identically, look identical, play games the same.  The only difference you'd be able to tell is one would last all day on the battery and had a slightly bigger screen, and the other wouldn't.  

 

Now if you'd planning on docking it, basically using it as a portable PC/tower, then yes.  you'll notice a difference.  That said you'd get far better performance for $750 out of an actual desktop pc then that laptop.  (actually, build yourself a 6 core fx6300 with a 7870 gpu for less then 600 and spend the saved $150 on a galaxy note 2 or something.  you'd probably be happier; as that fx 6300 + 7870 would embarrass the mobile i7 + 650m; and the galaxy note 2 would be a really cool phone/tablet for you to do 'laptopy' things on)

Well, I actually will be docking it and using ot as a destop for most of my "intense" gaming. However, I also need that power on the go, even if it sucks a bit out of the battery. I just want an all around great laptop for a reasonable price.

don't have much more to add.

 

With your desired use you'll like that i7 laptop.  it's a solid price for what you're getting.  I personally would go with something more well suited to it's hardware save yourself some cash (like with the a10)... that said, there is no arguing the i7 will be a much better performer in a "desktop" like setting.

 

I'll look around and see if i can't find you a better deal... but it looks like you have your laptop set.  I'm pretty sure HP makes a cool i7 with a discrete gpu... in that price range.  I'll see what i can find.

Thanks!

http://gaminglaptophome.com/best-gaming-laptop-under-800-dollars/

Wow, that seems pretty good. It's about $50 less and the cpu's are almost identicle in performance. The only concern I would have is the slightly small capacity 500 gb HD (I just found out how huge video files can be yesturday when I recorded 50Gb it 1 hour), and that the GT640m is a bit slower than the 650M. I will definitly consider this if I need to cut $50 from the price. Thanks!