Looking for a new laptop

[striker101818]

So im looking for a new laptop and i am debating the new GPU performances(3000 series), and have been doing some research. It looks like the 3080 that i'm looking for to run DCS on in VR, isn't up to the performance that i would like. Just wondering around the horn if that is right. Am i under the right impression that the laptop performances aren't as good as standalone ones for a big computer. Also how does the 3080 run DCS on a 8GB vram chip. Lemme know if this is worth the price im looking to spend. about $2600

[JCook]

If you are looking for high performance for DCS, i would not go with a laptop. Take a look at the min and recommended specs.

[striker101818]

As a pilot ,im looking to do stuff on the road so that's what i would like to get. I'm looking at getting a high end laptop where i can run it with decent graphics on VR with a mini display port on my hp reverb. 

[Dudikoff]

The laptop 3080 is not in the same ballpark as the desktop cards due to a big difference in power available (e.g. a desktop one has at least a 320w TDP, while the laptop one starts at 80w and has at max 150W). It's somewhat faster than 2080 Super on laptops, but not by much.

 

Having said that, given what the desktop 3080 goes for now on the scalpers market, that $2600 price doesn't sound like a bad deal in comparison.

 

Keep in mind that there are different power variations of the 30X0 laptop cards, so in some cases a laptop with a higher watt 3070 (e.g. 130W) variant can be faster than a lower watt 3080 one (e.g. limited to 80W) and for less money.

Edited March 20, 2021 by Dudikoff

[Mars Exulte]

Obviously, laptop anything will be more expensive and generally inferior to a full size one, and I won't waste any time on that.

 

If you're wanting a laptop for DCS, yes you can get one and yes it will run and yes it should be able to do VR provided you get the highest tier one you can get. I would suggest nothing less than a 2080/3070/3080 to play on something like a Rift S if you're hoping for a decent experience. I would also be prepared to cut from 4k down to 1440 (which honestly 4k on a 17'' screen or something is ridiculous anyway). In general, as with anything your results will depend on what you get and how well suited to your goal it is.

 

 The most important thing, because it's a given you're going to be pushing it hard, is to avoid all this namby pamby ''slim'' crap. Your components are going to get hot, and you're going to wany good airflow to keep them cool and avoid thermal throttling. So, forget ''laptop'' and think more ''this is a portable desktop''. The one's you're going to be looking for will be quite thick and heavy (we're talking 2'' and 10-15lbs). Sager is one I used years ago when I was doing the same thing. You don't game in your lap. You carry it to your hotel room or whatever and plug it into the wall amd leave there until you leave. It's lighter and less hassle than trying to cart a case and monitor etc with you.

 

 I would also suggest purchasing a well designed laptop cooler to help force additional airflow through the case. These kinds of setups will generate a lot of heat and you cannot put enough effort into dissipating it.

 

 I'm assuming you're wanting to do this ''proper'' like I did. So you should ve aiming for a 17'', heavy, thick case with good airflow, with the best CPU and GPU you can find with no less than 16GB of RAM (32 if possible). You can expect to put $2-3,000 into it.

 

 If you get the slimmer, lesser styles, they'll be a lot cheaper, but you're still unlikely to be satisfied with one that costs less than $1,500-1800 and heat is going to be a persistent issue, so I'd suggest just going balls deep on it and get it over with if you're planning on using it longterm for several years.

Edited March 20, 2021 by Mars Exulte

[Dudikoff]

Here's a potentially useful link showing how different 3080 laptops fare against the desktop one.

 

https://www.notebookcheck.net/Here-are-all-the-slowest-and-fastest-GeForce-RTX-3080-laptops-you-can-buy-right-now.529039.0.html

[GrEaSeLiTeNiN]

I was also considering a laptop but as others have said, you need the top end laptops such as those from Asus. You would do better with 1080p as 1440p would be more demanding. And for the price you pay, you could get much better specs in a PC. That said, the PC cost will add up once you factor in a good monitor to match. 

[Cpt Cuckoo]

I would definitely go with a 17.3 Laptop over a desktop any day.  What you lose from a desktop is overridden by portability, comfort and convenience of the laptop. 

I get pretty good graphics with a GTX 1660 Ti but of course I'd prefer a RTX 3060 Ti. I use an old Logitech N700 laptop desk to put the lap top on. It has a fan and speakers in it. Unfortunately Logitech quit making them. On the Syria Quick Start mission "Lone Falcon" I get real nice graphics and the lowest FPS is 60.

 

The problem is that the companies that make laptops went full retard and try to make them too small and thin these days. I prefer a big heavy chunky laptop that has plenty of room inside for cooling. Hard to find.