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Advice needed - Best off-the-shelf laptop for DCS in VR?


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Well, after 3 years I think the old girl has had her day.  The trusty Aorus x7v7 with it's 1070M just hasn't got what it takes anymore.  The latest upgrades to DCS mean it's a struggle even on the lightest of missions, so I'm looking for a replacement.

 

I'm not interested in the laptop/desktop debate, I am away from home a lot, so it has to be at least semi-portable.  The compromise in performance is acceptable, given that I will have much more opportunity to use it.

 

I am looking mainly at the Alienware x17 Gaming Laptop | Dell UK.  With a laptop version 3080 it won't be the last word in performance, but should still be a significant improvement on my current set up (GPU +82% according to UserBenchmark: Nvidia GTX 1070 (Mobile) vs RTX 3080 (Laptop). )

 

Only strict criteria are - a Display Port/Mini DP for the Rift S, and a 4k display (for C:MO).

 

Any other options worthy of considerations?  Any new models on the horizon I should maybe hold out for?

 

TIA.

Laptop Pilot. Alienware X17, i9 11980HK 5.0GHz, 16GB RTX 3080, 64GB DDR4 3200MHz, NVMe SSD. 2x TM Warthog, Hornet grip, Virpil CM2 & TPR pedals, FSSB-R3, Cougar throttle, Viper pit WIP (XBox360 when traveling). Rift S.

NTTR, SoH, Syria, Sinai, Channel, South Atlantic, CA, Supercarrier, FC3, A-10CII, F-5, F-14, F-15E, F-16, F/A-18, F-86, Harrier, M2000, F1, Viggen, MiG-21, Yak-52, L-39, MB-339, CE2, Gazelle, Ka-50, Mi-8, Mi-24, Huey, Apache, Spitfire, Mossie.  Wishlist: Tornado, Jaguar, Buccaneer, F-117 and F-111.

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Those are good specs for a gaming PC, regardless of the fact of being laptop or desktop.

To say that you'll notice an improvement over yours is an understatement! 🙂

For CPU you have good options with both Intel 10th and 11th gen i9 series (10980HK, 11900H and 11980HK) and also AMD Zen-3 Ryzen 9 series (5900HS, 5900HX and 5980HX).
 

That Intel i9 11980HK, featured in that Alienware X17 gaming laptop you chose, is a phenomenal laptop CPU (best among those I mentioned, just slightly so), but you can also go for a gaming laptop with very similar specs just instead with any of those CPUs that I listed, it'll do the job pretty darn good regardless.

If we pick the top contenders from Intel and AMD opposite camps, the main differences are that the Intel 11980HK has more raw performance, but the 5980HX has better battery life while being marginally behind, performance wise. Also, I believe that the i9 11980HK can be undervolted (so that it can run cooler) while the Ryzen 9 5980HX cannot.


For the price listed on that Alienware X17 gaming laptop, I think you can find equivalent and maybe even better models from Asus, MSI, Gigabyte, Razer (etc), maybe even with 64GB of RAM, and/or 2TB capacity SSD, and/or OLED screen, etc.  

For the 4K screen display, on the various alternatives on the market, you'll notice OLED displays which are phenomenal color+contrast wise and have instant response time, and none of these seem to have any of the "burn in" issues that you may have heard does happen with TVs. So that is another good option.

 

Can't do it right now but later I'll try to list a few alternatives.
 


Edited by LucShep
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CGTC Caucasus retexture mod  |  A-10A cockpit retexture mod  |  Shadows reduced impact mod  |  DCS 2.5.6  (the best version for performance, VR or 2D)

DCS terrain modules_July23_27pc_ns.pngDCS aircraft modules_July23_27pc_ns.png  aka Luke Marqs; call sign "Ducko" =

Spoiler

Win10 Pro x64 | Intel i7 12700K (@5.1/5.0p + 3.9e) | 64GB DDR4 @3466 CL16 (Crucial Ballistix) | RTX 3090 24GB EVGA FTW3 Ultra | 2TB NVMe (MP600 Pro XT) + 500GB SSD (WD Blue) + 3TB HDD (Toshiba P300) + 1TB HDD (WD Blue) | Corsair RMX 850W | Asus Z690 TUF+ D4 | TR PA120SE | Fractal Meshify C | M-Audio USB + Sennheiser HD-599SE | 7x USB 3.0 Hub | 50'' 4K Philips 7608/12 UHD TV (+Head Tracking) | HP Reverb G1 Pro (VR) | TM Warthog + Logitech X56 

 

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Thanks for that - great info.  It seems the 4k is a bit of an issue.  I would happily go for another Aorus machine as mine has been faultless, but the majority of alternatives seem to be going for higher refresh rates, rather than higher resolution.  I guess the market for 4K gaming is small.

 

My 1070 is still just about useable, on low unit count SP missions and med-low settings, but It would be nice to crank up the visuals a bit and maybe upgrade the VR headset for something with higher clarity and FoV.

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Laptop Pilot. Alienware X17, i9 11980HK 5.0GHz, 16GB RTX 3080, 64GB DDR4 3200MHz, NVMe SSD. 2x TM Warthog, Hornet grip, Virpil CM2 & TPR pedals, FSSB-R3, Cougar throttle, Viper pit WIP (XBox360 when traveling). Rift S.

NTTR, SoH, Syria, Sinai, Channel, South Atlantic, CA, Supercarrier, FC3, A-10CII, F-5, F-14, F-15E, F-16, F/A-18, F-86, Harrier, M2000, F1, Viggen, MiG-21, Yak-52, L-39, MB-339, CE2, Gazelle, Ka-50, Mi-8, Mi-24, Huey, Apache, Spitfire, Mossie.  Wishlist: Tornado, Jaguar, Buccaneer, F-117 and F-111.

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Ok, as promised, some RTX3080 + 4K screen gaming (premium) laptops suggestions following below, as alternatives to that Alienware X17 you referenced.

There may be others, I just didn't come across more in the same price segment. Perhaps it can help others also looking for higher-end (premium) gaming laptops. 

 

Any of these will be great for what you pretend, though models differences may sway your interest, such as final price, CPU (AMD or Intel), Graphics video memory (8GB or 16GB VRAM), RAM capacity (32GB or 64GB RAM), and storage capacity (1TB, 2TB, etc).

 

I've got to say that I dont have first hand experience with any them, so I can't confirm wether the cooling or performance is better on this one compared to the other.
I also want to say that I'm not afiliated with the websites for which I post links, it's just for referencing models and prices (these may vary, search for other places sellling them).

 

So, next listed by brand/model and respective specs:

 

 

INTEL 10th/11th Gen i9 CPU BASED:

 

_ _ _ _   RAZER GAMING LAPTOP

 

Razer Blade 15 Advanced (2021) RZ09-0409CW53-R3W1 (~3200.00 £):

»»»»»»  Razer Blade 15" UHD OLED i9 RTX 3080 - RZ09-0409CW53-R3W1 | SCAN UK

CPU: 11th gen Intel i9 11900H (8 cores 16 threads, 2.5GHz base / 4.9Ghz boost)
RAM: 32GB (2x16GB) DDR4 3200Mhz
GPU: RTX 3080 16GB (? core, 1365Mhz boost)
Storage: 1TB NVMe SSD
Screen: 4k (3840 x 2160 pixels) OLED 15.6" 
Display Port: Mini DisplayPort 1.4
Operating System: Windows 10 Home (64 bit)

 

 

_ _ _ _   MSI GAMING LAPTOP 

MSI GE66 Raider 10UH-001UK (~4000.00 £):
»»»»»»  MSI GE66 Raider 10UH-001UK 15.6" GeForce RTX 3080 | SCAN UK

CPU: 10th gen Intel i9 10980HK (8 cores 16 threads, 2.4GHz base / 5.3Ghz boost)
RAM: 64GB (2x32GB) DDR4 3200Mhz?
GPU: RTX 3080 16GB (? core, 1635Mhz boost)
Storage: 2TB (2x 1TB) NVMe SSD
Screen: 4k (3840 x 2160 pixels) IPS 15.6" 
Display Port: Mini DisplayPort 1.4
Operating System: Windows 10 Pro (64 bit)

 

 

_ _ _ _   GIGABYTE GAMING LAPTOP

 

Gigabyte AERO 15-YC YC-9UK5760SP (~3900.00 £):
»»»»»»  Gigabyte AERO YC-9UK5760SP - PriceRunner search

CPU: 10th gen Intel i9 10980HK (8 cores 16 threads, 2.4GHz base / 5.3Ghz boost)
RAM: 64GB (2x32GB) DDR4 2933Mhz?
GPU: RTX 3080 8GB (? core, ? boost)
Storage: 2TB NVMe SSD
Screen: 4k (3840 x 2160 pixels) AMOLED 15.6" 
Display Port: Mini DisplayPort 1.4
Operating System: Windows 10 Pro (64 bit)

 

Gigabyte AERO YD-93 YD-94UK648SP (~4000.00 £):
»»»»»»  Gigabyte AERO YD-94UK648SP - PriceRunner search

CPU: 11th gen Intel i9 11980HK (8 cores 16 threads, 2.6GHz base / 5.0Ghz boost)
RAM: 32GB (2x16GB) DDR4 3200Mhz
GPU: RTX 3080 8GB (? core, ? boost)
Storage: 1.5TB (512GB+1TB) NVMe SSD
Screen: 4k (3840 x 2160 pixels) AMOLED 15.6" 
Display Port: Mini DisplayPort 1.4
Operating System: Windows 10 Pro (64 bit)

 

 

AMD ZEN-3 Ryzen 9 CPU BASED:


_ _ _ _   ASUS GAMING LAPTOP

 

ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 SE GX551QS-HB184R (~3600.00 £):
»»»»»»  ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 SE 15" UHD R9 RTX 3080 - GX551QS-HB184R | SCAN UK

CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 5980HX (8 cores 16 threads, 3.3GHz base / 4.8Ghz boost)
RAM: 32GB (2x16GB) DDR4 3200Mhz
GPU: RTX 3080 16GB (? core, 1545mhz boost)
Storage:  1TB NVMe SSD (RAID 0, 1TB + 1TB)
Screen: 4k (3840 x 2160 pixels) IPS 15.6" 
Display Port: 1 x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C Power Delivery/ DisplayPort/ G-Sync
Operating System: Windows 10 Pro (64 bit)


ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 SE GX551QS-HB083T (~3700.00 £):
»»»»»»  ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo SE 15" UHD 120Hz IPS RTX 3080 - GX551QS-HB083T | SCAN UK

CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX (8 cores 16 threads, 3.3GHz base / 4.6Ghz boost)
RAM: 32GB (2x16GB) DDR4 3200Mhz
GPU: RTX 3080 16GB (? core, 1545mhz boost)
Storage: 2TB (2x 1TB) NVMe SSD
Screen: 4k (3840 x 2160 pixels) IPS 15.6" 
Display Port: 1 x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C Power Delivery/ DisplayPort/ G-Sync
Operating System: Windows 10 Home (64 bit)

 

 


Edited by LucShep
corrected specs in list
  • Thanks 1

CGTC Caucasus retexture mod  |  A-10A cockpit retexture mod  |  Shadows reduced impact mod  |  DCS 2.5.6  (the best version for performance, VR or 2D)

DCS terrain modules_July23_27pc_ns.pngDCS aircraft modules_July23_27pc_ns.png  aka Luke Marqs; call sign "Ducko" =

Spoiler

Win10 Pro x64 | Intel i7 12700K (@5.1/5.0p + 3.9e) | 64GB DDR4 @3466 CL16 (Crucial Ballistix) | RTX 3090 24GB EVGA FTW3 Ultra | 2TB NVMe (MP600 Pro XT) + 500GB SSD (WD Blue) + 3TB HDD (Toshiba P300) + 1TB HDD (WD Blue) | Corsair RMX 850W | Asus Z690 TUF+ D4 | TR PA120SE | Fractal Meshify C | M-Audio USB + Sennheiser HD-599SE | 7x USB 3.0 Hub | 50'' 4K Philips 7608/12 UHD TV (+Head Tracking) | HP Reverb G1 Pro (VR) | TM Warthog + Logitech X56 

 

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Thanks, I'll take a look at those.  From a quick glance the main choice seems to be 64GB slower RAM, or 32GB faster RAM.  At the moment I'm running 32, but aware it might be worth future-proofing a bit with the 64GB option.  

Laptop Pilot. Alienware X17, i9 11980HK 5.0GHz, 16GB RTX 3080, 64GB DDR4 3200MHz, NVMe SSD. 2x TM Warthog, Hornet grip, Virpil CM2 & TPR pedals, FSSB-R3, Cougar throttle, Viper pit WIP (XBox360 when traveling). Rift S.

NTTR, SoH, Syria, Sinai, Channel, South Atlantic, CA, Supercarrier, FC3, A-10CII, F-5, F-14, F-15E, F-16, F/A-18, F-86, Harrier, M2000, F1, Viggen, MiG-21, Yak-52, L-39, MB-339, CE2, Gazelle, Ka-50, Mi-8, Mi-24, Huey, Apache, Spitfire, Mossie.  Wishlist: Tornado, Jaguar, Buccaneer, F-117 and F-111.

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EDIT: The memory specs on the Gigabyte AERO 15-YC YC-9UK5760SP and MSI GE66 Raider 10UH-001UK  are rather confusing...

 

The Gigabyte AERO 15-YC YC-9UK5760SP is listed as using 2666Mhz RAM, but some sources on the internet seem to suggest it's 2933Mhz RAM instead.

For example:

 

 

 

Similar thing for the MSI GE66 Raider 10UH-001UK, some sources mention 2666Mhz, while other ones sugest 3200Mhz . Even the official source doesn't confirm what it's using:

image.png

 


Edited by LucShep

CGTC Caucasus retexture mod  |  A-10A cockpit retexture mod  |  Shadows reduced impact mod  |  DCS 2.5.6  (the best version for performance, VR or 2D)

DCS terrain modules_July23_27pc_ns.pngDCS aircraft modules_July23_27pc_ns.png  aka Luke Marqs; call sign "Ducko" =

Spoiler

Win10 Pro x64 | Intel i7 12700K (@5.1/5.0p + 3.9e) | 64GB DDR4 @3466 CL16 (Crucial Ballistix) | RTX 3090 24GB EVGA FTW3 Ultra | 2TB NVMe (MP600 Pro XT) + 500GB SSD (WD Blue) + 3TB HDD (Toshiba P300) + 1TB HDD (WD Blue) | Corsair RMX 850W | Asus Z690 TUF+ D4 | TR PA120SE | Fractal Meshify C | M-Audio USB + Sennheiser HD-599SE | 7x USB 3.0 Hub | 50'' 4K Philips 7608/12 UHD TV (+Head Tracking) | HP Reverb G1 Pro (VR) | TM Warthog + Logitech X56 

 

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