Portable Gaming Laptop with Decent Battery Life <$2k ?

ChickenDinner123 on 18/01/2022 - 10:35

Hey folks,

Looking to my buy a new laptop. It would mostly be used at home but will occasionaly be taken outside or to my other place. Don't need it to be ultraportable but I don't want a chonker like the L5/L5Pro.

Uses:

  • General office work and web browsing.
  • A bit of data analytics work
  • Gaming here and there (Hitman, Doom Eternal etc…)

Requirements:

  • 8C processor (e.g 5800H or Intel variant)
  • 16GB ram (preferable upgradeable)
  • RTX 3060 or greater
  • 14" - 16" pretty screen, 2.5k resolution with preferable 120Hz
  • Around 2kg weight
  • USB-C chargeable
  • 7+ hour battery life when used for office work and web browsing.

So far I've got the Lenovo Thinkbook 16p Gen2 which has: 5800H, 16Gb (upgradeable with 1 slot), RTX 3060 (80W). 2.5k 400nit 60 Hz matte screen, 2kg, 7 hour battery life, USB-C chargeable.

Another was the Kraken M15 which had 11800H, 16gb upgradeable, RTX 3060 (130W), 2.5k 350nit 165Hz screen, 2kg. I really wanted to get this one but apparently the batterylife is crap (despite 93Whr) and it can't be charged via USBC so I would have to lug around the 500g charger.

Any other ones I may have missed?

Computing Computer Gaming Laptop Laptop

Comments

  • geekcohen on 18/01/2022 - 11:09
    +1

    I would suggest you consider a Metabox - https://www.metabox.com.au/

    I have one and LOVE it. Bought a few for staff at work and family members.

    • Paul Atreides on 18/01/2022 - 11:22

      that Alpha-S seems right up OPs alley

      • geekcohen on 18/01/2022 - 11:25

        I think so. I have the Alpha X, it is a bit bigger but still good. I've bought an Alpha S for a family memory and it was a nice machine.

    • ChickenDinner123 on 18/01/2022 - 11:47

      Thank you. I'll have a look.

  • jaybraykay on 18/01/2022 - 11:26

    Not a super useful response based on what you asked - but might be helpful for you:

    I think like you've identified - its a bit of a "you can't have it all" moment.

    Higher end components for increased gaming performance will have a higher power draw.
    Higher power draw, with a reasonable battery life, will require a larger battery.
    Larger battery = more weight.

    I haven't been looking for gaming laptops for a while but i know some used to have "Hybrid Graphics Card" ones that would use the dedicated GPU when plugged in, and the integrated one when not. Gives you the best of both worlds with battery life and gaming performance.

    The other option depending on how you would use it for gaming is getting an external GPU Enclosure.

    I know it used to basically make more sense to get a cheaper lightweight portable laptop, and then a dedicated gaming desktop in like a mATX case. You would generally spend a similar amount, but get better performance on your gaming.

    • ChickenDinner123 on 18/01/2022 - 11:49
      +1

      Yeah, I'm looking for a bit of everything which seems a bit difficult at my price point.

      If I am gaming, it would be at home plugged in to my ultrawide. I could probably get a cheap and portable ultrabook (without dGPU) for like $1k and then get a seperate desktop computer for another $2k.

      • jaybraykay on 18/01/2022 - 12:03

        Yea - The benefit is also that then your gaming desktop is much more upgradable (in terms of more ram more disk newer gpu) later down the track. So while it might be slightly more now - by the time it comes to upgrading, you will be much better off.
        A gaming laptop is never really upgradable in any meaningful way.

  • CyberMurning on 18/01/2022 - 11:41

    where is the link for Lenovo Thinkbook 16p Gen2 ? and how much ?

    • ChickenDinner123 on 18/01/2022 - 11:46

      It would be via the Lenovo Education store. It is around $2k and if the cashrewards cashback works, it would be like $1750.

      • CyberMurning on 18/01/2022 - 11:51

        Another was the Kraken M15 which had 11800H, 16gb upgradeable, RTX 3060 (130W), 2.5k 350nit 165Hz screen, 2kg. I really wanted to get this one but apparently the batterylife is crap and it can't be charged via USBC

        where do you see the battery is crap? yes i wanted that as well (QHD screen is cool as i dont game alot)

        • ChickenDinner123 on 18/01/2022 - 11:54

          I saw some reviews by JarrodTech on XPG Xenia 15 (same intel nuc 15 specs but different logo). He said he got 4 -5 hours which was a bit crap.

          Then I read a review by notebookcheck that said it got like 10hours doing video playback at 50% brightness.

          The storeowner on that deal said he tested it as well and got like 5 hours.

          • CyberMurning on 18/01/2022 - 11:57

            @ChickenDinner123: ok let me know if you are buying metabox. i feel reading the spec they are also using the same intel nuc 15 ? im just guessing here - or maybe not because metabox can be charged by usb

  • JiGaXD on 19/03/2022 - 16:40

    OP I'm in a similar boat to you and wondering what you ended up choosing? I found the Lenovo Legion Slim 7, Ryzen version with 3060, but it's priced at $3.2k.

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