2022 Metabox Vs Mainstream Brands

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  AlmightyGaz on 21/08/2022 - 23:53

  +2

  CPU: Ryzen 5800/6800 series or Intel 12th gen (good performance but run hot)

  Graphics: Go for 3060 or 3070, I'd avoid the 3050 but also look at the wattage the GPU is getting, a 3060 that gives 125w can easily beat a 3070 that is constrained to 95w. Also laptops without a hardware mux chip will be about 10% slower when using a monitor.

  Brands: Lenovo Legion 5 was imho the best laptop of the last year or so. But there are other good options too, make a search query for something like 3060 laptop on oz-bargain and just read what people say about it, generally the good and bad points are discussed in the comments. There's a few youtubers that have made tier lists of the best laptops too.

  Personally I own a Alienware M15 R5, I got it refurbished for about $1450 from dell (their factory refurbished stuff is usually pretty good). It was a Ryzen 5800H, 3060 and had a decent screen. I spent a few hundred more and put 64GB of ram in it, along with a 2TB Samsung Evo SSD.

  Extra Note: You're in for a treat when you do upgrade, AMD being competitive again and recent advances in manufacturing has resulted in more progress in the last few years than the last decade; the generational leaps in performance and core counts have been nuts. Just note AMD's desktop 7000 CPU's are coming this year, as well as new desktop GPU's from both AMD and Nvidia as well, so this will probably flow through to laptops sometime (hopefully early) in 2023.

  • 

    Guybrush57 on 22/08/2022 - 00:02

    laptops without a hardware mux chip will be about 10% slower when using a monitor

    From my understanding they are only 10% slower if you don't use a monitor.

    • 

      HiredGoon on 22/08/2022 - 01:41

      +1

      This was my understanding too, but it was more like 3-5%, still not insignificant.

  • 

    domengshu on 22/08/2022 - 10:33

    Thanks for a very detailed recommendation. Was adding the RAM and SSD a straightforward process? I've seen videos and reddit threads that Dell doesn't provide mounting screws or heat shields on their extra slots, forcing people to buy more of their parts or service it with them.

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  HiredGoon on 22/08/2022 - 01:48

  +1

  If you can stretch your budget to about $2298, I have heard good things of the AMD powered Asus Strix G15 'Advantage' that was listed by Shellshocked. They do run a bit warm, but performance is supposedly excellent for the price. I prefer Asus, but the Lenovo Legions really have been making waves this year, so they'd be a safe bet.

  I did the Clevo Metabox thing when they were first a 'thing' and they weren't for me. Small things breaking like hinges/keyboard//wifi within a couple of years, with expensive slow fixes, and little to no dev support like bios updates turned me off. It could be much different these days, but once burnt, twice shy.

  • 

    domengshu on 22/08/2022 - 12:48

    Did you have to deal with Metabox support? One of the things I appreciated with Aftershock was they had a terrific after market support. They were already aware of the known issues and had updates for those issues. I also got free cleaning with them during the 2 years of warranty. If Metabox support is not at that level I might as well avoid them.

    Laptop builds I'm going right now are unfortunately out of my budget with Aftershock.

    • 

      HiredGoon on 22/08/2022 - 21:09

      It was some time ago, probably 12 years ago or so, and I'm in Perth, so their presence here maybe a different experience, and time can change many things. But the storefront was on the edge of the CBD, and no one manned the front counter, was really hard to get anyone to respond to phone calls etc. Replacing a hinge was about $180 if I remember rightly and the second one failed within 3months of the first being repaired.

      I gave up on it and had a rather brief but disastrous experience with the original HP Envy (never again).

      Personally found the experience with Asus since to be much better, except for my most recent one with the M16 (keyboard issues, then the 'fixed' repair both still being faulty and now with heat issues, likely due to not using liquid metal on the CPU/GPU as is from factory), though in the end got a full refund and am very happy so far with the new GX650RX.

      I would stick with Asus ROG or Lenovo Legion.

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  TheCandyMan2020 on 22/08/2022 - 08:48

  I would recommend Lenovo Legion

  Avoid Alienware

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  Jimothy Wongingtons on 22/08/2022 - 10:06

  I wasn't really happy with how my metabox p950 was supported with the few niggles I had with it. My unit also similarly developed issue with the keys, and I've since just resolved to using external kb. Won't be buying again.

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  domengshu on 22/08/2022 - 10:40

  I'm surprised at the recommendations for Lenovo Legion. My first "gaming" laptop was a Lenovo but this was back in 2011 and I didn't have a good experience with it back then. So it wasn't in my radar initially. But hey, this was 11 years ago so I assume they have matured and are at par with Asus, Acer and Alienware?

  • 

    Guybrush57 on 22/08/2022 - 18:37

    I have a 2021 model Legion 7i. It's my first gaming laptop and I love it!

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  geekcohen on 22/08/2022 - 10:43

  Highly recommend Metabox. I've bought three this year for Family + Work. I've bought a few over the last couple of years and I think the bang for buck is there. Never had an issue with them before and very well spec'd. Only had delays in the last 6 months due to COVID supply, but otherwise been fantastic!

  Some keys didn't work after 2 years but it hardly mattered since I had this fixed on my desk with an external keyboard

  I have an issue with my 3 year old machine with the X key, but I use it a fair bit when doing Web Development. Since WFH and using my work desktop, I hardly use it now. But it is a bit annoying.

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  Scalding Coffee Cup on 11/10/2022 - 15:39

  +2

  I have a Metabox and love everything about it except the fan noise. It's SO NOISY! I've had co-workers comment on the noise levels, and I wish there was some way for it to be fixed.

  • 

    geekcohen on 12/10/2022 - 08:22

    I have a Metabox and love everything about it except the fan noise. It's SO NOISY! I've had co-workers comment on the noise levels, and I wish there was some way for it to be fixed.

    100%, I've had similar comments from other co-workers.

    • 

      Scalding Coffee Cup on 12/10/2022 - 10:19

      The thing I hear most is that it sounds like a plane is getting ready to take off! I've had 3 different co-workers that have said the same comment