My first laptop ever.

[Reamzy]

Hi everyone.

I just have discovered this site and i like it. It's so user-friendly and nicely made.
I want to get a custom build Laptop and i would like to know your opinions about what would be the best choice witb my budget up to £1500.

From what i've seen so far i like the 17'3 Recoil II. My build with it has I7 8750H. 16GB DDR4 2666. GTX 1060. 1TB Samsung Evo SSD.

Is this the best option with the budget i have?

 

[Oussebon]

Welcome to the forums

For £1500 you could easily afford a 17.3" Defiance with a GTX 1070 and a 144hz gsync screen.

There's a sort-of special offer here: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/computers-for-next-day-delivery/802/
I say sort-of because I don't think it's meant to be a special offer, it just happens to be £50 cheaper than if you manually configured the same specification.

It's £1400 and you can get 1TB SSDs like the MX500 for ~£140 if you wanted to add your own, additional SSD storage.

I'm assuming the laptop is for gaming.

 

[Reamzy]

Thank you for the response.

Yeah. I've looked at the Defiance and it's good, i like this one too, thank you for showing me. I think the only downside is that the RAM is at lower frequency and another thing is that i like the design of Recoil II more, it looked better for me and also has per key RGB mechanical keyboard, but i dont think that's very important.

I would like too change some things like to get the 1TB Samsung SSD and change thermal paste to cooler master, get the lan killer, carry case and cooling pad.

I also would like to still get the next day delivery butni dont think that's possible... Right?

 

[Oussebon]

For gaming, the RAM frequency will make only a tiny difference compared to the GTX 1070 GPU which is lots more powerful than the GTX 1060 - and having a gsync screen is a big bonus.

I suppose the design choice is subjective and ultimately your decision

I would like too change some things like to get the 1TB Samsung SSD and change thermal paste to cooler master, get the lan killer, carry case and cooling pad.

PCS sell custom laptops. That means each needs to be built from scratch and so most laptops will take a few days before they can assemble and test your order. They can't really build a PC, and test it thoroughly, and ship it in the same day very easily.

The Next Day PCs are special configurations that are already build. So you can't change the spec obviously. They are pre-assembled and already tested and ready to go.

I also would like to still get the next day delivery butni dont think that's possible... Right?

I think you can order extras like carry cases, laptop pads, external keyboards and mice, that sort of thing, but you can't change the internal components.

You can configure any spec you want of course with the usual delivery times, though you would lose the 'discount' on that spec.

Often the Next Day specs are more expensive because PCS charge a premium. But this one is cheaper...

 

[Reamzy]

Okay. I agree with you and i start too see it better.

I have one more question. Is it upgradable? Maybe not the GPU because that's difficult for laptops to upgrade as i heard, but maybe the RAM or anything else. Btw if want to, can i get the Samsung Evo SSD from PCS too as an upgrade?

Thank you for bearing with me tho', might ask stupid questions. )

 

[Oussebon]

All very valid questions

The CPU and GPU will not be upgradable.

The storage and RAM are upgradable. However for gaming you will never need to upgrade the RAM as you will never need more than 16gb with this system. Games simply don't take any advantage of more than 16gb. By the time games might in theory benefit from over 16gb, we will be so far into the future that the rest of the laptop will be obsolete anyway so RAM quantity will not matter.

But let's say you develop a 4k video editing hobby and need more RAM, yes you can upgrade it

You can replace the M.2 SSD too, and/or add a 2.5" HDD / SSD as well no problem.

PCS do sell components as upgrades to existing customers so you could order an SSD from them after you buy the laptop. However, you can also buy and install components from any store and may find a better deal elsewhere.

PCS's policy for upgrading components is here:

7.7

Unlike with most computer companies, we allow you to open your case and install your own components without voiding your warranty on the following conditions: if the actions of the person installing the components cause damage to the computer, your warranty will be void; if you install components that are not purchased from us and they cause problems with your computer, your warranty will be void; if you install components that are not purchased from us we will in no way support you in installing them or with any problems you have relating to the components you have installed. we will support you in installing components purchased from us providing you have purchased them through the upgrade service available on your online account.

7.8

The company reserves the right to suspend the warranty or refuse service if your Case, Motherboard, CPU or BIOS have been replaced without authorisation. Any tampering, repair or modification by unauthorised personnel voids the warranty.

https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/terms/

 

[Reamzy]

Heya again.

I just noticed in the configurator for the same laptop that with the 1070 you have 2 versions of I7 available, 8750H and 8850H. That doesn't mean the CPU can be upgraded to 8850H, if you choose 8750H in the first place?

Also, not very important, but it's good to know... In the said situation that i send back the laptop to upgrade something, it will be possible to change thermal paste and network card too?

 

[Reamzy]

I also saw on the forum people are having problems with temps on this laptop. Is really so bad?

 

[Oussebon]

I just noticed in the configurator for the same laptop that with the 1070 you have 2 versions of I7 available, 8750H and 8850H. That doesn't mean the CPU can be upgraded to 8850H, if you choose 8750H in the first place?

No, it doesn't.

The motherboards have these soldered on. So a laptop with a choice of an i5 or an i7 and a GTX 1050 ti or GTX 1060 is really PCS asking which pre-soldered-on combination of bits you want.

See this: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/foru...ve-done-better&p=423845&viewfull=1#post423845

But without repeating it all, nearly all laptops have soldered on "BGA" CPUs that are not realistically upgradable. And same kind of deal for the GPUs, most aren't MXM. And even where a CPU or GPU is removable, it doesn't necessarily mean it will be upgradable to future gens.

I also saw on the forum people are having problems with temps on this laptop. Is really so bad?

Some people have had thermal issues, probably moreso than with other chassis I think it's fair to say. But presumably not a large % of overall purchasers, as I assume PCS sell hundreds of these and only half a dozen or so people have posted complaining of problems.

Do test the laptop out when you receive it, and you can always return it under the normal returns rules for a refund if the temps aren't satisfactory. And either buy a different PCS system or a system from another shop

PCS did sell another model of laptop (a 15.6" one) where the temps really were an issue very often and they pulled that from sale. The message being that if a laptop chassis is a problem for a lot of people, they can and will pull it. So if it's not pulled, it's probably not an issue for most buyers...

 

[Reamzy]

So after all I finally decided and sent the order for the laptop and we'll see how everything goes.

Thank you for your assistance at every question i had.