Choosing a laptop top for work and a bit of play. Help, please.

[testudo]

Hello,

I am in the market for a new laptop that I will be using for work and home use. I am a web developer/designer. I will be using Adobe CC programs (i.e. Photoshop, Illustrator and Dreamweaver), multiple browsers and multiple browser tabs all open and running at the same time. So, I think I need a little power under the hood for that to work efficiently for me.

I am also going to use it for media consumption and (light) gaming. I will playing all types of media files, streaming and locally, as well as a bit of gaming. Now, with the gaming I think I will be Steam streaming for the most part, with a little out of home network gaming when I am not at home...which is not going to be that often.

I am really torn right now between the MacBook Pro i7/512GB/16GB/750m, MSI Ghost i7/128GB/1TB/16GB/970m and the Surface Pro 3 i7/256GB/8GB. I know that the MacBook is a bit over priced compared to what you get. I mean, that MSI is actually cheaper than the Mac. I don't really need any Mac specific program for anything...well, except for maybe Garageband. In fact, that is the only reason I am considering it. Silly, I know, but I really enjoy that program for its dumb-down use factor. The MSI looks amazing and it is within my budget. I know that the SP3 is kind of under-powered compared to the two, but I love the concept. I would absolutely love to be able to do my work, go home and use it in tablet form and stream games and play a few locally.

I know the power is not there for major gaming with the SP3, but I do love the look, style and versatility. So, do I go for form factor and portability over performance? Do I need the horsepower of the other two to accomplish what I need it to?

I am stuck! Thank you in advance for your help, advice and suggestions.

 

[Toothless]

MSI Ghost would be the best choice.

 

[OneMoar]

second on the ghost
but you didn't state your budget .//.

 

[testudo]

MSI Ghost would be the best choice.

second on the ghost
but you didn't state your budget .//.

Thanks for your response!

My budget is around $2000 USD. The MSI is $1999, and so is the MacBook Pro (ebay/mint condition/under warranty).

 

[buildzoid]

Thanks for your response!

My budget is around $2000 USD. The MSI is $1999, and so is the MacBook Pro (ebay/mint condition/under warranty).

NEVER EVER BUY A MACBOOK PRO. I have one and I hate it.

 

[OneMoar]

the stealth is the way to go here
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00O6G7MO6/?tag=tec06d-20 pro-000
its bigger and badasser .. brother
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00O65HR6A/?tag=tec06d-20 pro-003
you won't even need to use in-home streaming both the ghost and the stealth will run things native

 

[testudo]

the stealth is the way to go here
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00O6G7MO6/?tag=tec06d-20 pro-000
its bigger and badasser .. brother
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00O65HR6A/?tag=tec06d-20 pro-003
you won't even need to use in-home streaming both the ghost and the stealth will run things native

Thanks!

I think that I want to go with a maximum of 15" for the screen. I had an ASUS ROG 17" and it was almost 10 lbs. That is too big for me. That is one of the reasons I am considering the Surface Pro 3.

 

[OneMoar]

the surface pro's gaming experience is gonna be non-existent the msi's are the way to go I think the msi is only like 4lbs with the 17 being about 6

 

[FordGT90Concept]

So, do I go for form factor and portability over performance?

This is what it really boils down to and only you can make that decision: if you want tablet, Surface Pro; if you want a notebook, MSI (Sager/Asus/whatever). If you want to use your computer any and everywhere, tablets are worth the sacrifice in performance; if you tend to only use your computer in two or three places, the portability isn't worth losing the performance over.

Personally, I'd go with a Sager NP9377 (8.82 lbs) but I play games. A lot.

 

[Crap Daddy]

Thing is it all depends on what are your needs. MSI is meant for gaming, heavy, bad battery life, hot, you need a big bag to carry it around and always keep an eye on where to find a power outlet. Surface is for ultra mobile productivity, light, good battery life, you'll love the touch capability and can also game on it, excluding demanding titles and all eye candy on. If you have a powerful desktop at home and need the laptop when you're on the move, mainly for work then I would say Surface pro 3 is the way to go.

 

[OneMoar]

the battery life on the msi is very good do your research before posting people and it doesn't run hot nor require a big bag please don't apply generalizations without checking first
should be-able to get 3 or 4 hours with tasks such as web surfing youtube ,productivity ect ect
if you start maxing it out its gonna go about a hour witch is very good for the level of performance and weight

http://www.hardwareheaven.com/2014/10/msi-gs70-stealth-pro-review-gtx-970m/

 

[testudo]

Thanks everyone for the responses!

Yeah, portability is probably the biggest thing. I will be carrying and using it from home to work. It will pretty much always be with me. See, I was going to get a big, powerful laptop and a tablet on the side. This is what makes the SP3 so enticing. Gaming away from home is not that big of a deal for me. I would like to be able to play some not so demanding games away from home...you know, when I get bored. The SP3 has an HD5000, so I will have to see what games could keep my interest and play on the iGPU. I will use whatever I get for Steam in-home streaming.

Thinking about it, the only reason I am looking at the bigger, more powerful laptops is because I want to be able to work productively and efficiently. Meaning, I do not want the system to bog down when I have Photoshop, Dreamweaver, sometimes Illustrator and browsers open at the same time. I can always close the programs that I am not using, but most of the time at least Dreamweaver and Photoshop will be open and running at the same time because I have to view my mock ups and cut it up for coding.

I am just about sold on the SP3, but I want to know that it will be at least powerful for the functions that I expressed above. If not, I will have to go with a laptop for work and a separate tablet for fun (media consumption and streaming/light gaming). I know that the SP3 will be okay for strictly tablet use, and I love it really, but I cannot justify the price just for tablet use.

 

[OneMoar]

if you are gonna use photoshop and dreamweaver get the msi the SP3 is way under-powered for any-kind of serious media creation the i7-4650U is made for power consumption not performance ... if all you are doing is the odd edit and some light touch up it will do fine ... serious editing with multi pass filters forget about it ...

 

[eidairaman1]

The Ghost has a stronger videocard than the macbook which can help photoshop aswell run. Id pic the MSI. Surface is a weak ass tablet.

 

[testudo]

Well, I wouldn't call a weak tablet. Perhaps, a weak laptop/medium ultrabook?

 

[eidairaman1]

Heck an atom in netbooks had more horses. If youre doing work and gaming and both the mac n msi cost the same id go for the msi due to the GC being stronger.

 

[testudo]

Really? Even the i7 version (which is the one I am looking at)?

 

[Crap Daddy]

the battery life on the msi is very good do your research before posting people and it doesn't run hot nor require a big bag please don't apply generalizations without checking first
should be-able to get 3 or 4 hours with tasks such as web surfing youtube ,productivity ect ect
if you start maxing it out its gonna go about a hour witch is very good for the level of performance and weight

http://www.hardwareheaven.com/2014/10/msi-gs70-stealth-pro-review-gtx-970m/

3 hours is very good? For productivity? That MSI doesn't even come close to the Surface Pro 3 because it is an entirely different category. You probably didn't read what I said. FOR PRODUCTIVITY. If the OP wants to game first then sure, MSI is great.

 

[testudo]

3 hours is very good? For productivity? That MSI doesn't even come close to the Surface Pro 3 because it is an entirely different category. You probably didn't read what I said. FOR PRODUCTIVITY. If the OP wants to game first then sure, MSI is great.

Yeah, gaming is definitely going to be after productivity. I am basically purchasing something for work. However, if I can have something with enough power to run my stuff, media and light gaming and streaming and versatile enough to act as a tablet, I am in. That is the appeal of the SP3...if it is powerful enough for work first, that is. Basically, I wouldn't mind getting a laptop like the MSI, because it would be pretty much for work purposes. I know that when I get home and I am relaxing on the couch, I am going to reach for the tablet, whatever it may be.

Like I wrote, one of the reasons I am looking at the laptops is because of the power. I am afraid that the SP3 cannot handle my needs. If I go with a full on laptop, I am going to get a tablet, too. If I can have all in one...bonus!

 

[buildzoid]

The MSI is the most powerful of all the hardware you listed. The Surface isn't even half the power of the MSI.

 

[Crap Daddy]

Yeah, gaming is definitely going to be after productivity. I am basically purchasing something for work. However, if I can have something with enough power to run my stuff, media and light gaming and streaming and versatile enough to act as a tablet, I am in. That is the appeal of the SP3...if it is powerful enough for work first. Basically, I wouldn't mind getting a laptop like the MSI, because it would be pretty much for work purposes. I know that when I get home and I am relaxing on the couch, I am going to reach for the tablet, whatever it may be.

Like I wrote, one of the reasons I am looking at the laptops is because of the power. I am afraid that the SP3 cannot handle my needs. If I go with a full on laptop, I am going to get a tablet, too. If I can have all in one...bonus!

Surface pro 3 is not a tablet. Some around here do not get it. It is a hybrid, you have to buy though the keyboard which will add some to the total cost but this machine is as powerful as an ultrabook. The I7 inside is an "U" chip, it means it is meant for ultrabooks, TDP up to 15W and is comparable in performance to a mobile i5 (2 cores 4 threads). It is in a total different league than the Atoms. It has the Intel HD Graphics 5000 which can play on low settings and definitely lower res than the native 2160 x 1440 many games. In-home streaming is not a problem even on much lower spec laptops. Being able to stay in bed, using the high quality touch screen and basically doing everything that a desktop can do, having up to 9 hours of battery life while carrying around is what this is all about. My only problem is the price but that's how things are still today.

 

[testudo]

Surface pro 3 is not a tablet. Some around here do not get it. It is a hybrid, you have to buy though the keyboard which will add some to the total cost but this machine is as powerful as an ultrabook. The I7 inside is an "U" chip, it means it is meant for ultrabooks, TDP up to 15W and is comparable in performance to a mobile i5 (2 cores 4 threads). It is in a total different league than the Atoms. It has the Intel HD Graphics 5000 which can play on low settings and definitely lower res than the native 2160 x 1440 many games. In-home streaming is not a problem even on much lower spec laptops. Being able to stay in bed, using the high quality touch screen and basically doing everything that a desktop can do, having up to 9 hours of battery life while carrying around is what this is all about. My only problem is the price but that's how things are still today.

That is what draws me to the SP3, the laptop/tablet functionality. What you said is correct. Say, it I had to do something late at night, while I am watching TV in my bed, I would just roll over and grab the SP3 and go to work right there. I know this sounds lazy, but I know that I will not have my full size laptop with me wherever I go. It will be most likely in its sleeve and case in my office, where it goes and stays right after work. I would have to go to my office and get it, fire it up and work. Maybe I put it back, maybe not. The point is, the SP3 will most likely be right there with me. And, instead of having a heavy (I know that a post said it is not too heavy) and hot laptop on my bed covers, stomach or lap, I will have a light, cool and versatile device that I can conveniently work, watch TV or stream.

lol...I think I may of just convinced myself to buy an SP3 .

Anyhow, the only reservation I have is power and price. Although, I don't mind paying that price because I would be essentially spending more if I went laptop and tablet.

 

[FordGT90Concept]

Heck an atom in netbooks had more horses.

Not. Even. Close. 8 times the L3 cache should spell out the difference loud and clear.

You're using this for content production? You're going to need the Surface TypeCover which is $150 and you'll probably want a wireless mouse too which is another $50-100. I don't know how well those kinds of applications will run on Surface Pro hardware but I have no doubt that they will run. If I were you though, I'd want a much bigger screen which is another $200+ if you don't already have one. To stay inside your $2000 budget, you should probably be looking at the ~$1500 models.

Frankly, I think I would separate work and home--desktop for both.

Yeah, gaming is definitely going to be after productivity.

Which to me means multiple monitors. Surface only has its 12" display + mini DisplayPort. To get more than that, you'd need to buy a DisplayPort hub and those are not cheap.


Edit: My mom has a Surface 2 (not Pro) and...let's just say it pisses me off. The screen is 10" I think and to use a web page, you have to zoom in order to click on links. The TypeCover sometimes acts wonky and the touchpad on it is vastly inferior to that on a laptop. It also has a proprietary charger connector (I'm sure Pro has it too). I am not a fan of Windows 8.1 to boot. Long story short, I would preemptively commit myself to a mental institute if I had to use a 12" tablet for any serious work because it would surely drive me insane.

About the only people that should consider ultrabooks/tablets for work are those that can accomplish everything they need from Microsoft Office and Internet Explorer. Beyond that (like your situation), look past them at laptops/desktops.

I doubt you even need a $2000 laptop for work. You could easily get by with $1000-1500 and spend the savings either on a tablet or extra monitor(s)/keyboard/dock/mouse for that laptop.

 

[testudo]

Not. Even. Close. 8 times the L3 cache should spell out the difference loud and clear.

You're using this for content production? You're going to need the Surface TypeCover which is $150 and you'll probably want a wireless mouse too which is another $50-100. I don't know how well those kinds of applications will run on Surface Pro hardware but I have no doubt that they will run. If I were you though, I'd want a much bigger screen which is another $200+ if you don't already have one. To stay inside your $2000 budget, you should probably be looking at the ~$1500 models.

Frankly, I think I would separate work and home--desktop for both.

Thanks.

Yes, it will be for web content production. I have a bluetooth mouse and a monitor. I will not have to buy anything but the SP3 and the Type Cover. I also have a 3 x USB 3.0 + Gigabyte Ethernet hub/adapter that will act as a sort of dock and a Display Port adapter. I have a gaming rig at home. I do not want to build one for work. Although, I could probably do it pretty cheap and just get a tablet for media and gaming/streaming. I think my problem is that I really dig the concept of the SP3, but I cannot see spending that much on something that will essentially be just a tablet. For the price of the SP3, it would have to be for work and home/play.

I like the idea of having a bring-your-own device concept for work. If I can have the best of both worlds, I would be a happy camper.

 

[FordGT90Concept]

I made a lot of edits, please read.