Is Alienware 15' the best laptop to play this game?

[aDOLPHINjoy18]

You can build it on their NZ website. Here are the specs:
15'6 Full HD anti glare display
Windows 10 64 bit (Direct x12 support operating system)
6th gen Intel Core i7-6700hq quad core CPU (this is a high end CPU released last year I think, don't argue about it)
16GB DDR4 2133Mhz RAM (16GB should be ample. According to Task Manager, it's the CPU that maxes out, but the PC only uses around 4-5GB RAM while playing this game. There is a 32GB RAM option but that will cost quite a bit more)
Graphics card options: (1) AMD R9 M395X 8GB GDDR5 graphics, or (2) GTX 980M 8GB GDDR5 graphics
Cost NZ$3,900-NZ$4,200.
I don't want a desktop as they are not mobile. Alienware shouldn't have an issue with overheating as it looks like it comes with big vents and 2 internal fans and it's bulkier than your average laptop.
PROS: now this looks like a gaming PC it has one of the latest AMD/GTX graphics cards. You can choose which colour you want the backlit keyboard to show. High end 6th gen Intel quad core CPU with hyperthreading.
CONS: Bulky, no DVD optical drive, expensive.

I have an HP ab222tx laptop I got new last year.
6th gen Intel Core i5-6200U CPU (only duo core but has hyperthreading and it's a 6th gen i5. It's funny how some older gen i5/i7 CPU's may be more powerful than newer version CPU's )
Windows 10
8GB DDR3L RAM
AMD Radeon R7 M360 2GB dedicated graphics.
I paid only NZ$1300 for it last year.
PROS: optical DVD drive, slim, weighs only about 1.9kg, sleek, white not dull black colour.
CONS: it can play The Sims 4 and Cities Skylines on High settings but frame rate can be dodgy around 19fps or something like that.

I noticed when I try to record gameplay with my Hauppauge HD PVR2, my PVR records distorted sound for short periods. But when I record Sims 4 or Cities Skylines, my PVR records sound fine. Maybe the specs requirements for this game are too much for my laptop especially with Hauppauge Capture running in the background. I watched another Youtuber and he said his screen recorder crashed while playing the game. I also have cyberlink powerdirector 14 (a picture in picture video editor) which also has a screen recorder, but it has very low frame rate. Where as my Hauppauge HD PVR2 records just fine except for the issue I mentioned earlier in this paragraph. In task manager, my CPU is maxed out where as RAM usage is only 4GB out of the 8GB RAM I have. My R7 graphics can handle the game in 1920x1080 low settings at roughly 20fps or if it's a busy park like 14fps.

I noticed theres quite a few of these can my PC run this game kind of posts on here. Manufacturers make PC's in so many different configurations. And not everyone can freely afford an expensive gaming rig which can easily cost thousands. I live in NZ, and the NZ$ is weaker compared to UK/US/Australian currency. I looked up ASUS and ACER brands. I think one of them is a Chinese company the other a taiwanees company. Dell is US, and I'm familiar with HP but HP just doesn't really make good gaming laptops. I saw an HP 15' laptop which comes in the same case build as my HP ab222tx laptop, It's the HP 15' Gaming Laptop with (wow, they decided to put a high end CPU in it for once) Intel Core i7 6700HQ CPU, but the drawbacks is gtx950 graphics (but it's a respectable 4GB not 2GB) and only 8GB DDR3 RAM. The laptop model is 15ak006tx which HP sells in NZ. HP sells this laptop worldwide it's just called a slightly different model I think.
I primarily game on Xbox 360 and Xbox One. Best thing about consoles is they're much cheaper than an expensive gaming rig PC. And can be just as fun. And no system requirements and people say they don't get viruses which is true to some degree. Genuine reports of viruses on genuine Xbox 360/1 consoles have been negligible.

 

[aDOLPHINjoy18]

I love this game and the ideas of it. Frontier also make Zoo Tycoon and Screamride for Xbox One. The water detail in Screamride Xbox One is excellent in detail! And.... smooth frame rate.
I love this game, but it's kinda sad you need a really good and what can be more expensive GPU and what may look like a more higher clocked quad core CPU which will probably run the game more easily compared to duo core CPU's to play it and get the most out of this game.
I think this statement can be true about the game:
"With that said, these system requirements are far more demanding than your typical tycoon game. That's probably because Planet Coaster isn't your typical game, and you can see from the various footage and screenshots released that it's packed with detail and has massive environments. As such, the minimum requirements are fairly steep for a management game, but compared to the AAA blockbusters out there they're a walk in the (theme park)."
http://www.game-debate.com/news/?ne...um System Requirements Are Under Construction
In fact, this game probably requires a fraction slightly more, more system requirements than even Cities Skylines.
But other than you need a good PC to play this game, at least it's good to know I can actually play it. Others have mentioned in different posts they have laptops like me whether it be a mac book or surface and are surprised they can play the game with duo core i5 processors with Intel HD skylake graphics with only like lower-medium level AMD/GTX GPU's.

 

[Bergenia Tanoak]

This game is still in development. There is still time for optimizations and efficiency improvements.

Regarding the laptop. Do you want a 15 inch screen? To me that might be a little small for daily use and or longer gaming sessions, 15 inch is certainly more portable.

The Nvidia GTX 980M is a mobile version of the graphics chip, and is nowhere near the speed of the "desktop" GTX 980. I don't think I'd be far off saying the 980M is 30% to 50% slower.

They do now put the "desktop" GTX 980 into laptops. So to answer your question, no that Alienware isn't the best because it has the mobile GTX 980M. For example MSI has the GT72 and GT80 laptops that have options for the "desktop" GTX 980. On this page all the laptops that say GTX 980 are significantly faster than the ones that say GTX 980M: https://gaming.msi.com/products/notebook/gt-series Here is an overview video of a few of the laptops with GTX 980 in them from LinusTechTips on Youtube: https://youtu.be/wNYvF3E2m04

Edit: Here is a review of the Sager laptop with the desktop GTX 980. This one actually shows the opening of the laptop, and how they go about dealing with the heat from these highend parts. https://youtu.be/NC2blnl0WTE

 

[MrCow]

DON'T GO WITH ALIEN WARE, EVER! its an overpriced brand and you pay waaay too much for what you get in return!!!

 

[veldor]

I have an Asus ROG laptop from 2015 and it is very well for Planet Coaster and the games you said that don't work well with your HP laptop BUT my asus ROG have had a screen problem etc. so it is risky. Maybe an alienware is a better option because the graphic card is 8gb graphics for the nvidia, that is better than the 3gb I have and it is better to take the alienware for the next games in ultra quality to 2020. Because my asus ROG is already not good for VR and dark souls III by example (which is buggy lol...) one year after my buy.

Or else it is better to have a tower that is not too big but which has the same specs that the alienware and that is cheaper.

 

[Ling]

Please don't spend almost $3000 on a gaming laptop. You will never be happy with it. Spend less than half of that on a PC which will run the game maxed at 1080p, even including monitor, speakers, and peripherals. Keep the portable small laptop for portable tasks. Keep the PC for gaming. You will be happier for it.

 

[aDOLPHINjoy18]

if you live in new zealand our dollar is weaker than other countries. to illustrate $1nz = half a british pound roughly. in new zealand you can find a pc laptop or desktop under 3000 and expect to play this game 1080p maxed out. you have to pay more.

 

[Manuel]

A friend bought an AlienWare some time ago..
And yes they are cool.. Yes they don't run hot (the scheme inside is build so air flows perfectly for gaming)..

But.. Our laptops run pretty much the same for less money.
I guess it really depends on the looks and how you like them.. (And how much money you can spend.)

 

[TheLighterDark]

Is a laptop necessity? If not you could shell out half the $ for twice the performance in a desktop.

 

[Manuel]

Is a laptop necessity? If not you could shell out half the $ for twice the performance in a desktop.

This is not always necessarily true. But yes Desktops are often cheaper..

I have both, and hardly use my desktop.. (Always gaming with friends @ friends places or mine.. with laptops )

 

[TheLighterDark]

This is not always necessarily true. But yes Desktops are often cheaper..

I have both, and hardly use my desktop.. (Always gaming with friends @ friends places or mine.. with laptops )

It almost certainly is true when you are comparing high-end gaming laptops to similar performance, custom built desktops dollar for dollar. Here's nearly the exact build I just made on pcpartpicker for less than half of the cost he's willing to pay for a laptop:

PCPartPicker part list

I understand the want for portable gaming, but there's just no way I could burn my pocket that deep when similar performance is readily available at a fraction of the cost.

 

[Nupol1]

Check out Shenker & Sager Notebooks

 

[jamesviago]

Please don't spend almost $3000 on a gaming laptop. You will never be happy with it. Spend less than half of that on a PC which will run the game maxed at 1080p, even including monitor, speakers, and peripherals. Keep the portable small laptop for portable tasks. Keep the PC for gaming. You will be happier for it.

but a PC and monitor won't fit in my carry-on luggage, and won't run if i don't plug it in. . .

 

[aDOLPHINjoy18]

Laptops are mobile which means it's easier to use in the kitchen/lounge/back yard, and taking it to school and work or to a friends place it's mobile and for when on holidays. Has anyone seen someone carting around a desktop on the street? [uhh]Sure they're powerful but not mobile.
I agree, a high end PC with better specs can be expensive. Retailers in NZ don't really sell good gaming laptops. But Alienware have better specs than ASUS.
DDR4 RAM 16 or 32GB RAM, High end mobile graphics cards for laptops like 8GB (not only 1,2,3,or 4GB) of dedicated video cards AMD R9 M395X or GTX 980M. I don't believe the M versions to be as much as 50% slower than desktop versions, I think that person was overexagerating. Notebookcheck GTX 980M it's considered a high end GPU for laptops. But at least such a laptop could run this game at a smooth 35fps on 1920x1080 High Settings. Since the system is getting support from a 6th gen Intel Core i7-6700HQ which according to notebookcheck is a high end CPU and according to Task Manager Windows 10, games will make your CPU work harder.
But I'll settle with my HP 15-ab222tx. It was the first laptop in NZ to release with Windows 10 AND a 6th gen Intel CPU. Last year retailers in NZ were still selling a lot of Windows 8.1 PC's and 5th gen Intel CPU's. My ab222tx is white and thin not dull black colour and has an optical drive. The Intel HD 520 can play The Sims 4 on High Settings, Cities Skylines on Low, but.... Planet Coaster on 1920x1080 Low settings at only 2fps. My R7 2GB graphics card which my PC also has can play Planet Coaster 1920x1080 Low at a more better 19fps roughly.
Prices you pay for better PC's are different for different countries. New Zealanders have to pay more for a better system since the NZ$ is weaker than Australia/US/UK. Alienware is like the only retailer in New Zealand that sells powerful laptops. with [squeeeeee]8GB high end AMD/GTX graphics mobile cards. It's selling for approximately NZ$3,900 which is equivalent to approximately almost 2,000 British pounds. HP NZ doesn't sell very good laptops or desktops. Usually it's i5-6200u or i5-6400T or i7-6500u an i7 processor which is only dual core not quad core (physical cores) and the GPU's are like AMD R7 360 or mobile version, or GTX M950 which is only medium tier mobile GPU compared to GTX M980 which is GDDR5 not DDR3.
I guess desktops are cheaper. Alienware NZ has one going for approx. NZ$2,800 which has only 4GB GTX 970 or slightly cheaper with the R9 370 4GB GPU, 16GB DDR4 2133Mhz RAM, and i7-6700HQ quad core CPU. They may have a sell on Queens Birthday I think I'll just wait until the price comes down to NZ$1999, In NZ, that is a good buy for a good gaming PC. NZ$1999 is the equivalent of about 900 British pounds. But it doesn't include a monitor, but it includes a keyboard and mouse. In NZ, monitors can cost $199-$399. Yes the price we pay for things in NZ is expensive that's why many are moving to Australia.
http://www.dell.com/nz/p/alienware-x51-r3/pd?ref=PD_OC#overrides=y2115a2nz:6~GTX970
This product excludes monitor and PC speakers I think. But it's better than paying like NZ$4,000. I've even seen some gaming rigs which are like $10,000 or $5,000 (not just in NZ/Australia).
I will NOT get the Alienware LAPTOP. I will look into getting the Alienware Desktop as it's cheaper and the best brand in New Zealand. HP NZ sells WEAK desktops/laptops. Their Gaming Laptop has only 8GB RAM and GTX 950M.
I might look up some info regarding AMD R9 370 and GTX 970. To the peps who recommend Desktop, Thanks heaps. All I thought of them were that they are not mobile. [happy]
Who knows, I may save up for a desktop I should have enough by the end of this year or mid this year. I should avoid using my savings money. But yeah desktops are cheaper. The desktop could be for gaming and my laptop for everyday.

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Thanks everyone for your replies.
I will look into getting the alienware DESKTOP which sells for around NZ$2700 in NZ. They're the best brand/retailer in NZ!! Better than forking out $4000 for a laptop equivalent. I'll wait for sells throughout the year like Queens Birthday etc wait for the price to dip to NZ$1999 which if you live in NZ, that is a bargain, it's like 900 pounds for a GOOD high end gaming laptop. I always thought of high end gaming PC's as too expensive to afford. But some research can go a long way[happy]

 

[rbrucemtl]

Bad idea to get a Alienware desktop.... way too proprietary and way too expensive being stuck with their hard to upgrade non standard cases. I would get a standard PC, they my not look as good but more practical, less expensive, and way more flexible, you can upgrade them when ever using standard PC parts. Good luck updating the graphics and power supply in that slim water-cooled Alianware case a year or two down the road.

Laptops are portable but that's a big sacrifice too not really experience gaming to it's fullest. Try gaming on a 27" 144hz freesync quadHD gaming monitor on a desktop with a AMD Fury X then go back to a laptop. ouch.

 

[aDOLPHINjoy18]

I think its an ok device. I'm not a hardcore gamer. I play mainly on Xbox 360 and Xbox One. I just need something which can play The Sims 4, Cities Skylines, and Planet Coaster on 1080p High settings easily at 30+fps. I watched some YouTube videos of the alien x51 someone spawned 500 creepers in minecraft and the game was still running smoothly. It has a high end 6th gen Intel i7 6700 with a highish clock speed. I don't want overclocked. And according to Windows 10 Task Manager, games are CPU intensive and the 6th gen i7 quad core CPU which is high end according to notebookcheck. When I play the Alpha on my HP 15-ab222tx Windows 10 task manager says my system is using only 3.9/4GB RAM. It doesn't have to be the BEST system according to a PC gamer fanatic. It just should be able to play 2015/2016 games on High settings easily with smooth framerate like 30fps+. As for the Upgrade options, alienware do have an amplifier where you could change the GPU card or something but I think the 4GB of GTX 970 which has a higher bandwidth than the PS4, should be good enough. As for case size younger people may like slim. I'm one of them. I also prefer a brand I kind of know. These include HP Intel AMD Microsoft and after some research, Dell. It will come with a warranty though and you can extend it too. And in Australia and New Zealand, we have good consumer protection legislation here regarding our consumer rights. So if the product overheats and we use the device in an adequately vented area and according to the manual, then Dell is required to service it free of charge. I also watched a YouTube video of alienware themselves showing the 51x and also an Nvidia staff member dressed in Nvidia official uniform talking about the GTX 970 graphics card.

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That model is selling for around NZ$2700 which isn't too expensive. I've seen a lot more expensive rigs which are around Australian $4,000+. I've noticed Dell regularly have sells like free memory upgrade. I think 16GB DDR4 21333Mhz RAM is fine enough for my needs. I saw rigs from the UK and US selling for $5,000+.

 

[aDOLPHINjoy18]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPIDLF39DD4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1LQZI7c7Ng
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsU8xM3Bh0Q
It just needs to fit my needs. Play Planet Coaster, CIties Skylines and The Sims 4 on High settings at 1920x1080p resolution easily at 30fps+. If it can do this, then I'm happy enough.

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and with the alienware X51 or something, it's desktop, and another fun thing is you can change the LED (or LCD) lighting colour, white, green, yellow, red, etc. GTX 970 has a bandwidth of over 200GB/s which is higher than PS4's 176GB/s bandwidth. And it has a high end quad core respectable 6th gen Intel Core i7 CPU. Yes, I think I like this system. And Dell sells it from NZ$2700. Laptops sold in NZ for this amount can't compete with this alienware x51. That's why I'm hyped about it. I use to be against Desktops since they're not portable, but I can keep my HP 15-ab222tx for everyday and have a gaming rig which can play PC games.

 

[aDOLPHINjoy18]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77q9tJoSv6w
http://www.dell.com/nz/p/alienware-x51-r3/pd?ref=PD_OC
It has a high end respectable 6th gen Intel Core i7 6700 quad core CPU and GTX 970 4GB dedicated GDDR5 RAM the GTX 970 has a higher bandwidth (over 200GB/s) than PS4 (176GB/s).
I love how you can change the LED lighting colours, the slimness, and it'll fit my needs for The Sims 4, Cities Skylines, and Planet Coaster. And it's priced from NZ$2,800. Dell has sells regularly so I'm eager to consider getting this.
Alienware x51 Desktop gaming PC.
Someone mentioned alienware desktops are cheaper than laptops. I stayed away from desktops because they're not mobile. But they're right. Desktops are cheaper than good laptops. I'll be upgrading this year asap but I'll still keep my HP 15'ab222tx laptop which I use everyday it's slim, white, has optical drive. If the product overheats under New Zealand and Australian Consumer Gaurantees legislation if used and stored properly and overheats, Dell is required to fix it free of charge. Sony makes the PS4 compact too. Some people want slim and that's what they've made. It looks great from YouTube videos and the hardware inside it is for sure good enough.

And to the person who said desktops are cheaper, thank you! The alienware x51 looks like it will be a nice thing to own instead of putting up with depressing sub par performance on my laptop. I'll keep my laptop for everyday purposes though.

 

[Ling]

I don't know why you are so fixated on i7s. They will not help you in the slightest. You probably don't even need an i5. Meanwhile the graphics cards in these builds you're talking about are either old or low-end. I don't know what the individual parts market is like in NZ, but it can't be 3~4x as expensive as in the states (even considering it's about 4 NZ : 3 USD). Yes the LEDs are all well and good but don't think that you're somehow getting the best of all possible worlds in this stupidly expensive laptop. I made the mistake of getting an Alienware laptop in high school with this exact logic, and it was useless in two years. The CD drive broke so I couldn't restore the OS anymore (this was early WinXP days). It even had SLI, which should have made it top-of-the-line, but it started struggling with modern games after a year. And don't think that it's going to be truly portable. These are heavy, big laptops with huge power bricks and terrible batteries. You will need to be plugged in all the time if you're doing anything other than web browsing on it. Also no matter how good the airflow in a laptop is purported to be, it's going to get seriously hot. There's just not that much space to have copper tubing and proper fans. ❤︎❤︎❤︎❤︎, even the very-underpowered Surface tablets have heat issues, and their fans sound like jet turbines.

In the end, it's your money, but there's a reason most people will tell you to steer clear of Alienware - many of us thought exactly like this, tried it, and got burned. Save the money, do it yourself, and you'll end up with something much better (and remote-controlled LEDs are a few bucks; not worth an extra $1000).

 

[aDOLPHINjoy18]

I WILL BE CONSIDERING GETTING THE ALIENWARE X51 THIS YEAR.
If you live in New Zealand you will know what our retailers are like. The x51 option lets you customize what you want in it and it's branded. I think only middle aged people who work in IT would be more confident in building their own systems than younger less experience people like me would be. I'll consider other desktops if NZ retailers have one. I do not want to order a system from the US/UK.
I was hoping to change the title of this Thread but can't.
The x51 has 6th gen Intel Core i7 6700 CPU which is CURRENTLY a HIGH END CPU. It also has 4GB GDDR5 Nvidia GTX 970 graphics card which is also CURRENTLY a HIGH END GPU. I looked up reports in order to try and bottleneck the 4GB GTX 970 you have to play very demanding 2015/2016 games in 4k ultra settings.
What I want is a system which looks cute and can play The Sims 4, Cities Skylines, and Planet Coaster in 1920x1080p High Settings with 40fps+. And from my research and videos on YouTube, the GTX 970 can handle it. CPU's are not important? If you check Windows 10 Task Manager, you'll find games are CPU intensive. When playing the PC games I mentioned above, I'm only using about 4GB RAM and sometimes 5.2GB RAM with Cities Skylines. And that's not just the game using the RAM. It includes the system and Windows 10 running in the background.
Windows 10 is a great OS it has Direct 12x support. And with games demanding better hardware, Direct 12X Support and a quad core high end CPU helps.
To those who say NZ$2,700 is too steep, check out Noel Leeming NZ, JB Hi Fi NZ and other authorized retailers in NZ. If we were to break down the x51 alienware hardware individual costs approximately, they would be as follows:

GTX 970 GPU: US$329 (Gforce.com site) = NZ477.29 google currency convertor.
alienware lists the GTX 970 option at NZ$780.85.... ok, rip off here.
Intel i7 6700 CPU: US$312 (INTEL's site) = NZ$452.57 google currency convertor.
Standard keyboards in NZ sell easily for NZ$40
Standard mouse in NZ sell easily for NZ$30
Desktop case in NZ sell easily for NZ$50
16GB DDR4 2133Mhz RAM may easily sell for NZ$300
Motherboard may easily sell in NZ for NZ$500.
I read in an HP NZ's site's Forum that replacing a motherboard on a laptop can cost NZ$600.
DVD drive may easily sell in NZ for NZ$90.
Ventilation fan may easily sell in NZ for NZ$60 it has circuitry in it.
Microsoft OS retail versions sell easily in NZ for NZ$129.99 approx.
1TB HDD in NZ definitely sell easily for around NZ$110 (and those are 5400rpm drives. a 7200rpm HDD which alienware has lets say add NZ$130.
All other hardware ports like USB etc which the X51 has, say easily add NZ$100.
Lets add this up after google currency conversion.

CPU: 452.57
GPU: 477.29
1TB HDD: 130
16GB DDR4 2133Mhz RAM: 300
Maybe add 20 for the fancy packaging box the x51 comes in.
Then we have to NZ GST which is 15% those American devices CPU/GPU
GPU NZ tax excess (477.29x15%): 71.59
CPU NZ tax excess (452.57x15%): 67.89
OS: 129.99
Fan: 60
Keyboard: 40
Mouse: 30
Desktop case: 50
Motherboard: 500
___________________________ Grand total in NZ currency: $2,329.33 approximately.
And on alienware's site it's $2700 approximately. But it's best for certain customers especially if they're not well versed on building a PC by themselves, if they get a professional brand to build and offer their products rather than build your own PC from scratch which isn't branded. 5 years ago I damaged my old laptop's 1366x768 screen and HP NZ charged NZ$500 for a replacement screen. It does cost company extra to source hardware materials and the labour that goes into building a product which is why they're selling the product a few more hundred more than 2,329.

Watch this video. It shows how well the Nvidia Geforce GTX 970 can play this game. While watching the video on your browser, change the video quality in the video to 1080p. After watching the video in the link at maximum resolution which the video is playable in, tell me if you think the GTX 970 is a low end GPU or not if it can do this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77q9tJoSv6w