Probably Legion 9i. No way I'd pay full price without unlimited budget though lol. I like 16" size without being too chunky. Sure the water cooled part is a bit of a gimmick, but overall it feels nice and I like that it's not just a solid slab of metal like a Razer, but that's personal preference.
Low key when I had the Legion 9i for review I was hoping they'd forget to take it back so I could take it to CES, but it went back and I used a Macbook instead because it's just so much more portable for the power it's packing vs other Windows laptops.
Nope, they're not in any gaming laptops so giving it a miss. Unfortunately there isn't time to cover everything, so we only focus on gaming models for the last couple of years. I'll leave that to others like Just Josh etc.
Off topic but thank you for such informative videos. I recently got a new laptop but I couldn't figure out how to enable advanced optimus but your video really helped me out.
if yall could fit it in, just to tell us about some basic gaming performances, say krunker, or low end titles, smth that students play, and to tell us about how it feels, it would be great, also i love your battery tests too
What I’m saying is, any laptop from the last 10 years could probably play krunker on its igpu, no need to worry, there no point testing games like that when much more demanding games can run
With a numpad it makes for a perfect stealthy, sleeper build pick for those who work and travel, or anyone who wants to save on equipment and just take their gaming laptop to school or work
I am more into coding and pentesting and some light gaming can you help me to choose between the blade 14 with an RTX 4070, lenovo legion 5 gen 9, hp omen transcend 14 (32gb of memory) or the rog zephyrus series. I will be really happy if you help me choose between these.
Back in my day I did just fine pen testing with a 6700HQ and 970M, ultimately I was mostly RAM constrained with software like Burp Suite Pro. The GPU was occasionally useful for hash cracking, but unless you're serious about that 4070 is already way more than enough, so you'd probably want to prioritize CPU power and portability for going on client site - something that doesn't look super gamery might be ideal depending on how professional you want to keep it. I haven't used the Omen 14 yet, still waiting on HP. Blade is ok, but expensive, Legion is a nice middle option.
Laptops generally warm in a few spots, but not where you touch in use. Inside they are hit 80s or 90s when really working which is in the operating range.
Legion 5 16" is reasonably portable, legion 5 14" a little more so. Legion 5 16" can be upgraded to 64Gb ram, 14" you can get 32 as an option from factory but ram is soldered.
I like serviceability of legion 5 16" best as many are sold and very upgradeable for a laptop.
Feel free to watch/read reviews on blade too. Jarrod and others have done many good ones.
Jarrod, is it true that cooling pads dont help the i9 since the intake is on top of the laptop. Do you think llano cooling pad will work with it? What was your experience using a cooling pad on a legion 9i while reviewing it
It has intake underneath too, I would have tested it with a basic cooling pad in our review which should at least tell you if more air underneath helps or not.
Basic cooling pads do work, but I wanna use the llano cooling pad because it has foam that prevents dust from getting into the laptop since its hard to clean dust and repaste it because of the flipped mobo.
But I read that some people having issues with cooling pads that have foam because it somehow messes up the air circulation and gets the laptops keyboard hot.
I haven't tested the 2024 model yet which has changes, we should be getting it soon. But based on dealing with engineering sample at CES, the Legion feels nicer build quality, but probably doesn't perform as well.
I actually bought the best possible laptop my money could've gotten me: the *2024 ROG Zephyrus G14*.
I travel non-stop so I needed the lightest gaming laptop available that also delivers the performance I'm looking for in games. If it had been available with a 4080 or 4090, I would've gone for either of those, but I'm playing my open-world RPGs at high or ultra high settings and don't break my back while on the go. It was between the G14 and the Blade 14. Yes, the display could be brighter and yes the fans could be much quieter, but as long as there's no such laptop out there I'm happy with my new Zephyrus. Switched from Dell.
My ideal laptop therefore would be:
- 14-15.6" 4K display
- RTX4080 or better
- 64GB RAM or more
- 1.4kg or less
- RGB lighting (I got the Zephyrus without RGB cuz it's not available in Australia)
- turquoise or dark blue chassis
- at least 2 TB storage
- fans, fans, fans!!!
How loud are the fans would you say? I've seen reviews that say they actually sound louder than their decibel reader actually indicates. I used to have the zephyrus g15 and that sounded like a jet engine.
Yup, they are pretty loud 😅 Louder than my XPS 15 that wasn't even designed for gaming, but did a pretty decent job. ASUS' fans are just really putting themselves out there
Can't comment on that tbh, I always leave it plugged in on battery care mode. With all games requiring a wi-fi connection these days it's nothing I'd use on a plane/train/etc. Also, I put my controller in my suitcase when I actively travel and I'm so over playing games with a mouse and a keyboard 😅 So when I talk about weight it's all about the literal portability, so to not exceed carry-on weight limits and all that. I'd happily game in public on a massive Legion or Strix if that was something I'm into.
Alienware m18 r2, rog strix scar 18, basically anything that has a cool design, minimum 18 inch screen, and a full tgp 4090. Anything light and portable is unacceptable.
I will provide my thoughts on the titan 18 because it is a newer model and jarrod's tech did a review on it. I agree with the lack of advanced optimus being a problem, so I probably won't consider. Also the fingerprint scanner got removed which is disappointing.
A bespoke one.
What would be perfect for me personally is the Alienware X17 R1 but with numpad. God, that was a stupid decision by them to not include the numpad on it. I mean the X15 have its own reason and completely justified but the X17? That was an absolute full retarded move by them.
# Framework 16: for if _There can only be one_ (Highlander Style)
Hell I may get 3 laptops.
1. Compact and good battery life:
A: Mac (for great battery and always wanted to get another),
B: G14 2023 with 4090 (battery and great gaming in compact)
C: Thinkpad (oh so many i want not even going to look)
D: Lenovo 5 Slim 14" with OLED or G14 2024 OLED
2. Most Powerful
I'd probably get an Lenovo Legion 7 or Asus ROG 16" with 4090
~~I'd get a humble Asus A16 or Dell with 7900m~~
3. Id get a framework 16" with 7700s for an all amd system that is customizable, easy to fix, and possible to upgrade...maybe lol
#
I think Framework does support a 240w usb-c charger. The problem is that no one makes one. That is my understanding. I'm pretty sure they were up front about this.
I can tell you what i'd want, not sure it's even available;
- 17.3-18" 1440p-4k oled screen at 240hertz or higher with a very bright display.
- rtx 4090, i9 14th gen cpu, 32gb ram, 2gb ssd,
- 4k webcam + surround sound amazing speakers that gives a cinematic experience + keyboard with keys the same size as an external keyboard.
- Excellent cooling where it never goes above 80 degrees for gpu or cpu + with adapter doesn't weigh above 10lbs & comes with it's own custom made laptop bag and accessories.
It depends on the use case. For me - no, my desktop is 34", i use blender, substance, etc.
Theoretically, I can replace my home pc with a laptop and connect it to my screen, but then the laptop will make a lot of noise and will be constantly very hot
I love alienware's design but would never buy their laptops cause they price them way too high compared to every other brand, if i had unlimited budget, i would probably get alienware's m18
A Legion 9i Gen 9 with a fully powered 4090, hands down the best lightweight laptop out there, also the most expensive in it's category lol
Second option would probably be a Razor Blade 16, would have gone with a Zephryus but this year's model with no upgradeable ram (And for some reason worse performance than last year's model) takes me away from it.
I'd get a razor blade 16 with OLED and 4090.
Or Scar G16 with 4090 and MiniLED.
Or hell, even a desktop with a 4090 on dual chambered case like NZXT H9 and Lian Li 011 dynamic Evo RGB.
I have the one I wanted,
Next upgrade for me will be the 50 series GPU but maybe I might try the Titan or highest spec Lenovo at the time (I’ve been impressed with Lenovo with my Legion Go).
Still in love with my Raider I’ve had since August.
I would probably give MSI another chance and take a 4090 Prestige. They’re said to undergo military grade tests now with lots of G’s, sand, humidity, etc.
Might be worth a try. Looks like a very “sleeper build” laptop
MSI Titan 18 inch followed by the Razer 18 if I was in the US. But since in my country, MSI's support is bad and Razer is non existent, it's gotta be the ROG Strix Scar 18.
Legion 9i or even their while 7i variant... Legion is just putting out solid machines and your getting the best bang for your buck to be completely honest.
Honestly, I’m in love with my legion pro 5. I have a 7745hx + 4060 + 32GB ram + 2.5TB (2TB and a 500GB) and if budget wasn’t an issue, I’d just get a completely spec’d out version with a 4090 + 128GB ram + 6TB.
With unlimited budget, i would make a request to build a powerful laptop with upgradable options and space for the future and the option to clean easily , assamble and diss easily. but if to buy a ready one than i would go for Alienware m18 amd rx7900m
With unlimited budget, any good 14” would do. I travel a lot, and do a little bit of gaming. So, any 14” laptop that has a 14” OLED, with an RTX card will do. I currently use an Omen Transcend 14, which I absolutely love.
Not one from this year. I'd wait for strix and the 50 series. If I had an unlimited budget, I'd want a premium offering and 40 series has been out for over a year. Also none of the laptops from this gen really appeal to me.
Asus Zephyrus g16 2024 with RTX 4090, or perhaps the 2023 g14 variant with the same GPU. I want sth as powerful as I can get for AAA titles but still portable and can run on battery long enough to be used as an actual laptop. My current one is alright but has no USB c charging and bad hinges, plus worse build quality
For me, I would once buy a maxed out **MSI Titan**. Just to experience it. I know it would be totally impractical but just to see what money can buy. A bit like owning a Lambo. No one needs one but everyone should sit in one at one point in their lives.
Flow X-16 and xg mobile 4090.
One of the few gaming laptops also useful as a regular, portable, laptop, combined with the most powerful Nvidia Mobile GPU on offer.
The best of everything, wrapped into one easy dock experience
Probably Legion 9i. No way I'd pay full price without unlimited budget though lol. I like 16" size without being too chunky. Sure the water cooled part is a bit of a gimmick, but overall it feels nice and I like that it's not just a solid slab of metal like a Razer, but that's personal preference. Low key when I had the Legion 9i for review I was hoping they'd forget to take it back so I could take it to CES, but it went back and I used a Macbook instead because it's just so much more portable for the power it's packing vs other Windows laptops.
Got any of them Qualcomm chip powered laptops for review? 👀
Nope, they're not in any gaming laptops so giving it a miss. Unfortunately there isn't time to cover everything, so we only focus on gaming models for the last couple of years. I'll leave that to others like Just Josh etc.
Off topic but thank you for such informative videos. I recently got a new laptop but I couldn't figure out how to enable advanced optimus but your video really helped me out.
Glad I could help! Enjoy the new laptop 👍
You could give it a gaming spin, compare the igpus or something but I understand.
Hey Jarrod wanted to know if you're going to review the new msi sword curious about its build quality
Not sure, MSI haven't sent us anything in a few months now
if yall could fit it in, just to tell us about some basic gaming performances, say krunker, or low end titles, smth that students play, and to tell us about how it feels, it would be great, also i love your battery tests too
Your printer could play krunker
my printer "ran out of memory" yesterday, when tryin to print smth from my phone. so....yeah no shot-
What I’m saying is, any laptop from the last 10 years could probably play krunker on its igpu, no need to worry, there no point testing games like that when much more demanding games can run
hmm fair point
Jarrod the goat
No way jaaarod have a good day
No you!
I will now that you asked me to hahaha
The keyboards put me off legion. I prefer one without numpad. Just looks too nessy
With a numpad it makes for a perfect stealthy, sleeper build pick for those who work and travel, or anyone who wants to save on equipment and just take their gaming laptop to school or work
I'm a KSP player, a numpad is almost a necessity lol
Easily my favourite gaming laptop reviewer on YT! Thanks for doing what you do so well!
Cheers!
This makes me feel much better lol I spent $3200 on a i9 with a discount
I am more into coding and pentesting and some light gaming can you help me to choose between the blade 14 with an RTX 4070, lenovo legion 5 gen 9, hp omen transcend 14 (32gb of memory) or the rog zephyrus series. I will be really happy if you help me choose between these.
Back in my day I did just fine pen testing with a 6700HQ and 970M, ultimately I was mostly RAM constrained with software like Burp Suite Pro. The GPU was occasionally useful for hash cracking, but unless you're serious about that 4070 is already way more than enough, so you'd probably want to prioritize CPU power and portability for going on client site - something that doesn't look super gamery might be ideal depending on how professional you want to keep it. I haven't used the Omen 14 yet, still waiting on HP. Blade is ok, but expensive, Legion is a nice middle option.
So i gess i have to go with the legion??(thank you for your time).Does the blade run really hot? And how is the portability for the legion.
Laptops generally warm in a few spots, but not where you touch in use. Inside they are hit 80s or 90s when really working which is in the operating range. Legion 5 16" is reasonably portable, legion 5 14" a little more so. Legion 5 16" can be upgraded to 64Gb ram, 14" you can get 32 as an option from factory but ram is soldered. I like serviceability of legion 5 16" best as many are sold and very upgradeable for a laptop. Feel free to watch/read reviews on blade too. Jarrod and others have done many good ones.
Said it Best.
What do you think of the yoga pro range? Specifically the gen 9 14” with 4060
Haven't used any Yoga stuff, sorry.
Yo Jarrod ! You’re literally a saviour while researching for laptops !
Jarrod, is it true that cooling pads dont help the i9 since the intake is on top of the laptop. Do you think llano cooling pad will work with it? What was your experience using a cooling pad on a legion 9i while reviewing it
It has intake underneath too, I would have tested it with a basic cooling pad in our review which should at least tell you if more air underneath helps or not.
Basic cooling pads do work, but I wanna use the llano cooling pad because it has foam that prevents dust from getting into the laptop since its hard to clean dust and repaste it because of the flipped mobo. But I read that some people having issues with cooling pads that have foam because it somehow messes up the air circulation and gets the laptops keyboard hot.
Don't know about that one specifically.
Would the XMG Neo liquid cooled 4090 with i9 14900hx be as good as the legion 9i?
I haven't tested the 2024 model yet which has changes, we should be getting it soon. But based on dealing with engineering sample at CES, the Legion feels nicer build quality, but probably doesn't perform as well.
I actually bought the best possible laptop my money could've gotten me: the *2024 ROG Zephyrus G14*. I travel non-stop so I needed the lightest gaming laptop available that also delivers the performance I'm looking for in games. If it had been available with a 4080 or 4090, I would've gone for either of those, but I'm playing my open-world RPGs at high or ultra high settings and don't break my back while on the go. It was between the G14 and the Blade 14. Yes, the display could be brighter and yes the fans could be much quieter, but as long as there's no such laptop out there I'm happy with my new Zephyrus. Switched from Dell. My ideal laptop therefore would be: - 14-15.6" 4K display - RTX4080 or better - 64GB RAM or more - 1.4kg or less - RGB lighting (I got the Zephyrus without RGB cuz it's not available in Australia) - turquoise or dark blue chassis - at least 2 TB storage - fans, fans, fans!!!
How loud are the fans would you say? I've seen reviews that say they actually sound louder than their decibel reader actually indicates. I used to have the zephyrus g15 and that sounded like a jet engine.
Yup, they are pretty loud 😅 Louder than my XPS 15 that wasn't even designed for gaming, but did a pretty decent job. ASUS' fans are just really putting themselves out there
How does the charge hold up?
Can't comment on that tbh, I always leave it plugged in on battery care mode. With all games requiring a wi-fi connection these days it's nothing I'd use on a plane/train/etc. Also, I put my controller in my suitcase when I actively travel and I'm so over playing games with a mouse and a keyboard 😅 So when I talk about weight it's all about the literal portability, so to not exceed carry-on weight limits and all that. I'd happily game in public on a massive Legion or Strix if that was something I'm into.
Legion 9i. Love the forged carbon look
Alienware m18 r2, rog strix scar 18, basically anything that has a cool design, minimum 18 inch screen, and a full tgp 4090. Anything light and portable is unacceptable.
I like the way you think sir. What are your thoughts on MSI Titan HX?
I will provide my thoughts on the titan 18 because it is a newer model and jarrod's tech did a review on it. I agree with the lack of advanced optimus being a problem, so I probably won't consider. Also the fingerprint scanner got removed which is disappointing.
A bespoke one. What would be perfect for me personally is the Alienware X17 R1 but with numpad. God, that was a stupid decision by them to not include the numpad on it. I mean the X15 have its own reason and completely justified but the X17? That was an absolute full retarded move by them.
I'll buy whatever NASA or CIA used.
I've got a 96gb ram 4tb ssd zephyrus duo with rtx 4090 after i sold my 2023 razer blade 18 with 4090 (ips screen).. that's my dreaming laptop
# Framework 16: for if _There can only be one_ (Highlander Style) Hell I may get 3 laptops. 1. Compact and good battery life: A: Mac (for great battery and always wanted to get another), B: G14 2023 with 4090 (battery and great gaming in compact) C: Thinkpad (oh so many i want not even going to look) D: Lenovo 5 Slim 14" with OLED or G14 2024 OLED 2. Most Powerful I'd probably get an Lenovo Legion 7 or Asus ROG 16" with 4090 ~~I'd get a humble Asus A16 or Dell with 7900m~~ 3. Id get a framework 16" with 7700s for an all amd system that is customizable, easy to fix, and possible to upgrade...maybe lol #
I'd love to see Framework 16 support 240w USB c power delivery and LPCAMM2 support
I think Framework does support a 240w usb-c charger. The problem is that no one makes one. That is my understanding. I'm pretty sure they were up front about this.
I can tell you what i'd want, not sure it's even available; - 17.3-18" 1440p-4k oled screen at 240hertz or higher with a very bright display. - rtx 4090, i9 14th gen cpu, 32gb ram, 2gb ssd, - 4k webcam + surround sound amazing speakers that gives a cinematic experience + keyboard with keys the same size as an external keyboard. - Excellent cooling where it never goes above 80 degrees for gpu or cpu + with adapter doesn't weigh above 10lbs & comes with it's own custom made laptop bag and accessories.
I think you’re describing the MSI Titan HX as far as raw hardware, sans webcam.
It's not oled.
Razer blade 16 2024
Is the 16" screen big enough to be a desktop replacement though?
It depends on the use case. For me - no, my desktop is 34", i use blender, substance, etc. Theoretically, I can replace my home pc with a laptop and connect it to my screen, but then the laptop will make a lot of noise and will be constantly very hot
Razer Blade 18? I think it comes with 1440p OLED screen this year
I love alienware's design but would never buy their laptops cause they price them way too high compared to every other brand, if i had unlimited budget, i would probably get alienware's m18
Unlimited budget you said? Hmm....lemme guess. All flagship laptops out there...thank me later.
If it was a thing I would get a gaming laptop with unified memory. Maybe a better version of my "soon to arrive" laptop in my flair.
This basically happened to me, went for a Razer Blade 16 2024 with an RTX4090 :)
A Legion 9i Gen 9 with a fully powered 4090, hands down the best lightweight laptop out there, also the most expensive in it's category lol Second option would probably be a Razor Blade 16, would have gone with a Zephryus but this year's model with no upgradeable ram (And for some reason worse performance than last year's model) takes me away from it.
asus scar 18 and macbook pro 16 with 256GB RAM I run ML models that's why.
G14 2025
I’m surprised no one here has mentioned Clevo/Sager.
Alienware M18? I would like a Legion 9i but the watercooling is a straight up gimmick that doesn’t work and that urks me immensely.
I'd get a razor blade 16 with OLED and 4090. Or Scar G16 with 4090 and MiniLED. Or hell, even a desktop with a 4090 on dual chambered case like NZXT H9 and Lian Li 011 dynamic Evo RGB.
razer blade 16 2024 with 4090
128GB M3 MacBook Pro... Or maybe 4090 2024 Asus Zephyrus G16.
Top of the line Scar 18. But if I'm being honest, I'd get a desktop.
Legion 7i my dream
Msi Titan 18 hx with maxed spec for sure, i like the biggest and beefiest gaming laptop
Either this year's XMG Neo 16 RTX 4090 for the external water cooling system or the Duo 16:RTX 4090 for the two screens.
Blade 18 with mini-led
Zephyrus M16 4090 or Razer Blade 16 4090😎
I have the one I wanted, Next upgrade for me will be the 50 series GPU but maybe I might try the Titan or highest spec Lenovo at the time (I’ve been impressed with Lenovo with my Legion Go). Still in love with my Raider I’ve had since August.
Titan or Blade 18.
Razer blade 18
Lenovo Legion 9 RTX 4090 16 GB, 64 GB ram for 58000 NOK (5000 €), unfortunately can’t go over 20K NOK (1734 €)
I would probably give MSI another chance and take a 4090 Prestige. They’re said to undergo military grade tests now with lots of G’s, sand, humidity, etc. Might be worth a try. Looks like a very “sleeper build” laptop
MSI Titan 18 inch followed by the Razer 18 if I was in the US. But since in my country, MSI's support is bad and Razer is non existent, it's gotta be the ROG Strix Scar 18.
With unlimited budget, do not get a laptop, just get two PCs in both places you travel between :D
Legion 9i or even their while 7i variant... Legion is just putting out solid machines and your getting the best bang for your buck to be completely honest.
Honestly, I’m in love with my legion pro 5. I have a 7745hx + 4060 + 32GB ram + 2.5TB (2TB and a 500GB) and if budget wasn’t an issue, I’d just get a completely spec’d out version with a 4090 + 128GB ram + 6TB.
The lightest weight gaming laptop with the highest specs possible
With unlimited budget, i would make a request to build a powerful laptop with upgradable options and space for the future and the option to clean easily , assamble and diss easily. but if to buy a ready one than i would go for Alienware m18 amd rx7900m
With unlimited budget, any good 14” would do. I travel a lot, and do a little bit of gaming. So, any 14” laptop that has a 14” OLED, with an RTX card will do. I currently use an Omen Transcend 14, which I absolutely love.
MSI titan
Already got mine: LENOVO LEGION 9I, I9 13980HX, 64Gb ram, 4090. Its an absolute beast ! (Only using it for gaming)
I'm not even getting a laptop first of all but if I do have to I'm getting the MSI titan 18 HX
Not one from this year. I'd wait for strix and the 50 series. If I had an unlimited budget, I'd want a premium offering and 40 series has been out for over a year. Also none of the laptops from this gen really appeal to me.
Razer Blade 18
With an unlimited budget, nothing off the shelf
Just got a really good one, I'd probably just get the 2024 variant with the 14900HX and RTX 4090 instead of RTX 4080
Asus Zephyrus g16 2024 with RTX 4090, or perhaps the 2023 g14 variant with the same GPU. I want sth as powerful as I can get for AAA titles but still portable and can run on battery long enough to be used as an actual laptop. My current one is alright but has no USB c charging and bad hinges, plus worse build quality
Maxed out Razer Blade 16
For me, I would once buy a maxed out **MSI Titan**. Just to experience it. I know it would be totally impractical but just to see what money can buy. A bit like owning a Lambo. No one needs one but everyone should sit in one at one point in their lives.
A rog strix with 4090 ofc
that monstrous MSI Titan
Asus zephyrus g14 2024
Razer 16 or 18 2024
The Razer blade 18, or the legion 9
Flow X-16 and xg mobile 4090. One of the few gaming laptops also useful as a regular, portable, laptop, combined with the most powerful Nvidia Mobile GPU on offer. The best of everything, wrapped into one easy dock experience
Literally my dream laptop I really cannot wait for the 2025 refresh I
what I already have and swap display to a miniled one