Greetings!
I know this question may have been asked a thousand times before, but I'm gonna be a bit more specific about my question.
So in a few months I'm going to college(hopefully...) - computer science. So currently I'm using Asus ROG G75JW. Currently it's specs are:

-i7 4700HQ 2.4GHz

-8GB RAM

-GTX 765M (4gb)

-no ssd

A decent laptop but battery became quite powerhungry and it's heave like a fkin rhino ... So i'm thinking of buying a lighter computer. I need one with decent specs such as:
-Intel i5 6300HQ or higher around 2,6+ ghz prefferable
-8GB DDR4 RAM (I can add one in later if neccesary so an extra slot would be prefferable)
-nVidia GeForceGTX 960M (or something as solid as this one - But i'm an nvidia fanboy)
-SSD not required since i got one for my prom, so it's a moneysaver here

I'm willing to spend up to 1000€.

And since i'm from europe amazon wont count but you can post it's links and i compare the price.

I need a good workstation on which I can develop and test games. I'm mostly using Unity for development, Blender for models and Visual Studio for programming. I want something that can last a few lectures without shutting down on me so lets say a 4-6 cell battery. Currently I was looking at ASUS G551VW, which has solic specs:

-intel i5 6300 HQ

-8GB DDR4 RAM

-GTX 960M and

-6cell battery

I would like to know from your personal opinion or advice, which laptop could suit my standards and get me through college? Do you have anything that's better or equal to the one i posted for less money ? Please let me know :) Thanks in advance!

http://www.gamedev.net/topic/651967-best-laptop-for-game-development/

I'm posting this only because, (based on my skimming of it) offers pretty decent advice.

It all boils down to what type of games your planning on making, and that being said, no matter what games you plan on making, avoid laptops

whose chipsets ONLY offer an Intel Integrated GPU solution.

I have horror stories about the half-baked drivers Intel pushes out for those things, Iris may be different (And not entirely sure if Iris has made it's way to PCs, or is an exclusive to MAC machines, I'd have to check), but I wouldn't bank on it.

Newegg would be a good place to start. But insofar as dedicated gpu solutions in laptops, i'm not on the up, and up on the scene, but usually dedicated GPUs are

terrible for battery life, and can drain laptops within a couple of hours maybe far less depending on the load. This is why laptops usually come with a Intel Integrated Solution

as well as a dedicated solution, an AMD equivalent could be an AMD APU, and a dedicated Radeon co-processor.

This IC topology on the motherboard allows you to effectively toggle between two different modes. Battery Saver (In the class room, or in the office) falling back to the onboard acceleration, or High-Perfomance mode when it falls back to the dedicated solution.

If anybody feels the need to correct me, go for it. I haven't been on the laptop scene in awhile, just speaking off of memory.

EDIT: Frob's advise is much better than mine. Certain instructors I had at NIU wouldn't even let you bring in your own laptop. Even for certain CS courses.

Marcus

I would like to know from your personal opinion or advice, which laptop could suit my standards and get me through college?

What you posted should get you through a CS degree easily.

If power is a problem, sit next to a power outlet, or better bring an extension cord with several outlets so you and five others can share the power socket. Great for labs and locations around campus where you are likely to go.

As for DURING class, I'd recommend against taking notes on computer. Scientific studies recommend you avoid the laptop during class, too. With about 90% of the students getting distracted (turn to the electronics when bored, rather than actually listening when bored), and about 60% of students missing half or more of lectures when using laptops for "taking notes" (pronounced "goofing off") during class, you're best just bringing paper and pencil to class rather than your laptop.

Buy a PC if you can.

I've just bought Asus ROG G551JW about 3 weeks ago(I've added 8GB more RAM). It works flawlessly (so far). The 15'' screen isn't a big issue to me as I hook it to my 24'' monitor, and if when need (which is rarely) I unplug it and I'm still able to code on the laptop's screen.

I would like to know from your personal opinion or advice, which laptop could suit my standards and get me through college?

A 350EUR laptop could easily do that job,

Hi! Thanks for your responses. The problem is that the University has some issues with your work. For instance: If I were to program on my computer it would have troubles running the program on their's. And I had a little chat with my friends who attended to this university and everyone of them said I should get a laptop. I also took mac out of consideration because i grew fond of Microsoft Visual Studio ... Plus I'd be paying 30% more for 15 % worse specifications.

@markypooch I saw that thread, but when I realised it's kinda old I tried to avoid it. I'll take it to consideration! As for what types of game I would like to develop - Me and my friends are starting up a project of an open world survival game - more or less post-apocalyptic but no futuristic shizzle, adding as much content as possible - from parkour, to housing. So it's kind of a massive project and I would like something that could load up stuff nicely, without taking 35 minutes to import my assest before I can start doing something,

@frob This university is more or less based on what you can acomplis in their school. I'd kind of rather have my notes on my computer, then to get home, put them somewhere and never actually find them again ... This was my story through highschool so far.

@imoogiBG How "carry-friendly" is this ROG you bought? Is it heavy to carry around for a few hours?
As for "Buy a PC if you can" goes. I would love to, trust me. I'd kill to have a PC, but I feel like now is not the time to own one. I need something portable so I can work on everywhere I am. Be that on university, at some friends house... You name it. That's why I'm trying to avoid it for the next couple of years. But surely when I'm done, there's no doubt about buying one ...

Just my 2 cents:

Laptops which have high performance are usually very heavy as well, a 2kg laptop would not be good enough for any 3D programming on the other hand a high performance laptop is usually very very heavy and could be a problem to carry 4-5 hours. Also keep in mind that the weights mentioned on websites are based on laptop without battery and without the charger. Those high performance laptops usually have very heavy batteries and very very heavy chargers, I personally use a MSI Dragon Edition II which most of the time feels like carrying a desktop on my back =)

@imoogiBG How  "carry-friendly" is this ROG you bought? Is it heavy to carry around for a few hours?

It's kind of heavy-ish, but i think it's not going to be a problem.

EDIT: yes it is ROG with aluminium screen shield(it was probably a mistake as I gave 50EUR for that shield).

My work laptop is a 14" instead of 17.3" like that one, weighs less than half as much (including the charger, it's 2kg) and has a better i7 and GeForce than that one :wink:

May I ask which laptop you have at work ? I don't mind 14" screen. I'd buy a second screen eitherway ...