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So I decided to move away from my clunky desktop and get something much lighter but equally(almost) capable.
I need it for my work(software dev) and some light gaming.
Here are the specs I compiled so far:
CPU: quad core with hyperthreading, 7700hq, 6700hq but not 8550U since it doesn't boost all cores
Screen: 15 inch matte IPS 1080p or higher
GPU: GTX 1050 Ti or lower
RAM: 16GB or upgradable to 16GB
SSD: 128GB or higher
HDD: 1TB or higher
Budget: up to $1200

Needs to have a cooling decent enough to prevent throttling. Weight is not really a concert unless it weighs 5kg.
And international warranty is a must. I'm not from the US.

Cheers.

Lenovo Y520 isn't a bad option for what you're after.

It's reasonably understated for a gaming laptop and it's a plastic chassis model that's on the better build-quality side of things. Being plastic obviously makes it cheaper and around a pound lighter than the magnesium/aluminium options.

IIRC, all the screen options are 1080p 15.6" matte IPS
I've ordered a couple in the last few months with 7700K and GTX1060 but you can get them with 1050 or 1050Ti too.
Importantly, the keyboard is reasonable and the cooling is quiet.

Typically models ship with a 1TB mechanical, a 128GB M.2 SSD, 8GB of DDR4-2400 and an empty DIMM slot to add another. The chipset will support 32GB in 2x16GB config if you discard the original module.

Chrispy_ wrote:

Lenovo Y520 isn't a bad option for what you're after.

It's reasonably understated for a gaming laptop and it's a plastic chassis model that's on the better build-quality side of things. Being plastic obviously makes it cheaper and around a pound lighter than the magnesium/aluminium options.

IIRC, all the screen options are 1080p 15.6" matte IPS
I've ordered a couple in the last few months with 7700K and GTX1060 but you can get them with 1050 or 1050Ti too.
Importantly, the keyboard is reasonable and the cooling is quiet.

Typically models ship with a 1TB mechanical, a 128GB M.2 SSD, 8GB of DDR4-2400 and an empty DIMM slot to add another. The chipset will support 32GB in 2x16GB config if you discard the original module.

I have considered that one. What put me off is the bad stuff I read about the screen. Namely the PWM flickering.

https://www.notebookcheck.net/Lenovo-Le ... oc-display

Screen PWM is at almost 22KHz, according to Notebookcheck. They do some pretty in-depth testing on the screens and it's a decent one, if not amazing. The response times aren't great but for a 60Hz laptop panel they're pretty average and you need to go TN or hideously overpriced G-Sync to get response-time focused displays.

In terms of other options, the Dell XPS is way overbudget for your spec requirements, I used to have an Inspiron 7559 which had a spongy keyboard and bad IPS screen (clouding/poor black levels). The successors (7567 and 7577) are much better in both regards and meet your spec/budget nicely.

The other option that reviews well is an Acer VX 15 which is an $800 base option but it's bit "gaming" in terms of styling and size/weight. I was interested in one but they only came with TN panels over here, so I've never seen/used one - unlike the Y520, XPS, and Inspiron options mentioned above. You can certainly configure one with an i7, 16GB, 1050Ti, 1TB/256GB combo and still get change from $1200 though.

I ended up buying a Dell Inpiron Gaming 7567.
Quick specs :
7700HQ, 16 GB RAM, 512 GB NVME SSD, GTX 1050 Ti 4GB and a 4k screen.
So far so good but I've only had it for couple of hours. I will post more once I've used it for a while.

PrincipalSkinner wrote:

I ended up buying a Dell Inpiron Gaming 7567.
Quick specs :
7700HQ, 16 GB RAM, 512 GB NVME SSD, GTX 1050 Ti 4GB and a 4k screen.
So far so good but I've only had it for couple of hours. I will post more once I've used it for a while.

I'm been using the 5577 black version with 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD, GTX 1050, 1TB HDD and 1080p display. It's fast, quiet, highly configurable, has a decent lighted keyboard.
Depending on the power profile, it's good for 2 hours of hardcore gaming or 6-10 hours of browsing and media. The 5577's TN screen isn't the best and both models are slightly heaver than rivals, but I'm pleased with the cool-running performance and build quality.

PrincipalSkinner wrote:

I ended up buying a Dell Inpiron Gaming 7567.
Quick specs :
7700HQ, 16 GB RAM, 512 GB NVME SSD, GTX 1050 Ti 4GB and a 4k screen.
So far so good but I've only had it for couple of hours. I will post more once I've used it for a while.

Choice, bro.