Is this Costco laptop a good deal for my gamer son?

May 20, 2017 8:11 AM

I would like to buy my son an inexpensive gaming laptop as a "congratulations" gift for getting a new job. I linked the laptop I had in mind in the extended explanation section. It is $200 off at Costco, but the deal expires tomorrow... I want to know whether this is a great deal or not before I pull the trigger, since Costco will be getting new deals soon. Should I wait for the new deals, or is this laptop a no-brainer to the point where I shouldn't risk waiting?

Here is the link...

http://www.frugalhotspot.com/2017/04/asus-rog-17-3-gaming-laptop/

I've seen it in-store, it is $200 off its original price of $1199.

He says he will only be doing "light" gaming (he plays a game called league of legends), so doesn't need a supercomputer or anything. But I am really into getting the best bang for my buck, so I want to make sure there isn't an equivalently-priced computer that has better performance or specifications.

Can I find anything else for cheaper elsewhere, or should I wait for next month's Costco deals?
Or is this a good deal for his purposes?

posted by BuddyBoo to Shopping (14 answers total)

That laptop should play League of Legends quite well. The CPU is very good, and the internal GPU is reasonable. One other nice thing about Costco is you can return it.

Edit: the ssd is nice, but a little small. Since it is paired with a traditional hd it is fine. If your son is handy he may want to swap out the hd for a second ssd. Also, Asus is generally recognized as a good brand in gamer circles.
posted by coberh at 8:34 AM on May 20, 2017

In my experience, Costco markdowns are usually a tolerably good deal although you could probably shave off a few more bucks by surfing the limited time deals online. However, with Costco you can probably return within a reasonable time and with no hassle. If your son is the type who will tell you quite frankly if it's not the right laptop, it's probably worth a few extra bucks for that.
posted by BibiRose at 8:36 AM on May 20, 2017 [1 favorite]

The 1050Ti is a decent graphics card.

The i7 is a powerful CPU. The 1TB HHD + 128GB SSD is reasonable. Not too worried about the SSD size, a future upgrade should be possible. The 16GB RAM is sufficient.

The 4 cell battery is a little anemic.

It's a fair deal.
posted by porpoise at 8:39 AM on May 20, 2017

Response by poster: Thank you coberh + BibiRose!

I also just found this laptop, maybe it is worth the extra 100 dollars? It was recommended on another site.

https://www.amazon.com/Acer-Predator-Helios-GeForce-G3-571-77QK/dp/B06Y4GZS9C/

I wish I knew more about this, and I would ask my son for advice... but I want the gift itself to be a surprise since he doesn't know "for sure" that he is getting the computer...
posted by BuddyBoo at 8:40 AM on May 20, 2017 [1 favorite]

I think the main difference to pay attention to is that the amazon laptop has a smaller screen. Since the first laptop meets your specifications and then some, I would go with the larger screen, which can actually do a lot for your performance while playing competitive, information-rich games like League.
posted by deadwater at 8:53 AM on May 20, 2017 [1 favorite]

Something else to consider... Does he actually want a laptop? Many of the gamers I know prefer desktops as they are typically less expensive and you can have a larger screen than with a laptop.
posted by nolnacs at 9:08 AM on May 20, 2017

Response by poster: Hi Nolnacs - he definitely wants a laptop as he wants to bring it around places. He often uses an external monitor in his room when he is at home so screen size isn't so much of an issue.
posted by BuddyBoo at 9:11 AM on May 20, 2017

I would decide how much you're willing to pay and ask your son to find one he wants.
posted by k8t at 9:13 AM on May 20, 2017 [10 favorites]

Anecdata: I bought this laptop before it went on sale and I love it. The keyboard feels great and it's not that heavy (no extra cooling mechanicals, unlike Alienware). I am not a gamer but it's been great for the fairly extensive photo editing I do. My one complaint is that the Zero key on the numeric pad is small. I am going to put in a better SSD card.

ETA: teenage boys of my acquaintance think I'm cool.
posted by carmicha at 11:39 AM on May 20, 2017 [3 favorites]

Doesn't Costco have an amazing return policy?

I'd say buy him the gift, and tell him he can keep it or return it and put the money towards a beefed up machine of his dreams.
posted by Zephyrial at 11:59 AM on May 20, 2017 [3 favorites]

Best Buy price matches, and has support services. Not to diss on Costco.
posted by Oyéah at 1:01 PM on May 20, 2017 [1 favorite]

That's a great laptop at a great price. Big and heavy, though and the battery life is anemic. Most gaming laptops are like that though. Get a backpack to lug it around.

I have the 752 version. I'd go for Asus over Acer, but both companies can produce lemons. You just keep it under warranty spec and Asus or Costco will keep exchanging until you get a machine that works.
posted by Chitownfats at 3:21 PM on May 20, 2017

Just glancing at the specs, looks like a good machine with good power behind it. Only concerns is that the battery is not at the top range in terms of how long it'll last per charge, and a 128GB might be small if he stores a lot of movies, games, etc. But if he has another computer, or if he mostly streams everything and isn't a digital pack rat like me, it should be fine. But I think he'll plug it in whenever he's playing it near an outlet anyway, and if he really wants to store crap, he can always use an external hard drive, which I also do. I'd say it looks decent and price seems pretty reasonable.
posted by AppleTurnover at 7:40 PM on May 20, 2017

I am a Costco member, and frequently check in on what they have on offer in electronics. I have yet to see a compelling, OMG, can't-miss-it offer in that department. They have good, not great, deals, and are masters at setting price points on things that make them seem unsurpassed. They are honest on their specs, as far as I know, but you also have to be careful that you're not seeing a lower-spec example of something everyone's talking about.

I would second surprising him with a certain amount of $ toward the gaming machine that he picks.
posted by randomkeystrike at 5:37 AM on May 21, 2017 [1 favorite]