Please do. I don't have experience buying in the EU, so I really don't know the best places to go. If we could find that laptop for $1700 I think it would be a good deal. The closest we could find is with the 980m and SSD for $2075. Seems excessive to me, but then again everything seems more expensive in EU.

So I've found one on a Dutch site: https://www.alternate.nl/ASUS/G751JY-T7136H-17-3-notebook/html/product/1174967?tk=6044&lk=6065

Which is 2000€, but has 512GB SSD + 1TB HDD, a slightly better CPU, and gtx980m. I'm not sure if it is worth 2k, but I think the upgrades (512SSD extra, 4710HQ->4860HQ, gtx970m->gtx980m) are worth the 300.

You will not be able to tell the difference in the CPU or the GPU so you are essentially paying $300 for the SSD.

Pretty much. For comparison, 512GB SSDs go for about $200: http://goo.gl/cSxVW4

Honestly, I think the one Sherin posted is the best one so far. The only other option would be to go for an entry gaming laptop for around $1200. Again, depends on what you want to spend your money on.

Also, steephie, you mentioned you need something to carry to class next year? You won't be carrying this. Is your plan to buy an uktrabook? Do you have the budget for that if you spend $2k on a gaming laptop?

Keep in mind you could build a gaming computer for around $800 and have $1200 for a very nice laptop as well.

So.. if I go for an entry gaming laptop for around $1200, will that 'last' several years with decent graphics on the newest games (high, medium, maybe low for the most demanding game around), after which I can still play the newest games for a year or two longer with minimum settings? Or is that estimate rather off? If the estimate is right, I might just go for that I guess. Graphics aren't too important to me anyway, I just want to be able to play the newest games very well and be done with buying a laptop for a while.

Also, which laptop to pick then? :P

No, you'll probably be playing newest games on medium right off the bat. More demanding ones likely on low.

So would, for instance, GTA V be medium or low?
How long until I can't play the demanding games, even on minimum graphics? I know that's just a guess, but to give me an idea.
A higher tier laptop will 'last' for maybe a year longer, does that sound like a fair estimate?

Now I'm just trying to figure out what will be the cheapest and still give a good experience long-term.

I've been using my Packard Bell EasyNote TS for like 6 years or something as well I believe, so how long it lasts probably also depends a lot on what you consider acceptable..

See if you can find this one:

http://store.asus.com/us/item/201503AM110000025/A18486

Here is how the 860m benchmarks. The 960m is only slightly better, so it's a close enough comparison. Note that you can probably play GTA V on high, although maybe medium-high is more realistic.

http://www.notebookcheck.net/NVIDIA-GeForce-GTX-860M.107794.0.html

Also how's this:

http://www.dell.com/nl/p/alienware-15/pd.aspx

i5 processor (4th generation, is that bad?), 8 GB RAM (alright?), NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 965M or NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 970M (pretty good?).

It's in Dutch but it's all about specs so shouldn't be too hard.. I think I got the important stuff though.

Can you buy directly from Dell's website with VAT included? If so, can you do the same for the ASUS website?

To answer your questions, though. i5 is fine for gaming. 8GB is also fine, but 16 would be better. Both 965M and 970M are good. Those are the ones we've been looking at.

So how good is it compared to the price? And compared to the $1099 Asus you mentioned?
I believe I checked already and only found out where they sold (which shops, that is). Can't hurt to check again though, and see where they sell again..

Also how am I going to notice 8 GB as opposed to 16 GB when gaming?

Doesn't seem like ASUS actually sells themselves online, at least not in the Netherlands.

Yeah US store seems to be US only and Dutch store doesn't sell them, maybe I'm just missing something because I find their sites rather clunky.. If there's an EU online Asus store that sells them let me know I suppose, finding the US one was tricky already so I doubt I will find them :)

I may have 'hit the jackpot' (by European standards anyway): amazon.co.uk
Check these out:

ASUS ROG GL551JW-DS71
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/cart/view.html/ref=nav_flyout_viewcart?ie=UTF8&hasWorkingJavascript=1
857.22 GBP =
€1,146

ASUS ROG G751JT-CH71
http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dcomputers&field-keywords=ROG%20G751JT-CH71
1,259.16 GBP =
€1,684.30

ROG G751JT-DH72
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Asus-G751JT-DH72-4710HQ-2-5-3-5GHz-Windows/dp/B00OYS98QG/ref=sr_1_1?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1430989524&sr=1-1&keywords=ROG+G751JT-DH72
£1,481.22=
€1,982.02

Delivery Rates:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=11072981#GUID-5672CA9A-98DA-48AF-A7A0-AE69554161F3__SECTION_68964EDAA4C1485F920F98CC8097D70B

One problem is that it seems like I can only pay with a creditcard and I don't have one..
I should also check conversion rates since that adds up too of course.. Too bad that the conversion rate is so shitty for me right now.

The creditcard is a thing though..

Also which of the three to get of course..

Whoops, first link is wrong one I believe. Here you go:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00V95EIU8/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A2M0LXPQQPIK05

A trusted UK client of mine is willing to pay for me, so that part is solved I guess. That only leaves picking one (I'm leaning towards the first/cheapest one right now, but maybe it's just not good enough for my needs? That's what I'm trying to figure out now) and possibly finding better deals of course.

I have a laptop very similar to the 857GBP one, so I can try some games and see how they run, if you want. Though I only have CS:GO from the list you gave at the beginning.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Asus-G751JT-DH72-4710HQ-2-5-3-5GHz-Windows/dp/B00OYS98QG/ref=sr_1_1?s=co

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00V95EIU8/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A2M0LXPQQPIK05

Both of the above are good for their price, imho. It just depends on how much you want to spend.

http://www.notebookcheck.net/Nvidia-GeForce-GTX-960M-Review.137893.0.html

http://www.notebookcheck.net/NVIDIA-GeForce-GTX-970M.126694.0.html

For 600 lbs, you get:

Bigger Screen
Better GPU
SSD
Better Heat Dissipation (I suspect)

They are both good choices. If you are a very serious gamer (main hobby) or you also use your computer for other intensive tasks (like video editing) then get the more expensive one. If you are more a casual gamer and just want your games to work, the less expensive one should be fine. It all depends on how much you want to spend.

Heh, Americans. "lbs" pounds are very different from "gbp" pounds. I was very confused for a moment, what you're supposed to be doing 250+ kilos of laptop.

lol. I couldn't find the £ on my laptop.

In any event. Steephie, I would pick one of these and call it a day.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Asus-G751JT-DH72-4710HQ-2-5-3-5GHz-Windows/dp/B00OYS98QG/ref=sr_1_1?s=co

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00V95EIU8/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A2M0LXPQQPIK05

Alt+0163 for £

I'll check them out when I reach my pc. I'm more a casual gamer and just want my games to work.

By the way, I came to the conclusion that it will be ~€1200 including delivery btw (for the cheap one), still a good deal compared to what we've seen so far?

Well, the only other ones we've seen have been $2k+. What does it matter if the value ratio is a little less than a more expensive one? You're still saving yourself $600.

Replace $ with € in the above.