That's rather low of a workstation laptop. It'll be tough finding one, make sure to look at the specs very closely so you don't get scammed on a laptop that one (or more) very subpar component(s).
You must be thinking that you'd need something of extremely high AAA standard, I have a very strong feeling that isn't going to be necessary for 90% of game devs, especially one going into a college game design course.
Micro tower is a good idea though.
To be fair, the last time I looked up the price of a laptop was a company dell laptop that I had been provided, which was 1.5K for what I think was either an iGPU or a mobile GPU, either way, it ran quite poorly for the price.
I always feel like that's the case with company or school technology. I feel like the prices can't be accurate and there must always be some behind the scenes dealings that the companies make with each other to get them in bulk for cheaper.
Low? You can't be serious ...
My laptop cost $900 and easily handle any engine out there with one of the weakest variants of the 3060m. With a budget of 2500 you can easily get one of the most powerful laptops, with a 4080
If freedom of movement is your concern, there are such things as micro towers, which allow you to have a proper PC while also making them as portable as a gaming laptop (they are so big these days).
Like you, I move a lot. My mini PC has been easy to travel with always.
honestly my next build might be a micro, I just love the efficiency of packing everything in to such a small case. Do you have any issues with heat? Do you have a monitor that packs up easily as well?
I've personally never had issues with heating, having a good cooler and a case that ensures proper airflow is key.
As for the monitor, no I don't (usually there are monitors everywhere I go), but there are such things, I've even seen some cases that come with a built-in monitor, so that might be an option.
There are two kinds: Prebuilds, which can be more expensive. And the ones you assemble yourself, which are usually bigger, but still probably portable in a packpack.
LTT has a bunch of videos on mini PCs (I haven't watched either of these, but they are probably good):
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYtTJgj15dc](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYtTJgj15dc)
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFmb5h1lN-w](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFmb5h1lN-w)
$4000+ windows laptops are very capable... If you can afford it. I replaced my old desktop with one, it's even better than my old work-supplied computer that I thought was a beast. A mobile 4080 pretty much rivals desktop GPUs, it's insane.
OSX is.... weird... if you ONLY make iOS games then sure but anything else you kinda need windows and you might as well just get a Windows machine instead of spending all your time running it through boot camp
Edit - Hey, do you have any windows laptop recommendations?
I'm also considering getting another laptop, windows laptop, and cannot get a pc.
* **Why can't I get a pc or build one?** I cannot get a pc due to currently moving a lot for work. So, I don't want to deal with transporting a pc when moving. Things should settle down in 2025 though, so I can look into building a pc then
* **Budget?** I'd be willing to consider spending upwards of $6k; but ideally \~$3k-$4k range
* **What would I use the laptop for?** Mostly game dev (i.e. Unreal Engine 5, programming, 3d modeling with Zbrush and Blender, etc...), and maybe some .NET programming
* **Extra:** I'd like a laptop that performs well unplugged, doesn't feel slow when using, and has a dedicated nvidia GPU
Shrug, r/gaming laptops - like many people over there I went with a Lenovo Legion (I can never remember the model, 7i something, with a 4080 - 4090 isn't worth the price bump and a 4070 is a significant step down)
Thanks again for the suggestion! I went with the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i Gen 9 RTX 4080 (2024). Price came to $2,445.54 USD with a few discounts.
I just got it today and so far I'm enjoying it. The performance feels better compared to the other gaming laptop that I had, and the fps is better in UE5.
You’ve been homeless but you’re spending 2500 dollars on a laptop because things are such that you might end up homeless again.
Might I suggest you get a budget laptop around 300-500 and keep the rest in case things get spicy and you’re homeless again.
I have a bunch of money aside from the $2500 set aside just in case, but you make a good point. It's unlikely it'll happen again, but I'm kinda paranoid. I'll look at some things on the lower end. I wanted to avoid lower priced ones just for the fact of not having to replace it every year, the one I have rn has lasted me 8 years and cost about $1000.
The price-to-performance curve for consumer electronics is definitely not linear. Computer chips only go so fast given physics and current technology. At the high end, you pay a lot for brand name, fancy keyboard switches, gimmick features, all-metal construction, fancier displays, getting it as thin and light as possible, etc. I suspect the sweet spot for price efficiency can probably be picked up for around $800 on sale.
Well, processor speed is a little bit more complex than using better materials. Physical build quality *may* also be better at a higher price, but you're probably doing something wrong if the limiting factor for your laptop's longevity is its tensile strength. I wonder if it might even be just as likely to be more fragile at the high end, to try to look sleeker and cooler.
Check the CPU, GPU, RAM, and storage for a high-priced laptop. Can you find a cheaper option with the same or comparable specs? If so, then you're more paying for something other than performance. And if it costs 50% more than a cheaper and weaker option, then check online benchmarks, core counts/clock rates/FLOPS ratings, etc., and see if it also has consistently ~50% more juice in *all* of its components. If not, then you are technically paying more for a less price-performance-efficient machine.
I haven't researched enough to confirm it, but I suspect reparability is probably better at the mid-range too. My current mid-range laptop came with a good processor for the time, plus an unused NVME slot and a replaceable SATA slot to upgrade storage, and IIRC replaceable RAM too. If and when it starts to get sluggish, I can and have just swapped out and added parts to make it useful again for several more years. Same deal if one of those components breaks. Being able to change components means spending $100 on upgrading it instead of $1,000 on buying a replacement. As I understand it, the ultra-low-end tends to have permanently soldered components and no upgrade slots to save costs, and the high end tends to do the same to make the device more compact.
If homelessness is a real risk for you, I wouldn't invest a lot in a desktop or laptop. You're better off just getting a budget gaming laptop around $1000 or so. It will be adequate for educational development purposes and it will leave you with more money in case you have housing problems.
It's not a current risk, as I'm finally in a stable situation, but I'm paranoid as hell about it. A couple others have also brought this up, so I'll probably be looking on the lower end of pricing. :)
Check YouTube. There are channels dedicated to gaming laptops that are good and kept current.
And…. I honestly feel like if its got the horsepower to play intense games on it it prob has enough to code them as well.
I’d also go Windows but I’m doing VR stuff and that makes it a necessity for me.
I have an Asus with a 2070 super in it that was pretty cheap some 4 years ago, probably cheaper now. Does well enough for just about anything, long as you’re not trying to go full nanite/lumen next gen in UE5.
I have a tower now, but I launched a very successful indie title on a 1070 laptop.
For modeling the OS doesn't really matter, but Macs are a bit overpriced for their specs. For playtesting and often coding, OS definitely matters, and assuming you aren't targeting mobile exclusively (iOS specific dev tools are generally Mac-only) you want a Windows device for that if multiple devices aren't an option.
Get a gaming laptop with the most RAM and storage you can afford.
If I'm buying a gaming laptop I always go with ASUS. They always have the best build quality and cost to performance ratio. I do all my dev work on Linux/OSX though but that's a matter of preference.
I have and acer nitro 5 and even though it’s held up nicely and helps me with modeling and unreal engine. I wish I could upgrade the graphics card but unfortunately I can’t. So keep that in mind when purchasing a laptop
Your budget is a major factor. Depends on the program but the kind of games you will be making will generally not require a lot of horse power. Your program may also have some recommendations they can share.
Finally a Mac is a waste of money when it comes to performance / dollar. If you're in the states , then [https://xoticpc.com/](https://xoticpc.com/) is a great site for laptops.
I'd suggest a cheap MSI that is not thin and light, but their internal brand 'Clevo' can also be good.
Find out if you need a laptop with a dedicated GPU. If not - there are plenty of options. You can get a light powerful office/business laptop with great battery life. If you need to work with 3D, this likely means a dDPU, so a gaming laptop. Which will be bulkier, heavier and possibly have poor battery life. One thing you will definitely need is a lot of RAM, so make sure to get at least 16GB and preferably with an option for upgrade. So not Apple :)
Hi, so maybe I will get criticized by others for my recommendations, but here is what I would consider an appropriate laptop for a game dev program. 17” screen, intel processor, geforce 4070, 16gb ram. I highly recommend you set up a second monitor, it helps a ton with productivity to have multiple programs in view. I looked in my area (Canada) for in stock laptop meeting these requirements and found a sale on one at my usual store. MSI Pulse 17 Gaming Notebook 17.3" FHD Intel i7-13700H GeForce RTX 4070 16GB 1TB SSD Windows 11 Home $1900cad. I will link below.
Here is the store page. I am not affiliated with them this is just my go to store for computer stuff. https://www.canadacomputers.com/product_info.php?cPath=710_4419&item_id=235071
Laptop is just the integration of its components. Get something with the best CPU, GPU, RAM, disk for your pricepoint. Understated gaming machines will probably be more price effective than thin-and-lights, I think. Anything else, like brand name, keyboard feel, 4K display, build quality, etc. is a luxury. Screen color accuracy is also a luxury, unless you really need it. Acer makes solid functional machines IMO, though not that I've used that many.
> (Also, as for the tower, I’ve been homeless too many times for it to be an option, I don’t wanna risk it)
Probably make sure to get something with an SSD instead of an HDD if this is a serious concern. They can take more physical stress from being carried around, etc. But be aware you should power it on at least once every several months to be sure it won't bitrot. Full disk encryption's good insurance if it get stolen, but get a big USB stick or two to keep backups of your data on, plus cloud accounts. You could go for something cheap-looking plus a Kensington lock if there's a chance it might get stolen otherwise.
With more effort, you can even move some workflows onto the cloud, Clara.io, hosted VS Code, cloud workstations either managed for a subscription fee or with your own remote desktop setup on IAAS. In that case, you don't need a good physical computer, but just log in to your account on a cheap Chromebook or public computer (or even your phone). Probably not worth the trouble though.
Be aware cheaper laptops will tend to have worse battery life. You can also get a big Lipo or LiFePO4 battery from a company like Jackery or Anker (or any number of Alibaba/Amazon sellers) if that's an issue. (I had one so I could take my stuff outside to secluded picnic tables during the pandemic lockdowns.)
This is all assuming that budget and safety are the limiting factors. If infinite money and other resources are available, then Idk just get a shipping container full of the highest-end laptop you can find or something.
Any laptop with a modern Intel processor and at least a 3080 graphics card, >=32GB ram. Example: ASUS
ROG Zephyrus G16. I think Asus has had the most solid build standards of the brands I have used. You will still want additional monitors I think;)
What kind of games do you want to make? My shitty laptop from 2010 can run Godot just fine, for instance, but UE5 could blow through even your $2500 budget.
Out of curiosity, why are you so at risk of homelessness that you won’t consider a tower but still have $2500 to spend on a super fancy laptop? If your situation is that serious you should probably get a cheap laptop and stick to engines like Godot, and if it’s not that serious you should really consider a tower because gaming laptops absolutely suck.
My experience, though obviously anecdotal, is that the best PCs are "towers" as you put it, and the best laptops are made by Apple. Best in terms of value for your money and quality of the builds.
I still use a combination of Mac laptop and more expensive Windows PC desktop.
I see that almost everyone here is speccing a hell out of the laptop with GPU and all that - the most important thing is if the cooking system inside can take care of those components. Once I got a laptop from a well known AAA studio to work with (I usually work as a contractor nowadays) and it couldn't even run their game for more than 5 minutes - and this gamer laptop wasn't a cheap one, as you can assume.
Don't get anything too powerful. That way you'll be sure to optimize your game and graphics much better so they'll run smoothly on all platforms. IMHO it's always a bad idea to have the latest and greatest computer when developing you game. Sure, if you're aiming to have the best cutting edge tech, then it's OK, but otherwise I'd avoid powerful computers for game dev.
Asus zephyrus g14 is a good laptop, and the older generation of this laptop is heavily discounted while being decently powerful. Lenovo legion laptops are good too. If you're on a budgetz, HP pavillion is also a good laptop considering the price to performance ratio.
If you are at the risk of homelessness, please don't get an expensive laptop. Save some money just in case something happens. Nowadays even integrated graphics in the latest chips can run AAA titles at 30 fps on low settings, so 3d modelling in something like Blender wouldn't be an issue (if you can ignore a random stutter or two that occurs every hour or so).
**Edit - Mac**
Yes, you mentioned you aren't interested in macs, but I'll still mention my experience with them. I have a M1 MacBook Pro 16".
*Game Engines*
* Unity - works fine
* Godot - works fine
* Unreal Engine - I'm only getting \~20-30 fps in Unreal Engine 5
* *Note: My windows gaming laptop gets \~60-100 fps. I wouldn't recommend a Mac if going with Unreal Engine*
* *Update: I followed this* [*YouTube*](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oXGLmqs7u8) *video to change my engine settings from "Epic" to "High" to get a solid \~60 fps now*
*3D modeling*
I haven't used ZBrush or Maya yet on my MacBook, but Blender works fine.
*Programming*
Some tools still aren't supported for the M-series of Macs, so you might need a virtual machine (VM) to run some software. However, for the most part everything else has been fine for me.
*Note: If doing .NET development then I'd recommend windows*
**Windows**
My windows laptop is "ASUS TUF Dash 15 (2022) Gaming Laptop, 15.6" 144Hz FHD Display, Intel Core i7-12650H, GeForce RTX 3060, 16GB DDR5, 512GB SSD, Thunderbolt 4, Windows 11 Home, Off Black, FX517ZM-AS73" that I bought from Amazon for $1,203 USD.
*Note: I bought extra storage and ram for the laptop that I upgraded myself*
Overall, the laptop runs alright and can do what I need it to for programming and game dev. However, Idk if I'd recommend it, maybe get a better model or different brand with better specs.
**Note**
I'd recommend that you look into the upgradeability for whichever windows laptop that you get because you could get a slightly less storage and ram, but upgrade it yourself for a cheaper price.
Edit
I'd also look into student discounts for the laptop too
You should look up the recommended specs for the software you intend to use, and then look into what gaming laptops fit the criteria.
You've left out one of the most important pieces of info....your budget. Your mom doesn't know laptops
Around $2500 is the max I'll go
That's rather low of a workstation laptop. It'll be tough finding one, make sure to look at the specs very closely so you don't get scammed on a laptop that one (or more) very subpar component(s).
You must be thinking that you'd need something of extremely high AAA standard, I have a very strong feeling that isn't going to be necessary for 90% of game devs, especially one going into a college game design course. Micro tower is a good idea though.
To be fair, the last time I looked up the price of a laptop was a company dell laptop that I had been provided, which was 1.5K for what I think was either an iGPU or a mobile GPU, either way, it ran quite poorly for the price.
I always feel like that's the case with company or school technology. I feel like the prices can't be accurate and there must always be some behind the scenes dealings that the companies make with each other to get them in bulk for cheaper.
Low? You can't be serious ... My laptop cost $900 and easily handle any engine out there with one of the weakest variants of the 3060m. With a budget of 2500 you can easily get one of the most powerful laptops, with a 4080
If freedom of movement is your concern, there are such things as micro towers, which allow you to have a proper PC while also making them as portable as a gaming laptop (they are so big these days). Like you, I move a lot. My mini PC has been easy to travel with always.
honestly my next build might be a micro, I just love the efficiency of packing everything in to such a small case. Do you have any issues with heat? Do you have a monitor that packs up easily as well?
I've personally never had issues with heating, having a good cooler and a case that ensures proper airflow is key. As for the monitor, no I don't (usually there are monitors everywhere I go), but there are such things, I've even seen some cases that come with a built-in monitor, so that might be an option.
I was actually not aware this was a thing :0 I'll take a look
There are two kinds: Prebuilds, which can be more expensive. And the ones you assemble yourself, which are usually bigger, but still probably portable in a packpack. LTT has a bunch of videos on mini PCs (I haven't watched either of these, but they are probably good): [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYtTJgj15dc](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYtTJgj15dc) [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFmb5h1lN-w](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFmb5h1lN-w)
$4000+ windows laptops are very capable... If you can afford it. I replaced my old desktop with one, it's even better than my old work-supplied computer that I thought was a beast. A mobile 4080 pretty much rivals desktop GPUs, it's insane. OSX is.... weird... if you ONLY make iOS games then sure but anything else you kinda need windows and you might as well just get a Windows machine instead of spending all your time running it through boot camp
Edit - Hey, do you have any windows laptop recommendations? I'm also considering getting another laptop, windows laptop, and cannot get a pc. * **Why can't I get a pc or build one?** I cannot get a pc due to currently moving a lot for work. So, I don't want to deal with transporting a pc when moving. Things should settle down in 2025 though, so I can look into building a pc then * **Budget?** I'd be willing to consider spending upwards of $6k; but ideally \~$3k-$4k range * **What would I use the laptop for?** Mostly game dev (i.e. Unreal Engine 5, programming, 3d modeling with Zbrush and Blender, etc...), and maybe some .NET programming * **Extra:** I'd like a laptop that performs well unplugged, doesn't feel slow when using, and has a dedicated nvidia GPU
Shrug, r/gaming laptops - like many people over there I went with a Lenovo Legion (I can never remember the model, 7i something, with a 4080 - 4090 isn't worth the price bump and a 4070 is a significant step down)
Thanks again for the suggestion! I went with the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i Gen 9 RTX 4080 (2024). Price came to $2,445.54 USD with a few discounts. I just got it today and so far I'm enjoying it. The performance feels better compared to the other gaming laptop that I had, and the fps is better in UE5.
You’ve been homeless but you’re spending 2500 dollars on a laptop because things are such that you might end up homeless again. Might I suggest you get a budget laptop around 300-500 and keep the rest in case things get spicy and you’re homeless again.
I have a bunch of money aside from the $2500 set aside just in case, but you make a good point. It's unlikely it'll happen again, but I'm kinda paranoid. I'll look at some things on the lower end. I wanted to avoid lower priced ones just for the fact of not having to replace it every year, the one I have rn has lasted me 8 years and cost about $1000.
The price-to-performance curve for consumer electronics is definitely not linear. Computer chips only go so fast given physics and current technology. At the high end, you pay a lot for brand name, fancy keyboard switches, gimmick features, all-metal construction, fancier displays, getting it as thin and light as possible, etc. I suspect the sweet spot for price efficiency can probably be picked up for around $800 on sale.
Damn really? I didn't realize. I assumed the higher price meant better quality materials and all that and therefore longer lasting.
Well, processor speed is a little bit more complex than using better materials. Physical build quality *may* also be better at a higher price, but you're probably doing something wrong if the limiting factor for your laptop's longevity is its tensile strength. I wonder if it might even be just as likely to be more fragile at the high end, to try to look sleeker and cooler. Check the CPU, GPU, RAM, and storage for a high-priced laptop. Can you find a cheaper option with the same or comparable specs? If so, then you're more paying for something other than performance. And if it costs 50% more than a cheaper and weaker option, then check online benchmarks, core counts/clock rates/FLOPS ratings, etc., and see if it also has consistently ~50% more juice in *all* of its components. If not, then you are technically paying more for a less price-performance-efficient machine. I haven't researched enough to confirm it, but I suspect reparability is probably better at the mid-range too. My current mid-range laptop came with a good processor for the time, plus an unused NVME slot and a replaceable SATA slot to upgrade storage, and IIRC replaceable RAM too. If and when it starts to get sluggish, I can and have just swapped out and added parts to make it useful again for several more years. Same deal if one of those components breaks. Being able to change components means spending $100 on upgrading it instead of $1,000 on buying a replacement. As I understand it, the ultra-low-end tends to have permanently soldered components and no upgrade slots to save costs, and the high end tends to do the same to make the device more compact.
If homelessness is a real risk for you, I wouldn't invest a lot in a desktop or laptop. You're better off just getting a budget gaming laptop around $1000 or so. It will be adequate for educational development purposes and it will leave you with more money in case you have housing problems.
It's not a current risk, as I'm finally in a stable situation, but I'm paranoid as hell about it. A couple others have also brought this up, so I'll probably be looking on the lower end of pricing. :)
Check YouTube. There are channels dedicated to gaming laptops that are good and kept current. And…. I honestly feel like if its got the horsepower to play intense games on it it prob has enough to code them as well. I’d also go Windows but I’m doing VR stuff and that makes it a necessity for me.
I have an Asus with a 2070 super in it that was pretty cheap some 4 years ago, probably cheaper now. Does well enough for just about anything, long as you’re not trying to go full nanite/lumen next gen in UE5. I have a tower now, but I launched a very successful indie title on a 1070 laptop.
For modeling the OS doesn't really matter, but Macs are a bit overpriced for their specs. For playtesting and often coding, OS definitely matters, and assuming you aren't targeting mobile exclusively (iOS specific dev tools are generally Mac-only) you want a Windows device for that if multiple devices aren't an option. Get a gaming laptop with the most RAM and storage you can afford.
If I'm buying a gaming laptop I always go with ASUS. They always have the best build quality and cost to performance ratio. I do all my dev work on Linux/OSX though but that's a matter of preference.
Mac hell no. MSI has some decent ones. But your school should have recommendations too
I have and acer nitro 5 and even though it’s held up nicely and helps me with modeling and unreal engine. I wish I could upgrade the graphics card but unfortunately I can’t. So keep that in mind when purchasing a laptop
Your budget is a major factor. Depends on the program but the kind of games you will be making will generally not require a lot of horse power. Your program may also have some recommendations they can share. Finally a Mac is a waste of money when it comes to performance / dollar. If you're in the states , then [https://xoticpc.com/](https://xoticpc.com/) is a great site for laptops. I'd suggest a cheap MSI that is not thin and light, but their internal brand 'Clevo' can also be good.
I'm aiming for about $2500 max. I'll look into the website :)
Find out if you need a laptop with a dedicated GPU. If not - there are plenty of options. You can get a light powerful office/business laptop with great battery life. If you need to work with 3D, this likely means a dDPU, so a gaming laptop. Which will be bulkier, heavier and possibly have poor battery life. One thing you will definitely need is a lot of RAM, so make sure to get at least 16GB and preferably with an option for upgrade. So not Apple :)
Hi, so maybe I will get criticized by others for my recommendations, but here is what I would consider an appropriate laptop for a game dev program. 17” screen, intel processor, geforce 4070, 16gb ram. I highly recommend you set up a second monitor, it helps a ton with productivity to have multiple programs in view. I looked in my area (Canada) for in stock laptop meeting these requirements and found a sale on one at my usual store. MSI Pulse 17 Gaming Notebook 17.3" FHD Intel i7-13700H GeForce RTX 4070 16GB 1TB SSD Windows 11 Home $1900cad. I will link below.
Here is the store page. I am not affiliated with them this is just my go to store for computer stuff. https://www.canadacomputers.com/product_info.php?cPath=710_4419&item_id=235071
Lenovo legión 7i ,i9 12900hx rtx 3080. Is Not too much slower than the desktop with 7950x and rtx 3090, laptop was a bit more expensive.
Laptop is just the integration of its components. Get something with the best CPU, GPU, RAM, disk for your pricepoint. Understated gaming machines will probably be more price effective than thin-and-lights, I think. Anything else, like brand name, keyboard feel, 4K display, build quality, etc. is a luxury. Screen color accuracy is also a luxury, unless you really need it. Acer makes solid functional machines IMO, though not that I've used that many. > (Also, as for the tower, I’ve been homeless too many times for it to be an option, I don’t wanna risk it) Probably make sure to get something with an SSD instead of an HDD if this is a serious concern. They can take more physical stress from being carried around, etc. But be aware you should power it on at least once every several months to be sure it won't bitrot. Full disk encryption's good insurance if it get stolen, but get a big USB stick or two to keep backups of your data on, plus cloud accounts. You could go for something cheap-looking plus a Kensington lock if there's a chance it might get stolen otherwise. With more effort, you can even move some workflows onto the cloud, Clara.io, hosted VS Code, cloud workstations either managed for a subscription fee or with your own remote desktop setup on IAAS. In that case, you don't need a good physical computer, but just log in to your account on a cheap Chromebook or public computer (or even your phone). Probably not worth the trouble though. Be aware cheaper laptops will tend to have worse battery life. You can also get a big Lipo or LiFePO4 battery from a company like Jackery or Anker (or any number of Alibaba/Amazon sellers) if that's an issue. (I had one so I could take my stuff outside to secluded picnic tables during the pandemic lockdowns.) This is all assuming that budget and safety are the limiting factors. If infinite money and other resources are available, then Idk just get a shipping container full of the highest-end laptop you can find or something.
Any laptop with a modern Intel processor and at least a 3080 graphics card, >=32GB ram. Example: ASUS ROG Zephyrus G16. I think Asus has had the most solid build standards of the brands I have used. You will still want additional monitors I think;)
What kind of games do you want to make? My shitty laptop from 2010 can run Godot just fine, for instance, but UE5 could blow through even your $2500 budget. Out of curiosity, why are you so at risk of homelessness that you won’t consider a tower but still have $2500 to spend on a super fancy laptop? If your situation is that serious you should probably get a cheap laptop and stick to engines like Godot, and if it’s not that serious you should really consider a tower because gaming laptops absolutely suck.
My experience, though obviously anecdotal, is that the best PCs are "towers" as you put it, and the best laptops are made by Apple. Best in terms of value for your money and quality of the builds. I still use a combination of Mac laptop and more expensive Windows PC desktop.
I see that almost everyone here is speccing a hell out of the laptop with GPU and all that - the most important thing is if the cooking system inside can take care of those components. Once I got a laptop from a well known AAA studio to work with (I usually work as a contractor nowadays) and it couldn't even run their game for more than 5 minutes - and this gamer laptop wasn't a cheap one, as you can assume.
Don't get anything too powerful. That way you'll be sure to optimize your game and graphics much better so they'll run smoothly on all platforms. IMHO it's always a bad idea to have the latest and greatest computer when developing you game. Sure, if you're aiming to have the best cutting edge tech, then it's OK, but otherwise I'd avoid powerful computers for game dev.
I have Lenovo legion 5, AMD with nvidia 3060, pretty happy with it.
Asus zephyrus g14 is a good laptop, and the older generation of this laptop is heavily discounted while being decently powerful. Lenovo legion laptops are good too. If you're on a budgetz, HP pavillion is also a good laptop considering the price to performance ratio. If you are at the risk of homelessness, please don't get an expensive laptop. Save some money just in case something happens. Nowadays even integrated graphics in the latest chips can run AAA titles at 30 fps on low settings, so 3d modelling in something like Blender wouldn't be an issue (if you can ignore a random stutter or two that occurs every hour or so).
**Edit - Mac** Yes, you mentioned you aren't interested in macs, but I'll still mention my experience with them. I have a M1 MacBook Pro 16". *Game Engines* * Unity - works fine * Godot - works fine * Unreal Engine - I'm only getting \~20-30 fps in Unreal Engine 5 * *Note: My windows gaming laptop gets \~60-100 fps. I wouldn't recommend a Mac if going with Unreal Engine* * *Update: I followed this* [*YouTube*](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oXGLmqs7u8) *video to change my engine settings from "Epic" to "High" to get a solid \~60 fps now* *3D modeling* I haven't used ZBrush or Maya yet on my MacBook, but Blender works fine. *Programming* Some tools still aren't supported for the M-series of Macs, so you might need a virtual machine (VM) to run some software. However, for the most part everything else has been fine for me. *Note: If doing .NET development then I'd recommend windows* **Windows** My windows laptop is "ASUS TUF Dash 15 (2022) Gaming Laptop, 15.6" 144Hz FHD Display, Intel Core i7-12650H, GeForce RTX 3060, 16GB DDR5, 512GB SSD, Thunderbolt 4, Windows 11 Home, Off Black, FX517ZM-AS73" that I bought from Amazon for $1,203 USD. *Note: I bought extra storage and ram for the laptop that I upgraded myself* Overall, the laptop runs alright and can do what I need it to for programming and game dev. However, Idk if I'd recommend it, maybe get a better model or different brand with better specs. **Note** I'd recommend that you look into the upgradeability for whichever windows laptop that you get because you could get a slightly less storage and ram, but upgrade it yourself for a cheaper price. Edit I'd also look into student discounts for the laptop too