Can anyone suggest a decent laptop to use with ZWIFT - currently running it on an ipad but looking to switch to a laptop
What’s the reason to switch?
If it’s for better graphics then you might find you’ll be no better off.
Why a laptop is the first question.
Unless you are buying the laptop anyway to be used for other purposes then it’s an expensive way to zwift.
If you don’t care for graphics too much then Apple TV might do the job.
If you want better graphics then a desktop can be had for relatively cheap price that could run in 4k
But if you do have reason to want a laptop I would make sure you get something with a dedicated graphics card.
If you are on facebook might be worth a browse here - read files section first.
Just looking for a bigger screen really and would like to keep ipad for other things so just thought a cheapish laptop might be the way forward (and could also use laptop for other tasks). Did see Apple TV could be an option but as getting on in age now trying to set up techy things getting more difficult and thought laptop would be easiest. Also if i do end up running Zwift on a different device is it enough to have Zwift companion running on my iphone - currently i have both on the ipad. Thanks for link to Facebook forum will have a look and all new to this so sorry if question(s) are a bit simplistic
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If you are set on a laptop, I have been running a Lenovo Legion 5 for a couple of years now with no issues.
My GPU is a 1660Ti and I generally get >50 fps @ 1440 in Makuri. Just did a very crowded PB ride in Watopia and averaged 64 fps.
Nothing like what you can do with a desktop but it suffices. The Legion is the best laptop I have had in many years.
Laptop/PC will be the same in terms of setup just you are paying a premium for the laptop if you don’t need something portable.
I use both ATV and high spec PC and both work perfectly fine.
Zwift on one device and companion on phone is how most people run.
Unless full portability including the screen is a completely non-negotiable 100% requirement, laptops should be avoided for any sort of PC gaming, let alone Zwift.
Interested in answers here. I currently use a laptop – like the OP, I find a laptop useful for any and all computing needs, and I can move from room to room. I never really got the iPad thing – no keyboard has to be a pain to type much? One hand always occupied and getting tired holding the thing, etc. Just reading content, any cheap kindle type device suffices.
Anyway, what I like is that my laptop is one of the 2-in-1 variety, so I can flip the screen all the way back so that it backs up to the base, and can put this easily on a stand for Zwift. What I’m curious about – is why the higher end ‘gaming’ laptops don’t have this type of screen hinge and capability? Pretty much anything that is a 2-in-1 only has integrated graphics (typically Iris Xe).
Is laptop quality worse than ATV or IPAD or running on an android device? Or is this all about perceived cost/benefit?
You say - Zwift on one device and companion on phone is how most people run. I only started last week but have been running both on my ipad not had any issues as far as i can tell. Why do people run them on different devices
Two different questions there. For Zwift, the graphics and performance are dependent on the GPU and CPU in the device. Normal non-gaming laptops (without a dedicated GPU) get the same Basic profile as iPads and Apple TV. As a bonus feature, recent 10th/11th/12th generations of Intel integrated graphics have a freezing issue with Zwift, which has been present for about two years.
I’ve never run into the freezing issue on i5s over the last 4 years. But that aside, then what is wrong with a gaming laptop – it seems better than most other recommendations that usually get handed out around here (ATV, iPads, etc). Would seem to have more functionality, and cost standpoint, a basic Dell G15 runs about $700 with dedicated GPU). Keyboards (ipad) and monitor (ATV) add-ons make cost fairly equivalent but maybe less functionality with the non-PC scenarios?
Thanks for all your replies -will have to do some research and decide what will be best way forward for me
More than enough to build a significantly more powerful desktop with brand new modern parts, with multiple benefits over a laptop and only one drawback - 100% portability as mentioned above. For Zwift (or any serious gaming) which requires a static position anyway then this is completely redundant. Watch any gaming laptop review from the likes of Hardware Unboxed and you’ll hear them stay the exact same thing. Regarding Zwift specifically you can get 90% of the experience for a quarter of the cost with used parts in a desktop.
I’ve had this argument on here several times, I don’t intend to do it all again.
Thanks. No argument here. It’s a cost/benefit thing (which was my original question) then? – not necessarily a quality issue (vs options other than desktop + monitor configurations).
The internet is a funny thing… someone asks for X, and half the respondents tell them they don’t want X, they really want Y.
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I don’t think you can run both on same device at the same time.
I use a laptop and android phone.
For a larger screen, HDMI cord to a 32 in TV.
I’ve never seen anything except basic so I don’t miss all those new-fangled pixels.
Forgive me for trying to ensure people don’t their waste money unnecessarily. Next time I’ll just link to the most expensive laptop on Amazon.
Edit: this should do nicely. Best laptop. 
https://www.amazon.co.uk/ASUS-G733CX-i9-12950H-GeForce-Windows/dp/B09XMKVHBC/
That wasn’t the suggestion. The suggestion would be to offer a reasonable answer to the question asked. If someone wants a laptop, then portability is probably a pretty good assumed desired reason. Is a laptop the best portable option? If so, PC or Mac? Or, is some form of tablet and other OS a better option, etc?
The follow-on question to the original query that could have been asked – what are you willing to spend? Then, everyone is in a position to offer best value portable computing option that aligns with the OP’s budget.
My own question was whether anyone makes a convertible 2-in-1 gaming laptop? Or is there some technical reason this isn’t feasible since they seem to be pretty hard to find.
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Tim - what do you actually use the Companion app for - other than checking the uploaded results of latest ride i do everything else throught the Zwift app
Think that one may be a tad expensive ha ha