I'm planning on buying a new laptop for gaming but I have basically zero knowledge of PC settings, in terms of graphics cards, processors and whatnot. My current laptop is not a gaming computer and it is pretty much 7 years old. I can barely play on low settings. Is it safe to assume that most, if not all, new computers can run EU on highest setting?
Unfortunately that's a no, the paradigm still applies. While performance keeps increasing with every iteration, the presence of a dedicated graphics chip is a quantum leap a mere better CPU can't make up for. I'm in the same boat here, playing on a business laptop without this equipment and it's getting into the years. Depending on funds I can find in the near future, I am looking at either buying a used gaming laptop or building a rig from components. Good generic guides are easy to google, try "laptop for gaming guide" or similar and e.g. this pops up: https://www.laptopmag.com/articles/gaming-laptop-buying-guide It covers the basics and differences worth knowing for a purchase decision without the common high-end hype. As for specifics, one "insider tip" I found out a while ago is about Clevo, a taiwanese manufacturer of high-performance laptops. Unless it changed since last time I looked, they actually make the hardware for Alienware and several similar brands who then just stick their fancy design on for a hefty markup. The original is available for consumers, too, but can take a bit of dedication to find.
Thank you for the reply. I am looking at that page right now. There are some very good pointers and info that reduce the choices, which is good. I did make a list of requirements and will keep looking for info.
I'd suggest that if you go with a laptop you get a usb keyboard and mouse... very bad if you are bashing the keyboard hunting and kill some hardware sitting under that keyboard because you hit the keys too hard.
I got a Lenovo Legion - on sale too. I got in and changed the graphics from medium (it was changed before-hand from low) to high. The graphics are to die for. I can now run around with sound and everything is super smooth. I will be playing a hell of a lot more now!