[Request] Is Caring for a Gaming Notebook Different from Caring for a Regular Notebook?

Hi, All!
I'm completely new here and to gaming computers in general... But since I've loved gaming for the last 15 years I figured it was about time for me to purchase a gaming laptop (travel far too much to have a giant desktop rig).

I've had a few laptops over my lifetime -- most recently a MacBook Pro from 2011 (graphic artist). However, very recently I saved up the money (and the courage) to purchase a new Sager NP-9377-S. It's dual 970 SLI and I wanted to know a few things:

What are the general things that differ from caring for a regular workbook laptop to caring for a high-performance gaming laptop?
a.) I.e. when/how to apply thermal paste.
b.) Recommendations on charging/when not to charge.
c.) How often to clean fans.
d.) Is a chillpad/cooling mat necessary/recommended? If so, which one for a 17.3" laptop?
e.) When to replace/upgrade components and which types of components to use.
f.) Is it bad for the computer to be off for a long period of time? Just curious cause I'll be going out of the states for about a month fairly soon and won't be using the computer at all for the duration of that trip.
g.) Basically just overall how to make an expensive piece of machinery which will be used for heavy gaming last for at least a few years.
h.) What should I be watching for in the way of temperatures?
i.) ANYTHING else you think would be helpful.

Absolutely any help you can offer me would be greatly appreciated. I'm very careful with my laptops so dropping/injuring it in any way shouldn't be too big of a concern. I am, however, going to be moving from my college dorms to an apartment in the next few months. Again, thank you for any help you can provide me!

 

Talking about cleaning - recommendations are the same as for any other laptop. You should monitor, time to time, temps of laptop components. For CPU 90C and higher - is not good. For GPU - 85C and higher. As for me, I replace thermal paste each time, when do cleaning. Arctic Cooling MX-4 is a good one. Cooling pad - depends on performance of cooling system, but mostly it is good to have one. Battery - being unused up to 3 month does not affect on its life at all.

But if I were you, I would buy some workstation instead and replace graphic to something like 980m or 970m. They are, surely, have better build quality, nice cooling system, much longer battery life (+ the ability to use second battery) and reasonable weight. If you decide to think about this - I would recommend you to look at Dell Precision M6800 as a nice base for gaming and working. I use it with eGPU (GTX 980), so there is no need for me to change the internal video for heavy gaming with ultra settings.

 

Excellent, thank you so much for your tips! Much appreciated. I already purchased the gaming laptop but I may consider whatever the updated version is of the Dell Precision at the next point in time that I need to replace my new laptop. Thanks again!

 

Some old Latitude for office work and youtube would maybe not need as careful maintenance because it could deal with dust buildup easier. Dust is an extremely annoying problem with high performance systems though because it can raise the internal temperatures significantly, which increases the workload on the fan, which increases noise and stresses the parts. Sager/Clevo are good because it is pretty easy to work on the internals. Just get comfortable with checking for dust now and again and keeping the internals blown out.

Good thermal paste like valuxin said can help as well to keep those temps down but it is a Clevo not some overtaxed MSI monstrosity so you shouldn't have to do overkill on maintenance LOL

 

Your definitely thinking of all the right things. Gaming notebooks generate more heat, and although they were designed with this in mind...they don't always to the best job of it over the long run as opposed to a more plebeian notebook. Kind of like a race car needs an oil change after 100 miles, not 5K.