"The premium package, with the optional 144 Hz AMD FreeSync™ Premium display" Would be amazing if ALL laptops, where possible, shipped with a display that was already great. No bottom, or middle quality, just the best display which would drive prices down. But... business keeps on churning and we lap it up.

Excalibur1814:

"The premium package, with the optional 144 Hz AMD FreeSync™ Premium display" Would be amazing if ALL laptops, where possible, shipped with a display that was already great. No bottom, or middle quality, just the best display which would drive prices down. But... business keeps on churning and we lap it up.

As someone who couldn't care less about 144Hz or Free/G sync, I strongly disagree. A 17.3" 1080p 144Hz IPS panel alone (so, no controller) costs about $200. A FreeSync controller can cost as much as $60. Drop down to 60Hz (but otherwise all the same stats) and it only costs $75, and you can get controllers for about $30. Don't get an IPS panel and you can save another $25. Laptop manufacturers can obviously get better prices than everything I just mentioned, but the point is that fancier tech is going to cost more. I don't think it's realistic to only ship great panels. The good news is, LCD panels are relatively easy and cheap to swap out in laptops. Get a model with all great specs but some really awful 1366x768 TN panel and there's a very good chance you could swap it out with something twice as good.