From Reno to Las Vegas and from Las Vegas to Reno

This could be a bit off-topic, but...

I'm making quite frequent trips between Reno and Las Vegas. I've been doing about one or two roundtrips a month for the last year or so. I used to fly, but this airfare is starting to take a toll on my bankroll (I'm a low-roller to begin with) and I just started driving to save some money. I tried Route 395 and Interstate 5 (through Sacramento and Bakersfield), but I'm not happy with either of these. It's really a terrible drive either way. Is there any better way? If not, which way is considered better (395 vs I5/99)? Do you guys have any preference?

TIA,
~Black Jane in the Box.