Traditionally, gamers have looked to hefty, monstrous machines with stylish designs — though some prefer the term “ostentatious” — for their portable gaming needs. Even as other laptops get thinner, lighter, and sexier, gaming laptops remain bulky and incredibly powerful, making them the best option if you’re looking for a portable — well, relatively portable — computer that can handle the latest games in their full glory.
However, wanting to play games doesn’t necessarily mean you want a gaming laptop. In general, they’re not known for being paragons of portability. None have exceptional battery life, and all need to be tethered to an outlet to game for any extended period of time. If you’re looking for a computer to take to work or class every day, or simply want a machine that can play less taxing games like Team Fortress 2, you don’t want a gaming laptop. But if you want to play all the latest, most demanding games on high settings, and only need to travel on occasion — perhaps to a LAN party with friends, home for the holidays, or simply from your desk to your couch — a gaming laptop is probably a good fit.
But deciding that you want a gaming laptop isn’t the final choice — it’s only the beginning. To learn more about the best gaming options on the market, and to find out which gives you the highest performance for your hard-earned dollar, read on.
These are the 3 most popular gaming laptop
Using an Intel Core i7-3610QM processor, 16GB of RAM, and Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 675M with 2GB of dedicated graphics memory, Samsung's offering is capable of very strong gaming performance. Unlike the other laptops in this price range, the Gamer can manage Battlefield 3 at 1080p on ultra settings at 29fps — but can also play the game at a solid 40fps on high settings. At 1920 x 1080, Borderlands 2 runs smoothly on full settings with particle-heavy PhysX effects on high, and the machine can handle the grueling The Witcher 2 at 1080p on medium settings
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| Alienware M17x |
The M17x has a number of configuration options, but the model we reviewed includes a 2.6 GHz Intel Core i7-3720QM processor, 8GB of RAM, and a powerful Nvidia GeForce GTX 680M graphics processor. True to its high-end reputation, the M17x runs Battlefield 3 at 1080p on Ultra settings at a smooth 44fps, plays The Witcher 2 at 45fps on Ultra without Ubersampling, and was able to handle any other game we threw at it with aplomb. The fans are a little loud during heavy gaming, and the metal plates on the underside of the laptop can get pretty toasty — yet another reason to keep the machine off your lap.
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| Asus G75VW |
The 17.3-inch laptop has a matte 1080p backlit LED display with virtually no glare, but the panel is a little dim, making whites appear slightly grey and blacks a little washed out. The screen also has a noticeable pixel grid, and the limited range of vertical viewing angles means that there isn’t much room to tilt the screen up and down before colors invert. In addition to the mediocre display, the speaker bar above the keyboard produces tinny, compressed sound. While the problem is somewhat relieved by the subwoofer beneath the left side of the palm rest, music still sounded perfectly.
Everyone’s looking for something different from a laptop, and each of the machines in this roundup have their own strengths and weaknesses. Some users prize a good set of speakers above all else, and some gamers are particularly choosy about the keyboard they use. However, as a whole package, some machines will stand above the rest. Enjoy reading! :)
