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As a general rule, gaming laptops are not cheap, they are usually the most expensive laptops you can purchase. If you go with a fully-loaded high-end gaming machine from the popular brand-name makers you will likely have to dish out 4 to 6 grand for the top rigs.

However, since all laptop prices have been falling at a steady rate in recent years, if you shop around you can find a half-decent gaming laptop at a reasonable price. Here we’re still talking about $1500 to $2500 for a good quality gaming laptop. Although there are probably cheaper ones to be found if you look in the right places.

Now, the main reason gaming laptops are so expensive is because of the high-end components and high-end specs that’s needed to produce a superior gaming machine. In a gaming laptop you need top-level Graphics (CPUs), High Processor Speeds, tons of RAM, high-end HD Displays and high-end Optical Drives featuring Blu-ray and the like.

Of course, if you’re buying a flashy brand-name gaming laptop like those produced by Alienware or Rock, you will be paying extra for all that style and flash. Now, if money is no object, going with these top brand-names could probably be your best bet if you’re playing the name game. Also keep in mind, you don’t always have to buy the really expensive “flag-ship” models; going with an entry-level gaming laptop from Alienware or Rock can make them more affordable for the average gamer.

However, if you’re on a really tight budget (and who isn’t these days) then you have other options when buying a completely good quality gaming laptop. You might not get all the “bells and whistles” but you will get a fast, high-performance gaming machine that will let you play the latest 3D video games on your laptop.

Before you even begin your search, you will have to decide whether or not you’re ruling out the possibility of purchasing a refurbished or even a used gaming laptop. If you know what you’re doing, some excellent bargains can be had with online auction sites like eBay. Just make sure you thoroughly check out the seller and product before you buy.

Refurbished laptops is another option you can take, just make sure you have some iron-clad guarantees or warranties if you’re buying a refurbished gaming laptop. Also remember, check around in your own local area… in hard economic times many perfectly good gaming laptops may be offered for sale so check your local newspaper ads and online places like Craigslist to see if you can pick up a quality gaming rig at a very reasonable price.

Next, if you’re in the market for new gaming laptop, there are several lower price models you could consider.

Gateway P-7811FX ($1,449)

The Gateway P-7811FX is one rather inexpensive laptop you should check out if you’re searching for good gaming laptop at a reasonable price. It sports a 2.26GHz Intel Core 2 Duo P8400 processor with 4GB, 667MHz DDR3 memory, 200GB 7200rpm, Nvidia GeForce 9800M GTS and a HD-friendly 1920×1200 17.1 inch display.

Which is great value for your money and if you’re on a tight budget, you should consider this one.

Qosmio X305 ($1,500 – $2000)

Toshiba has recently launched its Qosmio X305 series of gaming laptops featuring two NVIDIA GeForce 9800M GTS SLI graphics cards. With Intel Core2 Duo Processor P8400 and 4GB PC3-8500 DDR3 1066MHz SDRAM memory – these beauties can handle the most demanding Direct X 10 games and applications.

Throw in Toshiba great 17″ Diagonal TruBrite Widescreen Display for full 1680 x 1050 (WSXGA+) resolution and 4 Harman/Kardon speakers with a Subwoofer and you have a good quality gaming machine at a reasonable price.

Know Your Clevo

Furthermore, experienced gamers know their “Clevo” – this is the Taiwan-based notebook maker ODM (Original Design Manufacturer) who supplies many of the Brand-name Boutique OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) like Falcon, M-TECH, Sager, Rock… with the necessary components and models. By comparing the prices on these Clevo models offered by the different OEMs, you can find the cheapest price that’s offered. You can save hundreds, if not thousands off by shopping around and finding the best priced Clevo.

These are just but a few examples of finding a relatively cheap gaming laptop, if you’re on the hunt for a good quality gaming rig. But there are many more out there, so shop around and cover all your bases.

Happy hunting!

Copyright (c) 2008 Titus Hoskins

For a great gaming laptop you need high performance processors, dedicated graphics cards and a lot of system memory. These days top gaming laptops are using dual or even quad processors and hooking up two or more graphics GPUs thru SLI configurations to get the ultimate gaming performance.

Most gamers look for Nvidia and ATI as their choice of Graphics Cards which uses dedicated memory (RAM) and pulls additional system RAM when needed thru HyperMemory (ATI) or Turbocache (Nvidia). You need at least 2 Gigs of RAM, although most high end laptops now come with 4 or more Gigs of RAM. Note: 32-bit Operating Systems ONLY recognizes up to 3GB of RAM, while you need 64-bit systems to take full advantage of 4GB of RAM.

Sound and visuals are very important to gamers so you have to check for superior display qualities and top sound systems. So look for display technologies like CrystalBrite (Acer) or X-Black (Sony) for better viewing. Also look for high resolution (native 1,920 x 1,200) screens, 64 bit systems, DirectX 10 Graphics, Blu-ray or HD playback…

With all these considerations in mind, here’s a short list of a few top gaming laptops you should consider if you’re in the market. Keep in mind, although prices are coming down, be prepared to pay top dollar for all that high-end gaming hardware, especially if you’re looking at the more popular well-known brands. Also please note stated prices are rough estimates at the time of writing; so check each manufacturer’s online site for exact prices and configurations.

1. Alienware Area-51 m17x ($4,749)

Alienware has always been the established leader for superior gaming machines. Unfortunately, while they make some of the best gaming rigs, you will have to pay for all that performance and for all that style. Many believe Alienware is too overpriced for what you get. However, if money is no object, Alienware should be your first consideration for a gaming laptop.

Currently, one of their fastest machines is the Area-51 m17x which sports some impressive specs:

CPU: Intel® Core® 2 Extreme X9000 2.8GHz (6MB Cache 800MHz FSB)

Memory: 4GB? Dual Channel DDR2 SO-DIMM at 667MHz – 2 x 2048MB

Hard Drive: 250GB (250GB x 2) 7,200RPM (8MB Cache) w/ Free Fall Protection

Graphics: 512MB NVIDIA® Quadro® FX 3600M

OS: Microsoft® Windows® Vista® Ultimate with Service Pack 1 Display: 17″ WideUXGA 1920 x 1200 LCD (1200p) with Clearview Technology Weight: 10.5 lbs

But don’t expect long battery life as gaming laptops are usually power-hungry creatures that burn up your power source very quickly. While still mobile, this laptop serves more as a desktop replacement than a portable laptop, same said for most of the gaming laptops here. However, you won’t look any cooler than when you’re lugging this rig around, not that looks should count but they often do. Shallow world.

2. Rock Xtreme 780 X9100 (£2300 British Pounds or $4,210 USD)

Offering some serious competition to the Area-51 m15x is the Rock Xtreme 780 X9100. This is the follow-up to the very high ranked Xtreme 770 which you may also consider. The 780 sports the new Intel® Core2 Extreme processor and the latest gaming technologies.

CPU: Up to Intel® Core® 2 Extreme processor X9100 (2 x 3.06GHz) 6MB Level 2 Cache

Memory: Up to 4GB DDR3 1066Mhz RAM

Hard Drive: Up to 320Gb 7200rpm SATA

Graphics: NVIDIA 9800M GTX 1GB GDR3

OS: Microsoft® Windows® Vista® Home Premium

Display: 17″ WUXGA+ X-Glass TFT Screen (1920 x 1200) Weight: 8.4 lbs

You should know Rock (Rockdirect) is a leading UK laptop manufacturer and was recently acquired by the Stone Group. It should be business as usual since the Stone Group is also a leading hardware specialist and laptop manufacturer. Rock has a solid reputation for bringing the latest innovative notebook technology to customers. Perhaps better suited for European buyers with its “3 Year pan-European Collect & Return Warranty” – although gamers this side of the pond shouldn’t necessarily rule out getting a rock.

3. Gateway P-7811FX ($1,449)

The Gateway P-7811FX is an inexpensive alternative to all the pricey gaming laptops you might be considering. If you’re looking for a good gaming machine, yet want to stay within a limited budget, this laptop may have your name on it.

CPU: 2.26GHz Intel Core 2 Duo P8400

Memory: 4GB, 667MHz DDR3

Hard Drive: 200GB 7200rpm

Graphics: Nvidia GeForce 9800M GTS

OS: Microsoft® Windows® Vista® Premium (64-bit) Display: 17.1 inches HD-friendly 1920×1200. Weight: 9.0 lbs

This gaming laptop offers great value for your money and well worth your consideration, especially if you’re on a tight budget.

4. Sager NP9262 ($5879)

In case you want to go in the other direction and break the bank, the Sager NP9262 maybe calling your name. Built on the Clevo D900C / D901C (Worlds 1st Quad Core Laptop) the NP9262 sports some very impressive gaming specs.

CPU: Intel® Core® 2 Quad Processor Q9650 / 12MB L2 Cache, 3.0GHz, 1333MHz FSB

Memory: 8GB memory available on NP9262 with 64bit edition of Windows VISTA

Hard Drive: 320GB 7200rpm SATA 300 Hard Drive + other HD choices

Graphics: Dual Nvidia GeForce 9800M GTX Graphics with 1GB DDR3 Video Memory in SLI mode

OS: Windows® Vista® ULTIMATE 32/64-Bit Edition Display: 17″ Wide Viewing Angles WUXGA LCD with Super Glossy Surface (1920 x 1200) Weight: 11.55 lb

5. Dell XPS M1730 ($4,000)

Some gamers wouldn’t be caught dead mentioning Dell and gaming laptops in the same breath. There’s no accounting for gaming snobbery or brand name bias. However, Dell which now owns Alienware and some of that style must be rubbing off since the XPS M1730 is one of the most striking gaming laptops you can buy; looks do count and this one leaves all takers in the dust. If you can get over the idea of having a Dell in the first place, the XPS M1730 also sports some very impressive gaming specs.

CPU: 2.8GHz Intel Core 2 Extreme X7900

Memory: 2GB of 667MHz

Hard Drive: 400GB (2×200) at 7,200rpm

Graphics: Dual 256MB Nvidia GeForce 8700M GT in SLI (scalable link interface)

OS: Windows Vista® Home Premium Display: 17 inches 1,920×1,200 resolution Weight: 11.1 lbs

These are just some of the top gaming laptops on the market. Any one of these rigs will give you half decent gaming. There are probably a lot more cheaper gaming laptops out there and it does pay to shop around. And as you probably already noticed these gaming rigs are geared around Intel and Nvidia, but you shouldn’t rule out AMD and/or ATI based systems. For Mac lovers, you should look at the Apple MacBook Pro – and remember you can also run Windows to play games!

Furthermore, one of the major drawbacks of going with any gaming laptop (rather than a PC) is that there is very little room for expansion… you need a system that can be easily upgraded mainly because by the time you buy it, your system will probably be out of date. That’s a bit exaggerated, but it is always a good idea to go with a gaming system that you can easily upgrade when the need arises or as you can afford it.

Also some gamers dislike Vista as an Operating System for gaming and quickly switch back to Windows XP. This is simply done, however some current laptops/PCs won’t accept XP so check this out BEFORE you buy your machine.

In addition, if some of these gaming rigs look very similar, you should know that Clevo is the ODM (Original Design Manufacturer) based in Taiwan that sells barebones and computer components to all these boutique brand OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) like Falcon, Sager, M-TECH, Rock… Clevo is considered by many gamers to produce the top laptops in regards to superior quality and build. A prudent gaming laptop buyer would always cross-reference these Clevo products in order to find the best deal.

Toshiba has recently empowered its flagship Qosmio series with two new gaming laptops: the Qosmio X305-Q706 and the Qosmio X305-Q708. These gaming laptops will incorporate Three GPUs in one system with the integrated GeForce 9400M and two Nvidia GeForce 9800M GTS cards through SLI (Scalable Link Interface).

Nvidia is naming this triple-card solution as “Hybrid SLI” and it basically offers laptop owners the option of discrete graphics with two connected Nvidia GeForce 9800M GTS cards for powerful gaming and then integrated graphics with the GeForce 9400M for lower-power usage like Windows operations.

Toshiba is offering the Qosmio X305 in two versions: the lower priced $1,999 Qosmio X305-Q706, powered by a 2.26GHz Intel Core 2 Duo P8400 processor and 4GB of DDR3 RAM. It has a 320GB, 7,200rpm hard drive and the already mentioned GeForce 9400M and the two 512MB Nvidia GeForce 9800M GTS cards.

For those with huge pockets, Toshiba is offering a higher-end version, the Qosmio X305-Q708 at around $4,199 with a 2.53GHz Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9300 quad-core processor and 4GB of DDR3 RAM. It has two hard drives: 128GB solid-state drive and a 320GB, 7,200rpm hard drive. And of course, it will feature the three GPUs.

Both these Qosmio X305 gaming models will have the red-flame design and both will have the 17-inch Diagonal Widescreen TruBrite® Display at 1440×900 native resolution. Plus, stereo sound with 4 Harman Kardon speakers with subwoofer.

If you can get over the fact that gaming laptops are often considered a total waste of money because you can get much better performance for a far cheaper price in a gaming Desktop PC; Toshiba may be pointing us in the right direction. Still, many gamers argue that even 3 mobile chips are not equal to their desktop cousins and if you want ultimate gaming performance go with a PC rather than a laptop.

While there’s a lot of truth to that argument, gaming laptops are catching up in performance and in price. Gaming laptops are using the latest technologies to improve performance, especially through SLI and Hybrid SLI where two or more GPUs are connected to give you a better gaming experience. Call it “Hybrid SLI” or whatever you want, but there’s no denying laptop performance has greatly improved over the last few years.

Still most high end big brand names, like Alienware, charge big prices for all that raw power and style, especially on their fully loaded machines. However, for the prudent consumer there are cheaper gaming laptops that will not break your banking account. Some of these, like the Gateway P-7811FX do offer good value for your money.

Likewise, for those who want a mobile gaming machine and is not worried about the dismal battery life, can look towards the Qosmio X305 gaming laptop series from Toshiba for a solution. It should give you the best of both world in the same laptop: maximum performance and quiet operation. In a recent press release, Carl Pinto, vice president of product development for Toshiba, stated:

“We wanted to deliver an extreme-performance gaming machine that gives gamers a complete, non-compromising system in a laptop form factor… the combination of the NVIDIA GPUs and chipset allowed us to achieve a high level of performance, quality and flexibility that our customers are asking for, at a competitive starting price of $1,999.”

Only the marketplace will decide whether these new laptops sporting three GPUs will fulfill that promise and usher in a whole new era in gaming laptops. At least now all the cards are on the table or should we say in the machine.

Copyright (c) 2009 Titus Hoskins

Gaming laptops are becoming more powerful as notebook technology offers up new platforms and ever-increasing performance benchmarks. Gone are the days when a serious PC gamer would laugh at the idea of using a laptop for gaming. While gaming PCs still hold a slight advantage over gaming laptops (mainly when it comes to upgrading), gaming laptops now offer a viable alternative, even for hardcore PC gamers.

If your next computer purchase is a gaming laptop you should consider or check-out these five major factors or components in order to get the best bang for your gaming buck. These five features are: Graphics Card, Processor, RAM, Hard Drive and Display.

Graphics Card

Perhaps, the major part of a gaming laptop is the GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) or Graphics Card. You want a high-end Graphics card with dedicated RAM to handle all the latest video games. Integrated graphics simply won’t be able to process all the complex features of modern 3-D games.

Most top brand name or high-end gaming laptops now have two or more Graphics Cards working together in CrossFire or SLI (Scalable Link Interface) configuration to give you premium handling power. You should also check to see if your new gaming system has at least 250MB of video memory as this will help with the smooth running of your games.

Processor

Most high-end gaming laptops now come with at least Dual-core CPUs (Central Processing Units) and we even have quad-processors in some laptops. Your CPU will determine how fast your laptop will run and process data so it is obviously another vital element of your gaming laptop. You want to pick the fastest processor speed that you can afford.

RAM

Another very important feature of the gaming laptop is RAM s ince it will also determine how fast your laptop will run. You want at least 1GB of RAM to play most games but many gaming laptops now come with 2 or more Gigs of RAM. Check the type of RAM, DDRAM3 will be faster. Try to get as much RAM as you can afford and prices have been steadily decreasing in recent years so you should be able to get enough RAM to handle most games.

Hard Drive

Most gamers go with 7200rpm hard drives as these will be faster than a slower speed hard drive. Many gamers also pick SATA Hard Drives (Serial ATA) which gives them higher performance, especially for high bandwidth applications such as multi-player gaming. In addition, recent gaming laptops are now sporting two or more hard drives which can offer up to a Terabyte of storage.

Solid State Drives are probably the future of gaming but these at the moment are just too expensive. SSDs have no moving parts so they are considered more reliable than an ordinary hard drive with movable parts that can crash.

Display and Visuals

Gaming laptops are all about the visuals and entertainment features so you want to check the display quality as well as the sound quality. High end gaming laptops now come with full 1080p displays and Blu-ray DVD drives to give you the best in viewing pleasure. You should check the display size and resolution to make sure you’re not disappointed.

Gaming laptops have now become popular not only with gamers but with those who want a high-performance laptop for intensive graphic and video work. They are becoming desktop replacements for many PC users and their use is not restricted just to gaming. Regardless of how they’re used, if you want a superior gaming rig, just follow the five guidelines mentioned above to help you find a laptop that will be able to handle all your hardware demands and performance levels to meet your gaming needs.