Computer gaming is one of the most popular form of entertainment today, and the computer industry is continuously trying to catch up with increasingly more complex and demanding games. Most 3D games require heavy processing power and powerful graphics processing units (GPUs), the latter of which should be considered a top priority before deciding for a laptop suitable for gaming. Here are a few points to consider when looking for a gaming notebook that will meet your needs.
Processor speed: Although it is secondary to the GPU, the processor should preferably be a fast onea 1.6GHz quad-core processor or better from Intel will deliver more processing power for your games but also much improved overall system performance.
Any gaming laptop must have a dedicated video card, meaning that it is a separate piece of silicon with its own internal memory (RAM). 1GB of GDDR3 is a bare minimum, but a larger amount of GDDR5 will help.
Hard drive speed has no effect on your games’ frame rate, but it certainly affects loading times. Try to aim for a drive that rotates at 7200 rpm, or even better, a solid state drive (SSD.
Laptop screen size: This is a matter of personal preference, but a 17-inch or larger high-resolution panel gives you a more fulfilling gaming experience.
Battery life: This is unfortunately never a strong suit for large and powerful gaming machines, but newer notebooks with switchable graphics can provide extra hours of use away from the mains.
On the basis of the above features, here are some of the best gaming notebooks for 2011 and beyond.
Alienware M18x:
There are different sizes in Alienwares lineup and all are very popular and of course highly suitable for gamers. The M18x is the biggest and most powerful of the bunch with options for factory-overclocked CPUs and dual video cards. Some of the highlights include second-generation Intel Core i7 processors, CrossFireX or SLI (dual) graphics card setups, a high-resolution 1080p display and fast 7,200rpm hard drives or SSDs.
iBUYPOWER Battalion 101 W150HRQ:
The iBUYPOWER Battalion 101 W150HRQ is powerful considering its reasonably svelte 15-inch form factor. Features that will no doubt appeal to gamers include a high resolution screen (1920×1080), an Nvidia GT555M graphics card with 2GB of dedicated DDR3 video RAM, as well as a wide range of configuration options including quad core processors.
Alienware M11x R3:
Another laptop that delivers a lot of performance in spite of its small size is the M11X R3 This is another very popular Alienware gaming laptop. It has a very attractive feature set, including an NVIDIA GeForce 540M video card, low-voltage 2nd-generation Intel Core-series processors, an 11.6 inch screen with 1366×768 resolution. It also comes with a speedy 7,200rpm hard drive in the base configuration. Thanks to switchable graphics in the form of NVIDIA Optimus technology, the battery life is also excellentup to 7 hours.
Asus G73SW:
Asus develops a liberal amount of gaming notebooks every year, and the Asus “Republic of Gamers” G73SW is one of the best and fastest. It has an Intel Core i7 quad core processor with a speed of 2.0 GHz, a fast NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460M video card, no less than 8 gigs of DDR 3 RAM and a nice 17 inch wide screen display with Full HD 1920×1080 resolution.
Falcon Northwest TLX
This is a very good gaming laptop from US-based Falcon Northwest. It is the most powerful 15-inch laptop in the world, according to the manufacturer, and it is difficult to disagree. Following are the salient specifications and features of the Falcoon Northwest TXL gaming laptop: an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 485Mthe fastest GPU on the marketplus 2nd-generation Core CPUs from Intel, a wide range of other optional upgrades and a 1920×1080 pixel display.