Laptops: Reviews

For serious gamers, reviewers say you can't beat the performance of the 17-inch Alienware M17x. This award-winning laptop combines the top gaming hardware with a flashy design to appeal to fans of 3-D gaming. The base… model of the Alienware M17x starts at only $1,800, but that's deceiving since reviewers say you'll need to shell out serious cash to take advantage of this machine's full potential. Most reviewers test an upgraded version of this gaming laptop costing at least $4,000, complete with dual Nvidia GeForce GTX graphics, a high-resolution display and Blu-ray drive. With these upgrades, reviewers rave about the blistering performance; in fact, John Delaney at ComputerShopper.com calls the Alienware M17x the "fastest gaming laptop we've ever tested." The two biggest drawbacks, according to reviews, are price and weight. The Alienware M17x weighs more than 11 pounds, so while it's technically portable, you won't want to lug it around for long. It's also expensive, but reviewers say serious gamers will find it worth every penny.

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While it can't match the blazing performance of the Alienware M17x, the Asus G51Vx-RX05 earns a number of recommendations for budget-conscious or casual gamers. This affordable laptop boasts a 15.6-inch HD screen, a 2.0… GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor and Nvidia GeForce GTX graphics. Reviewers point to several features that will appeal to gamers, including a backlit keyboard and slip-proof palm rest. Testing indicates this laptop should meet the needs of most casual gamers, but serious gamers should look elsewhere; ComputerShopper.com points out that while the Asus G51Vx-RX05 can easily handle games in DirectX 9, it posts only "mediocre" scores in tests with DirectX 10. On the plus side, the Asus laptop weighs considerably less -- only 7.3 pounds -- than the Alienware M17x, but it has an equally short battery life. The Asus G51Vx-RX05 is sold exclusively at Best Buy.

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The award-winning Dell Studio XPS 16 is widely praised as a multimedia powerhouse. It includes a 15.6- or 16-inch widescreen display with a 16:9 aspect ratio and some reviewers say the rich and vibrant display is one of… the best they've tested. A slot-loading Blu-ray drive and 1080p resolution display are available as an upgrade option. One reviewer says the Dell Studio XPS 16 is worth buying just for the 1080p LCD display, especially if you plan to watch movies or do graphics work. Reviewers also appreciate the inclusion of both HDMI and DisplayPort technologies. Benchmark testing shows the Dell Studio XPS 16 offers solid performance, even for casual gaming. The Dell Studio XPS 16 gets high marks for its sleek, leather-trimmed design, but the laptop's glossy surfaces are magnets for fingerprints and smudges. Like most power laptops, the battery life is nothing to write home about.

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The Lenovo ThinkPad W700ds brings something unique to the business-laptop market: a 10.6-inch secondary display that pops out from behind the 17-inch main display. This dual-screen functionality is widely praised, and… reviewers say it breaks new ground. The Lenovo ThinkPad W700ds also earns high marks for packing desktop power and performance into a (relatively) portable package. In addition to the dual screens, business users get an optional digitizer with pen, a full-size keyboard with a number pad and a built-in color calibrator. These features will cost you, though, in price and weight. The Lenovo ThinkPad W700ds weighs 11 pounds and is too thick for many laptop bags, so reviewers recommend this laptop for those who want desktop performance but don't need to travel often. It's also quite pricey -- take advantage of the numerous upgrades and you're looking at a total cost of $4,000 to $5,000.

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If you travel often, the 5-pound HP EliteBook 6930p may be a better choice. This no-nonsense laptop has been around for a long time, but reviewers say it's a good value among business notebooks. The 14.1-inch laptop uses… a matte display, so it avoids the glare and reflections that plague glossy screens. In terms of performance, testers say the EliteBook 6930p can easily handle office tasks and even some movies, but this business laptop should not be mistaken for a multimedia or gaming notebook. The battery life is decent, lasting for almost four hours in one test. Several reviewers complain that the touchpad buttons are too stiff, but overall the HP EliteBook 6930p gets very good reviews for build quality and office performance.

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