Best Gaming Laptops

Best laptops for serious gamers

Modern integrated graphics solutions are much more capable than in the past, but still share memory with the rest of the computer system. While that's fine for most everyday computing tasks, intensive gaming and high-end graphics work demand something a little more powerful. To fill that need, gaming-oriented laptops almost always sport a dedicated high-end video card that includes a powerful graphics processing unit (GPU) and RAM that's dedicated to the display, which enables rapid on-screen motion to look natural.

Dell consistently earns positive reviews for its Alienware gaming laptops, and the latest reincarnations of the Alienware M17x (*Est. $1,500 and up) remain the overall favorite. Reviewers say the 17.3-inch laptop, informally called the R3 (Revision 3) model, will impress even the most hardcore gamers. The Alienware M17x can be configured at Dell.com, but the base model comes with a 2.2 GHz Intel Core i7-2670QM processor, 4 GB of RAM, 500 GB hard drive and AMD Radeon HD 6870M graphics. Most reviewers, however, test higher-end configurations costing well over $3,000, complete with a 2.3 GHz Intel Core i7-2820QM CPU, 8 GB of memory, a solid-state drive, HD display, Blu-ray drive and a top-of-the-line AMD Radeon HD 6970M graphics solution.

With this configuration, experts say the Alienware M17x is hard to beat. "Not only does the M17x blow away every other notebook, gaming or otherwise, but it does so with panache," says Michael Prospero at Laptop Magazine, which gives the notebook an Editors' Choice award. The Sandy Bridge processors, introduced earlier this year, bring significant speed improvements, and reviewers like the optional WirelessHD feature, which streams content to an HDTV (although you'll need a compatible third-party receiver). Experts are impressed that this feature works so seamlessly -- both Blu-ray videos and games play smoothly without any noticeable lag.

Performance is outstanding in most respects. When it comes to 3D gaming, frame rates are double or triple the competition, even at native resolution and high detail settings. Demanding games like "Crysis Warhead" are very playable. The Alienware M17x is also available with a 3D-capable video card, display and one pair of bundled glasses, which offers a more immersive experience but increases the cost by around $300. Reviewers are generally pleased with the 3D capabilities, although it does require decreasing the resolution on demanding games. Some reviewers also note that 3D gives them a headache after extended use.

The Alienware M17x's prowess isn't limited to gaming; it also offers stellar performance in multimedia tests, including video encoding, Photoshop and file-transfer tasks. "Even the most demanding software runs flawlessly and complex multi-tasking is handled with an effortless ease," says TechRadar.com. The step-up 1,920-by-1,080-pixel display also gets high marks for its wide viewing angles and crisp detail. A 1,600-by-900-pixel display comes standard, but experts say that the $150 that the display upgrade costs is well worth it.

The Alienware M17x gaming laptop does get hot during intensive sessions, especially on the underside, where Laptop Magazine registers a temperature of 120 degrees. Battery life is on par with other high-powered gaming laptops -- you can expect less than three hours even for basic tasks like surfing the Internet, and serious gaming drops that even further. Some reviewers are disappointed that the base model only has 4 GB of RAM.

Dell also offers the Alienware M18x (*Est. $2,000 and up), an 18.4-inch monster of a gaming laptop that has a starting weight of nearly 12 pounds. The base model comes with a 2.2 GHz Intel Core i7-2670QM processor, 4 GB of RAM, a 500 GB SATA drive and Nvidia GeForce GTX 560M graphics, but all of these components can be upgraded to push performance -- and the price -- into the stratosphere. Most experts review models that cost more than $5,000. Other than the larger display, the Alienware M18x has a higher memory capacity (up to 32 GB) than the M17x; it also can accommodate dual hard drives or dual graphics cards.

HardwareHeaven.com gives the Alienware M18x a Gold award, saying the laptop is an excellent choice for serious gamers. All the latest titles are playable at native resolution and medium-quality settings, and those who choose to upgrade the video card can play demanding games at the highest settings. Likewise, CNET and Laptop Magazine report that their $5,000-plus review systems blew away the competition in performance benchmark tests. The consensus seems to be that the Alienware M18x can handle any game that users throw at it, but it takes a couple of sacrifices to do so.

First is the price; as HotHardware.com reviewer Dave Altavilla says, "The Alienware M18x is a notebook built for gaming and performance enthusiasts, plain and simple.  This isn't a machine designed to strike a balance in power efficiency or portability by any means." The other major drawback is battery life; the M18x's charge failed to reach even the two-hour mark in testing when the discrete graphics were enabled. "In terms of battery life, even unplugging the M18x to walk it closer to your television in order to use the wireless HD capabilities is a roll of the dice, depending on how long the movie or TV show you plan to watch is," Dan Ackerman opines at CNET.

There are two additional options in the Alienware family, the Alienware M14x (*Est. $1,100 and up) and the Alienware M11x (*Est. $900 and up), which offer somewhat more portability than their larger counterparts. Unlike the larger Alienware gaming laptops, the 7-pound Alienware M14x includes Nvidia's Optimus technology, which switches automatically between integrated and discrete graphics to boost power or conserve battery life. Configurations start with a 2.4 GHz Intel Core i5-2430M CPU, 4 GB of RAM, a 500 GB SATA drive and Nvidia GeForce GT555M graphics. The smaller Alienware M11x makes do with a base configuration that includes a Core i5-2537M processor, 4 GB of RAM, a 320 GB SATA hard drive and Nvidia GeForce GT 540M graphics.

The Alienware M14x earns an Editor's Choice award from HotHardware.com, which says the gaming laptop offers a good blend of performance and portability. Editors rave about the solid build quality of the laptop, which is outfitted in Alienware's usual matte black design with customized lighting effects. The display and backlit keyboard are also fantastic. In terms of performance, editors say the laptop really excels. "This is one of the fastest 14-inch notebooks we've ever tested under any test condition, gaming or otherwise," says Dave Altavilla. However, serious gamers will want to upgrade to the available Core i7 processor or take a look at the M17x or M18x in order to play demanding games at the highest settings. In addition, the cooling fan can be noisy under load.

If portability or price is your main concern, the Alienware M11x is worth considering, as it weighs less than 5 pounds. Compared to previous versions, the new Alienware M11x has faster overall performance and better battery life; it also runs cooler. "The original M11x was a great system, the latest revision takes the product to an entirely new level," says HardwareHeaven.com. Even though the laptop is small, it has no problems playing intensive games, including titles like "Bulletstorm," "Far Cry 2," "Street Fighter IV" and "Dragon Age 2."

While most critics give the 11.6-inch screen high marks for sharpness and color, they say that it suffers from poor viewing angles and glare issues due to the use of a glossy, rather than matte, display. The built-in Klipsch 5.1 speakers reach high volumes and sound excellent overall to most reviewers, though some note that they can occasionally sound a bit monotone and can't quite deliver the same audio quality as the larger Alienware laptops. The cooling fan also is loud. Unlike the M18x, the battery life is a high point, lasting five hours in CNET's battery-draining tests and eight hours in Laptop Magazine's benchmark.

Users can upgrade to a configuration that contains a Core i7 processor, 8 GB of RAM and a 750 GB hard drive for $1,300, which would deliver even more gaming prowess. Regardless of which configuration you choose, experts say value-minded gamers will be happy. "In its size class, the Alienware M11x is still unparalleled," Scott Stein says at CNET. "Those looking for a gaming-ready ultraportable laptop in the $1,000 range need look no further: this M11x gets the job done."

When it comes to gaming laptops, Dell's Alienware brand typically overshadows all other manufacturers, but Asus also gets high marks for its G74SX line of gaming laptops, spearheaded by the Asus G74SX-A2 (*Est. $2,100). This configuration earns an Editors' Choice award from Laptop Magazine and AnandTech.com and high ratings from PCMag.com and About.com. The 17.3-inch gaming laptop is packed with top-notch components, including an Intel Core i7-2630QM processor, 16 GB of RAM, a 750 GB hard drive, 160 GB solid-state drive and Nvidia GeForce GTX 560M graphics with 3 GB of dedicated memory. Other features include a Blu-ray drive, built-in Bluetooth 3.0, a 2-megapixel webcam and four USB ports (including one USB 3.0). The Asus G74SX-A2 is currently available at a variety of online retailers.

Like previous Asus gaming laptops, the Asus G74SX-A2 has a stealth-inspired design with a matte rubberized finish that gets high marks from experts. The roomy keyboard has a dedicated number pad, and Laptop Magazine says that the keyboard is more comfortable with less flex than previous versions. The 1,920-by-1,080-pixel display also impresses with its bright colors, although viewing angles can be improved.

From a performance standpoint, the Asus G74SX-A2 is comparable to or better than most gaming laptops, although a similarly configured Core i7-equipped Alienware M17x performs slightly better in most of AnandTech.com's, PCMag.com's and Laptop Magazine's tests. Nevertheless, the Asus system, similarly configured, is slightly cheaper and is capable of playing even the most taxing games at 1080p resolution and still achieving very playable frame rates. As with all gaming laptops, experts say you shouldn't expect the notebook's battery charge to last too long.

The MSI GT683R-242US (*Est. $1,440) also earns some respect from reviewers. The laptop includes an Intel Core i7-2630QM processor, 12 GB of memory, a 7,200 RPM 1 TB hard drive and Nvidia GeForce GTX 560M graphics. Audio and video is handled by a 1920-by-1080 15.6-inch display and Dynaudio Premium Speakers powered by THX TruStudio Pro. Extras include a 720p HD webcam, Bluetooth connectivity, a DVD burner and USB 3.0, HDMI and eSATA ports.

The MSI gaming notebook offers very good performance, critics say. The GT683R-242US posts one of the best WorldBench 6 scores that PC World has ever seen in a desktop-replacement laptop. For those interested in gaming, it achieves a smooth 47 fps rate in "Far Cry 2" at 1,920-by-1,080-pixel resolution. HotHardware.com punishes the notebook by testing it with high graphical settings and high resolutions enabled in the computer-crushing "Just Cause 2" and "Metro 2033," games, amongst others. The system responds well, posting playable to very playable frame rates in every test, although playing "Metro 2033" at 1,920-by-1,080-pixel resolution dropped the frame rate to 24 fps, which does stretch the definition of playable a tiny bit.

One possible downside is the shiny black chassis, which fails to strike a chord with reviewers. Less flashy types might also dislike the orange LED light strips situated on the cover, either side of the screen and just underneath the keyboard. "If you like the aggressive aesthetics and are in the market for a powerful notebook that's speedy enough to churn through DX11 games and HD multimedia, the MSI GT683R is worthy of consideration," HotHardware.com concludes.

One final gaming laptop to consider -- especially if money is no object -- is the Origin EON17-S (*Est. $1,680 and up)gaming computers report. They bring the same boutique attitude to the EON17-S laptop, and most reviewers skip right past the base configuration to test systems that cost in the neighborhood of $3,400, with high-end options such as overclocked Intel Core i7-2960XM CPUs, overclocked high-end Nvidia GeForce graphics, speedy solid-state drives and 8 GB of RAM. Even more powerful -- and more expensive -- configurations are available as well.

If performance is more important than a high sticker price, reviewers say you can't go wrong with a high-end EON17-S. "The EON 17-S delivered the highest WorldBench 6 score we've yet seen from a laptop, a stunning mark of 197," Loyd Case writes at PC World. The notebook also posted top scores in many of CNET's and Maximum PC's benchmark tests. CNET reports that the EON17-S cranked out a 30 fps rate in "Metro 2033," a game that brings most full-fledged gaming systems to their knees.

"If you dream of the performance boost you can only get by overclocking but are afraid of a DIY approach, Origin's laptop provides an excellent solution," Ken Feinstein writes at Maximum PC. Meanwhile, CNET says the laptop comes in tops in another metric: power consumption. Keeping those overclocked components running smoothly takes a lot of electricity relative to other PCs. Likewise, battery life is short, at just over two hours in PC World's and CNET's tests. Another drawback to the overclocked components is their heat generation; Case says that the fans run loudly to keep the notebook cool, "even when the laptop is idle."