Best Gaming Laptops - TheLaptopAuthority.com

The best gaming laptops continue to be ahead of the curve. That's because these systems have to meet the demands of resource-hungry titles like Quake 4 and FEAR. Business-class models chug along at modest speeds in their matte gray cases, but these high-end systems deliver beefy graphics processors shrouded in sleek molded plastic. Custom designs are available inside and outside the case. Hard-wired media controls are a must and ports are plentiful. Their dual-core CPUs can easily replace your desktop.

Not just anyone can carry around one of these machines. Gaming notebooks are heavier and louder than mainstream systems. Most will perform much better when plugged into an outlet; cut the cord and expect little more than an hour of play time with reduced horsepower. Quake on the train? If it's a short ride. The upshot is LAN party portability and multimedia performance that a mid-class notebook can only dream of. Just make sure your wallet is strong enough to withstand the assault.

Like other companies, Falcon builds heavyset desktop replacements, but they also offer a surprisingly capable thin-and-light model for gaming satisfaction. This system is light enough on its feet to afford over two hours of battery life, and the 15.4-inch screen beautifully presents the gaming visuals pumped out by the AMD Turion 64 MT processor and ATI Mobility Radeon x700 graphics. At 6.5 pounds, the TL-2 is the most portable dedicated gaming rig on the market. For the custom-obsessed gamer, Falcon's skill with paint - from unique color finishes to full airbrushing is unsurpassed. There's nothing like distracting the competition with shiny bits before blowing them away.

The biggest acronym in the mobile gaming world is SLI (scalable link interface), Nvidia's method for running two graphics processors in parallel provides gaming performance like nothing since modders paired their 3DFx Voodoo 2 cards a decade ago. SLI has hit gaming notebooks full force and Alienware's M9700 is leading the charge.

An AMD Turion 64 provides the processing power for Alienware's SLI rig, with graphics muscle supplied by a pair of Nvidia G71 m GTX processors armed with 256MB of dedicated memory. The power shows up on a 17-inch widescreen WUXGA display mounted in Alienware's trademark case, (A more expensive 19-inch model is also available,) The default 1GB of RAM is expandable to 4GB, and the whole package weighs around nine pounds.

The system is also designed for media. An embedded PCI TV tuner turns the notebook into a portable DVR, and DVI output ensures that recorded media can be played back on HD monitors. A dual hard drive option is available for extended or redundant RAID storage and the Aurora M7700's webcam has migrated to the platform as well. For less than two grand, there's nothing else like this. roblocod.es

The Sting 517M is such a solid buy that it won an Editors' Choice award. At a relatively portable 9.1 pounds, the 517M packs 100GB of storage and up to 2GB of RAM along with an Nvidia GeForce Go 7900 GTX graphics processor with 512MB of dedicated DDR RAM, all centered around a Pentium M chip running at speeds up to 2.26 GHz. Don't have the cash to go all out? The Sting is readily upgradeable, with easy access points to add memory or new processors. All of this is wrapped in a silver case adorned with a giant spider that proves the Sting means business.

The most technically potent notebook in any gaming lineup likely bears the Voodoo brand. The Envy u:909 is a 15-pound behemoth with a fantastic 19-inch screen featuring 1680 x 1050 pixel resolution that's able to eat your desktop, not just replace it.

An array of AMD Turion 64 processor options is supported by SLI technology that drives two Nvidia GeForce Go 7800 GTX graphics cards in parallel for enough power to fill the huge screen. There's even an eight-channel speaker system and internal subwoofer to make your LAN victims rumble in their (digital) graves.

At 4.5-pounds with a 12.1-inch screen, this midsized convertible is perfect for notebook users who want a spacious keyboard, portability, and tablet functionality at a very reasonable price. The M400 packs power, including the latest 1.66-GHz Intel Core Solo CPU (a dual-core processor is now available), an 80GB hard drive, and a built-in DVD/CD-RW drive. Its biometric and software security are very easy to use, and the microphone is excellent for taking dictation, voice command, or recording meetings. As usual, Toshiba aims to please corporate users, providing rock solid notebook performance and a very roomy keyboard. While not as comfortable in tablet mode as the stellar ThinkPad, the M400 has superior speed and is the best pick in the mid-size category.

- Webmaster - TheLaptopAuthority.com