Compare Gaming Laptop Options & Best In Class Models

Gaming laptop models today allow you to enjoy playing games like Far Cry or Doom III without having to remain strapped to a desktop PC. Sure, a cutting-edge desktop system will always be a better gaming machine than even the best gaming laptop. But with today's high-end graphics cards from ATI and Nvidia, you can enjoy virtually the same state-of-the-art visuals, superfast gameplay, and surround sound (with the right speakers) anywhere. To get the best performance you'll still have to be within reach of an AC outlet, but that's a minor consideration. You'll still have the option of portability as long as it's not for prolonged periods of time. Let's take a look at the best gaming laptop options available today.

Available in seven colors, and emblazoned with Alienware's familiar alien head logo, the Area 51M gaming laptop is an attention-getter even before you switch it on. Once you do, games come to life on the 15.4-inch widescreen display. An Area-51M/Nvidia GeForce FX Go5700 graphics adapter with 128MB of RAM pumps the pixels in from a 3.4-GHz Pentium 4 processor with Hyper-Threading Technology and a 512K cache, and 1GB of RAM. A 7,200-rpm hard drive, with its own 8MB cache, does its part to keep the data flowing smoothly. An 8X dual-layer DVD+RW burner and both wired and 802.11a/b/g wireless network cards fill out the basic complement of components. It's an awesome gaming laptop.

The Dell Inspiron XPS provides proof of Dell's ability to hit the bullseye in any market it chooses to enter. With a 3.4-GHz Extreme Edition Pentium 4, 1GB of RAM, and a 7,200-rpm 60GB hard drive, the XPS delivers incredibly fast performance. Couple that with a 15.4-inch UXGA widescreen LCD display driven by a 256MB ATI Radeon Mobility 9800 graphics adapter, whose performance approaches that of the best desktop cards. The XPS can be adorned with one of Dell's Quicksnap covers, including one with a pair of white skulls on a black background. As the owner of a very high-end Dell, you also get a dual-band Wi-Fi card, a great selection of I/O ports (including S-Video and DVI), and the confidence of knowing the company is just a phone call away. Jara28

Available in four colors (including evil black), and carrying your choice of "Voodoo" graphics on the lid, the Envy m:860 gaming laptop boasts a meltingly fast AMD Athalon 64 Mobile 3000+ processor and 1GB of Crucial RAM. For $340.00 more, you can go from melt to vaporize with an upgrade to the 3700+ CPU. The m:860's gaming laptop credentials also include a 128MB ATI Mobility Radeon 9700 driving a gorgeous 15.4-inch wide-aspect WSXGA+ (1680x1050) display, and onboard virtual 3D sound. The m:860 isn't just for games. It can burn DVD's in both plus and minus formats, communicate via 802.11g Wi-Fi, wired Ethernet, or modem, and even crunch a few numbers on a spreadsheet. A very hot gaming laptop especially with the Red paint job.

The compact Centrino-based FragBook TL gaming laptop proves that a gamer's notebook doesn't have to be cumbersome. With a 2.1-GHZ Intel Pentium M Dothan processor and 2GB of RAM, the 7-pound FragBook TL let's you take the games on the road. You'll see them, a maybe a movie or two, on a 15-inch SXGA+ screen that's driven by ATI's powerful 128MB Mobility Radeon 9700 adapter. A 60GB Hitachi Travelstar 7,200-rpm hard drive further enhances the performance. Also, you'll be able to go online with the FragBook TL, thanks to the Intel 2200 802.11g Wi-Fi adapter. Falcon Northwest will paint the FragBook TL any one of several colors, and includes a briefcase that looks serious enough to make people think you're carrying something Top Secret.